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Comedy, thriller arrive in stores

By Lou Gaul Calkins Media Film Critic 8 min read

A broad comedy (“Code Name: The Cleaner”), a fantasy thriller (“Deja Vu”), a family smash (“Night at the Museum”), a British import (“The Queen”) and a fright film (“Thr3e”) are the top titles arriving on this last weekend of April. The top DVD rental and sales titles are:

Best Renters

1. “Night at the Museum” (PG); Grade: B-; with Ben Stiller and Robin Williams in the comedy smash about a night guard who discovers that the displays at the Museum of Natural History come to life each night.

2. “Deja Vu” (PG-13); Grade: B; with Denzel Washington in a fun-to-watch thriller about a DEA agent who may be able to prevent a deadly incident by using cutting-edge technology to travel back in time and stop a bomb from detonating.

3. “The Queen” (PG-13); Grade: A-; with Helen Mirren delivering her Oscar-winning performance as Elizabeth II in a compelling drama about the royal family member and her seemingly indifferent reaction to the death of Princess Diana.

4. “Code Name: The Cleaner” (PG-13); Grade: C+; with Cedric the Entertainer playing an ordinary guy mistaken for a government agent embroiled in a conspiracy.

5. “The Last King of Scotland” (R); Grade: B+; with Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker delivering a powerful performance as the equally charismatic and chilling Idi Amin.

6. “Notes on a Scandal” (R); Grade: B; with Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench in an intense melodrama about a married teacher who begins an affair with a teenage boy student and then is blackmailed by an older instructor with her own agenda.

7. “Smokin’ Aces” (R); Grade: B; with Jeremy Piven and Ryan Reynolds in a stylish thriller about a Las Vegas magician who becomes the target of hired killers after he agrees to testify against the mob.

8. “The Pursuit of Happyness” (PG-13); Grade: B+; with Will Smith in an uplifting, fact-based story about a homeless single father struggling to earn an internship at a prestigious stock-brokerage firm.

9. “Happy Feet” (PG); Grade: A-; with the voices of Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in a toe-tapping computer-animated tale about a penguin who feels like he doesn’t fit in.

10. “Charlotte’s Web” (G); Grade: A-; with Dakota Fanning and the voices of Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey and Andre Benjamin in a live-action tale about a wise spider and a lucky pig named Wilbur.

11. “Freedom Writers” (PG-13); Grade: B-; with Hilary Swank in a fact-based tale about a young teacher who wins the hearts and minds of gang members in California.

12. “The Good Shepherd” (R); Grade: C+; with Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie in director Robert De Niro’s slow-moving account of the origins of the CIA and the emotional toll taken on agents involved with clandestine operations.

13. “Rocky Balboa” (PG); Grade: B; with Sylvester Stallone appearing as the Italian Stallion and trying to go the distance against a younger fighter.

14. “Blood Diamond” (R); Grade: B; with Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly in a violent thriller about the devastation caused by conflict diamonds.

15. “Casino Royale” (PG-13); Grade: A-; with Daniel Craig taking over the role of 007 and creating a much tougher secret agent in this gritty action tale with James Bond challenging an arms dealer.

16. “Children of Men” (R); Grade: B+; with Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine in an apocalyptic thriller set in a near future where no children are being born.

17. “Thr3e” (PG-13); Grade: C; with Bill Moseley in a chiller about a young seminary student targeted by an elusive madman known as the Riddle Killer.

18. “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (R); Grade: B+; with Sacha Baron Cohen as a hilariously misguided foreign TV reporter who continually exhibits inappropriate behavior and asks insulting questions.

19. “Eragon” (PG); Grade: B-; with Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons and the voice of Rachel Weisz in a sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young warrior and his flying dragon.

20. “The Departed” (R); Grade: A-; with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson in director Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning crime tale about Boston gangsters.

Best Sellers

1. “Night at the Museum” (PG); Grade: B-; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, two-disc DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc

2. “Deja Vu” (PG-13); Grade: B; $29.99, DVD

3. “The Queen” (PG-13); Grade: A-; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc

4. “Happy Feet” (PG); Grade: A-; $28.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc; $39.99, HD DVD

5. “Charlotte’s Web” (G); Grade: A-; $29.99, DVD

6. “Blood Diamond” (R); Grade: B; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, special double-disc edition DVD

7. “Disney Channel Original Movie: Jump In! Freestyle Edition” (G); Grade: B; $28.99, DVD

8. “The Good Shepherd” (R); Grade: C+; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, DVD/HD DVD combo disc

9. “Casino Royale” (PG-13); Grade: A-; $28.99, DVD; $38.99, Blu-ray Disc

10. “The Last King of Scotland” (R); Grade: B+; $29.99, DVD

Partial source: Video Business, wire-service and Web reports

April 27: Top DVD Rentals-Sales

By Lou Gaul

Calkins Media Film Critic

lgaul@phillyBurbs.com

A broad comedy (“Code Name: The Cleaner”), a fantasy thriller (“Deja Vu”), a family smash (“Night at the Museum”), a British import (“The Queen”) and a fright film (“Thr3e”) are the top titles arriving on this last weekend of April.

The top DVD rental and sales titles are:

Best Renters

1. “Night at the Museum” (PG); Grade: B-; with Ben Stiller and Robin Williams in the comedy smash about a night guard who discovers that the displays at the Museum of Natural History come to life each night.

2. “Deja Vu” (PG-13); Grade: B; with Denzel Washington in a fun-to-watch thriller about a DEA agent who may be able to prevent a deadly incident by using cutting-edge technology to travel back in time and stop a bomb from detonating.

3. “The Queen” (PG-13); Grade: A-; with Helen Mirren delivering her Oscar-winning performance as Elizabeth II in a compelling drama about the royal family member and her seemingly indifferent reaction to the death of Princess Diana.

4. “Code Name: The Cleaner” (PG-13); Grade: C+; with Cedric the Entertainer playing an ordinary guy mistaken for a government agent embroiled in a conspiracy.

5. “The Last King of Scotland” (R); Grade: B+; with Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker delivering a powerful performance as the equally charismatic and chilling Idi Amin.

6. “Notes on a Scandal” (R); Grade: B; with Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench in an intense melodrama about a married teacher who begins an affair with a teenage boy student and then is blackmailed by an older instructor with her own agenda.

7. “Smokin’ Aces” (R); Grade: B; with Jeremy Piven and Ryan Reynolds in a stylish thriller about a Las Vegas magician who becomes the target of hired killers after he agrees to testify against the mob.

8. “The Pursuit of Happyness” (PG-13); Grade: B+; with Will Smith in an uplifting, fact-based story about a homeless single father struggling to earn an internship at a prestigious stock-brokerage firm.

9. “Happy Feet” (PG); Grade: A-; with the voices of Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in a toe-tapping computer-animated tale about a penguin who feels like he doesn’t fit in.

10. “Charlotte’s Web” (G); Grade: A-; with Dakota Fanning and the voices of Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey and Andre Benjamin in a live-action tale about a wise spider and a lucky pig named Wilbur.

11. “Freedom Writers” (PG-13); Grade: B-; with Hilary Swank in a fact-based tale about a young teacher who wins the hearts and minds of gang members in California.

12. “The Good Shepherd” (R); Grade: C+; with Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie in director Robert De Niro’s slow-moving account of the origins of the CIA and the emotional toll taken on agents involved with clandestine operations.

13. “Rocky Balboa” (PG); Grade: B; with Sylvester Stallone appearing as the Italian Stallion and trying to go the distance against a younger fighter.

14. “Blood Diamond” (R); Grade: B; with Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly in a violent thriller about the devastation caused by conflict diamonds.

15. “Casino Royale” (PG-13); Grade: A-; with Daniel Craig taking over the role of 007 and creating a much tougher secret agent in this gritty action tale with James Bond challenging an arms dealer.

16. “Children of Men” (R); Grade: B+; with Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine in an apocalyptic thriller set in a near future where no children are being born.

17. “Thr3e” (PG-13); Grade: C; with Bill Moseley in a chiller about a young seminary student targeted by an elusive madman known as the Riddle Killer.

18. “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (R); Grade: B+; with Sacha Baron Cohen as a hilariously misguided foreign TV reporter who continually exhibits inappropriate behavior and asks insulting questions.

19. “Eragon” (PG); Grade: B-; with Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons and the voice of Rachel Weisz in a sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young warrior and his flying dragon.

20. “The Departed” (R); Grade: A-; with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson in director Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning crime tale about Boston gangsters.

Best Sellers

1. “Night at the Museum” (PG); Grade: B-; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, two-disc DVD; $39.99, Blu-ray Disc

2. “Deja Vu” (PG-13); Grade: B; $29.99, DVD

3. “The Queen” (PG-13); Grade: A-; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc

4. “Happy Feet” (PG); Grade: A-; $28.99, DVD; $34.99, Blu-ray Disc; $39.99, HD DVD

5. “Charlotte’s Web” (G); Grade: A-; $29.99, DVD

6. “Blood Diamond” (R); Grade: B; $29.99, DVD; $34.99, special double-disc edition DVD

7. “Disney Channel Original Movie: Jump In! Freestyle Edition” (G); Grade: B; $28.99, DVD

8. “The Good Shepherd” (R); Grade: C+; $29.99, DVD; $39.99, DVD/HD DVD combo disc

9. “Casino Royale” (PG-13); Grade: A-; $28.99, DVD; $38.99, Blu-ray Disc

10. “The Last King of Scotland” (R); Grade: B+; $29.99, DVD

Partial source: Video Business, wire-service and Web reports

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