Blockbuster get Bridesmaids DVD rental exclusive

The Green Lantern
Out to rent on DVD

Greg Berlanti directs this below average take on the tale of DC Comics' popular and enduring superheroes.

Originally intended for Kevin Smith way back in 1997, the project underwent numerous changes in personnel before filming began some 13 years later.

The lack of consistency and the muddled, over-thought nature of its production shine through in the end product, too - it's glitzy, noisy and thin on the ground when it comes to plot and characterisation, but the special effects and 3-D treatment - all added in post-production - are slick and effective.

Which is why it's perfect for kids looking for brash colours and loud bangs to keep them from scribbling on the walls, but rarely good enough for anyone over primary school age to call it anything but a waste of source material.

Midnight Tango
Out to rent on DVD

Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing fame, took advantage of their new-found fame and a burgeoning technological advance to bring their Midnight Tango show to cinema screens earlier this year, broadcast live from the the theatre in which it was performed.

It's a concept which has been investigated by national theatre companies to bring their work to a fresh audience, and it is a fresh and positively minded approach which should be commended for it's innovation.

Sadly for Simone and Carace, this take-home DVD of their popular stage show lacks the atmosphere of a packed local cinema, rendering it in an air of fans-only or 'didn't they used to be famous?' obscurity, soon to be tucked away on the specialist dance shelf of your local video shop.

Kung Fu Panda 2
Out to rent on DVD and Blu ray

Starring Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Gary Oldman, Seth Rogen and Dustin Hoffman, the cast list alone tells you that the Kung Fu Panda franchise is as strong as any other animated goldmine out there, and one watch of either film will tell confirm what the all-star cast suggests.

While plot-wise this 3-D sequel seems to borrow somewhat from its predecessor, this is pretty much the only fault you can find in a film which zips along splendidly, and one which is happily concealed beneath all manner of gilt-edged comedy and action scenes.

Yes, as Po and the Furious Five unlock their secret past to defeat a new super villain you may find it lacks the nuanced, adult level of meaning which give so many kids films the chance to become a genuine family experience.

But as most kids will be hooked on the thing anyway, you may as well prepare yourself for a whole lotta laughs and get on with enjoying some real fun.

Bridesmaids
Out to rent on DVD and Blu ray at Blockbuster only

At long last, we seem to have a benchmark on the horizon - the American rom-com which tests the boundaries of a genre just enough to be popular and still inject some life into what was becoming a pretty low-brow industry.

Writer Kristen Wiig - of Saturday Night Live fame - also stars as Annie, the owner of a failed cake shop whose appointment as a friend's maid of honour sparks an often hilarious personal meltdown.

That Saturday Night Live is one of very few US television shows not to be snapped up by lazy British TV stations is a fact to be thankful for here, as Wiig's on-screen comedic dexterity feels to us like the unveiling of a new superstar before our very eyes.

Her bow on the big stage, impressive as it is, is only the centrepoint of a film with a razor sharp script and which is at once heartfelt, funny, risque, endearing and thought-provoking without ever losing it's strong and unique sense of identity.

An absolute winner, expect it to be referred to as film of the year by many a critic in the coming months.

Note that as this is a victim of the Universal Pictures dispute so it's not available from Lovefilm, Outnow or other sites.

Beginners
Out to rent on DVD and Blu ray at Blockbuster only

Christopher Plummer puts in an outstanding performance as Hal, a septagenarian widower who comes out as gay in Mike Mills' smart new film, out to rent this week.

That Plummer plays a supporting role to Ewan MacGregor, who stars as his baffled son, speaks volumes about the subtleties of a film which deals deftly with some tender issues and fresh ideas not commonplace in the world of popular cinema.

Some will baulk at its apparent sentimentality, but these people have hearts of stone - Beginners is a well-crafted and sincere dissection of love throughout the generations, and a shining documentation of the constantly-evolving nature of our lives.

It's not perfect, but then neither are we.

Note, again, that as this is a victim of the Universal Pictures dispute so it's not available from Lovefilm, Outnow or other sites.

Out to rent on DVD
Happy People - A Year In Taiga
My Best Bodyguard

Out to rent on DVD and Blu ray
Outrage

Out to rent on Blu ray
Blue in the Face
The Cider House Rules.

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