Scarecrow Suggests DVDs for June

June 5
Breaking Bad: Season 4
When we last checked in with Walter White, everyone’s favorite high school chemistry teacher turned meth-cooker, his personal and “professional” lives were spiraling out of control. Numerous problems continue to build for Walter (played by three-time Emmy winner Bryan Cranston), but much of this season focuses on the rest of the show’s intriguing cast. Most prominent is Gus (Giancarlo Esposito), a reserved sociopath drug kingpin and fast food manager, who is engaged in a turf war with a vicious Mexican drug cartel. If you haven’t watched this addictive, acclaimed series, you’re missing some of the best television out there. I envy you, as you now have four seasons to enjoy. Everybody else will be glad to know that Breaking Bad is back, and it’s as tense and smartly constructed as ever. SH

June 5
The Grapes of Wrath
Classic Blu-ray releases are few and far between, so when a studio takes one of its most beautiful movies and releases it in a hi-def format, one should always take note. The item of which I speak is 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, as directed by John Ford, shot in luminous black and white by Gregg Toland, and starring Henry Fonda. Ford adapted John Steinbeck’s seminal novel about the Joad family’s perilous journey from the Dust Bowl to California during the Great Depression, perfectly illustrating the hardships and struggle for dignity endured by millions of working class citizens during that time. It is in some ways now more relevant than ever. MS

June 5
John Carter
John Carter, Disney's adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' turn-of-the-century serial space adventure stories, was the victim of a terrible marketing campaign and an entertainment press ever eager to over-report rumors of Hollywood excess. It's also shamelessly dorky, with source material that's been ripped off and referenced so many times over the years that it seems derivative to the untrained viewer. Nevertheless, it's the sort of old-fashioned rousing spectacle that most folks constantly complain never gets made anymore. Well, they made it, and you failed to show up. Now's your chance to rectify that mistake. John Carter may not be great, but it is certainly ambitious, imaginative and downright fun. ML

June 12
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
In one of the most low-rent Marvel Comics movies ever made, the two-man directing team behind the Crank movies adds their spastic style and juvenile humor to the second (and last?) entry in the Nicolas-Cage-as-flaming-skeleton-on-motorcycle series. The story is ripped off wholesale from Terminator 2, but without the great characters or action. Idris Elba does make a good sidekick as a wine-swilling French priest, and Cage gets to control the skeleton through motion capture this time, giving it a little bit of his freaky posturing and movements. His burning skull head is the one special effect in the movie that actually looks really good. A distinctly underwhelming experience on the big screen, Spirit of Vengeance will probably be more enjoyable in your living room with some beer, which seems to be the bar the filmmakers were aiming for. BT

June 19
Louie: Season 2
Comedian Louis C.K. writes, directs and even edits this completely unique show loosely based on his life. The second season is even better than the first, perfecting C.K.’s blend of heavy laughs, deep discomfort, smart observation, sadness and sweetness. There are too many standout episodes to list, but highlights include Louis’ inspirational but awkward night with Joan Rivers, the two-part episode about accidentally bringing a duckling to Afghanistan on a USO tour, and Louis’ scream of anguish when he realizes he accidentally turned down a bath with the woman who never returns his love. As acclaimed as the show is, it doesn’t get enough credit for its excellent cinematography, New York locations and jazz-heavy soundtrack. Possibly the best show currently on television. BT

June 19
Django Kill!…If You Live, Shoot!
Coming to Blu-ray via Blue Underground releasing, 1967’s Django Kill! is often referred to as one of the most violent, surreal, psychedelic Spaghetti Westerns ever made. All of those things are true, but the mere description does it a great disservice. It’s also a terrifically paced, compellingly shot and extremely well acted film, where the violence and surrealism are worked effortlessly into the story so that they enhance rather than detract from our experience. Rarely in Spaghetti Westerns do all these elements blend so well, but director Giulio Questi nails it. MS

By Spenser Hoyt, Matt Lynch, Mark Steiner and Bryan Theiss