DVD Releases: Horror, Music, and a Love Story

At SixSeeds, we 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 months, 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!

 Paranormal Activity

The Gist: A man sets up a camcorder to prove to his girlfriend that her impressions of a presence in their bedroom is just imagination. If only they were so lucky.

The Buzz: Scary as snot. We're talking H1N1 infected snot.

The ups: If you love horror and being terrified, this is the scariest film of the year. You'll never sleep again.

The downs: You'll never sleep again.

Rated R for language. IMDB Parents Guide

9

The Gist: In an animated world, 9 comes to life after the humans have disappeared and machines rule the world. However, 9 doesn't want to live in hiding. He wants to fight back.

The Buzz: Visually stunning, but the script lacks a certain zip.

The Ups: The world sucks you in, even if the plot doesn't.

The Downs: Too violent for young children.

Rated PG-13 for violence and scary images. IMDB Parents Guide.

Jennifer's Body

The Gist: A hot cheerleader has a taste for human flesh. Lots of high school boys find out the hard way that love can hurt.

The Buzz: This film from Diablo Cody, the writer of the smash hit "Juno" disappoints. What could be a delicious satire about high school politics turns meanspirited.

The Ups: If you like witty banter ala Juno, you'll find it here.

The Downs: Demon possession. Sexual situations. Creepy flesh eating. The whole nine yards.

IMDB Parents Guide 

Glee

TV on DVD: Season 1 Volume 1

The Gist: A high school teacher revives the failing Glee Club, partly by recruiting a football player with lungs as well as brawn.

The Buzz: High School Musical meets 90210. Snappy musical arrangements in every episode combine with teen drama to make this show a huge hit.

The Ups: The songs and their over-the-top performances just make you feel good. The grandstanding cheerleading coach, Sue (Jane Lynch), with her straightforward pronouncements on life that border on psychopathic, is worth a show all on her own.

The Downs: Very mature storylines including teen sexuality, homosexuality, and an attraction between a married man and a single woman.

United States of Tara

TV on DVD: season 1

The Gist: Tara, a housewife and mom who struggles with multiple personalities, decides to leave her medicines behind. This means that all her personalities join the family, including the teen tramp, the perfect 50s housewife, and the biker dude. Her family attempts to take it all in stride.

The Buzz: Funny and yet compassionate, this Showtime show breaks ground in exploring mental illness. And sets up some situations you probably haven't seen before. It's a big week for Diablo Cody. She is also an executive producer on this show, which is a good deal better than Jennifer's Body.

The Ups: Toni Collette's performance as Tara is remarkable. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for her work.

The Downs: This is a Showtime series. Showtime equals explicit. It's their whole reason for being.

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:

Amelie:

The Gist:  Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way, discovers love.

The Buzz: A celebration of life and love, French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's  Oscar-nominated charmer stresses the importance of small wonders that surround us, if only we paused to look.

Ups:  Nominated for 5 Academy Awards and features the year's best kiss in movies.

Downs:  None.  Watch it.  

Be aware:  A brief, humorous sequence of sexual encounters.  No nudity but also not suitable for kids.

Rated R for sexual content. IMDB Parents Guide