Category: DVD Review

New in Home Entertainment

Let Me In
Rated R for strong bloody horror violence, language and a brief sexual situation
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
No matter how good a film is, trying to talk most Americans into watching a Swedish vampire film is like pulling teeth.  So I completely understand why they wanted to make an American version of Let the Right One In, placing the little vampire girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her new friend (Kodi Smit-McPhee) in Albuquerque rather than Scandinavia.  So although the original is vastly superior, this new version is still quite good.  The relationship is just as tender, maybe even a bit better acted.  The film is just as scary, just as beautiful and just as haunting.  But because the original is so shocking and sticks with you long after you’ve seen it, I still consider it to be the better of the two.  That being said, I will predict that if you haven’t seen Let the Right One In, Let Me In will be an equally powerful film for you and an experience you won’t easily forget.  A-

Enter the Void
Unrated, but worthy of NC-17 or worse
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you were gutsy enough to sit through writer/director Gaspar Noe’s 2002 shocker Irreversible, you will probably understand what you are in for in his new drug-induced drama Enter the Void.  The film shows the Point of View of a young white drug dealer in Tokyo who is killed by the police and spends the length of the film floating around time and space, seeing how his life and death has affected those around him.  To say that this is one of the most spectacularly photographed films you’ve ever seen is an understatement.  The visuals are breathtaking, but the subject matter is so intense and uncomfortable that the film becomes incredibly challenging to watch.  This is a film for daring cinephiles and certainly not for the average date movie.  A-

Never Let Me Go
Rated R for some sexuality and nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Children at an English boarding school come to grips with their relationships with one another as well as the fact that they are only alive in order to provide organs, leaving them with no prospects for the future.  While the theme is similar to the box-office dud The Island, it takes half of the film for you to realize that this is sci-fi, but without the special effects usually added to the genre.  The performances by Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightly are extremely moving but the film is exhaustingly depressing.  The film survives on emotional response and deep thought, which will leave many audiences worn out.  Still, you have to appreciate what the filmmakers have accomplished in this alternate universe tear-jerker.  B

Conviction
Rated R for language and some violent images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When a man (Sam Rockwell) is wrongly convicted of first degree murder, his sister (Hilary Swank) puts her life on hold and goes to college and law school in the hope of someday getting him out of prison.  From the first time I saw the trailer for this film, I pictured it as a kind of movie-of-the-week.  Boy was I wrong.  This is a very strong film filled with memorable performances and a great story.  Perhaps the reason it didn’t get much attention in theaters was because this is a very typical role for Swank, who badly needs out of these types of true stories.  But on the other hand, she is so good at them that I can’t fault her for still making them.  Rockwell turns in perhaps his best work yet, making this film that much more sobering.  A-

Secretariat
Rated PG for brief mild language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The horse race movie has been done, over and over and over again.  So trying not to kick a dead horse (sorry for that) is a difficult task.  But feeling the need for a good, wholesome family movie, Disney made this pic about the legendary Triple Crown winner Secretariat.  The cast is as solid as you can get with Diane Lane and John Malkovich leading the way, but in the end, its still another predictable horse race movie.  Sure it makes you feel good and might even bring a little tear to your eye, so if that’s what you are looking for you are sure to find it.  Personally, I found it to be nothing more than a nice history lesson and a short diversion.  C+

Broadcast News: The Criterion Collection
Rated R
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Widely considered to be not only one of the best films about the broadcasting industry, but an insightful comedy as well, Broadcast News is getting the Criterion treatment with this new release.  The film has been restored in high def and given a new audio commentary by director James L. Brooks and editor Richard marks.  In addition, there is a great new doc on Brooks and his career in television and film as well as an alternate ending, deleted scenes and loads of other featurettes.  While its one of the most mainstream films you’ll ever find being released by Criterion, it is still very worthy and this new edition is a true collector’s item.  A

RED
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich are among a CIA group known simply as RED – Retired Extremely Dangerous.  When the government makes the decision to try to snuff them all out, Willis pulls the team together in order to try reverse the tide.  This is a pretty darn fun, creative action thriller that uses well its mature cast.  The standout here though is the young agent on the hunt to take them out, played by Star Trek’s Karl Urban.  B+

Animal Kingdom
Rated R for violence, drug content and pervasive language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
What I consider to be the most underrated film of the year is this Australian crime drama filled with powerhouse performances and a breathtaking script from writer/director David Michod.  The story takes place when a young man’s mother dies and he is taken in by his bank robbing family, led by his wickedly sweet grandmother (played by Jackie Weaver who very much deserves the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role).  Thrust into a situation that can’t possibly have a good outcome, the young man must decide between right and wrong, which also happens to be the decision between life and death.  I am convinced that the only reason this film isn’t gaining more attention during awards season is because the voters aren’t taking the time to watch it.  A+

New in Home Entertainment

Dances with Wolves: 20th Anniversary Edition
Rated PG-13
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When Dances with Wolves was released twenty years ago it took the world by storm and pretty much swept the Oscars, beating out some major films such as Goodfellas and Godfather 3.  If you are like me, you have been chomping at the bit to see this beautiful western in your stunning hi def home theater.  I’m happy to say that you won’t be disappointed by this long-awaited release.  The picture and sound are simply amazing, as is expected, fully showcasing the work of Oscar-winning director Kevin Costner, cinematographer Dean Semler and Composer John Barry.  Disc two contains some of the original special features, but I highly recommend checking out the new retrospective as well as the featurette “A Day in the Life on the Western Frontier.”  One thing that might throw off some fans and new viewers is that this is the Extended Edition with almost an hour extra running time.  In my mind it is a superior version of an already perfect film, but for some the four-hour length might be too much to handle.  A+

Big Love: Season Four
Available on DVD
Still going strong is this HBO drama about a polygamist family in Utah.  This season threw all kinds of irons in the fire as Bill, along with his three wives and now nine children, attempt to stay anonymous in spite of pressures from his drama-inducing outer family.  But regardless of the pressures coming from the compound, he not only opens a new Mormon-friendly casino, but makes a run for the Utah State Senate as well.  While it’s certainly not HBO’s most popular show, it is definitely one of their brightest stars with excellent writing, superb acting, and boundary-pushing storytelling.  This was a season that held surprises and shocks in each episode and has me impatiently waiting for season five to start up on January 16.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

Dinner for Schmucks
Rated PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the original French film, Le Diner de Cons, Schmucks follows a group of smug businessmen that throw an annual dinner that showcases the biggest idiots they can find.  When Paul Rudd badly wants a promotion that is within his grasp, he discovers Steve Carell, a lonely IRS agent that spends all of his time building extravagant miniature sets using dead mice as models.  What he thinks is good luck in finding such a catch turns his world into chaos when Carell quickly ruins his life.  Schmucks is a grand improvement upon the original for several reasons, among them being that the original is so cold and heartless and the original also doesn’t actually have a dinner.  Paul Rudd attracts empathy for the plain fact that he understands fully that the dinner compromises his ethics and morals but is a necessary evil.  Carell, on the other hand, is an uncomfortable nightmare who brings the big laughs with what we can only assume is his natural self.  The two have great chemistry together, and when you throw in the other “winners” at the dinner, the frantic fun begins a laugh riot.  The only problem with the film is the constant question you have in your head : “who would actually do that?”  Then again, you have to assume that Carell actually would.  B+

Case 39
Rated R for violence and terror including disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Attempting to horn in on the creepy kid movie genre, Renee Zellweger and Bradley Cooper star, respectively, as a social case worker and a shrink who take an interest in the life of a little girl whose parents try to murder her.  In a bad move, Zellweger adopts the little girl without the knowledge that she is really a demon responsible for the deaths of many people around her.  If you wonder how you missed this one in theaters, the answer is easy – it was in and out of the local multiplex in a big hurry.  Not only does the film provide nothing in the way of originality, but it lacks any real scares to boot.  And to make matters worse, the actors look about as apathetic as the audience.  D+

New in Home Entertainment

The Town
Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ben Affleck writes, directs and stars in this box-office surprise hit about a group of Boston bank robbers that bite off more than they can chew when they take the wrong hostage during a heist.  The ensemble, including Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively all turn in strong performances that have already reaped a few acting awards from some critics’ groups.  The movie is very well put together and provides for a tight thriller that really entertains.  Check out the special feature “Ben’s Boston” where Affleck takes you through how the film was made and the inspiration behind it.  A-

Despicable Me
Rated PG for rude humor and mild action
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The war of the super villains commences in this animated feature about two Bond-ish bad guys that try to outdo each other.  While the movie doesn’t possess nearly the story-telling quality of this year’s other animated features (i.e. How to Train Your Dragon, Toy Story 3 and Tangled), it is still a really fun flick for kids and possesses perhaps the cutest characters of the year in Gru’s adorable henchmen, simply known as “Minions.”  The Blu-ray contains loads of extra features including 3 mini-movies, featurettes and Gru-control, where the Minions take over the film from time to time.  B

Micmacs
Rated R for some sexuality and brief violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
French with English Subtitles
Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) is back with one of his most unique visions yet.  When the hero, Bazil, catches a stray bullet in the head that doesn’t kill him, he and a band of friends that live in a junk-yard fantasy home take on two weapons manufacturers by making each of them think that the other is after their destruction.  As funny as it is imaginative, Micmacs brings its audience into its fantastically creative world and through its weirdness evolves a strong message about our own violent culture.  A-

Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole
Rated PG for some sequences of scary action
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
300 Director Zac Snyder orchestrates his first animated pic with this remake of the popular novel by the same name.  I’m very mixed on this one as it is simply spectacular to look at but the story is more than weak.  Also, this is far from a good film for children as it contains some fairly violent and scary material.  There is a feature on the disc entitled Maximum Kid Mode – but I wouldn’t let young children anywhere around it.  C+

Exit Through the Gift Shop
Rated R for some language
Available on DVD
This inside story about the rise in popularity of street art, or graffiti as some still call it, follows a crazy frenchman named Thierry Guetta who loves to film everything in the world of street art and who eventually becomes an famous artist himself, despite his apparent lack of talent.  For the first part of the documentary the story follows Thierry as he attempts to partner with the world’s greatest street artists just to film them in action.  But when his movie falls apart during editing, one of the artists, the infamous Banksy, picks up the slack and creates the final product that ended up in theaters and now on DVD.  It is not only a fascinating tale of politics, vandalism and art, but also provides proof that it doesn’t necessarily take talent to succeed in the art world.  You will find yourself enthralled at first and then flabbergasted by the end results.  It may not be the best documentary of the year, but it certainly is the most entertaining.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

December 7, 2010

Inception
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Every minute of this Christopher Nolan film starring Leonardo DiCaprio is confusing, and yet it’s so interesting to watch that it’s hard to take your eyes off of it.  The story, which revolves around a group of corporate espionage agents that try to place an idea inside of someone’s dreams, is as weird as it is ingenious.  The actors buy into it completely, giving the ideas put forward enough credibility to work.  DVD/Blu-ray is the perfect venue for a film like this since you will probably need to see it multiple times to fully understand it – if that is possible.  If you do have the blu-ray, check out Extraction Mode where the filmmakers and actors help guide you through the concepts and how the film was made.  A-

Shrek Forever After
Rated PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Shrek returns a final time in what turns out to be a very adult tale about going through a mid-life crisis.  When Shrek tires of the routine life he has been sentenced to, he longs to spend just one day as he did not too long ago.  But when Rumplestiltskin betrays him in a return-to-the-past contract, the one day turns into an alternate reality that Shrek must find a way out of.   The story is fairly decent, but lacking here is the brilliant creativity of the first two films.  It almost feels like the filmmakers lost their touch, but then again, very few of the original filmmakers worked on this new version.  Also available is Shrek: The Whole Story which contains all four films (the first two providing incredibly large shoes to fill) and loads of new special features.  Shrek Forever After C+; Shrek: The Whole Story B+

New in Home Entertainment
November 30, 2010

Fantasia/Fantasia 2000
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With Blu-ray quickly becoming the standard, one Disney title has been very noticeably missing until now: Fantasia.  When Walt Disney presented the first Fantasia back in 1940, he was especially picky on how the movie was exhibited, requiring the very state-of-the-art in picture and sound in order to be shown.  And now, with Blu-ray we finally get the chance to see both the original and the 2000 sequel in its most beautiful of states.  There are some purists that are very angry about this new release due to the removal of what was felt to be racial stereotypes drawn into the black centaurs.  Its hardly noticeable if you don’t know the history of the film, but I can hardly blame them for being angry about the censorship involved.  Still, the picture and sound are utterly magnificent considering the first film is now 70 years old.  Also included in the set is the acclaimed short film Destino that originally stemmed from a partnership between Walt Disney and Salvador Dali.  A documentary about the relationship between the two artists is also included.  A

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Rated PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Trying again to find a live-action franchise to match up to Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney went to a story based on the Fantasia sketch about a gifted young apprentice (Jay Baruchel) that trains under the tutelage of a master magician (Nicholas Cage).  While it was blasted by a lot of critics and not seen by most audiences, I myself found the film to be immensely entertaining and I was shocked when it didn’t provide a hit for the mouse house.  The story went through a host of writers before they finally decided on the final script, but overall I thought the film was clever, fun, full of great special effects and decent performances.  B

Waking Sleeping Beauty
Rated PG for some thematic elements and brief mild language
Available on DVD
in the 1980’s Disney animation was struggling to the point where they moved the animators to a remote location and almost closed the animation studio completely.  Waking Sleeping Beauty is a documentary that takes a look at this tumultuous period and how a talented mix of executives, artists and writers came together at the perfect time in order to send Disney to the top again starting with The Little Mermaid and moving forward to their biggest hits including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and the Lion King.  If you are big Disney fan like me, you will especially love this film that looks at the history of the animation studio and the risks they took in order to give us what we consider today to be classics.  Mistakes were nearly made at every corner that could have cost them their studio and us these wonderful works of art, and following along the tale provides almost as exciting a narrative as the movies they created.  A-

The World at War
Available on Blu-ray
While I think that some of the recent releases such as World War II in HD, Band of Brothers and the Pacific provide a better look at the most famous war in history, The World at War is still considered by most to be the definitive account of the event.  Now, 35 years after its original airing, The History Chanel is releasing this 26 hour long documentary, fully restored in stunning hi def.  That being said, many are downright angry at this new presentation due to the fact that the aspect ratio has been drastically changed in order to present the film in widescreen.  The folks who made the film are proud of the process used though, enough to include a special about the restoration, but purists are furious.  To me, I didn’t notice, and I doubt that the majority of folks watching will lose any sleep over it.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

November 23, 2010

The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Collection
Available on DVD
In 1974, six million dollars could rebuild a man into a superhero.  Now, in 2010, it might pay for a hip replacement, depending on your insurance.  All kidding aside, there are few iconic television shows as deeply revered as The Six Million Dollar Man starring Lee Majors as Steve Austin, a crippled test pilot that is given a second shot at life when the scientists put him back together better and stronger than he was before.  Time Life is now releasing this set, which includes 40 DVDs full of more 1970’s splendor than you can possibly wish for including every episode of the show, three pilot and three reunion movies, all Bionic Woman crossover episodes, 17 featurettes and more, all digitally remastered for this release.  Unfortunately, they made it so you can only purchase it at www.6mdm.com for a very hefty chunk of change, but if you are a fan, it will be money well spent.  “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.  We have the technology.”  B+

Valhalla Rising
Not Rated
Available on DVD
When a mute ultra-warrior simply known as One Eye slays his viking captors, he teams with a group of soldiers on their way to the Crusades.  After their boat escapes from an endless fog, they find themselves in a new world, nowhere near their destination, and in great danger from the natives.  This uber-violent art film is unique in the fact that it is too bloody for most independent film aficionados, but not flashy enough to be enjoyed by action lovers.  It is beautifully filmed and well acted, but there is a clear lack of any sort of narrative or plot.  Many will appreciate the raw brutality, but I fear that most will just wonder where the film is going and why is this a journey worth watching.  B-

The Kids Are All Right
Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are a lesbian couple with two teenage children that are very curious who their biological father is.  When they track down their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo), he attempts to work his way into their lives.  The film starts out as a sweet and funny alternate family comedy, but as tensions build, it becomes a thought-provoking drama that brings you into the fold.  This indie will most likely garner at least two acting nominations for Bening and Moore and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if it ended up being one of the top 10 best picture noms as well.  A-

Mutiny on the Bounty: 75th Anniversary Special Edition
Not Rated
Available on Blu-ray
The infamous true story of the mutiny that took place on the HMS Bounty in 1789 gets the HD treatment in this beautifully packaged edition of the 1935 Academy Award winning classic starring Charles Laughton and Clark Gable.  While the directing and acting styles are very much dated, the picture is stunning as is the collector’s packaging.  Unfortunately, the movie serves more as a historical relic than classic entertainment.  That being said, it would have been nice to have more special features, although the 1935 short Pitcairn Island Today gives a nice insight to the true story.  C+

Sondheim! The Birthday Concert
Not Rated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When master composer Stephen Sondheim turned 80, his friends, of which there are more than you can count, threw him a party where the New York Philharmonic backed up some of his most famous songs, sung by some of Broadway’s best performers, past and present.  Among the many performances are Michael Cerveris, Joanna Gleason, Patti Lupone, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters and dozens of other celebrated actors singing selections from his hit shows West Side Story, Sweenie Todd, A Little Night Music, Company and many others.  Needless to say, it’s a must own for any musical theater lover.  A-

Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Rated PG for scary sequences and images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) retells the famous Dickens story using the motion capture process that he previously used on The Polar Express and Beowulf.  The result is a gorgeous movie that ends up a little on the creepy side due to the looks of the characters.  Providing a lot more action than you would expect from a story about Scrooge, the pacing is perhaps a little too fast.  The special features provide a nice look at how the movie was made with this exciting new technology.  B

Twilight Zone: Season 2
Not Rated
Available on Blu-ray
Just like the recent Season 1 release, this second season set includes more Twilight Zone information than you will ever possibly need and is a fan’s must.  All 29 episodes with 25 new audio commentaries by a mother load of Twilight Zone experts, 22 isolated music scores, and many more features make this an exhaustive collection.  During its second season, TZ was really starting come into its own and the story telling set the pace for the rest of the series as well as much of the sci-fi and horror we see today.  This will be a fun one to watch and enjoy over the holidays.  A

Avatar: Three-Disc Collector’s Edition
Rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Many of you probably already own the previous movie-only edition of Avatar and are wondering if you need to repurchase the new edition.  That all depends.  This new set is pretty fantastic.  It includes 3 versions including the Original Theatrical Version, Special Edition Re-Release, and the new 3-Hour Collector’s Extended Cut which starts out on Earth.  If you are an Avatar nut, the newest release is well-worth the time and money.  What you’ll really want this edition for are the tons of special features on discs two and three including 45 minutes of deleted scenes in various forms of completion and a feature-length documentary on how the film was made from beginning to end.  Also, for those that didn’t want their kids to watch it because of language, there is an all new family-friendly audio track.  And it’s all wrapped up in a beautiful box as well.  A+