The Great Hypnotist
What is it? Xu Ruining (Xu Zheng) is a renowned hypnotherapist who believes the human mind’s ability to deceive but doesn’t believe in ghosts. His tune changes though when his latest patient (Karen Mok) begins sharing her story and her visions.
Why rent it? Elements of horror make their presence known as the film proceeds resulting in a supernatural chiller mixing illusion and reality. The visuals exude a dark style, and while they overshadow the story at times — and could use a bit better lighting — they put an appealing spin on what at times amounts to familiar ghostly happenings.
[DVD extras: None]
The Hallow
What is it? A young family relocates to rural Ireland for conservation work in the surrounding woods, but the locals make it clear they’re not too keen on the intruders. They’re not the only threat facing the family though as something in the woods is equally unwelcoming.
Why rent it? Corin Hardy’s feature debut mixes superstition and culture clash with some good old-fashioned practical monsters, and while the script too frequently frustrates with character stupidity the creatures go a long way toward holding our attention. The young couple is forced into a fight with the unknown, and the deeper they go the more eerie and frightening their world becomes.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Making of, featurettes]
The Hoarder
What is it? A young woman (Mischa Barton) heads into the bowels of a storage unit center only to find some kind of murderous creature on the bottom level. Trapped inside with a handful of other late-night storage junkies she’s forced to fight for her life and a way out.
Why skip it? There are a couple of interesting, albeit minor, turns in this otherwise generic thriller that sees a reject from The Descent making a home in a storage locker, but whether they’re enough to make up for the rest of the movie is debatable. They roam between the floors, but so much of it looks identical that the result is a film that never really finds a style. Characters are a mix of slight and slighter, and the ending is a disappointment — the tipping point for me being Barton’s final moments.
[DVD extras: Making of]
Identicals
What is it? When Slater’s girlfriend is abducted one night — and an exact replica corpse left in her place — he sets out to discover what exactly is going on. He discovers an organization that uses cutting-edge science to help clients upgrade into the lives of people who look like them.
Why rent it? The best science fiction films are often the ones forced by budgetary restraints to find originality and engagement through the writing instead of the CG, and while this film is more good than great it creates an intriguing world with its script. Some of it does feel familiar, but it strikes an interesting balance between the science and the emotion.
[DVD extras: Interview, featurette]
Mojave
What is it? Thomas (Garrett Hedlund) is a film director with issues, but his life grows even more complicated when he heads into the desert for some soul searching and finds a serial killer (Oscar Isaac) instead. He outwits his would-be killer, but his sins follow him back to Los Angeles.
Why skip it? Writer/director William Monahan (The Departed) sets up an interesting pairing here, but the film ultimately does very little with it. Just as he did with his directorial debut, London Boulevard, he puts pieces and characters in place only to let them waste away with generic turns. Both leads are one dimensional, far from believable, and occasionally grating — they collectively use the word “brother” nearly a hundred times throughout — and not even the odd supporting cast (including Walton Goggins, Fran Kranz, and Mark Wahlberg) can make up for what’s clearly missing in excised narrative.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Deleted scenes, making of]
The Odd Couple: Season One
What is it? Oscar (Matthew Perry) is a slob! Felix (Thomas Lennon) is a neat freak! Get ready for fun when they move in together!
Why skip it? The original series (and film) highlighted the wit of creator Neil Simon and came to life with terrific writing and casting. This redo lacks all of the above. Sure, Perry and Lennon have proven themselves capable of bringing the laughs under other, better circumstances, but the scripts are just obvious drivel. The attempts at comedy are constant, loud, continuous failures. It’s a rough trip for viewers, but it’s Yvette Nicole Brown I feel most sorry for — imagine going from the highs of Community‘s sharply comedic writing to this. That said, one season of this has probably put her in front of more viewers than all of Community so…
[DVD extras: Deleted scenes, featurettes, gag reel]
Pay Back
What is it? Zhang Jin (Francis Ng) has been released from prison and wants to make amends, but the old triad life is a difficult one to shake. He teams up with a taxi driver who’s currently fighting his own battle with the past, and together they discover just how deadly it can be trying to stay alive.
Why skip it? Hong Kong action-thrillers such as this are dependent on a combination of action and thrills as the character types are typically generic in their setup and execution. The filmmakers here though didn’t get that memo and instead deliver some over the top drama paired with lackluster action beats. The emotion connects even less frequently than the punches.
[DVD extras: None]
Riot
What is it? Jack Stone (Matthew Reese) is a cop — you can tell by his name — who gets himself thrown in prison in order to go face to face with the man (Chuck Liddell) he holds responsible for the loss of his family. He also befriends Dolph Lundgren.
Why skip it? Good direct-to-DVD action movies do exist, but this is not one of them. Even if you’re not offended by the sneaky cover art trying to make you believe that Lundgren is a lead (and the copy on the back trying to do the same) the movie never really manages to entertain. Characters are forgettable, and the action even more so, leaving viewers with nothing more than the little bit of charm Lundgren manages in his brief supporting turn.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: None]
Tumbledown
What is it?
Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is a woman whose life is in repose. Her husband died a few years back, and she’s left with only her memories and her grief. Well, she and the rest of the world are also left with his one perfect album — his only album — but while everyone else moves on Hannah is stuck spinning her wheels trying to write his autobiography. She finds further turmoil and help in the form of a visiting college professor named Andrew (Jason Sudeikis) who’s writing his own book on the artist.
Why rent it? Director Sean Mewshaw’s feature debut is at its best with Hannah’s scenes highlighting her human fragility, and Hall delivers on those intimate moments with tender emotion. The script sets up a relationship that threatens generic and familiar turns throughout, and it escapes that fate as often as it meets it. Grief and loss aside, the film is enough of a romantic comedy that we believe with certainty that Hannah and Andrew are headed into each other’s arms, but it wisely avoids rushing the pair together. The expected beats are here — they clash, they make-up, there’s a third-act betrayal, etc — but there’s enough respect for Hannah to avoid speeding up the romance.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Making of, featurette]
Dixieland, Doctor Who: The Complete Ninth Series, Pandemic, The Von Trapp Family: A Life in Music
Related Topics: Home Video, Star Wars
