#Middlebury #DVDs
“A Dog’s Way Home” (PG) – A young man (Jonah Hauer-King) and his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp) find an adorable puppy and bring her home. Bela (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) endears herself to all but a mean businessman, who threatens to have her classified as a banned breed. She’s sent 400 miles from her Oregon home for her own safety, but you can’t keep a good pupper down, nor away from her family. She sets out for home, and although the journey is long and hard, she makes friends (human and otherwise), saves a life and never, ever gives up. No true new ground is being broken here, but it features a pooch with a perilously positive attitude determined to get home against all odds. Who doesn’t love an underdog?
Felicity Jones in “On the Basis of Sex” (Focus Features photo)
“On the Basis of Sex” (PG-13) – Director Mimi Leder’s return to the big screen after an 18-year absence presents a familiar and revered subject: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Felicity Jones), the Notorious RBG. Her backstory is a real treat: A brilliant mind coupled with an incredibly dedicated work ethic, she finished law school with honors under adverse circumstances, but couldn’t find a job working as a lawyer due only to her being a woman. When her lawyer husband Alan Ginsberg (Armie Hammer) comes across an obscure but revolutionary tax-law case, Ruth sees it for the opportunity it is. You can’t please all of the people when you dramatize the life of a living legend, but I liked this story’s inspirational focus.
“Welcome to Marwen” (PG-13) – Director Robert Zemekis’ film offers a story of redemption and the power of art told through action figures. Kinda. Mark Hogencamp (Steve Carrell) reveals a personal detail to some terrible thugs and is brutally beaten. To foster a sense of healing, he builds a replica city, which he names Marwen, in which he stages and photographs scenarios played out by dolls that represent him and the strong women – notably Janelle Monae as GI Julie and Eiza Gonzalez as Carlala – who lift him and help him through his healing process both as figures and in his real life. The costuming as action figures is neat, but the story and the inclusion of so much subtext makes it a little scattered and off-putting.
Dog Of The Week
“Holmes and Watson” (PG-13) – Sherlock Holmes’ story is hardly new: A detective and a doctor sleuth and solve intriguing mysteries in Merry Old England. The characters are familiar: Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Watson (John C. Reilly), as well as Professor Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes), Mrs. Hudson (Kelly Macdonald) and Inspector Lastrade (Rob Brydon). There’s a murder and a threat against the queen, so nothing new there. The new spin is that these two are bumbling idiots being unfunny and generally over the top. Hard pass. Swipe left and avert your gaze.
New TV Releases
“You’re the Worst” Complete Fifth Season
“Ray Donovan” Season 6
“Project Blue Book” Season 1
© 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
You must be logged in to post a comment.