Category: DVD Review

Cloud Atlas
Rated R for violence, language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This new, extremely ambitious project from the Wachowski siblings (The Matrix) and Tom Tykwer (Perfume) tells several unique stories taking place in the past, present and future, all with the same centralized theme: slavery and freedom.  Some of the stories are epic, such as the one about the human fabricant from New Seoul, and some are less inspired.  But as a whole, the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and your brain racing as you try to figure it all out.  Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and others each play multiple characters, male and female, making the movie seem more like an intimate play than a big-budget extravaganza.  I’ve seen the movie 3 times now and I still don’t really get it – but I still really want to.  Thankfully there are some great special features here to help clear up some of the confusion.  B+

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Mama
Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When two girls go missing in the woods for a long period of time and are then found, they go to live with their uncle and aunt.  Unfortunately, the spirit in the woods that has practically raised them comes along and haunts the newly-formed family.  In order to better sell the project to audiences, the film is first billed as ‘Guillermo Del Toro Presents’ even though it looks like he had very little to do with the actual production.  Instead, a very capable director, Andy Muschietti, does a fine job at delivering a very creepy movie that overdoes the CG a little too much, but still provides chills-a-plenty.  Of course it helps to have two-time Oscar nom Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) heading up the talented cast. While its certainly not as scary or eccentric as some of Del Toro’s actual projects, this one will make most horror fans happy.  B

Jack Reacher
Rated PG-13 for violence, language and some drug material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This much-anticipated first film based on the famous character from the Lee Child book series introduces us to the world of Jack Reacher, played here by Tom Cruise.  Jack is a highly decorated former MP and a nomad, moving from town to town, owning nothing but a toothbrush.  When a former military sniper is arrested for taking out a crowd of civilians, Reacher rushes in to help the defense attorney (Rosamund Pike) figure out all of the details of the case and if maybe there is more to it than what was originally thought.  The story itself is interesting, but the production seems so amateur.  The script is pretty lousy, making you think you are watching auditions or rehearsals rather than a polished film.  That could possibly be due to some lousy casting or bad performances, but it just didn’t feel like a Tom Cruise movie.  To make it worse, the pacing was slow and the music was terrible.  The only thing holding the project together was Cruise, who really tried admirably to create this new franchise.  If only it didn’t show like a made-for-television Friday night special.  C-

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Django Unchained
Rated R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In Django Unchained, a freed slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) helps the man who freed him (Christoph Waltz) with some bounty hunting in exchange for a hand in getting back his wife from a notorious slave owner (Leonardo DeCaprio).  If you’ve been in a box and aren’t familiar with writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s unique style, then fair warning – his films can be offensive to some.  If you are a fan of his work or just enjoy edgy movies – then you should love his newest western.  It is incredibly violent but still extremely fun to watch.  The jokes will hit you from all sides as will a few blood splatters.  I found this to be about as entertaining as you can get and was excited to see the film take home a couple of Oscars for both Screenplay and a supporting actor trophy for Waltz.  A

Jacob
Unrated but contains graphic violence and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Local Houston area film maker Larry Wade Carrell writes, directs and stars in this terrific little indie horror B-movie about a mentally disturbed man (Dylan Horne) who goes on a killing spree when a tragedy occurs with his loving young niece (Grace Powell).  Sure its a genre movie with a low budget, but its great to see how good a local project can get with limited dollars and only one star (Michael Biehn) in the credits.  The overall production is more than decent and the pacing of the story makes it one you should check out when reaching for your next horror film.  B

Future Weather
Unrated
Available on DVD
Yet another good little indie is this film by Jenny Deller about a brilliant young 13-year-old girl (Perla Haney-Jardine) whose mother abandons her leaving her only $50 to fend for herself.  With a reluctant grandmother (Amy Madigan) to care for her and a caring school teacher (Lili Taylor) to inspire her, she become a responsible adult much sooner than she should.  Sure its a little Lifetime-y, but if you are in the mood, this is a well-acted, well-written story that most will find engaging.  B

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The Sweeney
Rated R for violence and language throughout and some sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on an old 70’s UK TV show which most Americans will have never heard of, The Sweeney is the name of an elite group of police officers tasked with taking out armed robbery and violent crime in the streets of London.  Led by a tough old brute, played by Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast), the group of cops will do anything to take down the bad guys, even if it means bending or breaking a few rules.  Winstone and his team are a lot of fun to watch, even if the plot is completely predictable and the the dialog needs a translator, or at least subtitles, to help navigate the way.  Overall the film is likable and will satisfy most fans of British crime dramas.  B-

To the Arctic
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D
This short IMAX documentary explores the arctic by following the lives of a mother polar bear and her two cubs as well as a group of walrus and caribou.  You get the feeling that the walrus and caribou were just there to fill time since they probably didn’t have enough polar bear footage, but even if that is the case, the film is still a decent enough nature doc.  The photography, especially the daring underwater footage, is spectacular and really looks great on a big home theater system.  Too bad the preachy narration by Meryl Streep starts to get annoying very fast. They could have made a simple and impactful point by showing their example of arctic ice melting, but instead opted to pelt the audience over the head with climate change talk that essentially states “what part of this are you idiots not getting?”  I wish they had an audio track that simply muted Streep and boosted the many Paul McCartney songs placed throughout.  B-

Lincoln
Rated PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Arguably Steven Spielberg’s best film since Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln tells the story of the last days of Lincoln’s life, and possibly the greatest, as he attempts to get congress to ratify the 14th Amendment, and thus emancipating the slaves.  Masterfully acted by Oscar winning legend Daniel Day Lewis with several other terrific performances including Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field, Lincoln is a showcase worthy of winning the big trophy this year.  I am not alone in my belief that the the only reason it lost the Oscar to Argo was that Ben Affleck did not get nominated for best director and the Academy revolted.  This really is an historical masterpiece that will be enjoyed and studied for decades to come.  A+

A Royal Affair
Rated R for sexual content and some violent images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Danish with English Subtitles
Yet another historical drama is this Oscar-nominated foreign film about a young queen who has an affair with the insane Danish King Christian VII’s royal physician.  With a wonderful narrative and stunning production values, A Royal Affair proves to be engrossing and fascinating while still attempting to be as historically accurate as possible.  Unlike it’s very similar cousin, Anna Karenina (Alicia Vikander stars in both), this film doesn’t come off as depressing in spite of its dark subject matter.  A

Badlands: The Criterion Collection
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Terrence Malick (Tree of Life) came on the scene in a big way with this crime drama based on the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of 1958.  Essentially breaking the careers of Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, as well as Malick’s own, Badlands is an almost ethereal retelling of a horrible event in the most beautiful of ways.  I would have loved to have seen a commentary show up with the set, but the many special features do give good cause to watch.  Among them is a new documentary with Sheen, Spacek and Art Director Jack Fisk as well as a 1993 episode of the television program American Justice which shows the real events of the killing spree and makes you thankful that this movie wasn’t made to be as violent or disturbing as the real events.  B+

Veep: The Complete First Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the vain, shallow and disrespected Vice President in this new HBO hit comedy.  You really hope that this is not an accurate representation of our nation’s leaders, but unfortunately you get the feeling it probably isn’t far from the truth.  That being said, the show is one of the best new comedies I’ve seen since Modern Family.  There are moments when I laughed myself silly and had to rewind to hear the dialog over my own guffaws.  The show’s biggest fault is that there are not enough episodes.  Good thing Season Two starts up in April.  A-

Star Trek Enterprise: Season One
Available on Blu-ray
Taking place over a hundred years before Kirk and Spock joined Starfleet, Star Trek Enterprise, or merely “Enterprise” to most Trekkies, is an excellent representation of the franchise that kept most fans very happy.  Starring Quantum Leap’s Scott Bakula as captain Jonathan Archer, the show worked largely because of the scaled down technology and the fact that they are just getting around to going to where no man has gone before.   Sure this one is probably mostly for the fans, but it is still entertaining for those of us who don’t attend the conventions as well.  B

Les Miserables
Rated PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
What a great time for home entertainment!  So many of my favorite 2012 films are hitting shelves this week and next.  But I’ll begin with my favorite film of 2012: Les Mis.  It was so important for the filmmakers to create a legacy with this musical turned movie.  After all, you really only get one chance.  Phantom of the Opera was practically ruined by inability but thankfully, director Tom Hooper and his multi-talented production team not only had the desire to do this project but the vision as well.  The story of Jean Valjean, a post-French Revolution ex-convict who escapes his parole only to positively impact every life he comes into contact with, is masterfully recreated here.  Hugh Jackman, Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and many others turn in immensely powerful performances that will leave you emotionally drained by the end of the show.  The set contains some great special features including a look at the unique way in which the performances were captured.  My favorite feature though is the HD digital copy that comes with the blu-ray.  Most digital copy nowadays is standard def or even worse, the useless ultraviolet.  Universal, as far as I know, is the only studio allowing for you to put a 1080p copy on your system for replay on Apple TV or your mobile devices, making this set a must-own for your collection.  A+

Life of Pi
Rated PG for emotional thematic content throughout, and some scary action sequences and peril
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
There was little surprise when director Ang Lee won the Oscar this year for Life of Pi.  If you read the book you were probably shocked that it could be translated to film.  Not only did they accomplish this extraordinary feat, but they did it in grand fashion.  And for those of you who ask the question “how can a movie mainly about a boy in a boat with a tiger be any good?”  My answer is I would have thought the same thing until I watched it.  Now I’m a believer.  The special effects are pretty magnificent here, but they are only there to enhance the storytelling.  This is a wonderfully crafted film full of imagination and wonder.  Personally, I’ve seen it four times now and still can’t get enough of it.  Every time I watch it I fall in love with it a little bit more.  A+

Zero Dark Thirty
Rated R for strong violence including brutal disturbing images, and for language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
And yet another great film is the story of the manhunt and assassination of Osama Bin Laden as told by director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal (both of The Hurt Locker).  Jessica Chastain, while not taking home the big trophy, easily put on the best female performance of the year as the young CIA agent whose work was responsible for bringing down the mastermind of Nine-Eleven.  Full of suspense and well-paced from start the finish, Zero Dark Thirty is a hugely important piece of filmmaking.  A

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March 5, 2013

Wreck-It Ralph
Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
If you are like me and have actually seen all of the Oscar-nominated animated films this year, you are probably also deeply disappointed that Brave won out.  It was suggested to me that most of the voters probably didn’t actually see them all and simply guessed that Pixar should win.  That is the only thing that makes sense.  Oh well.  Being released this week having only won every other award given this year is Wreck-It Ralph, a novel and extremely fun Disney film about a video game villain who deeply wants to be loved and respected rather than despised and feared.  The movie is very well-written and even better acted.  John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and many other talented actors lend their unique voices to make this a very entertaining film for both kids and adults.  And not only do you get the best animated film of 2013 but the set also comes with the Oscar-winning short Paperman which is a thoroughly enjoyable mini romance.  A-

The Intouchables
Rated R for language and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
French with English Subtitles
I was as surprised as anyone to see that this French crowd pleaser about a young hoodlum from the projects in Paris who becomes the caretaker for a wealthy quadriplegic is actually ranked #62 in the IMDB Top 250 films of all time.  But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.  The film is so darn likable that it becomes incredibly easy to forgive and even ignore its mistakes.  The performances by Francois Cluzet (Tell No One) and Omar Sy (Micmacs) are an experience to behold and the chemistry between the two makes the film that much more endearing.  It’s hard to imagine someone sitting through this movie without a constant smile on their face and holding back a little tear in their eye.  B+

Schindler’s List: 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Rated R for language, some sexuality and actuality violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I honestly haven’t seen this legendary film since it was in theaters back in 1993.  Now, 20 years later, it is just as powerful, just as beautiful and just as difficult to watch.  But man is this a fantastic story, perfectly directed by Spielberg with a production to match.  The story of Oskar Schindler, a manipulative German businessman who begins the tale by taking advantage of Jews during WWII and ends up risking all to save them is so memorable that I feel like it was completely familiar and part of me, even though I hadn’t seen the movie in two decades.  This new version has been restored in high definition and looks and sounds amazing on a big screen television with blu-ray.  The only disappointing aspect is that the new special features are all on the DVD portion of the film, but then again, most people would hardly care about that. Being that this is Spielberg’s most important film, I do wish he’d have put up a commentary, but I guess he didn’t feel compelled.  A+