COUCH THEATER — DVD PREVIEWS
By DNA SMITH
PICK OF THE WEEK
“Doubt” — Based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play, “Doubt” is a compelling tale of faith, progress and prejudice, starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. Set against the backdrop of the turbulent civil-rights movement of 1964, the film revolves around the admission of the first black student at a Catholic school in an Irish-Italian community.
Hoffman plays Father Flynn, a jovial, progressive-minded young priest who takes the young man under his wing. Streep plays Sister Aloysius, the school’s narrow-minded principal who opposes the admission of the boy. A young, na•ve nun (Adams) makes an off-hand comment about how much attention the priest is giving the new student and unwittingly sets into motion a witchhunt against Father Flynn for suspicion of “impropriety” with the young man.
“Doubt” is a great adaptation of the play and the performances by the cast are stellar. Highly recommended.
AWESOME ANIMATION
“Disney Animation Collection 1: Mickey & The Beanstalk” — I remember watching this when I was a child, and I loved it to pieces. “Mickey & The Beanstalk” is the Disney retelling of the classic fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk,” featuring Mickey, Goofy and Donald, who climb the magical beanstalk and find themselves in a castle in the sky filled with giant food — and a giant named Willie who guards a golden harp.
“Max Fleischer’s Superman: 1941-1942” — This is the best version of the classic Max Fleischer Superman cartoons you will ever find. And the Fleischer Superman cartoons are the best Superman cartoons ever made. These films were taken from the restored original negatives and remastered by Warner Brothers for inclusion in the 14-disc “Superman Ultimate Collector’s Edition” and the eight-disc “Christopher Reeve Superman Collection.” Now that they’re on this two-disc collection, you don’t have to pony-up the big bucks to own these awesome short films.
TV SERIES
“The Paper Chase” Season One
“PBS The American Experience: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln”
“Iditarod — Toughest Race on Earth”
“Deadliest Catch” Season 4
“Alias” The Complete Fifth Season
“Felicity” Season Four
“Beverly Hills 90210” Seventh Season
“Dynasty” Season Four, Vol. 1
“Davey And Goliath: The Lost Episodes”
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.