Latest ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’ goes adrift

With Johnny Depp back as Jack Sparrow and Javier Bardem debuting as his latest nemesis, “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2017, Disney, PG-13, $30) should have been a larky good time.

Instead, the fifth entry in the never-ending nautical series is a real sinking ship of a comedy that is hectic yet dull. The plot involves a handful of characters, including the new-to-the-series Henry (Brenton Thwaites), all chasing after the Trident of Poseidon, a device that can reverse curses.

Unless you’re a fan of over-edited action sequences, dreary visuals and rehashed tomfoolery, it’s time to abandon ship. Extras: bloopers, deleted scenes and featurettes.

Also New To DVD

Churchill (2017, Cohen, unrated, $30): A look at the heavy burden of power, this chronicle of the hours leading up to D-Day finds Winston Churchill (Brian Cox) trying to thwart the plans drawn up by Eisenhower (John Slatterly) and others to battle the Nazis on the beaches of Normandy. While the acting is firstrate and the depiction of Churchill’s marriage to his loyal wife (Miranda Richardson) fascinating, the film is redundant and disregards historical fact. All in all, a mixed bag. Extras: featurette. Queen Of The Desert (2017, Shout Factory, unrated, $25): Nicole Kidman is such a commanding presence as adventurer Gertrude Bell that it’s easy to be swept up in Werner Herzog’s biopic about the woman who defied the British Empire in order to explore Arabia. Feeling stifled in England, Gertrude finds freedom in the desert where he she falls in love with a diplomat (James Franco), befriends a young T.E. Lawrence (Robert Pattinson), and explores the Bedouin culture. Kidman’s passionate performance and Herzog’s ability to immerse you in the Arab world compensate for the episodic screenplay. Extras: none. The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille (2017, Random Media, unrated, $20): Fans of film history will have a blast unearthing this entertaining gem about two young moviemakers who spent more than four decades on a quest to dig up Cecil B. DeMille’s vast “Ten Commandments” set in the sand dunes near Santa Barbara. At the same time that the documentary charts the fascinating progress of the mission, it also unreels the story of DeMille, who faced his share of obstacles in making his special-effectsheavy blockbusters. Cinephiles, don’t miss this one. Extras: none. Good Morning (1959, Criterion, unrated, $30): From Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu (“Tokyo Story”) comes a gentle charmer about a handful of neighbors in suburban Tokyo. The men enjoy their booze, the women like to gossip, and the kids find the adult world pretty silly. When two youngsters (Masahiko Shimazu, Shitara Koji ) are denied a TV set by their parents, they opt to stop speaking. With sly humor, Ozu tweaks consumerism in postwar Japan while also crafting a mini-love story, a kids’ adventure saga and a look at the little rituals which make life worth living. Extras: featurettes and a silent film directed by Ozu. Kid Galahad (1962, Twilight Time, unrated, $30): A remake of a far superior film starring Edward G. Robinson, this Elvis Presley vehicle still manages to be an amiable entertainment. Presley plays a G.I. who returns home and stumbles into a career as a boxer thanks to a shady manger (Gig Young) and trainer (Charles Bronson). The ring action lacks urgency but Presley is charming as he stands up for Young’s gal pal (Lola Albright) and falls for the town beauty (Joan Blackman). “Kid Galahad” is far from a classic but there’s a sense of good cheer behind the sweet silliness of it all. Extras: none. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They (1969, Kino, PG, $30): Has there ever been a more harrowing allegory for cutthroat capitalism than Sydney Pollack’s masterpiece? Set in the midst of the Depression at a seedy Santa Monica dance marathon where exhausted dancers (Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin) vie for prize money, the film – now on Blu-ray - depicts how the corrupt master of ceremonies (Gig Young) manipulates the rules to keep the contestants in the game. Time has not dimmed the power of this stunner. Extras: commentaries and featurettes. Sylvia Scarlett (1935, Warner Archive, unrated, $20): Newly back in print, the first of three movies starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant is a mischievous romp which defies convention at every turn. Hepburn plays a young woman who, thanks to her gambling addict father (Edmund Gwenn), must pretend to be a boy to escape the law. Along the way, they fall in with a charming but cold-hearted jewel smuggler (Cary Grant.) It’s delightful from start to finish, with plenty of romantic entanglements, surprise twists and a musical number or two. Extras: vintage shorts. L.A. Confidential - 20th Anniversary Edition (1997, Fox, R, $20): More timely than ever before, Curtis Hanson’s incendiary adaptation of James Elroy’s novel takes place at the intersection of police corruption, Hollywood glamour and tabloid sleaze. The wellcrafted plot revolves around three police officers (Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce), a prostitute (Kim Basinger), a tabloid reporter (Danny DeVito) and the corrupt chief of detectives (James Cromwell). While it doesn’t pack the same emotional punch as “Chinatown,” this thriller ranks as one of the best movies of the 1990s. Extras: featurettes and commentaries. The Wizard Of Lies (2017, HBO, unrated, $20): Never thought you could feel an iota of sympathy for financial fraudster Bernie Madoff (Robert DeNiro)? Wait until you see this riveting character study which dissects Madoff’s crimes as well as his relationships with his family, including his sons and wife (Michelle Pfeiffer). While director Barry Levinson never shies away from exposing Madoff’s greed and its consequences, the Wall Streeter emerges as an overwhelmingly human figure who paid a high price for his scamming. Extras: featurettes.