Author: crunchonthis

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New in Home Entertainment – November 9, 2010



New in Home Entertainment

November 9, 2010

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Rated PG-13 for stylized violence, sexual content, language and drug references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Writer/director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) tells the story of a young Canadian nerd (Michael Cera) who falls in love with a mysterious new American girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).  Unfortunately, in order to win her, he must defeat her seven evil exes in battles to the death.  This is a prime example of a movie that was expected to succeed, and should have, but didn’t.  Perhaps the level of creativity that went into the film was too much or too different for most audiences, but despite stellar reviews and an impressive following, the movie bit the dust at the box office.  Hopefully home entertainment will be kinder to this brilliant little film that will no doubt make many critics’ top ten lists this year.  A

Love Ranch
Rated R for sexual content, pervasive language and some violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci star in this retelling of the story of Nevada’s first legal brothel, The Mustang Ranch.  In this tale, only the names are changed as the marital bliss is destroyed between Mirren’s and Pesci’s characters when Mirren falls for an Argentinian boxer that Pesci has bought the management rights for.  Mirren’s real-life husband Taylor Hackford (Ray) directs the gritty drama and the performances are solid throughout.  While it’s an interesting story for sure, the style, just like in Ray, is more like an R-rated movie of the week.  B-

Antichrist: Criterion Collection
NR (but would be NC-17 or worse if ratings board saw it)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a couple (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) lose their son in a freak accident, the wife goes into a deep depression that her psychotherapist husband attempts to help her deal with.  When they retreat to their cabin in the woods, the depression starts to possess her, bringing the couple into a downward spiral of evil.  I will start out by saying that this is one of the most uncomfortable films you will ever watch, if you dare to do so.  According to numerous message boards, many fans love to dissect the movie due its complex nature, but I found the subtext to be more profound than the storytelling, and the film to be more of a puzzle that I didn’t want to solve.  I like a good horror film, but this one goes too far for my taste, combining violence and pornography into an art film that is meant to be upsetting and revolting to its audience.  This Criterion edition does provide a plethora of features that will help you better understand the film, if you want to, as well as give you an insight to how director Lars von Trier pulled off the spectacular visuals.  C

Grown Ups
Rated PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider play childhood friends who come back to their home town when their basketball coach passes away.  In an attempt to catch up, they rent a big cabin in the area and get to know each other again.  There are probably some good scripts out there that could bring these guys together, but this one ain’t it.  Less of a script and more a bad opportunity for improv, the movie plods along from one lame joke to another where the high point is five men peeing in a public kiddie pool.  While a couple of lines will bring a smile, this is low-brow humor at its worst.  D

Lie to Me: The Complete Second Season
Available on DVD
Tim Roth stars in this Fox TV drama about a psychologist with the ability to read what a person is saying, not from their words, but from their non-verbal communication such as eye and body movement.  While his ability is good for him professionally, it works against him in his personal relationships as he knows when family and friends are trying to deceive him and he acts on his knowledge accordingly.  With a personality similar to House, its hard not to enjoy watching Roth work his talents, even though I think most people hate the idea of someone judging them in this manner.  I’m very surprised that the series is still able to come up with original plot lines, as I thought for sure that this would get stale quickly, but the talented writing team churned out a strong second season with these 22 episodes.  B

Alien Anthology
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
It’s been 31 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien played in theaters, introducing the world to one of the scariest monsters the human mind can imagine.  This long-awaited blu-ray set, features all four of the films in a beautiful box set with more special features than you could think possible.  While Alien 3 still suffers from lousy special effects and Alien Resurrection still suffers from a lousy script, the first two films, Alien and Aliens, remain two of the most horrifying films of all time and have never looked better.  Also of note is that rather than Fox only putting one version of the film in the set, each comes with the option to watch either the theatrical or director’s cut, and in these films, the directors cuts are very different from their theatrical counterparts in both content and even plot.  Alien A; Aliens A+; Alien 3 B; Alien Resurrection C+  

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Fair Game

Fair Game

Starring Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, and Sam Shepard
Directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity)
Rated PG-13 for some language
Appropriate for ages 13+

    Based on an unfortunate true story that unfolded in 2003, CIA agent Valerie Plame (Watts) was illegally outed by members of the Bush administration, and when her husband, Joseph Wilson (Penn), attempted to stand up to the injustice, the challenges they faced put a strain on their careers, their family, and their relationship.

    From the premise, this film sounds like movie-of-the-week material rather than a feature film starring two of the best actors in Hollywood.  But with a wonderful screenplay, terrific directing, and amazing performances by everyone involved, the movie was able to elevate itself to become a very good political thriller.

    What some might consider a very low point of the Bush administration, the events that inspired this film are brought to life in a way that actually makes you feel like it is you against the world, and there is no way of winning.  Penn pulls off the strong-willed defensive husband beautifully and  Watts is nearly perfect as the confused woman whose commitment to her work becomes increasingly dangerous for those around her.

    Director Doug Liman does an admiral job presenting this material in an exciting, fast-paced way that enhances the story-telling, allowing the audience to grow more and more angry at the enemies, who in real life were eventually prosecuted and even sentenced to prison.  His style almost  makes the film feel like a state-side version of Green Zone.

    While there is a strong political agenda to this film that many at Fox News will have a problem with, the script lends a credible historical accuracy to the events of the day and very much serves as a reminder of why not to blindly follow our national leaders when we should be keeping them in check as much as possible.  A-

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New in Home Entertainment – November 2, 2010



New in Home Entertainment

November 2, 2010

The Pacific
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It’s easy to describe The Pacific as Band of Brothers vs. the Japanese, but that comparison has also been a cause for unrealistic expectations.  After all, Band of Brothers is about a group of soldiers that for the most part knew each other and were close friends before going into battle.  Soldiers in the Pacific arena of WWII didn’t have that luxury and thus the stories became more about surviving with one’s humanity intact rather than fighting for the guy next to you.  That being said, when viewed without the expectations of Band of Brothers in Asia, the film is a deeper, more thought-provoking experience than its HBO predecessor.  The production is first rate, giving the audience the very uncomfortable experience of what it was like to be in the war.  Whether or not you have already seen the series, I highly recommend first watching the special feature Profiles of the Pacific in order to get a more in-depth perspective of the soldiers whose stories are being told.  Also recommended is the blu-ray exclusive Enhanced Viewing Mode which gives a picture-in-picture experience that will help you gain a stronger historical understanding of the war and the soldiers that fought there.  A

Toy Story 3
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It’s now November and I am not alone in the opinion that the two best films of the year so far are both animated.  While I hold How to Train Your Dragon in higher regard, Toy Story 3 ranks a close second.  In this third Toy Story tale, Andy is now going off to college and Woody and gang are mistakenly donated to a daycare.  While at first things look up for the old toys, events eventually turn south for them and Woody must find a way to help everyone escape.  So much talent and love went into this film that there is no wonder that it’s such a pleasure to watch.  I would suggest that you have some tissue handy for the ending which is sure to make you shed a tear or ten.  Also check out some of the features on the blu-ray including Cine-Explore which lends a greater appreciation for the behind-the-scenes of the movie, as well as some very entertaining short animated stories told by the crew.  A+

The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition
Rated G
Available on Blu-ray and Special Edition Collectors Blu-ray Set
Widely thought of as one of the greatest films of all time, The Sound of Music makes it Hi Def debut in style with this new 45th Anniversary Edition.    This new 3-disc set contains a breathtaking new remastered print with 7.1 DTS-HD sound and an immense archive of information on the making of the film as well as a deeper look into the actual events that inspired the story.  Check out the My Favorite Things mode which allows you to experience the film with picture-in-picture facts, trivia, production photos, and a sing-a-long.  My only complaint is that the blue menu for the Favorite Things mode doesn’t go away, but it’s a small price for such a great feature.  A

The Commish: The Complete Series
Available on DVD
Long before Michael Chiklis starred in The Shield, he was The Commish in this ABC dramedy about a former Brooklyn cop that becomes a police commissioner in a small town.  While the quality of the writing is a little inconsistent and sometimes a way too nice, the show still holds up as both entertaining and nostalgic.  Plus, it’s interesting to see Chiklis looking older in 1991 then he does now in 2010.  B-

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Hereafter



Hereafter

Starring Matt Damon, Cecile De France, and Jay Mohr
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing disaster and accident images, and for brief strong language
Appropriate for ages 13+

    Matt Damon is a retired Psychic who might be the only person on earth with an actual gift to speak to the deceased.  He considers it a curse, though, and wishes never to have to use his ability again.  But when a young British boy loses his twin brother and a French journalist dies during a natural disaster and returns to life, the three souls are drawn toward each other by fate.

    From the outside this film looks like it will be a heavy, spiritual film that will deeply touch any audience brave enough to watch it.  After all, it’s a film about life and death and the connection between the two and you can’t get much more profound than that.  Unfortunately, the decision was made to mock Christianity and Islam through the device of a child watching youtube videos, leaving Matt Damon as the only true link to life everlasting.  Maybe writer Peter Morgan thought that it might be less offensive to audiences to make the themes agnostic, but I think the opposite is true.  It’s hard for me to believe that anyone would be touched by a movie afraid to take a stance and, other than the youtube videos, no mention of religion is hinted at.

    Besides being a generic afterlife movie in theme, many of the qualities you would normally expect to be great coming from an Eastwood picture aren’t there.  While Damon and De France turn in good enough performances, many of the others actors are sub-par.  The child, played by real-life twin brothers looks like he is reading off of cue cards and never once pretends to be a serious actor.  In a movie like this that is highly unfortunate as this role needs to be there in order for the movie to work.

    In addition, the score, written by Eastwood himself, is a disappointment throughout.  I’m not doubting his abilities as a musician, but I am doubting his judgment as to what music works and where.  With a better composer I think I might have been at least a lot less distracted.  

   Still, fixing the smaller flaws doesn’t help the story enough to make it a compelling drama.  Maybe it’s that I expected a lot and didn’t get it, but I left the theater feeling cheated out of what could have been a great experience.  C

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New in Home Entertainment – October 26, 2010

New in Home Entertainment

October 26, 2010

Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy
Rated PG
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When Marty McFly and Doc Brown first graced the big screen 25 years ago they had no idea that they would be participating in a ground-breaking trilogy that would go onto make almost a billion dollars at the box-office and even more on home video.  After all, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale had shopped the project around Hollywood for years with no interest whatsoever.  It took Zemeckis’s success with Romancing the Stone and Steven Spielberg’s blessing to just get to the point where they could green light the project.  Then they shot five weeks of film with Eric Stoltz instead of Michael J. Fox before making the change to the Family Ties star.  So while difficulties abound in the production, you’d never know it watching these new HD transfers of the film that were so lovingly put together for the 25th anniversary.  While the second film is a little dated due to being so off on the look of the year 2015, the trilogy as a whole holds up very well and is just as fun now as it was back then.  Also included in this special edition are tons of great new special features as well as digital copy so you can put all three films on your mobile device.  A

Sex and the City 2
Rated R for some strong sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this new adventure, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda head to Abu Dhabi to get an escape from both New York City and their boring lives.  After the success of the television show and the first film it’s no wonder the girls are back again, but why they agreed to come back for this script is beyond me.  More than ever before, this new tale shows the girls to be more self-infatuated and selfish than you can possibly imagine and for the most contrived of reasons.  From the gay wedding at the beginning to the return back to the city, the film proves to be one of the most ill-conceived films I’ve seen in years.  And if you are merely wanting to see some good fashion – look elsewhere.  While I am not a expert in the subject, if this is haute couture, I want no part of it.  The girls were wearing incredibly ugly costumes and changed their clothes in every scene.  It was almost as if the fashion designers were playing a joke on them.  The good news is that this film will probably win some major awards.  The bad news is that they will be for worst film of the year.  F

Paths of Glory: The Criterion Collection
Not Rated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With a chin that takes up its own zip code, Kirk Douglas provides one of the great all-time performances in Stanley Kubrick’s 1957 anti-war masterpiece.  It’s a very unconventional film in that the actors speak with U.S. dialects instead of World War One French soldiers.  That being said, I’d rather see that than a bunch of bad accents  that could have ruined the message.  More a thought-provoking picture than War action film, the script, based on the Humphrey Cobb novel does a tremendous job showing the ugliness of war and what it does to the morality of the men involved.  This newly restored edition looks pristine and I highly suggest listening to the new audio commentary by Gary Giddins which sheds light on many of the film’s mysteries.  Also check out the television interview with Douglas from 1979 which gives an amazing portrait of the legendary actor.  A-

Wild Grass
Rated PG for some thematic material, language and brief smoking
Available on DVD
French with with English Subtitles
When a woman has her wallet stolen, the man who eventually finds it sets off on an insane mission to win the woman’s heart, even with his wife’s knowledge.  This very well-made french comedy is funny due to the many unexpected actions of every actor involved, but many will find it a little too French, or at least too culturally different from their normal entertainment.  After-all, it is a very bizarre romantic tale that can’t in the least be described as a love story.  And the ending is so untraditional that it will throw much of its American audiences off completely.  So my advice: if you are feeling a little daring – check this title out.  B-

Surviving the Holidays with Lewis Black
Available on DVD
Comedian Lewis Black, along with The History Channel, takes a look at the period of time from Thanksgiving to New Years and with the help of comedian friends, experts and a shrink, and attempts to explain the history of all events you may come across with tons of funny commentary thrown in.  The special is very funny, and surprisingly clean considering the comics involved.  While some of the jokes are repeated due to a poor editing job, the show still comes across as not only interesting but hilarious as well.  B

The Girl Who Played with Fire
Rated R for brutal violence including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Swedish with English Subtitles
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo returns in this second film of the trilogy and this time she is in deep trouble due to some incriminating evidence found at a crime she didn’t commit.  With her goal of both escaping the law and exposing a sex trade scandal, she goes on a wild adventure that puts her life in danger.  While the movie plays much better when taken as a whole with all three films, especially the third film, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, it is still a tremendous thrill ride and could put Noomi Rapace in the running for this year’s Oscar for Best Actress.  If you’ve seen the first one, or read the books, then you know what you are getting into, but if not, please note that this series of films are not for the feint of heart and strict attention should be placed on the rating.  A-

Dog the Bounty Hunter: The Wild Ride Megaset
Available on DVD
This megaset, which includes the 45 top-rated episodes that follow Dog and his posse as they go after bail-jumpers, shows a unique side of the business in a reality format that proves to be quite interesting.  While the drama is pushed to the limit thanks to a driving soundtrack and an overly serious group of characters, the series never looks too contrived to be enjoyed.  B-

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Red

Red

Starring Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman and Karl Urban
Directed by Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler’s Wife)
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and brief strong language
Appropriate for ages 13+

    RED, which stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous, is the code given to ex-CIA black ops agents that could pose a threat to national security.  When retired agent Frank Moses (Willis) is forced to escape a CIA assassination plot, he gets together with some of his old RED cohorts to discover the cause for wanting him out of the picture.  When they uncover a secret plot set up by the Vice President, they attempt to turn the tides on their would be killers.

    This very unique film plays as both a thriller and a comedy with loads of action and laughter throughout.  The cast assembled here is like a who’s who of 50+ year old thespians having a late mid-life crisis.  Due to the smart script by Erich and Jon Hoeber, the movie never slows down and is full of surprises.  The biggest surprise though is Karl Urban who is best known for his role of Bones in the latest Star Trek reboot.  Due to his ability to steal every scene he is a part of, he is very much an actor I can’t wait to see more of.

    The difficulty this film will have is appealing to a younger crowd and convincing the adult audience that it’s okay to see this one in theaters.   
After all, although this film has a great appeal, it definitely lacks a broad appeal.  And the audience that is most likely to see a film like this has been notorious for waiting for the DVD release.  

    So is it worth seeing now or waiting?  If you are in need of a fun night out and don’t want to have to fight teenagers keeping you from enjoying it – I would say yes.  This is probably the greatest chance you’ll have to see an adult-skewing big action flick without many of the distractions you find in this genre.  B+
  

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New on DVD October 19, 2010

New on DVD October 19, 2010

How to Train Your Dragon
Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the best-selling children’s books by Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon tells the story of a young boy named Hiccup in a mythological Viking village that falls under the constant attack of Dragons.  When Hiccup takes down the most vicious Dragon known to Vikings, he chooses to befriend it instead of killing it.  For me, this is still the best film of the year so far.  It is full of raw emotion, thrills, daring and adventure.  It is both spectacular to look at and listen to thanks to the brilliant directing by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders and a breathtaking score by John Powell.  The special features are also very much worth taking a look at just so you can see the pure artistry of the film.  A+

Oceans
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Continuing Disney’s Earth Day Nature series is a stunning look at the Oceans of the world.  Just like last year’s release Earth, the visuals are amazing and truly beautiful to take in.  The problem with this one is the horrendous script and even worse narration by Pierce Brosnan.  I consider myself to be a conservationist, but the story told here hurts the cause and serves just to annoy the viewer rather than to enhance the picture.  Maybe if you can turn the volume down all the way and turn on some nice classical music the film has a chance to be enjoyed.  C

The Karate Kid
Rated PG for bullying, martial arts action violence and some mild language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan star in this reboot of the original 80s classic.  In this story, Jaden is forced to move to China due to his mother’s new job, and in order to not get picked on and beat up by school bullies, he must train under the tutelage of Jackie Chan and eventually face the bullies at an open tournament.  While the story is  very contrived, it is hard not to be impressed by Smith’s discipline and knowledge of martial arts.  The kid really learned to fight and  the choreography is remarkable.  The film is also pretty to look at, showing the more aesthetically pleasing parts of China and leaving out the ugliness.  I could have gone for a little better acting on the part of Smith, but his ego gets in the way of his performance.  Then again, when your mom and dad (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith) give you your own 55 million dollar film, its hard not to get a bit of an ego going.  B-

Jonah Hex
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the Civil War era DC Comics character, Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) seeks revenge against the man that killed his wife and child.  While the movie contains a lot of action and violence, due to bad directing and an even worse script, the film fails to deliver an entertaining experience.  There is great potential here but the PG-13 rating keeps it from going where it needs to go to succeed and the way it’s pieced together shows the studio gave up on it before it was released.  Not even a scantily clad Megan Fox could save this comic tale.  C-

Psycho: 50th Anniversary Edition
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
Finally getting the much-needed HD treatment is Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic Psycho.  The transfer looks pristine and thanks to a very talented and caring sound production crew, the movie now has a stunning 5.1 surround track.  While the movie has lost a bit of its scare over the last 50 years, it is still extremely creepy and remains one of the most influential movies of our time.  Check out the new special feature on Psycho Sound as well as some of the old features including Hitchcock’s Legacy and a great commentary by Stephen Rebello.  A

The Darjeeling Limited: Criterion Edition
Rated R for language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Wes Anderson’s film about three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody and Jason Schwartzman) traveling through India to visit their missionary mom is getting the ultimate collectors touch with this new Criterion set which contains tons of great special features and everything you would ever want to know about what went on in the making of the surreal comedy.  While it’s not my favorite Anderson pic, it remains probably his most artistic.  Now we just need Criterion to take on Rushmore and Fantastic Mr. Fox! B+

Predators
Rated R for strong creature violence and gore and pervasive language.  
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While originally slotted to be the first sequel to Predator, this new Predator story tells the tale of some of Earth’s greatest killers who are all kidnapped and put onto a game reserve on another planet so the the Predators can have fun hunting them for sport.  The unlikely cast assembled are some Hollywood’s best actors including Adrian Brody, Topher Grace and Laurence Fishburne and the movie provides for a pretty entertaining butt-kicking action flick.  Sure its silly at times, but the movie doesn’t suffer from it.  B+

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 35 Anniversary Edition
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
The first time I saw Rocky Horror was on VHS with only three people in the room.  So its no wonder that I thought it to be a pretty crappy film.  But once I had the chance to see it with hundreds of people all screaming and going wild, I came to the realization that this is just not a good film to watch without a crazy crowd.  This blu-ray release attempts to remedy this with a picture-in-picture midnight experience that I can’t suggest highly enough.  Otherwise you’ll get the same lousy experience I had the first time and wonder what all of the hubbub is about.  B-

    

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Waiting for Superman

Waiting for Superman

Directed by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth)
Rated PG for some thematic material, mild language and incidental smoking
Appropriate for all ages

    Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are probably well-aware that our educational system in America is broken.  The education our kids are getting is ranked almost last in the list of developed countries – and it is getting worse, not better.  Waiting for Superman is a documentary that explores what is wrong and why, unless drastic action is taken, the problems won’t be fixed.  By following children in both good and bad socioeconomic situations, the movie shows the harsh reality that our kids must senselessly face every day.

    If you are looking for a film that will both inform you and make you crazily angry – you can’t go wrong here.  While the point of the movie is to stir up emotions, the film also does an excellent job of throwing out ideas on how to take action. 

    It is gut-wrenching watching young children who want to excel having to rely on a lottery system in order to get the chance to get the education they deserve.  The film shows a school program in America that actually is working called KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) where kids are all treated like they not only can succeed, but that they should succeed.  The only problem is that there are far more kids that want in than spots available.  For the children being followed here, there are hopes and dreams of the future at stake and they are convinced, justifiably so, that their only chance is in a random drawing to attend the special school. 

    It is sad to see the kids count on such a system, but what is more sad is why aren’t schools switching to more successful ways of teaching our youth.  While the filmmakers don’t do a great job exploring issues such as bad parenting and bad students, the argument is more for why aren’t kids who want to achieve given the chance.  Much blame is placed on the Teacher’s Unions – and the fact that it is almost impossible for a tenured teacher to lose his or her job – even if they are providing an environment that is poisonous to their students.  The statistics are sound.  Only 1 in 2400 tenured teachers loses his or her license, a number that is not even closely matched by any other profession.  My question is will firing the bottom 10% of teachers make a difference?  The opinion of this film is absolutely yes.  It is the key.  Very little effort is placed in proving other arguments like more money for teachers, more money for education, and longer school years, but the central argument is well-defended. 

    Whatever the cure is, this film shows the need for one and will hopefully be a powerful agent for change.  If you are a parent, teacher, or an individual who is just merely concerned that things are going downhill fast, this is a must-see film.  Sure it will make you angry, and will most likely make you want to act out of that anger – but maybe that is just what this film is trying to be – a catalyst for revolution.  A   

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The Social Network

The Social Network

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake
Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club)
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language
Appropriate for ages 13+

    While a two-hour movie about the creation of the popular social media site Facebook sounds excruciating at first thought, The Social Network proves that when you get a good enough director, writer, and cast – any story can be made not only interesting but thrilling as well.

    The Social Network begins with the not so humble albeit brilliant Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) as he succeeds in getting the authorities at Harvard riled up by crashing their servers.  From there he lands himself in hot water when he decides to create the first version of Facebook and people come out of the woodwork claiming that he stole their ideas and even their right to the profits of the site.  We all know what happens in the present, but following these early years (all of which take place within the last decade) asks many questions that have never really been answered and tells the tale of a brash young genius who doesn’t care about money but does care deeply about the credit.

    David Fincher does such an excellent job creating a crazy, frantic mood and he gives the film a great deal of its dark personality.  That being said, without the amazing script by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) it’s hard to imagine this movie being worth watching at all.  It might not be completely non-fiction, since the story did not come from the keyboards of those that were there, but it’s as close to non-fiction as we’ll probably ever get and the events are what are most important.  Getting from one stage to the next is all in the hands of one of the best writers of our generation.

    Also of great importance is the extremely talented cast.  Jesse Eisenberg has always played such nerdy, wimpy characters and for him to come on as the man whose brain can beat your brawn is truly impressive.  Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake also provide terrific performances that could land either or both an Oscar nom this year. 

    The film’s not perfect by any means.  There are moments where the technicalities cause it to drag and while the tale might be true, the story objectifies and demeans women to a place where they are nothing more than girlfriends or wannabe lovers of smart men, not capable of actually contributing to the success of Facebook, except for in an inspirational manner. 

    Still, these are forgivable sins, and the pic ends up being one of the most entertaining films to be released so far this year.  A-

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New on DVD

New on DVD

Baseball: The Tenth Inning
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ken Burns professes on the special features of this documentary that he refuses to make additions to his award-winning specials, but with Baseball something happened that caused him to change his mind: The Red Sox finally won the world series.  So starting where he left off, Burns explores the history of baseball over the last two decades, from the labor strike that almost crippled the sport, to the home run contest between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, to the steroid controversy, and onto his home team finally giving their fans a world series win.  While I’m not really a big fan of baseball, it’s impossible to watch this and not be enthralled by the history of the sport.  As usual, the film is extremely well-edited, well-produced, and superbly narrated by actor Keith David.  A

Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition
Rated G
Available on DVD/Blu-ray combo
Back when the Oscars only had five movies in their best picture category, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film to ever be nominated for Best Picture.  While it didn’t end up beating out Silence of the Lambs (what could), it did end up winning the Golden Globe for best comedy/musical – another unaccomplished feat before 1991.  Now for the first time on Blu-ray, I think most folks will perceive it to be a no-brainer that HD is only way to take in this ground-breaking film, but also of note are the extensive special features Disney has added to the mix.  All of the previous features are still present, but check out the supplemental disc for the documentary Beyond Beauty which tells the decades long story of how Beauty finally got made and what, exactly, went into making it.  Even if you already own the DVD, this new edition is well worth replacing the old.  A+

A Nightmare on Elm Street
Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, disturbing images, terror and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This new Michael Bay reboot of the teen slasher film replaces Robert Englund with Jackie Earle Haley as the infamous Freddy Krueger – a maniacal monster that haunts teenagers’ dreams and kills them in their sleep.  There seems to be a lot more fright in this new version, but the one thing this redo lacks that the other one had in spades was a sick sense of humor that made the film fun.  This isn’t fun at all, but rather just a bunch of pretty kids getting killed and a silly story.  The acting and production are all fine, but without entertainment value this version proves to be just a waste of a good remake.  C

The Human Centipede: First Sequence
Not Rated but not meant for anyone under 18
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When two American teenagers seek shelter from a storm while on vacation in Germany, they find themselves victim to a mad scientist who wants to use them in his latest experiment: creating a human centipede by attaching them mouth to buttocks with another victim recently captured.  This is the epitome of sick, twisted, vile films that will probably do well as a cult classic (just the trailer has been widely publicized) and will unfortunately be the older teenager late-night sleepover film for years to come.  While it never takes itself too seriously, it is still a film that is not even remotely pleasant to watch.  And if you make some popcorn while watching – it’s liable to find its way back into the bag.  C

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Maltese Falcon
Both Available on Blu-ray
Finally on HD are two of Humphrey Bogart’s best films from his career: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and the film noir classic The Maltese Falcon.  You might be asking yourself “why is HD important for these old film?”  It’s simple – increasing lines of resolution on a restored black and white print makes the film look crisp and pristine – maybe even as good as when it first came out.  Both discs are loaded with special features including a night at the movies feature introduced by Leonard Maltin and informative commentaries by Bogart biographer Eric Lax.  Treasure: A-; Maltese Falcon A+