So the new DVD releases is a day off, but don't take that as a hit against the quality of this week's DVDs. If anything, it's a sign of my slacking off (and taking phone calls on a certain column.)

ANYWAY, as always, our good buddy Videoport Jones is here to offer some insight.

W.

Videoport Jones: "Well. I almost start to feel guilty for watching this. And then I remember...oh, yes, I remember indeed. It's a new world, or the start of one, and in that shiny new world, full of hope and reason and a return to ACTUAL American values (and not right wing versions thereof), is there any room for schadenfreude? You bet your ass there is. 'W.' is Oliver Stone's take on our recently departed worst president ever and, for Stone, it's actually kind of restrained. Sure, it portrays the titular boob as the drunken, coke-ing, coddled, generally incompetent he was, is, and ever shall remain in world history, but Stone (and the genuinely excellent Josh Brolin) come at the former POTUS's story as something like an American tragedy, replete with Oedipal conflicts (minus the wanting to sleep with Barbara, thankfully). W comes across as a dim child of privilege, failing upward through a combination of family connections, wealth, and a sly talent for fear- and hate-mongering right into the cushiest seat of power in the world. Adding to the enterprise are evocative supporting turns from the great Jeffrey Wright (as Colin Powell), Scott Glen, and Elizabeth Banks. Stone, again, is weirdly holding back (and omitting 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina as well), in his endeavor to reveal the roots of this half-man, and that may rob those dying to dance on his political grave, but it's a better movie than I thought it would be, considering Ollie's usual proclivities."

Justin: "Restrained? Really? I'll reserve judgment on that one. After all, you, sir, if I may say so, are not exactly the biggest fan of the president. So I'm guessing anything short of portraying Dick Cheney sucking children's brains out of their skulls through a twisty straw would be tame to you. On the question of schadenfreude, something tells me Americans always have room for that, but on the issue of former presidents? That remains to be seen, especially for ones that draw such strong opinions as No. 43. I was surprised by the fact that Stone didn't even wait until Bush was out of office to release the film, but maybe he just wanted stick a thumb in his eye just one last time for old time sake. I can't complain about the cast since Brolin and Wright are among my favorites, but I think you neglected to point out the casting of Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. Chalk that up as another head scratcher."

Frozen River

VPJ: "It's always good for Videoport when something nominated for various Oscars comes out on the DVD before the actual ceremony and this indie drama, containing as it does a best actress nom for the heretofore-largely-unheard-of Melissa Leo is sure to get a rental bump in advance of her big loss on Oscar night (I mean, whom are we kidding?) Leo (best known for 77 episodes of the excellent show 'Homicide: Life on the Street') has over 75 other credits to her name on IMDb. com, and you'll probably recognize her in her nice dress on the big night right before she smiles politely when Meryl Streep wins (my prediction), but she's actually very good in this icy indie as a desperate single mother who decides to take some ill-advised risks in order to make ends meet. Leo, like best actor nominee Richard Jenkins (so good in the excellent 'The Visitor,' also available at Videoport, natch'), is a feel-good story, a long-time character actor finally getting a great role and some long-overdue recognition. It'd be a better world if both of them somehow won."

JE: "It would be a better world, but in this world I don't put much faith into award shows and if I were you I would stop altogether. A sad realization, but true. If the Academy gets it right (and by 'right' I mean not the obvious, over-publicized, studio-backed, and sometimes previously-snubbed choice) it'll be by chance. Nothing more. But on to the film. This is one of your patented, "so damn depressing you end up loving it" films, isn't it Jonesy? The story of a single mother willing to break the law and risk her life to fight off creditors and just keep her home and family together? Sounds like the perfect time for that. Jokes aside, go rent this."

Blindness

VPJ: "From the director of 'City of God' and 'The Constant Gardner' comes this sci-fi-ey tale where everyone in an unnamed city wakes up one day to find out that 99% of them are blind. Yikes. Perpetually-beleaguered leading lady Julianne Moore can see, which is nice, but, since the Bush-esque government starts putting everyone, including her now-sightless husband (Mark Ruffalo) into forced quarantine, she pretends she's blind too to stay with him. Written by a guy I really like and no one's ever heard of because I'm so smart and they're so lame named Don McKellar (he did a great end-of-the-world movie called 'Last Night'), this is a compelling little thing with some excellent performances and a nice edgy panic. I like the end of the world."

JE: "I see we're going to have to have some sort of intervention for you on moving past the Bush years. Let go Jonesy, think of how good it will feel to pass that rage, much like a flaming, much hated kidney stone. You can do it. I think the one qualm I have with this flick, was that I don't know if it amps up the 'scare the crap out of you' factor like it could. You would think the idea of losing your sight and not knowing why would be a pretty frightening thing for many people. But I think the reaction was a little tepid. Maybe we're not ready for sci-fi thrillers that mess with subconscious fears. Maybe what we want is puppets performing torture or chainsaw welding teenagers. Or both. Together, in one film. Jonesy, I'm getting an idea..."

Miracle at St. Anna

VPJ: "Spike Lee decides to bring the fact that African-American troops fought in WWII as well to our attention in this war movie. If I seem flippant, well, yeah, I am because this is a real ham-handed botch from a director I genuinely once thought was going to be one of the greatest filmmakers of our age. I saw 'Do the Right Thing' when it came out, and I was absolutely devastated, exhilarated, overwhelmed, inspired. Spike was a genius, a unique American voice in cinema, and he was going to lead out out of the darkness. I still like the guy, don't get me wrong, but it has gradually become apparent that he's not the greatest writer in the world, and that, when he feels the need to 'set the record straight,' he can be the most obvious, didactic, and leaden guy in the biz. Kind of like the aforementioned Oliver Stone, who also shares Spike's penchant for a limited bag of showy cinematic tricks. It's revelatory that Spike's best two movies in the last decade have been films ('Inside Man,' 'The 25th Hour') in which the weight of addressing 'serious issues of the Black community' weren't on the table; freed from that burden, he can really make a spellbinding movie. Here he is loaded down with the import of the tale he wants to tell, and the result is a mix of too-broad performances (the WWII soldiers spout dialogue that wouldn't be out of place in the scenes in 'Tropic Thunder' when the actors were improv-ing their ideas of hard-boiled soldier dialogue), perfunctory action scenes we've seen too often, and a wraparound story that grinds the whole thing to a halt. I love you Spike, but this is weak stuff."

JE: "Well, as black man in America...oh, wait. Sorry. Got caught up for a second there. It looks like once again I'll have to hold off judgment until I screen the movie, but I can tell you know just from trailers and what I read of the film, I wasn't particularly inspired to see 'Miracle.' And I was inspired to go see 'Inside Man' in the theater. But looking at Spike in the broader context, I think his sin is not faltering under the weight of the subject matter, but the ego that comes with becoming a larger-than-life filmmaker. Same thing with Oliver Stone. If you took 'She's Gotta Have It,' or 'Do The Right Thing,' Spike Lee and sat him down with the Spike of today, I think there would be a shouting match. Still, I can't say it's not possible that he comes at his "mainstream" movies with a different approach than his films on the black community in America. I think he earns a pass."

Nights in Rodanthe

VPJ: "Richard Gere and Diane Lane get all well-preservedly smoochy with each other in the middle of a hurricane. I don't mean to pass on reviewing these sort of movies, but, jeepers, do I have nothing to say about that. My mom, your mom...moms across all the land will love it, and Videoport has many copies for them. They can have my copy."

JE: "Come on man. Why do you do this to yourself? And more importantly, why do you do this to me? We both know we have no business trying to talk about this movie. This is 'The Secret Life of Bees' all over again. Walk away, just walk away."

Hounddog

VPJ: "You know this one, thanks to the incessant, mock-outraged yammering of Fox News 'pundits' as 'the Dakota Fanning rape movie.' It is also an actual movie. I am reminded of Helen Lovejoy moaning , 'Please, won't somebody think of the children!' I moan, 'please make up your own mind.'"

JE: "Ah, yes, of course, 'The Dakota Fanning Rape Movie.' Wasn't that the working title? Does anyone else ever find it odd how these eruptions of 'outrage' over certain movies or scenes in movies almost always precede the film, and thus, any chance the outraged have of seeing it? How is it possible to get so angry about something that you haven't seen, and for that matter judge an entire film by it? I'm not here to say whether the scene is right or wrong, just that it really bugs me how such furious anger can grab a hold of people without really knowing anything? Ah, poor Helen Lovejoy. She's dead now."

My Name Is Bruce

VPJ: "I love Bruce Campbell. Cult icon, star of the 'Evil Dead' movies and 'Bubba Ho-Tep' (along with many, many horrible movies in which he is the only good thing), and best selling author (of two really hilarious books), and genuinely nice guy, Campbell takes the directing reins in this horror comedy about, well, Bruce Campbell - low budget cult movie star. Except this time he's an arrogant, self-centered, poverty-stricken, fan-disdaining creep who gets kidnapped off of the set of his latest awful horror flick ('Cave Alien 2') by an obsessed fan who thinks B.C. is just the hero to take care of the ancient Chinese demon currently slaughtering his townsfolk. It's a meta-textual goof-around, with Bruce, the biggest goof of all, sending himself up to funny effect. The movie itself...well...I love Bruce anyway..."

JE: "I am also 150 percent in the tank for Bruce. Anyone that can't watch 'Army of Darkness' and not laugh at least once is either a zombie or a jerk. Call me crazy but it's nice to see a celebrity who understands what they are good at and is not afraid to make fun of themselves. While I'm always happy to see Bruce getting work, I know he's not exactly everyone's cup of coffee. But if you enjoy B-movies, Sam Raimi's earlier work, or some good old fashioned slapstick, then please, watch this movie. And if you'd like more information on Bruce Campbell's work, consult a friendly employee at Videoport."

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