for Dec 11 DVDs

  • INVICTUS

    Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandala in a fact-based tale of South Africa and rugby

  • THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

    Disney animated tale about … well, you know!.

  • 1. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE:

    The usual suspects are all back in this sixth film in the Potter series.  The story here takes us deep into the history of He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named, but we call him Voldemort anyway.  One specific scene featuring the Death-Eaters was written for the movie but did not appear in the book, and has the effect of setting us up for some action that never occurs, and I felt that this film was slower and wordier than the others.  Most Potter fans loved it however.  First PG ratings since Prisoner of Azkaban.  Rated PG.

  • 2. PUBLIC ENEMIES:

    Johnny Depp was born to play characters such as John Dillinger, the Chicago-based gangster who swept across the Midwest robbing trains and banks.  Known as the ‘gentleman bandit”, Dillinger was known for leaving bank customers’ money in their pockets, and just stealing from the institution. Great period piece, historically accurate, and well cast with Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis, the G-man who took Dillinger down. Directed by Michael Mann.  Rated 14A.

  • 3. JULIE AND JULIA:

    “You can never have too much butter,” instructs Julia Child in this origins film that profiles the rise from obscurity to the heights of French cooking by Child, played to perfection here by Meryl Streep.  Amy Adams is fine as well in a parallel story that plays out as present-day fledgling writer Julie Powell pays homage to Child by completing all of her 525 recipes in just one year.  Rated  PG.

  • 4. PUBLIC ENEMIES:

    Long at 2:20, it’s fascinating to see the creation and evolution of the FBI as well as to understand the folk-hero aspect of characters like Dillinger.  Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd and Alvin (Creepy) Karpis all appear as well.
THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987): 

Kevin Costner is Elliot Ness, and Robert DiNero is Al Capone in this classy remake based on the TV series, but with a lot more blood.  DiNero, Method actor that he is, insisted on wearing the same style of silk underwear that Al Capone wore.  Even though it was never seen on camera, he says it helped his performance.

  • ARMORED  

    Great heist movie with a twist an excellent performance by Columbus Short as a rookie armored car guard

  • BROTHERS

    Harsh look at a returned-from-Iraq vets home life

  • EVERYBODY’S FINE

    Wonderful and touching story of a widower (Robert DiNero) trying to connect with his adult children.
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