NEWSThe PhilmGuy's DVD Review: 'Morning Glory'; 'The Walking Dead'
March 8 2011, Published 8:53 a.m. ET
Morning Glory – Rachel McAdams plays a stressed-out network TV morning show producer who tries to make her dysfunctional program work. Her crusty, disgruntled anchors (Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford), make things as difficult as possible. The snappy Roger Michell-directed comedy is more entertaining than it has any right to be, thanks to the Keaton-Ford bickering and a game lead showing by McAdams. Michell and writer Aline Brosh McKenna provide commentary, and a brief deleted scene is the only other notable extra.
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Inside Job – The Oscar-winning documentary cuts to the core of exactly how the housing bubble plunged the economy into crisis, rounding up the players for combative interviews and clear, concise descriptions of complex economic concepts. Expect to erupt into hair-pulling fits of rage throughout the film, as a parade of smug masters of the universe futilely tries to explain away their misdeeds. An hour’s worth of deleted scenes, commentary from the director and a making-of featurette fill out the extras.
Love & Other Drugs – Anne Hathaway plays a woman struck with early-onset Parkinson’s disease who falls for a playboy pharmaceutical salesman (Jake Gyllenhaal). Based on true events, the sad, brutal love story unfolds with grace and tact, buoyed by endearing performances from the leads. The Blu-ray includes a digital copy, deleted scenes and inside looks at the performances by Hathaway and Gyllanhaal.
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The Next Three Days – Despite the high-powered team-up of Russell Crowe and writer/director Paul Haggis, this thriller never catches fire. Crowe plays a man whose wife (Elizabeth Banks) is falsely accused of murder. Years later, he enlists the help of a character played by Liam Neeson to spring her from jail. A flat script never quite takes off, despite Crowe’s smoldering attempts to keep you interested. The Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy combo includes deleted and extended scenes and a making-of featurette.
127 Hours – James Franco turns in a career-defining performance in this mesmerizing one-man show, playing outdoorsman Aron Ralston, who had to cut his own arm off to escape when trapped between a boulder and cliff in the Utah mountains. With fevered intensity and an enormous amount of pathos, Franco’s best actor Oscar nomination was well-deserved. The Blu-ray includes a digital copy, deleted scenes, and the Oscar-winning short God of War.
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The Walking Dead: Season 1 – AMC’s riveting drama about a band of survivors enduring a zombie epidemic. With ample humor, strong character acting and a slew of crafty plot developments, the series ranks alongside Mad Men and Breaking Bad as the network’s calling cards. Extras include several featurettes, including a look at the makeup effects, making-of documentaries and a convention panel featuring the show’s producers.
