Sorry for the delay, but we are going to be officially reviewing discs from several other studios so the next few weeks will be catch up. Expect another two of these columns in the next week until we’re back on track.
Chuck: The Complete Third Season
Warner Home Video/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 817 Minutes
After receiving a last minute reprieve from cancellation, Chuck returned in it’s third season reinvented and better than ever.
With the new Intersect in his head, Chuck (Zachary Levi) finds that life as a secret agent isn’t as easy as he had hoped, despite his new skills. First of all, his training has complicated his burgeoning relationship with secret agent Sara Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and second, his dual identity has left his personal relationships with many unanswered questions, especially his sister, Ellie (Sarah Lancaster). It doesn’t take long for best friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) to learn the truth and join Team Bartowski as a trainee under John Casey (Adam Baldwin) and as a confidant to Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin). Also joining the cast this season in extended appearances are Kristen Kreuk as a fellow Buy More employee and love interest for Chuck and Brandon Routh as secret agent Daniel Shaw who takes control of both Team Bartowski and as a romantic interest of Sarah’s. Scott Bakula also returns as Chuck and Ellie’s fugitive genius father, Steve Bartowski. Among the guest stars during the season are Vinnie Jones, Armand Assante, Angie Harmon, Steve Austin, Louis Lombardi, Tony Sirico, Diedrich Bader, Robert Patrick, Mark Sheppard, Fred Willard, Swoosie Kurtz, Udo Kier and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs. Extras are a little disappointing considering both the fan base and the subject matter. They include deleted scenes, a gag reel, a featurette and a mockumentary about Jeffster.
Chuck is one of the most entertaining shows on television and both the writing, production and strong acting have made it one of the few shows that constantly reinvents itself without ignoring it’s own history. Despite minimal extras, whether you are the rabid fan or the occasional viewer, this season belongs on your shelf. Highly recommended.
Laughology
Disinformation/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 66 Minutes
For a documentary about laughter, there’s not much to smile at with Laughology, which starts as an interesting documentary examining both the cause and effect of laughter. Not humor, but rather the physical and possibly rehabilitative effects of laughing.
Following the mixed emotions following the death of a parent and birth of his own baby, journalist Albert Nerenberg set out to discover the origins of laughter. Despite an interesting premise, Nerenberg is not a good executor and the film was both amateurish and at a mere 66 minutes, one of the longest films I have ever seen. The extras include an additional forty plus minutes of scenes and a trailer.
Less Than Perfect: The Complete First Season
Lionsgate/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 464 Minutes
As I’ve mentioned before, I love sitcoms, which made the opportunity to check out the first season of Less Than Perfect even more intriguing. Despite the fact that the series lasted four seasons, I had never seen an episode. The premise is fairly standard, Sara Rue plays Claudia “Claude” Casey who works for a television news station and has been promoted from secretarial permanent floater to the assistance to the anchor (Eric Roberts). From there, it’s fairly standard antics with Claude having to deal with her old friends and her new conniving co-workers.
A good cast elevates this pretty average show to “good”. Cast members include Zachary Levi, Andy Dick, Andrea Parker, and Sherri Shepherd. Unfortunately, the overwhelming canned laughter and mundane storylines make this series more of a potential rental rather than a must have. The season arrives with no extras whatsoever.
Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season
Warner Home Video/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 1012 Minutes
Who would have thought nine years ago that Tom Welling would clock in more time in front of the camera as Superman more than any other actor?
Smallville continues to plod along and this season continues to be a frustrating mixed bag as Clark’s journey to Superman has taken almost a decade. This season has Clark adopting a secret identity of The Blur, giving him an opportunity to don a trench coat and rush to the rescue at a moment’s notice, playing with Lois’ emotions (the lovely Erica Durance) as she falls for both Clark and The Blur, not realizing that they are one in the same!
In the midst of this romantic triangle between two people, Zod (season big bad, Callum Blue) from Krypton arrives with an army of followers intent on taking over Earth. Hey, where did Clark go…?
Smallville continually suffers from misguided attempts to both keep Clark out of costume and create season long villains for him to battle, when the stand alone and DC Comics guest star episodes shine. This season, fortunately was not a disappointment in that respect, as Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) becomes a season regular and the season had appearances from such characters as Metallo, Speedy, The Wonder Twins, Amanda Waller, Zatanna, Star Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Martian Manhunter and The Icicle.
Overall, the season’s highs definitely outweigh it’s lows and remains to be fairly entertaining, and a perfect setup for the series’ final season. Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season isn’t the best the series has ever produced, but it’s the best in several years and the enthusiasm for change can’t be dismissed. Extras include deleted scenes, commentaries, and featurettes on both Zod and the Justice Society.
Solitary Man
Anchor Bay/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 90 Minutes
Michael Douglas gives one of his better performances in recent memory as Ben Kamen in Solitary Man.
A one-time automobile magnate can’t accept the fact that he’s aging and destroys both his personal life and professional career dissolve as a result of his own indiscretions. After receiving a bad health report from his doctor, Kamen cheats on his wife (Susan Sarandon), leaves his family (daughter Jenna Fischer) and loses a fortune after some shady dealings in his East Coast car business. After sleeping with as many women as possible, he hopes to build back his dealerships with the help of his girlfriend (Mary-Louise Parker) putting in a good word with her father on the condition that he escort her teen daughter (Imogen Poots) on her college interview to his Alma Mater. There he reconnects with his college friend (Danny DeVito), befriends student Jesse Eisenberg and continues to make one bad decision after another.
No one does slick and slimy quite like Douglas, who delivers an Oscar worthy performance as one of the more unlikeable characters that you might ever encounter. The rest of the ridiculously talented ensemble all deliver flawless work. Solitary Man is smart, riveting and one of the best films of the year and should not be missed. Extras include a commentary, a featurette and trailer.
Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season
Warner Home Video/Released September 7, 2010
Unrated/Running Time 924 Minutes
Supernatural delivers it’s most epic season, tackling both heaven and hell. What could have been dismissed as a teen idol showcase for actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles is actually one of the best genre shows to have ever graced television. Creator Eric Kripke originally designed the series to end at the end of this season and as a result, threw everything he had into this season as the Apocalypse begins and the brothers Winchester team up with fallen angel Castiel to kill Lucifer, successfully tying together plot threads that began with the first episode. (Note: Kripke is no longer as active on the series with the new season, but Supernatural is continuing with a sixth season).
Smart writing, sharp humor and an epic storyline flawlessly executed have elevated Supernatural to best series on television that continually flies under the masses radar. Extras include deleted scenes, commentary, featurettes and gag reel. Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season deserves a coveted spot in any geek’s collection (next to the first four seasons, of course). Highly recommended.
Also Available This Week:
Movies
American Cowslip, Killers, MacGruber, That Evening Sun
Television
Boy Meets World (Seasons 1, 2, 3….Viva Topanga!), Bugs Bunny’s Howl-oween Special, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, The Colony, Criminal Minds: Season 5, Dirty Jobs: Collection 6, The Guardian: The Second Season, The Norm Show: The Complete Series, The Office: Season 6, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, The Phantom, Prime Suspect: The Complete Collection
