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New in Home Entertainment - May 29, 2012

2012-05-29T03:21:48Z

New in Home Entertainment

May 29, 2012

Goon
Rated R for brutal violence, non-stop language, some strong sexual content and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I love a pleasant surprise and this one hit me fast and hard. Goon follows the life of a super nice loser (Seann William Scott) who discovers he has a great talent: he just might be the best fist fighter in hockey. Quickly recruited and moved up the ranks, he not only discovers his calling, but falls in love with a nice Canadian cutie as well. With the screenwriting team of Jay Baruchel (star of How to Train Your Dragon) and Evan Goldberg (writer of Superbad), I had high hopes, but with such a poor showing at the box office, I was prepared for disappointment. I love being wrong about movies in this way. I found myself laughing from start to finish. The movie might be a little predictable and the plot is definitely forced, but the characters are fun to watch and the indie vibe helps the film work. If you are easily offended or put out by violence and bad behavior, you may want to stay away. As for me, the violence made me laugh hysterically and the bad behavior kept me entertained. A-

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
For years Andrew Lloyd Webber has been writing a sequel to his hit Broadway smash Phantom of the Opera. Beginning in London a couple of years back, the show was a critical and box office dud. Reworked and relaunched in Australia, and presented here, the show has turned out to be much more successful. Set a decade after the events of the first Phantom in Coney Island, Christine, her husband Raoul and their son have another run in with the mysterious Phantom. The story is not the greatest, but just like any Lloyd Webber musical, the music and the spectacle are well done. As a big Phantom fan, I rather enjoyed the musical, although I probably won’t be listening to the soundtrack as often as I do the original. If you too are a Phantom fan, you should check it out. As an aside, if you want a deeper look at these characters in a beautifully written book, check out Susan Kay’s Phantom. I’ve read it twice and now I just might crack it open again. B-

Coriolanus
Rated R for some bloody violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Not all of Shakespeare’s works are gold, but in the right hands, most of them can be very impressive. Case in point is his little-known work Coriolanus. This story about the Roman General (Ralph Fiennes) who is rejected by his own people and forced to join with his sworn enemy (Gerard Butler) in order to get revenge was first a stage production directed by Fiennes who then decided to bring it to the big screen. While the writing isn’t the best of the famous bard, what Fiennes has done here is exceptional. The production is fantastic and the acting by the terrific cast including Fiennes, Butler, Jessica Chastain and Venessa Redgrave is superb. B-

True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I never thought I’d ever get into watching soap operas, but HBO’s True Blood has proven me wrong. What started out as a beautiful macabre love story has turned into a melodramatic monster mess, but I still can’t look away. After tackling vampires, demons, shapeshifters and werewolves in the first three seasons, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Pacquin) and gang are now up against one heck of an evil witch who wants to see all vampires dead. As cheesy as this show is, it is still very entertaining and after rewatching this latest season on blu-ray (which is loaded down with tons of features might I add), I am jonesing for season five starting on June 10. B+

The Dictator

2012-05-22T02:33:13Z

The Dictator
Starring Sasha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley
Directed by Larry Charles (Borat)
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, brief male nudity, language and some violent images

    In this mockery of both foreign dictators and The United States, Cohen stars as a tyrannical and oppressive dictator of a Middle East country who escapes an assassination and coup attempt while on a diplomatic visit to New York. When he happens upon a nuclear physicist from his country who was supposed to have been assassinated under his order, he recruits his former countryman so that he might once again regain power.

    While Cohen’s previous outings Borat and Bruno used a combination of scripted and documentary filmmaking, this film merely has the same feel. His character is completely over the top, but this time the butt of the joke is both the horrifying mannerisms of some of our world leaders, as well as some nice jabs at America, but not on unsuspecting victims. But don’t worry, you won’t be offended (too badly) by his humor. He very lovingly pokes fun at us like a favorite uncle who wants you to pull his finger.

    Going into the film I was certain that I’d already had an overdose of Aladeen, Cohen’s character which he had been publicizing for the last several months. In case you’ve been living in a closet, Cohen has been wearing Aladeen’s costumes for a while now, doing everything in character. Even in his television interviews he has insisted on doing the interviews as the corrupt leader. Some of it has been funny, but I was afraid I was over him before the movie screened. Fortunately for me, he won me over again as an audience member. I laughed incredibly hard from start to finish. I almost felt bad because while people were laughing, I actually found almost everything hysterical and thus would catch myself laughing even when not many others were. I owe that to the fact that I just happened to be on the same level as 95% of the jokes. It was almost like the filmmakers had me in mind when they made it.

    I don’t want to act like a snob here, but the movie is much more intellectual than you would think, which could be why I was throwing around so many guffaws. This might seem like lowest common denominator humor, but I assure you that there are some mighty brains behind this script. That being said, there is a lot of dirty humor here too that many folks won’t enjoy, so I would head the R rating seriously. A-

New in Home Entertainment - May 22, 2012

2012-05-22T00:04:13Z

New in Home Entertainment

May 22, 2012

The Secret World of Arrietty
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on Mary Norton’s famous children’s book “The Borrowers,” the award-winning Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, tells the story of a sick young boy who befriends a four-inch-tall girl who hides behind his walls. I was a little bit worried about how much I’d enjoy Studio Ghibli’s new toon when I noticed that the Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) wasn’t directing and the incredible composer he typically works with, Joe Hisaishi, wasn’t providing the music. After all, there are many, including myself, that consider these two to be the Japanese versions of Spielberg and Williams. But fears aside, this new pic is another great example of masterful storytelling with fantastic hand-drawn animation you would expect from this group. My two-year-old son was bored to tears but I can concede the fact that this might be a better picture for little girls and/or lovers of this art form. A-

Chronicle
Rated PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With the success of found-footage films such as Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch, it makes sense that studios would attempt more than just horror films. Chronicle is an extremely clever little film that does just that with the super hero genre. When 3 friends wander near something that has crashed into Earth from space, they start to develop super powers. While I loved the actual story and the acting by the talented cast, I was disappointed that they had to use the “found footage” as a gimmick. I wonder what the film would have looked like if they had just ignored this and simply made a film about 3 friends who developed powers. If they had done this I think we would be watching a very good film without all the cheese. B

The Woman in Black
Rated PG-13 for thematic material and violence/disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Susan Hill’s classic ghost novel about a lawyer who discovers the vengeful ghost of an evil woman has haunted readers and audiences for years. This newest adaptation stars Daniel Radcliffe in his first post-Harry Potter role as the young lawyer. Relying on thrills and chills rather than graphic violence, the film provides a fairly scary experience that you won’t mind if your teenager watches with their friends on a summer night. The performances are a little melodramatic and the entire picture is filmed with a sense of dread (which I think gets in the way of it being a classic horror film), but even with its faults, I still got a ton of goosebumps on my neck throughout. B-

New in Home Entertainment - May 15, 2012

2012-05-15T02:06:28Z

New in Home Entertainment

May 15, 2012

The Grey
Rated R for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this modern tale of man vs. wild, a group of oil workers and a skilled huntsman are left to fend for themselves in remote Alaska when their plane crashes. Dealing with both the bitter cold and the loss of many on board the plane, the group discovers that they might have crashed near a pack of ravenous wolves. Normally I really like these kinds of films. Liam Neeson is an extraordinary actor and writer/director Joe Carnahan (Narc) is a master of the gritty action drama. But for some reason, I just couldn’t connect. There is a hopeless feel in the air from the first moments of the film that permeate throughout. It’s almost as if each character can’t wait to die and they are moving on out of sheer stubbornness. There are some very good scares to found here and the acting is decent enough, but I wasn’t invested in any of their lives. Honestly, I was completely apathetic to their plight. The directing was strong enough, but the writing had too much of a dark indie tone that said to it’s audience “I dare you to like me.” C+

Albert Nobbs
Rated R for some sexuality, brief nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In her sixth Oscar-nominated role, Glenn Close does her best Clay Aiken impression as she pretends to be a male butler in 19th century Ireland. This is a film stuffed with great performances. While Close and Janet McTeer were the only Oscar nominees, there are many other small yet powerful performances here. Also the dialog is very clever and well-written and the production is first-class. The problem is that the story is just not that great. While the secret world of Lesbians in this time period makes for an interesting subject, I think that most folks would side with me that the the movie is just a tad boring. Unfortunately this film really doesn’t have the potential to be too compelling for most audiences, which leaves it as a small niche film for a very select audience that might treasure it. B-

Being John Malkovich: The Criterion Collection
Rated R for language and sexuality
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I can imagine the time when people first got a look at Picasso’s first cubist paintings and what their thoughts might have been. Some might have been repelled while others were excited and inspired. The latter is the feeling that came over me when I first saw Being John Malkovich. The film explores a world where John Cusack discovers a portal in an office building that puts you in the head of the actor John Malkovich for 15 minutes. It’s so random, yet so perfectly conceived and executed but writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze. It is both hysterically funny and incredibly deep at the same time. This new Criterion treatment gives a brand new restored digital transfer and audio commentary by director Michel Gondry (who directed Charlie Kaufman’s Oscar-winning script Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) as well as several other new featurettes. I know the word brilliant gets thrown around way too much in film criticism, but there is really no other word to describe this work. A+

Astros: 50th Anniversary - The Essential Games of the Houston Astros and Astros Memories
Available on DVD
While the good ol’ Astros have proven to be pretty mediocre so far this season, in their 50 year history, there has been a lot of sports history made. This very reasonably-priced box sets takes a look at many of the greatest games the Astros played in during this time as well as a ton of bonus features. At almost 12 hours, this is a well-produced set that could be a nice Father’s Day gift if the father in question has a closet full of starred clothing and hats. B+

Get the Gringo

2012-05-08T01:55:00Z

Get the Gringo
Starring Mel Gibson and Peter Stormare
Directed by Adrian Grunberg
Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some drug use and sexual material
Available exclusively on DirectTV On Demand

    Normally when someone makes a good film, there is always a company that is willing to distribute it. But apparently, no one wants to work with Mel Gibson right now. Written by and starring the infamous Oscar-winning Aussie, Get the Gringo tells the story of an American on the run from the law after having stolen millions of dollars, only to find himself hiding out in a Mexican prison, all the while trying to figure out how to get his money back. While in prison, he befriends a relatively innocent boy whose life is in danger from the criminal that runs the correctional facility.

    Were it not for a few stupid comments said while drunk, this movie would have easily gotten a huge opening weekend and would have entertained the world. Frankly, I feel sorry for the man. We all say things we regret and unfortunately for him, no matter of eating crow will help his situation any time soon. When distributers would choose to pass up a chance to make good money just so they are not seen promoting someone’s art - well that’s a kiss of death.

    So how’s the film? It’s an entertaining and extremely interesting picture. I’m not sure if Mexican prisons are really this way, but if they are, I can understand why they get such a bad rap. The shanty town portrayed here is as fascinating to watch as Gibson himself. The story is original enough and in spite of the gratuitous violence, it manages to have a heart as well.

    I especially liked Mel’s character in this one (and I’m not afraid to admit it). He’s a villain in a sea of villains. So being a bad guy with brains and integrity make him a hero worth cheering for. He almost reminds me of George Clooney in From Dusk to Dawn. Some of the plot turns are a bit cliched, but he’s so much fun to watch that you hardly care.

    I also really liked the production although it made me want to take a shower after watching. There was an organic feeling to the film that really puts you right there in the action.

    So if you have Direct TV, it’s well-worth the $10.99 asking price for a download. And if you can’t get it now, don’t worry - it will be available soon on DVD and Blu-ray. A-

New in Home Entertainment - May 8, 2012

2012-05-08T00:40:41Z

New in Home Entertainment

May 8, 2012

Underworld: Awakening
Rated R for strong violence and gore, and for some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Desperate to keep this franchise alive, Michael Sheen’s Lucian is out and Kate Beckinsale’s Selene is back in as she leads a battle against humans who have finally discovered the existence of Vampire and Lycan clans. The film itself is pretty week in the writing department, but Kate does her best to make the movie as entertaining as possible in spite of its limitations. Her beautiful yet deadly Selene prances around in tight leather to the extent where you almost feel the film could be rescued if that’s all they showed. The special effects are also a vast improvement over the three previous films, and were it not for the fact that the tale has worn itself thin, you would think the movie has some real potential for entertainment. C+

Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, comic violence and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With the help of Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, John C. Reilly, Will Forte and many others, comic actors Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim star in this sketch comedy-like movie about two idiot filmmakers that lose everything and are forced to run a mall that has been rundown. One of the stores in the mall sells “used toilet paper.” When asked if that was a big market for this mall, the shopkeeper responds “it’s more of a gourmet operation.” Well that precisely describes the movie. It’s definitely not a film for everyone and I would suspect it would be a huge turn-off for most audiences. As for me, I sat through 90 minutes without laughing. I found it to be peculiar and unique, but the comedy it has been billed as was nowhere to be found. I expected Mr. Show and instead got a strange and quirky amateur film. The cameos are everywhere you look, but the performances are completely uninspired. Since this is a Funny or Die film, I’d have to pick “die” but I can appreciate that some will click the other button. C-

The Big C: The Complete Second Season
Available on DVD
In the first season of Showtime’s hit show, Laura Linney discovered she had cancer. Now in the second season, she has finally shared her diagnosis with her family and is learning to live with the disease. It’s tough to laugh at such a subject, but the writing and acting here are so strong that it’s hard not to. And having the ability to know when to make you laugh and when to cry, the show really excels at toying with your emotions as it puts you right there in her world. A-

New in Home Entertainment - May 1, 2012

2012-05-01T04:22:13Z

New in Home Entertainment

May 1, 2012

New Year’s Eve
Rated PG-13 for language including some sexual references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ever since Love Actually, Hollywood has been attempting to capitalize on the formula of taking a holiday, throwing as many A-listers as will fit in a blender, and making a themed movie smoothie of it. In this case, director Garry Marshall (Valentine’s Day, The Princess Diaries) takes Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker and many others and gives them little stories revolving around New Year’s Eve. The result is another ridiculously stupid movie that damages the integrity of everyone involved. Contrived and cliched at every turn, the movie tries to take advantage of couples looking for a “date” movie and girls nights out. I actually loved Love Actually, but these copy cat Hollywood crap fests are good for nothing but mockery and disdain. F

Joyful Noise
Rated PG-13 for some language including a sexual reference
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Convinced that the competitive church choir competition genre was under-represented, the filmmakers here put together tale of a face-off between Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah as they both try to fight it out over the subject of how best to win a national competition. While its completely predictable, much of its target audience won’t be as critical as the critics due to the fact that its a positive, uplifting family-safe film with decent music. If you have a discerning palate, however, you will most likely find the movie to be a musical comedy that panders to its set audience. Then again, I don’t think there was any ambition of winning awards or making a statement here. This is simple entertainment for viewers that want a simple film. C

The Organizer: Criterion Collection
Unrated
Italian with English Subtitles
Getting the Criterion treatment here is a relatively little-known 1963 Italian film about a group of textile workers in Turin, Italy at the turn of the century that join forces under the leadership of a traveling professor in order to fight for better working conditions. Since the film can be said to have modern-day comparisons to our current economy, it is a truly relevant picture almost 50 years after its release. More importantly though is that it is a very entertaining movie that infuses fantastic moments of comedy relief within its tension-filled dramatic walls. The performances seem authentic and the great cinematography, along with its new digital restoration, give the film a look of historical significance. Above all is the extremely well-written Oscar-nominated screenplay by the same writers that gave us The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Il Postino. A-

New in Home Entertainment - April 24, 2012

2012-04-23T18:36:33Z

New in Home Entertainment

April 24, 2012

Contraband
Rated R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In order to protect his brother-in-law from a ruthless drug-dealer, a former smuggler (Mark Wahlberg), is forced to commit to a smuggling operation bringing in a large amount of counterfeit bills into America from Panama. I’ll warn you right off - Contraband is a B-movie all the way. The plot is silly, the characters are predictable, and the writing isn’t top-notch. What sets the film apart though is the both the quality of the talented cast and terrific production values. You actually get a sense that you understand both the shipping and the smuggling business after watching this film. There is an organic quality about it that allows you be taken in and entertained. So while its not a good movie, it is at times a very fun and interesting one. B-

Pariah
Rated R for sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
An inner-city teenager struggles with her identity as her friends and family begin to discover that she is gay. This highly praised film from relatively new writer/director Dee Rees is a challenging yet rewarding picture about a subject that is completely foreign to most of its audience. It is hard to imagine what a character such as this has to go through in this scenario, and even harder to imagine a member of the audience not being touched. Rees does an excellent job of bringing empathy on not just the heroine, but to the people around her as well. Its as if the villain isn’t really a person, but rather the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the situation pertaining to the main character. B

Shogun Assassin
Rated R for violence, nudity and rivers of blood
Available on Blu-ray
I thought I was a big martial arts fan, and that I was familiar with most of the classics, but this cult title somehow slipped under my radar until now. Following the saga of Lone Wolf and Cub (billed here as the greatest team in the history of mass slaughter), a father and young child travel Japan on a quest of vengeance for the brutal murder of their respective wife and mother. This new set includes all five films in the series, all in beautiful HD, which makes the blood that much more red boy does it flow. Just like many of the Asian films from this time period, it is extremely gory, but moreover, it is a blast to watch. It’s truly corny at times, but in a good way. B+

New in Home Entertainment - April 17, 2012

2012-04-17T03:25:29Z

New in Home Entertainment

April 17, 2012

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While it seems that some of the franchise pics we have seen over the last year have gotten lamer with time (best example - Twilight), a couple have really knocked it out of the park, namely Harry Potter and Mission Impossible. Mission Impossible was a very welcome edition to the relatively disappointing holiday season this past December. Just like Harry, the film was left off many critics top 10s as well as many best-of ballots, in spite of the fact that both films landed a mid-nineties score on Rotten Tomatoes. Moreover, just like the film about the boy wizard, the new Mission Impossible is pretty darn great. Putting Tom Cruise and crew in a battle where they are the enemy of everyone and must clear their names before they are killed, the plot is entertaining and doesn’t get in the way of the extreme action. To say this film will have you biting your nails is an understatement, especially if you are as afraid of heights as I am. Former Pixar director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) does an incredible job of transitioning to the real-people world and the overall production here is insane - in a good way. A

Shame
Rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Relative newcomer Michael Fassbender, in both a career-making and award-winning role, plays a man in New York City dealing with his out-of-control sex addiction when his sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him and forces him to face his illness. Don’t let the NC-17 fool you here. This is not a sexy film in the least. In fact it is the un-sexiest film about sex you are likely to ever see. This film very accurately shows the world of a sex-addict and sheds a new light on the disease which until now has mostly just been made fun of or at the very least been misunderstood. Both Fassbender and Mulligan turn in amazing performances and director Steve McQueen deserves kudos for not only making such a hard-hitting drama, but for having the bravery to not cut the film to an R which could have killed its integrity. This is not a film for everyone - not even close. But if you are in the mood for a good drama and important social commentary, and if the kids are either asleep or out of the house, this is an excellent choice. B+

The Iron Lady
Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Don’t get me wrong, I love Meryl Streep, but these awards should be given for acting and not merely impersonations. Winning two Academy Awards for best actress and best make-up, The Iron Lady excels in creating a life-like replica of Margaret Thatcher in this biopic, but fails to create a watchable film. Streep is not to blame here and does an admirable job of portraying the famed British politician, but the script and directing are all over the place. The story is so difficult to follow that you become apathetic to its problems by the end. And while I feel that I know Thatcher a little better now having seen this, I feel I would have been better off watching a history channel doc on her life instead. C-

IMAX: Born to Be Wild
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Just like Disney, Warner Brothers has gotten into the Earth Day festivities by releasing a spectacular-looking nature film. Born to Be Wild, through the narration of Morgan Freeman, focuses on baby elephants and orangutans who are protected from birth and raised in captivity until they can safely be released back into the wild. At 41 minutes in length, it doesn’t have nearly the amount of storytelling of the Disney-nature releases, but what little time is spent with these animals is magical. You and your families will find yourselves to be engaged, entertained, enlightened, and thoroughly enchanted. A-

The Cabin in the Woods

2012-04-11T01:29:47Z

The Cabin in the Woods

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins and Kristen Connolly
Directed by Drew Goddard
Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, language, drug use and some sexuality/nudity

    Serenity writer/director Joss Whedon and Cloverfield writer Drew Goddard team up for this new take on the “cabin in the woods” genre of horror flicks. From the very beginning it is more than apparent that this story is more than just a bunch of dumb good-looking kids staying in a cursed cabin. Rather than let you figure this fact out as a twist, the movie opens with two men working in what looks like a secret government lab who are about to take part in some sort of international competition to kill young people using various monsters. It starts off almost making you feel like you are watching an darker, more adult version of The Hunger Games. Lucky for us, these are no normal young people and the game becomes very complicated.

    If your first thought upon seeing the trailer for this pic is that it looks too scary - never fear. Just like the M. Night Shyamalan film The Village, this movie might look like a scream-fest from the outside, but what you get on the inside is a very clever and extremely funny pseudo-scarer. It’s just frightening enough to keep the horror fans happy, but this one surely won’t leave you waking up in the night in a cold sweat. Instead, its an extremely entertaining thriller that gives you exactly what you would expect from these talented filmmakers.

    The fact that the film was co-written and directed by one of television’s Lost writers might tell you that you’ll be guessing quite a bit and getting it wrong. That’s not to say you probably won’t figure it out early enough. They don’t try to slide something ridiculous by you in order to surprise you.

    The acting here helps quite a bit. The very popular Chris Hemsworth (Thor) is a welcome treat to head up the young cast. What makes the film fun though is Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins and The West Wing’s Bradley Whitford as the two men in ties running the show from elsewhere. The script, which puts these two in at the most unusual of moments to not only provide comedy relief but also provide a look at the bigger picture, is a sheer pleasure to watch unfold.

    I think it’s pretty clear to see that this film is one with a gimmick, and that some people will find it silly. I myself thought the ending was a little whacky. But as a whole, I found the 95 minute experience to be well worth the ride. B+

New in Home Entertainment - April 10, 2012

2012-04-07T02:08:01Z

New in Home Entertainment

April 10, 2012

Into the Abyss
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and some disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Many of you will remember the horrific events that took place in Conroe in 2001 when Michael Perry killed three helpless victims all for the sake of stealing a car. In 2010 he was executed in Huntsville, but before justice was served, he was interviewed by famed German filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man) in an attempt to show the uselessness of the death penalty. While I found the story intensely interesting and extremely sad for the families destroyed by the crime, I failed to see a reason against putting such a monster to death. As one of the victim’s family members said “some people don’t deserve to live” and Perry truly falls into that category. So as an argument against the death penalty, the movie does is not convincing. As a reminder to lock your doors, don’t trust strangers and protect yourself and your family at all cost - the movie succeeds admirably. B+

Being Elmo
Rated PG for some mild language including a brief drug reference
Available on DVD
It’s funny where we find inspiration. For Kevin Clash, it was the puppet shows of his youth including Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. From the time he was a small child he strove to be a world-class puppeteer and decades later he eventually created Elmo and later went on to become the Executive Producer of Sesame Street. This wonderful indie doc follows the journey of a most amazing man who truly embodies the advice “do what you love.” The movie itself is very well-made and would be a pleasure to watch for any kid or adult. In fact, this should be required viewing for grade-school kids nationwide. A

The Darkest Hour
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
When I first saw the trailer for this alien invasion pic I was kind of excited. After all, I love Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), and invisible electric aliens in Moscow sounded exciting. But the reviews were horrible upon its Christmas release and it made next to nothing at the U.S. box office. Well, sad to say, the bad reviews are well warranted. What could have been an interesting script turns out to be a real stinker filled with unimaginative dialog and bad acting to match. To make matters worse, the special effects are practically non-existent and what little there is looks cheap. Luckily the film is less than 90 minutes so the pain is only momentary. C-

New in Home Entertainment - April 3, 2012

2012-04-03T03:02:09Z

New in Home Entertainment

April 3, 2012

War Horse
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In November my wife and I took a trip to London where we were fortunate enough to score some great seats to the hit West End play War Horse. It was an incredible experience that left us both with the same thought: there is no way Steven Spielberg could screw this up. We were wrong. Spielberg’s movie does a lot of things right. The cast is good enough, the music by John Williams is terrific and some of the shots are very memorable. What turned out to be disappointing was the story. Rather than sticking to the perfect storytelling of the play, Spielberg and screenwriter Richard Curtis (Love Actually) chose to twist things around, rework the plot and completely change the tone of the stage production. The play is essentially about a boy during WWI whose father sells his horse to the military and thus goes on a journey through war-ravaged Europe to find his equine best friend. In the play, the journey of both the horse and the boy were of equal importance. In the movie, the boy’s journey is almost inconsequential by comparison. In addition, they changed the major characters in significant enough of a way to almost lose their importance. If you haven’t seen the play, you obviously won’t notice this. But even though the film landed an Oscar nod for best picture, the overall reaction to the film has been mostly of indifference. And while I have no way of proving this, I firmly believe that had they just left the basic story alone, the movie would have been a smashing success and an actual contender at the Oscars. I have to admit that the special features in the four-disc blu-ray set are numerous and impressive. I am still a massive Spielberg fan and love watching him commit to his craft. He is more present on this blu-ray set than any of his other releases, which takes the overall movie up a notch or two. C+

We Bought a Zoo
Rated PG for language and some thematic elements
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on a true story, a widower (Matt Damon) needing to get away from it all takes his two children away from their city home and moves into a house located on an actual zoo. Using all of his savings, he helps his family cope with the loss of their matriarch by bringing the zoo back to life in the hopes of opening it to the public. Just as you’d expect from a Cameron Crowe film, the storytelling is solid and the dialog is wonderfully written. After all, this is the man that brought us “Show me the money” and “You had me at hello.” The guy knows how to write and direct and the aside from some extremely cheesy moments spent with an out of place over-the-top zoo inspector, the film works as both a smart comedy and touching family film. It’s hard to imagine anyone not liking the movie and I can even picture it being quite inspirational to some. B+

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
There is something about those squeaky-voiced rodents that makes kids happy while simultaneously making their parents sick. In this newest inevitable sequel, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard from a cruise ship only to end up marooned on a seemingly deserted island. Call me a snob, but I consider this to be the lowest form of entertainment. There is not a funny gag in the entire film and it actually hurts seeing Jason Lee and David Cross reappearing for the third film (although if I were offered that kind of money, I’d probably do it also knowing full well that I’d hate myself later for it). Unfortunately, since the pic brought in over a third of a million dollars worldwide, I’m sure the studio will try to get these rats to squeak again. F

Casa de mi Padre

2012-03-26T04:01:02Z

Casa de mi Padre
Starring Will Ferrell, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal
Directed by Matt Piedmont

    Caught in the middle of a Mexican drug war, Will Ferrell must do what he can in order to protect both his father’s ranch as well as his family’s name. But when he falls in love with his brother’s fiance, he must take the battle to the drug lord and risk alienating his brother.

    Spoken almost entirely in Spanish, Casa de mi Padre serves as a spoof of bad Mexican films. While most American audiences won’t be familiar with the subject being made fun of, there is a large number of Latinos and savvy movie fans that will find the pic very funny. And even if you don’t know the genre well, the humor is broad enough that you will at the very least have a good laugh.

    While Ferrell doesn’t actually speak Spanish in real life, you’d never know from watching this movie. You can’t say the acting is good, but for what they were trying to accomplish - it was perfect. Pretending to be a bad actor can be a feat as difficult as being a good one and Ferrell and crew have that skill down here. Also, it was fun watching Luna and Bernal get back together, lovingly mocking low-budget Mexican cinema.

    There is part of me that thinks that this film is just one joke taken way too far. Like it’s a Saturday Night Live sketch made 80 minutes too long. But frankly, I left the theater after having enjoyed myself and with a mere $6 million dollar budget, this movie was never meant to be the box office smash we are used to with Ferrell’s films. It’s just a delightfully clever bit of entertainment whose faults are acceptable. B-

New in Home Entertainment - March 27, 2012

2012-03-26T03:28:13Z

New in Home Entertainment

March 27, 2012

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Rated PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Many critics dismissed this very moving tribute to 9/11 but even so it still managed to squeak out an Oscar nod for both best picture and best supporting actor for 82-year-old Max von Sydow. Extremely Loud follows the story of a high-functioning autistic boy whose father (played by Tom Hanks) dies when the towers collapse. When the boy finds a key hidden in a vase in his father’s closet, he sets off to discover what the key unlocks in order to experience one last adventure with his father. If you are anything like me, you could care less what the other critics think. This is an exceptional movie full of an amazing variety of emotions and intense complexity. It is well-written, terrifically acted, and the overall production is top-notch. It also possesses the best and most under-appreciated score of the year composed by Alexandre Desplat with piano by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. And while you will need some major tissue, the sadness does not bring you down or make you wish you hadn’t watched it. A

In the Land of Blood and Honey
Rated R for war violence and atrocities including rape, sexuality, nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Written and directed by Angelina Jolie, Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of a man and woman during the Bosnian War whose allegiances to their countries and religions keep them from furthering their relationship. One can’t help but be impressed with the ambition of such a project. There is no doubt that the atrocities that occurred during this time were truly horrible and worth showing to the world. While the production is good and the setting is well-handled, the overall story is not the greatest. The characters fall flat and you get the sense that Jolie could have used a bit more experience before tackling such heavy material. C+

The Sitter
Rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, drug material and some violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Jonah Hill plays a suspended college student who is talked into babysitting the kids next door in this latest comedy from Pineapple Express director David Gordon Green. There are some pretty funny laughs to be had in this comedy, but just like Green’s last film, Your Highness, the drug and sex jokes get a little stale. Hill is an interesting actor to watch at times, but he is much better suited for films like 21 Jump Street and Moneyball than he is for this kind of movie. The whole thing feels like two guys were watching the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting while high and started asking dumb “what if?” questions and wallah - a movie was formed. It’s not horrible, but not good either. C

Casablanca: 70th Anniversary Edition
Available on Blu-ray
For the 70th anniversary of what many consider to be the greatest romantic film of all time, Warner Brothers is releasing this beautiful limited edition box set which contains an all-new 4K scan of the film (not sure what that means but it sure is pretty) with tons of featurettes and documentaries as well as a 60 page photo book, French mini-poster and coaster set. It’s not a bad deal for a relatively low cost and the film has never looked or sounded better. I know if I hadn’t gotten one from Warner Brothers recently, I would have had it on my Birthday wish list with constant reminders for my wife. A+

New in Home Entertainment - March 20, 2012

2012-03-19T04:05:03Z

New in Home Entertainment

March 20, 2012

The Descendants
Rated R for language including some sexual references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
George Clooney is a father of two girls and husband to a woman lying in a coma in the hospital. When he finds out that his wife was cheating on him before her accident, he struggles with his strained relationship and seeks to discover more about his wife’s secret. Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt, Election) has always focused on cheating spouses in a way that shows the pain the other party goes through without putting the audience through the same torture. While the situation itself might not be funny, he manages to put a comedic spin on the actions in order to lighten up the mood and not drag the viewer into depression. This is a very real, very serious movie that will have you laughing constantly. The Oscar-winning script here, like all of his other scripts, is genius. The man has a wonderful talent for showing the tragedies of real life while always pointing out the positives as well. This is an engrossing film that will more than likely leave you both entertained and touched. A

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Rated R for violence, some sexuality/nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the infamous John le Carre spy novel, Tinker Tailor focuses on a British Intelligence agent (Gary Oldman) who is asked to uncover the identity of a mole in the top ranks of the agency. Swedish director Tomas Alfredson certainly has the ability for visual storytelling as is evidenced by his masterful vampire film Let the Right One In and even moments throughout this newest thriller. The problem is that here the thriller doesn’t thrill. I actually watched the film twice to see what I could be missing since the buzz was so hot. Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure it out. The story is very complex and yet so incredibly boring that by the end you might understand the whodunit aspects of the picture but you could hardly care. I know there are some folks who really loved this movie, but I can’t possible understand why and I’m not willing to sit through a third time to try to better understand their rationale. C-

My Week with Marilyn
Rated R for some language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh both deservedly scored Oscar nods for their roles as Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier in this picture which follows the on and off-set struggles of the making of The Prince and the Showgirl. While Meryl Streep went home with the trophy, Williams was my first choice for this year’s award. Her turn as Monroe seemed to possess every subtlety of her iconic look and personality. With acting this strong and a good story to boot, you get a sense of realism like you are almost watching a documentary. A-

The Muppets
Rated PG for some mild rude humor
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It’s been years since The Muppets have had a decent showing in pop culture but they have come on again strong in this latest outing. In their newest tale, The Muppets biggest fan, Walter, heads to Los Angeles with his brother, played by Jason Segel, in order to see Muppet Studios. When he discovers an evil oil baron’s plan to destroy the studio in order to drill for oil, he works with Kermit and the rest of The Muppets to put on a show to save their property. The whole thing is just pure fun from start to finish. It’s wonderfully written and cleverly acted with some terrific songs sprinkled throughout. They even won an Oscar this year for their song Man or Muppet. Whether adult or child, it’s hard to imagine someone not liking this very entertaining movie. B+

The War Room: The Criterion Collection
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When I first saw that this 1993 drama about Bill Clinton’s run for office was getting the Criterion treatment, I was a bit surprised. I never thought of it as great film making but rather just a well-made documentary. That being said, there is something special about the style used by directors Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker. And looking back at this very recent history, it’s also incredibly powerful to see the now famous political personalities James Carville and George Stephanopoulos as they pull off a major upset to get Clinton elected. If you do pick up this film, you must check out the special features that go even more in depth to the famous campaign and how it changed the way campaigns are run today. B+

John Carter

2012-03-12T01:34:21Z

John Carter
Starring Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Mark Strong
Directed by Andrew Stanton
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action

    Recently, former Pixar director Brad Bird (Ratatouille) took on the immense challenge of directing the fourth installment of Mission Impossible and the result was a critically acclaimed box-office smash. So it’s little wonder that there is a lot of insider excitement over Pixar director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-E) taking the helm of the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs sci-fi series John Carter of Mars.

    John Carter (Kitsch) is just your average greedy Civil War vet turned prospector who finds himself strangely transported to Mars where he now has super-human strength, thanks to the lower gravitational pull. Finding himself caught in a Martian civil war between two human-like races trying to annihilate each other, he falls in love with the beautiful princess (Houston’s own Lynn Collins) from one of the warring sides and helps them survive the menace of a devastating weapon given to their enemies from some strange mystical beings attempting to control the destiny of the planet.

    In light of his highly successful career, it is not surprising where Stanton succeeded, but it is highly surprising where he failed. The crowning achievement of this film is its tremendous use of special effects. The CG is truly out of this world and one can assume that most of its reported $250 million budget went into the production and not on its cast.

    The big fail here is in writing and casting. Pixar prides itself in their ability to tell stories and so it’s easy to assume that the story would be king in a film such as this. I’m sure there is a good reason why these classic books haven’t made it to the big screen yet and that is because the material doesn’t translate well to the screen. But looking at what they came up with, it doesn’t look like it’s a far stretch to get to a really good script. What we get instead is a confusing story that plods along and almost collapses from its own weight.
     It doesn’t help that the cast has a tough time pulling it off. I’m sure Kitsch turned in an amazing screen test and that he has potential as a leading actor, but this film needed a star. It needed a Jake Gyllenhaal, Vin Diesel or even a Channing Tatum to guide us on our way. In an attempt to save money on actors’ inflated salaries, Disney ultimately shows why it can be worth it to put in a well-known actor and I’m sure they will be crying over that decision for years to come.

    One thing that doesn’t help the film any is its lousy 3D edition. Just like the recent Pirates of the Caribbean film, the movie is too dark to make use of the technology. If you are going to create a worthwhile 3D project, it is important to cut down on the amount of nighttime scenes and if you use a lot of them, you must artificially crank up the lighting. After all, tinted 3D glasses will only exasperate the darkness. Unfortunately, I found myself taking off my glasses just so I could see what’s going on - choosing fuzzy vision over almost pure absence of light.

    So while Disney was hoping that John Carter could be the next big franchise film, and they took a huge chance on a relatively little-known book series, I am guessing that Carter will join Prince of Persia and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in the potential Disney franchise graveyard. C+

New in Home Entertainment

2012-03-12T01:26:23Z

New in Home Entertainment

March 13, 2012

The Adventures of Tintin
Rated PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Spielberg’s first feature-length animated film follows the adventures of a young detective who is incredibly well-known in Europe but relatively unknown in the States. Needless to say, a little character development would have gone a long way here as we try to get to know the hero attempting to discover the secret of a ship called “The Unicorn.” But if you can get past this lack of a normal story-telling device, the film is full of adrenaline and is absolutely beautiful to boot. Should it have been nominated for an Oscar this year in the animated category? Absolutely. Especially since it is a far superior film to Kung Fu Panda 2 and Puss in Boots. But at least it was recognized for the outstanding score by John Williams. B+

The Three Musketeers
Rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure action violence
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
All it takes is one look at the leading actor’s ridiculous hair worn by the young actor Logan Leman (Percy Jackson) to come to the realization that this film is not a well-thought-out creation. Taking the original book by Alexandre Dumas and turning it into a big special effects extravaganza is an interesting concept but ultimately fails under the heavy hands of director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil). While the production is itself (aside from Leman’s hair) is lush and lovely, the dialog is horrific and the actors look tired rather than lively and charismatic. This project is ultimately a huge waste of a talented cast and a timeless tale. D+

Melancholia
Rated R for some graphic nudity, sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After hearing the seemingly unbelievable news that Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman) had just won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival, I couldn’t wait to see her in Danish director Lars von Trier’s (Dancer in the Dark) latest opus. Set at the end of the world as a mysterious planet comes hurdling towards the Earth, two sisters, played by Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg, find themselves struggling in their relationship and their impending doom. I have to admit that I haven’t completely wrapped my head around this one yet. This an extremely complex and ambitious film that will require multiple visits, much thought, and probably some outside reading to fully appreciate. That being said, I thought the production was stunning (and cheated out of an art design Oscar nom this year) and the acting powerful, although a bit melodramatic. If you are into challenging films, this should be right up your alley. A-

Jack and Jill
Rated PG for crude material including suggestive references, language and comic violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While this is traditionally the exact kind of film that ends up being on every critic’s worst film of the year list and an obvious Razzie candidate, I found this Adam Sandler pic to be rather interesting. After all, this film about fighting male and female twins (both played by Sandler) is exactly the kind of film Sandler made fun of himself for in his last serious role in Funny People. Between Funny People and the truly excellent Punch Drunk Love, Sandler has proven he has chops but these crappy little films he makes are geared by the studios to steal money from who they consider to be their large and unsophisticated audience. It’s pandering at its very worst, which while I can’t claim it possesses any sort of merit, I find myself fascinated by the sheer audacity of the lack of respect for the movie-going public. C+

Tennessee Tuxedo: The Complete Collection
Available on DVD
The classic 1960’s television toon featuring Don Adams as the voice of penguin Tennessee Tuxedo who wanders the zoo with his walrus pal Chumley, getting into all kinds of trouble, all the while educating the audience and making them laugh. This new set, released by Shout Factory, features all 70 original episodes plus loads of extras. A-

New in Home Entertainment - March 6, 2012

2012-03-06T01:06:06Z

New in Home Entertainment

March 6, 2012

Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
All year long critics have been proclaiming how gutsy HBO was for putting so much money behind a fantasy drama based on the famous book series by George R.R. Martin. I’m under the opinion that HBO simply knew what it was doing. The material is fantastic, the characters are unique and incredibly interesting, and killing off main characters at the drop of a hat just makes the show down-right addictive. From the opening sequence of episode one where you realize that these aren’t just olden times but a different time and place altogether where something supernatural is afoot; to the closing scene of the season which leaves you completely impatient for season two - I was completely hooked and couldn’t take my eyes off of the TV. Some might find the tremendous amount of violence and sex to be off-putting, but if you are looking for a cross between Rome and Lord of the Rings, you can’t do better. Thankfully HBO is releasing this set almost a full month before the April 1st premier of Season Two which should allow fans to start salivating and newcomers to become fans. A+

Footloose
Rated PG-13 for some teen drug and alcohol use, sexual content, violence and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When the original Footloose hit theaters back in 1984 it was a huge sensation. The story about a small town that didn’t allow kids to dance and the rebel that couldn’t abide was a feel good classic with a soundtrack that is still famous today. So you have to think that if they want to remake such an iconic tale that they’d have to bring something special to the table. In that regard this is a huge disappointment. This new version is a remake in the sense that they use the same character names and overall plot line, but setting the movie in the present doesn’t bring a single thing except to show how dance and fashion has changed a bit. It’s not that it’s a bad film, but it just doesn’t improve upon the original and seems completely unnecessary. And really, in order for this film to truly succeed, it would have needed a soundtrack to rival the first and this music, filled with weak originals and lame covers of the original soundtrack, is completely forgettable. C+

Immortals
Rated R for sequences of strong bloody violence, and a scene of sexuality
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Ever since my first exposure to greek mythology with the 1981 Clash of the Titans, I have been a big fan of the genre. After the huge disappointment that was the 2010 Clash remake, I was hoping for a decent myth movie with modern special effects. Director Tarsem Singh has certainly put together some of the most visually impressive films in recent years such as The Cell and The Fall, but the one thing missing in his movies was a compelling narrative. While this new film about Theseus (Henry Cavill) and his battle against the evil King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) doesn’t possess the most amazing of scripts ever written, the spectacular look of the film does a decent enough job to impress the audience and while I feel a little tricked into liking it, I can honestly say I don’t mind. In my opinion this is a classic guilty pleasure film where you know you shouldn’t like it but yet you just can’t help yourself. B-

New in Home Entertainment - February 28, 2012

2012-02-27T23:46:37Z

New in Home Entertainment

February 28, 2012

Hugo
Rated PG for mild thematic material, some action/peril and smoking
Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD
After sweeping pretty much of all of the technical Oscars this year, I’m sure many of you are wondering what you missed in theaters. After all, Martin Scorsese’s family masterpiece only brought in a paltry $67 million at the box office which is nowhere near its estimated budget. Telling the tale of a young boy from the early 1900’s who is forced to live in a Paris train station after the death of his father, Hugo avoids being a depressing film by filling the void with curiosity and imagination. If you have a 3D television you are in luck as this is a must-own title for that technology, but even without you are in for a terrifically moving picture that you and your family are sure to enjoy. Also, because there is so much history in the movie that the story couldn’t possibly cover, the documentaries are all a must-see, especially the feature on The Cinemagician, George Melies. A

Martha Marcy May Marlene
Rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content, nudity and language
Available on Blu-ray and DVD
So the title is enough to get you a little tongue-tied, but the subject of this film will stick with you in ways you maybe wish it didn’t. Elizabeth Olsen’s film debut tells the tale of a young girl who joins a cult only to escape the nightmare after she runs away and seeks solace at her sister’s home. Reliving the events of her recent past, Martha has lost touch of reality and has difficulty distinguishing right from wrong in her new world. This is one majorly disturbing film with some really good performances throughout. Olsen’s performance is as solid as you would expect from a seasoned actress, even though she’s a Hollywood newbie. And John Hawkes, straight off his Oscar nomination for last year’s Winter’s Bone, is horrifying as the cult’s patriarch. B+

I Melt With You
Rated R for pervasive drug use and language, some violence and sexual content
Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Starting out like a modern day Big Chill, I Melt With You places four great actors: Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe and Thomas McKay as friends who have come together for a wild weekend of drugs, sex and hard partying. But when they all realize that the lives they are living are not what they had hoped for, a pact they made as young men takes them to a dark place. This films starts out with some real potential, but when the big plot twist is revealed, it becomes a party that is no longer fun to watch. I like a good turn, but this plot is ridiculous and the actors treat it as such. Not every film has to be entertaining, but to purposefully try to depress those watching is unreasonable. C-

A Tribute to John Williams: An 80th Birthday Celebration
Available on CD
Hollywood’s most famous film composer turned 80 on February 8 and with this momentous occasion Sony has released this wonderful tribute album celebrating his career. It’s hard to imagine films like Star Wars, Jaws, ET, Schindler’s List and Indiana Jones without the beautiful and powerful music that accompanied them. Arguably the greatest composer of the twentieth century, this album is a fitting example of some of his greatest works including the before-mentioned titles as wells as themes from 1941, Sabrina, War Horse, Memoirs of a Geisha and Tintin as well as the never before released Happy Birthday Variations. A

Act of Valor

2012-02-21T03:32:32Z

Act of Valor
Rated R for strong violence including some torture, and for language

    In an attempt to add a sense of ominous realism to their movie, the director team of Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh chose to use real-life active-duty Navy SEALs as their leads in a fictional story about a group of SEALs who are sent in to rescue a kidnapped CIA agent and then foil the plans of the man who kidnapped her.

    Before the film begins, McCoy and Waugh explain their use of real people rather than actors in many of the roles. And from the beginning you get the sense that this a two hour commercial for the military. And while in many ways the production is far from bulletproof, in regard to its mission - it executes well.

    I think we can dispense with the obvious first: the acting is not great. I’m not sure if these guys are trying to be thespians, but their efforts don’t show a lot of potential for stage or screen. But once you really think about it, aren’t you glad these guys aren’t good actors? After all, this film is very effective at making the entire group of soldiers look amazing at what they really do. To mildly put it - these guys are bad-to-the-bone real-life heroes who put their lives on the line so that we can even go to the movies. While we are at work or play, living out our lives relatively oblivious to the dangers of the outside world, these guys are risking their lives to protect our right to do so, and I think you will be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t appreciative. It’s very easy here to forgive things like acting, plot holes and a bit of propaganda for a project such as this.

    Once you get past the little annoyances, there is a decent picture underneath. The plot surrounding a terrorist attempting to take out American tourist destinations is frightening and very plausible. Since 9-11 there has been a sense of dread in the air about our security and it’s easy to believe that these ideas, while fictional, probably aren’t far from the truth.

    In addition - the drama and excitement are heaped on a plenty. In many of the scenes the production used live-fire rather than the traditional ammunition used in Hollywood productions. What you get is a more intense ride than what you expect. The explosions are big and bountiful and the tension is captivating.

    So while it would be hard for you to ignore the negatives, the positives found make it possible to not only forgive them, but to also come away with an experience you will not likely forget and a feeling of thankfulness to those that make a living protecting us. B+