A mystery and a Disney sequel both cleverly address issues of class and race in the top DVD releases for Feb. 25.
"Knives Out": In this kooky subverted whodunit ("who had something to do with it" might be a tad clunky), deeply Southern private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) grills a wealthy family after its patriarch, beloved mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), is found dead after a gathering in the writer's East Coast estate.
The investigator quickly enlists the help of Harlan's longtime nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), the film's redeeming character, whose mother is an undocumented immigrant. Everyone in the 1% family not only has a motive but is generally terrible, from doting daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) to her volatile son, Ransom (Chris Evans), the liberal-when-convenient daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Colette) and her similarly performative woke daughter, Meg (Katherine Langford), and hapless son Walt (Michael Shannon) and his creepy alt-right son, Jacob (Jaeden Martell), some of whom felt financially wronged by Harlan on the night of his death.
It's a fitting mystery for the Trump era, landing writer-director Rian Johnson a best original screenplay Oscar nomination. And it's a delight, from its snappy retorts and telling blunders (absolutely everyone is ignorant of Marta's correct heritage) to its character quirks (every time she lies, she vomits).
But at its core, the film presents a fitting debate about who deserves wealth, particularly when it's a matter of inheritance: a privileged, corrupt bloodline, or the people (often of color) who selflessly take care of them?
"Frozen II": In the sequel to the massive 2013 hit, we open with happy family Queen Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel), Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and Olaf (Josh Gad) on game night (with extreme Midwestern vibes). Although Elsa's made a promise to her sister to stick together, she encounters a literal calling to head to the enchanted forest. As she follows the voice, with her family right behind her, a dark secret regarding the faltering kingdom of Arendelle and its history with the forest's Northuldra tribe emerges.
It's mostly a beat-for-beat match of its predecessor's story, for better and for worse. The script, written by co-director Jennifer Lee (with additional story by co-director Chris Buck, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez), also deftly addresses issues of climate change, imperialism and systemic racism, to name a few, with a family-friendly palate.
While some of the musical numbers don't land (see: '80s rock banger "Lost in the Woods"), others quietly soar ("The Next Right Thing"). The Oscar-nominated "Show Yourself" is an empowering anthem, but perhaps to the comfort of parents everywhere, it's much less of an earworm than "Let It Go."
ALSO NEW ON DVD FEB. 25
"Color Out of Space": A rural family encounters an extraterrestrial organism that transforms their environment. Nicolas Cage stars.
"Norm of the North: Family Vacation": Norm (voiced by Rob Schneider) makes amends with his family while looking for his crown in this computer-animated film.
"The Corrupted": Eager to get back into good graces with his family, an ex-con boxer (Sam Claflin) gets swept into his brother's involvements with a suspicious developer (Timothy Spall).
"Years and Years: Season One": A Manchester family grapples with technological and political changes in this British series.
OUT ON DIGITAL HD FEB. 25
"Bombshell": Fox News' Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman), Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron) and other women come forward with sexual harassment allegations against founder Roger Ailes (John Lithgow). Out on DVD/Blu-ray March 10.
"Uncut Gems": A charming New York jeweler (Adam Sandler) makes a series of life-changing bets. Look for it on DVD/Blu-ray March 10.
