Only a few noteworthy titles surface on the home video market this week, and only one of them got anything close to a wide release in theaters. With that in mind, your choices include the Veronica Mars movie, a well-received drama, a clunky heist movie, and a handful of other smaller titles. Read on for details:
Propelled by a monumentally successful Kickstarter campaign, the popular UPN/CW series Veronica Mars finally got its own movie, and while fans of the show probably would have flocked to theaters regardless of its critical reception, the film earned solid reviews. Set nine years after the events of the series’ final season, Veronica Mars catches up with its intrepid titular sleuth (Kristen Bell) in New York, where she’s passed the bar and contemplating a job offer with a prestigious law firm. When her ex Logan (Jason Dohring) is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Veronica travels home to Neptune, where she discovers the death is connected to the disappearance of her own best friend nine years ago. Critics conceded that Veronica Mars was probably more enjoyable for its longtime fans, some of whom were quite eager to see their favorite heroine on the big screen, but also noted that the film was smartly scripted and well-acted enough to be entertaining even for viewers unfamiliar with the series. Certified Fresh at 77% on the Tomatometer, it’s a solid thriller for a night in.
Underdog stories about ordinary people facing seemingly insurmountable odds work best when the audience feels something for the protagonist. When the story in question is based on a true story about an aging man who runs up against a wall of bureaucratic red tape while attempting to make home renovations to better support his ailing wife, and when the actors portraying said man and wife are James Cromwell and Geneviève Bujold, it’s not too difficult to see how it might strike a chord with many a critic. None of this is to say Still Mine‘s Certified Fresh 93% Tomatometer score is disingenuous; on the contrary, this is a touching, thoughtful, well-acted drama that earns its heartfelt moments and inspirational triumphs.
