There’s a mixed bunch of DVDs this week. There are some that are inspiring while entertaining and others that will bore you to tears. Let us shed some light on which movies to buy, rent or skip.

Rent it: W. Every American voter should see this movie. Oliver Stone made this movie about President George W. Bush while he was still in office, which shocked some. Josh Brolin delivers a fantastic performance and portrays the former president as a man mearly unprepared to run our country rather than a buffoon, which is what some expected from the film. Richard Dreyfuss plays Vice President Dick Cheney and Elizabeth Banks plays Laura Bush. We were less impressed with James Cromwell as George Herbert Walker Bush, who simply did not have the look of the part. You do not necessarily need to follow politics to take something away from this film, which is part of its appeal.

Skip it: Nights in Rodanthe. Even with the undeniable chemistry between two mega-stars like Richard Gere and Diane Lane, this adaptation of the Nicholas Spark novel is a flop. Lane plays a woman with two kids who has recently been left by her husband. She agrees to manage her best friend’s bed and breakfast, which currently has just one guest—Gere. He has come to the inn to escape personal problems and ends up finding love with none other then Lane. The film is rather predictable and just too sappy. The ending, in particular, is over the top, and instead of bringing you to tears, it makes you angry with its approach. The film was obviously designed to focus on the two big-named stars rather than the script and quality of the film.

Rent it: Miracle at St. Anna. Spike Lee surprised us with this film. The story centers on four soldiers in the all-black 92nd Infantry Division who all get trapped near a small Tuscan village on the Gothic Line during WWII, after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy. Even though the film is confusing at times due to flashbacks with many different narratives, its overall story is rewarding. Also, it’s 160 minutes long, so if you can make it through the entire film, you will be pleasantly surprised with the satisfying ending.

Skip it: Soul Men. It’s been 20 years since musicians played by Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson have spoken, but the two soul legends have agreed to play a reunion performance at the Apollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band member. This is one of the final performances by comedian Mac, who passed away in 2008 due to complications from pneumonia. The film had potential to be something not only funny, but also musically brilliant, but is disappointing due the unoriginal, boring script.

Rent it: Frozen River is a dramatic, heartwarming tale of what women will do to protect their children and their own lives. In this independent film that is Courtney Hunt’s directorial debut, two strangers, played by Melissa Leo and Misty Upham, become involved in smuggling Chinese foreigners across the frozen river from Canada into the US. Life is difficult for both women, but they find comfort from each other in their otherwise seemingly dark lives.

—Jessica Delli Santi