New on DVD: MegaMind, Due Date, and Get Low

What has Hollywood dished up for your viewing pleasure this week? Two good flicks and one stinker.

Megamind

Animated comedy (releases 2/25)

The Gist: Megamind was born and raised bad…bad to the bone. He’s got the big, bald, blue head of a villain to prove it. But when he succeeds in his dastardly plan to eliminate the city’s superhero, he finds himself wanting to change. Not the head, of course, but maybe the super-evil-villainness. Read our original review.

The Ups: From Will Ferrell, this movie delivers laughs in a fresh way, such as a running gag of Megamind mispronouncing the simplest of words. Plus, the movie has a solid heart. People can change, even animated blue evildoers who look like giant lightbulbs. People can choose against their upbringing, even someone raised in “the school for the criminally gifted.”

The Downs: The animation, which was originally offered in 3D, is merely good, not great.

The Verdict: Watch it with the kids. You’ll all have fun.

Be Aware: Rated PG, Will Ferrell leaves his grown up humor (and shots of his naked backside) at home. It’s appropriate for everyone.

Due Date

Comedy

The Gist: Peter (Robert Downey Jr.), a typical A-type businessman, rushes to catch his flight home to his wife, who is due to deliver their baby any day. His plans are derailed by Ethan (Zach Galifianakis), a shockingly stunted and immature man. Not only does Ethan manage to get Peter kicked off the plane with no I.D., money, or credit cards, but he also torments him across America in an ad-hoc road trip. Yeah, it’s a buddy movie.

The Ups: When Galifianakis is funny, he’s very funny. Too bad that’s rare in this film.

The Downs: It sounds like a good idea, in the vein of the popular “The Hangover,” but Downey and Galifianakis never mesh. The movie is about as crude as it can be without being actual porn and many of the jokes are mean spirited. By the time you finish, you don’t like either character, don’t care if they’re friends or not, and just want out of the car.

The Verdict: Skip it.

Be Aware: Rated R for language, drug use, and sexual content, this film attempts to shock with things like a dog who continually pleasures itself. Not for kids or teens. Not really for adults either.

Get Low

Drama

The Gist: A hermit in the backwoods of Tennessee (Robert Duvall) is known by very few, but has many stories told about him. He decides to throw his own wake, while still alive, and attend. The price of admission? Everyone must bring a story about him.

The Ups: I have not seen this movie, and I really regret it. I’ve heard wonderful things about it. Duvall, as always, is reported to be amazing. The rest of the cast shines as well, including Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek. I’m really looking forward to it.

The Downs: It’s reported to be quiet and subtle, not exactly everyone’s cup of tea.

The Verdict: Well, I’ll be watching it. How about you.

Be Aware: Rated PG-13 for thematic material and brief violence.

Read more by the same author:

A Curtain of Magic: Traveling with a Teen

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