New DVDs

The latest DVD releases reviewed

HAPPY FEET ***

Directed by George Miller. Starring Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy, Hugo Weaving PG cert

The story is very thin and the film tries to tackle too many big themes, but Miller's animation detailing life among the emperor penguin community remains entertaining and thought-provoking throughout. Few sane parents will object to the much-talked-about decision to address global warning, though some may wonder at Miller's lunatic decision to allow Robin Williams to voice two whole parts. Decent DVD issue. DC

MIDDLETOWN ****

Directed by Brian Kirk. Starring Matthew Macfadyen, Daniel Mays, Eva Birthistle, Gerard McSorley, Mick Lally, David Wilmot, Frankie McCafferty, Bronagh Gallagher, Marie Jones 15 cert

Kirk's dark, brooding drama is set in late 1950s Northern Ireland. Macfadyen impressively extends his range to play a fundamentalist clergyman spouting scary fire and brimstone. Through him the film implicitly anticipates the intolerance that will boil over in this part of Ireland in years to come. MD

THE HOLIDAY *

Directed by Nancy Meyers. Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Rufus Sewell, Edward Burns 15 cert

Diaz, a movie-trailer director from LA, swaps houses with Winslet, a journalist from the most twee town in Surrey, just as Christmas lumbers ominously into view. Cue all the signature Richard Curtis tropes. This initial release - will we see a cynical special edition? - features no extras worth speaking of, which, I suppose, means you have no other option but to watch the brainless, sentimental, lazy film itself. That or drink poison. DC

HARSH TIMES ****

Directed by David Ayer. Starring Christian Bale, Freddy Rodríguez, Eva Longoria, Tammy Trull, JK Simmons 15 cert

Bale, a near- psychotic veteran of the first Gulf War, leads his buddy (Rodriguez) astray in the meaner streets of LA. David Ayer, the writer of Training Day, revisits themes from that film for his directorial debut, but manages to make something even more arresting and disturbing out of them.

A glance at Bale's rending performance should confirm that Harsh Times - issued here with meagre extras - is one of last year's most underrated films. DC

JOHNNY WAS **

Starring Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, Samantha Mumba, Roger Daltrey, Eriq La Salle, Lennox Lewis 15 cert

Look at that cast list. Has a more unlikely gang of rock stars, boxers and footballers ever been pressed together in the same place? There are further oddities in this cheap, messy thriller that follows a recovering Irish Republican bomber (Jones, no kidding) as he moves about south London. Belfast stands in for Brixton. La Salle appears to be dressed for the prohibition era. It's awful, but its singularity gains it a second star. DC