New in Home Entertainment
May 2, 2017
The Salesman
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and a brief bloody image
In Persian with English Subtitles
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Iranian writer/director Asghar Farhadi claimed his second foreign film Oscar with this latest tale about a modern Iranian couple struck by tragedy and emotional damage when the wife is brutally attacked in their home. While the film was probably a huge benefactor of revolt against the recent travel ban, and even the speech upon winning was as much about politics as it was art, the storytelling here is excellent and worthy of accolades regardless. Farhadi’s films are a portal into a world and culture which we as westerners feel to be barbaric and alien, but upon further inspection appear to be incredibly similar to our own. This one in particular is an especially human tale for which it is easy to find empathy and introspection. The couple here are both professional actors performing Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, which truly allows the audience to connect with them both on stage and off as they deal with the heavy drama of their own lives. A-
The Red Turtle
Rated PG for some thematic elements and peril
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
This Oscar-nominated Studio Ghibli film finds a young man shipwrecked on a deserted island, desperate to escape. But every attempt to do so is thwarted by a strange creature whose goal is ultimate not sinister in nature. The film contains no words or subtitles and sweeps in and out like a vivid and beautiful dream. At first you find yourself a little sleepy, then pulled in, and finally mesmerized as you discover the secrets and ultimately live the adventure with him. While it is animated and rated PG, I don’t think the little ones will especially love it, but if they do – who knows – you may have a future cinephile on your hands. A-
I Am Not Your Negro
Rated PG-13 for disturbing violent images, thematic material, language and brief nudity
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Upon his death in 1987, James Baldwin had written only thirty pages of a manuscript that was to become the book “Remember This House,” giving the personal account of the lives and assassinations of three of his close friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Director Raoul Peck here, in this Oscar-nominated documentary, uses his words and archival footage to explore the Civil Rights movement in order to find a deeper connection to modern events. It is a fascinating and well-crafted doc that sheds light on an important era, while trying to make sense of it and its effects on the present. B+
Rings
Rated PG-13 for violence/terror, thematic elements, some sexuality and brief drug material
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 6%
Both the original 1998 Asian import Ringu and the 2002 American remake starring Naomi Watts were terrifying films about a young girl trapped in a well and her revenge upon those unlucky enough to get a glimpse of her story on an ominous video tape. But the attempts to breathe life into the franchise have been a complete disaster. This latest one finds a young girl attempting to understand and help the evil spirit while those around her are meeting their doom. The sad thing is that there is potential here, but there is poor talent involved. The writing is atrocious as is the acting and directing. And while the subject matter has been proven to be scary, the images here are almost laughable. This is an unfortunate and lazy attempt at a sequel. F