Hot Sheet: Franco, Miley, and Virginia Woolf

DVDs

The Last Song — Based on her pop hits, Miley Cyrus may have potential as a gay icon, but judging from her performance here, she's not yet an accomplished actress. Cyrus pouts, storms about, and smiles a lot in this Nicholas Sparks tale about a rebellious teen reluctantly reunited with her father (Greg Kinnear, who really deserves better) in a Southern beach town, experiencing first love while dealing with a family member's terminal illness. Lush scenery, including the often-shirtless Liam Hemsworth, makes the film somewhat tolerable. 

Off and Running — Nicole Opper’s gripping, moving documentary follows Avery Klein-Cloud, a black track star adopted by a white Jewish lesbian couple into a multicultural household who becomes determined to connect with her biological mother and her ethnic roots.  

Orlando — Virginia Woolf’s classic 1928 novel about an androgynous young nobleman (memorably played by Tilda Swinton) traveling through centuries changing his gender is turned into a sumptuous visual feast by director Sally Potter. Cameos by Quentin Crisp as Queen Elizabeth I and Bronski Beat’s Jimmy Somerville add to the surreal, dream-like experience. This special edition release of the 1992 film, long out of print, includes commentary by Potter and a featurette on Somerville.