Movies new to DVD this week include an LDS comedy with a title change, and a number of other theatrical films that are hit and miss.
Recent films
"Anxiously Engaged: A Piccadilly Romance" (aka "Piccadilly Cowboy") (Excel, 2006, PG, $24.99). One thing about this LDS romantic comedy — written and directed by Salt Lake filmmaker Tyler Ford — that sets it apart from others in the glutted market of Mormon movies is that it's set and was filmed in England and Scotland. The visuals are great, and the idea of placing a Montana cowboy in London is a natural.
But more work on the script would have helped, as it is never quite as funny or warm or smart as it would like to be. This despite the presence of appealing actors, such as Jaelan Petrie as the fish-out-of-water American, Katie Foster-Barnes as his materialistic fiancee and Sophie Shaw as her sister.
You can guess the by-the-numbers plot (which resembles the Cary Grant-Katharine Hepburn film "Holiday") well in advance of its revelations.
Still, there is promise here, and it will be interesting to see what Ford and these performers do next.
Extras: Widescreen
"The Lookout" (Miramax, 2007; R for violence, language, sex; $29.99). This very smart, very dark thriller (laced with comedy) is a real think piece, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt terrific as a former high school hockey champ who suffers from guilt and memory lapses after causing a tragic car accident. The central plot has him being tricked into helping with a bank robbery, but there's much more to it. Jeff Daniels is also excellent as his blind roommate.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary, featurettes
"Wild Hogs" (Touchstone, 2007, PG-13, $29.99). This is easily one of the year's worst films, and it's especially disappointing because of the promising plot — four middle-aged suburbanites trying to recapture their youth with a motorcycle trek — and the A-list cast: John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy. Foul humor and stupid gags fall flat all the way around.
Extras: Widescreen, deleted scenes, alternate ending, audio commentary, featurettes, bloopers, trailers
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters" (Warner, 2007; R for language, sex, violence; two discs, $29.98). Cable-TV animation with a "Borat"-inspired title. Do you even care that it's about an anthropomorphic box of french fries, a milkshake and a meatball?
Extras: Widescreen, alternate endings, audio commentary, featurettes, trailers
Foreign films
"U-Carmen" (Koch Lorber, 2004, $26.98). This unique adaptation of the Bizet opera is reimagined against the backdrop of Khayelitsha in South Africa, where brassy factory worker Carmen sets her sights on a Bible-reading cop. Very well done.
Extras: Widescreen, in Xhosa with English subtitles
"The Method" (Palm, 2005, $24.99). What starts out as a fascinating, witty character satire about office politics unfortunately runs out of steam and indulges in some unnecessary R-rated elements. Applicants for a position in an upscale Madrid company find themselves together in a room where their interactions are being monitored as relationships, paranoia and competitive spirits are pushed to the max.
Extras: Widescreen, in Spanish with English subtitles, featurette, trailer
"Murderous Intent" (Weinstein/Genius, 2007, not rated, $19.95). Offbeat, gruesome Australian thriller stars Toni Collette as a police psychologist who tries to determine the innocence or guilt of a schoolboy involved in several murders. The twist ending is no surprise, but it's well-played by a fine cast.
Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary, featurette
Vintage films
"The Charlie Chan Collection, Volume 3" (Fox, 1931-37, b/w four discs, $49.98). Chan fans will get a kicks out of these four 1930s films in the series — "The Black Camel" (1931), "Charlie Chan's Secret" (1936), "Charlie Chan on Broadway" (1937) and "Charlie Chan in Monte Carlo." The bonus features are also notable, especially the early talkie "Behind the Curtain" (1929, the second onscreen Chan appearance, with Boris Karloff) and a re-creation of the lost 1932 film "Charlie Chan's Chance."
Extras: Full frame, restoration comparisons, photo galleries, trailers; booklet
Reissued DVDs
"Halloween" (Anchor Bay, 1978; R for violence, language, sex, nudity; $14.98). Still great horror movie, and Jamie Lee Curtis' film debut, gets its umpteenth DVD release, with nothing new among the bonus features.
Extras: Widescreen/full-frame options, featurette, text biographies, photo galleries, trailers/TV-radio spots
"Darkman: The Franchise Collection" (Universal, 1990-96; R for violence, language; $19.98). The first of this trilogy is a lot of comic-book fun, written and directed by Sam Raimi (the "Spider-Man" trilogy) and starring Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand. The law of diminishing returns kicks in for the second two (which went straight to video).
Extras: Widescreen
"Back to School: Extracurricular Edition" (MGM, 1986, PG-13, $19.98). Silly but engaging college-hijinks with Rodney Dangerfield.
Extras: Widescreen, featurettes, photo gallery, trailers/TV spots
TV movies
"Marco Polo" (RHI, 2006, $19.95). Long, somewhat tedious three-hour Hallmark movie about the world explorer (Ian Somerhalder), with B.D. Wong ("Law & Order: SVU") and Brian Dennehy (as Kublai Khan!).
Extras: Widescreen, featurettes, trailer
"Pandemic" (RHI, 2006, $19.95). Another three-hour Hallmark movie, this one padding out the premise of "Outbreak" and similar disaster flicks about rapidly spreading disease. In this case, a Centers for Disease Control doctor (Tiffani Thiessen) locks down Los Angeles, causing panic. Hey, nothing says authority-figure like a gorgeous woman who shows off cleavage. Faye Dunaway, Eric Roberts and French Stewart co-star.
Extras: Widescreen, featurette, trailer
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com