Editor’s Notes: The Age of Adaline and Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season are out on their respective formats September 8th.
The Age of Adaline
The Age of Adaline (Lionsgate) stars Blake Lively as the title character, a woman who discovers after a freak accident that she cannot grow older than age 29. Fearful of becoming the subject of scientific scrutiny if she reveals this amazing circumstance, Adaline decides to change her identity every ten years and move from country to country. This plan also means she has to avoid romantic commitments, making for a lonely existence, until she meets bachelor Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), whose persistence weakens her resolve to stay single for all time.
Using this fantasy premise, the film eventually settles into traditional romantic drama. Ms. Lively and Mr. Huisman make an attractive couple but there’s little chemistry between them and they fail to command the screen. In contrast, their veteran co-stars Ellen Burstyn, as Adaline’s devoted daughter, and Harrison Ford, as Ellis’ father, give the movie a hefty shot in the arm just as the plot begins to sag.
The idea of agelessness in a romantic drama is fascinating and keeps the viewer involved. The hows and whys in fantasy films are always troublesome, but the voice-over explanation given for Adaline’s predicament is particularly unconvincing.
Bonus extras on the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack include audio commentary with director Toland Krieger, deleted scenes, a profile of Anthony Ingruber (who plays the young version of Harrison Ford’s character), and two behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season
Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season (Warner Home Video) continues the story of two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, whose father, John, raised them to hunt and kill otherworldly creatures after their mother, Mary, was murdered by an evil supernatural being when the boys were young. Twenty-two years later, the brothers set out on a journey, battling assorted monsters, shapeshifters, vampires, witches, demons, and fallen gods while trying to save innocent people along the way.
Season 10 picks up after Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) has lost his battle with power-mad angel scribe Metatron, in Season 9. Dean is resurrected by the power of the First Blade and transformed into a demon cursed with the Mark of Cain. The road to recovering wayward Dean takes brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) down sinister paths himself, with consequences that will seriously challenge and endanger them both.
Their angelic comrade-in-arms Castiel (Misha Collins) must pick up the pieces in the aftermath of Metatron’s campaign to overtake Heaven. With his divine “grace” failing and rogue angels still loose, Castiel faces the ticking clock of his own mortality while all-new and ages-old threats again push the Winchesters to their human and otherworldly limits. At the same time, the King of Hell, Crowley (Mark Sheppard), must deal with dissension in his own twisted family.
It’s rare for a TV series to last ten seasons. Supernatural has managed to stay fresh by introducing new and interesting adversaries for Dean and Sam. But it’s the terrific chemistry between Ackles and Padalecki that keeps the show cool. These good-looking demon chasers are deadly serious in their self-appointed mission and must constantly be on their guard against the power and deceptions of whatever grisly entity from the Other Side comes their way.
Bonus features on the 4-disc Blu-ray release include commentaries on three episodes, “Supernatural at 2014 Comic-Con,” unaired scenes, gag reel, a look at the staging of the show’s 200th episode, and background on the mythological influences in Season 10. A digital HD copy is included.
