Sidney Pollack’s “The Interpreter” will, on the surface, remind some of his craftily produced 1975 film “Three Days of the Condor.” Both are political thrillers
involving mismatched couples – Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway in “Condor” and Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman in “The Interpreter.”
The politics in “The Interpreter” ($29.90)are fairly muted, with the plot involving a fictional African country and genocide. Kidman plays Silvia Broome, an interpreter at the United Nations, where she accidentally overhears a conversation that indicates a plot to assassinate the leader of the fictional African nation of Matobo, where Broome’s slain parents were farmers. Troubled Tobin Keller (Penn), a Secret Service agent who recently lost his unfaithful wife, is brought in to investigate.
While the chemistry of Redford and Dunaway sizzled, reflecting their taut thriller’s cat- and-mouse elements of the story, Penn and Kidman are subdued, connecting intermittently in the same way that “The Interpreter’s” plot meanders, despite being filled with breathless activity that often doesn’t add up to much.
Still, Penn and Kidman provide some interesting moments as they dig into their characters, with Silvia having her own griefs and secrets. Without them, “The Interpreter” would be flat, despite Pollack’s attempt to dress up the film.
Remastered “Cinderella”
Disney has pulled out all the stops for the special edition of one of the most endearing and enduring animated films of all time – “Cinderella” ($29.99).
The 1950 classic has been remastered in all its glory. Magical, charming and with some wonderful songs – “Bibbidi-
Bobbidi-Boo,” “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” – the film was one of Walt Disney’s favorites, and why not?
His animation studio at the time was at the height of its powers. There are plenty of extras on the two-disc set, including a few that look at his key animators, known as the “Nine Old Men,” and their contributions to specific characters of “Cinderella,” as well as their continuing influence on animation today.
Hitchcock, film and TV
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Alfred Hitchcock would intone with a funereal solemnity that would create unease in the viewers as he introduced an episode of his 1950s television show.
The legendary director cashed in on his fame to create half-hour shows of suspense, many of which turned out to be classics. The first season of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” ($39.98) includes 39 episodes, with stars such as Joanne Woodward, Claude Rains and Charles Bronson. But it wasn’t all darkness. Like some of Hitchcock’s films, a number of the episodes contain a dollop of humor – albeit macabre humor.
Also out today is “Alfred Hitchcock – The Masterpiece Collection” ($119.98), which has 14 of the director’s films, plus 14 documentaries and nine featurettes.
NEW ON DVD
Kicking & Screaming ** 1/2 What should be a straightforward and overdue family comedy about soccer-crazed suburbs is instead an odd Mike Ditka vehicle. That’s right, the former coach of Da Bears has a big part, and the good news is he’s not too bad. The bad news is that the script about Will Ferrell moving from nice dad to mean coach suffers from long spans without any real laughs. It’s watchable, if not very memorable. PG; 92 minutes (Michael Booth)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants *** Now in high school, best friends Carmen, Tibby, Lena and Bridget were destined for lifelong friendship when their mothers met at a prenatal aerobics class. The quartet’s members are about to spend their first summer apart. On one last trip to a thrift store, the girls discover a pair of jeans that fits not just one of them but each of them. In honor of this miraculous find, they create a ritual. Unlike the pants, their adventures come with wrinkles: A harsh as well as healing magic comes with the enchanted jeans. PG; 120 minutes (Lisa Kennedy)
Unleashed *** 1/2 This is a tender kung fu movie, launching at 110 mph before slowing down to a sweet baby crawl. Each of those contradictions is beautifully calibrated, creating a weirdly wonderful Jet Li martial-arts classic that is punch-drunk on childhood. Before you see it, you’ll never believe that a bunch of chop- socky veterans could produce a moving film whose retreats into domestic comfort are as soulful as the gangster fights are exhilarating. Writer Luc Besson and director Louis Leterrier shock us with an 88-key range, from sadistic forte to artistic pianissimo. “Unleashed” is one of those rare gems, a date movie with exploding squibs. R; 95 minutes (Michael Booth)
Kingdom of Heaven *** It is difficult to celebrate movies about war when the nation is at war. And “Kingdom of Heaven,” starring Orlando Bloom as Balian, is about a Frenchman who goes to the Middle East as a Crusader. William Monahan’s script and Scott’s gift with characters maintain a smart debate about warfare and peace. R; 138 minutes (Lisa Kennedy)
