Thursday, Oct. 06, 2011

New on DVD: ‘Fast Five’ and ‘The Lion King’

This week’s DVD releases range from a Broadway performance to a classic Disney offering.

• “Fast Five,” Grade C: In this “The Fast and the Furious” sequel, Dominic and his crew find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again.

Somewhere between “The Fast and the Furious” and the latest sequel in the tire-squealing series “Fast Five,” the franchise shifted gears. It went from being a film driven by fast cars to a blue collar version of “Ocean’s Eleven.” There’s nothing terribly wrong — or right — with “Fast Five.”

There are a couple of strong action scenes, but the pacing is painfully slow — this movie runs more than two hours.

• “The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway,” Grade B plus: Paul Reubens returns to the role of Pee-Wee Herman and is joined on stage by all of his friends at Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.

• “Melissa & Joey: Season One, Part Two,” Grade B: Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence star in this updated version of “Who’s the Boss?” The show works because the stars — who have known each other since they were kids — have great chemistry. There is an easiness about their performances that make the comedy hit even when it gets silly.

• “The Lion King,” Grade A: The mesmerizing story of Simba, Mufasa, Timon and Pumbaa is being released on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3-D after a two-week run in local theaters. The blend of humor and drama painted against a brilliant background makes this 1994 release one of the best animated Disney films.