DVD reviews

Gomorrah

Whether they mean to or not, most mob dramas can’t help but lend a grim glamour – the suits, the status – to a life of crime. In its interconnecting stories of characters connected to Naples mob life, Gomorrah strips the sheen away for a gripping staredown of the feral reality: ­vicious turf wars, impotent authorities, impassive slaughter. The strands occasionally ­become entangled, but this rewards commitment and, yes, demands respect.

Burn After Reading

A crisp95-minute Coen Brothers screwball comedy that you’ll ­either adore (chortling at the against-type antics of Pitt, Clooney and Malkovich) or despise (getting angry and confused by the silly, self-­indulgent, against-type antics of Clooney, Pitt and Malkovich). Malko is the CIA agent who loses a disc of sensitive information at Pitt’s gym. Cue clumsy blackmail, goofy hair, and funny/annoying spy fluff. Still, underneath all the mugging, the Coens’ staple plot ingredient – idiots out for money – drives the story.

The House Bunny

Anna Faris (the blonde from the Scary Movie bunch) is a Playboy bunny at Hef’s place, who’s told she’s past it at 27 and asked to leave. So she sets herself up as the resident bimbo of a shabby college fraternity. For the first 20 minutes, Bunny shapes up as a proto-feminist satire on ­female objectification, but descends into a (Playboy-­financed) celebration of all things “harmless” and Hef. Naturally, the great man checks in for a cameo, coming across as a cross between a confused outpatient and an ageing sex pest.

Merlin: Vol 2

Merlin was the ­big hit of the Beeb’s ­autumn/winter schedule. The sub-Arthurian story of a court magician forced to hide his powers from a superstitious king –while using them to steer the destiny of would-be king Arthur – is packed with strong acting, taut writing and loads of family crossover appeal. The finale is a bit daft, but it’ll plug the gap while you wait for the new Harry Potter.

Andy Lowe is digital editor of totalfilm.com