Grab some snacks and settle in because it's time for the weekly highs and lows in the new DVD releases.

As always, Videoport Jones is on call and ready to answer your questions.

No Country for Old Men

Videoport Jones: “When I read the Cormac McCarthy novel, I remember thinking, 'Holy cats! As long as no one hires an absolutely incompetent director (Bret Ratner, I’m looking at you...), then this is an absolutely foolproof blueprint for an all-time classic, intense, nasty-arse thriller.' Oh, wait, they hired the Coen brothers? And got Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem? Oh, geez, man, am I embarrassed that I ever doubted you. Sure, I was a little worried about Josh Brolin, but the former Goonie does just fine as everyman hero Llewelyn. Bleak, brutal, and existentially sad, this is, surprise!...an all time classic thriller. Never doubt me again...”

Justin: "Not so fast, friend-o. I have never disagreed with you more. In concept I agree with you. It has all the makings of an excellent, classic 'to the last man' type of thriller. It's precisely the reason I wanted to see it. How can you go wrong with a good 'money falls into the hands of someone who shouldn't have it' cat and mouse flick. Well I'm here to say you can. I was with the Coens until about halfway through the movie, and not to give too much away, but one of the characters is just gone. Period. End. That's to say nothing of the actual ending itself, which I also did not care for, and that's coming from a guy who doesn't mind endings that are a little muddled. Now, for the record, I do think the parts were better than the sum. Respectively Jones, Bardem and Brolin were great, but the overall product honestly left me as unhappy as I have been leaving a movie theater in a really long time. And I saw 'Live Free or Die Hard' in theaters."

August Rush

VPJ: “That little moppet from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ plays an...wait for it...adorable little moppet who uses his manipulative, musical cuteness to try and reunite himself with the parents who abandoned him, which, for some reason, is meant not to be horribly irresponsible and actionable. America seems to be acutely susceptible to these ‘modern day musical fairy tale’ deals lately (‘Across the Universe’, ‘Enchanted’) and, while one may be tempted to make some sort of broad, media-buzz-friendly generalization about the nation’s need for fanciful, escapist entertainment in the face of an endless, immoral war, complete government corruption and incompetence, and the spiraling-down-the-drain economy resultant from both, I’m just gonna chalk it up to America being full of sappy, sappy saps.”

JE: "Parents abandoning kids always seems to be fine in family films and animated features. But you're right, it never seems disturbing or questionable. I've always found that odd. That and the fact that adults around the kid (be they real, talking animal or otherwise), have no problem being manipulated, or aiding and abetting something that most people in real life would put a freeze on. 'Oh, what's that, you want to track down your parents? Really. But you're only 12, and have no money, and more than likely would be targeted by less kindly people as me. No, you're not doing that.'"

Nancy Drew

VPJ: “I am legally obligated to announce that this film exists. I have done so.”

JE: "What were you saying about sappy, sappy, saps? How many Nancy Drew movies have been done? How many Harriet the Spy movies? Why are we continually subjecting ourselves to updates, remakes and 're-imaginings' people? What was wrong with the original 'Freaky Friday?' Was the original 'Planet of the Apes' so bad? Is there really anything worth changing in the original 'Get Carter?' I ask you America, step back from the brink of another re-make."

Bee Movie

VPJ: “Jerry Seinfeld is an animated bee who asks, could my existence BEE any more pointless? I mean, what’s the DEAL with making honey all the time anyway? And just HOW MUCH WORSE than Pixar IS Dreamworks animation anyway?”

JE: "Ah yes, the movie that was marketed EVERYWHERE that I did not see. Sorry Jerry. I think Mr. Seinfeld is a funny man, but does that really translate to a movie that was almost betrayed by the unyielding parade of studio and cross-marketing hype. Dreamworks will get it right some day, but Pixar sets a pretty high bar, what with talking rats that could be on the food network. Still, one good thing from this gem of the overstock bin is that it did result in Mr. Seinfeld appearing on '30 Rock,' which I think we can all be happy about."

Dan In Real Life

VPJ: “Steve Carell attempts to escape the stigma of ‘Evan Almighty’ by going the ‘comic actor doing the half comedy-half drama’ thing that sometimes works out (‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’) and sometimes, um, sort of works out (‘Stranger Than Fiction’), and sometimes is a complete, embarassing nightmare (‘Good Luck Chuck’). My money’s on big Steve in this one, as he’s always shown a genuine touching vulnerability under the yuks in ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’, ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ and ‘The Office’. And, in this one he’s got the lovely Juliette Binoche to look longingly after and the awful, awful ‘Good Luck Chuck’ dead weight Dane Cook to look much better than.”

JE: "You don't mince words do you Jonesy? It can be a tough and very thin line for comedic actors who want to try and get serious. You sometimes want them to succeed and other times you just wish they would go back to the funny. This last weekend I caught part of 'Big" on TV, and absolute favorite movie, and I could not help but think how much I would love to see Tom Hanks in a comedic role again (See 'Simpsons Movie, The' for evidence.). I think if anyone's got a shot at walking the line it is Carell. 'Little Miss Sunshine' is proof enough of that, but anyone who has watched 'The Office' knows, sometimes he's able to make you feel genuinely sorry for Michael Scott."

Hitman

VPJ: “Poor Timothy Olyphant, so good in ‘Deadwood’ listens to the wrongest advice imaginable and stars in a video game adaptation that didn’t even have the good sense to hire legendary incompetent Uwe Boll to ensure it’s bad enough to be entertaining.”

JE: "That seems like a fair enough rule. Attention studios - if you are at all unsure about the fate of a video game adaptation on the big screen, just hire Uwe, who will infuse a healthy dose of action and insanity into the mix. Sure he may threaten studio heads, other directors and his talent, talk trash or just take his shirt off and ask you to punch him, but it's for the best. And yeah, poor Timmy. He also wound up in 'Live Free or Die Hard,' and that was probably just about as good for his career."

Automaton Transfusion

VPJ: “The most unwieldy title ever? Maybe. But if one thing can overcome such a moniker, it’s ZOMBIES!!!”

JE: "Yes, and more yes. At the going rate now won't Videoport have to expand and add a new zombie section? Would that be such a bad thing? I think not."

Lake of Fire

VPJ: "'American History X' director Tony Kaye turns incendiary documentarian with this heated examination of the hot-button abortion issue. I will now stop with the fire metaphors. Co-Videoporters Andy and Regan have both watched this one in advance of its release and have emerged shaken and wigged out, so that's a good sign. Abortion's a tough issue, sure, but once you get a load of some of the didactic, violence-happy zealots justifying killing doctors (or performing post-birth, gun-aided abortions), well, geez, that's not right. And, as to one guy's take on the whole thing, well, forcing women to become state-controlled, unwilling brood mares, robbing them of their human rights at the moment of conception, well, geez, I'm gonna have to side against that one..."

JE: "Sounds like a good one - documentary, that is. But here's the thing that I wonder sometimes about documentaries: are they really just preaching to the choir? If documentaries share anything in common with their commercial big budget cousins from Hollywood, it's that they probably attract a certain type of audience. So in this case I'm guessing people that are interested in learning more about abortion are going to check this out, of people that have heard about it from others. But isn't the point of documentaries to sort of trick educate people in a way? I guess what I am saying is, is it possible to get a wide audience of people for a documentary, particularly for divisive issues?"

Human Giant - Season 1

VPJ: “Sketch comedy from three weird little dudes you might have seen on the YouTubes. I’m actually watching it as I write this, that’s how dedicated I am. It’s pretty darn funny actually, with a nice, anarchic spirit, sometimes reminiscent of ‘The Upright Citizen’s Brigade’, ‘Mr. Show’, or ‘The State’. If that means it’s not exactly as good as those other shows, well, it’s not for lack of trying, and guest stars from The UCB, ‘Mr. Show’, and ‘Arrested Development’ don’t hurt, not at all. Well worth a rental.”

JE: "Oh heck and yeah. America, do you find yourself asking 'where can I get bizarre, imaginative, and absurdly funny sketch comedy?' If you answer 'Mind of Mencia,' leave now. But seriously, I love this show and could watch it for hours. If there's a reason these cats are reminiscent of UCB it's because they come out of the UCB theater in New York. The new season begins tonight on MTV. I know, I know, you may have your own feelings about MTV, but just watch the guys having some old fashioned fun and then decide.

That's all we've got for today, but consider the following before you go:

- Be honest, how did you feel about 'No Country for Old Men."
- Can Steve Carell walk that line between comedy and drama effectively?
- Can a documentary reach a wide audience?
- Name your favorite sketch comedy show, and why?

E-mail this entry to a friend