Joey's DVD Picks of the Week (5/17/2011)

This week, we have an interesting mix of releases on DVD for you all to sift through. Nothing is amazing, but there are a few worthwhile flicks to pick up. Nothing is awful either this week, so that's a plus. There's also a movie or two that I've yet to see (but wanted to), so they're the wild-cards, and I'll be writing up a full review of at least one of them for the next review update. As for the PICK OF THE WEEK, I chose to spotlight a smaller film that could use the extra sets of eyes. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's better than the fate it got. It's:

Daydream Nation

Kat Dennings does some of the finest work of her career in this indie romantic drama. A very strange love triangle dominates the film, but despite an uneven tone and some pacing issues, Dennings overcomes it all and makes the movie itself a quality piece of cinema. It only got a token release a few weeks ago (I saw it then but have yet to publish a review...look for it the next week or two), but deserved a bigger release. Dennings is one of the better young actresses out there, and this only proves the point more. Give it a shot on DVD, since if you blinked while it was in theaters, you would have missed it...

-Also out this week is the remake The Mechanic, the exorcism flick The Rite, the horror/suspense film Vanishing on 7th Street, the drama The Other Woman, and the suspense flick The Roommate. I didn't see the latter two, but I will be reviewing the former (continuing Natalie Portman's year of dominance) in the next week or two, so be on the lookout for that. As for the other three, they are in quality order, ranging from decent to mediocre. None to get mad about, but none to get excited about either. If any appeal to you, go pick them up and enjoy. If not, you likely won't be missing anything.

-My Vintage pick this week, in honor of the release of Midnight in Paris, is a collection of my 10 favorite Woody Allen films. They are, in order of preference: Annie Hall, Sleeper, Manhattan, Bullets over Broadway, Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex But Were Afraid to Ask, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Match Point, Anything Else, Hannah and her Sisters, and Deconstructing Harry. Check out any that you haven't seen, and get ready for Woody's latest!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?