Susan’s dvd update for week of Friday, Jan. 15th:
For those who like unusual, offbeat, uplifting stories, “Adam” delves into the complexities of a young man with Asberger’s Syndrome (ASD). Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy) is a brilliant, 29 year-old electronics engineer whose structured life falls apart and is then rebuilt with the help of a compassionate neighbor (Rose Byrne). Guillermo Arriaga’s haunting, erotic “The Burning Plain,” starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, focuses on a tormented woman who must acknowledge the past in order to find redemption; it’s a compelling, if melodramatic tale of emotional turmoil between mothers-and-daughters. On a lighter note, a Palestinian single mom goes to White Castle in “Amreeka,” a charming comedy about culture clashes in Illinois on the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. If you like fright flicks, subtly scary “Paranormal Activity” – about a college student haunted by ghostly demons – is even more effective on DVD because you’re viewing this faux-documentary terror tale in the dark, quiet privacy of your own home. “The Final Destination” continues the series that explores premonitions. And Megan Fox stars in “Jennifer’s Body” as a man-eating (literally), demonically possessed cheerleader, while “A Perfect Getaway” is a suspense thriller revolving around homicidal maniacs preying on unsuspecting hikers on Kauai, Hawaii’s garden island. As disappointing on DVD as they were on the big screen, the recycled “Fame” blandly sanitizes the original concept with appealing newcomers, while “Post Grad” flunks with an inexcusably unrealistic coming-of-age concept, promoting the idea that young women faced with rejection should forget their dreams and aspirations, forgo their independence and settle for security, waiting for a miracle to occur. For preschoolers, “Barney: Please & Thank You” teaches the importance of being kind and courteous, “Thomas & Friends: Splish Spash Splosh” and “Let’s Grow: Lending a Helping Hand” explore discovery, friendship and cooperation, while “The Best of Bob the Builder” emphasizes teamwork and positive thinking.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Kathryn Bigelow’s critically acclaimed “The Hurt Locker” delivers ferocious, visceral suspense with a graphic, subversive portrait of adrenaline-soaked soldiers who dismantle bombs in Baghdad’s urban combat zone.