Belushi, Canine Pal Back on Case in ‘K-911’

If you’re looking for something new to rent this holiday weekend, there are several direct-to-video flicks making their debuts.

James Belushi returns as the tough but kind police detective in Universal’s “K-911,” a sequel to the 1989 film “K-9,” in which Belushi’s Dooley became partners with a super-smart, beautiful and brave police dog named Jerry Lee.

This time around, Dooley is a widower--a tad overweight and slow as molasses when it comes to chasing the bad guys. Jerry Lee is also showing his age. He doesn’t quite have the spring to his paws he once had and he’s been outrun by the suspects once too often. When Dooley finds himself stalked by a crazed writer who was obsessed with Dooley’s late wife, the detective and dog are assigned to work with a tough new female partner (Christine Tucci) and her young, spry Doberman, Zeus.

“K-9” was no great shakes as a movie, and “K-911” really is stretching the limits of credibility with the silly stalker plot. But the film is worth a look for the performance of Mac, the adorable German shepherd who plays Jerry Lee. Whether he’s guzzling beer or walking on the treadmill at the vet’s or just trying to work out with Dooley, Mac is a joy to watch. He brings the best out in Belushi, who seems to have great rapport with his four-legged star. And people who have older pets will more than relate to the scenes in which Dooley realizes his best friend is getting older.

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“The Nephew” (Blockbuster) was released in Europe last year, but the Irish drama--produced by Pierce Brosnan and Beau St. Clair--is premiering in America at a Blockbuster near you. The leisurely paced film’s calling card is the strong performance by the late, great Irish actor Donal McCann as a taciturn Irish farmer named Tony.

Directed by newcomer Eugene Brady, “The Nephew” finds McCann’s Tony in shock when he receives a letter from America that his estranged sister, Karen, has died. Shortly thereafter, Karen’s son, Chad (Harper Hill), arrives from America for a visit. Tony, though, is flummoxed when he discovers his nephew is black. Complications ensue when Chad falls in love with the beautiful daughter (Aislin McGuckin) of Tony’s archrival (Brosnan), a bartender who had dated Karen. The scenery is beautiful, but “The Nephew” isn’t out of the ordinary.

Kids will enjoy “Wakko’s Wish” (Warners, $20), the first feature-length movie based on the popular animated series “Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs.” This cute, funny little adventure has plenty of jokes to keep adults entertained--wait until you see the character for which Ben Stein supplies the voice--and the 10 new songs are quite catchy.

It seems the villages of Acme Falls, including Yakko, Wakko and Dot, are being taxed by the evil Baron Von Plotz. But things begin to brighten when Wakko picks the one star in the universe that can make his wish for happiness comes true. The only problem is that for his wish to be granted, he and his friends have to travel to where the star has fallen to Earth before anyone else does. Of course, Pinky and the Brain, Slappy and Skippy Squirrel, Mindy and Buttons have their own ideas about who will get to the star first.

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For the smallest of fry there’s HBO Home Video’s “Babar: King of the Elephants” ($20). Based on the series of beloved children’s books, the production traces the adorable elephant from his birth to his kingship.

New computer techniques enabled animators to replicate the original Babar illustrations in order to capture the integrity of the books. Toronto’s Great Big Music supplied the snappy score.