Ghost Town (DVD)

Ghost Town (2008) starring Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni. After dying and being brought back to life, a misanthropic dentist (Gervais) finds that he has the ability to see the ghosts of the dead. More particularly, the ghosts notice that he can see them, and they have all kinds of unfinished business that they want help with. One in particular (Kinnear) manages to gain the dentist's attention, and he wants help preventing his widow (Leoni) from remarrying. It's actually a pretty standard romantic comedy, but the presence of Gervais gives it an added spark, and it's been expertly filmed. Extras: The standout is a short reel of Gervais being himself on set, and having trouble getting through takes without cracking up with laughter. Grade: A-

The House Bunny (DVD)

The House Bunny (2008) starring Anna Faris and a large supporting cast. Faris plays a Playboy bunny who gets tricked into leaving Hef's mansion and ends up briefly living in her car. She soon finds another way to survive, however, becoming house mother to an outcast sorority at a local college. If you're looking for believability, this movie is not for you, but it's actually a rather cute story that had me rooting for the girls of Zeta Alpha Zeta. Grade: B+

Mamma Mia! (DVD)

Mamma Mia! (2008) starring Merly Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Christine Baranski. Based on the stage musical featuring the songs of pop superstars ABBA, this movie demonstrates that some actors, no matter how talented, should never, ever sing and dance on screen. Particularly painful is when Brosnan bursts into "song," but he's not the only offender. This is actually kind of cute chick flick, but the musical part of it just doesn't work for me. Grade: B-

Tropic Thunder (DVD)

Tropic Thunder (2008) starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise. A group of dimwitted actors making a war movie are forced to become "real" soldiers when they are abandoned in the jungles of southeast Asia. They run afoul of a drug lord and his minions, who take Stiller captive and force him to re-create a movie role he once played. The movie is perhaps a bit flawed in its particulars, but overall it's a comic masterpiece. Grade: B+

Fargo (DVD)

Fargo (1996) starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi. McDormand won an Oscar for her portrayal of a rural Minnesota sheriff who unravels crimes while pregnant. Macy plays a car salesman at the end of his rope who hatches a plot to have his wife kidnapped. Needless to say, nothing about the plot goes smoothly. This is one of the best films I have seen, ever. It kept me interested and absorbed from start to finish. There are several moments of violence, however, which might turn some viewers off. Grade: A

The Dark Knight (DVD)

The Dark Knight (2008) starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Anthony Michael Hall, Eric Roberts. Batman (Bale) battles big time crime in Gotham City, and his chief antagonist is the psychotic Joker (Ledger, in his final performance). I suspect that this movie would have been spectacular if I had seen it in a theater, but then I (being hard of hearing) would have missed half the dialogue. The trade-off is that I have to watch it on a small TV screen, which is all I have. That being said, the movie has a constant forward drive and nearly continuous action, and for those who like Batman movies it's a can't-miss. Grade: A

The Shootist (DVD)

The Shootist (1976) starring John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, and an all-star supporting cast. Aging gunfighter (Wayne) washes up in Carson City after being told by a doctor that he is dying of cancer. His fame as a gunman creates a sensation in the town, and publicity quickly brings miscreants trying to kill him. The film builds nicely until the violent climactic scene, which is a bit of a letdown by today's standards. This was the last feature film Wayne made before losing his own battle with cancer. Grade: B