Well-made 'Last House' suffers from silly ending

"Last House on the Left" I dug this remake of Wes Craven's legendary 1972 horror flick until the last act, when what had been a disturbing look at human nature turns into a gory cartoon. Craven's basic plot remains intact. A gang of disgusting thugs kidnaps two teenage girls and brutally assaults both. After discarding the girls, the thugs need to find shelter, and they do so in the summer home belonging to the parents of one of the girls. When the parents realize who is sleeping in their guesthouse, they seek revenge. Like Craven's original, this new "Last House" depicts human cruelty with an unblinking eye, particularly during an agonizingly long rape scene. For most of the film, the violence seems to serve a purpose other than mere exploitation, as director Dennis Iliadis examines what human beings are capable of, when pushed far enough. He abandons those questions in the finale, though, deciding instead to pander to the audience's desire for a bloody climax (the film reaches its nadir with a comically bad final kill). It's too bad, because Iliadis shows some great filmmaking chops here. The DVD is light on extras, offering only a few deleted scenes and a featurette that's really just an extended commercial. Also on board is an unrated cut, which adds about four minutes of violence. (R and NR: Universal, $29.98 or $39.98 for Blu-ray)

"Spring Break" and "Hardbodies Collection" Growing up in the '80s, it seemed like every movie that came out was about either teenagers getting killed or teenagers getting lucky. I was too young to see the slasher movies and sex comedies of the day, so it's fun to check them out now, many years later, even if they don't always hold up. Anchor Bay Entertainment is offering three Reagan-era sex romps this week: 1983's "Spring Break," which has never been available on DVD before, and the "Hardbodies Collection," which includes "Hardbodies" from 1984 and its imaginatively named sequel from 1986, "Hardbodies 2." The most striking thing about these films is how tame they are by today's standards. Seriously, I think all three would get PG-13 ratings today. I liked "Spring Break" the best, as its story is actually kind of sweet, but really, the only reason to watch these is for a hit of '80s nostalgia, and they certainly deliver that. (One of the couples in "Spring Break" meets at a Galaga machine!) The roughly 25-year-old films look pretty good on these DVDs, which offer trailers as the only extras. (R; Anchor Bay, $14.98 each)

"Sunshine Cleaning" I loved, loved, loved this movie! If you're looking for an alternative to empty-headed summer blockbusters, check out this beautifully written and acted comedy-drama. Amy Adams delivers another stellar performance as Rose, a single mom who tries to make ends meet by entering the crime-scene cleanup business. She's joined by her troubled sister, Norah (Emily Blunt), who's still trying to get over their mother's suicide years earlier. "Sunshine Cleaning" delivers a funny, touching and offbeat story without resorting to the mannered quirkiness of indie flicks like "Little Miss Sunshine." Adams lights up the screen, and the understated ending of the film brought a tear to my eye. The DVD includes a commentary with writer Megan Holly and producer Greg Williamson, along with one of the coolest featurettes I've seen: a charming look at two real-life crime-scene cleaners. I hope this gem gets some new life on DVD. This title will be available Tuesday, Aug. 25. (R; Anchor Bay, $29.98 or $39.98 for Blu-ray)