DVD review of “Arrival” starring Amy Adams.File
Arrival
A linguist will lead us if space aliens ever stop by to greet us, says this grimly serious science-fiction mystery from November. It takes the perspective of a language expert (Amy Adams) handed the awesome task of communicating with extraterrestrials after a dozen massive hovering spaceships suddenly appear around the world. The human race goes on alert. Military forces take charge, while fear-mongering government critics feed a global panic. Amidst the suspense, a surprisingly personal story evolves. Nominated for eight Oscars including best picture and director (Denis Villeneuve), the November release cost $47 million and grossed $191 million. Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker co-star. PG-13, 116 minutes. Extras: five featurettes. From Paramount. Released Feb. 14 on DVD, Blu-ray, Netflix mail and Redbox.
The Edge of Seventeen
Nadine is having a really bad movie. Not that the movie is bad. It’s actually very good, believable and funny. But life seems to be circling the drain for this miserable high school junior, played with adorable spunk by Hailee Steinfeld. She doesn’t fit in at all, and now her best friend, no, make that her only friend is suddenly involved with Nadine’s egotistical big brother. The only person she can talk to is a cantankerous teacher, played by Woody Harrelson in a role he was born for. Nadine dishes it out and he serves it right back to her in perfectly delivered interactions. Writer-producer-director Kelly Fremon Craig, in her feature directing debut, absolutely nails this delicate coming-of-age tale with universally recognizable teenage characters. It cost $9 million and grossed $17.4 million. R, 105 minutes. Extras: a gag reel and three deleted and extended scenes. From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Released Feb. 14.
Vice Principals, season one
In the darkly funny 2009-13 HBO sitcom “Eastbound & Down,” Danny McBride played a self-important retired major-league pitcher in the mold of David “Boomer” Wells. In his latest darkly funny HBO sitcom, he takes on the role of Neal Gamby, a self-important high school vice principal dying for a promotion. When the longtime principal (Bill Murray in a one-episode cameo) decides to retire, McBride’s Gamby tells everyone he will get the job. Of course, he doesn’t, and he forms an unholy alliance with his arch-rival to take down his new boss. McBride, the series’ co-creator, knows how to wring guilty-pleasure laughs out of these clueless characters. This time, however, his main co-star feels miscast. Walton Goggins (“Justified” and “The Shield”) is great at playing heavies but looks lost in this deranged comedy. From HBO Home Video. Released Feb. 7 on DVD and Blu-ray.
By Sidney Lumet
How wonderful to hear the great film director Sidney Lumet share stories about his brilliant career, including his films “Serpico,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Network,” “The Verdict” and many more in this riveting 2015 documentary. Lumet, who died at 86 in 2011, gave an in-depth interview a few years before leaving us, which is intercut with scenes from his movies. Much in demand as a child actor in New York City’s Yiddish theater, he then appeared in 14 Broadway plays while still young, transitioned into live television and then got his big break as a director when Henry Fonda signed him for “12 Angry Men.” Morality and justice issues play a large role in his works, but he denies it was intentional. “I’m not directing the moral message,” he said. “I’m directing that piece and those people. And if I do it well, the moral message will come through.” What interested him the most, he said, is how his films affect audiences emotionally. 103 minutes. From FilmRise. Released in January on DVD and Blu-ray.
The Eagle Huntress
A Mongolian family breaks from centuries of male-dominated tradition by letting their 13-year-old girl learn how to train an eagle to hunt for wild game on barren, wind-swept terrain in this gorgeous 2016 documentary. G, 88 minutes. From Sony Pictures Classics. Released Feb. 7 on DVD and Blu-ray.
The Crooked Man
Haunting rhymes recited at little girls’ slumber parties only summon actual demons in unimaginative productions like this 2016 Syfy channel horror film. It stars Michael Jai Whjite and Angelique Rivera. Unrated, 86 minutes. From Lionsgate. Released Feb. 14 on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
Director Ang Lee’s innovative 2016 drama about what really happened to a trumped-up American war hero in Iraq fared poorly at the box office. Lee made film history on the technical side by shooting at 60 frames a second instead of the usual 24, and this high-speed version is presented in 4K Ultra HD, if you have a home system capable of playing it. R, 113 minutes. From Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Released Feb. 14.
Dead West
True love is hard to find, especially for serial killers. One such individual embarks on a cross-country journey in search of the right woman, coming close a number of times but not close enough. So he kills them. The brother of one of the victims decides to do something about this, turning the tables in this low-budget 2016 crime thriller. It stars Jeffrey Arrington. Unrated, 114 minutes. From RLJ Entertainment. Released Feb. 7.
Star Trek: Enterprise, the complete series
The least successful of the five “Star Trek” television series (so far), this prequel takes us back to the early days of Starfleet, a century before Capt. Kirk and company. Interstellar travel was in its infancy, and starships had fewer fancy technological toys. Scott Bakula heads the cast as Capt. Jonathan Archer, while Jolene Blalock plays sexy Vulcan science officer T’Pol. Lasting only four seasons, from 2011-15, the show started strong but gradually deteriorated. The slide accelerated at the end of season two with a massive terrorist attack on Earth that was a thinly veiled response to the real-life destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001. The show has been released on DVD and Blu-ray before, but this new boxed set has the advantage of shelf-friendly packaging. The Blu-ray is 24 discs, 97 episodes, 71 hours. From Paramount. Released Feb. 14.
King Cobra
James Franco and Christian Slater play porn producers competing for a rising gay star in this 2016 crime drama based on true events. From Shout Factory and IFC Midnight. Released Feb. 14.
The Powerpuff Girls: Tiara Trouble
After a decade away, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup returned to television last year in a reimagined version of the girl power series. These superpowered sisters defend their hometown of Townsville and still manage to get to bed on time. The animated series features the voice talents of Amanda Leighton, Natalie Palamides and Kristen Li. From Cartoon Network. Released Feb. 14.
Deep Water
Noah Taylor and Yael Stone star as detectives investigating a brutal murder in this four-part Australian TV crime drama series, inspired by true events, that has drawn comparisons to “True Detective.” 221 minutes. From RLJ Entertainment. Released Feb. 14.
Email Chris Ball at cball@plaind.com
On Twitter @ChrisBall99
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