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July 2, 2014

 

The Lunch Box
Rated PG for thematic material and smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this sweet little Indian drama, Irfan Khan (Life of Pi) is a widower on the verge of retirement who accidentally receives the wrong lunches from a young house wife (Nimrat Kur) trying to please her husband with extraordinary meals at work. By passing notes back and forth to each other through the lunchbox, the two strike up a friendship that helps both of them both cope with their difficult lives. Sometimes you need a break from the Transformers of the world and this movie provides a terrific little slice of life tale from the other side of the planet. It’s a great screenplay, well executed by excellent actors and impressive production values. And even though it has a small indie feel to it, it ends up being quite memorable. A-

The Unknown Known
Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images and brief nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Similar in theme to his Oscar winning documentary The Fog of War, Errol Morris’s The Unknown Known replaces Robert McNamara with Donald Rumsfeld as he tries to explain away his time as Secretary of Defense during the Dick Cheney, pardon, George W. Bush administration. While trying to come off as professional and competent, the former leader too often shows his true colors and how different his morals and ethics are from the majority of Americans. This is a fascinating documentary, if you can get past the nausea. B+

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June 24, 2014

Winter’s Tale
Rated PG-13 for violence and some sensuality
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sometimes the critics are so wrong.  You won’t hear me say that often but this time it sticks.  The Rotten Tomatoes score for Winter’s Tale is 13% and yet I rather enjoyed it.  Based on the fantasy novel by Mark Helprin and written and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Akiva Goldsman, Winter’s Tale tells the story of a mysterious young man in early 1900’s New York (Colin Farrell) who is being hunted through an entire century by an evil demon (Russell Crowe).  Sure it has its problems, but the story is interesting, the acting by most of the cast is solid and the production values are terrific.  I especially loved the score by Hans Zimmer and Rupert Gregson-Williams.  It’s probably not as magical or as easy to understand as it should have been, but overall, I think its a good rental that might just surprise you.  B+

300: Rise of an Empire
Rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
This sequel to 300 follows the greek general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) as he attempts to unite Greece to fight Xerxes and his Persian army.  Visually, the film is just as exciting as its predecessor, but honestly, the story feels stale and all of the blood and guts thrown in your face get tedious real quick.  By the end I was just bored and ready to move on.  Maybe its the lack of Zach Snyder at the helm or maybe its just the lack of a compelling script, but this Rise falls flat.  C-

A Hard Day’s Night: Criterion Edition
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Getting the Criterion treatment this month is The Beatles iconic film A Hard Days Night which follows the Fab Four as they stumble from one scene to the next, singing songs all the way.  The good news is that the film looks and sounds great with a remastered soundtrack and restored print.  The bad news is that the film is still a silly and cheesy movie that is unworthy of the stars found within.  My advice, fast forward between songs.  C-

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June 17, 2014

The Lego Movie
Rated PG for mild action and rude humor
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Perhaps the biggest surprise of 2014 so far is this runaway hit that no one saw coming.  The Matrix-ish story follows a very average lego worker who fights the evil Lord Business and his sinister plan to take over the world.  From start to finish it is a fun, incredibly clever and fast-paced adventure with well-written jokes and an amazing cast of actors to deliver them.  A-

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Rated R for language, some sexual content and violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Wes Anderson’s newest film places Ralph Fiennes as a powerful hotel concierge at an Eastern European hotel in the early 1930’s as he attempts to escape the law after he is wrongly accused of an elderly lover’s murder.   Wes Anderson’s film are some of my favorite cinematic experiences and this one is truly one of his best.  The cast is full of A-listers who all seem to be having a blast while making the chaotic and quirky adventure.  This is truly a film you will be able to enjoy for years and decades to come.  A

Tim’s Vermeer
Rated PG-13 for some strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this inspired documentary by the silent Penn and Teller comedian Teller, San Antonio millionaire and non-painter Tim Jenison attempts to recreate one of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer’s master works using the camera obscura, the same device that Vermeer is said to have used to create all of his paintings.  If you are an art fan, you won’t be able to take your eyes off of this movie.  It is mind-blowing at times and one of the most interesting documentaries of 2014.  A-

Ernest & Celestine
Rated PG for some scary moments
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While Monster’s University wasn’t one of Pixar’s best creations, I was surprised when it was overlooked for an Oscar nod in the feature length animation film category, especially when I saw this little hand-drawn French film pop up in the nomination list.  Ernest & Celestine follows the story of a bear and a mouse (in a town with only bears and mice) who become friends in spite of laws in place to keep that from happening.  The movie is sweet enough and has a good message about friendship, but I was so distracted by scale that I couldn’t enjoy it like I should have.  Rather than float along with it, I kept thinking that a mouse wouldn’t be able to hold a bear’s tooth in her hand and have it still be the same size as one of hers.  It’s a silly thing to be distracted by, but the film is full of similar detail flaws that could have been easily overcome.  I also think that if the story were stronger, or maybe a little less simplistic, I might have overlooked those problems, but when I get bored I start to nitpick and this film had me paying too much attention to things I shouldn’t have.  Then again, the simplicity of the project is one of its strengths and proves to be quite charming at times.  And although the style of animation isn’t the big-budget computer-animated style we are all used to, it is lovely to look at and the score by Vincent Courtois creates a beautiful mood for the picture.  B-

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June 10, 2014

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Paramount is once again resurrecting Jack Ryan with an even younger hero in Chris Pine (Star Trek).  Directed by and starring as the villain, Kenneth Branagh makes for a good baddie and Pine and Kevin Costner have decent chemistry together.  The script is a tad bit stale though and so full of action that the brains seem to be missing completely.  It’s almost as if the plot is just an excuse to get from point to point in order to show off another set piece.  At an hour and forty-five the movie almost feels too short, like they were trying to hide their lack of any real story.  C+

True Detective
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
HBO’s new hit show starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two cops going against a satanic serial killer in Southwest Louisiana made a splash this past year as it shocked audiences hungry for Game of Thrones to start up.  While it is well-written and the acting is superb, it feels like an American remake of BBC’s Red Riding Trilogy in its scope.  That being said, I liked what they did with it and can’t wait to see where they take it in seasons to come.  B+

Son of God
Rated PG-13 for intense and bloody depiction of The Crucifixion and for some sequences of violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After The History Channel discovered they had a huge hit on their hands with The Bible, they decided to re-edit the show to make a feature length movie about the ministry of Jesus on Earth.  The production values are huge and I particularly love the unknown actors they chose to play some of the best known characters from history such as Jesus, Pilate, Caiaphas and John.  Due to how this film came about, the screenplay isn’t the best and a better narrative would have improved the film immensely.  I still much prefer The Passion of the Christ, but this one is much more family friendly, even with the violence it depicts.  B+

Unacceptable Levels
Not Rated
Available on DVD
This movie has already cost me $1500.  Let me explain.  This documentary that attempts to tell us what is in the water we are consuming as well as what chemicals are in our bodies and how they got there.  In one of the segments it discusses fluoride and a not-so-secret government conspiracy to cover up how most cities, including the one I live in, obtain their fluoride and the damage it can do, as well as the lack of science behind its helpfulness.  My independent research unfortunately corroborated the story.  While its not a well-crafted documentary and seems a bit novice at times, it was effective enough to convince my wife and I to invest in a device for our home to remove the fluoride being pumped into it.  Now comes the test to see if our teeth rot out in the near future.  B

Bible Quiz
Not Rated
Available on DVD
I love documentaries about obscure childhood competitions like Spellbound, Wordplay and Brooklyn Castle.  While this new religious-themed doc won’t be competing for awards come the end of the year, it certainly will make for good entertainment for the right audience.  Following a group of students who compete in a Bible Quiz competition nationally, the movie dives fairly deep into the lives of some very good, although somewhat cocky young bible scholars who know more about The Bible than most of us could ever dream of.  Having memorized several chapters of The Good Book they are in impressive lot and fun to watch as they show off their skills.  More importantly, though, I enjoyed getting to know them on a personal level and would love to see what direction their lives go to in the future.  I wish the filmmaker would have interviewed past champions in the present to see how, and if, these skills have paid off in life.  B+

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June 3, 2014

Lone Survivor
Rated R for strong bloody war violence and pervasive language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on the best selling book by Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor tells the story of a group of Navy Seals who sacrifice their lives taking on a high-level Taliban operative and the one seal who makes it out alive due to the kindness of strangers.  When it comes to the war in Afghanistan, this is one of Hollywood’s best examples of modern warfare put to the screen, much stronger than the Oscar-winning Hurt Locker.   Unfortunately, it just doesn’t have the story-telling power to be considered a classic like Blackhawk Down, Platoon or Saving Private Ryan.  While Lone Survivor has a lot of integrity in the way it tries to tell the story of the brave men that lost their lives, it also becomes difficult to watch during the brutal battle scene as it tries too hard to make its audience feel every bullet and bone break.  Overall, I just didn’t find it as compelling as it tried to be.  B

True Blood: Season 6
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While season five of this hit HBO show about a Louisiana town haunted by vampires, werewolves and all other sorts of supernatural beings was pretty loopy, this new season gets a little ridiculous.  Now that Bill has become a vampire god, the war between humans and vamps becomes a fun one to watch.  What’s not fun are the other tedious story lines.  I am even starting to become apathetic about the main characters, including Sookie and Jason Stackhouse as they meander through the wandering stories.  That being said, I’ll keep watching this mess through its final season this summer to see if it all comes together in the end.  C+

We Always Lie to Strangers
Unrated but contains graphic language
Available on DVD
I’ve never been to Branson, Missouri but I’ve always been fascinated by the stories I’ver heard from friends and family who frequent the small American town known for their old-timey shows and kitsch.  This new documentary explores the lives of the performers in a way that makes them interesting while also showing that everything isn’t what it appears to be on the surface.  The on-stage vs the behind-curtain worlds are examined in detail and I feel that I know the town much better than I ever thought I would.  And while I have no interest in ever going to the shows, I find the people performing them to be intriguing.  B+

Falling Skies: Season 3
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you haven’t figured out from my reviews, I’m a bit of a sci-fi nerd and I love original and entertaining examples of the genre.  In its third and most intense season, Noah Wiley and crew are up against some immense pressure from the alien invasion, but receive help in the war for survival from new alien allies.  Falling Skies continues to be a well-written and exciting serial with terrific special effects.  If you start now, you should be ready for season four on June 22.  B+

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May 27, 2014

Red River: The Criterion Collection
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Long hailed as one of the best westerns ever made, 1948’s Red River starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift as two opposing forces leading a cattle drive along the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Missouri has gotten a beautiful 2K restoration from the folks at Criterion.  While its awkward seeing John Wayne as kind of a bad guy in this western recreation of Mutiny on the Bounty, the film feels more authentic than many of Wayne’s other pictures and you just can’t beat the pristine look and sound in this new edition.  The set includes both the rarely presented original theatrical version, which was the preferred cut of director Howard Hawks, and the prerelease version that most folks are used to.  Trust me when I tell you this is a great Father’s Day present for any western-loving dads in your family.  A-

The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete Collection
Available on DVD
People always tell me I have a very dry sense of humor and I wonder if some of that came from growing up watching reruns of The Bob Newhart Show which stars Bob Newhart as Dr. Robert Hartley, a psychiatrist who seems to specialize in the nuttiest of the nutty.  This long-awaited volume containing 53 hours of material is a daunting but rewarding set for anyone needing a little (or a lot) of binge watching.  A-

How to Train Your Dragon
Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images and brief mild language
Available on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo
I realize that this is the umpteenth time this film has been released on blu-ray or dvd but I still run into folks who never checked out this masterful animated film.  With number two about to hit theaters, here is your chance to watch the beautiful and well-told story of a young teen viking who decides to train dragons instead of killing them like everyone else in his village.  In addition to the movie, you get a ticket to see the sequel being released in a a couple of weeks.  If you or your kids haven’t seen this fantastic film yet, you really need to.  A+

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May 20, 2014

Pompeii
Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, disaster-related action and brief sexual content
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
The first I had ever heard of Pompeii was in my 20s on a trip to Rome.  This was around the time of the Titanic release and my head quickly said – this would make a great Titanic-like love story.  After all, love with impending disaster seems to be a recipe for success.  Now, almost 20 years later, comes the movie Pompeii, which follows a young gladiator slave who falls in love with a wealthy young woman in Pompeii, right as Mount Vesuvius is about to blow.  The production itself is actually really well-done and from what I’ve researched, presents a very accurate reproduction of what Pompeii looked like back in the day.  Unfortunately the story is a mess and the acting suffers because of it.  I’m sure someone pitched it as Gladiator meets Titanic and then the screenwriters did just that – without an ounce of originality aside from the apparent factually incorrect disaster sequence.  It’s a shame the movie couldn’t have met the same fate as the city.  D

Monuments Men
Rated PG-13 for some images of war violence and historical smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Yet another instance of a great story, poorly served by its screenplay.  This time the writer is George Clooney (who also directs and stars).  The cast is remarkable with Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and many other talented actors.  But telling the true story of the men and woman who were responsible for rescuing mountains of Europe’s greatest artistic treasures from the Nazis during WWII comes off as noble but rather boring.  The pacing is slow and the talents of the cast come off as way underutilized.  If you find the subject interesting, make sure to check out the masterful 2007 documentary “The Rape of Europa” which explores the Nazi Party’s fascinating art obsession.  C+

God Loves Uganda
Unrated but contains strong graphic content
Available on DVD
To get a 100% Rotten Tomato score is no easy feat, but you’ll quickly understand how God Loves Uganda achieved this after watching.  This 2013 documentary explores the work of American evangelical Christians in Uganda and how they managed to convince the Ugandan government to create harsh laws, including the death penalty, against the gays and lesbians.  The surprising thing about the doc is that it doesn’t roast the young Christian missionaries, but rather tries hard to show their integrity and their hearts.  But at the same time it demonstrates the evil of their impact and the lack of love and understanding shown to the people who they are successfully influencing.  It is a heart-breaking movie that will open a lot of eyes to the injustices occurring within this African country.  A

American Jesus
Unrated
Available on DVD
In this documentary, Spanish filmmaker Aram Garriga attempts to show his audience the many ways that modern-day Americans practice their Christianity.  It is a fascinating look at what not only makes Christianity unique as a religion but what makes America unique as a country.  While the many different viewpoints and ministries might frustrate some conservative believers, many others, like myself, will be fascinated by the many different pathways there are to Jesus.  I’ll admit that some of these might seem kind of whacky (I just can’t understand dancing with a rattlesnake or tearing phone books for worship), but they are all treated with respect and seriousness within the confines of the film.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

April 29, 2014

Labor Day
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, brief violence and sexuality
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Jason Reitman has brought us some big commercial and critical hits since he came on the scene with such films as Juno, Up in the Air and Young Adult, but his latest creation landed with a thud at both the box office and with reviewers. Labor Day casts Josh Brolin as an escaped convict who forces himself onto a divorced mother played by Kate Winslet, and her teenage son.  At first the relationship seems like a home invasion, but slowly the three manage to develop a symbiosis.  While not one of the best films of 2013, it certainly didn’t deserve the piling on it received by critics.  I can see why some see it as a little cheesy, but ultimately I think it comes off as a sweet little story with some terrific performances and a thought-provoking narrative.  B