FLICKS FILM AND VIDEO FILE : Brothers’ ‘Beast’ : Ventura production company has a hand in new Marc Singer adventure movie.

“Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time,” the Republic Pictures film starring Marc Singer, opened last Friday in movie theaters throughout the area. The Ventura County connection to the film is probably not apparent just by looking at it, but it’s definitely there.

Dan and Mike Colwell, the local brothers who own Colwell Productions of Ventura, were the key grips for the production.

Business has been pretty steady for the siblings lately. They recently completed work on the film “Illicit Behavior,” starring Robert Davi, Jack Scalia and Joan Severance. And Mike just got hired to work on a television series that will begin production in San Diego later this month.

There’s plenty of action in the local video rental race. “Home Alone” is currently all by itself at the head of the pack, but there’s a wolf right on its tail. Here are the five most frequently rented videos at a sampling of local outlets:

At The Videola in Santa Paula: “Home Alone,” “Dances with Wolves,” “New Jack City,” “King Ralph” and “Flight of the Intruder.”

At Video 4 You and Video Depot in Thousand Oaks: “Home Alone,” “Dances with Wolves,” “Awakenings,” “King Ralph” and “He Said, She Said.”

And at Viddy-O Wizard in Simi Valley: “Home Alone,” “True Colors,” “He Said, She Said,” “King Ralph” and “Don’t Tell Her It’s Me.” (Note: Thirteen copies of “Dances with Wolves” had just arrived at the store, so it was too early for the movie to make the list. All 13 copies, however, were rented, so the film is clearly off and running.)