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New in Home Entertainment – November 12, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

November 12, 2013

Man of Steel
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
300 director Zack Snyder’s epic reimagining of the Superman story still stands as one of my favorite films of 2013.  Henry Cavill is fantastic as the greatest of all super heroes and villain General Zod is masterfully portrayed by Michael Shannon.  And with great performances by Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Amy Adams and a very talented supporting cast, Man of Steel turns out to be not only a visionary production, but one with acting muscle as well.  So its a tad violent for the younger kids and the mass destruction of Earth is underplayed, but for teens on up this is a remarkable film.  Now I can’t wait for my toddler to grow up so I can watch this with him and have his little mind blown.  A

Dexter: The Final Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Some shows like Breaking Bad know how to end a series and some shows, like Dexter here, haven’t a clue.  In our favorite TV vigilante’s last season, he faces a new killer with close ties to the new criminal psychologist working with the Miami police department.  Unfortunately there is a lot of been there/done that played out here and the drama seems forced to say the least.  And with a finale that shows how not to end a series, my advice is to pretend Dexter is already over and if you are catching up on Netflix, let his universe end with John Lithgow’s exit.  C-

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New in Home Entertainment – November 5, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

November 5, 2013

White House Down
Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action and violence including intense gunfire and explosions, some language and a brief sexual image
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The second of the 2013 White House under attack films has our president under the gun of rogue agents and rednecks rather than the North Koreans but the results are just as silly.  Just like Antoine Fuqua’s Olympus Has Fallen, the White House is attacked and its up to someone not on his security team to rescue him.  While both films are over the top, White House Down differs in its tone as it chooses to be more sarcastic towards our government and very much less believable.  The script is incredibly weak with dialog worthy of a film by Roland Emmerich, director of 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow.  That being said, the action, while much of it doesn’t make sense, is packed and there are enough gunfights and explosions to keep you occupied through the lame storyline.  C-

Clear History
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Larry David and Mad Men’s Jon Hamm lead an all-star cast in this very typical Larry David comedy.  Here David, a marketing executive from Hamm’s car company, is justifiably fired right before the launch of a vehicle that changes the world.  Years later David seeks his revenge on Hamm for making him look like a fool.  Of course he is a fool and that doesn’t stop.  He is practically the same character he always is as he lacks the filter that prevents most people from saying whatever comes to mind.  While it probably could have been released theatrically, HBO took it straight to TV but that doesn’t mean it’s any less hilarious.  The actors look like they had a blast making the project and I had a blast watching it.  A-

Mad Men: Season 6
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
We’ve already seen Don Draper (Jon Hamm) at his worst and here in season 6 he attempts to put his life back together again.  With a new moral compass that occasionally falls apart, his work and home life begin to suffer from his past and present sins.  As we gear up for what should be a jaw-dropping series finale, hopefully like AMC’s other hit show Breaking Bad, season 6 allows a last long look at what Draper has accomplished before it all might be taken away.  A-

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New in Home Entertainment – October 29, 2013



New in Home Entertainment

October 29, 2013

Monsters University
Rated G
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Rather than go the sequel route which has been the norm for animated features, Pixar chose to make a prequel for their hit film Monsters, Inc.  In this new adventure Mike and Sully (voiced once again by Billy Crystal and John Goodman) meet in college where they are rivals who must become friends in order to succeed.  I was very hesitant going in since Monsters, Inc is my absolutely favorite Pixar movie and the thought of the prequel was underwhelming.  But my attention was grabbed quickly and I ended up loving it.  The writing is back to the Pixar quality we’ve been missing over the last couple of years and in spite of its G rating, the pic is easily as fun for adults as it is for children and doesn’t have to resort to going over kids’ heads with questionable jokes to do it.  A-

The Way Way Back
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language, some sexual content and brief drug material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After scoring an Oscar nomination for writing The Descendants, I was excited to see what actor/writer/director Nat Faxon could do with his own movie.  Set in a sort of retro yet modern time, a young teenager (Liam James) and his mother (Toni Collette) travel to a summer getaway with his mom’s new boyfriend (Steve Carell).  While temporarily living in the beach community he learns about life and love and pain while working at a water park with its crazy owner played by Sam Rockwell.  There are workable moments throughout but the film suffers from trying to be uber-clever and fails by not delivering.  Too much of the film is completely contrived and just plain nonsensical and these moments completely distract you from becoming emotionally involved.  C

R.I.P.D.
Rated PG-13 for violence, sci-fi/fantasy action, some sensuality, and language including sex references
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
When a young police officer played by Ryan Reynolds is killed in action, he is sent to the Rest In Peace Department which is ultimately responsible for getting rid of dead spirits that disturb the planet.  Joining a wild west lawman played by Jeff Bridges, the two uncover an unholy terror plot that they must foil to save Heaven and Earth.  If you think this movie looks like a Men in Black knockoff you’d be correct.  For Universal to put so much money into such a B movie seems like an insane investment.  Of course the film bombed badly simply because it wasn’t very good.  It’s not a total stinker, but its far from a quality sci-fi adventure.  Predictable and tasteless from start to finish, the film unfortunately qualifies as a must-avoid.  D+

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New in Home Entertainment – October 22, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

October 22, 2013

The Conjuring
Rated R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
One of the scariest things about The Conjuring is that it is supposedly based on a true story.  Apparently, real life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) came across a house in 1971 in Rhode Island that would later be described by them to be the worst case of demon possession they had ever seen.  If you believe in this sort of thing, and I certainly do, then you will be exponentially more horrified by the goings on in the film.  What separates it from the other run of the mill demon possession films?  It’s authenticity.  The film feels very organic and in turn manages to really deliver the goosebumps.  This is already being hailed as one of the scariest movies of the last decade and many will feel that its one of the most entertaining as well.  A-

Shrek the Musical
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While Disney has had a lot of luck on Broadway with The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan I’m sure soon with Aladdin, Dreamworks struck out with its big stage version of Shrek starring Brian D’Arcy James and Sutton Foster in the roles of Shrek and Fiona.  But just because it didn’t survive on the great white way doesn’t mean its any less of a quality production.  Having seen the show in New York, I have been a huge fan for years.  The music is clever and extremely fun and the performances are award-worthy.  I think Dreamworks was so shocked that it didn’t do well that they decided to try to breathe new air into it by releasing it for home viewing.  I hope this does the trick as I would love to keep enjoying this one on stage for years to come.  A

Vikings: Season One
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While we didn’t see a ton of Emmy’s being thrown the way of the History Channel this year, they are certainly on the road to greatness with this years original programming including The Bible and now Vikings (which just happened to score 3 noms).  This original series follows the fearsome but fair viking Ragnar Lothbrok as he rises to greatness within his tribe and attempts to conquer Europe.  Good drama, solid writing and acting and excellent production values make this a series worth watching.  While its not on par with Game of Thrones maybe, its definitely heading in the right direction and is sure to gather fans as it rolls along.  B+

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Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips
Starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi
Directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93)
Rated PG-13 for sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody images, and for substance use

    Based on the true story of the hijacking of the Maresk Alabama off the coast of Somalia, Tom Hanks is Captain Richard Phillips whose valiant efforts to save the ship and his crew put his own life in extreme danger under the guns of Somali pirates. 

    From the moment I first saw this trailer I had an idea that this would be a great film.  After all, combining Tom Hanks, director Paul Greengrass and a story of somali hijacking has gold written all over it.  And it sure lives up to its promise.  From start to finish, this is a great movie.  It’s extremely well-written and directed and the performances by not only Hanks but a largely unknown supporting cast are inspired. 

    While so many things impressed me about the film, what surprised me was how ultimately patriotic the film is.  The message is clear – you mess with one American you mess with all.  Ted Cruz isn’t in the background insisting that Phillips should only be rescued if he is a republican.  In fact there is not talk of politics or ideology.  He is an American and he is off limits.  Our military response is incredibly professional and intimidating and brings a sense of pride for our men and women in uniform and should bring a sense of fear to those wishing to do harm. 

    Since we are about to enter awards season I would like to make a prediction though – Captain Phillips could easily get shut out at the Oscars.  Don’t get me wrong – it will receive a huge amount of nominations, but with the serious movie muscle being released this fall, including last week’s awe-inspiring Gravity, Captain Phillips will have a challenging time taking home a trophy. 

    That being said, this is still a highly relevant film that needs to be seen.  Aside from the South Park episode where Cartman goes to Somalia to become a pirate, I’ve seen very little about piracy in Africa and I now feel there is a face to the crisis.  Greengrass and screenwriter Billy Ray (The Hunger Games) attempt to not only show the actions but explore the root causes of piracy as well.  It’s an eye-opening experience with a jaw-dropping conclusion.  A-

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New in Home Entertainment – October 15, 2013



New in Home Entertainment

October 15, 2013

Pacific Rim
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Just the thought of Guillermo del Toro directing a film about giant robots fighting off humongous alien monsters determined to destroy the planet gets me excited.  Perhaps the movie needed bigger stars, but regardless it really delivers exactly what is promised – a ton of fun and giddy mayhem with a good story and excellent special effects.  While worldwide audiences ate it up with over $400 million in receipts, the U.S. did not as the box office came in at just over a hundred.  But don’t let that fool you – this is a terrific genre film worth your attention.  A-

The Croods
Rated PG for some scary action
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
While many of the animated pics have been failures of late (i.e. Planes and Turbo), Dreamworks Animation really came through this year with this original adventure about a caveman family forced to leave the sanctuary of their rock home after a massive earthquake and survive in a colorful new world.  With great storytelling, beautiful animation and in impressive voice cast including Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds and Catherine Keener, The Croods turns out to be a quality motion picture good for both kids and adults.  A-

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New in Home Entertainment – October 8, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

October 8, 2013

After Earth
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and some disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Taking place 1000 years after a forced human escape from Earth, Will Smith and son Jaden (playing father and son in the movie also) end up on a hostile Earth that has evolved to a tremendous degree after the humans have left.  While Jaden’s acting isn’t the best and the film might not be completely scientifically sound, the movie is still a very well-made sci-fi adventure that comes in at a tidy 100 fast-paced minutes.  While director M. Night Shyamalan has certainly deserved some of the bad reviews he has garnered over the last few years, especially for The Happening and The Last Airbender, After Earth is a much better film than most critics are giving it credit for.  B

The Hangover Part III
Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, some violence and drug content, and brief graphic nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When Doug is kidnapped by gangsters while taking Alan to rehab, Phil, Alan and Stu (Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms) must recruit Mr Chow (Ken Jeong) to help get him back.  While they wisely chose not to use their “wake up with a hangover and no memory of the night before” plot vehicle that they so poorly utilized in part 2, this time around is far too serious and contains little humor.  And when they were trying to be funny, they weren’t successful.   Ultimately the movie ended up being a huge stinking disappointment.  D

Europa Report
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and peril
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you saw the trailer for this latest low-budget sci-fi film you’d think it was some kind of horror film, but it turns out to be so different and so much better because of it.  This realistic, almost documentary-style space exploration film follows an international group of astronauts as they attempt to travel to Jupiter’s moon Europa in the search for a life-sustaining planet.  While it’s no Gravity, it is an engrossing and extremely interesting flick with an excellent cast of  “they look really familiar” actors and terrific production values.  B

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New in Home Entertainment – October 1, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

October 1, 2013

This is the End
Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson all play themselves in this end of the world comedy that takes place after the rapture has left them all behind.  I actually got some ugly emails from angry readers who felt I didn’t give a strong enough warning so let me start off by saying this is incredibly offensive material.  If you think you might be offended, you will be.  DO NOT RENT.  Everyone else – enjoy.  Easily the funniest movie of the year so far, This is the End is as hilarious as it is introspective.  While they are playing a version of themselves they are comfortable with us seeing, you can tell there is a lot of truth behind the actions (aside from Michael Cera possibly).  That being said, this is a rude and extremely crude comedy that will make you laugh right through your discomfort.  A-

The Little Mermaid
Rated G
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
In 1989 Disney began an animation renaissance with its now classic The Little Mermaid based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.  Beautifully written and stunningly drawn with some of the best music to ever come out of the mouse house, Mermaid is easily one of the greatest animated films of all time.  This new digitally restored edition is packed full of extras and even has a 3D version for those of you with the right sets.  A+

Mamas Family: The Complete Collection
Available on DVD
80’s sitcom Mama’s Family is getting the Time Life touch here with this new box set including 24 DVDs with every episode of its six seasons and tons of new extras.  What made Mama stand out was the terrific performances by Vicki Lawrence as the grandma who is forced to take in her son and grandkids when they are evicted from their home.  Serving as a link between All in the Family and Roseanne, Mama’s Family performed an important function in keeping American white trash family comedy alive and well during the Reagan years.  For now it is only available on www.mamasfamilydvds.com.  B+

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New in Home Entertainment – September 24, 2013

New in Home Entertainment

September 24, 2013

Iron Man 3
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief suggestive content
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Robert Downey Jr is back as Tony Stark in this third and most profitable adventure in the Iron Man franchise (if you don’t count The Avengers).  This time around he is after an evil terrorist named the Mandarin who is set to destroy Stark’s whole world.  Taking over the director’s chair is Lethal Weapon’s Shane Black who does a great job of bringing a sense of humor to the film.  Unfortunately the script by Drew Pearce lacks any concept of authenticity, even in this super hero world.  Aside from the fun twist half way through the picture, the plot points are forced and frankly quite silly.  C+

Room 237
Not Rated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I’ve always enjoyed Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation of Stephen King’s The Shining, but I had no idea how much thought might have went into making it.  This documentary by Rodney Ascher explores many of the possible hidden and subliminal meanings behind the film and although they are sometimes very far-fetched, they are still very believable.  My favorite is a mind-blowing segment on the connection between Kubrick and the Apollo 11 moon landing.  As crazy and even demented as these conspiracies seem, I reached a new level of appreciation and enjoyment for this classic horror film.  A

South Park: The Complete Sixteenth Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I still can’t believe South Park is still this funny and this relevant, considering that most people think of it as a cartoon with potty humor.  So there is a fair amount of potty humor, but Trey Parker and Matt Stone, fresh off their Tony win for The Book of Mormon, are still creating fresh and hilariously timely tales with the gang of kids that doesn’t seem to grow up.  The season hits a high point with the hilarious “Sarcastaball”, which exposes the fear of head injuries in football and scores a low point with “I Should Have Never Gone Ziplining” which is an obvious attempt to make fun of a not-so-fun vacation the writers must have went on.  A-

China Beach: The Complete Series
Available on 21 DVDs
I hate to admit it, but I learned much of what I know about the Korean War watching MASH and the Vietnam war by watching China Beach.  This classic late 80’s/early 90’s drama about the nurses and doctors of the “Five and Dime” 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R Center is as well-acted and  fantastically produced as it is enlightening.  This new humongous set by Time-Life contains all episodes, 10 hours of extras, a book and even a pair of dog tags.  A-

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Insidious: Chapter 2



Insidious: Chapter 2
Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and Barbara Hershey
Directed by James Wan (The Conjuring)
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of terror and violence, and thematic elements

    Beginning directly after the events of the first Insidious movie, The Lambert family is back in the real world, but Josh (Wilson) doesn’t quite seem himself.  As strange events start happening to them again, they get a little help from some ghost hunters and even a visitor from the other side in order to get things completely back to normal again.  

    I remember seeing the original Insidious back in 2011 but honestly, it felt so generic that I couldn’t even recall much of the premise or details.  Unfortunately here they don’t really do a good job of jogging your memory so I would highly advise watching it again before tackling this one.  Then again, I’m not sure it would make much of a difference since this one seems even more generic than the first.  At least the first one provided some decent chills (from what I can remember).  Chapter 2 turns out to be rather lame and too often filled with people making bad decisions in order to further the story.  The acting is okay but nothing that will blow you away.  

    The real problem might be the rating.  It’s hard to do PG-13 horror and here it feels like those handcuffs were a real distraction.  Considering Wan’s last film, The Conjuring, was R and much more effective, I can only assume his imagination was not allowed to run wild enough here.  That being said, I hate torture porn horror like what we’ve seen in his Saw franchise, but I also need my suspenseful scary movies to be scary and this one didn’t do it.  

    One thing I did like was the story structure.  While the villain they presented wasn’t entirely terrifying, there was huge potential.  I would have really preferred to have seen this story presented with a much less restrictive environment.  C+