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New DVD/Video Release

CINEMAN VIDEO FOR 18-JUL-2008

DVD GUIDE FOR TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2008

*BY CINEMAN SYNDICATE*

Mini Reviews of movies available on DVD

NEW RELEASES -

DUCK

Set in 2009, this low budget fable about an old man and his duck aims
to expose society's uncaring treatment of the poor, the elderly, and
the environment. Bereft and homeless, kindly Arthur wanders a
garbage-strewn Los Angeles with his downy pet. On their way toward
the beach, they encounter a blind man (Bill Cobbs), a suicidal man
(French Stewart), a caring Vietnamese woman, and a vagrant with
diseased feet (Bill Brochtrup). The Vietnamese immigrant opines that
Americans think suffering is contagious. That summarizes the wisdom
in this softhearted picture, which has a sturdy safety net in veteran
character actor Hall. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA Dir -Nic Bettauer
Lead-Philip Baker Hall RT-98 mins.

SEPTEMBER DAWN

This "inspired by true events" film is the year's first
honest-to-goodness exploitation flick, utilizing its story about the
1857 Mountain Meadows massacre for tear-jerking, righteous
indignation-stoking melodrama. Recounting Utah-region Mormons' plot
to kill 120 immigrants passing through to California, it's
reportedly based on the official confession of convicted murderer John
D. Lee. Yet the heavily skewed means by which the tale is presented
is nothing short of egregious , with Mormon characters demonized with
such laughable gusto and Christian victims cast in such a noble
light, that the project feels less like an attempt at historical
truth-telling than like shameless anti-Mormon propaganda. (R) POOR
DRAMA Dir-Christopher Cain Lead-Jon Voight RT-110 mins.

25

Ever heard the expression "The house always wins"? Well, when it comes
to this flashy adaptation of Ben Mezrich's compelling bestseller, the
book always wins. Both recount how a team of math whizzes from MIT
made millions counting cards at Las Vegas blackjack tables. But the
book presented a number of interesting arguments that the movie
simply ignores. It does mark a stylish upgrade for director Robert
Luketic ("Legally Blonde"), who, with Kate Bosworth seated at the
table, emphasizes the sexy gloss of Sin City. Even so, it's about as
dangerous as betting the minimum at the $5 tables. With Kevin Spacey
and Laurence Fishburne. (PG-13) FAIR DRAMA Dir- Robert Luketic
Lead-Jim Sturgess RT-110 mins.

TOP DVD RENTALS -

VANTAGE POINT

Exciting for a little while, there's no viewing position from which
this thriller won't ultimately leave you with a headache. At a world
summit on terror in Spain, the U.S. President (William Hurt) is shot
and the event is replayed from multiple perspectives, including that
of a Secret Service agent (Quaid) and an American tourist (Forest
Whitaker). The catch is that every version leads to an elaborate car
chase and the film turns out to be firing hollow bullets that implode
on impact. The mess they make doesn't amount to much unless you're
in law enforcement or the security business and need a training tape.
(PG-13) FAIR THRILLER Dir-Peter Travis Lead-Dennis Quaid RT-90 mins.

DRILLBIT TAYLOR

The latest from producer Judd Apatow waters down last summer's
"Superbad" to tell the story of three high school dweebs who hire a
homeless vet posing as a bodyguard (Owen Wilson) to protect them
from a bully. The generality of the movie's premise means that
Wilson could be interchanged with Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell or any
other Frat Pack member without the film missing a beat. We've seen it
all before, including the physical types -- overweight,
frizzy-haired Seth Rogen look-a-like paired with rail-thin, mousy
Michael Cera double. The single joke behind "Drillbit Taylor" barely
sustains a trailer, let alone a 100-minute feature. (PG-13) FAIR
COMEDY Dir-Steven Brill Lead-Owen Wilson RT-100 mins.

10,000 BC

Roland Emmerich imagines the prehistoric world as a moderately
perilous melting pot in which different physical characteristics,
languages, and customs -- plus dwelling in different climatic zones
-- cannot divide mankind. Forget about cave men with clubs and
gargantuan creatures chasing Raquel Welch; don't expect an abundance
of gripping action or a scintilla of campy fun either. This
feels more like a serious-minded, computer-enhanced Bible epic with
our hunter hero (Strait) leading a rebellion against a slave-owning
civilization in order to rescue his true love (Camilla Belle). The
script is as fuzzy as the wooly mammoths and the theme of tolerance
and togetherness seems a tad anachronistic. (PG-13) FAIR ACTION
-ADVENTURE Dir-Roland Emmerich Lead-Steven Strait RT-109 mins.

THE RUINS

This latest horror film about Americans in foreign-locale trouble
focuses on the supernatural terror encountered by four pretty people
venturing into the Mexican jungle in search of an "off the beaten
path" Mayan temple. The excursion initially seems headed for a
"Turistas"-style ordeal in which Yanks' arrogant entitlement will be
brutally punished, which would be appropriate given that the opening
scenes reveal them to be shallow, disagreeable ditzes. What ensues,
however, is considerably more potent: a tale of bodily invasion and
mounting anxiety with some metaphorical heft, although the movie's
depiction of deteriorating-under-pressure group dynamics comes to an
abrupt end just as it gets going. (R) FAIR HORROR Dir-Carter Smith
Lead-Jonathan Tucker RT-91 mins.

FOOL'S GOLD

The title gets it half-right. What looked like a lucrative mid-winter
diversion on paper becomes a leaden disaster on the open sea -- a
nautical, not-naughty-enough vehicle that manages to be lethargic
and calamitous at the same time. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey
are fortune-seekers whose splintered relationship might be saved if
they can locate a fabled Spanish treasure in turquoise waters off the
Bahamas. Donald Sutherland plays a millionaire whose yacht and
celebutante daughter -- if not his bad English accent -- prove
useful during the hunt. It's obvious that strenuous efforts were made
to salvage this wreck once shooting ended. To no avail. (PG-13)
BORING COMEDY-ADVENTURE Dir-Andy Tenant Lead-Matthew McConaughey
RT-112 mins.

DVD TOP TITLES

For the week ending JULY 13, 2008

TOP RENTALS - Last Week

1. VANTAGE POINT (SONY) - 1

2. DRILLBIT TAYLOR (PAR) - 2

3. 10,000 B.C. (WB) - 3

4. THE RUINS (WB) - New

5. FOOL'S GOLD (WB) - 4

6. THE BUCKET LIST (WB) - 5

7. STOP-LOSS (PAR) - New

8. DEFINITELY, MAYBE (UNI) - 6

9. JUMPER (FOX) - 8

10. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (PAR) - 7

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JPM 8:49 AM 7/18/2008