DVD Pick of the Week: Baghead

Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope that this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.

Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles and what follows are not necessarily reviews. It is my opinion based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists that I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations upon them are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.

This week's releases are a bit split up with some releasing on Tuesday and others waiting for Saturday. Most of the titles waiting for the weekend are the major titles. I guess the studios are banking on people heading out to spend holiday riches on brand new titles. For what it is worth, the week's releases are not all that compelling.

Baghead. Yes, there are probably better choices for a pick than a no-budget indie film that I have not even seen, but I figured why not? No-budget cinema needs to be supported as much as any other, perhaps more so. The trailer is intriguing and it looks like it could be interesting. Now it has received severely mixed word, but I am more than willing to give it a shot. The movie is the story of four friends who have gone out into the woods to work on a screenplay. They decide to write about people menaced by a someone with a bag on his head, coincidentally, the group begins to be menaced by someone resembling their fictional creation.

The Duchess. This is a good film. The story does not really cover any ground that we haven't been over before, but the design is beautiful and the acting is downright excellent. If you are a fan of period drama, you will want to see this one, no doubt about it. Even if you aren't as big a fan it may be worth spending some time with. I do not regret the time we shared.

Eagle Eye. I have a question. Just when did D.J. Caruso become Michael Bay? This movie has enough explosions and general mayhem to make the master proud. For what its worth, Eagle Eye does blow stuff up real good, the performances are generally decent, and it does succeed in getting you to feel somewhat involved. In the end, it is just another disappointing action film that will not be remembered for long after you leave the theater. Whatever you do, try to avoid paying attention to the story, it is really poorly written.

Ghost Town. This is a movie that is well worth spending some time with. There is some good dialogue, a strong lead performance. Will this be Ricky Gervais' breakthrough in the States? Perhaps. Even if it isn't, he is a funny guy and he brings a great flavor to the film.

Resident Evil: Degeneration. This new Resident Evil film is coming straight to video and does not feature Milla Jovovich, for that matter it does not feature any visible people at all. The feature is completely computer animated and does not look half bad. The story tells of the inadvertent survivor of the Raccoon City incident.

WWE: Edge - A Decade of Decadence. While my wrestling enjoyment has somewhat flown the coop, I always enjoyed Edge's matches. I first remember him as part of the Brood with Christian and Gangrel before going on to tag gold with Christian for years. Now he is flying high as a singles competitor in the top tier.

Pulse 3. Here is a title that is sure to sit on shelves for awhile. Considering the lukewarm reception to the first film (a Hollywood remake) I am surprised it got one sequel, much less two. Anyway, I actually enjoyed the flawed second film and look forward to what they do here.