Watchlist
Notable DVD releases for October 1, 2013
By Max Braden
October 3, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com

Is it Black Friday already?
Every week, I search through movie release schedules to find movie rentals that I would have otherwise missed for lack of TV advertising. I'll watch the big name releases along with everyone else, but I know from experience that sometimes the box office failures, critically panned, straight-to-DVD, and independently financed movies that nobody's heard of can offer some real hidden gems. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This column is dedicated to bringing awareness to those potential treasures. Listed alphabetically, each movie includes a list of notable cast members, a basic plot summary, its DVD and/or cloud release date (based on Netflix - other services may have the movie earlier), and the basic reason why the movie caught my attention. With any luck, one or more of these will catch your attention, too. My picks of the week are listed at the end of the column.

Here's my watchlist of DVD and cloud releases for the week of:

October 1st (click the movie title to see the trailer)

The Frozen Ground
Who: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, Curtis Jackson, Radha Mitchell, Dean Norris
What: A thriller based on the hunt for the 1980s Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen. Hansen (played by Cusack) was married, a baker, and a well-known hunter in Anchorage who kidnapped young women, assaulted them, and then buried them. Hudgens plays one of his targets who escapes and then assists an Alaskan State Trooper (Cage) in identifying and then making a case to catch the killer.
When: October 1st - DVD and online on demand
Why: Despite the cast, this movie didn't make it into theaters. I'm interested in it mostly for Cusack and the cat and mouse elements of the investigation. Other viewers may be interested in this as one of Vanessa Hudgens' early movies in her developing film career.

InAPPropriate Comedy
Who: Rob Schneider, Michelle Rodriguez, Adrien Brody, Lindsay Lohan
What: An ensemble comedy set around a variety of urban neighborhoods and characters, with a mix of spoof scenarios (Lohan "shoots" the paparazzi with guns) and deliberate dialogue based on race and sexuality. Director Vince Offer is the pitchman who sold the ShamWow and SlapChop in tv infomercials.
When: October 1st - DVD and online on demand
Why: Based on the trailer, it appears that this movie, described as sketch comedy, has a slightly more sensible throughline than the huge ensemble comedy Movie 43 released earlier this year. This is the type of movie that would appeal to those who watch the ongoing entries of the Scary Movie series, or one of the many lowbrow comedies from National Lampoon. Now, I'm a firm believer that even terrible, trashy comedy can have its moments, but you really have to go in with your eyes open. That said, Adrien Brody is an Academy Award winner, and I'm interested in seeing how funny Michelle Rodriguez can be.

This is the End
Who: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholtz, Rihanna, Paul Rudd, Channing Tatum, Kevin Hart
What: The world comes to an catastrophic end in Los Angeles, and a group of friends (all playing themselves) try to stick together and survive both the disaster and their relationships.
When: October 1st - DVD and online on demand
Why: This movie was one of the early summer surprise hits (just going by "disaster comedy" on paper) that has earned high marks from both audiences and critics. Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Danny McBride's comedy can sometimes be polarizing for audiences, but I'm a fan. Rogen, Franco, McBride, and Robinson previously appeared together in Pineapple Express.

Since this is a very thin week as far as dvd releases, and we're three quarters of the way through the year, I thought I'd take a moment this week to compile my recommendations for this year's movies currently available on dvd:

Warm Bodies - This zombie-human romance was my favorite movie of the year until I saw The World's End. It's more a romance than a horror movie, is funny, and would make for a good date movie.
Iron Man 3 - Iron Man fans will no doubt have either already seen this or seek it out. It's much more entertaining than Iron Man 2, and is surprisingly funny. Ben Kingsley is the highlight.
Star Trek Into Darkness - I do like the rebooted series for its open possibilities, but I still have a nostalgic preference for the original cast movies. Cumberbatch is very good in this.
Oblivion - Not necessarily one of Tom Cruise's more popular movies, but really worth a look for the fanstastic cinematography. There are some great tense moments in this sci-fi adventure.
World War Z - This gets going quickly and keeps you engaged all the way through. Some of the globetrotting is silly in terms of plot, but in terms of chills without excessive gore, it delivers.
White House Down - One of the White House hostage twins this year, this is the Foxx/Tatum version. It's dumb, but it's dumb fun and a lot more enjoyable than Olympus Has Fallen.
Now You See Me - Despite an out-of-nowhere twist ending, this was an early summer sleeper hit. The big magic tricks and heist elements make this a fun adventure.
42 - An Oscar-quality movie released outside of award season, this is worth watching both for the history lesson and the performances by Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson.
Mud - I haven't seen this one yet but the buzz about Matthew McConaughey's performance is up there with the kind of talk usually found in award season.
The Kings of Summer - I haven't seen this one either, and it is similar to the boys of summer setup in Mud, but word is it's far more upbeat, fun, and lively.

And ones to avoid:
Side Effects - Have I liked a Soderbergh movie since the 1990s? This psychological thriller is just boring.
The Wolverine - I'm a big fan of Jackman as Wolverine, but this sequel was so dull that I just felt numb. It barely felt like it was part of the X-Men universe.
A Good Day to Die Hard - I love the Die Hard series and this movie just phoned it in. Despite recycling some DH elements, and a decent action sequence, it's just lifeless.
Beautiful Creatures - Not even worth it for some nifty special effects. The meandering Southern accents and personality quirks are unbearable.
Scary Movie 5 - Just a little better than A Haunted House, I actually laughed at some gags in this movie because the pacing and editing were quick. But I don't recommend it to anyone.
The Numbers Station - This one of John Cusack's movies where he just looks completely miserable to have to show up for scenes. An unthrilling thriller.
Parker - Jason Statham's tough guy movies tend to blur together without much variation, but this movie's pacing and editing were horribly slow, as if it was made for broadcast tv.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - After a solid trio of The Town, Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and The Bourne Legacy, this Van Helsing-esque choice was a misstep for Jeremy Renner.
Broken City - Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe seem like a great recipe for a political thriller together, but the dialogue, exposition, and character actions in this movie are just lousy.
A Haunted House - Slow and stupid, this horror spoof of Paranormal Activity is currently ranked at the bottom of my list for the year.

Coming next week:
After Earth, Home Run, The Look of Love, Much Ado About Nothing, Stuck in Love, We Steal Secrets