Punch Drunk DVDs of the Week

Invictus
Wrapping a biopic about South African leader and civil rights icon Nelson Mandela around the sport of rugby was a unique approach, one that had it's strengths and weaknesses. Morgan Freeman plays the passionate leader with restraint, perhaps too much. Matt Damon shines as the captain of the Springbok, the South African rugby team that Mandela hoists the hopes and dreams of his entire country onto their backs.









Valentine's Day
Well, it's got a lot of stars in it. Pretty much everybody who's ever been in a romantic comedy over the last twenty years shows their face here in this formulaic mess. Think of every single rom-com trope you've ever seen and it's represented here: the flower shop owner who's in love with being in love; the constantly passed over best friend; the chick in love with a married guy who'll never leave his wife; the jaded person who hates Valentine's Day. It's a wreck, but a cutesy one.







Extraordinary Measures
An inspiring, exciting true story is rendered dull and lifeless thanks to a script that focuses way too much time on the pharmaceutical process and not enough on the people they're actually trying to save. Harrison Ford proves he's still got some life in them old bones as a rogue scientist seeking a cure to the rare disease that is killing the children of John Crowley(Brendan Fraser, more vanilla than usual). If it looks like a TV movie of the week it might be because it was made by CBS films.







The Messenger
There's just one major rule to being a Casualty Notification Officer: Don't get involved with the next of kin.  Unfortunately it's a rule that SS Will Montgomery(Ben Foster) can't follow, as he enters into a reluctant relationship with Olivia(the gorgeous Samantha Morton), who's husband just died in Iraq. I doubt there are any really good jobs in the military, but being a CNO has to be the worst, it's toll clearly taken on alcoholic veteran Capt. Tony Stone(Woody Harrelson, capping an amazing 2009) who struggles with loneliness and despair. A great film and a must buy.






The Spy Next Door
I guess it's a little bit The Pacifier mixed with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, as Jackie Chan plays a CIA spy who agrees to babysit his girlfriend's kids. Hilarity ensues, no doubt. The only thing I remember about it is my reluctance to attend a free showing of it, choosing instead to do absolutely nothing. Solid choice.










Defiance & Enemy at the Gates(Blu-Ray)
That's a combo package too good to pass. Daniel Craig's intense WWII film about a group of brothers forced to protect an entire village from Nazi invasion. And one of my favorite sniper movies ever, all rolled into one for only $21? Yes please.










Jeremiah
I'm only putting this here because of how flat out silly Patrick Dempsey looks as the Hebrew prophet on the DVD cover. I can only imagine he looks ten times sillier in action, especially when he's getting all philosophical and sh*t.  That's what prophets do, right?









The Girl on the Train
This was just on The New Wave like two weeks ago, so you bet I pushed it to the top of my Netflix queue(apologies to The Marine 2). A French drama about a girl who tells a whopper of a lie that she has been the victim of a vicious hate crime.