Watchlist
Notable DVD releases for June 18, 2013
By Max Braden
June 20, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com

Don't let Max talk you into watching this.
Every week, I search through movie release schedules to find movie rentals that I would have otherwise missed for lack of TV advertising. I'll watch the big name releases along with everyone else, but I know from experience that sometimes the box office failures, critically panned, straight-to-DVD, and independently financed movies that nobody's heard of can offer some real hidden gems. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This column is dedicated to bringing awareness to those potential treasures. Listed alphabetically, each movie includes a list of notable cast members, a basic plot summary, its DVD and/or cloud release date (based on Netflix - other services may have the movie earlier), and the basic reason why the movie caught my attention. With any luck, one or more of these will catch your attention, too. My picks of the week are listed at the end of the column.

Here's my watchlist of DVD and cloud releases for the week of
June 18th (click the movie title to see the trailer)

21 and Over
Who: Justin Chon, Skylar Astin, Miles Teller, Sarah Wright
What: An all-nighter comedy about a wild birthday adventure among three friends the night before a big exam. Imagine a younger version of The Hangover, because it was written by the same screenwriters.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: I thought The Hangover was fun the first time, but was bored by the same-old from the sequel. I've also seen Superbad, so something in the middle doesn't feel especially new. But crazy comedies can produce some funny moments, so I'd check it out. Especially for Sarah Wright.

Beautiful Creatures
Who: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, Emma Thompson
What: Based on the young-adult novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, this is a supernatural teen romance/thriller apparently about two warring clan forces. Alice Englert stars as a girl, and possibly a witch, who will be chosen by the dark or light side on her 16th birthday. Alden Ehrenreich plays a boy who falls in love with her and is doomed for it. Emmy Rossum and Emma Thompson seem to be relatives on the dark side, while Jeremy Irons is on the side of light.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: This looks a little like Twilight, but more confusing and with less angst but more melodrama. I liked the music in the trailer, and the effects looked nifty. I like Emmy Rossum, but her character seems to be a little over the top nutso, which seems to be the norm for young adult novel-based villains (thinking of Helena Bonham Carter in the Harry Potter movies). I'm also not sure I can cope with Emma Thompson using a South Carolina accent.

The Brass Teapot
Who: Juno Temple, Michael Angarano, Alexis Bledel, Alia Shawkat, Bobby Moynihan, Jack McBrayer
What: A comedy about a young couple, struggling for money, who find an antique teapot that spews money when they hurt themselves. The question is how far they'll go with the pain in order to get money.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: The description of this movie made me first think of a dark thriller, like The Box, and I imagined lots of blood and betrayal. As it turns out, this is a fun comedy about consumerism and what we'll do when we get dollar signs in our eyes. The pain is far less gory, with S&M fun and vanity medical procedures without anesthesia. This looks like a lot of fun.

Come Out and Play
Who: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Vinessa Shaw
What: A dark thriller about a couple on vacation. The island they visit is populated only by children, and as with most horror movies, these children are evil.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: I'm not sure how I feel about creepy-children horror movies. Wait, I'm sure they're creepy. I would otherwise skip this genre flick, but I once noticed that Vinessa Shaw looked a lot like Angelina Jolie, so I've kept an eye on her movies ever since.

The Last Exorcism II
Who: Ashley Bell, Julia Garner
What: A sequel to the supernatural horror movie from 201. Ashley Bell returns as the girl who is possessed. As with the first movie, a satanic cult is interested in the demon that inhabits her.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: The first movie started off slightly interestingly, in found-footage format about a preacher who debunks possession claims but finds out he's picked the wrong case. This sequel is presented in conventional format. I've pretty much had it with demon possession movies so I'm skipping this one, but maybe people looking for a scare will be interested.

Movie 43
Who: Dennis Quaid, Greg Kinnear, Common, Seth MacFarlane, Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Richard Gere, Kate Bosworth, Jack McBrayer, Aasif Mandvi, Justin Long, Jason Sudeikis, Uma Thurman, Bobby Cannavale, Kristen Bell, John Hodgman, Leslie Bibb, Chloe Grace Moretz, Patrick Warburton, Gerard Butler, Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Halle Berry, Snooki, Elizabeth Banks, Josh Duhamel
What: Over a dozen comedy skit sequences featuring more big name actors than you'd ever get in a full feature, all doing crazier comedy than you'd ever expect.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: This reminds me of comedy compilations like Kentucky Fried Movie and Amazon Women on the Moon from decades ago. The comedy in this looks to be more based on shock value than actual humor, but it's like tuning in to Saturday Night Live when an actor is hosting and out of their element - it makes me curious to see what happens.

Open Road
Who: Camilla Belle, Andy Garcia, Juliette Lewis, Colin Egglesfield
What: Camilla Belle stars in this drama as a free spirit who doesn't like to be tied down. She travels the road and takes jobs at diners. She makes friends with a homeless nomad (Garcia), a cop (Egglesfield), and his waitress sister (Lewis). Her journey is all about finding herself.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: I like Belle and Garcia, and this looks like a fairly easy-going self-discovery genre movie.

Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn
Who: Armand Assante, William DeMeo, Cathy Moriarty, Ice-T, Vincent Pastore
What: A crime thriller starring William DeMeo as a convict recently released from prison. He's tempted to get right back into the criminal life, but also wants to do right by his family, and the decision he makes will have serious consequences.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: I'm not familiar with DeMeo, but I like Assante. I also noticed this as an infrequent movie appearance by Ice-T.

Quartet
Who: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon, Sheridan Smith
What: Based on the play by Ronald Harwood, this is a light comedy about a retirement home for musicians. Courtenay, Connolly, and Collins play former opera singers preparing for an annual Verdi celebration. Maggie Smith plays the former wife of Courtenay and a diva soprano, who shows up and disturbs the trio but becomes part of their quartet. This is the directorial debut of Dustin Hoffman.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: There's a bunch of acting talent here, and the musical angle will appeal to some audiences as well. Smith was nominated for her performance by the Golden Globes. There's also the interest in seeing how Hoffman does behind the camera.

Side Effects
Who: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vinessa Shaw, Ann Dowd, director Steven Soderbergh
What: A psychological thriller about the effects of antidepressants. Mara's character tries to commit suicide and is treated for depression by Jude Law's psychiatrist. When the regular medications don't work, he prescribes a new experimental drug that solves the depression but results in sleep walking side effects and the murder of Mara's husband, played by Tatum. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Mara's former psychiatrist.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: Mara was great as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, so I'm interested in what she'll do with a more conventional character. I'm concerned, though, about Soderbergh directing - I loved Out of Sight and Ocean's Eleven, but his more recent movies like The Girlfriend Experience, The Informant!, Haywire, and even Contagion have been fairly boring.

Stoker
Who: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver
What: A thriller starring Wasikowska as an 18-year-old named India Stoker who had been living with her father (Mulroney) until he dies suddenly, and she goes to live with her estranged mother (Kidman). Her traveling uncle (Goode) also shows up, and suddenly people start disappearing.
When: June 18th - DVD and online on demand
Why: I'm a big fan of Goode since I saw Imagine Me & You. I'm expecting him to be the highlight of the movie, playing a very twisted and charming character.

What I'm watching this week: This is why I enjoy doing these roundups: the movie I most want to see this week is one I've never heard of before. The Brass Teapot looks like fun both for the slapstick and for the cultural satire. The next movie I really want to see is Stoker because Matthew Goode looks like he could be a really twisted villain. Beautiful Creatures is one I want to see for the effects more than the plot, and even then I'm not sure it's going to be worth it. Similarly, Side Effects is one where I want to see it for Mara Rooney but I'm not sure I'll be impressed by the pacing of the movie overall. Quartet is a movie I feel compelled to watch for the acting talent, but I'm not sure it's be my style. In that same vein, I could imagine Open Road is decently acted but might be a little toothless for what I'm looking for. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Movie 43 looks like it's just too much, trying too hard to make a big deal about putting well-known actors in unusual circumstances. I have a rubbernecking interest in seeing it but I know it's going to be a car wreck. Once Upon a Time, Come Out and Play, and The Last Exorcism II are genre movies I won't have time to watch and won't really feel bad about missing them.

Coming next week:
The Call, The Kill Hole, No, Upside Down