COUCH THEATER — DVD PREVIEWS
By DNA SMITH
PICK OF THE WEEK
“What Just Happened?” — It’s been more than a decade since director Barry Levinson and Robert De Niro teamed up for “Wag The Dog.” Now they’re back together for another black comedy; but instead of skewering politics, they’ve trained their satirical sites more close to home: Hollywood.
“What Just Happened?” is a dark and comic look at the behind-the-scenes absurdity of the Hollywood system. De Niro plays a producer named Ben who is trying to save a disaster of a movie from its manic Cockney director (Michael Wincott) who not only wants to kill off the hero of the film (Sean Penn) but also his dog.
Throw into the mix Bruce Willis (playing “himself”), who adamantly refuses to shave off his ridiculous beard for his next film role; Catherine Keener as an eccentric studio boss who issues directives whilst sitting on the toilet; and John Turturro as an agent who has a phobia of talking to his clients, and you’ve got a recipe for outstanding comic performances within a bitingly satirical film.
ALSO
“Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder” — This is the last of the four direct-to-DVD releases in the Futurama series, and from what I’ve read, the series finale of the show. The main plot revolves around a proposed “biggest miniature golf course in the universe” that will require the demolition of an entire arm of the Milky Way — with the first hole on one of Pluto’s moons, a 6-billion-mile par 2.
Professor Farnsworth is hired to do the environmental impact study, while Leela joins an eco-feminist group to protest the building of the course. Fry is on Mars doing some demolition work when a piece of women’s jewelry gets lodged in his brain, giving him the ability to read minds.
The preserved head of Penn Jillette makes a cameo, as does Snoop Dogg; and Seth McFarlane of “Family Guy” sings the opening song. Special Features include: audio commentary from just about everyone, Docudramarama: “How We Make Futurama So Good,” How To Draw Futurama in 10 Very Difficult Steps, Zapp Brannigan’s Guide to Making Love at a Woman, and much much more.
SERIES
“Breaking Bad” The Complete First Season
“Girlfriends” The Sixth Season
“Dirty Jobs” Collection 4
“Just Shoot Me” The Complete 3rd Season
“The Universe” Collector’s Edition Megaset
“My Wife and Kids” Season 1
“The Red Green Show” 2001 Season
“The Best of the Flatt and Scruggs TV Show” Vol. 8
“Love Hina” Box Set
“Cities of the Underworld” The Complete Season 2
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.