Punch Drunk DVDs

The Fighter
On the surface, The Fighter appears to just be another sports drama about overcoming odds and winning big when it counts. That would be a mistake, as few others can match the complexity of character or the amazing performances within David O. Russell's boxing drama. Ostensibly about welterweight boxer, "Irish" Micky Ward(Mark Wahlberg), the story is ultimately about the people around him. His dubious mother/manager(Oscar winner Melissa Leo) who cashes in on her son's hard work; and Micky's drug addict brother, Dicky(Oscar winner Christian Bale), who threw away his own natural born talent, and now walks the line between jealousy and pride over his brother's career.





Hereafter 
I respect Clint Eastwood's attempt to do something a little different with his latest film. An introspective, surreal look at numerous people trying to cope with devastating personal losses in their lives. Unfortunately what the movie ultimately lost was my attention. Not even Matt Damon, who is actually pretty good in a snoozer of a role, could keep my eyelids open throughout. He plays a guy with the real ability to communicate with the deceased, but is now trying to ignore and even suppress his gift. Guess how successful he is?










Barbie: A Fairy Secret 
That doesn't look like any Barbie I've ever known. We sure that's not "Bachelor Party Stripper" Barbie?










The Switch
In 2010 if the role called for a somewhat charming, attractive lunkhead, Patrick Wilson was your guy. He gets the opportunity to strut his stuff again in The Switch, starring Jennifer Aniston as a woman bound and determined to have a baby via sperm donor, despite the objections of her best friend(Jason Bateman). Through some logic gymnastics I'm not willing to go through, Bateman's spunk somehow becomes the "donation". I know, it's ridiculous, but don't let the idiotic sitcom premise throw you. The Switch is actually very poignant and funny, with a tone similar to 2002's About a Boy. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, then I suggest giving this a shot.




A Shine of Rainbows
Connie Nielsen and Aidan Quinn star with newcomer John Bell in this family friendly drama about a young boy plucked from a city orphanage and taken to live with his new parents in Ireland.









Sharktopus
Like something the SyFy Channel vomited up comes Roger Corman's Sharktopus. As you can probably tell from the painfully obvious title and DVD cover, it's about a shark/octopus hybrid that escapes it's captors and goes on a feeding frenzy. Just think, if you caught it the many different types of sushi you could make out of it. 







Battle of Los Angeles
Those guys at The Asylum are sneaky fellows. Just in time to confuse folks who think they're seeing Battle: Los Angeles, comes this piss poor rip off which debuted on the SyFy Channel just last weekend. It stars a motley crew of "talent" including Kel "Fat Albert" Mitchell, Nia "One Hit Wonder" Peeples, and Brandy(not interesting enough to nickname), as folks trying to survive an alien invasion.