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January 22, 2013

New in Home Entertainment – January 22, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

January 22, 2013

Searching for Sugar Man
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some some drug references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The wildest tale to be told in theaters this year wasn’t fiction at all but rather this true story about a real rock’n’roll hero who had given up his career in music due to lack of sales, working construction for decades in Detroit while his music was busy changing the people and politics of South Africa. It sounds like a fairy tale come true for Rodriguez, who never saw a dime for his best-selling albums in South Africa that literally set the tune for the end of apartheid. This is not only a film that you will love watching, but you will be recommending it to your friends for years to come and more than likely buying some of his amazing music. A

End of Watch
Rated R for strong violence, some disturbing images, pervasive language including sexual references, and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sometimes found-footage films work and are quite a lot of fun to watch. Sometimes, like in End of Watch, they aren’t. The set up is Jake Gyllenhaal is a cop making a film with a camera watching his every move. The bad guy gang members also like to record all of their crimes and misdeeds. By the end of the film there is enough footage to make a movie. I’m just not sure why this gimmick was needed here. Jake and Michael Pena are terrific together and if they had hired decent actors as the gang members and just shot it like a normal film it might have worked. But all of this video taping gets to be just annoying. And while I understand sometimes bad language is a spice that films might need for proper seasoning, the language in this film is ridiculous enough to make you choke. It’s like listening to Andrew Dice Clay on speed. And frankly the supporting cast is as poorly directed as it is acted. C

The Imposter
Rated R for language
Available on DVD
Yet another unbelievable documentary is this tale about a missing child from San Antonio who appears years later in Europe ready for a reunion with his lost family. The only problem is that this newly discovered child is much older than he should be and has different colored hair and eyes. Clearly not the missing loved one, the film interviews all parties involved to find out how such an event could possibly occur. This is a fun film simply because you watch it in complete disbelief. You keep waiting for the catch and there really isn’t one. The European man pretending to be the teen gives an interesting observation that makes sense, but the filmmakers leave enough doubt in your head to keep you scratching it. B+

Pina: Criterion Collection
Rated PG for some sensuality/partial nudity and smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D
Shortly before Wim Wenders was to begin filming his documentary about German modern dance legend Pina Bausch, she passed away suddenly, leaving him to make this Oscar-nominated tribute to her work. Shot in 3D, this is a unique magnification of an art form for which most of us will be largely unfamiliar with. While I’m still not a big fan of the art, there are some impressive visuals in this project and the 3D is spectacular, even at home. B-

The Paperboy
Rated R for strong sexual content, violence and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Precious director Lee Daniels chose for his follow-up this over-the-top adaptation of the Peter Dexter novel about a young man (Zac Efron) whose brother (Matthew McConaughey) has come back to his home town to investigate a case involving a death row inmate (John Cusack) with the help of the accused’s fiancé (Nicole Kidman). While I kind of liked Efron and Kidman, the rest of the project just got to be tedious and a little too ugly for my liking. I was also unimpressed by the directing and crafting of the film. Maybe it could have been better had the editing been more conventional, but then again maybe not. C

January 15, 2013

New in Home Entertainment – January 15, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

January 15, 2013

Farewell My Queen
Rated R for brief graphic nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
French with English subtitles
Set during the French Revolution only a few days before Marie Antoinette and King Louis lose their heads, a young servant develops a close and dangerous relationship with the queen. Starring Diane Kruger and Lea Seydoux, both former stars of Inglourious Basterds, this is a beautiful-looking film with an art-house feel due to all of the scenes taken from the point-of-view of the young maiden. Having recently been to Versailles, I was particularly taken with the opulence and emptiness of the royal wing I experienced from the tour and the opposite feel of the grittiness and chaos of the servants’ area. Its a fascinating picture with a phenomenal sense of dread of what awaits the unsuspecting royals. I’m surprised they didn’t try to give this film an awards push being that it has received particularly good reviews, has a couple of known foreign actors and is overall a rather impressive period drama. B+

The Possession
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving violence and disturbing sequences
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After buying a unique antique box at a garage sale, a young girl becomes possessed by the demon hidden within. This sort of Jewish Exorcist is led by the very capable Jeffrey Dean Morgan but the supporting cast is quite awful and the story is just lame. I think the film has some potential, but it is unfortunately never realized. C-

The Other Dream Team
Available on DVD
Most everyone knows the story of the American Dream Team in basketball, but during the 1992 Olympics the newly free Lithuanians and their basketball team, along with the help of the Grateful Dead, became symbols of Lithuania’s independence movement when they took on the Soviet team for the bronze medal. This documentary is an inspiring look at the struggle of the Lithuanian people and how a little sport was able to bring them back their dignity and national pride. Well-filmed in a style that will keep even a non-sports fan glued to the screen, The Other Dream Team tells a moving story without once getting sappy. A-

To Rome with Love
Rated R for some sexual references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Woody Allen is definitely hit and miss and the proof is the stark contrast in the quality of his newest Roman love letter to his last masterpiece Midnight in Paris. To Rome tells a few quirky and somewhat interesting stories but most of them turn out to be rather disappointing by the end. Honestly, the whole film feels like it might have originally been about Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg’s tale but then ran out of steam too quickly, necessitating a few other short stories to be added. The ideas are certainly unique and even intriguing, but the creativity seems to have run out before good resolutions could be formulated. If you are a big Woody Allen fan, you might find some enjoyment but for most this will definitely be considered a miss for the eclectic filmmaker. C

January 8, 2013

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty
Starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Rated R for strong violence including brutal disturbing images, and for brief language

Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal were already hard at work on a project about a failed hit on Bin Laden directly after they finished teaming up for the Oscar-winner The Hurt Locker. But in 2010, when it was announced that Seal Team Six killed America’s enemy number one, they changed course and made the film about the successful mission as well as the person most responsible for the kill. Based on a true story about the intelligence going on behind the scenes for almost a decade before Bin Laden’s death, Zero Dark Thirty follows a young and committed CIA agent (Chastain) who is determined to track down a courier that most think is dead, but who she knows is the key to solving the mystery of the target’s location.

This is a film that is largely familiar to most of the world. It starts with two planes crashing into the twin towers and ends with Americans raiding a compound in Pakistan. But the details are what make this film so interesting and even if this is a completely fictional account, it seems true and our need to fill in the gaps will cause what I think will be a massive audience to see this much anticipated film.

   Thankfully the movie is very good. Technically it is well-crafted, intense and extremely well-paced for a two-and-a-half hour long picture. It helps to have a talented team lead by Bigelow and Boal. When you get a chemistry like this between a writer and a director, you many times end up with a trophy or two. Everyone involved in the production brought their A-game. But then it also helps to have an extremely talented cast. The character of Maya, masterfully played here by Chastain, is one of the strongest heroines I have seen in recent years and a real role model for young girls, or at least the ones allowed to see R-rated films. I was also deeply impressed with the performance of Jason Clarke as her counterpart in the CIA. He may not be getting the nominations we’re seeing right now from Chastain, but his work in this film gives the movie authenticity and power from the very beginning.

   Perhaps the most important facet of the film is the raid on Bin Laden’s compound which takes place in the third act. Painstakingly researched, the production succeeds here in giving an accurate representation of the events of that night in a way that will be hard to shake from your mind. It’s hard to replace the deaths of over 3,000 with just one, but the closure and relief you get from watching this scene is palpable. A

January 8, 2013

New in Home Entertainment – January 8, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

January 8, 2013

Frankenweenie
Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images and action
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
This year saw several horror-based animated films including Hotel Transylvania and ParaNorman but the one that was most impressive was the Tim Burton directed stop-motion animated movie based on one of Burton’s early short films. This great coming of age story about a young boy who reanimates his dog after a tragic accident is a charming and fun-filled adventure that is easily enjoyable for anyone. It took in a relatively small box office, probably due to being in good old scary black and white but the film is surprising on many levels. What is most noticeable is the creativity that went into the project. What is most shocking is the lack of Johnny Depp who didn’t voice a single character. But never fear, Burton friends Winona Ryder and Martin Landau, among many others, turn in great voice performances. A-

Looper
Rated R for strong violence, language, some sexuality/nudity and drug content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This futuristic actioner follows Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a young assassin hired to kill folks who are sent back in time to be disposed of. When he faces his older self, played by Bruce Willis, he botches the hit and must find a way to track him down and kill him before his criminal boss does the same to him. This low-budget sci-fi flick proves that it doesn’t take big money to bring a big idea to screen. The script by writer/director Rian Johnson is sure to get much awards play and overall the film is a trippy blast to watch. A-

Samsara
Rated PG-13 for some disturbing and sexual images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you are in need of a new movie to show off your new home theater, look no further than this stunning documentary by filmmaker and cinematographer Ron Fricke. Filmed over five years and in twenty-five countries on five continents, Samsara is a meditation on our beautiful planet where you can just sit in amazement as you marvel at the images on screen. While much of it is stunning, some of it is truly weird and disturbing and without dialog or any kind of easily apparent overarching theme, many will not be impressed. But if you are willing to invest your brain for a hundred minutes you will be glad you did. B+

Dredd
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language , drug use and some sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D
For Dredd, good reviews were bad news. Dredd, released by Lionsgate, did a dreadful job of promoting its theatrical release, possibly thinking that good word of mouth would bring in the bucks. After all, the movie pulled a 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and that is saying a lot for a film like this. Needless to say, it was a huge bust at the box office, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. If you have a 3D system, the effects are pretty cool, but in a bloody disgusting way. The movie is horrendously violent, but Karl Urban makes an awesome Judge Dredd (much better than Stallone’s) and the film is pretty darn fun in spite of its many flaws. B

Smash: Season One
Available on DVD
With the success of Glee, and considering that much of Glee’s audience is adult, it makes sense that someone would make a show about life on Broadway. Following the lives of creatives and performers putting on a Marilyn Monroe-themed musical, Smash is another guilty pleasure program that is easy enough on the eyes and ears, but could stand to be a little less cheesy. B-

December 24, 2012

The Best and Worst of 2012

The Best and Worst of 2012

By Danny Minton

The Best:

1) Les Misérables. Rated PG-13. I had a tough time this year picking my number one. For me, the top three here are almost at a dead heat. I guess it all came down to the emotional connection I have with the material. Victor Hugo’s Les Mis is my favorite book and subsequently the stage production is my favorite Broadway show. There’s something about the story and the music that speaks to me and fills me with pure over-flowing happiness and joy. The movie is not perfect but its imperfections didn’t bother me in the least. Each of the performances were absolutely amazing, aside from Russell Crowe’s Javert, and I can easily see myself enjoying this masterpiece by King’s Speech director Tom Hooper for years to come. Almost everything about this movie is thrilling including the lush cinematography, wonderful singing, intense production design and most importantly the renovated musical score which drives the musical along to its sad and touching conclusion. I am awed by the sense of vision seen on screen here and am very thankful they waited until the right time to bring this to theaters. (Opens Christmas Day)

2) Lincoln. Rated PG-13. Perhaps Spielberg’s best film since 1998’s Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln, brilliantly portrayed by the legendary Daniel Day Lewis, brings to vibrant life the legacy of one of America’s most important presidents. The screenplay by Angels in America’s Tony Kushner tells the story of our 14th Amendment in a way that is both historically accurate and extremely relevant to today. Sure to be the Oscar frontrunner, this spectacular film shows what the best in the industry are capable of doing when all are working at a high level. (In theaters now)

3) Life of Pi. Rated PG. Simply beautiful is my best description of this movie which mainly focuses on a boy trapped on a life boat in the middle of the ocean with a ferocious tiger. Even a year or two ago, this film would not have been possible to make, or at the very least couldn’t have looked like this. It is the pinnacle of our visual arts capabilities and you get the sense that it belongs in a museum rather than a movie theater. If you haven’t seen it yet, you must attend a 3D viewing as this is, for now, the height of 3D technology and very much worth the extra dollars. It’s a spectacular event film that will leave you exhausted and amazed. (In theaters now)

4) Django Unchained. Rated R. Everything you might expect from a Quentin Tarantino western and more is delivered in this terrific film about a slave (Jamie Fox) who is freed by a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) who later helps him find his wife, held by a vicious slave owner (Leonardo DiCaprio). It’s violent, offensive, hilarious and many other adjectives commonly used to describe Tarantino’s infamous films. But more importantly, its insanely entertaining from start to finish. While certainly not a film for everyone, if you are a fan of the eclectic filmmaker, his newest creation will put a huge smile on your face. (Opens Christmas Day)

5) Zero Dark Thirty. Rated R. While director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal hit a huge home run with their Oscar-winning Hurt Locker in 2008, the film everyone was talking about even then was this project about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. But then in 2010 Bin Laden was killed and the scope of the entire project changed. While there are many politicians trying to question the accuracy of the interrogation methods used in the film, the movie feels authentic. If you’ve ever seen Errol Morris’s Abu Ghraib documentary Standard Operating Procedure, you won’t have too tough of a time believing what you see. Jessica Chastain leads the talented cast as a young CIA agent who spends a decade of her life connecting the dots to Bin Laden and the payoff is a thrilling recreation of the compound raid that led to the terrorist’s demise. This is one folks will be talking about for years to come. (In theaters January 11, 2013)

6) Goon. Rated R. At the very top of my comedy list is this indie about a bar bouncer (Seann William Scott) who is discovered by a local hockey team and in spite of his inability to skate, is hired to fight on the ice. Normally this would be just a violent and silly comedy but Scott’s very under-appreciated performance brings a sweet side to the film that ironically gives it its edge. I laughed almost from start to finish and must enthusiastically recommend this little gem. (Now available on DVD and Blu-ray)

7) Searching for Sugar Man. Rated PG-13. If I told you there was a wannabe rock star in the early 70s who quit making music after two albums because of poor sales, but 3 decades later discovered his music is one of the most popular in South African history and partially responsible for the end of apartheid – well I’d expect you to tell me that is an interesting piece of fiction. But this is a documentary. The singer Rodriguez was a poor construction worker in the Detroit area when he discovered his legacy. It’s one of those amazing true life stories that is almost out of the realm of possibility. (On Blu-ray and DVD January 22, 2013)

8) Bernie. Rated R. Another example of too crazy for fiction is this comedy about a grizzly murder in Carthage, TX where a funeral home director (Jack Black) killed his friend and live-in employer (Shirley McClain) after she drove him over the cliff. Using many of the real citizens of Carthage, director Richard Linklater creates one of the most accurate pictures of Texas I’ve ever seen on screen. (Now available on Blu-ray and DVD)

9) Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Rated PG. If you are a foodie like me, you must check out this Japanese documentary about an eighty-five-year-old sushi master who runs a 10 seat restaurant in a Tokyo subway station, largely considered to be one of the greatest sushi restaurants in the world. How does he do it? He reinvents his craft daily, dreaming up new creations and improving constantly. It’s a truly inspirational film that will leave you salivating. (Now available on Blu-ray and DVD)

10) Silver Linings Playbook. Rated R. David O. Russell’s touching and entertaining adult comedy about mental health, romance, and professional football is a must-see that hardly anyone, apparently, is seeing right now. I can’t think of a better date movie that will have you grinning for two hours with a tear in your eye. (In theaters now)

Honorable Mention: 21 Jump Street, Argo, The Campaign, Flight, Head Games, The House I Live In, Looper, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, A Royal Affair, The Sessions, West of Memphis

The Worst of 2012:

1) 2016: Obama’s America. Rated PG. Filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza’s failed attempt at losing the white house for Obama was highly successful at brainwashing a very large percentage of the American public. It’s amazing how far pure unadulterated hate surrounded by lies can still get you in this day and age.

2) Rock of Ages. Rated PG-13. A disaster from start to finish, Rock of Ages was a great Broadway show but a miserable excuse for a movie.

3) Battleship. Rated PG-13. Hasbro’s board game turned alien invasion movie proved that sometimes Hollywood has jack squat for ideas. The fact that they put over $200 million into proves that they sometimes have jack squat for brains also.

4) Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Rated PG. I’m still shocked that this horrific excuse for a sequel made so much money. The only thing I can think of is that maybe release date is an important player and that parents were desperate for a kid’s movie.

5) What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Rated PG-13. Dear Hollywood, the Love Actually formula has only worked once and that’s in Love Actually. Please stop sending us these monumental wastes of time.

December 16, 2012

New in Home Entertainment – December 18, 2012

New in Home Entertainment

December 18, 2012

Total Recall
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, some sexual content, brief nudity, and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I’ll admit that I skipped this one in theaters simply because the trailers made it look like a very lame ripoff of the original 1990 Schwarzenegger sci-fi classic. I’m a big fan of the campy original and didn’t want to see an unnecessary modern remake. Since this new one was a dud at the box office, I can assume that many others felt the same way. I was shocked then to see that this new re-imagining of the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” is a completely different, almost unrecognizable story that really only relates to the 1990 version through character names and very basic ideas. I was impressed with the huge set pieces and the futuristic creations. I was unimpressed with Kate Beckinsale’s character (originally played by Sharon Stone) who has this uncontrollable urge to kill Colin Farrell (the film’s hero). The motive seems weak and plot holes abound with this misstep. Also, the film lacks any of the fun and perverse sense of humor of the original, which is one of the main reasons people loved it so much to begin with. C+

Killer Joe: Unrated Director’s Cut
Unrated – contains strong and disturbing violence, sexuality, graphic nudity, drug use and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the play by Tracy Letts, “Killer Joe” (Matthew McConaughey) is a Dallas detective who makes some extra money on the side as a hit man. When Emile Hirsch hires him to take out his mother in order to collect her life insurance, a chain reaction of twisted bad luck ensues. Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist), the film is a demented and sick journey that is hard to take your eyes off of. McConaughey is especially great in the title role and plays it to his over-the-top best. B+

Arbitrage
Rated R for language, brief violent images and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a wealthy hedge-fund magnate (Richard Gere) finds himself in a car accident which leaves his mistress dead, he runs away from the scene, afraid of what the events could do to his personal and professional life. This little indie proves to be a riveting drama, giving Gere perhaps his best performance ever. The well-written script by writer/director Nicholas Jarecki drives you to mixed emotions. Gere is a detestable human being, but yet you can’t help but be fascinated at the lengths he will go to in order to clear himself from the crime. B+

Sleepwalk with Me
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Comedian Mike Birbiglia writes, directs and stars in this film about a young aspiring comedian who meanders in his relationship with his girlfriend (wonderfully played by Laruen Ambrose) and his career as he struggles with his dangerous sleepwalking affliction. Funny, refreshing and reflective accurately describe this indie comedy which won the Audience Award at Sundance. Overall it’s a light and highly enjoyable short movie that you’ll be glad you took a look at. A-

December 11, 2012

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage
Directed by
Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images

It seems like just yesterday, but it’s been eleven years since Peter Jackson unleashed his vision of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings saga in theaters and now he is back giving us a prequel of sorts: The Hobbit. Taking place decades before the events of Fellowship of the Rings, The Hobbit follows the story of Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) as a young halfling who is recruited by the wizard Gandalf (McKellen) to join him and a group of rowdy dwarves who wish to rescue their home from a giant dragon who has taken up residence there.

There is no doubt that this is an adventure that fantasy-lovers have wanted to take for some time. I remember as a kid watching the old Warner Brothers animated version, never dreaming that a live-action Hobbit could ever become a reality. But then after Jackson released the third Lord of the Rings film, fans started screaming for him to recreate the book that started it all.

So does it live up to the hype? In ways yes, but in other ways it is disappointing.

The good news is that Jackson’s vision delivers a wonderfully written and directed story with the same production values everyone expects. If you’re not familiar with the tale, you might be a little surprised at how playful the movie is, but this is with good intent. Tolkien’s book is much, much lighter than The Lord of the Rings. It is a fun and whimsical journey through middle earth with plenty of danger but also loads of fun.

As you would expect from a project like this, the special effects are magnificent. Looking back at the trilogy, there are many moments that now look kind of fake. Here you can tell that they’ve taken a leap forward in visual effects technology. It looks so perfect that only your common sense tells you its not real.

But that’s also where the movie slips up. Jackson was so thrilled that this would be the first theatrically released film shot and projected in 3D at 48 frames per second instead of the the traditional 24. He has even convinced theater owners worldwide to upgrade their projection systems in order to exhibit the movie in this fashion. I am not an expert in this field and thus I really want to trust the filmmakers and other movie experts about this new technology, but personally I found the image on screen to be unsettling and extremely distracting. The hyper-realism this sort of image capture and projection provides might have greater clarity and smoothness, but to my initial view, it just doesn’t look right on the big screen. It reminds me of the look of a soap opera, a look that doesn’t belong in a movie theater. I’m not trying to sound like a purist. I really like to see progress and want to believe there is something to the technology, but I found myself concentrating more on the strange look of the film and less on the film itself. I feel that I’ve really missed out on a great experience that I’m hoping I can recapture when I try to see the film again in a theater that hasn’t upgraded its equipment yet.

Also a major distraction here is the length. Since Lord of the Rings succeeded as three films, the studio and filmmakers decided to make the Hobbit three as well. When you make three books into three movies, that seems reasonable. Making one book three movies? Not so much. It feels greedy. The pacing wasn’t by any means slow even though the film clocks in at two hours and forty-five minutes, but there does seem to be a lot of overkill here. I’m trying my hardest to reserve judgment about this until I have seen all three films, but I see no evidence early on that this couldn’t have been two big films instead, which I feel would have been a more fan-pleasing scenario. Only time will tell if Jackson’s three-film plan will work. So far he does have a darn good record. A-

December 5, 2012

New in Home Entertainment – December 4, 2012

New in Home Entertainment

December 4, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Anytime a film hits a billion dollars in world-wide gross, especially without being in 3D and charging the extra 3D bucks, you know the movie has to be a crowd-pleaser. Supposedly being the third and final film in writer/director Christopher Nolan’s highly successful Batman trilogy, Dark Knight Rises tells the story that takes place immediately following the events of The Dark Knight. Batman has basically retired until a new villain named Bane (Tom Hardy) takes over the city of Gotham, leaving Bruce Wayne no choice but to come out of hiding and take on the super villain. While its hard to match up to the Oscar-winning performance of Heath Ledger we saw in Dark Knight, Hardy is a very frightening bad guy and the plot he is involved with is as complex as it is dark. My only complaints are the film feels overly long at 165 minutes and PG-13 is too light of a rating. I know they couldn’t put out an R rate movie, but to tone the violence down to such levels makes the film seem inauthentic. And I am fairly certain that even my novice editing skills could have improved the movie by slicing and dicing about 20-30 minutes off the run time in order to help the pacing. But still, it is a worthy finale to the Dark Knight trilogy and should be an extremely popular stocking stuffer this holiday season. B+

Finding Nemo
Rated G
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Surprisingly, this immensely famous Pixar film has never seen a blu-ray release. I’m slightly shocked that Disney didn’t put one out last year knowing they could release again after the 3D theatrical run, and get more folks waste more cash to buy the newest edition. Thankfully they chose to just give it a huge release now and it is stuffed with great extras new and previous. But more importantly, the film is simply gorgeous in hi-def. Watching Marlin and Dory on their fantastic journey to find little Nemo has never looked or sounded as good at home. And while I’m not a big fan of many of the home 3D presentations, this one does utilize its after-market 3D effects well. A

East Bound and Down: The Complete Third Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this third and most likely final season of HBO’s hit show, former major-league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) is now back in America pitching for the minors in Myrtle Beach. Cocky and dumb as ever, Kenny finds himself left alone with his baby he just found out about and breaks every record possible for worst father of the year. This last season is much stronger than the second but also much darker. And they even saved the best episode of the show for last reaching new heights for stupidity and reckless behavior. B+

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Two
Available on Blu-ray
Comicon lovers everywhere are jonesing for this newest blu-ray release of the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and gang in their second season aboard The Enterprise on their mission to go where no one has gone before. The production design of the show is solid, but the difference between this hi-def presentation and the dvd isn’t overly noticeable. Still, the new set will make many fans very happy not just because of the presentation but also because of the amount of geektastic special features included. B

November 27, 2012

Life of Pi

Life of Pi
Starring Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan and Rafe Spall
Directed by Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
Rated PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril

Based on the much loved novel by Yann Martel, Life of Pi tells the story of a young boy with an usual life story. Literally raised in a zoo, Pi’s family in India decides to sell their animals to a zoo in Canada and on the boat journey there, Pi becomes the sole human survivor as he escapes on a life raft after a deadly storm. Soon to find out that also on the lifeboat is a ferocious tiger, Pi must find a way to not only survive his new boat mate, but also survive months lost at sea.

From frame one, you can tell that this isn’t an ordinary film. So much of this movie passes for the surreal. The images are extraordinarily beautiful and in 3D it’s hard not to just sit back and meditate on the fact that you are in movie heaven. So many movies made today might offer a 3D gimmick, but there is no gimmick here. This is one of the most impressive 3D offerings to date and exactly the kind of movie worth paying the extra dollars for the glasses.

Perhaps what is most impressive about Life of Pi is the vision of Oscar winning director Ang Lee and Oscar nominated cinematographer Claudio Miranda. Apparently I’m one of the few folks out there that hasn’t read the book, but I can’t imagine a description this vivid on paper. This is the work of brilliant people that know exactly how to deliver the images in their heads onto the screen. Of course it takes the special effects wizardry offered today to create this vision. After all, the CG tiger couldn’t have looked this real a few years ago and there’s absolutely no way to make this movie with a real beast, so it helps to make a film after finally having the technology to do so.

As for the story, I found every minute to be exhilarating. If you think a two hour movie about a boy and a tiger floating on the ocean can’t be exciting, you simply must see it to believe. The way the story is told, you feel almost every emotion felt by the young man at sea. Had they made Pi and the tiger friends, the picture wouldn’t be half as strong, but here when Pi is fearful for his life, you become fearful also. I bit my fingernails down to nubs and found myself squirming in my seat wondering how Pi was going to stay alive while constantly thinking “so better him than me.”

All of the production team and cast deserve a lot of credit here. Producing this kind of art takes an army, and for this project the right army was assembled. From the beautiful and intimate score by Mychael Danna, to the inspired production design by David Gropman, to the pitch perfect performances by Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Patel and others, this movie is one of those rare films that brings its audience a mesmerizing experience rather than just a couple of hours of entertainment. A+

November 26, 2012

New in Home Entertainment – November 27, 2012

New in Home Entertainment

November 27, 2012

ParaNorman
Rated PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language
Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD
Universal Studio’s latest stop-motion animated pic follows a boy named Norman who is treated like an outsider from everyone around him including his family, simply because he can see and talk to dead people. But when an ancient curse on his town is unleashed, Norman gets the chance to prove himself to everyone as he attempts to set things right. Just like Universal’s last stop-motion animated pic Coraline, as well as Disney’s A Nightmare Before Christmas, ParaNorman is a dark little film that’s not for everyone. It is uniquely creative and surprisingly fun to watch, but perhaps not the best film for all kids. That being said, my two-and-a-half year old loved it and was glued to the screen. As far as originality, the animation is original but the story feels a bit tried. But then again, the film’s audience will no doubt still enjoy it regardless of not being able to understand or appreciate many of the references. B+

Lawless
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexuality/nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Director John Hillcoat blew me away with his last two films The Proposition and The Road, so I was so excited to see his new vision of prohibition America as three brothers in Franklin County, Virginia attempt to fight off the feds and local law enforcement and defend their right to illegally make booze. Tom Hardy was perfect as the tough-as-nails Forrest, but Shia LaBeouf felt horribly miscast as the youngest and most trouble-making brother Jack. And to add injury to insult, the usually brilliant Guy Pearce was way too over-the-top to be believed in this historical drama. I also loved Gary Oldman’s gangster villain, but unfortunately he’s not seen enough to make a difference. C+

Men in Black 3
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content
Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD
When Men in Black came out in 1997 it showed promise of a great franchise. But then Men in Black 2 came around five years later to ruin everything. Now, fifteen years since the original, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back as the secret G-men who regulate extra-terrestrials on Earth. When the most horrible villain imaginable breaks out of his moon base prison, he goes back in time to kill Agent K (Jones), the man who put him in prison, and it is up to Agent J (Smith) to go back and work with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to prevent both his partner’s demise as well as the destruction of Earth. The plot is much stronger than expected, although there are some major holes, and the story is a lot of fun to watch unfold. I especially loved Brolin as the young Tommy Lee Jones. It is an absolutely perfect performance and really helped the film’s entertainment value. And it doesn’t hurt to have some amazing special effects and quite a few laughs as well. Overall, I found this third film to be very enjoyable and if they can figure out another clever way to make a fourth, I’ll be a little more open-minded about it. B+