New on DVD: February 23

DVD Pick of the Week

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Darren (Chris Massoglia) is a good kid: he does all his homework and stays out of trouble. But when he and his best friend Steve (Josh Hutcherson) stumble across a particularly gripping act at a traveling freak show, things begin to change. Darren meets an especially strange sideshow performer named Larten Crepsley (John C. Riely) — who just so happens to be a vampire— and when Darren jumps at the chance to become his assistant and escape a life of suburban boredom, the adventure begins. Maybe we’re all a little tired of vampire movies, but least this one can poke fun at itself.

The Box
It’s 1976, and suburban couple Norma (Cameron Diaz) and Arthur (James Marsden) are finding money is a little tight; Arthur didn’t get his desired promotion at NASA, and Nora has just been told that the private school she works for can no longer provide free tuition for her son. So when a mysterious box appears on their porch, offering a chance at a million dollars, Norma and Arthur are obviously keen to cash in. But there’s a catch — if they take the money, a stranger will be killed. Norma and Arthur struggle with the morality of this catch-22, and their decision sets into action a bizarre and horrfiying chain of events that swiftly alters life as they know it.

Dead Snow
Norwegians do it right; the campy zombie gore-comedy Dead Snow hits all the notes to please horror fans, all with a big wink to the viewer. Sexy medical students are enjoying a break from studies at a rustic cabin near Øksfjord,, when a mysterious hiker shows up and warns them about the evil history of the town: a particularly gruesome band of Nazis tortured and abused the locals during WWII, looting their valuables and making their lives miserable. Eventually, the citizens staged an uprising and chased them all into the mountains where they presumably froze to death. This intrigues the gang, especially when they discover a box with all the Nazi loot in their cabin. Unfortunately, it turns out that those Nazis are zombies now . . . and they are not happy that the students have their treasure.

The Informant!
Based on true events, Matt Damon puts on a charismatic and convincing performance as corporate whistle-blower Mark Whitacer. In the early ‘90s, food conglomerate ADM was involved in illegal price-fixing, and trying to cover up his own little white lie, ADM executive Mark inadvertently tattles to the FBI. Over the next several years, Mark helps the FBI collect information as the greatest informant they’ve ever; he wears a wire, plants video cameras in vases, and plays the role of super spy so convincingly that no one guesses that he has a shocking secret of his own. Directed by Steven Soderbergh of Ocean’s Eleven fame, the film manages to make embezzlement and corporate conspiracy fun and quirky; a spirited, goofy score and Mark’s non-sequiter monologues give The Informant! a lively touch and put an entertaining twist on an unbelievable true story.

Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths
The Justice League is a team of DC Comics superheroes with an all-star lineup (including both Batman and Superman!) who have spawned a variety of comics, animated shows, and direct-to-video films. Crisis on Two Earths is a feature loosely based on the premise of a 1964 Justice League Comic; a heroic Lex Luther from an alternate universe appears to recruit the Justice League’s help. His planet is being terrorized by the Crime Syndicate, an evil version of the League, which includes the devlish Owlman, Batman’s alternate universe counterpart. The ultimate battle of good and evil ensues, threatening the safety of the planet in both universes. (Warner Home Video)

The September Issue
The September issue of Vogue is the bible of fashion; the 2007 issue weighed in at over four pounds. Behind the glossy pages is legendary editor-in-chief Anna Wintor, famously cold and obviously glamorous. Filmmaker R.J. Culter takes the viewer inside Anna’s war zone as she and creative director Grace Coddington prepare their annual behemoth of an issue. From the runway to closed-door staff meetings, The September Issue is a fascinating look behind the scenes at the fashion industry and the influence of one of the most powerful magazines in the world.

Sorority Row
College seniors and best friends Jessica (Leah Pipes), Cassidy (Briana Evigan), Ellie (Rumer Willis), Claire (Jamie Chung), Chugs (Margo Harshman) and Megan (Audrina Patridge) are party animals who will do anything for each other. When they discover Megan’s boyfriend is cheating on her, together they decide to pull a prank on him as punishment; but when the prank goes horribly wrong and Megan winds up dead, the sisterhood’s friendship is truly put to the test. The girls agree to keep Megan’s murder a secret to preserve their own bright futures. One year later though, somebody begins sending them disturbing text messages: their secret is out, and they’re going to pay. One by one, the girls and their boyfriends are stalked by a mysterious killer as they race to figure out who let their secret slip.

Motherhood
Eliza Welsh (Uma Thurman) is having a terrible day. A full-time housewife ready to celebrate her daughter’s sixth birthday, she has a lot to do — and, of course, nothing goes as it should. From a misspelled name on a cake to a towed car to accidentally blogging her friend’s secret, Eliza may not hang on to her sanity long enough to actually attend the party. A light-hearted peak into the trials and tribulations of motherhood, the film may not provide many new insights into modern parenting, but Thurman herself is a comic delight in the role of a frazzled mom trying to make it through the day. (Alliance)

Janky Promoters
A lack-luster comedy written by Ice Cube, The Janky Promoters follows two shady concert promoters, Russell Redds (Cube) and Jellyroll (Mike Epps) as they try and book a superstar rapper for a Modesto, California concert, only to find their lives and scams getting in the way of success. (Alliance)

Wrong Side of Town
A night out on the town goes horribly wrong for ex-Navy Seal Bobby Kalinowski (Rob Van Dam) when he accidentally kills a well-connected criminal while trying to defend his wife. The criminal’s brother, Seth (Jerry Katz), is enraged, and puts a hit out on Bobbby, who must flee L.A. with every crook and thug in town on his tail — even corrupt police officers are in on the act. With no one to turn to, Bobby must go it alone, using his Navy combat training to fight for his life. For wrestling fans, however, the only real reason to watch this is to watch shirt-busting WWE superstar Dave “The Animal” Batista tear into his role as Big Ronnie, Bobby’s old war buddy, who, despite lead billing on the DVD packaging, only has a small role. Still, Batista is a natural, and may well have a bright future in direct-to-DVD action movies. (E1)

The Damned United
Praised by critics, the biographical dramedy tells the story of football manager Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) as he takes over the coaching of England’s best soccer team, Leeds United, from his archrival Don Revie (Colm Meaney). Doomed to a brief 44 day tenure as coach, Brian’s abrasive personality and talent made him an intriguing figure on and off the field, and The Damned United does the man behind the team justice. (Sony)

TV on DVD

FlashForward: Season 1, Volume 1
For 137 seconds, almost everybody on the planet saw six months into the future. “The blackout” was deeply disturbing, and affected many lives afterwards. A team of Los Angles FBI agents, lead by Stanfod Wedeck (Courtney B. Vance) and Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) try to figure out what happened, why it happened, and whether it will happen again, as the various characters deal with the personal ramifications of their own visions — Mark sees himself relapsing into his alcoholism, and his wife sees herself with another man. The sci-fi drama will be continuing to unravel the mystery when its first season continues after the Olympics, so now’s a good chance to catch up on what’s happened so far. (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)

Nurse Jackie: Season 1
Jackie cares deeply about her patients, but she’s got her own problems to contend with, too. A painkiller addiction, an affair with the hospital pharmacist, loathsomely arrogant doctors and supervisors, and a family at home make for ample opportunities for trouble. At once a dark comedy and a heartfelt medical drama, Nurse Jackie makes good of the overplayed primetime hospital soap cliché. The Showtime series doesn’t pussyfoot around the gritty details; the very first episode features someone’s ear being flushed down a toilet, and Jackie constantly is vividly depicted getting her fix from a variety of pills and snortable substances. The first season of the acclaimed show finds Jackie forging organ donor cards, dealing with a euthanasia request from an old friend, and trying to make sense of her personal struggles.