New in Home Entertainment
July 12, 2016
Everybody Wants Some!!
Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In his first outing since his critical smash Boyhood, writer/director Richard Linklater brings us a film very similar in theme and format to his classic teen comedy Dazed and Confused. Rather than the last day of high school, here a group of college baseball players in San Marcos come together before the 1980 school years gets on its way. Watching the antics of a bunch of free-spirited athletes party and have fun is surely entertaining to watch. As you’d expect, the dialog is engaging and there’s lots of it. With more of a sense of nostalgia rather than relevance, the film lacks a compelling narrative, and thus lacks the depth of many of Linklater’s recent projects. But the charms of the film are still hard to resist. B
Boy & The World
Rated PG for thematic material and images
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Brazil has been getting a lot of bad press these days, but one good thing we’ve gotten from them is this little gem of a picture, which was recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. This beautifully hand-drawn project tells the tale of a young boy who goes on a quest to reunite his family when his father leaves for the city to find work. The unique animation style is mesmerizing and while the storytelling seems simple, it should resonate with both adults and children. There is no dialog, aside from some occasional mumbles, so you won’t have to worry about subtitles getting in the way of your kids’ enjoyment. B+
Miracles from Heaven
Rated PG for thematic material, including accident and medical issues
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 44%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Jennifer Garner stars in this latest big-budget faith-based film, based on the true story and book by Christy Wilson Beam. Miracles tells the story of a Fort Worth family whose daughter develops a rare disease, leading her to experience a Heavenly journey when faced with death. Just like Sony’s handling of Heaven is For Real, this project is less Christian than most films of the genre, and chooses to be “spiritual” instead, glossing over much of the Christian message. But it does have its merits. The acting is rather good for a film of this type and while completely manipulative, as you’d expect, it still deals up some rather good drama and emotion. B-
The Mermaid
Rated R for violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In Mandarin with English Subtitles
Writer/director Stephen Chow has given us some of the weirdest and most enjoyable foreign cinema over the years with hits such as Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer. Here he takes on environmental issues when a mermaid attempts to change the mind of a young billionaire who is being manipulated by outside forces to commit harm to ocean life. Of course all of this is done with Chow’s weird signature and humor, which is apparently enough to make this the highest grossing film in Chinese history. I love the strange, unique take Chow brings here, but honestly, the awful use of special effects distracts from the enjoyment. The film’s effects look like it was made 20 years ago rather than coming from a technologically advanced filmmaking culture. B-
My Golden Days
Rated R for some strong sexual content, graphic nudity, and language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Available on DVD
In French with English Subtitles
Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) plays a middle-aged anthropologist who, while being detained coming back from a trip to Tajikistan, reminisces his youth through a series of flashbacks. The story is interesting but the drama, while I’m sure is authentic, is, for lack of a better word, French. For those into French cinema, there is gold at the end of the rainbow. For others, the film will be a huge, depressing turnoff. B-