DVD Review Jackie K Cooper
"A Super Day For DVD's"
Every once in a while there is a release day for DVD's that is really special. Such a day is July 16 because on that Tuesday you can purchase "42" and the last full season of "Damages." "42" is still one of the best movies of 2013 and "Damages" has been one of my favorite TV series since I started watching it on FX a few years ago.
On the Blu Ray/DVD you can really examine the amazing performances in "42." Harrison Ford has gotten most of the attention for his portrayal of Branch Rickey, and it is an amazing one. It proves that you can go from leading man to character actor in the blink of an eye as long as you have the talent to back it up and Ford does.
But the best performance in the movie belongs to Chadwick Boseman who plays the courageous Jackie Robinson. He not only acts the emotional and dramatic parts of his character, he also has the physical prowess to make Robinson a convincing athlete. This strong young actor came out of seemingly nowhere and became Robinson in this movie.
This movie couldn't come out on DVD at a better time. It holds a mirror up to our faces and shows the bigotry that permeated our country during this period. It also shows how one man held his head up and made a difference in the way people of his race were treated. This is not shown simplistically but rather is presented with raw anger and venom.
Even if you saw the movie on the big screen when it was released several months ago, you need to see it again so that you can study its message and also study the distinctive performances that brought this story to life.
As for "Damages," well this is the final season for this show so you don't want to miss a single moment. Once again we have Glenn Close playing Patty Hewes, a deadly attorney who has sacrificed everything for her career. The person closest to her, in a bizarre way, is attorney Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne). She once worked for Patty but that relation became a little strained when Patty tried to have her killed in a past season. Now she has her own law office and she and Patty are going head to head on a difficult case.
Ellen's client is Channing McClaren (Ryan Phillippe), a Julian Assange type man who runs a website similar to Wikileaks. He has released some information about Wall Street which resulted in a woman's death. Now her daughter has hired Patty to sue McClaren.
Close is so good in her role of Patty that it has to be seen to be believed. She is fascinating and her intensity never lets up. Byrne is almost as good but not quite, still she gives Close good competition when they go head to head.
So make sure you pick up both "42" and "Damages: The Final Season" on July 16. They are two of the best entertainment offerings you have had in a while.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com