Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)

Quirky ‘Dean’ explores the importance of family

- By Amy Longsdorf

With “Dean” (2017, Lionsgate, PG-13, $20), comedian Demetri Martin concocts a charmer of a comedy about a Brooklyn illustrato­r (Martin) who, after his mother’s death, makes a surprise sojourn to Los Angeles.

Once in the city, he sparks with an inventor (Gillian Jacobs) and, thanks to his catloving bestie (Rory Scovel), discovers a lesson or two about the importance of family.

While “Dean” follows in the tradition of countless Woody Allen movies, it also seems fresh and delightful­ly quirky thanks to the understate­d performanc­es and touchingly true finale. Extras: featurette­s.

Also New To DVD

Women Who Kill (2017, FilmRise, unrated, $20): Ingrid Jungermann makes an exceptiona­l feature film directoria­l debut with this sly comedy about a commitment-phobic true-crime blogger named Morgan (Jungermann) who begins to suspect that her new girlfriend Simone (Shelia Vand) might be a serial killer. There’s plenty of droll humor on tap as Morgan decides to enlist her ex (Ann Carr) in

The Transfigur­ation (2017, Strand, unrated,

$28): Bullied by thugs in his housing project, Milo (Eric Ruffin) has no control over his life so he becomes obsessed with vampires and dubs himself a bloodsucke­r. But Milo isn’t a ghoul, just a mixed-up teenager who acts on his murderous impulses. When his new girlfriend (Chloe Levine) discovers his journals, she could be his next victim. Part slow-burn horror thriller and part character study, this strange drama sucks you in with its atmosphere of dread and a finale that’s genuinely haunting. Extras: none.

Night School (2017, Oscillosco­pe, unrated, $30): At the center of Andrew Cohn’s engrossing documentar­y are three Indianapol­is highschool drop-outs attempting to earn their diplomas. The three adult learners face the same systemic roadblocks which many low income Americans encounter. Without getting preachy, Cohn makes a case not only for the benefits of education but also for a shake-up of a system which makes escaping poverty incredibly challengin­g. You’d have to be made of stone not to root for these three survivors as they work toward a better life. Extras: commentari­es.

La Poison (1951, Criterion, unrated, $30): With this strange, little comedy, French writer/director Sacha Guitry audits a marriage gone sour. The action pivots on a small-town gardener (Michel Simon) who detests his boozy wife (Germain Reuver) and wants her dead but she’s already purchased the rat poison to murder him. So, who’ll get the upper hand? Guitry has fun at the couple’s expense but his real agenda involves mocking the members of the courts and the legal system who stand to benefit the most from the warring couple’s misfortune­s. Extras: featurette­s.

I Love You Again (1940, Warner Archive, unrated,

$20): Even when they weren’t starring in “The Thin Man” movies, William Powell and Myrna Loy passed the chemistry test with flying colors. If you need proof, check out this delightful screwballe­r about a con artist (Powell) who awakens from a nine-year spell of amnesia to discover he’s turned into a fuddyduddy who happens to be married to a woman (Loy) on the verge of divorcing him. As he struggles to win Loy back, he also cooks up a scheme to defraud rich townsfolk. There’s an air of live-wire anarchy about the enterprise as Powell and Loy delightful­ly bounce some brilliant one-liners off each other. Extras: vintage shorts.

Whale Rider - 15th Anniversar­y Edition (2002, Shout Factory, PG-13,

$23): Niki Caro’s inspiring saga is a reminder than heroes come in all sizes, shapes and genders. Keisha Castle-Hughes netted a well-deserved Oscar nomination for her deeply felt turn as a Maori youngster named Pai who believes she’s fated for a leadership position in her community. But Koro, her grandfathe­r (Rawiri Paratene), insists that a boy needs to assume the role. Caro not only makes you care for Pai but ache for her to get the shot she deserves. Extras: featurette­s, deleted scenes and Caro commentary.

The Stranger (1946,

Olive, unrated, $25 ): The only Orson Welles-directed movie to turn a profit in his lifetime, this noirish outing stars the filmmaker as a Nazi war criminal hiding out in small town Connecticu­t, where he’s posing as the professor-husband of a well-respected judge’s daughter (Loretta Young.) But time is running out for Welles thanks to the efforts of a clever War Crimes investigat­or (Edward G. Robinson.) While Welles was reportedly never happy with the final product, “The Stranger” remains an effective thriller that showcases the filmmaker at his most Hitchcocki­an. Extras: commentary track and featurette­s.

Jessica Jones - The Complete First Season (2017, Disney, unrated, $40): Marvel cracked the code for turning out intriguing TV series with this fascinatin­g, Netflix-broadcast show built around the title character (Krysten Ritter), a woman who decides to fight crime after surviving a tragic encounter with a mindcontro­lling sociopath (David Tennant). The series not only digs into the psyches of all its complicate­d heroes and villains but it makes great use of its New York locations and surrounds our heroine with a fascinatin­g mix of friends/lovers (Carrie-Anne Moss, Rachael Taylor, Mike Colter). Extras: none.

NCIS - Los Angeles – Season Eight (2017, Paramount, unrated, $50): In the latest batch of episodes, a mole is discovered in the L.A. office. But who is it? Meanwhile, our heroes (LL Cool J, Chris O’Donnell) are sent to Syria on a mission than quickly goes awry. Other shows involve Mossad agents, money-launderers and pretend sheriffs. LL Cool J and O’Donnell continue to demonstrat­e the relaxed chemistry which helps sell the show while supporting players Eric Christian Olsen, Linda Hunt and the late Miguel Ferrer are given plenty of opportunit­ies to shine. Extras: featurette­s.

 ?? COURTESY PHOTO ?? stalking Simone. It’s all a bit like “The Thin Man” with a lesbian twist. From humor that satirizes hipster culture to a genuinely disturbing interlude featuring Annette O’Toole as an imprisoned murderer, “Women Who Kill” is killer good. Extras: none.
COURTESY PHOTO stalking Simone. It’s all a bit like “The Thin Man” with a lesbian twist. From humor that satirizes hipster culture to a genuinely disturbing interlude featuring Annette O’Toole as an imprisoned murderer, “Women Who Kill” is killer good. Extras: none.

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