Susan Granger’s DVD/Video Update for week of Friday, July 31:
Vroom! Vroom! In “Fast and Furious,” Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are at odds again when crime brings them back to Los Angeles but now they must work together to capture an elusive drug kingpin, leading them into a series of elaborately staged races and chases.
Set in 1963, amid the swirl of glamour and intrigue that turned President John F. Kennedy’s Washington into Camelot, “An American Affair” is a teenager’s cliché-riddled glimpse of JFK’s torrid affair with a sexy, blonde bombshell (Gretchen Mol).
In his documentary, “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High,” Adam Scorgie astutely demystifies the underground marijuana industry, showing how it functions while remaining illegal and examining the cause and effect nature of the business.
Lance Henriksen and Danny Trejo star in the supernatural thriller “Necessary Evil,” as an investigative journalist (Kathryn Fiore) uncovers the layers of corruption that lie deep within the walls of Edgewater Psychiatric Institute, even if the cost is her life.
The two-disc Special Edition of “Green Lantern: First Flight” finds earthling Hal Jordan (voiced by Christopher Meloni of “Law & Order: SVU”) joining the Green Lantern Corps and discovering that his mentor is a treacherous villain in a secret conspiracy that threatens the hierarchy and traditions of the entire corps.
For music fans: “Global Metal,” the sequel to “Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey,” demonstrates how the West’s most maligned musical genre has impacted world culture. “The Beatles – Rare and Unseen: Unofficial Account of the Biggest Band in the World” uses original rare footage, including home-movies and photographs from private collections. And “The Doors: From the Outside” compiles recollections, stories and anecdotes from those who knew the group and its members best.
PICK OF THE WEEK: “The Alzheimer’s Project” delves into our second-most-feared illness after cancer and the sixth leading cause of death in this country. But now there’s hope. Groundbreaking advances are the cornerstone of this HBO documentary which explores the most noteworthy developments that can improve our chances of remaining cognitively vital as we age, while examining the realities of this disease and its effects.