DVD reviews: 'The Water Diviner,' 'Home' and 'White God'
“The Water Diviner” (2014, R, 111 min., $28.98) Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe makes his directorial debut with a loose adaptation of the book of the same name from Andrew Anastasios and Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios. The New Zealander does a decent job in his first time out, using beautiful cinematography and fine lead performances from himself and Olga Kurylenko to steer the picture. The letdown comes with the screenplay, which drags in places and takes some unbelievable leaps in the final act. Crowe plays Joshua, an Australian farmer dealing with the supposed loss of his three sons in the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey. Unable to deal with the hurt, his wife takes her own life, leaving Joshua by himself. As a result, the farmer decides to travel to Turkey to find the bodies of his sons and return them to Australia. Joshua faces several hurdles along the way, including officials who don't want to cooperate and an invasion by the Greeks that leads to some dangerously close situations. With a strong will, Joshua refuses to give up until he finds his answers. Special features, which include two making-of featurettes, are exclusive to Blu-ray. Both extras give good insight into the work that went into “The Water Diviner.” 2 Stars.
“Home” (2015, PG, 94 min., $29.98) With solid franchises like “Shrek,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” DreamWorks Animation has established itself as a force in the genre. Unfortunately, “Home” isn't one of its stronger titles. A good selection for family viewing, director Tim Johnson's colorful film, which has elements of science fiction, adventure and buddy comedy, doesn't have the depth found in some of the better animated flicks out these days. It's enjoyable enough, but it's also entirely forgettable. The film follows a character named Oh (voiced by Jim Parsons), who's part of a large group of aliens taking over Earth. Oh sees the takeover of the planet as a friendly one, but that's not entirely the case. The alien learns the truth after befriending a teen girl named Tip (Rihanna). Together, they travel across the globe looking for Tip's mother (Jennifer Lopez), who's been relocated by Oh's leaders. In the process, Oh learns about the bad intentions of his race and finds a true friend in Tip. Consumers will finds tons of special features inside standard DVD and Blu-ray packages, including videos and interactive items. The two-disc Blu-ray set is much meatier, though, carrying exclusive deleted scenes and featurettes. 2 Stars.
“White God” (2014, R, 121 min., $26.98) From Lassie to Beethoven, dogs have been a part of film since the beginning. In the Hungarian movie “White God,” dogs make up most of the cast. Written and directed by Kornel Mundruczo, the feature's a tough ride, but it's well worth the watch. With a fantastic performance from Zsofia Psotta and a superb cast of talented canines, the drama's a remarkably original piece of filmmaking that took lots of work to make just right. Psotta plays Lili, a young girl going to live with her dad (Sandor Zsoter). Lili brings her dog Hagen along, but her dad wants nothing to do with it. He abandons Hagen on the side of the road, and it breaks his daughter's heart. Lili attempts to find Hagen, but doesn't have much luck. Hagen also tries to get back to Lili, but he's put through a series of tough breaks in trying to navigate the world. The struggle hardens the dog, and he leads a revolt of strays in shutting down the town and taking revenge on all of the humans that did him wrong. Special features available in Blu-ray and standard DVD packages deserve a look because there's a focus on the animal training that went into the production of the film. An interview with Mundruczo is also available. 3.5 Stars.
“3 Hearts” (2014, PG-13, 106 min., $24.98) Charlotte Gainsbourg and Benoit Poelvoorde star in a French romantic drama from Benoit Jacquot about two strangers who find great chemistry during a night together in France. The next morning, the man and woman head their separate ways, but a unique tie will bring them back together.
TV ON DVD
“Helix: The Complete Second Season” (three discs, 13 episodes, $45.99)
“Mama's Family: Mama's Favorites, Season Six” (one disc, six episodes, $12.95)
