August 22, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • Page 19 ‘The Dictator’ pokes fun at political tyranny by Dennis Seuling “The Dictator” (Paramount Home Entertainment), Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest satire, portrays Admiral General Omar Aladeen, despotic ruler of the fictional North African country of Wadiya. “The Dictator” is scripted and does not contain the unanticipated “ambush” reactions of real, unsuspecting civilians who were a major part of Cohen’s earlier pictures, “Borat” and “Bruno.” There is a sense of improvisation here and there, but the plot is fairly predictable. Aladeen comes to New York to address the United Nations, where his scheming uncle (Ben Kingsley) has him replaced by an easily controlled double. Aladeen is kidnapped, but manages to escape. He eventually meets the proprietor of an organic foods store, Zoey (Anna Faris), who believes Aladeen is a dissident seeking political refuge. In ambush, hidden-camera pictures build the scene for maximum humor. When a film is confined to the rigors of the written page, the script has to stand on its own. Too often in “The Dictator,” the jokes make viewers squirm. Cohen, a master of instant characterizations, succeeds in making Aladeen a caricature, but never bothers to make him a real person. With his beard and zillion medals on a paramilitary uniform, Aladeen most closely parodies Libya’s Muammar al-Gad“Banned and Unrated” two-disc Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack contains a digital copy, several deleted and extended scenes, a Larry King interview with Cohen as Aladeen, and a music video. “The Dictator” is also available in a single-disc DVD edition. “Bernie” (Millennium Entertainment) is based on the true story of assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), one of the most beloved citizens of small town Carthage, Texas. He teaches Sunday school, sings in the church choir, and is always willing to lend a helping hand. He even befriends affluent widow Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), the town’s least popular citizen due to her sour attitude. He frequently travels with her and even manages her banking affairs. Marjorie soon becomes fully dependent on Bernie’s generosity as he struggles to meet her increasing demands. When Marjorie disappears, things take a turn for the bizarre as the townspeople rally Sacha Baron Cohen stars as Admiral General Omar Aladeen in ‘The Dictator.’ around Bernie when he is arrested and tried for her murder. Director Richard Linklater combines real actors with actual townsfolk who knew Bernie and Mrs. Nugent, and breaks the movie into chapters geared to answer questions about the enigmatic Bernie. Black, famous for many over-the-top screen caricatures in the past, turns in a performance without irony or winks to the audience, and succeeds in portraying Bernie as a fleshand-blood person, not merely a clownish version of one. Extras include the “True Story to Film” featurette, a performance of “Amazing Grace” by Jack Black, and “The Gossips,” a look at the real-life townspeople of Carthage including interviews and auditions for the film. “Bernie” is available on both Blu-ray and DVD. “The Living Dead Girl” (Kino Lorber), (continued on Crossword page) dafi. That is not enough for a feature film, however, and the running time far exceeds the character’s ability to entertain. Some good visual gags notwithstanding, “The Dictator” is not Cohen’s finest effort. He is far less successful in getting laughs here than when he points his hidden camera at real people and draws out their bigotry, prejudices, and dark thoughts. The