The last week of new releases of last year went out not with a bang, but a whimper. Here’s to hoping that 2011 brings better movies, because 2010 was downright weak. And lucky for us, all those weak 2010 releases will be released on DVD over the next few months, for you to enjoy their poor quality in the comfort of your home. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the latest releases on DVD, care of our good friends at Scarecrow Video.
The biggest release last week was The American, starring George Clooney as George Clooney, an assassin working one last job, until the tables are turned and he becomes the target. In other words, George Clooney has a bad day. Speaking of bad days, Milla Jovovich has yet another one in the latest (fourth!) edition of the post-apocalyptic Resident Evil enterprise, Resident Evil: Afterlife. Gossip Girl‘s Chace Crawford has a bad day with drugs in Joel Schumacher’s Twelve, and Idris Elba (that’s Stringer Bell to you) has a bad day in a yet another bad movie choice, Legacy.
With the big releases out of the way, we can take a look at a few of the smaller ones. Legendary is Patricia Clarkson’s stab at The Blind Side, with WWE star John Cena hoping to coach his little brother to a high school wrestling championship, and just maybe bring his family back together. In And Soon the Darkness, a vacation becomes trouble when a girl goes missing in Argentina, leaving her friend to find her. Handsome Harry is Jamey Sheridan as a Vietnam vet forced to face his past when his dying brother in arms Steve Buscemi seeks forgiveness. And documentary Sickert vs. Sargent covers the art world rivalry between late 1800s/early 1900s painters Walter Sickert and John Singer Sargent.
In TV on DVD, season one of Archer is now available, just in time for season two to debut on FX later this month. Season two of Toni Collette’s multiple personalities Showtime series The United States of Tara is also out now, and you know it wouldn’t be trainwreck TV without Jersey Shore. Season three doesn’t premiere for another couple days, but season two is now available (as is a season one and two box set). And relive the holiday season all over again with Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job‘s Chrimbus special.
And there’s not even any good picks for the grab bag this week, so might I interest you in a young Ellen Page? When Juno was only 16, she was in a Halloween-themed Animal Planet movie, The Cat That Came Back, also known as Mrs. Ashboro’s Cat, also known as Ghost Cat, the title of which pretty much tells you the whole story. Here’s a non-spooky taste: