It's a big, big bill of new DVD releases today, including some comedy from alums of "The State," more vampires, Academy Award winners and "Princess Diaries."

Here to sort things out, Dr. Videoport Jones, resident cinematologist.

Role Models

Videoport Jones: "Can we all just give a little love to 'The State,' please? That late, lamented, and, as of yet, inexplicably-unavailable-on-DVD sketch comedy series/troupe has branched out in the intervening years to create some of the most original comedy in America. 'Reno 911,' 'Stella,' 'The Baxter,' 'The Ten,' and 'Wet Hot American Summer,' among others, have all sprung from the 'State' well, the latter two directed and co-written by Statie David Wain. And, in a sign that, just maybe, movie studios are getting wise (I mean, they're not, but...), Wain was plucked from indie semi-obscurity to helm this formula comedy about two mismatched pals who get into trouble and are sentenced to mentor two wacky kids and, unsurprisingly, he made the thing worthwhile. Like with 'Superbad' (directed by 'The Daytrippers' Greg Mottola) and 'Pineapple Express' (directed by indie auteur David Gordon Green), 'Role Models' gets vaulted out of its cliched genre rut by an original, outsider sensibility, a transformation helped immeasurably by stars Paul Rudd (money, as always), Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, McLovin, a really amazing little dude named Bobb'e J. Thompson, and Wain's 'State' chums Ken Marino, Joe LoTruglio, and Kerry Kenney-Silver. Plus Stifler is along for the ride, and didn't bother me too much. Studios, take note, please: hire smart people to direct your dumb comedies and they'll make even more money..."

Justin: "Hmmmm. Smart makes dumb. Could this be a formula? I'd argue yes, because it's easy to go for the low-hanging fruit in comedy, but that does not typically make for sustained comedy in movies. I dodged this movie for a very long time because it did seem like a formulaic comedy mess, even with my man-crush (not Stifler) in the lead, but after a while I just got worn down by friends who kept singing the praises of 'Role Models.' Another thing that should have tipped me off is the cast. Aside from Rudd and Banks, how could I discount McLovin, or the always money Jane Lynch. (Go check out her IMDB profile...she's been in EVERYTHING and always delivers.) Also, if you're not familiar with Bobb'e J, go find his work on 'Human Giant,' another sketch show and direct descendant of 'The State' on MTV. It appears once again I underestimated the power of Wain, which is odd, because I love me some 'State,' speaking of which, let us not forget other gems as 'Wainy Days,' and 'Viva Variety.' I think the thing that I love the most about the alums of 'The State' is that they just won't go away, they don't give up, they just keep making projects together. I will be watching this immediately."

Synecdoche, New York

VPJ: "Writer Charlie Kaufman ('Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' 'Being John Malkovich,' 'Adaptation') decided that, when other people were directing his startlingly original mind-f***s, they were making them just too darned fun. Sure, there was some heartbreak, and his ever-present themes of longing, disappointment, and loss got their dues, but, he thought, 'when I get to direct my own script, I'll really destroy people'. And he did. Starting with me. This is a maddening, devastating, messy, freakishly ambitious, awe-inspiring, nigh-incomprehensible triumph of failure. The plot, as I will attempt to relate it, concerns Philip Seymour Hoffman's theater director who, in trying to create something original and meaningful, turns his life (his entire life) into a gargantuan, never-ending theater piece which, over decades, seems to take over not only his own life, but all the world as well. It's stories within stories, characters playing other characters, it's life imitating art imitating life until you get dizzy from the sheer scope of ambition and nauseous from the sheer varieties of sadness, disillusion, and pain. The Hoff is brilliant, of course (possibly the best actor working today), and is matched by the likes of Katherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Emily Watson, Tom Noonan, Diane Wiest, Michelle Williams and lots of others. Devastating and infuriating. (I think the Hoff should star in a Will Ferrell comedy soon; he has suffered enough)."

JE: "You used the term 'mind-f***' appropriately here. I caught Kaufman on 'The Colbert Report' trying to explain the plot to Colbert, and only half-succeeding, partially because of the dense nature of the project, but also Stephen's hilarious questions. But I feel like you're onto a bigger truth here, that at the heart of each of his stories is some relatable, utterly human nugget. Maybe it has to do with longing or finding a sense of being, or love or loss, but there is some little hook that seems to catch you. There are these characters who start off in familiar places, living there lives, and you feel like maybe you've settled in for a decent movie. And then everything goes off the rails and things start taking on the dimensions of a Salvador Dali painting. It's not an easy task following a Kaufman film under normal circumstances and it certainly won't be any easier with him at the helm of this one. That said, if you are a fan of the Kauf, then rent it and settle in...and maybe take notes. (Note - I second your idea of The Hoff co-starring in a Ferrell comedy. The potential seems off the charts. Can you imagine a Hoff/Ferrell/Reilly triple bill? Get on this Hollywood.)"

Rachel Getting Married

VPJ: "Former Disney princess Anne Hathaway is now an actress, apparently. I suppose weirder things have happened, and I look forward to seeing someone who has never, for a moment, interested or impressed me, suddenly be revealed as a talent. It can happen. (This is all a roundabout way of saying that I haven't seen this Jonathan Demme film about a drug addicted black sheep daughter coming home for the titular wedding, but the buzz is strong with this one...and she was pretty funny at the Oscars. Nice pipes, too)."

JE: "This is another one I resisted...but my lady, she has been persistent on this one. Even now I can sense her trying to push me to rent this. She's not the biggest fan of 'Princess Diaries' as she calls Hathaway, but she did give her respect for this one. Deeply moving, raw, and beautifully shot, 'Rachel Getting Married,' is the type of movie that you'll probably end up hating or loving in a big, sobbing mess. It's that type of movie (allegedly), one that sucks you in and takes a hammer to your emotions along the way. If you LOVED 'Princess Diaries' in, well, anything else she's done...you may want to exercise caution before renting this. If you haven't...give it a shot, you may find a different side of her."

Happy Go Lucky

VPJ: "British auteur Mike Leigh turns his well-nigh-unerring talents to the tale of an imperturbably chipper schoolteacher in this undeniably-affecting character study. Leigh, as ever, eschews finished scripts and works with his actors for weeks before the cameras roll, improv-ing, discussing, and workshopping until a story takes shape, and his approach, for four decades, has nearly always resulted in the most satisfyingly-rounded characters of the film year, especially for actresses. This time, it's actress Sally Hawkins (a Leigh veteran) who comes away with the prize, creating one of the most improbably-delightful screen people in recent memory as Poppy, an endlessly-optimistic person who tends to exasperate everyone she comes into contact with, simply because she just plain refuses to recognize the notion that life has to be a drag. It's a nimble tightrope of a performance in another great film from one of our greatest living directors."

JE: "I've read about 'Happy Go Lucky' and been interested in it for the fact that this feels like it could have been a crappy movie in the wrong hands. I'm imagining something with Reese Witherspoon or Renee Zellweger in the lead, opposite people like Ben Stiller and Doris Roberts. It would have been billed as a ladies film, kitschy and cliched and had a tagline like 'she'll put a smile on your face!' I would have avoided that like the plague. But if you're putting the guy responsible for 'Vera Drake' behind the camera, then I might consider it. Maybe."

Let the Right One In

VPJ: "Swedish vampire horror! Yeah! It's always a great day at Videoport when a new horror film comes out that's actually scary. Throw in 'original,' 'stylish,' and 'moving,' and you've got a winner, in any language."

JE: "Are the vampires super fast? Is there some sort of vampire/zombie/werewolf war? Are the vampires young and sexy? Is Gary Oldman involved? Is there a slayer who just desperately wants a normal life? I need to KNOW these things man, otherwise how am I going to separate it from all the other vampires in my life? Jokes aside I've read nothing but great reviews on this and I'm excited to see an new, original take on vampire lore that does not involve the words 'Twilight.' And let the angry mail commence in 3...2...1..."

Milk

VPJ: "Sean Penn won the big one this year for his turn as the real-life assassinated gay politician Harvey Milk, and he's matched by suddenly-talented (when did that happen?) co-nominee Josh Brolin as Milk's murderer, bigoted, conflicted Dan White. Directed by the ever-reliable Gus Van Sant, 'Milk is just a plain solid good movie, sure to piss off all the right people."

JE: "I don't know what more can be said about this one, or what I can really add to the discussion other than, go rent and make your own conclusions."

Cadillac Records

VPJ: "Videoport, apart from all the other ways in which we're so cool, is lucky enough to have on staff our, and Portland's, very own blues legend, Samuel James and, when this historical pic about the founding of Chess Records came in, he was real excited to give it the expert once-over. Sadly, he reports that, apart from some great performances by Mos Def (as Chuck Berry), Beyonce Knowles (as Etta James) and the great Jeffrey Wright (as Muddy Waters), the film, and especially the script, is a letdown. He suggests everybody watch it and everything else Jeffrey Wright does, however..."

JE: "I too would suggest catching most everything Wright is in. We don't have a resident blues legend on staff here at Press Herald Plaza...but then again, I haven't explored all the levels in the subbasement. As for Cadillac Records, go see it for the music, because really, isn't that what people want? Isn't that the story here? If you wanted a documentary this probably ain't it. But if you want to see Beyonce's continued war on Etta James, then please, rent this. DIVA FIGHT!"

Transporter 3

VPJ: "Jason Statham stars in his eighth movie this year. It's this year's first sequel, but he did throw in a remake earlier. I like the dude (I always thought we needed a soccer hooligan movie star), but he's heading into Vin Diesel territory if he's not careful."

JE: "Careful my friend, let's not go there just yet. Besides, you haven't reached Diesel territory until you've clocked in a few kids movies...and heaven help us if he makes a kids movie. Actually, on second thought, that's a kids movie I would have no problem watching. Drop kicking puppets and cutesy talking animals? Racing unicorns in the latest Audi? Yes, yes and more yes. Oh, also, if you've seen the previous parts of the 'Transporter' trilogy (who knew we'd reach that point), then you know what you're getting into here."

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

VPJ: "Boy, howdy, did this one generate some controversy. Maybe it was the Begnini-like concept of trying to create a heartwarming Holocaust movie that did it. Oh well, let's just rent it and make up our own minds, shall we? The story of two boys becoming friends even though one's the son of a concentration camp commandant and the other is a Jewish prisoner is one of those squishy-tearjerkery premises I generally avoid, but, again, I do like it when people get all pissed off at things they haven't bothered to see, soo... The excellent British actor David Thewlis is in there, too."

JE: "THIS IS AN ABOMINATION! See, it's easy. I just did it too. It's kinda fun actually. Plus, I don't have to take responsibility for what I just said. I just put it out there and I'm going to walk away. DISGUSTING! Oops...getting carried away."

Today's parting shots:

- How do you prefer your vampires?
- Kaufman: Too dense for his own good?
- What's your opinion on Milk? Live up to the accolades?

E-mail this entry to a friend