This week's DVD releases: Near Perfect Sci-Fi and An Indie Love Story

 At SixSeeds, we want to talk about the stories that surround modern life.  We love movies -- in fact, we even have a “brick and mortar” called SixSeeds Video in Winchester, Massachusetts! We know that good films have an amazing power to move, inspire, and sometimes even transform life.  Bad ones make you regret plunking down the $10 for the privilege of listening to the guy next to you chew milk duds for two hours.

That’s why we want to keep you informed of the latest offerings on DVD and Blu-Ray.  Listing the new releases below doesn't mean you should rush out and watch them with your pre-schoolers.  In fact, over the course of the next few month, we’ll list many we wouldn’t let our teenagers watch.  (Some, we regret watching!)  But somewhere in America, a teenager is going to come to their parent and say, “Hey, I’m supposed to bring the movie to the slumber party.  May I bring...?”

And right there in the aisle of the video store, a decision will be made.

Read “The RunDown,” America, and choose wisely!

District 9

 The Gist: Refugees from outer space have landed on earth and are kept in a compound in South Africa. However, their safe place becomes a prison and their status becomes second class.

The Buzz: This film is sci-fi as it was meant to be, gripping, exciting, and thought-provoking. It is a metaphor about oppression, greed, power, and bigotry.

The Ups: A near perfect sci-fi, this film will get your heart pumping and your mind twisting.

The Downs: Rated R, this movie is chock full of intense violence and profane language. IMDB parents' guide.

The Chat: Why do people judge each other on the color of their skin (or exoskeleton, as the case may be) rather than on the content of their character? How do societies fall into bigotry and violence? Where does this kind of thinking exist today and how do we stand against it?

The Trailer

500 Days of Summer

The Gist: Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) relives his doomed romance with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) through the choppy lens of his memory.

The Buzz: This quirky indie romance has been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical. It’s charming and real, leaving standard romantic comedies in the dust.

The Ups: Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel give sparkling performances which make the unusual structure of the film work. Anyone who has been on the wrong side of love will relate to the film.

The Downs: The characters are engaged in a sexual relationship without the benefit of marriage. Rated PG-13, the sexual relationship is never overtly shown, but is definitely part of the story. IMDB Parents' guide.

The Chat: What is universal about love? How does one go about finding someone to love? How do you deal with a broken heart? Why is sex better kept within the context of marriage?

The Trailer

Extract

 The Gist: A workplace comedy about ordinary idiots and their loves, betrayals, and lack of dreams, this film stars Jason Bateman as a married business owner who lukewarmly tries to protect his business and looks for ways to pursue his attractive employee.

The Buzz: If you like The Office or Office Space, but rauchier, then this is right up your alley.

The Ups: Some laugh out loud moments.

The  Downs: Infidelity. Crude language and swearing. Drug use. Those things are not necessarily deal breakers in every case, but this film is big on misbehavior and small on repentance or consequences. IMDB Parents' Guide.  

The Chat: This film might be a chance to talk with your teen (or spouse, or friend, or dog) about what kind of films are edifying and what standard one employs when choosing films.

The Trailer

All About Steve

The Gist: Sandra Bullock plays a woman so obsessed with a man that she follows him around the country.

The Buzz: Bad. Bad. Bad. And creepy.

The Ups: Um, Sandra Bullock was good in The Blind Side and The Proposal.

The Downs: When did stalking become romantic comedy?

The Chat: This movie is so bad, it should carry a Surgeon General's warning. However, if you watch it out of self-loathing or because kidnappers have tied you to a chair, you could talk about how to recognize a stalker.

The Trailer

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER by Greg Whiteley

Our Emmy-nominated filmmaker gives us a peek into his head.  When asked for a movie that didn't get the popular acclaim it deserved, he recommended:

The Dish

The Gist:  Based on real events, a small sheepherding village in Australia is thrust into the spotlight when NASA employs its massive satellite radio dish to serve as a backup transmitter for the 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission. But when a change in the spacecraft's schedule puts the primary dish out of range, it's up to the Aussies to ensure that the history-making mission is broadcast to the masses. Sam Neill star.

The Ups:  Heatfelt.  Inspiring.

The Downs:  Perhaps the pacing is a little slow for kids under 12.