DVD 1/5/10: 50 Dead Men Walking, Falling Up, The United States of Tara S1, The Final Destination, The Philanthropist, Chuck S2
50 Dead Men Walking (R, 2008, Phase 4 Films)
There’s an element of predictability to “50 Dead Men Walking,” and it isn’t simply because (a) the film’s first scene takes place 11 years after nearly the entirety of the rest of the movie or (b) its main character (Jim Sturgess as Martin McGartland) also wrote the autobiography upon which the film is semi-loosely based. “Walking” tells the story of Martin, a small-time hooligan whose exceptional thickheadedness and local ties sends him down a path that has him infiltrating the Irish Republican Army for the British police. And like most movies about thick skulls doing dirty work for purportedly clean people, “Walking” goes through a few motions in which Martin finds himself in way over his head and doing things he never dreamt of doing as a humble troublemaker. Naturally, there’s a girl (Natalie Press) in there to complicate matters as well. But what “Walking” lacks in revolutionary plot development, it redeems everywhere else. Characters benefit from intricate development, which naturally affords some importance to situations we’ve otherwise seen before. “Walking” further complements these scenes with intelligently blunt writing and imagery that’s harsh enough to make an impact without overdoing it or taking away from all the little things the film does in the interim. That it’s based on a true story — and, as such, provides some unique insight into the roots of a maddeningly senseless conflict — is no small bonus, either. Ben Kingsley, Kevin Zegers and Rose McGowan also star.
Extras: Director commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes feature.
Falling Up (NR, 2009, Anchor Bay)
We all have one, and everyone’s is different. So what’s your tolerance for new stories that don’t really tell a story that’s all that new? Your particular threshold will likely determine how much capacity you have to enjoy “Falling Up,” in which a penniless wannabe-nurse-turned-temporary-doorman (Joseph Cross as Henry) charms a sweet but very possibly spoiled rich girl (Sarah Roemer as Scarlett) who lives in the 5th Avenue building where he works. That outline alone probably fills viewers’ heads with images of what’s to come, and in most cases — be it the scene where Scarlett’s parents (Mimi Rogers, Jim Piddock) condemn the courtship or Henry’s family (Rachael Leigh Cook, Annette O’Toole) gives him the pep talk about character over class stature — “Up” disappointingly doesn’t disappoint. The good news is that with those clichés comes a good, satisfactorily unique group of characters to go through those motions, along with a handful of bit characters (Snoop Dogg, Joe Pantoliano, Sam Page) who possess scene-stealing powers. Their particular quirks, and “Up’s” likably smart script, make the film fun to experience despite the safe, well-worn roads it continually takes us down.
Extra: Behind-the-scenes feature.
The United States of Tara: The First Season (NR, 2009, Showtime)
What does it say about “The United States of Tara” when the woman (Toni Collette) whose name makes it into the title might be the least interesting character on the show? Is might be condemnation of the concept, which finds Tara fighting to achieve wife-and-mom normalcy despite suffering from a multiple-personality disorder that has her embodying the spirit of a teenage girl, a male trucker and a Stepford wife. At least early on, the concept feels like anything from a tiring gimmick (once the novelty of each character wears off) to a losing battle (it’s hard to resolve differences between four characters when only one appears at a time) to a convenient plot device to drag out at will. Eventually, though, it becomes apparent that the most interesting thing about “Tara” isn’t the sideshow in the middle, but the comparatively normal husband (John Corbett), son (Keir Gilchrist), daughter (Brie Larson) and sister (Rosemarie DeWitt) who must deal with these transformations while also handling a multitude of far more relatable issues in their own lives. “Tara” bounces between comedy and drama with so much regularity as to be neither, and it has a tendency to drag when an alternate personality wears out its welcome. But between those annoying moments, it tells a pretty good story about some surprisingly good characters. And as the season trucks along, the balance seems to improve, signaling good episodes ahead for season two.
Contents: 12 episodes, plus commentary, two behind-the-scenes features, the first episode of season three of “The Tudors,” and DVD-ROM content (podcast interviews, the first two episodes of season two of “Californication,” another episode of “The Tudors” and another behind-the-scenes feature.)
The Final Destination (R, 2009, New Line)
“The Final Destination” — which apes some bizarre new trend of signaling a film franchise’s painfully overdue end by using a barely modified version of the first film’s name — would appear to go somewhere, you know, final. But is that really possible for a series that kills its entire cast during each outing and otherwise spins its creative wheels? Like the first three films, “Destination” begins with one character’s (Bobby Campo) premonition of violent impending death, and it proceeds with him and a select supporting cast of friends and other characters escaping with their lives while everyone else dies exactly as he envisioned. Death doesn’t like this, and so Death sets out to kill each character in the order he or she should have died in the opening disaster. And around and around the wheel of misfortune goes until, per usual, Death gets its way. The only reason to see “Destination” at this point is to see what wacky kills the filmmakers have devised, but outside of one unintentionally funny death early on, it feels like a phoned-in exercise this time around. So all we’re left with are characters we couldn’t care less about, dialogue that’s more wince-worthy than the gore, a story that’s already been told the same way three times and an ending that, at this point, is as predictable as rain falling after grey clouds assemble. None of it merited a fourth movie, much less one so profoundly “final,” and the 3D effects are simply pitiful in light of the spectacle “Avatar” is putting on in theaters right now.
Extras: Deleted scenes, 3D glasses.
Worth a Mention
— “The Philanthropist: The Complete Series” (NR, 2009, NBC): NBC sent this one to die by airing it in June, and sure enough, eight episodes later, die it did. What’s that? You never even heard of “The Philanthropist?” Yeah, no kidding. James Purefoy, Neve Campbell, Michael K. Williams and Jesse L. Martin star. No extras.
— “Chuck: The Complete Second Season” (NR, 2008, Warner Bros.): Proof that not every good show that appears on NBC is doomed to a short life. Includes 22 episodes, plus deleted scenes, bloopers, two behind-the-scenes features, Web mini-features, tips for being awesome, and “John Casey Presents: So You Want to Be a Deadly Spy?”