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New in Home Entertainment

May 15, 2012

The Grey
Rated R for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In this modern tale of man vs. wild, a group of oil workers and a skilled huntsman are left to fend for themselves in remote Alaska when their plane crashes.  Dealing with both the bitter cold and the loss of many on board the plane, the group discovers that they might have crashed near a pack of ravenous wolves.  Normally I really like these kinds of films.  Liam Neeson is an extraordinary actor and writer/director Joe Carnahan (Narc) is a master of the gritty action drama.  But for some reason, I just couldn’t connect.  There is a hopeless feel in the air from the first moments of the film that permeate throughout.  It’s almost as if each character can’t wait to die and they are moving on out of sheer stubbornness.  There are some very good scares to found here and the acting is decent enough, but I wasn’t invested in any of their lives.  Honestly, I was completely apathetic to their plight.  The directing was strong enough, but the writing had too much of a dark indie tone that said to it’s audience “I dare you to like me.”  C+

Albert Nobbs
Rated R for some sexuality, brief nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In her sixth Oscar-nominated role, Glenn Close does her best Clay Aiken impression as she pretends to be a male butler in 19th century Ireland.  This is a film stuffed with great performances.  While Close and Janet McTeer were the only Oscar nominees, there are many other small yet powerful performances here.  Also the dialog is very clever and well-written and the production is first-class.  The problem is that the story is just not that great.  While the secret world of Lesbians in this time period makes for an interesting subject, I think that most folks would side with me that the the movie is just a tad boring.  Unfortunately this film really doesn’t have the potential to be too compelling for most audiences, which leaves it as a small niche film for a very select audience that might treasure it.  B-

Being John Malkovich: The Criterion Collection
Rated R for language and sexuality
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I can imagine the time when people first got a look at Picasso’s first cubist paintings and what their thoughts might have been.  Some might have been repelled while others were excited and inspired.  The latter is the feeling that came over me when I first saw Being John Malkovich.  The film explores a world where John Cusack discovers a portal in an office building that puts you in the head of the actor John Malkovich for 15 minutes.  It’s so random, yet so perfectly conceived and executed but writer Charlie Kaufman and director Spike Jonze.  It is both hysterically funny and incredibly deep at the same time.  This new Criterion treatment gives a brand new restored digital transfer and audio commentary by director Michel Gondry (who directed Charlie Kaufman’s Oscar-winning script Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) as well as several other new featurettes.  I know the word brilliant gets thrown around way too much in film criticism, but there is really no other word to describe this work.  A+

Astros: 50th Anniversary – The Essential Games of the Houston Astros and Astros Memories
Available on DVD
While the good ol’ Astros have proven to be pretty mediocre so far this season, in their 50 year history, there has been a lot of sports history made.  This very reasonably-priced box sets takes a look at many of the greatest games the Astros played in during this time as well as a ton of bonus features.  At almost 12 hours, this is a well-produced set that could be a nice Father’s Day gift if the father in question has a closet full of starred clothing and hats.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

May 8, 2012

Underworld: Awakening
Rated R for strong violence and gore, and for some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Desperate to keep this franchise alive, Michael Sheen’s Lucian is out and Kate Beckinsale’s Selene is back in as she leads a battle against humans who have finally discovered the existence of Vampire and Lycan clans.  The film itself is pretty week in the writing department, but Kate does her best to make the movie as entertaining as possible in spite of its limitations.  Her beautiful yet deadly Selene prances around in tight leather to the extent where you almost feel the film could be rescued if that’s all they showed.  The special effects are also a vast improvement over the three previous films, and were it not for the fact that the tale has worn itself thin, you would think the movie has some real potential for entertainment.  C+

Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, comic violence and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With the help of Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, John C. Reilly, Will Forte and many others, comic actors Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim star in this sketch comedy-like movie about two idiot filmmakers that lose everything and are forced to run a mall that has been rundown.  One of the stores in the mall sells “used toilet paper.”  When asked if that was a big market for this mall, the shopkeeper responds “it’s more of a gourmet operation.”  Well that precisely describes the movie.  It’s definitely not a film for everyone and I would suspect it would be a huge turn-off for most audiences.  As for me, I sat through 90 minutes without laughing.  I found it to be peculiar and unique, but the comedy it has been billed as was nowhere to be found.  I expected Mr. Show and instead got a strange and quirky amateur film.  The cameos are everywhere you look, but the performances are completely uninspired.  Since this is a Funny or Die film, I’d have to pick “die” but I can appreciate that some will click the other button.  C-

The Big C: The Complete Second Season
Available on DVD
In the first season of Showtime’s hit show, Laura Linney discovered she had cancer.  Now in the second season, she has finally shared her diagnosis with her family and is learning to live with the disease.  It’s tough to laugh at such a subject, but the writing and acting here are so strong that it’s hard not to.  And having the ability to know when to make you laugh and when to cry, the show really excels at toying with your emotions as it puts you right there in her world.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

May 1, 2012

New Year’s Eve
Rated PG-13 for language including some sexual references
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ever since Love Actually, Hollywood has been attempting to capitalize on the formula of taking a holiday, throwing as many A-listers as will fit in a blender, and making a themed movie smoothie of it.  In this case, director Garry Marshall (Valentine’s Day, The Princess Diaries) takes Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker and many others and gives them little stories revolving around New Year’s Eve.  The result is another ridiculously stupid movie that damages the integrity of everyone involved.  Contrived and cliched at every turn, the movie tries to take advantage of couples looking for a “date” movie and girls nights out.  I actually loved Love Actually, but these copy cat Hollywood crap fests are good for nothing but mockery and disdain.  F

Joyful Noise
Rated PG-13 for some language including a sexual reference
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Convinced that the competitive church choir competition genre was under-represented, the filmmakers here put together tale of a face-off between Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah as they both try to fight it out over the subject of how best to win a national competition.  While its completely predictable, much of its target audience won’t be as critical as the critics due to the fact that its a positive, uplifting family-safe film with decent music.  If you have a discerning palate, however, you will most likely find the movie to be a musical comedy that panders to its set audience.  Then again, I don’t think there was any ambition of winning awards or making a statement here.  This is simple entertainment for viewers that want a simple film.  C

The Organizer: Criterion Collection
Unrated
Italian with English Subtitles
Getting the Criterion treatment here is a relatively little-known 1963 Italian film about a group of textile workers in Turin, Italy at the turn of the century that join forces under the leadership of a traveling professor in order to fight for better working conditions.  Since the film can be said to have modern-day comparisons to our current economy, it is a truly relevant picture almost 50 years after its release.  More importantly though is that it is a very entertaining movie that infuses fantastic moments of comedy relief within its tension-filled dramatic walls.  The performances seem authentic and the great cinematography, along with its new digital restoration, give the film a look of historical significance.  Above all is the extremely well-written Oscar-nominated screenplay by the same writers that gave us The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Il Postino.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

April 24, 2012

Contraband
Rated R for violence, pervasive language and brief drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In order to protect his brother-in-law from a ruthless drug-dealer, a former smuggler (Mark Wahlberg), is forced to commit to a smuggling operation bringing in a large amount of counterfeit bills into America from Panama.  I’ll warn you right off – Contraband is a B-movie all the way.  The plot is silly, the characters are predictable, and the writing isn’t top-notch.  What sets the film apart though is the both the quality of the talented cast and terrific production values.  You actually get a sense that you understand both the shipping and the smuggling business after watching this film.  There is an organic quality about it that allows you be taken in and entertained.  So while its not a good movie, it is at times a very fun and interesting one.  B-

Pariah
Rated R for sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
An inner-city teenager struggles with her identity as her friends and family begin to discover that she is gay.  This highly praised film from relatively new writer/director Dee Rees is a challenging yet rewarding picture about a subject that is completely foreign to most of its audience.  It is hard to imagine what a character such as this has to go through in this scenario, and even harder to imagine a member of the audience not being touched.  Rees does an excellent job of bringing empathy on not just the heroine, but to the people around her as well.  Its as if the villain isn’t really a person, but rather the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the situation pertaining to the main character.  B

Shogun Assassin
Rated R for violence, nudity and rivers of blood
Available on Blu-ray
I thought I was a big martial arts fan, and that I was familiar with most of the classics, but this cult title somehow slipped under my radar until now.  Following the saga of Lone Wolf and Cub (billed here as the greatest team in the history of mass slaughter), a father and young child travel Japan on a quest of vengeance for the brutal murder of their respective wife and mother.  This new set includes all five films in the series, all in beautiful HD, which makes the blood that much more red boy does it flow.  Just like many of the Asian films from this time period, it is extremely gory, but moreover, it is a blast to watch.  It’s truly corny at times, but in a good way.  B+

New in Home Entertainment

April 17, 2012

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While it seems that some of the franchise pics we have seen over the last year have gotten lamer with time (best example – Twilight), a couple have really knocked it out of the park, namely Harry Potter and Mission Impossible.  Mission Impossible was a very welcome edition to the relatively disappointing holiday season this past December.  Just like Harry, the film was left off many critics top 10s as well as many best-of ballots, in spite of the fact that both films landed a mid-nineties score on Rotten Tomatoes.  Moreover, just like the film about the boy wizard, the new Mission Impossible is pretty darn great.  Putting Tom Cruise and crew in a battle where they are the enemy of everyone and must clear their names before they are killed, the plot is entertaining and doesn’t get in the way of the extreme action.  To say this film will have you biting your nails is an understatement, especially if you are as afraid of heights as I am.  Former Pixar director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) does an incredible job of transitioning to the real-people world and the overall production here is insane – in a good way.  A

Shame
Rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Relative newcomer Michael Fassbender, in both a career-making and award-winning role, plays a man in New York City dealing with his out-of-control sex addiction when his sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him and forces him to face his illness.  Don’t let the NC-17 fool you here.  This is not a sexy film in the least.  In fact it is the un-sexiest film about sex you are likely to ever see.  This film very accurately shows the world of a sex-addict and sheds a new light on the disease which until now has mostly just been made fun of or at the very least been misunderstood.  Both Fassbender and Mulligan turn in amazing performances and director Steve McQueen deserves kudos for not only making such a hard-hitting drama, but for having the bravery to not cut the film to an R which could have killed its integrity.  This is not a film for everyone – not even close.  But if you are in the mood for a good drama and important social commentary, and if the kids are either asleep or out of the house, this is an excellent choice.  B+

The Iron Lady
Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Don’t get me wrong, I love Meryl Streep, but these awards should be given for acting and not merely impersonations.  Winning two Academy Awards for best actress and best make-up, The Iron Lady excels in creating a life-like replica of Margaret Thatcher in this biopic, but fails to create a watchable film.  Streep is not to blame here and does an admirable job of portraying the famed British politician, but the script and directing are all over the place.  The story is so difficult to follow that you become apathetic to its problems by the end.  And while I feel that I know Thatcher a little better now having seen this, I feel I would have been better off watching a history channel doc on her life instead.  C-

IMAX: Born to Be Wild
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Just like Disney, Warner Brothers has gotten into the Earth Day festivities by releasing a spectacular-looking nature film.  Born to Be Wild, through the narration of Morgan Freeman, focuses on baby elephants and orangutans who are protected from birth and raised in captivity until they can safely be released back into the wild.  At 41 minutes in length, it doesn’t have nearly the amount of storytelling of the Disney-nature releases, but what little time is spent with these animals is magical.  You and your families will find yourselves to be engaged, entertained, enlightened, and thoroughly enchanted.  A-

New in Home Entertainment

April 10, 2012

Into the Abyss
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and some disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Many of you will remember the horrific events that took place in Conroe in 2001 when Michael Perry killed three helpless victims all for the sake of stealing a car.  In 2010 he was executed in Huntsville, but before justice was served, he was interviewed by famed German filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man) in an attempt to show the uselessness of the death penalty.  While I found the story intensely interesting and extremely sad for the families destroyed by the crime, I failed to see a reason against putting such a monster to death.  As one of the victim’s family members said “some people don’t deserve to live” and Perry truly falls into that category.  So as an argument against the death penalty, the movie does is not convincing.  As a reminder to lock your doors, don’t trust strangers and protect yourself and your family at all cost – the movie succeeds admirably.  B+

Being Elmo
Rated PG for some mild language including a brief drug reference
Available on DVD
It’s funny where we find inspiration.  For Kevin Clash, it was the puppet shows of his youth including Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.  From the time he was a small child he strove to be a world-class puppeteer and decades later he eventually created Elmo and later went on to become the Executive Producer of Sesame Street.  This wonderful indie doc follows the journey of a most amazing man who truly embodies the advice “do what you love.”  The movie itself is very well-made and would be a pleasure to watch for any kid or adult.  In fact, this should be required viewing for grade-school kids nationwide.  A

The Darkest Hour
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some language
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
When I first saw the trailer for this alien invasion pic I was kind of excited.  After all, I love Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), and invisible electric aliens in Moscow sounded exciting.  But the reviews were horrible upon its Christmas release and it made next to nothing at the U.S. box office.  Well, sad to say, the bad reviews are well warranted.  What could have been an interesting script turns out to be a real stinker filled with unimaginative dialog and bad acting to match.  To make matters worse, the special effects are practically non-existent and what little there is looks cheap.  Luckily the film is less than 90 minutes so the pain is only momentary.  C-

New in Home Entertainment

April 3, 2012

War Horse
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In November my wife and I took a trip to London where we were fortunate enough to score some great seats to the hit West End play War Horse.  It was an incredible experience that left us both with the same thought: there is no way Steven Spielberg could screw this up.  We were wrong.  Spielberg’s movie does a lot of things right.  The cast is good enough, the music by John Williams is terrific and some of the shots are very memorable.  What turned out to be disappointing was the story.  Rather than sticking to the perfect storytelling of the play, Spielberg and screenwriter Richard Curtis (Love Actually) chose to twist things around, rework the plot and completely change the tone of the stage production.  The play is essentially about a boy during WWI whose father sells his horse to the military and thus goes on a journey through war-ravaged Europe to find his equine best friend.  In the play, the journey of both the horse and the boy were of equal importance.  In the movie, the boy’s journey is almost inconsequential by comparison.  In addition, they changed the major characters in significant enough of a way to almost lose their importance.  If you haven’t seen the play, you obviously won’t notice this.   But even though the film landed an Oscar nod for best picture, the overall reaction to the film has been mostly of indifference.  And while I have no way of proving this, I firmly believe that had they just left the basic story alone, the movie would have been a smashing success and an actual contender at the Oscars.  I have to admit that the special features in the four-disc blu-ray set are numerous and impressive.  I am still a massive Spielberg fan and love watching him commit to his craft.  He is more present on this blu-ray set than any of his other releases, which takes the overall movie up a notch or two.  C+

We Bought a Zoo
Rated PG for language and some thematic elements
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Based on a true story, a widower (Matt Damon) needing to get away from it all takes his two children away from their city home and moves into a house located on an actual zoo.  Using all of his savings, he helps his family cope with the loss of their matriarch by bringing the zoo back to life in the hopes of opening it to the public.  Just as you’d expect from a Cameron Crowe film, the storytelling is solid and the dialog is wonderfully written.  After all, this is the man that brought us “Show me the money” and “You had me at hello.”  The guy knows how to write and direct and the aside from some extremely cheesy moments spent with an out of place over-the-top zoo inspector, the film works as both a smart comedy and touching family film.  It’s hard to imagine anyone not liking the movie and I can even picture it being quite inspirational to some.  B+

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
There is something about those squeaky-voiced rodents that makes kids happy while simultaneously making their parents sick.  In this newest inevitable sequel, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard from a cruise ship only to end up marooned on a seemingly deserted island.  Call me a snob, but I consider this to be the lowest form of entertainment.  There is not a funny gag in the entire film and it actually hurts seeing Jason Lee and David Cross reappearing for the third film (although if I were offered that kind of money, I’d probably do it also knowing full well that I’d hate myself later for it).  Unfortunately, since the pic brought in over a third of a million dollars worldwide, I’m sure the studio will try to get these rats to squeak again.  F