Category: DVD Review

New in Home Entertainment

July 24, 2012

Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In Japanese with English subtitles
In Tokyo there is an 85-year-old sushi chef named Jiro Ono who owns a 10 seat restaurant in a subway station.  Thought by many to be one of the greatest sushi restaurants in the world, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded the prestigious three-star Michelin Guide rating.  This tasty documentary not only shows why Jiro’s sushi is so highly regarded, but also gives a great life lesson as well.  The theme put forth is that of finding something you love and do it for the rest of your life.  Jiro is a prime example of a man whose work is his passion and he has spent his entire life trying to improve his art.  He could have easily established a set menu and made the same sushi every day, but instead he chooses to grow as a chef while he creates and expands.  Even if you aren’t that big of a fan of sushi, and I’ll admit that I’m just a casual roll eater, you’ll find this film to be delicious diversion and a very entertaining yet moving story.  A

Get the Gringo
Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some drug use and sexual situations
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Even though this Mel Gibson film was highly praised by critics and audiences alike, it never saw the light of day in theaters and instead was subjected to a Direct TV On Demand release followed by this Blu-ray/DVD a few months later.  That is the reality for Gibson for the time being.  But please don’t let that stop you from picking up this little gem of a film about a man who steals millions before being arrested across the border.  Determined to escape from prison and get his money back, Gibson is in rare form as the anti-hero.  This is a really fun picture that will surprise the many folks that will now get the chance to check it out.  A-

Footnote
Rated PG for thematic elements, brief nudity, language and smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In Hebrew with English subtitles
If you simply read the synopsis for this Israeli film about two competing father and son Talmud scholars, you wouldn’t think it could possess the elements for a good comedy or get an Oscar nomination, but yet it is a very funny and moving picture with a strong enough narrative to earn an Academy nomination for foreign language film.  This well-executed pic works on many levels providing just the right amount of drama and laughter as well as an intellectual feel with clever writing and directing.  It is enjoyable from start to finish and will serve as a wonderful surprise for the unsuspecting viewer.  A

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One
Available on Blu-ray
When most old television shows are re-released on blu-ray, there is seldom a big difference from the original DVD release and the product typically serves as merely a chance for the studio to make a few more bucks.  This new release of Picard and crew though has a wonderful new look as well new HD special features.  I was extremely thankful they chose to present the show in its original 4:3 aspect ratio rather than attempt to fill the screen on the average flat panel set most folks will be watching on.  This was a set done with integrity and respect for the fan, and the fans will certainly be thankful.  The show is still just a less-cheesy version of the original sci-fi classic, but the stories are well-crafted, creative and a fun way to fill up a weekend full of hours.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

July 17, 2012

Friends with Kids
Rated R for sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The very beautiful and talented Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) writes, directs and stars in this terrific little ensemble piece about about two BFFs (Jennifer and Adam Scott) who don’t want to end up bitter and unhappy couples/parents like their miserable married friends so they decide to have a baby together as just friends, in the hope of saving themselves from the complications they’ve seen from other couples.  Rounding out the wonderful ensemble are Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd (yes that’s half the cast from Bridesmaids), Megan Fox and Edward Burns.  It’s not really a romance or a comedy, but it works on many levels to tell a moving and witty story about relationships once children enter the picture.  While not a big earner at the box office, this film deserves a larger audience and will certainly make for a good rental you can watch together when the kids are asleep.  A-

Margaret
Rated R for strong language, sexuality, some drug use and disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Filmed in 2005, long before she starred in HBO’s True Blood, Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin is Lisa, a self-serving teenager who is partly the cause of and witness to the accidental death of a woman who is hit by a bus.  Co-starring Matt Damon, Matthew Broderick, Mark Ruffalo and many other recognizable faces, the film went through a horrendously long editing process before it was released in 2011 with an edit from Martin Scorsese.  Seven years later, writer/director Kenneth Lonergan’s never-before-seen vision for the film is being released on DVD and Blu-ray.  At three hours of length the film is definitely a chore to watch at times, but you can tell there is some real talent involved at all levels, and the pretentiousness of the project is intriguing.  The writing is solid, the acting is excellent but I feel like the film is trying to say something and I just don’t know what that is yet.  This might just be one I pull out from time to time to try to figure out.  B

Casa de mi Padre
Rated R for bloody violence, language, some sexual content and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you’ve never been exposed to bad Mexican cinema, then you will probably feel slightly left out of the joke in this new Will Ferrel comedy, filmed almost entirely in Spanish, about the simple son of rancher who seeks revenge for his father’s murder.  Ferrell goes completely over-the-top in this spoof of movies that not many folks will understand, but don’t worry, even if you aren’t familiar with the genre, you will still find the movie to be pretty darn funny and at the very least entertaining.  B-

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual content, and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Director Lasse Hollstrom (Chocolat) tells this cute little tale about a wealthy Arabian Sheik who loves fly-fishing so much that he hires Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor to find a way to have Salmon run in the desert.  This imaginative story based on the book by Paul Torday is a sweet little comedy that will bring a smile to anyone watching.  Some of the story, like the disappearance of Blunt’s fiancé, seems fancifully brushed over, but understandable in the spirit of keeping it light-hearted.  B

The Inbetweeners: The Complete Series
Available on DVD
This British television import at first look feels like a retread of Freaks and Geeks or American Pie but eventually evolves into a very funny and extremely raunchy coming of age tale about four uncool high schoolers with raging hormones getting into all sorts of trouble.  Many of the jokes and antics might be lost due to cultural differences, but it will most likely make many British television lovers very happy.  B-

New in Home Entertainment

July 10, 2012

American Reunion
Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, language, brief drug use and teen drinking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Twelve years after the highly successful American Pie was unleashed upon audiences, the entire gang is back for their delayed high school reunion.  Twelve years ago they were a close group of friends who vowed to lose their virginities by prom night.  Now they are all semi-responsible adults with jobs, wives, kids, etc…  Just like in the first three films, its fun to see their antics and bad behavior, especially now that its so completely irresponsible.  As he did in the first three films, Stiffler (Seann William Scott) steals the scenes and serves as a linchpin for the film.  After all, without Stiffler, the film would be almost joke-less since his antics are what brings about the majority of the trouble.  With this in mind, I can recommend the movie due to the amount of times you will laugh.  The only downfall is how annoying some of the characters still are after all of these years.  While Scott, Jason Biggs, and Alyson Hannigan have all turned out to be decent actors with good comedic timing, Chris Klein and Mena Suvari would have done us a favor by staying home from the reunion.  B-

Senna
Rated PG-13 for some strong language and disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
For me, Formula One is as unfamiliar a sport as cricket or curling, but five minutes into this film about the life and death of one of its greatest racers and I was enthralled.  Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna took the sport by storm in the 80s when he won three world championships.  Constantly competing against his nemesis, French driver Alain Prost, Ayrton proved his talents on the racetrack and served as a sports hero throughout the world who donated millions from his winnings back to his home country.  The documentary lacks narration and instead relies on live footage and interviews to tell its story and it does so very effectively.  What you end up with is an eye-opening real-life drama that is as compelling as any film I have seen this last year.  A

The Flowers of War
Rated R for strong violence including a sexual assault, disturbing images, and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In Mandarin and English with English Subtitles
In 1937, during the Rape of Nanking, a Westerner (Christian Bale) finds safety in a church filled with orphan girls and courtesans who have also taken refuge there.  Pretending to be a priest, the man attempts to do his best to protect the girls from the brutal Japanese soldiers who have sinister  plans for them.  Legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers, 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony) attempts to tell this heart-breaking story with as much grace and beauty as he has with his other projects, but unfortunately, the ugliness of the situation ends up overshadowing what art he could project.  For Chinese audiences, I’m sure the film resonates with the same kind of power that we experience with holocaust films, and its hard not to form empathy for the characters as they do their best to survive.  Perhaps if so many of the characters weren’t so fatally flawed, the film might have been more convincing.  As it is, the quest of redemption by too many souls gets in the way.  Still, the performances are good, especially considering the language barrier on set which is made evident in the special features section.  Also, the film will compel many to research this horrible period of atrocities for which many Westerners will have very little knowledge.  B

New in Home Entertainment

July 3, 2012

Barbarella: Queen of the Galaxy
Rated PG (Should be a solid R)
Available on Blu-ray
This 1968 sci-fi sex comedy starring Jane Fonda was a complete and utter failure upon opening.  Having reached cult-classic status, now forty-four years later, Barbarella is getting its much anticipated Blu-ray release.  The film is still the same cheesy goofball sci-fi flick where the very beautiful (and seemingly most of the time naked) Jane Fonda wanders from one sex scene to the next all in the name of galactic peace.  The new HD transfer gives the film a wonderful look and should make fans of the strange movie very happy.  What won’t make them happy, however, is the lack of any special features.  When you have a film like this, you really expect some kind of extras, but all that lies here is the theatrical trailer.  B-

Born on the Fourth of July
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
With Universal Studios turning 100, they have been going nuts with transferring their catalog to blu-ray and the latest is the very timely Born on the Fourth of July.  Based on a true story, Tom Cruise delivers this Oscar-nominated performance as Ron Kovic, a teen eager to fight in Vietnam until he became paralyzed from the waste down during the war.  Oliver Stone directs this very challenging piece of U.S. history in a way that will both disturb you and leave you empathetic.  A-

Jesus Henry Christ
Rated PG-13 for some violent images, language and smoking
Available on DVD
According to this story with a title that will offend many audiences, a very bright 10-year-old boy who discovers that he was conceived in a petri dish goes on a journey to find his mother’s sperm donor.  Trying overly hard to be as quirky as a Wes Anderson film, writer director Dennis Lee creates here a very annoying group of characters in a scenario that is hard to be anything but apathetic about.  I like over-the-top but there comes a time when it simply becomes too much.  C-

New in Home Entertainment

June 26, 2012

21 Jump Street
Rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, drug material, teen drinking and some violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you would have told me in January that one of the best films of the year come June would be a rehash of the old Johnny Depp TV show about cops who undercover in high school, I would have called you an idiot.  And yet here it is June, and this film still stands in the top 5 films I’ve seen this year so far.  While I’m hoping for a better slate of films in the second of half of twelve, that does nothing to diminish the fact that this is a superbly made comedy that sets itself apart from its namesake show.  Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are as good of a comedy team as I’ve seen in recent years and the writing by Hill and Michael Bacall is fresh and extremely fun.  A

Mirror Mirror
Rated PG for some fantasy action and mild rude humor
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The first of two Snow White tales to be released this year hit with a thud at the box office in March, even with blockbuster actress Julia Roberts attached as its star.  It’s not that the film is altogether bad.  The family-friendly twist on the classic story is a creative take on the original and the production is spectacular.  Unfortunately, director Tarsem (Immortals) knows how to make a film look beautiful but has never excelled in the fine art of pacing and story crafting.  The movie plods along in its lush scenery and ends up being a bit boring.  I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see this film nominated for some technical awards during trophy season, but the underwhelming performance commercially might just make it a forgotten memory.  C+

Wrath of the Titans
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of fantasy violence and action
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Sam Worthington returns as Perseus, the demigod who must now rescue his father Zeus from the likes of Hades and Ares who have captured him and unleashed the ancient titans upon the world.  The first film had some major problems which I was hoping would be corrected in this second installment but instead the issues were intensified.  The film is an adventure, but it lacks thrill.  It’s a fantasy but it lacks imagination.  The 3D is embarrassingly bad.  And probably the worst problem is that its leading man lacks charisma.  Worthington has the talent as he proved in Avatar, but he fails to show it in these films.  Perhaps its the director who doesn’t know how to bring it out of his actors or it might just be the lousy material, but either way, the film comes off as much less entertaining than it should.  C-

Louie: The Complete Second Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Finally getting the recognition he deserves is Louis CK, veteran standup comedian and star of this very original show on FX.  Taking a page out of the Seinfeld manual, Louis opens and closes his show with bits of his standup that relate to the material in the show.  But the episodes are like nothing you’ve ever seen before.  The show doesn’t commit to trying to be funny for 30 minutes, but rather it does give you a very interesting slice of life that you can only assume were taken from CK’s own diary.  Since you don’t have to watch the episodes in order, if you haven’t seen the show before, I highly recommend you start with his hour-long special focusing on his USO tour of Afghanistan.  You’ll be hooked and ready for season three in no time.  A

New in Home Entertainment

June 19, 2012

Wanderlust
Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a married couple (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston) lose their source of income while living in New York City, they decide to move in with family in Atlanta.  Along the drive they encounter a commune full of colorful characters that invite them in but expect them to live by their rules of peace and free love.  The story here is absolutely ridiculous but fortunately the jokes are strong.  Consisting of more improv than you would expect from a cast like this, the material was almost good enough for two movies, as is shown in the extra features.  Keep an eye out for Justin Theroux who not only turns in a great performance here as Seth, but is also becoming a major Hollywood player.  One of the many special features is a very original Bizarro Cut which takes practically the same story, but fills it in with completely different scenes and performances.  I would not advise watching the Bizarro Cut first, but it is a rather enjoyable 80 minute feature that you will want to watch after.  B

Jeff Who Lives at Home
Rated R for language including sexual references and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Fueled by his obsession with the movie Signs, Jeff (Jason Segel), a pot-smoking loser that lives at home (thus the title), attempts to find out the real reasons behind mundane events believing everything to be interrelated and part of a much bigger picture. It’s easy to believe that you are getting a good comedy here with the likes of Segel and The Hangover’s Ed Helms, but don’t expect to laugh too much.  The film does a great job of keeping you engaged but you probably won’t be slapping your knee here.  Even though it’s not terribly funny, the indie writing/directing duo Mark and Jay Duplass do an excellent job of creating a quirky, interesting and heartwarming film.  B

The Sarah Silverman Program: The Complete Series
Available on DVD
From Comedy Central and Shout Factory come all 32 episodes of the different but extremely funny Sarah Silverman Program.  Playing a perverse version of herself (or maybe just playing herself) Sarah, her sister and their friends get into all kinds of situations that will leave you uncomfortable and, well, kind of icky.  But the sewers is where her comedy works the best and if you have a perverse sense of humor (and much of the time I do) and you don’t get easily offended at people trying to offend you, you’ll find the show to be absolutely hysterical.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

June 12, 2012

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this latest adventure of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, as told by the visual virtuoso director Guy Ritchie, Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) are back and this time out they join forces to do battle with an old nemesis played by Mad Men’s Jared Harris.  Just as in the first one, the movie and production are wonderfully shot and very nicely directed.  The problem here is that the script is far less of a mystery and much more of an action adventure film.  At least their last outing wasn’t just eye candy but gave you something to chew on as well.  This film is the least mysterious mystery movie I’ve ever seen.  Unfortunately this makes for sort of a dull picture that does nothing but serve up mindless entertainment, which is one thing a film like this shouldn’t do.  C

Harold and Maude: The Criterion Collection
Rated PG (but would nowadays be a strong PG-13)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This quirky masterpiece by Hal Ashby just might be the strangest romantic comedy ever made.  After all, the thought of a death-obsessed young man falling in love with an eccentric senior citizen doesn’t exactly sound like a film recipe made in heaven.  And yet it ends up being an hysterical yet dark comedy that becomes impossible to take your eyes off of.  And with the music of Cat Stevens in the back ground the film comes off as light and airy.  This new Criterion set is packed with great features including a new digital restoration, new audio commentary, new interview with Cat Stevens and more.  A

In Darkness
Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality, nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Polish with English Subtitles
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, In Darkness tells the true story of a Polish Catholic man who saves a group of Jews from being slaughtered during the holocaust by hiding them in the sewers that he and a friend use for smuggling.  The story itself is nothing new as it steals from many of the other various films of this genre.  Fortunately, little facts from the true story pop up making the tale watchable.  As you would expect, the film is dark (largely takes place in a sewer) and uncomfortable.  As you wouldn’t expect, it is very sexual.  The movie plays on physical relationships almost as much as it does on fear, suffering and redemption.  B-

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, and language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Nick Cage is back as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider, a man whose deal with the devil forced him to become a hellblazing bounty hunter.  Now in Eastern Europe, Johnny teams up with a rebel monk in order to protect a boy from the devil.  I remember enjoying these comics as a kid and while the characters are right, the story and the writing just isn’t.  Just like Cage’s last 3D hellish adventure, Drive Angry, the 3D is gimmicky but humorous.  If you don’t have a 3D set then you will miss out on some of what the filmmakers included in order to make the film bearable.  As it is, this new Ghost Rider turns in a mediocre super hero film that could have been much better under different direction and scribe.  C

Falling Skies: The Complete First Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Steven Spielberg has had his fingers in a lot of television pies this last year but perhaps the best of all of them is this TNT original series about an Alien invasion.  Beginning after the invasion has already begun, what survivors are left on Earth are now gathering for support and retaliation.  Noah Wyle leads the cast of Earthlings and the show has a very nice groove to it.  Capturing the spirit of shows like The Walking Dead and the short-lived-but-excellent Jericho, Skies grabs a hold of you and forces you to be interested in their lives and their futures.  A-
 

New in Home Entertainment

June 12, 2012

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this latest adventure of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, as told by the visual virtuoso director Guy Ritchie, Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) are back and this time out they join forces to do battle with an old nemesis played by Mad Men’s Jared Harris.  Just as in the first one, the movie and production are wonderfully shot and very nicely directed.  The problem here is that the script is far less of a mystery and much more of an action adventure film.  At least their last outing wasn’t just eye candy but gave you something to chew on as well.  This film is the least mysterious mystery movie I’ve ever seen.  Unfortunately this makes for sort of a dull picture that does nothing but serve up mindless entertainment, which is one thing a film like this shouldn’t do.  C

Harold and Maude: The Criterion Collection
Rated PG (but would nowadays be a strong PG-13)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This quirky masterpiece by Hal Ashby just might be the strangest romantic comedy ever made.  After all, the thought of a death-obsessed young man falling in love with an eccentric senior citizen doesn’t exactly sound like a film recipe made in heaven.  And yet it ends up being an hysterical yet dark comedy that becomes impossible to take your eyes off of.  And with the music of Cat Stevens in the back ground the film comes off as light and airy.  This new Criterion set is packed with great features including a new digital restoration, new audio commentary, new interview with Cat Stevens and more.  A

In Darkness
Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexuality, nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Polish with English Subtitles
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, In Darkness tells the true story of a Polish Catholic man who saves a group of Jews from being slaughtered during the holocaust by hiding them in the sewers that he and a friend use for smuggling.  The story itself is nothing new as it steals from many of the other various films of this genre.  Fortunately, little facts from the true story pop up making the tale watchable.  As you would expect, the film is dark (largely takes place in a sewer) and uncomfortable.  As you wouldn’t expect, it is very sexual.  The movie plays on physical relationships almost as much as it does on fear, suffering and redemption.  B-

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, and language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Nick Cage is back as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider, a man whose deal with the devil forced him to become a hellblazing bounty hunter.  Now in Eastern Europe, Johnny teams up with a rebel monk in order to protect a boy from the devil.  I remember enjoying these comics as a kid and while the characters are right, the story and the writing just isn’t.  Just like Cage’s last 3D hellish adventure, Drive Angry, the 3D is gimmicky but humorous.  If you don’t have a 3D set then you will miss out on some of what the filmmakers included in order to make the film bearable.  As it is, this new Ghost Rider turns in a mediocre super hero film that could have been much better under different direction and scribe.  C

Falling Skies: The Complete First Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Steven Spielberg has had his fingers in a lot of television pies this last year but perhaps the best of all of them is this TNT original series about an Alien invasion.  Beginning after the invasion has already begun, what survivors are left on Earth are now gathering for support and retaliation.  Noah Wyle leads the cast of Earthlings and the show has a very nice groove to it.  Capturing the spirit of shows like The Walking Dead and the short-lived-but-excellent Jericho, Skies grabs a hold of you and forces you to be interested in their lives and their futures.  A-
 

New in Home Entertainment

June 5, 2012

John Carter
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action
Available on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD
John Carter, based on A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is one of the oldest and most famous sci-fi tales of all time, which bears mentioning since it has taken Hollywood almost a century to try to bring it to the big screen.  This might be because the story, about a Civil War soldier who finds himself in the middle of a war on Mars, is a very difficult adaptation.  It could also be because Disney’s vision was all wrong.  Whatever the problem is, the film blew it at the box office big time.  Granted, while it only made 72.5 million in the states, it grabbed another 200 million overseas.  But with the amount of money Disney spent on this film, they will be counting heavily on a strong home entertainment release to hopefully break even.  Is it a bad film?  Not terribly.  The special effects are stellar and the overall production is very good.  The acting is a little rough and the film’s pacing makes it seem like a three-hour picture when in actuality it’s only a little over two.  From the special features in this set, you can tell a lot of love went into the making of it and that is worth something.  B-

Safe House
Rated R for strong violence throughout and some language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ryan Reynolds is a young CIA agent who is forced to protect Denzel Washington who plays a fugitive wanted by both the CIA and terrorist groups around the world.  This really could have been a good film if it wasn’t based on a hugely absurd premise.  I was fine with the bad guys coming into the safe house to kill Washington, but being forced to keep him safe for the length of time asked of him, and then the actions he takes, make the film more and more unbelievable as it goes on.  Sure the movie is full of action, but overall its senseless.  The acting is good enough by this very talented cast, but the movie itself needed another rewrite.  C+

Breaking Bad: The Complete Fourth Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The first season of AMC’s hit show Breaking Bad played like a slightly more serious version of Showtime’s Weeds.  The second season played like a fantastic crime drama.  The third season started to develop into something big.  And now this fourth season turned out to be television’s answer to The Godfather.  Forced to work for a drug kingpin, Bryan Cranston goes up against one of the most evil of characters with not only his but his family’s life on the line as well.  If you’ve missed out on this season, I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend than to watch all of the episodes back-to-back, ending with one of the best season finales I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing.  A+

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Eighth Season
TV-MA   
Available on DVD
It’s hard to imagine that we have put up with eight seasons now of the obnoxious Larry David and the show still finds a way of looking fresh.  Living in New York now, Larry manages to offend the entire city in one way or another, ending in an hysterically funny season finale after trying to take on Michael J. Fox.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

May 29, 2012

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

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

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

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