New On DVD: Football, foxes, and Fallujah

What's new on the DVD aisle? At SixSeeds, we're giddy with excitement about the release of Oscar winner "The Blind Side." Read our interview with director John Hancock and actor Quentin Aaron (Michael Oher). Plus, we'll offer you a chance to win a DVD copy of the film. Meanwhile, here are the rest of the week's new releases:

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Film

The Gist: Some farmers have a plan to oust the Fox family in this adaptation of the Robert Dahl story. Mr. Fox isn't about to let that happen.

The Buzz: This film was nominated for two Academy Awards.

The Ups: Witty and funny, this film is a madcap caper of a children's story.

The Downs: Appeals more to adults than children. The stop-motion animation is old-school, well done, but old-school. You can decide for yourself if that's a plus or a minus.

The Verdict: Rent it. It's quirky. Different. Worth watching.

Be Aware: Rated PG for action, smoking and slang humor. IMDB Parents Guide.

The Blind Side

Dramedy

The Gist: A Southern woman sees a young man by the side of the road and gives him a ride. This leads to welcoming him into the family, and into the family football passion.

The Buzz: This film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and won Sandra Bullock the Oscar for Best Actress.

The Ups: Sandra Bullock plays real life mom Leigh Anne Touhey as sassy, salty, and compassionate. A movie about doing good that makes you laugh, it inspires and entertains.

The Downs: No downs. I want to be a Touhey!

The Verdict: Rent it. Buy it. This is a great film.

Be Aware: Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references. IMDB parents guide.

Brothers

Drama

The Gist: A soldier is killed in Afghanistan. His devastated widow turns to his brother for comfort. But - surprise! - he's not really killed. And he's not too happy about the new relationship. Some would say unhinged.

The Ups: This remake of a Danish film aspires to be an insightful and meaningful drama.

The Downs: It never quite gets there, despite the promise of a talented cast.

The Verdict: Skip it. Unless you like pretentious melodrama.

Be Aware: Rated R for language and some disturbing violent content.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Attempted Satire

The Gist: Ewan McGregor is a reporter researching an Army program in which they train psychics to be military operatives. No. Really. That's the plot.

The Ups: It tries to be funny.

The Downs: While aiming at biting satire, this film falls flat into buffoonery. It's yet another example of a scribe in Hollywood, who likely has never seen a battlefield, writing about the inanity of war. And interjecting ESP.

The Verdict: Skip it.

Be Aware: Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity.

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. 

Come back next week to read “The RunDown,” America... and choose wisely!