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This week on DVD, check out the Swedish thriller Headhunter, about a wealthy businessman who moonlights as a clever art thief and finds himself the target of a ruthless killer
PICK OF THE WEEK
Based on the novel by Jo Nesbo, this top-notch Swedish thriller stars Aksel Hennie as a wealthy businessman who moonlights as a clever art thief. But when his latest job goes horribly wrong, he finds himself the target of a ruthless and determined killer.
DVDs
Loosely based on the Hasbro game of the same name (“You sunk my Battleship!”), this action-packed film about an alien invasion and the U.S. Navy’s struggle (led by gruff Admiral Liam Neeson) to destroy them, plays out like Transformers on the water. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – if you enjoy this kind of film. (Universal)
During one of his three tours of duty in Iraq, a young Marine (Zac Efron) finds a photograph of an unknown young woman who becomes his good luck charm. When he returns home to the U.S., he travels to North Carolina in hopes of tracking her down and meeting her. This is based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, whose other books (and films) like Dear John and The Notebook mine the same romantic field. (Warner)
In this latest stop-motion animated film from the makers of Wallace and Gromit comes this action-packed comedy about a pirate captain named Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) who takes on his rivals (voiced by Jeremy Piven and Selma Hayek) to see who can get the most booty and win the title of Pirate of the Year. (Sony)
Lawrence Kasden (The Big Chill) co-wrote and directed this film about Beth (Diane Keaton), a woman who loves her dog more than she does her husband Joseph (Kevin Kline). When the youngest daughter moves out, the “empty nesters” find less and less in common, so when Beth loses the dog, it’s the straw that broke the camels back in their relationship.
Based on the best-selling book by comedian (and Family Feud host) Steve Harvey, Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man, this romantic comedy follows a group of friends (including Chris Brown; Gabrielle Union; and Kevin Hart) who find out that their girlfriends are using the advice in the book against them and how they plot to get even.
Rutger Hauer stars in this true-story of millionaire beer mogul Freddy Heineken who in 1983 was kidnapped and held for ransom by a group of young criminals.
This “found footage” horror flick follows a team of paranormal investigators who are trying to help a family who have been experiencing strange phenomena since the death of their mother.
In the fourth film in this seemingly-endless franchise, the captain of a starship sent to help out a remote space fort under attack from bugs, takes on his own secret mission risking the lives of his crew and their passengers. (Sony)
Hawaii Five-0’s Scott Caan stars as one of three brothers who after learning that they only have a short time left to live, go about trying to make up for everything they did wrong in their lives. Tricia Helfer, J. K. Simmons and Harvey Keitel co-star in this comedy. (eOne)
In this dramatized version of the career of Canadian gangster Edwin Alonzo Boyd (Scott Speedman), the First World War veteran is played as a wannabe actor who chooses the life of a bank robber in order to get his 15 minutes of fame. (eOne)
Mark Pellegrino plays an ex-con who finds a shared spirit with a stripper (Alicia Witt) after he saves her from being attacked in this drama. (eOne)
In their first feature-length film, the boy band Big Time Rush channel The Beatles’ films A Hard Day’s Night and Help (complete with several Beatles‘ cover songs) as they are headed to England (actually Victoria, where this was filmed) for a tour when a mix up at the airport leaves them with a device wanted by a evil villain with intentions to take over the world. In the second film, Rags, Max Schneider (How to Rock) and Keke Palmer (True Jackson VP) co-star in a loose adaptation of Cinderella. In this version off the tale, a pop star finds her Prince Charming. (Paramount)
CLASSIC RE-ISSUES ON DVD
The famous duo meet more than just Frankenstein’s monster in this 1948 comedy where they play hapless movers who also run into Dracula and the Wolfman. EXTRAS include audio commentary from film historian Gregory W. Mank; a half-hour feature on the team’s other monster comedies and more. (Universal)
This filmed adaptation of The Who’s epic follow-up to their rock opera Tommy follows a mentally unstable young man (Phil Daniels) in Brighton during the late 1950s as he struggles with his seemingly dull life amid the gang warfare between the Rockers and the Mods. Future rock star Sting co-stars as Ace Face – the leader of the Mods. EXTRAS include audio commentary, actual news footage from the day and more. (Criterion)
MUSIC ON DVD
This DVD chronicles the history of the legendary surf-rock band The Beach Boys with rare archival footage going back to their beginnings in 1962 and new stuff from their on-going 50th anniversary tour (the first with founding member Brian Wilson since 1965) as well as backstage footage of the recording of their new album “That’s Why God Made The Radio”.
TV ON DVD
Although things looked like they were going well for Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) and his gang of rum-running thugs at the end of last season as he helped get the new Mayor elected, the mob boss may not be safe after all. This season picks up in 1921, just a few months after the mayoral election and Nucky finding himself ruffling the feathers of some other folks, including rising gangster Al Capone (Stephen Graham) as well as government agents (led by the disturbingly brilliant Michael Shannon) who suspect him of voter fraud. All 12 episodes are available on this 5–disc set.
This season begins with a 90-minute first episode: after Dr. Jenner has blown up the CDC building, Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his troop are back on the road looking for safety. With the cities becoming overrun with “walkers”, they decide to try the more sedate countryside and begin their journey out of town. Unfortunately, with original series creator Frank Darabont (The Mist) no longer involved with the series, the gore is toned down during the first half of the season, but soon picks up and gives fans plenty of zombie action to rival anything from the first season. All 13 episodes are here on this 3-DVD set. (Anchor Bay)
Clare Danes stars in this thrilling series as Carrie Mathison, a CIA agent who becomes obsessed with a US Marine (Damian Lewis) who was rescued from an Iraqi prison after many years. Fearing he has been turned by the enemy and become a danger, she does everything in her power to prove that she is right. In what is the best new series of 2011, this show has you guessing about the truth at the end of each cliff-hanging episode right up until the suspenseful finale. This 3-disc set contains all 12 episodes.
When 10-year-old Henry (Jared Gilmore) approaches Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) with the news that he’s the son she had given up when he was a baby, that’s only the second most shocking thing she learns that day in this new fantasy series from some of the people behind Lost. It seems, according to young Henry, she is the long-lost daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, who was sent from the fairytale world to protect her from the Evil Queen. When she brings him back to his home in Storybrooke (get it?) Emma finds that the similarities between these magical characters in his book and the local townspeople are too hard to ignore – especially Regina (Lana Parrilla), Henry’s domineering foster mother who bears a remarkable resemblance to a certain Evil Queen and a local pawn broker named Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) with a deadly alter ego. This 6-disc set contains all 22 episodes.
The fourth season of this violent and engrossing drama finds member of the SAMCRO motorcycle club released from prison only to find that there’s a new sheriff in town and he’s a tough nut to crack. This season also finds them in trouble with the Russians and a Mexican drug cartel meaning that the action never lets up throughout all of this season’s 14 episodes (available on this 3-DVD set).
From 1967 until 1978, Carol Burnett dominated Saturday night TV with her variety show. Before that (and afterwards) she became a regular performer on other people’s series (like Get Smart and The Twilight Zone) as well as appearing a series of popular specials – five of which are here on this 3-DVD set. First up it’s the 1963 An Evening with Carol Burnett and that year’s musical Calamity Jane, followed by the 1964 adaptation of the Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress, then 1967’s Carol + 2 (co-starring Lucille Ball and Zero Mostel), and finally Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center (1971). If that isn’t enough, they have included three bonus episodes of The Garry Moore Show, which launched Burnett’s career and more.
Quickly following up last month’s release of the third season of this popular 1970s police drama, Paramount has released the entire fourth season (on two three-disc sets). Karl Malden and Michael Douglas star as two detectives working all sorts of cases in the city by the bay and these 23 episodes, besides being great examples of that era’s TV, contain great guest stars like Mark Hamill, Larry Hagman, James Woods, Tom Selleck and many more. (Paramount)
Ashton Kutcher joined the cast for this season, replacing the “winning” Charlie Sheen as a heart-broken billionaire named Walden Schmidt. This casting change, like many series have done before it, didn’t affect the quality of the sitcom for its legions of fans. This 3-DVD set features all 24 episodes. (Warner)
Snooki, The Situation and all their oiled-up pals return for another season of GTL and sexual escapades in this uncensored DVD set featuring all 11 episodes, plus several bonus ones including the reunion show. (Paramount)
The supernatural ghost-buster Danny Phantom is back with the final 13 episodes of the popular animated series on two DVDs. (Shout Factory)
This collection of some of the spookier episodes from the hugely popular animated series finds SpongeBob, Patrick and the others facing all sorts of supernatural wackiness, including the Flying Dutchman. (Paramount)
