for April 24 DVDs

  • OBSESSED

    Beyonce Knowles and Heroes Ali Larter in a take of stalking and … murder?

  • THE SOLOIST

    Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx in the story of a mentally ill street person who is a musical genius.

  • FIGHTING

    Channing Tatum as a small-town guy who ends up streetfighting in NYC.

  • 1. THE WRESTLER:

    For my money, Mickey Rourke should have won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, over Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, although that one was almost too close to call.  He is superb as a one-time belt-winner who now makes his money playing little Legion halls and signing autographs.  He is estranged from his daughter, lives in a trailer, and tries as he might to have a life of sorts.  It doesn’t end well for Randy, but the portrayal here is exceptional! Rated 18A for nudity and language.

  • 2. FROST/NIXON:

    Good news and bad news here:  Frank Langella is superb as Richard Nixon, doing an exceptional job of portraying the late US President.  As for Frost and Michael Sheen … well, he’s too close to having been Tony Blair in The Queen, and I’m too mindful of the real David Frost to have embraced him … but this story of the interviews that “got” Nixon is gripping and real. Rated PG

  • 3. NOTORIOUS:

    The story of murdered rapper The Notorious B.I.G is captured perfectly here by Jamal Woolard with backup from Sean “Puffy” Combs.  You don’t have to be a rap aficionado to get this movie … it’s an interesting trip to the dark side of the current music business.  Rated 18A.

  • 4. RICK’S PICK:  THE WRESTLER:

    One could make a good argument for Frost/Nixon here, but Mickey Rourke is just too difficult to ignore.  I didn’t like the way the film ended, but having been in the presence of Canada’s greatest athlete, Gene Kiniski, on many occasions, I could really relate to the role and to the story.
THAT THING YOU DO (1996):  
An overlooked Tom Hanks production about a garage band that makes it big in the ‘60s is always worth a look … especially when you realize that almost every actor who was literally unknown at the time have become significant stars.  Good movie!

  • STATE OF PLAY

    Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck star in this remake of a Brit TV series that is an exceptional action-drama about the newspaper biz in Washington, DC.

  • 17 AGAIN

    Zac Efron is back in high school in this predictable-but-charming movie about going back to your teens

  • CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE

    Jason Statham is outrageous once again as Chev Chelios with the wrong heart in his body.
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