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New in Home Entertainment

September 20, 2011

Dumbo: 70th Anniversary Edition
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In 1941 Walt Disney was in a financial jam.  He had spent so much money making Pinocchio and Fantasia that the studio was almost broke and in dire need of a hit.  With WWII consuming Europe, the international box office was all but lost when a baby elephant with humongous ears flew in and rescued the studio.  Seventy years later the film is seen as controversial due to its portrayal of African Americans, but Dumbo is much more than a controversial film.  It still holds up as a visual and musical work of art and having put it to task with my sixteen-month-old, I can assure you that it is still capable of winning over the hearts of both children and adults.  This new enhanced digital restoration is gorgeous and with blu-ray picture and sound, the film has never been better.  I do wish Disney had included digital copy so I could pull it up on my iPhone every once in while, but aside from that the set is loaded with both new and old features.  A

Bridesmaids
Rated R for some strong sexuality and language throughout
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Desperately trying to escape the labeling of “chick flick,” Bridesmaids became a word-of-mouth sensation this past summer and should hit big with this new DVD/Blu-ray release which offers up both the theatrical and a new unrated edition.  This story of a bride and her crazy girlfriends filled the originality gap left awkwardly vacant by Hangover 2.  Watching Kristen Wiig knock it out of the park with this screenplay she co-wrote with pal Annie Mumolo is a blast.  But even more fun is watching co-star Melissa McCarthy (who just won the Emmy last Sunday for Mike & Molly) steal every scene she steps into.  She pretty much walks away with the picture and might even walk away with some statues come the end of the year.  A-

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia: The Complete Season 6
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Seasons one through five of this comedy from FX have provided me with some of biggest laughs of the past few years.  Danny DeVito and gang, week after week, push the envelope of decency until there’s no where left to go.  So it’s no wonder that the only direction the show can turn is down weird street.  Season six has many laughs, but way too many scratch your head moments.  I loved the episodes “Who Got Dee Pregnant?” and Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth,” but cringed during “The Gang Gets a New Member” and “Mac’s Big Break.”  The good news is that season seven just started and it appears that things could be back on track again.  C+

My Life as a Dog: Criterion Collection
Unrated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Swedish with English Subtitles
Before cranking out hit films like The Cider House Rules and Chocolat, Swedish director Lasse Holstrom hit the scene big-time with this little indie about a boy who goes on a journey of discovery when he is sent away to give his dying mother some rest.  It’s a weird little film and I’m never really fully understood it, but you can definitely see why so many people hold it up with reverence.  For a Criterion title, this release has relatively few special features but the new digital transfer looks terrific and the 1973 short film included here is an interesting look at Holstrom’s earliest work.  B-

New in Home Entertainment

September 13, 2011

Thor
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence
Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD
Marvel superhero Thor is a god who is cast to Earth by his father, Odin, and forced to live there as a mortal until he learns the valuable lesson his father wishes to teach him.  As Marvel prepares for its big Avengers movie next summer it was important to introduce the genesis stories for the remaining cast including Thor and Captain America.  While Captain America did a decent job of bringing the fourth Avenger to the screen, Thor was merely mediocre and almost seemed as more of a commercial for the upcoming film rather than a complete movie itself.  At least we know how Thor came to Earth, but it could have been done so much more impressively.  The special effects were okay, but the 3D was headache-inducing, the script was weak and the music by the gifted composer Patrick Doyle was a huge letdown.  It seemed as if the marketing machine was turned on and it managed to suck out much of the creativity that should have been there.  As for Thor, I liked both the actor (Chris Hemsworth) and his portrayal of the character.  I just wish a better film could have come from this hero.  C+

Hesher
Rated R for disturbing violent behavior, sexual content including graphic dialogue, pervasive language, and drug content – some in the presence of a child
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After a teenage boy (Devin Brochu) loses his mother in a car crash, he meets a homeless headbanger named Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who weirdly attaches himself to the boy by moving in and consuming his life.  At first the film is played out as a fantasy where you are almost certain that  you are going to discover that Hesher is a figment of the boy’s imagination.  But when you discover that he is for real and not a modern-day Harvey, the film takes a humorous but disturbing turn.  While the script is highly unusual and creative, it’s also frustrating.  The performances were all very good, especially that of Gordon-Levitt, and if what you need is a film that keeps you guessing rather than spoonfeeding you the same old stuff, this might fit the bill.  B

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
Rated R for language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When talk show host Conan O’Brien was ousted at NBC, he was contractually obligated to not appear on television again for six months.  In order to not waste this valuable time, he launched a 32 city music and comedy show called the “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour” where he was able to hit the road and perform for his biggest fans.  This movie shows some of the concert, but focuses mainly on the creation of the tour and the behind the scenes.  I don’t think that anyone would deny that Conan got the shaft from NBC, and to watch a man bravely move on in the face of adversity is a refreshing true story.  While I have never watched a lot of Conan in the past, this film has very much peaked my interest in his new TBS talk show.  B+

Hung: The Complete Second Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
A loving father and school teacher who becomes a male prostitute in order to rebuild his life financially might sound like a tough sell, but in its second season, Hung has proven to be quite a good little dramedy from HBO.  Thomas Jane, who could have been a huge superstar were it not for his unfortunate name, turns in another great performance and Jane Adams is masterful as his luny yet focused pimp.  The second season wasn’t as strong as the first, most likely due to the lack of nuance, but with these great performances, strange story lines and unusual characters, I can’t wait to see where they bring us in season three.  B+

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When Spartacus star Andy Whitfield could not return for season two due to cancer treatments, Starz made a creative move and opted for a prequel instead.  Focusing on Batiatus (John Hannah) and his rise to prominence within the gladiator world, the franchise was able to pull off a respectable season of gratuitous violence and sex that is incredibly over-the-top yet still pretty fun to watch.  The writing and production doesn’t come close to what you’ll find on HBO, but if in the right mood, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is passable entertainment.  B-

New in Home Entertainment

September 6, 2011

Hanna
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sixteen-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is raised in remote Finland by her father (Eric Bana) to be a lethal killing machine in order to ensure her survival once a government agent (Cate Blanchett) discovers her whereabouts.  Not only is Hanna’s story unique and wildly original, but so is the creative directing and overall production.  Director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) puts on an extraordinary show here fully utilizing his talented cast to the best of their abilities and adding in enough of himself to dazzle the audience.  Wright is one of the most exciting directors out there right now, especially in regards to the musical choices of his films.  Hanna forgoes the typical spy score in exchange for an exhilarating and dizzying composition by The Chemical Brothers.  It’s weird, but it fits, and you’ll want to turn the sound way up.  Watching a young girl in such a violent film is unsettling to say the least, but once you get past that element, the film becomes a top piece of entertainment.  A-

Everything Must Go
Rated R for language and sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Will Ferrell, taking a far departure from comedy, stars in this drama about a man who is laid off from his job only to find all of his possessions in the front yard when he gets home.  At rock bottom, and without a home to live in, he must decide what to do with his life, and what next step, if any, he needs to take.  Sounds depressing?  Well it’s not overly so.  Rather than invite you to a pity party, the film takes you on an introspective journey of a very faulted middle-aged man that has some tough choices to make.  What I was most fascinated about is that the film was surface level rather than metaphorical.  And while the “stuff” he had collected through the years served their purposes in telling his story, I fully expected him to wake up from a dream.  As for Ferrell, he gives a  great and stirring performance here and proves once again that his acting can have depth when he wants it to.  B+

X-Men: First Class
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual content including brief partial nudity and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When they went back and did an X-Men prequel for Wolverine and it stunk as bad as it did, it was hard to get excited about another prequel.  But upon the discovery that Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Kick Ass) would be directing, I started to get excited.  Turns out that excitement came for a good reason.  The origin story of the X-Men was handled well by the writers and director and they couldn’t have come up with a better cast including James McAvoy as Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Magneto.  There are some moments where the cheese factor is a little high, but overall, the film turns out to be a fun and exciting adventure that even manages to place itself in not only X-Men history but our actual history as well.  By far, this is the best super hero film I have had the pleasure of seeing so far this year.  A-

Scarface
Rated R
Available on Blu-ray
It’s easy to appreciate the influence this Cuban American gangster film has had on world cinema, but after watching it again, I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.  While The Godfather Parts One and Two, as well as Goodfellas, are almost as violent and still rank at the top of my favorite movies, I have never found a place for this iconic picture.  It starts out interesting, but ends up way too over-the-top for my taste and there are too many moments where I just don’t want to keep watching.  There’s a reason why this film was ignored by the Academy and was even nominated for  1984 Razzie for worst director: it’s just not that good of a film.  But for those of you who are fans, I’ll stop hating.  This new Limited Edition Blu-ray release gives you a pristine print with tons of extras included.  And if you are a big, big fan, you might want to consider checking out the Scarface Limited Edition Humidor/Blu-ray combo on Amazon.com for the sale price of $699.99.  This over-the-top edition matches the movie perfectly.  C

New in Home Entertainment

The Elephant in the Living Room
Rated PG for thematic material including some disturbing situations, mild language and smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This very daring and sometimes saddening documentary by filmmaker Michael Webber looks at the American subculture of people who raise dangerous exotic animals as common household pets.  The majority of the film follows an almost invalid man that keeps two lions in a horse trailer until an Ohio police officer helps him build a pen that will more safely and comfortable hold the big cats.  This story line could have been the entire film and it would have been a strong and convincing case against the common practice.  While I was really interested in the other bits and pieces of information thrown out such as the world of exotic pet auctions, reptile expos and escaping pet cougars, many of those subjects were not covered in enough detail and felt more like incomplete thoughts than a strong argument.  What I would really like is to see this doc as a weekly show where the officer takes on all forms of exotic pet abuse.  But regardless, I still found the story to be both incredibly informational, interesting and profoundly moving.  I didn’t cry like when I watched The Cove, but you can’t help but feel for these beautiful animals in the hands of the wrong owners.  A-

Win Win
Rated R for language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Paul Giamatti is a nice lawyer who coaches the local high school’s wrestling team.  When he finds himself broke due to a tough economy, he decides to unethically take guardianship of one his clients in order to pay himself a small stipend to help make ends meet.  When the client’s grandson, who happens to be a championship wrestler, shows up on his doorstep to live with his grandfather, the lawyer decides to take him in until things can get settled with the kid’s deadbeat mom.  This is truly an example of a nice and enjoyable film.  The characters are nice but flawed people and the story, while containing conflict, doesn’t revel in it.  It is genuinely funny and doesn’t give off a whiff of indie pretense.  More importantly, it looked like they had a fun time making it, and personally, I had a fun time watching it.  A-

The 5th Quarter
Rated PG for thematic material, some language, medical images and brief smoking
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The 5th Quarter is based on the true story of a car crash that took the life a fifteen-year-old boy and the effect it had on his family and friends.  Unfortunately, it’s a great and inspiring story that is very poorly told.  Recently we’ve seen some really decent Christian or faith-based films such as Soul Surfer and To Save a Life, but for every good film in this genre there are several stinkers and this one smells to high heaven.  You would think that with stars like Aiden Quinn and Andie MacDowell that you would have the makings of a decent picture, but unfortunately, they both acted down to the horrendous script and the rest of the cast didn’t stand a chance.  The one saving grace is that the film is only 90 minutes long which eases the suffering a small bit.  D- 

New in Home Entertainment

August 23, 2011

The Beaver
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, some disturbing content, sexuality and language including a drug reference
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It’s no wonder this little drama starring Mel Gibson as a depressed husband and father who can only communicate though a beaver puppet didn’t do well at the box office. After all, Mel is one of the most hated men in Hollywood right now (unjustifiably so in my honest opinion), and he plays a crazy man who talks through a beaver.  This concept doesn’t make for an attractive movie. But then ten minutes into it you get hooked and then you can’t take your eyes off of it.  Mel turns in one of his best performances and Jody Foster does great in her double duty role of director and leading actress.  While the film is extremely funny at times, it also serves up a stirring and sensitive tale of a man with an extreme mental illness and his family who is forced to suffer it along with him.  A-

Dexter: The Fifth Season
Available on DVD and Blu-Ray
While I loved the first two seasons of this hit show about a serial killer who only kills the bad guys, I never thought it could keep up its pace.  But then the breathtakingly scary season four hit leaving number five in it’s wake. With Dexter left a widower, single parent and prime suspect, the season takes an usual direction as he decides to combine forces with a new partner, played by Julia Stiles.  Some of the dialog and acting are a bit on the campy side and the scare factor can’t come close to Season Four, but overall the writing is strong and star Michael C. Hall proves again why he is an award-worthy actor.  B+

Troll Hunter
Rated PG-13 for some sequences of creature terror
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Norwegian with English Subtitles
While it sounds like cheesy B-movie, this Norwegian import manages to churn out a creative tale about a group of journalists attempting to capture footage of Norway’s troll problem that has gotten out of hand.  It’s ultra low-budget and won’t impress you with it’s less-than-dazzling special effects, but you will end up entertained and full of useless knowledge about trolls.  If you don’t want to read through the subtitles, never fear, there will be a big-budget Hollywood remake just around the corner.  B-

New in Home Entertainment

August 16, 2011

Jane Eyre
Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements including a nude image and brief violent content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While there have been many adaptations of the classic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, each has a different look and feel and this new version from director Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre) is no different.  While the story of poor Jane is still haunting and moving, it has never looked so darkly beautiful.  The acting is absolutely terrific from the entire cast, especially that of Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Michael Fassbender (X-Men First Class) as the tortured lovers.  The real star of the film for me is composer Dario Marianelli who creates a score just as lovely and powerful as his Oscar-winning music from Atonement.  The only problem here, and the one that keeps this film from achieving greatness, is the mixing of the elements.  There are some great moments with spectacular cinematography where the score should be singing and instead it feels like they are afraid to let it out and breath.  These types of missteps in editing might sound small, but the film feels a little puny because of it.  B+

The Conspirator
Rated PG-13 for some violent action
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the North did everything in its power to catch those responsible and quickly prosecute them.  When a young lawyer (James McAvoy) is assigned to defend the mother of one of the accused (Robin Wright), he must put on hold his feelings about the case and give her the defense she justly deserves according to the constitution.  If you’ve never heard of this little indie, you might find it strange that a film directed by Robert Redford, starring a talented cast including McAvoy, Wright, Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson slipped past the radar.  After watching it you won’t wonder why.  While the subject matter is very interesting, the screenplay, pacing and acting all suffer a hit.  Everything just feels kind of flat.  More interesting than the film, though, is the feature-length documentary “The Conspirator: The Plot to Kill Lincoln” which goes into just the right amount of detail about the story.  C+

Priest
Unrated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In a future world where vampires are at constant war with man, a priest (Paul Bettany) goes against church orders in order to go after the vampires that kidnapped his niece.  if you are asking yourself “wasn’t Paul Bettany just in this movie?” you’d be close.  Bettany keeps choosing roles like Legion and Priest possibly because this is the best chance he’ll get of being a big action star.  While it’s good to have such a great actor that is capable of elevating bad material, it can also hurt the actor which is starting to become the case.  Here in Priest we get a big mash up of vampire movies and westerns thrown into one cheeseball script.  And even though the effects budget allows for some impressive action sequences, the movie itself falls apart due to its lack of originality and bad writing.  C-

The Battle of Algiers: The Criterion Collection
Available on Blu-ray
After the French were defeated in Vietnam in the 1950s, they turned their eyes towards Algeirs whose citizens were willing to do anything to win their independence.  This legendary film of that clash is now getting the Criterion treatment with this new 2 blu-ray edition including literally tons of extras.  For a foreign film made in 1966, the print has held up well and the film’s style tells a story that is just as relevant today as it was back then.  A

The Big Lebowski
Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence
Available on Blu-ray
Many have declared Jeff Bridges comeback came with his Oscar-winning performance in Crazy Heart, but in my mind, he hit with a vengeance in the Coen Brothers’ crazy fantasy The Big Lebowski.  In case you haven’t had the pleasure of this brilliant comedy yet, the story follows a California stoner/bowler who goes by the simple name of The Dude.  When his rug, which really tied the room together, is stolen by a group of thugs that have mistaken him for a millionaire by the same name, The Dude goes on an adventure with his bowler buddies to recover it.  While many of the special features come from previous dvd releases, there are some nice additions including a case that more closely resembles a book than a blu-ray.  My favorite feature is the inclusion of digital copy which hardly ever comes with catalog releases.  A+
 

New in Home Entertainment

August 9, 2011

Super
Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, sexual content and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
If you missed this Super hero movie starring the Office’s Rainn Wilson and Juno’s Ellen Page, you weren’t the only one.  When his wife leaves him for a local drug dealer, Wilson attempts to win her back by committing vigilante justice.  Wanting to get in on the action is Page who is a little overeager to commit violence for the greater good.  For the first half of the film I was wondering why this movie didn’t get picked up by a major distributor.  After all, the very talented cast includes Wilson and Page as well as Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon.  I thought that studios could have passed due to the fact that it is too much like Kick Ass, but the two films turn out to be very different.  Once I got half-way in, I realized what kept this pic in indie status as the comedy turns incredibly weird and extremely shocking.  That being said, I liked the film due to it sticking to its guns and staying original.  The pacing is good and the script is engaging and surprising.  As eclectic actors, Wilson and Page are truly a dynamic duo and I couldn’t wait to see and hear what would happen next.  B+

Soul Surfer
Rated PG for an intense accident sequence and some thematic material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In 2003, a promising young surfer named Bethany Hamilton tragically lost her arm during a shark attack.   Rising above her natural fear of the ocean, she opted to get back on her board to continue her surfing career in spite of her new handicap.  While many faith-based films aren’t of the best quality, Soul Surfer proves that with a great cast (AnnaSophia Rob, Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt) and a decent screenplay (written by countless screenwriters) you can release an inspiring Christian film that might have the chance to be appreciated by the non-Christian film-going community.  The film has a nice pace to it and while it manipulates the tar out of you, making it very tough to keep your eyes dry, it still comes off as one of the highlights in family-friendly films thus far in 2011.  A-

East Bound and Down: The Complete Second Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The first season of this hit HBO comedy starring Danny McBride as the world’s worst professional athlete role model was so originally funny that it’s hard to believe that HBO could come up with a second season to match.  Heading in a different direction, season two follows fallen baseball star Kenny Powers as he struggles to make a name for himself playing Mexican baseball, all in the hope of being noticed again and making it back to an American pro career.  While not as stellar as the first season, number two ends up being just as original, although a little stranger than I expected.   The humor is much darker here as is the discomfort you feel every time Kenny takes the mound.  B

Your Highness
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity, violence and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Danny McBride has had a nice lineup of performances over the last few years, but lately he has shown himself to be a one-trick pony portraying himself as a foul-mouthed loser with an over-reaching level of confidence.  In Your Highness, he is a medieval jerk who must accompany his brother (James Franco) and a lone warrior (Natalie Portman) on a quest to find and kill an evil wizard.  Beyond the obvious observation that this movie is way below the perceived talent level of Franco and Portman, it is surprising that they both act down to the material.  There is some funny stuff here, but most of the jokes seem like they were written by a couple of stoners who pounded out a script while taking a break from playing World of Warcraft on Salvia (It was actually written by McBride but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he was merely channeling said stoners).  Creating a raunchy comedy about medieval times isn’t a bad idea and the plot isn’t horrendous, but I can’t imagine anyone but teenage boys getting anything from this poorly acted mess of a movie.  Frankly, it’s time McBride stepped it up and tried something different for a change.  Adam Sandler and Jim Carey have both proven they can handle more challenging roles and I am certain that McBride has it in him as well.  Then when he goes back to the old character, we will at least know he has it in him.  D

Paul
Rated R for language including sexual references, and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Paul follows two comic book nerds from England (Shaun of the Dead’s Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) who go on a quest to visit famous UFO sites in America.  When they find themselves picking up a pot-smoking extraterrestrial hitchhiker (voiced by Seth Rogen), they help their new friend by running from the government in the hopes they can get Paul to his escape ship.  If Cheech and Chong attempted to make a version of Super 8, it would look much like Paul.  Unlike the other stoner comedy released this week, Your Highness, this one combines two genres (three if you count stoner films as a genre) in a very effective fashion.  Not all of the jokes hit, but the movie is fun to watch and full of surprises.  I especially liked Jason Bateman as the foul-mouthed g-man hot on the alien’s trail.  I do wish the filmmakers hadn’t felt the need to add a love interest as the very funny Kristen Wiig’s character falls flat.  B-