ok, you guys–since we know how important at-home-entertainment is for all of us – every Tuesday we’re going to do a little “what’s getting released on DVD/on demand/Netflix this week” round up for you, with nice little excerpts of our past reviews and more. You’ll love it. Trust us. Now–all you need is someone to watch these movies with.

OUT THIS WEEK & (MOSTLY) RECOMMENDED:

• Certified Copy - here’s what we said in our original review:
  “Up to a certain point, cinematic puzzles can be fascinating. They reel you in as your mind goes into overdrive and you desperately try to understand who is deceiving who. Still, a puzzle that lasts too long grows tedious, especially if it teases the possibility of a solution. Certified Copy nearly belongs in the latter category, yet it’s saved by phenomenal performances and intriguing on-screen chemistry. Writer/director Abbas Kiarostami keeps audiences guessing well beyond the point of emotional investment, so his thoughtful slice-of-life story works better as a thought experiment.”
  
• The Woman in Black – While it does nothing new in the Horror genre, The Woman in Black capitalizes on the age-old formula of a newcomer in a creepy village where something is terrifyingly wrong and children are acting strangely. That being said, its choice of location–haunting small British town around the turn of the century–never fails to send shivers down my spine; after all, there is something inherently spooky about Victorian British ghost stories. And while the scares tip a little toward predictable loud noises/sudden movements, the horror of children inexplicably killing themselves outweighs the cheap nature of those jump moments. Daniel Radcliffe stars in a role that isn’t Harry Potter and does a fairly convincing job as a lawyer forced into an investigation for the sake of his family. Over all, worth a gander.
  

OUT THIS WEEK & PROCEED WITH CAUTION:

• This Means War - here’s what we said in our original review:
  “Safe and frivolous, although still somewhat enjoyable. Pine and Hardy are both game for the movie, and deliver a respectable back-and-forth. But the whole thing comes off as vaguely insulting. By the end, the film’s dishonesty and disrespect for its audience’s intelligence left me detached and indifferent.”
  

OUT RECENTLY AND DEFINITELY WORTH YOUR TIME:

• The Secret World of Arrietty – Straight from the magicworkers over at Studio Ghibli, Arrietty’s tale is whimsical and tiny, taking a page from The Borrowers. Arrietty is a 14-year-old tiny girl who lives with her parents (voiced by our DREAM PARENTS Will Arnett and Amy Poehler). Like all little people, Arrietty  remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” belongings. Endearing enough is the predictable twist where she meets a human boy, adventures and feelings ensue, etc. The movie is fun and artfully animated (though of course, so is everything else from Ghibli).
  

OUT RECENTLY AND MAYBE WORTH YOUR TIME:

• Red Tails - To its credit, Red Tails works to historically portray the struggle and success for The Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American fighter pilots in the U.S. Air Force. To its discredit, the film is but mediocre, with thin characterizations and the same hokey speeches we have seen repeatedly in every feel-good blockbuster since the dawn of cinema. If you’re interested in the topic, we suggest HBO’s documentary The Tuskegee Airmen instead.
  

INSTANT NETFLIX VIEWING OF THE WEEK:

• The Whitest Kids U’ Know – If you’re in the mood for a laugh, this bizarre–and frequently politically incorrect–sketch show should do the trick. While WKUK aren’t necessarily new to the comedy scene, their recent seasons are now streaming so if you’re an old fan, there’s new material out there. If you’re a new fan, welcome. And if you don’t laugh at this we could never be friends: