‘Favorite’ loses bet, ‘Marine’ loses war and ‘Twilight’ ends on DVD

Among the movies that became available Tuesday, Feb. March 5 on Blu-ray and DVD at retail stores and rental outlets throughout the Valley are a dramedy starring Bruce Willis as a sports gambler, the second direct-to-DVD sequel to a 2006 John Cena actioner and the grand finale of the “Twilight” film franchise.

'The Bay'

Kether Donohue plays a reporter who has emerged with footage revealing a cover-up and an unimaginable killer – a mysterious parasitic outbreak. Told from the perspective of those who were there and saw what happened, an ecological disaster unfolds over 24 hours though people's cell phone footage, 911 calls and web cams. (R – 84 minutes)

“The Bay” very well may be the worst found-footage film I have ever seen. And that comment is coming from someone who actually loves the genre. The primary problem with director Barry Levinson's new horror flick is that the footage that makes up the movie is one massive mess of scenes that are edited together with seemingly no narrative whatsoever. Moreover, Levinson appears to have shot too little footage as the same sequences are replayed over and over as if to help viewers to connect the nonexistent dots when it is really only to pad the motion picture's runtime. (Grade: F)

'Grave Encounters 2'

Richard Harmon plays a film student who, obsessed with “Grave Encounters,” researches the events and visits the real psychiatric hospital depicted in the movie only to find himself face-to-face with unspeakable evil. (NR – 98 minutes)

“Grave Encounters 2” is a rare sequel that is actually better than its original. By retaining the many elements that made their 2011 horror flick feel real and therefore thrilling but tossing out the one that twisted time and – as a result – lost legitimacy, screenwriters The Vicious Brothers have stepped up the scares and given director John Poliquin the material he needed to take viewers on a terrifying found-footage roller-coaster ride. Best of all, this follow-up takes a meta approach similar to that of “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,” frighteningly blurring the lines between fact and fiction. (Grade: B)

'The Intouchables'

François Cluzet plays an aristocrat who, after becoming a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, hires a young man from the projects (Omar Sy) to be his caretaker. The movie is based on the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel “Driss” Yasmin. (R – 112 minutes)

“The Intouchables” is an incredibly touching motion picture. A strangely cynical sense of humor elevates what, in the wrong hands, could have been an excruciatingly cheesy cinematic experience. Filmmakers Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano carefully fend off forced and feigned feelings to create an emotionally-rich story about honoring one's fellow human beings with dignity regardless of the ailments that you perceive them to possess. This is more than just a feel-good flick that can teach us a thing or two about respecting the strength of those around us, though. It is also an extraordinarily entertaining one with surprisingly biting wit. (Grade: B)

'Lay the Favorite'

Rebecca Hall plays a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who falls in with a sports gambler (Bruce Willis) who swoons for her as she proves to be something of a gambling prodigy, earning the initial ire of his wife (Catherine Zeta Jones). (R – 94 minutes)

After having seen “Lay the Favorite,” the question that will most likely come to your mind might be, “How in the world did so many talented actors become involved in such a tedious, obnoxious and unfunny comedy?” The most logical answer is that somebody must have lost a bet. The new motion picture – an adaptation of Beth Raymer's memoir – from director Stephen Frears is a largely lifeless affair. The worst thing about it, though, is the performance given by actress Rebecca Hall, who appears to be aiming for an impersonation of Kathryn Heigl doing an impression of Minnie Mouse. (Grade: D)

‘The Marine 3: Homefront’

Mike “The Miz” Mizanin plays a marine who must do whatever it takes to save his kidnapped sister (Ashley Bell) and stop a terrorist attack masterminded by a radical militia duo (Neal McDonough and Michael Eklund). (R - 86 minutes)

Not that “The Marine 3: Homefront” - the second direct-to-DVD sequel to WWE’s explosive 2006 actioner starring John Cena - would have been a fantastic film anyway, but actress Ashley Bell’s presence is certainly a sturdy hammer that pounds the nail into that coffin. Bell, whose most notable role is that of a demonically possessed woman in “The Last Exorcism” and its recently released sequel, simply cannot sell the damsel-in-distress vibe as she always looks like her head is going to twist sideways while her mouth opens wide to reveal razor-sharp teeth. In addition to that, though, the thrill - along with the budget, apparently - is long gone. (Grade: D)

'Playing for Keeps'

Gerard Butler plays a former sports star who, having fallen on hard times, starts coaching his son's soccer team as a way to get his life together. His attempts to become an adult are met with challenges from the attractive soccer moms (Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Judy Greer) who pursue him at every turn. (PG-13 – 95 minutes)

“Playing for Keeps” is in desperate need of a curve ball. Oops, wrong sport. Regardless, the new romantic comedy plays out in a formulaic fashion, preventing director Gabriele Muccino and screenwriter Robbie Fox from kicking even a single ball into the goal as the audience will always be able to predict their next move. Granted, star Gerard Butler is an incredibly charming actor and it is amusing to watch these wacky women fall over themselves as though he is this holiday season's hottest Black Friday deal but, beyond that, it is all a little too black and white. Get it? Like a soccer ball... (Grade: D)

'Red Dawn'

Chris Hemsworth, Adrianne Palicki, Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck and Isabel Lucas play a group of young patriots who, in the midst of an invasion by North Korean soldiers, band together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors and take back their freedom. (PG-13 – 114 minutes)

It is always a bad sign when a movie uses 10 times more ammo than it does dialogue. Granted, “Red Dawn” - a remake of a 1984 movie – is a decent diversion from the otherwise overly-intelligent films of the fall, but director Dan Bradley is so hard and heavy with the action that he does not leave much room for a satisfying story, character development or proficient performances from his actors. The flick is far inferior to the Australian import “Tomorrow, When the War Began,” which, released earlier this year, was a bit more believable and twice as much fun. (Grade: D)

'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2'

The Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella's (Kristen Stewart) newborn child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi. (PG-13 – 115 minutes)

Whether it does so intentionally or just inherently, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” constantly satirizes itself, seemingly aware of its own ridiculousness. Because of that, it is also one of the best installments in the series – second only to “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” which caused panic among pregnant women across the world. All things considered, this final film in the franchise is a lot of fun, featuring an action-packed battle sequence that finally makes full use of the property's potential and a touching tribute that will bring tears to the eyes of longtime Twi-hards. (Grade: B)

'Unconditional'

Lynn Collins plays a woman who loses her faith and her will to live when her husband is killed in a senseless act of violence. But as she watches her oldest friend (Michael Ealy) care for and love the kids in his under-resourced neighborhood, she begins to realize that God is always reaching out to us – no matter the circumstances. (PG-13 – 92 minutes)

“Unconditional” leaves viewers feeling refreshed, rejuvenating their optimism about life. The new spiritual drama from writer/director Brent McCorkle is an inspiring exploration of how the universe's coincidences can lift us out of our darkest depths and deliver us to our grandest revelations. In addition to absolutely avoiding the forced feelings that are typical of its genre, the film features extremely exceptional performances from stars Lynn Collins and Michael Ealy as well as the young actors who portray the pair as children. The movie's novelization and children's book “Firebird,” as figured in the flick, are also now available. (Grade: B)

'Wreck-It Ralph'

John C. Reilly voices a video game villan who, tired of playing the role of a bad guy, takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove that he has got what it takes to be a hero. (PG – 100 minutes)

“Wreck-It Ralph” is clever, heartfelt and above all fun. However, halfway through, one may forget that they are watching an animated adventure set within the world of arcade video games instead of one set in Candyland. Disney's latest non-Pixar effort is the closest that the studio has come to achieving Pixar perfection but it still falls slightly short of it by staying in one game – “Sugar Rush” – for the majority of the movie rather than extensively exploring its gimmick by jumping from game to game. Having said that, its preceding short - “Paperman” - is pure cinematic gold. (Grade: B)