This (past) Week in DVD

I'll often make not entirely reverent comments about the week's DVD releases, but I'm pleasantly surprised to see that Tuesday's batch o' discs include a bevy of movies which really interest me.

The Hurt Locker: I'm glad to see this Oscar contender and critical fave is out now. Some of the marketing for this seemed to urge viewers, "It's OK, folks. It's not just an Iraq movie; it's an action movie!" But maybe people just want to see GOOD Iraq movies. Of course, nobody really went to see this. So much for my theory.

In the Loop: Speaking of types of films, no one wants to go see, I give you political satire! This is a well-reviewed, smart, relevant flick, so why was the bulk of the mainstream press I saw focused on Anna Chlumsky's return to the big screen?

(By the way, let me uses this space to again plead for a Region 1 DVD release of the excellent BBC comedy on which this is based: The Thick of It.)

Big Fan: Not, to my chagrin, a biopic of former CBS Sports pitchman Tony Hoty ("I'm a BIG fan")--and why can't I find any of those spots on the Internet? Instead, it's about a sports talk radio caller. I have kind of a love-hate relationship with sports talk radio, but I think I'll come down more on the good side of this movie.

The Brothers Bloom: Rian Johnson's follow-up to his excellent neo-noir Brick seemed to come and go in a flash. Folks, if Ricky Jay isn't enough to get you go to see a movie, what is? I've been anxiously waiting for the DVD release of this one, and sadly it doesn't look like it'll be hard to get. Well, not sadly for me in one sense, but you know what I mean. This is a talented filmmaker who deserves more attention.

Moon: I don't know much about this intriguing picture except that there's some kind of twist which it behooves me not to know. So nananananananananana I'm not listening!

Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself: Here's where I'd be tempted to make a wise-ass comment, but let's just bask in the glory of those DVDs listed above, movies I actually want to see.

Halloween II: Still basking.

Fame: Still basking, but this is pushing it. Time to end the post.