By DNA Smith
PICKS OF THE WEEK
“Salt” (Unrated Edition) — Angelina Jolie stars as Evelyn Salt, a spy on the run (a la the Bourne films) in this high-octane, action-fueled thriller. Salt is a CIA agent married to a German national who visits Korea very often. On the eve of her anniversary, a Russian defector dying of cancer reveals that Salt is a sleeper agent, trained since she was a child, whose mission, when “activated,” is to assassinate the Russian president.
Fearing for her husband’s safety, she begins her search for him, while at the same time eluding her fellow agents who are hellbent on killing her. The action scenes are seemingly non-stop, and the plot twists keep you guessing whether Salt is or isn’t a Manchurian Candidate. Add to the mix the electric performance of Angelina Jolie, and you’ve got a recipe for a delicious afternoon’s diversion.
“Family Guy: It’s a Trap!” (Unrated) — The third installment of “The Family Guy” specials spoofing the original “Star Wars” trilogy this time takes its bad-taste aim at “Return of the Jedi.” The DVD release also includes deleted scenes, a Trivial Pursuit game, the panel discussion from Comic-con 2010 and much more. Also, if you don’t already own the previous two episodes, the entire trilogy can be had in the boxed set: “Laugh It Up Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy.”
DOG OF THE WEEK
“Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” (PG-13) — In the 1990s, if you wanted a telltale sign that a movie was gonna suck, all you had to do is see if Freddy Prinz Jr. was in it. Today, if you want a guarantee that a movie is gonna blow chunks, look for Shia LeBeouf in the cast list. Whether he’s dragging down the plot as Indiana Jones’ son, or in the case of this “Wall Street” sequel as Gordon Gecko’s protege, Jake Moore, that boy can take a mediocre movie and turn it into something that smells like it came straight from a corpse. Granted, “Money Never Sleeps” wouldn’t be a very good film even without LeBeouf. Michael Douglas looks like he’s just phoning it in, and the movie fails to capture the same energy as the original.
TV SERIES
“Laugh It Up Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy”
“Futurama” Volume Five
“Caprica” Season 1.5
“Gene Simmons Family Jewels” Season 5
“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” Volume Five
“Bob Ross: Joy of Painting — Barns Collection”
“The Guild” Season Four
“The Virginian” The Complete Season Two
“Billy the Exterminator” Season 1
“Bleach” Uncut Box Set 7
© 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.