“The Duchess” DVD, Blu-ray: Saul Dibb’s “The Duchess” opens in 1757 with Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley) tossing herself about with great gales of giggles and gaiety on the great lawn of a greater estate. Meanwhile, her formidable mother, Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling), is busy navigating decisions about Georgiana’s life that will turn it into one corseted soap opera. Wigs will burn in this movie (literally), fine wine will put out the fire (literally), but as for the smoke left in its wake, let’s just say its stink will linger. The complication is this: It appears that the cold Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) has designs on young Georgiana’s womb — he wants to fill it with the makings of a male heir. Since he can’t do so without first marrying Georgiana, papers are drawn up, promises are made that Georgiana is essentially a good brood mare, and approvals by both families allow the wedding to take place. Only after her fate has been sealed by others is Georgiana handed her sentence by her beaming mother. She will become the Duchess of Devonshire, to which Georgiana initially cheers. The gowns! The jewels! The status! The love of the people! The trysts? The duke’s live-in lover, Lady Elizabeth Foster (Hayley Atwell)? Georgiana’s “secret” affair with her own lover, Charles Gray (Dominic Cooper)? In true soap fashion, Dibb doesn’t waste a moment in mounting all sorts of difficulties for Georgiana to overcome, not the least of which is producing a male heir. Across the board, the cast is as fine as the attention paid to the Academy Award-worthy set and costume design, which are as lovely as the duke and duchess’s relationship is ugly. “The Duchess” is one of the better costume dramas to come along in a while. Rated: PG-13. Grade: B+
“Eagle Eye” DVD, Blu-ray: Since the very title promises a certain clarity of vision, it’s too bad the movie itself lacks one. In fact, let’s be clear about the experience of watching “Eagle Eye.” It’s akin to being tossed into the business end of a washing machine, spun on high for the better part of two hours, then released into the world feeling bruised, scraped and battered. The script is so ridiculously convoluted, you sit there thinking, “Wow, this is ridiculously convoluted.” So, let’s cut the plot down to its essentials. Shia LaBeouf is Jerry Shaw, who is busy enjoying the world when his own implodes in a series of events that go wrong: Jerry’s accomplished twin brother dies, cell phones start to ring, a cool, computerized female voice starts directing Jerry through all sorts of hell, the Feds get involved (a bland Billy Bob Thornton among them), much chasing ensues, buildings collapse, cars explode, and Jerry unwittingly is led to Rachel (Michelle Monaghan), a single mother who is being bossed around by that same robotic voice. Nobody here is allowed to bring anything to the movie other than fight and flight. In fact, what’s so curious about “Eagle Eye” is that its producers could have walked into any supermarket, plucked two reasonably attractive people from the checkout line, handed them the script, put them in the film, and nothing would have changed — except for the steep savings in salaries. Rated PG-13. Grade: D
“Nip/Tuck: Season 5, Part 1” DVD: A savage little television show about two South Beach plastic surgeons in which nothing appears tired, particularly the writing — in this fifth season, it remains fresh and inventive, particularly since the action moves to California, where new clients await and the porn industry is tackled in ways best left for your viewing pleasure. Julian McMahon’s Christian and Dylan Walsh’s Sean McNamara find themselves in a host of increasingly bizarre circumstances, including operating on two Marilyn Monroe wannabes, and repairing the face of a woman aggressively plucked by an eagle. Meanwhile, along the periphery, toxic lives brim. Appearances by Rosie O’Donnell, Tia Carrere, Boris Kodjoe and, of all people, real-life porn star Lexington Steele, help to smooth away the occasional wrinkle. Grade: B+
“Serenity” Blu-ray: Joss Whedon’s sci-fi powerhouse “Serenity,” now on Blu-ray disc, is a lively, visceral film that takes stock Asian, sci-fi and wild Western elements and twists them into an intergalactic space adventure that somehow escaped being tweaked to serve the masses. Those drawn to it will find a tricky balancing act at hand, with humor, pathos, drama, wit, action and fear all roiling in the caldron of Whedon’s rich imagination. Based on the director’s excellent, 2002 Fox television show, “Firefly,” what you admire in “Serenity” is Whedon’s nerve — one false move, and this deceptively fragile film, with its deceptively sturdy facade, could have collapsed if just the right tone weren’t struck. And yet it is. Rated: PG-13. Grade: A-
“Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” Blu-ray: Forget tomorrow. On Blu-ray, Kerry Conran’s “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” is the movie to see today. Shot entirely against a blue screen with sets, locations and several robotic and monstrous characters digitally added after principal shooting ended, this great-looking film seems made for high-def. It’s a fun, dashing adventure set in 1939, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Polly Perkins, ace reporter for the New York Chronicle, who is forced to team with former love and ace aviator Joe “Sky Captain” Sullivan (Jude Law). Together, they must save the world from certain doom by the mad scientist, Dr. Totenkopf (played by Laurence Olivier, who died in 1989 but who has been digitally brought back to life here). Angelina Jolie and Giovanni Ribisi round out a film that is glamorous, high-end noir shot through with art deco elements heightened by the future. Closes with a smashing final shot. Rated PG. Grade: A-
WeekinRewind.com is the site for Bangor Daily News film critic Christopher Smith’s blog, DVD giveaways and archive of movie reviews. Smith’s reviews appear Mondays, Fridays and weekends in Lifestyle, as well as on bangordailynews.com. He may be reached at Christopher@weekinrewind.com.