New on DVD
Rio
20th Century Fox, $29.98/$34.98; Blu-ray, $39.99
For the animated comedy “Rio,†Jesse Eisenberg provides his typically nervous, Eisenberg-ian voice to Blue, a housebound macaw who takes a trip to Brazil to mate with a wild female, voiced by Anne Hathaway. “Rio’s†voice work is terrific, and its artwork is gorgeous, capturing the color and vibe of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. The story, though, is awfully weak, sticking primarily to the mismatched, bickering, chained-together would-be lovers as they avoid poachers and meet eccentric friends and enemies in and around the city. Not that much actually happens, and there’s no strong attempt at a larger emotional resonance, either — just a lot of pretty scenery and manic chase scenes. The “Rio†DVD and Blu-ray do come packed with lively behind-the-scenes features, though, covering the city and music of Rio and the making of the movie.
Soul Surfer
Sony, $30.99; Blu-ray, $38.99
The real-life story of Bethany Hamilton — a competitive surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack when she was a teenager — might’ve been better served by a feature-length documentary rather than a simplistically inspirational drama. Still, “Soul Surfer†has a better cast than these kinds of faith-affirming movies usually do, with Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid playing the compassionate parents of Hamilton (equally well played by AnnaSophia Robb). And it’s hard to complain too much about a movie with so much footage of Hawaii’s sunny beaches and crashing surf. Plus, the DVD and Blu-ray provide a lot of what the movie is missing, via featurettes that are filled with the words, pictures and presence of the actual Hamilton family.
Exporting Raymond
Sony, $30.99; Blu-ray, $35.99
Phil Rosenthal’s documentary-home movie “Exporting Raymond†follows the co-creator of “Everybody Loves Raymond†as he travels to Russia to help supervise that country’s version of his sitcom, only to find that his style of comedy doesn’t translate as well as he expected. When “Exporting Raymond†focuses on the culture clash between the brash Rosenthal and the gruff Russians, the film comes off as too glib, but Rosenthal’s insights into what it takes to develop a television show are invaluable for TV buffs and comedy scholars alike. The DVD and Blu-ray are a delight too, adding episodes of both the American and Russian “Raymond†plus deleted scenes and an amusing Rosenthal commentary track.
Stake Land
MPI, $27.98/$29.98; Blu-ray, $34.98
Like a low-budget, noncomic version of “Zombieland,†director Jim Mickle’s “Stake Land†follows a teenage boy and a surly survivalist as they look for safe haven in an America ravaged by bloodthirsty monsters and human opportunists. There’s nothing much new here, but Mickle and co-writer Nick Damici (who also plays the survivalist) bring grubby authenticity to a familiar story, avoiding camp and corniness. They also work in themes about faith and factionalism to rival George Romero at his most pointed. The “Stake Land†DVD and Blu-ray include two commentary tracks and ample behind-the-scenes footage, but the coolest extra is a half-hour of “character prequels,†showing what life was like before the zombie/vampire plague hit.
And…
“Accused at 17â€
MTI, $24.95
“Better Off Deadâ€
Paramount Blu-ray, $22.99
“Cold Weatherâ€
IFC, $24.98
“Eastbound & Down: The Complete Second Seasonâ€
HBO, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.98
“Jesse Stone: Innocents Lostâ€
Sony, $26.99
“MST3K Vs. Gameraâ€
Shout! Factory, $64.99
“The Music Never Stoppedâ€
Roadside Attractions, $27.98
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