Above all else, "Two Lovers
" will be known as the last film for the talented Joaquin Phoenix before he gave up acting and went off the deep end, as evidenced by his bizarre behavior during his February appearance on "Late Show With David Letterman." Whether his quitting is a ploy for attention — probably — or the actor's sincere change of heart, his performance in "Two Lovers" is one of great depth, lifting him to the heights of the Hollywood stratosphere. Phoenix plays Leonard, a mentally unstable man who lives with his parents after a failed relationship pushed him to try suicide. While he's getting back on his feet, he meets Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), a wonderful woman with a great family and a bright future. Sandra also has feelings for Leonard and is willing to overlook his problems. But there's also Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a hot blond who lives in Leonard's building. Michelle is dating a married man and has her fair share of baggage. Essentially, she is the polar opposite of Sandra. Leonard falls hard for her, though, and it throws him into another funk. Paltrow and Shaw are solid in supporting roles, but this is Phoenix's film, as he turns in one of his best performances with director and screenwriter James Gray behind the camera. An emotionally solid and intelligent script and some standout performances establish "Two Lovers" as one of the better romantic dramas from 2008. Members of the cast and crew of "Two Lovers" run through the production details in a making-of featurette. Also in tow with the extras is a second featurette that provides another look at the story of the film. Smart commentary from the director, deleted scenes and a photo gallery also make the cut. R; 2008. Our Take: 3.5 Stars.
Buy It: The third film's the charm with Gray and Phoenix working together.
'12 Rounds'
WWE superstar John Cena is back for his second lead, taking on the role of a New Orleans police officer in "12 Rounds
." The film lives up or down to the expectations one might have for an action-packed extravaganza starring a fellow who employs flying legdrops to opponents during his day job. Yeah, lots of bone-crunching explosions and little sense pave the way for this film directed by Renny Harlin, a well-known veteran of the action genre. A good bit of this one doesn't add up, but it wasn't made for Academy Award consideration. "12 Rounds" jumps from one stick of dynamite to the next in predictable fashion. Cena has the role of Danny, a cop who has been promoted for arresting Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen), an international arms dealer. After the arrest, Miles' girlfriend is killed in an accident. Miles blames Danny, and a year later, he breaks out of jail to avenge her death. With Danny's girlfriend (Ashley Scott) as his abductee, Miles leads Danny all over town — with the FBI, fire department and local police in tow. The best buy is the Extreme Cut packaging of the film. This edition includes two versions of "12 Rounds," a couple uneventful alternate endings, commentary, a gag reel and a featurette on Cena's stunt work. Blu-ray houses even more extras. PG-13; 2009. Our Take: 1.5 Stars.
Skip It: Could this be the second — following 2006's "The Marine" — in a Cena trilogy?
'Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season'
Danny McBride has been working steadily since bursting onto the scene in 2006's "The Foot Fist Way
." Last year was particularly good for the Georgia native, with roles in hits like "Tropic Thunder
" and "Pineapple Express
." McBride also made his first foray into television as the lead in HBO's "Eastbound & Down
." This comedy has the actor starring as Kenny Powers, a retired egomaniacal baseball player trying to stage a major-league comeback. Powers was one of those players that fans loved to hate. He didn't hold back when discussing his superior pitching skills and talent with the ladies, all the while employing a gutter mouth. With "Eastbound & Down," Powers is out of money, forced to teach P.E. in his hometown and live with his brother. This should be a reality check for Kenny, but the washed-up ballplayer still considers himself an icon and treats everyone around him like dirt. This first season consists of six episodes, and it isn't one of HBO's better shows. It's stuck in a holding pattern after the initial episode, with the same set of jokes continually emerging. The show does have its moments, but they are few and far between. This two-disc set also includes a handful of featurettes, including hilarious bonus scenes with Will Ferrell, who has a recurring role on the show. Outtakes, deleted scenes, a clever making-of featurette and commentary also make their way into the DVD package. NR; 2009. Our Take: 2 Stars.
Rent It: CMU grad Katy Mixon has a supporting role on the show.
'Do the Right Thing: 20th Anniversary Edition'
Spike Lee has been working as a movie director for more than 30 years, and in that time, he's found the ability to consistently put out good work. He has titles like "Malcolm X
," "25th Hour
" and "Inside Man
" on his resume, but there is one film for which he'll always be known. Lee directed and starred in the highly explosive and racially charged "Do the Right Thing
" in 1989, and the film is just as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. The flick — starring John Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson, Danny Aiello, Rosie Perez, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee — covers the escalating racial tensions in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn during a scorching summer day. The majority of the drama takes place in and around a pizza shop owned by Sal (Aiello) in a neighborhood that's mostly black. When a heated disagreement between Sal and some of his customers boils over, it leads to a brutal showdown that will forever change the neighborhood. "Do the Right Thing" is laced with excellent performances, smart dialogue, a riveting story and a pulse-pounding score that doesn't let up. More importantly, it's one of the most significant films of the past century, stemming from Lee's unflinching look at the delicate nature of racial tensions in the inner city. This new edition includes some fantastic special features in a two-disc package. Leading the way is a retrospective documentary that reunites the cast and crew. A terrific making-of featurette, personal video footage from the set and much more also are available with the film. R; 1989. Our Take: 4 Stars.
Buy It: A must-own classic for movie fans.
'Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season'
The wildly popular HBO show arrives on DVD for its fifth and best season. While "Entourage
" was in a holding pattern — girls, movies, celebrities — during its first four seasons, this fifth brings some much-needed drama to one of slickest shows on the tube. Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) sees his once-promising acting career sliding down the drain as a series of bad decisions finally catch up with him. His entourage — Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), E (Kevin Connolly) and brother Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) — and his agent — Ari (Jeremy Piven) — try to steer him in the right direction, but it won't be easy. As usual, the show packs in the celebrity cameos, including Martin Landau, Martin Scorsese, Phil Mickelson and Jason Patric. This three-disc set includes 12 episodes and a solid featurette. Audio commentary with cast and crew also is in the mix. NR; 2009. Our Take: 2.5 Stars.
'Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'
Count this action-packed film among the list of horrible movies based on video games. Like "Doom
," "Hitman
" and all of those "Resident Evil
" films, "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li
" — a separate film from the 1994 flick featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme — puts much of its stock in the fight scenes and pays little attention to plot and dialogue. This is paradise for fans of cheesy movie lines. Kristin Kreuk, Chris Klein and Neal McDonough — the consensus choice for the bad-guy role in bad movies these days — have leading roles. Scaled-down and double-disc editions of the film will be available. The double disc includes the theatrical and unrated cuts of the film and a host of quality featurettes. PG-13; 2009. Our Take: 1.5 Stars.
More TV releases:
"Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Season Two" (two discs, eight episodes, extras), "The It Crowd: The Complete Season Two" (one disc, six episodes, extras), "Jockeys" (two discs, 14 episodes, extras), "The Girls Next Door: Season Five" (three discs, 16 episodes, extras), "Reba: The Complete Sixth Season" (two discs, 13 episodes, extras), "Family Guy: Volume Seven" (three discs, 13 episodes, extras), "Nostradamus: 2012" (one disc, A&E documentary, extras) and "The Lucille Ball Specials: Lucy Gets Lucky and Three for Two" (one disc, two specials, extras).
More movie releases:
"Dark Streets" (Bijou Phillips, R, extras), "Tunnel Rats" (Michael Pare, NR, extras), "The Betrayed" (Melissa George, NR, extras), "Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience — Deluxe Extended Edition in 3-D" (The Jonas Brothers, G, extras), "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail" (Derek Luke, PG-13, extras), "Princess Protection Program" (Demi Lovato, G, extras) and "The Queens of Country" (three-disc set highlighting performances from Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline, NR, extras).
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