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State of Play

State of Play

Starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Helen Mirren
Directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland)
Rated PG-13 for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content
Appropriate for ages 15+

    Upon the death of his mistress, congressman Stephen Collins (Affleck) is scrutinized in Washington for his affair.  When Washington Globe reporter and Collins best friend Cal McAaffrey (Crowe) discovers a connection between the dead girl and one a defense contract Collins is overseeing, he must decide to either ignore his integrity and protect his friend or get to the truth of the matter and tell the world. 

    I really liked most of this film.  For about the first 3/4 of the movie, I was really into it.  I found it to be exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking.  Covering issues such as corrupt politicians, defense and private security contracts, journalistic integrity as well as the shrinking newspaper industry and growing blog universe all provide for much talked about interest items.  Crowe and Affleck both turn in solid performances here and create believable characters.  The rest of the case is pretty decent also, although I felt that Mirren’s character was over-the-top.  In addition, the directing is fast-paced and the story is well-told.   

    But then comes the final act.  Please don’t get me wrong.  I like twisty endings.  Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, and Tell No One had wonderfully twisted endings that caught me off guard.  The difference between these other films and State of Play, though, is that I was not caught off guard here.  Instead I was merely annoyed and a little confused.  It’s all in the screenwriting, and this script couldn’t quite pull it off.  B+

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New on DVD

New on DVD

The Reader
Rated R for sexual content and nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Many found it to be a huge surprise when the Oscar nominations were released this year and The Reader made the top five for best picture, not to mention that Kate Winslet would walk away with the acting trophy weeks later.  It’s not that the film wasn’t worthy, but merely for the fact that hardly anyone saw it.  After all, it’s a tough, depressing drama that is hard for many folks to stomach.  The film is told in three time periods.  The first part tells the story of a German teenager in the 1950s that has an affair with an older woman (Winslet).  He reads her classic after classic before and after they make love.   The second part takes place years later as this teenager is now a law student watching his past lover being tried for war crimes in Auschwitz.  The third act shows the aftermath.  It’s a beautiful and sad story that is both moving and disturbing.  A-

Pride and Prejudice
Unrated – Suitable for all ages
Available on Blu-ray
Before this 1995 BBC six-part mini-series, classics were filmed like stage plays instead of theatrical releases.  It might not seem ground-breaking in this day and age, but 14 years ago it certainly was.  Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth star as Elizabeth and Darcy, one of the most famous couples in all of literature.  The performances, writing, directing, and overall production are incredible, but the real winner here is the new high definition restoration from the film negative rather than the print.  While the show was not shot in HD, the restoration was able to bring out the colors and overall life of the series to an unbelievable degree.  While I liked the newer Joe Wright P&P a little better, this slightly older version is still a wonderful piece of family entertainment that should give the videophiles something to smile at.  A

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Observe and Report

Observe and Report

Starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, and Ray Liotta
Directed by Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way)
Rated R for pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content, and violence
Appropriate for ages 18+

    Seth Rogen is Ronnie Barnhardt a delusional mall cop that thinks he is the baddest security officer to ever hold a night stick.  When a flasher in the mall parking lot sets his sights on Ronnie’s dream girl (Faris), he turns into a sick vigilante that will do anything to find and kill the sexual predator.

    If you couldn’t tell from the above description, Ronnie isn’t a wannabe Paul Blart.  This is a dark, offensive, and sometimes disturbing comedy that pulls no punches.  I have to admit that I found much of the film to be very funny, but some of the shock value moments were a bit too much.  The violence and drugs are not done for comedy sake here, but rather to take the audience down a twisted spiral that it might not fully appreciate.  You could almost describe this film as a heavy drama with lots of jokes, rather than a dark comedy.

    What I found really interesting here is that there is only one decent character in the film.  Everyone else is a despicable human being.  That being said, the cast did a great job telling the story by playing off of each others disgusting caricatures.  As for writer/director Jody Hill, he is really making a splash in Hollywood with his anti-hero comedies like this, Foot Fist Way, and HBO’s East Bound and Down.  There is obviously an audience for this brand of humor, but I’m not sure how long it will last.  B+

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New on DVD

New on DVD

Doubt
Rated PG-13 for thematic material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Set in the 1960s, Doubt tells the story of a nun (Meryl Streep) who is suspicious of a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) that she believes may have molested a boy in their school.  While the film plays better as the play it was based on, you can’t discount the terrific performances from the leading cast that make this film tick.  It may not be immensely entertaining, but it sure does make you think.  B

Bedtime Stories
Rated PG for some mild rude humor and mild language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Adam Sandler stars in this pic about a hotel handyman with big dreams that enjoys telling stupid bedtimes stories to his sister’s kids.  Watching this film I rolled my eyes back in my head so many times that I need to consult an ophthalmologist.  I don’t think that adults will like this much, but the real question is: will kids like it?  I sure hope not.  If I had kids that liked it, I would attempt to Clockwork-Orange it out of them.  F

The Tale of Despereaux
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Despereaux the mouse is not afraid of anything, and to prove it he sets out on a mission to save the princess and her kingdom.  Not even spectacular animation and an all-star cast of voices could make this weird little mouse tale come to life.  The pic lacks the humor of most children’s films and tells a story that frankly proves to be more strange than entertaining.  C-

Cleopatra: 75th Anniversary Edition
Unrated
Available on DVD
With a remastered print and a new transfer to DVD, Cecil B. DeMille’s classic story of the queen of the Nile starring screen legend Claudette Colbert, shows off its historical significance and splendor in this new special edition.  Since I had not actually seen this film in its entirety before, I was pleasantly surprised with its style.  The storytelling and acting are a bit dated, as would be expected, but the sets and costumes were extraordinary, even by today’s standards.  Also, I had no idea how racy the film could be.  The costumes left little to the imagination, which took me by surprise considering the time it was made.  As for the special features, I actually enjoyed watching the three short documentaries on the disc as much as I enjoyed the movie itself.  B+ 

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12

12

Directed by Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt by the Sun)
Rated PG-13 for violent images, disturbing content, thematic material, brief sexual and drug references, and smoking
Russian language with English subtitles

    12 is at its heart a remake of 12 Angry Men told in modern-day Russia.  Twelve jurors must decide the fate of a young Chechen teenager accused of killing his stepfather.  What appears at first to be an open and shut case turns to hours of discussion as one juror convinces the rest that perhaps they should discuss the case in full detail before they pass such a quick judgment.

    When I had heard that a remake of 12 Angry Men was one of the five Oscar-nominated films for best foreign film, I thought that the voters had lost their minds, especially considering the wonderful films that were left out.  But then I saw the film and I can see what the Academy was excited about.  The story is essentially the same, and that’s fine since it makes for a brilliant drama.  The changes in case and culture however are fascinating.  Learning of the similarities and differences in our countries told from the jury room makes for a compelling movie experience that feels fresh even though the story is familiar. 

    While the directing gets a little overly artistic at times, the acting by the twelve men is remarkable.  You get to each one in a very intimate way that makes you care about not only the case, but the impact it might have on them.  And the use of the story of the young prisoner creates an empathy that the original story lacked.  I found this movie to be not only entertaining, but though-provoking as well.  That’s a hard combo to get at the movies.  A-

 

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New on DVD

New on DVD

Tell No One
Not Rated but intended for ages 17+
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
French language with English subtitles (contains English-dubbed version as well)
This French thriller, based on the novel by Harlan Coben, tells the story of a Pediatrician that is haunted by the death of his wife.  Eight years after the murder, however, he discovers that she might still be alive.  This is a twisty, fast-paced pic that even for all its clues, you still won’t be able to figure things out.  I loved everything about this film.  The directing is first-rate and the acting is award-worthy.  And even though the story is a bit trippy, it was my one of my favorites of last year.  While Slumdog will be getting the most attention this week, you owe it to yourself to check out this equally entertaining film.  A

Slumdog Millionaire
Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I’m sure that when they picked the DVD release date for this Oscar-winning blockbuster, they didn’t expect it to still be making tons of money at the box office.  Sure enough, it will be on DVD this week, while it is still making millions in its theatrical run.  For those of you that haven’t seen or heard about this film, Slumdog follows Jamal, a young man from Mumbai that makes it to the final question on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.  While he doesn’t know much, it just so happens that every question asked tells a relevant part of his life’s story, which we get to watch unfold over two hours.  It really is everything people say it is, and it deserves all of the attention it has gotten over the awards season.  A+

Marley and Me
Rated PG for thematic material, some suggestive content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When Jennifer Grogan (Jennifer Anniston) wants a baby, her husband John (Owen Wilson) gets her a puppy instead, hoping that this might curb her maternal appetite for at least a few years.  This movie tells the life-story of a dog, Marley, and the lasting effect he had on his family.  You can’t tell, but I am tearing up just writing this.  Yes I’m a dog person.  I married a Vet, so we are both dog people.  The theater I saw this film in was hard to hear the movie at times due to the sniffles.  There were people audibly sobbing.  This is a well-made film and the best performance to date by Owen Wilson.  Once you get past all the comedic trailer moments, you find a painfully honest film that will stay with you forever, if you should be fond of man’s best friend.  A-

Seven Pounds
Rated PG for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Will Smith stars in this film about an IRS agent that takes a special interest in the lives of seven strangers.  That’s all I can tell you without giving too much away.  Sure there is a twist here that you can figure out fairly early in the film, but that doesn’t make it any less poignant.  It’s not entertaining in the least, but it does provide food for thought.  Will Smith and the rest of the experienced cast turn in solid performances, although the directing could have used a pick-me-up at times.  B

Vampire Secrets
Unrated
Available on DVD
With the onslaught of Vampire flicks lately, the History Channel decided to try to uncover the source of all of the vampire legends in this television special.  I was very surprised to hear that Vlad Dracul was not where the legends started, bur rather with some other true tales that will bring you chills.  As usual, the reenactments are pretty lame, but the stories are nevertheless spine-tingling.  B-

The IT Crowd
Unrated – made for television
Available on DVD
From the creator of BBC’s Father Ted comes this over-the-top, yet very funny comedy about a women put in charge of a corporation’s IT department that doesn’t even know how to turn on a computer.  British comedy is not for everyone, but I find the subject matter scarily relevant and extremely witty, in spite of it apparently trying not to be.  B+

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Monsters vs. Aliens

Monsters vs. Aliens

Starring the voice talent of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, and Rainn Wilson
Rated PG for sci-fi action, crude humor and mild language
Appropriate for all ages

    When the Earth falls under the threat of an alien attack, the American military turns its secret weapon, a group of monsters that have been hidden away since the 1950s, to save it.

    This is one of those films that has a fun title, and the premise couldn’t have been hard to put together.  Since everyone loves monster movies and alien flicks, then all DreamWorks Animation would have to do is throw in some 3-D, a funny trailer, and a Super Bowl ad, and it should be a home run.  Reviews from folks like me won’t even matter.  But I’ll give my opinion anyways.

    With the exception of the first two Shrek films and Kung Fu Panda (and possibly Madagascar 2), DreamWorks Animation keeps churning out pretty movies with poor story-telling and writing.  Sure there are some good jokes here, and the voice talent is stellar, but the words coming out of their mouths and the combination of all of the ridiculous elements make for a very forgettable experience that will do nothing more than serve as a 90-minute babysitter. 

    Don’t get me wrong, complete believability is not important in a film like this, but some things are just too silly.  Like a house-sized meteor crashing into a woman and her only having a slightly tarnished dress.  Or that same dress actually stretching to fit her when she increases her size by a hundred times.  OK – I realize it’s a kids film, but they could’ve created a better device for this, like maybe her wearing the church or a tree for covering her bits and pieces.  After all, if I gained just 20 lbs I could use my pants button as a weapon.  Or maybe when the blob Bob declares that the Jello mold gave him a fake phone number.  Couldn’t they have come up with a better joke than that?  DreamWorks needs to spend the time with a more rigorous and thorough story-telling process that fixes this and many other stupid issues throughout.  C-


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New on DVD


New on DVD

Bolt
Rated PG for some mild action and peril
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Walt Disney Animation proved that it can contend with Pixar with this Oscar-nominated animated film about a dog that thinks he’s a super hero because he plays one on TV.  The animation is spectacular, especially on blu-ray, and the story is very much fun for the whole family.  Rhino the hamster actually steals the show and turns out to be one of the best animated sidekicks I can remember.  His short film on the DVD extras isn’t great, but his performance in the film more than makes up for it.  A

Quantum of Solace
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Daniel Craig is back as Bond, but this time the story and directing aren’t nearly to the quality of the last film Casino Royale.  Director Marc Forster (The Kite Runner) seemed more interested in recreating the Bourne Identity than continuing the twisty, edgy plot line from Bond’s last adventure.  The opera scene shows real promise for the script, but that one set piece alone isn’t enough to save the rest of the film.  C+

The Odd Couple: Paramount Centennial Collection
Rated G
Available on DVD
This newly restored version of the classic film about two divorcees living together has finally gotten the high definition treatment.  The print looks great, and you can’t help but miss Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon as they constantly bicker and fight with one another.  And for the fans, there are tons of special features included on the two-disc set.  A-

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter
Rated R for violent and grisly images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Due to a lack of time, the theatrical release of Watchmen left out the entire Black Freighter comic-within-a-comic from the original graphic novel.  In order to not upset the fans, the film makers opted to create an animated version of this tale, voiced by 300‘s Gerard Butler, that will probably be mixed in with the Watchmen when it is released on DVD.  It’s an interesting story, and actually plays better by itself than I thought it did in the novel.  Personally, I would wait and get it when the final product is released in a few months.  B-

The Fast and the Furious Trilogy
Contains The Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Tokyo Drift
All three are PG-13 for violence, language, sexual content, and racing
Available on Blu-ray
Just in time for the new fourth install of the franchise, Universal is releasing this three blu-ray set including the “trilogy.”  I’m not sure if it’s really a trilogy since the first two films are only loosely related and the third has nothing to do with the first two other than the inclusion of cars.  Nevertheless, if you are a fan of the series, or just of fast cars, mindless action, and a great look and sound, this might be up your alley.  There are tons of special features and the set even allows you to upload the three films onto your iPod.  The Fast and the Furious B, 2 Fast 2 Furious C, Tokyo Drift C+

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I Love You, Man

I Love You, Man

Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones
Directed by John Hamburg (Along Came Polly)
Rated R for pervasive language, including crude and sexual references
Appropriate for ages 17+

    Peter Klaven (Rudd) has always been a girlfriend kind of guy and has never had any close friends.  When he discovers that his fiance has an issue with this, he goes on a mission to find a best friend in order to make his future wife happy.  In his journey to find the proper bromance, he meets Sydney Fife (Segel), a fun-loving trouble-maker that gives him a new perspective on life.

    The first thing that strikes me about this film is how brilliant the premise is.  It’s so simple that I find it surprising that it has never been done before.  The movie follows the traditional romantic comedy formula in a perfectly heterosexual manner.  From his man-dates to his bromantic awakening, you enjoy watching Peter each step of the way. 

    Rudd and Segel both give stand-out performances here that show why they are both so hot in the comedy world right now.  What I especially loved about Rudd’s performance was how imperfect he made his character.  His nervous tongue-twisting seemed too natural.  Most films of this sort are so witty that while they are still enjoyable, they seem a little unbelievable.  Rudd, on the other hand, is lovably aloof and the performance shows how awkward his character really is when taken out of his element. 

    Overall, the comedy here is very well written and performed and most of the jokes hit like they are supposed to.  The story comes with no surprises, which almost feels refreshing since most film makers would have thrown more conflict in just for the sake of having more conflict.  I, for one, am glad they kept things so basic.  A-

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New on DVD

New on DVD

South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season
Unrated, but meant for adults
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Twelve seasons down and still going strong, South Park is still as funny and relevant as ever.  This season saw the boys from South Park, Colorado causing trouble for Britney Spears, being held hostage by Die Hard-like terrorists, remaking High School Musical in a way that only they could, exploring the truth behind election night, and imagining unthinkable evils upon Harrison Ford.  It was yet another hysterical season that a sick mind could enjoy over and over again.  Aside from the Britney episode, the social commentary wasn’t as strong in this season, but we don’t always need to be taught a lesson to enjoy.  This is the first season available on Blu-ray and I have to admit that it looks very different.  Not necessarily better, but different.  You can really make out the different textures in the animation that you couldn’t see before and frankly, I haven’t made up my mind if the crystal clear high def version is better than the 480i TV version.  A-

The Robe: Special Edition
Not rated, but family friendly
Available on Blu-ray disc
The Robe follows a Roman centurion that wins Christ’s cloak gambling at the foot of the cross.  The powers of the cloak manage to change his life forever.  Richard Burton stars in this 1953 sword and sandals biblical epic from Twentieth Century Fox.  While the acting is pretty bad by today’s standards, and the directing lacks the intensity and power of such classics as Ben Hur and Spartacus, this film is important for one reason: it was the first film shown in theaters in a wide screen format.  Cinemascope was launched by Fox in order to bring people out of their home, away from their TVs, and into theaters. And it worked.  The movie was a huge success at the box office and even won two Oscars.  While you kind of have to watch the movie, the real treasures here are the documentaries of the picture’s rich historical significance.  One of my favorite features is the ability to watch the movie with just the score by nine-time Oscar winning composer Alfred Newman and no dialogue or sound effects.  B