A couple of tough guys top this week’s DVD top picks. And if you are looking for seasons of TV series to power-watch this summer, several sets hit stores June 13.
• “The LEGO Batman Movie”; 3 stars: “The LEGO Movie” showed that the same colorful bricks that have been under the feet of parents for decades can be used to create a fun, sweet and action-filled movie. It also showed how Batman (as voiced by Will Arnett) could be so popular as a cameo character, he would get his own movie.
The “LEGO Batman Movie” is not only fun, touching and full of action but also a great trip down memory lane for Batman fans whether they date back to the Adam West days or are new to the comics. The film needs to have the big nostalgia factor because it’s less awesome than the “LEGO movie.”
Longtime Batman fans will get a lot of the jokes while the colorful animation and frantic action will entertain younger viewers. That’s reason enough to recommend buying this film. But wait, there’s more. The movie is loaded with so many jokes (most of them visual gags) the only way to appreciate the production fully is to be able to watch the movie repeatedly through the DVD release. That makes the home version better than the one that was in theaters.
• “John Wick: Chapter 2”; 3 stars: If ever there was a movie that lived or died because of non-stop action sequences, it’s this sequel to the Keanu Reeves high-octane production. There is so much death and destruction in the follow-up film that if turned into a video game, it would give players carpel tunnel syndrome in less than a day. This is a good thing because the only way the plot could be any thinner is if it had been created from a script that featured only two words: keep shooting.
This sequel to the 2014 action film has Reeves again playing a killer for hire. The second movie opens with Wick trying to live a quiet life but the film would last two minutes if that didn’t change. In what can only be described as the action movie equivalent of a country music song, Wick goes back to his killing ways after losing the love of his life, his car and dog. It’s not clear the order of importance of the losses. Just know each one makes him mad.
Director Chad Stahelski, who launched his directing career with the original “John Wick” goes with the idea that if something isn’t broken, don’t try anything different. He’s settled on the wafer-thin plot and tossed character development out the window.
Reeves never seems to bring much energy to these kinds of roles preferring to play it very cool. Maybe he’s a graduate of the Clint Eastwood school for Dirty Harry acting.
Also on DVD
“3 Generations”: Transgender teen is coming to terms with his identity. Elle Fanning stars.
“Bitter Harvest”: Residents in the Ukraine must adapt to Soviet Union rule.
“Table 19”: Anna Kendrick plays a wedding guest who gets seated at the worst table at the reception.
“Grimm: Season Six”: Includes the conclusion of the NBC series about how fairy tales are based in reality.
“Shooter: Season One”: Ryan Phillippe stars in the cable series about a military hero who is framed from a crime.
“The Wedding Party”: Groomsman must take control of a reception that’s falling apart.
“Growing Up Smith”: Family from India must deal with changes that come when they move to America.
“Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire”: When Drago’s source of power is taken, the kingdom is in danger.
“Aquarius: Season 2”: David Duchovny series that looks at the life and crimes of Charles Manson.
“South Park: The Complete Twentieth Season”: Cartman and his buddies continue their unorthodox comedy ways.
“The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Eighth and Final Season”: The final episodes of the series starring Ian Somerhalder feature murders and more biting ways.
