July 21, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 19 Quirky blend of mystery, dark humor fuel ‘Don McKay’ by Dennis Seuling “Don McKay” (Image Entertainment) stars Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”) as the title character, a janitor who cannot shake the memories of a terrible mistake he made 25 years ago and has gone into a low-key, self-imposed exile. Former girlfriend Sonny Ross (Elisabeth Shue) gets back in touch with him to say she is dying and wants to spend her final days with him. Though it means returning to the site of the tragedy, Don rushes to her side to find her and the entire town under a strange pall. A prim nurse (Melissa Leo) disapproves of Sonny’s deathbed visitor. Sonny’s illness is never specified, though her doctor (James Rebhorn) makes house calls even when his patient is not home. In addition, there are peculiarly folded photographs in picture frames throughout the house. The setup is intriguing, but the film doesn’t really kick in until its second half, when its tone has been established and writer/director Jake Goldberger leads viewers through a series of accusations, altercations, attacks, and unexpected consequences. The model for “Don McKay” is the Coen Brothers’ “Blood Simple,” with it odd happenings, unexpected violence, strange characters, and suspense. Church has the same expression throughout -- a combination of a scowl and a confused look -- as he tries to understand what is going on. Extras on the Blu-ray and DVD editions include feature commentary with the director and producer, deleted scenes, and a theatrical trailer. “Tin Man” (RHI Entertainment) is a mini-series originally aired on the SciFi Channel, a science-fiction update of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in which initials stand in for characters’ names and places. Grown-up Dorothy Gale (Zooey Deschanel) -- known as D.G. -- a small-town waitress bored by her mundane existence, finds herself back in O.Z. (the Outer Zone), on the run from the evil sorceress Azkadellia (Kathleen Robertson). D.G. meets an assortment of strange folks and journeys down the yellow brick road, encountering robots and cyborgs along the way. This hodgepodge looks as if were concocted by a 12-year-old with a passion for action flicks and not enough imagination to tell an original story. Fans of the classic “Wizard of Oz” will regard “Tin Man” as nothing short of sacrilege. Others will simply find it witless, pointless, and dreary. Alan Cumming plays a Scarecrow wannabe and Richard Dreyfuss hams it up as a mystic. Blu-ray special features include a making-of featurette, bloopers, director and cast interviews, and a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s tacky special effects. “Just Another Day” (Image Entertainment) is the story of Young Eastie (Jamie Hector), a rapper who dreams of getting his first record deal. Willing to do anything to get his signature on a contract, he is tossed into a harsh business that accepts and destroys on a whim. He hopes to get a deal through his hero, the legendary AMaze (Wood Harris). But A-Maze is facing problems of his own: He feels his place at the top is slipping, and he will use anyone to stay there, even Young Eastie. The film follows the tried-and-true formula of the bumps, pitfalls, and disappointments a novice encounters in the tough world of show business. The film features rap artists Trick Daddy, Lil Scrappy, Ja Rule, and Petey Pablo, and has a pulsating driving energy that is more infectious and captivating than the routine plot. Blu-ray special features include two making-of featurettes and deleted scenes. “Entre Nos” (IndiePix) is a gritty portrait of immigrants getting by in the United States. Mariana (Paola Mendoza) and her Thomas Haden Church and Elisabeth Shue star as former sweethearts in the mystery thriller ‘Don McKay.’ children, ages 10 and 6, leave their native Colombia to join Mariana’s husband (Andres Munar) in Jackson Heights, Queens. When he abandons his family, Mariana is thrown out of the apartment and has to survive on the streets as best she can. She sells empanadas and collects bottles and cans for the nickel refund, always making sure the kids are OK. 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