DVD reviews: 'Fast Five' another furious sequel

"Fast Five" (Universal Pictures)

The latest film from the "Fast and the Furious" franchise, which first revved its engine in 2001, feels familiar, almost like an old friend. It's not only because director Justin Lin put together most of the cast favorites from the previous films, but also because the movie has a plotline viewers have seen plenty of times. A target is pitched, and an all-star team comes together to pull it off. The storyline hangs over "Fast Five" like a bad haze, but Lin, who has worked on previous films in the franchise, does his best to provide an exciting rude. The testosterone is in heavy doses, and the viewer is treated to a lot of car talk, unbelievable action sequences and attractive women with less cover than a convertible. It's these brainless parts of the feature that make it sort of fun. The picture kicks off with Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) headed for a stretch in prison until Brian (Paul Walker) and Dom's sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster) break him out. To escape the law, the trio bounces to Rio, where they get into it with a rich drug lord. A plan is hatched to rip off the drug lord, and Dom calls in some acquaintances to help. What makes the plan more difficult is a tough federal agent (Dwayne Johnson) hunting for Dom. A combo pack carrying Blu-ray and a standard DVD is the best buy. It carries three nice featurettes on the characters played by Walker, Diesel and Johnson. Additional featurettes, scene breakdowns and interviews and commentary with the filmmaker are also in the set. PG-13; 2011. 2 Stars.

'Scream 4'

It might be time to put the collection of "Scream" movies to bed. Clearly, there's no more ground to cover, and that's obvious with the arrival of "Scream 4." The first movie, out in 1996, was groundbreaking, and it scared the heck out of almost everyone. The latest feels like a retread of the same-old storyline. Sure, there are new characters, and the older ones are in different stages in their lives, but there's nothing to see here. The movie, directed by Wes Craven, finds Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returning home from a tour to sell her new book. Once she arrives, people start dying again. The body count steadily rises with a list of suspects, but, as usual, it will be Sidney, Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox) in a showdown with the killer in the final scenes. The pic gets some added oomph with the casting of youngsters Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere, but even they're not enough to save a franchise that's lost all of its originality. As usual, the Blu-ray package is the best buy, specifically for added extras. An alternate ending and extended ending mesh well with deleted scenes, and a making-of featurette explores the production of "Scream 4" with superb interviews with cast and crew. R; 2011. 1.5 Stars.

'Submarine'

Quirkiness is on the menu for "Submarine," a brilliant British dramedy that feels like a film from the canon of Wes Anderson or Noah Baumbach. This one's from Richard Ayoade, who directed and adapted his screenplay from a novel of the same name by Joe Dunthorne. The film follows a British teen named Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) who is dealing his first relationship, as well as his parents' marriage problems. Things start off well for Oliver and Jordana (Yasmin Paige), but get difficult when family troubles interfere. Jordana's mother has cancer, and Oliver's parents are heading for divorce. These outside troubles force a break, and Oliver finds he has a broken heart. What makes "Submarine" such a terrific feature-length debut from Ayoade is its combo punch. The story flirts with Oliver's wondrous imagination, and, at the same time, the realism he's presented with by his family and girlfriend. It delivers a truthful look into the mind of an adolescent male in a feature film that balances comedy and drama. A decent making-of featurette — detailing aspects of production with interviews by cast and crew — along with some deleted scenes make up the special features. R; 2010. 3 Stars.

OTHER MOVIE RELEASES:

• "Pulp Fiction on Blu-ray" (Bruce Willis and John Travolta, R, 1994, Lionsgate Pictures): The greatest film of the 1990s, and the picture that made filmmaker Quentin Tarantino a household name, make its debut on Blu-ray this week. The wildly entertaining blast of originality turned film narratives on their heads and introduced any number of off-kilter characters in Tarantino's pistol-packing masterpiece. The update on Blu-ray gives "Pulp Fiction" enhanced audio and a picture that really pops. Along with "Pulp Fiction," another Tarantino classic — "Jackie Brown" (Pam Grier and Samuel L. Jackson, R, 1997) — will also make its debut on Blu-ray, and both titles have incredible collections of special features.

• "Alfred Hitchcock: The Essential Collection" (Five discs, Universal Pictures): This is a must-own for fans of Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. The package features five of the filmmakers' most popular films: "Rear Window" (Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, NR, 1954); "Vertigo" (Stewart and Kim Novak, NR, 1958); "North by Northwest" (Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, NR, 1959); "Psycho" (Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, NR, 1960) and "The Birds" (Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor, NR, 1963). They all carry different sets of special features.

• "Buck" (Documentary, PG, 2011, IFC Films): The Audience Award winner at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, this one explores the life of Buck Brannaman, who is considered a real-life horse whisperer. Extras.

• "Prohibition" (Documentary, NR, 2011, PBS/Paramount Pictures): Skilled documentarian Ken Burns teams with Lynn Novick for a detailed look at the banning of alcohol in the United States. Weighing in at just under six hours, this fascinating work goes to the depths of the 18th Amendment, and gives viewers the whole story. Extras.

• "African Cats" (Documentary, G, 2011, Walt Disney Pictures): Disneynature delivers another educational work in this film that follows two families looking to make a home in the wilds of Africa. Filmed almost three years, directors Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Extras.

? "White Wash" (Documentary, NR, 2011, Virgil Films): Narrated by Ben Harper, the documentary brings viewers into a barrier-breaking documentary about black surfers. Extras.

• "The Caller" (Rachelle Lefevre and Stephen Moyer, R, 2011, Sony Pictures): Terror comes through the phone in this horror flick about a divorcee being harassed by a series of scary phone calls. Extras.

• "The High Cost of Living" (Zach Braff and Isabelle Blais, NR, 2010, New Video/Tribeca Film): Director Deborah Chow explores the darker side of love. Extras.

• "The Presence" (Mira Sorvino and Justin Kirk, PG-13, 2010, Lionsgate Pictures): An apparition comes between a couple in, where else, a secluded cabin in the woods, as a trip to the woods becomes ever-more dangerous. Extras.

• "The Lion King" (Animated, G, 1994, extras, Walt Disney Pictures)

? "The Heart Specialist" (Zoe Saldana and Wood Harris, R, 2006, extras, 2oth Century Fox)

OTHER TV RELEASES:

• "Bored to Death: The Complete Second Season" (Jason Schwartzman and Zach Galifianakis, two discs, eight episodes, extras, HBO Home Entertainment)

• "In Treatment: The Complete Third Season" (Gabriel Byrne and Amy Ryan, four discs, 28 episodes, extras, HBO Home Entertainment)

• "Beavis and Butt-Head: Mike Judge's Most Wanted" (Animated series, one disc, 20 episodes, extras, MTV Home Entertainment/Paramount)

• "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns: Season 2" (David Mann and Juanita Jennings, three discs, 20 episodes, extras, Lionsgate Pictures)

• "The Bionic Woman: Season 3" (Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson, five discs, 22 episodes, extras, Universal Pictures)

• "Army Wives: The Complete Fifth Season" (Kim Delaney and Catherine Bell, three discs, 13 episodes, extras, ABC Studios)

MISC. RELEASES:

• "The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway" (Performance at Stephen Sondheim Theatre in New York City, NR, 2010, extras, Image Entertainment)

• "Weird Al Yankovic Live! — The Alpocalypse Tour" (Performance at Massey Hall in Toronto, NR, 2011, extras, Comedy Central/Paramount)

• "Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On" (Performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NR, 2011, extras, Image Entertainment)