9, though animated, isn't fare for Saturday mornings

Credit: Focus Features photo

The character No. 9, voiced by Elijah Wood, in a scene from 9.

By: -- relish staff and wire report | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: December 31, 2009

9 (PG-13): This isn't your average sunny computer-animated movie. In a post-apocalyptic world, a group of nine burlap ragdolls are given the spark of life in a scientific experiment and set out on a quest to save the world. Tim Burton produced the film, and Eljah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover and Martin Landau are among the voice cast. Extras include featurettes, deleted scenes and the original short the movie is based on.

Jennifer's Body (R and Unrated versions): Screenwriter Diablo Cody followed her indie hit Juno with this horror comedy about a sexy teenager (Megan Fox) who is possessed by a demon and begins seducing and killing her classmates. Extras on the two-disc DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film include commentary, deleted scenes, a gag reel and video diaries.

The United States of Tara (Unrated): Also from Diablo Cody, this Showtime comedy-drama follows a woman with multiple personalities. Toni Collette as Tara won an Emmy award for her role. The first season came to DVD this week, with extras including commentary and an interview with Cody.

The Marine 2 (R): Wrestling star Ted DiBiase Jr. stars in this thriller about a Marine out to rescue his wife from kidnappers.

A Perfect Getaway (Unrated): Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn and Timothy Olyphant are among the stars of this thriller about people on a vacation retreat tormented by mysterious psychopaths and not sure whom they can trust.

Paranormal Activity (R): This horror film was made on a miniscule budget (said to be about $15,000) and earned more than $100 million in theaters. Like previous micro-budgeted hit The Blair Witch Project, it's a supernatural tale told through camcorder footage.

Facing Ali (R): The story of Mohammed Ali is told from the point of view of the people who stepped into the ring against him in this documentary. Among those interviewed are George Foreman, George Chuvalo, Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes.

Princess of Mars (Unrated): Despite plenty of action, fantasy adventure and a scantily-clad princess, Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1917 sci-fi swashbuckler has never been turned into a movie … until now. In this campy action film, Antonio Sabato Jr. plays John Carter, an Earthling transported to Mars, where he encounters bizarre aliens and the beautiful Dejah Thoris (Traci Lords).

Vampire Killers (Unrated): Two slackers and a priest (Paul McGann, the eighth actor to play Doctor Who) team up to take on a village where every girl turns into a lesbian vampire on her 18th birthday. The result is a spoof of classic British "Hammer Horror" films, by way of American Pie.

Psychotropica (Unrated): Raleigh filmmaker Damien Sage stars in and directed this psychedelic tale of a mental patient haunted by bizarre dreams that he recounts to a sardonic doctor. The film was made on a budget so low that, as Sage describes it, "no money was harmed during the making of this film." But the film is surreal and compelling, with eye-catching footage in which live action has been digitally altered to look animated. The techno-music soundtrack adds to the otherworldly feel of the film. Copies are available for $20 at Amazon.com.

Cinematic Titanic: East Meets Watts (Unrated): The gang from Cinematic Titanic, all veterans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, take on this 1974 blend of blaxploitation and kung fu cinema with their usual witty wisecracks. It is now available at their web site, www.cinematictitanic.com, for download or on DVD.