Tales of struggle come to life
DVDS
Two new DVDs take close looks at life struggles and the battles that can be overwhelming when it comes to the creative process.
“Tully”: The combination of Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”) has produced a tale that is both emotionally beautiful and uncomfortably compelling. They have taken a simple examination of motherhood and produced a complex tale of pain, hope and anxiety.
Marlo (Charlize Theron) has just given birth to her third child. She’s determined to be a perfect mom despite daily emotional and physical challenges. Her brother (Mark Duplass) suggests hiring a night nurse, but Marlo is hesitant because she doesn’t want to show weakness. Eventually, she gives in, and the most perfect nanny this side of Mary Poppins — named Tully (Mackenzie Davis) — shows up to help. Not only does she give Marlo a break from the demands of motherhood, she also becomes a friend and a confidante.
Cody’s script masterfully weaves the worlds of the two women into a single thread that looks strong but could break at any moment. The way Cody lays out the journey guides the viewer to unforeseen places brought to life through Theron’s performance and Reitman’s directing skills.
“Final Portrait”: Stanley Tucci is one of the more dependable performers in front of the camera, but he doesn’t show nearly the confidence with his adaptation of James Lord’s memoir, “A Giacometti Portrait.” Both his writing and directing show signs of skill, but eventually the movie fades away like a painting left in the sun too long.
In 1964, American writer and art lover James Lordis (Armie Hammer) is asked by his friend, artist Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush), to sit for a portrait. The process is only supposed to take a few hours, but it turns into weeks.
The film has the same feel. It starts out as an interesting look at the creative process through the eyes of Giacometti but eventually drags. Hammer tries to get the most out of the role, but his story is as limited as his movement when posing.
Despite having two great actors in front of the camera and one behind the lens, “Final Portrait” comes across as unfinished.
Also new on DVD Tuesday
“Iron Brothers”: Two fur trappers struggle to survive against the elements and the Shoshone tribe.
“Nature: Shark Mountain”: A look at the thousands of sharks that hunt along the volcanic reefs of Cocos Island.
“Anything”: A man dealing with the loss of his wife finds friendship in a rundown Hollywood apartment complex.
“Piranha II”: The horror film that was James Cameron’s directorial debut is being rereleased.
“The Miracle Season”: Helen Hunt and William Hurt star in this film based on the true story of the Iowa City West High School girls’ volleyball team.
“NOVA: Wonders”: The series makes complicated concepts more understandable while examining the scientific process.
“Murdoch Mysteries, Series 11”: Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) uses radical new forensic techniques to solve crimes at the beginning of the 20th century.
“Overboard”: A Spanish playboy believes he is the father of three when he ends up with amnesia. Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez star.
“Star Wars Rebels”: This animated series is set between “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope.”
“Nature: The World’s Most Wanted Animal”: Conservationist Maria Diekmann goes to Asia to better understand the global issues facing pangolins.
“Dark Crimes”: Jim Carrey stars in this tale of an investigation in which the details of a murder are similar to an author’s book.