Badlands Criterion Collection review copy

Actors: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek

Director: Terrence Malick

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: March 19, 2013

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

 

            Terrence Malick is a filmmaker who does not make films just for the sake of having another project to work on. Each of the filmmaker’s few films over the decades have had similarities in style and cinematic approach despite varying storylines, but the one thing that has remained the same in each of his films is passion. Badlands is one of the great American debut features, stamping Malick’s place in film history from then on, and taking actors Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek to new heights in their career in the process.

 

            The story was based on the notorious killing spree of Charles Starkweather and his underage girlfriend in the late 1950s, though the names are changed for the film. These two went on a killing spree that shocked the nation, and Malick takes an unsentimental look at the possible behavior behind the brutal murderers. Martin Sheen stars as Kit, a 25-year-old trash man who clearly longs to be James Dean. When he meets 15-year-old Holly (Spacek), the two begin an awkward romance.

 

Malick imagines Kit as a socially stunted man and Holly as an emotionally unequipped young girl. Though they become fugitives together after the first string of murders, there is a sense of romance that comes with the celebrity. As easily as this film’s unsentimental approach is comparable to In Cold Blood, the celebrity worship can also be compared to Bonnie and Clyde. The main difference seems to be the fact that neither Kit nor Holly much seem to enjoy each other’s company, or the murder spree, for that matter.

 

The new Blu-ray release includes a newly restored 4K digital transfer which was approved by the director. There is also an all-new making-of documentary and new interviews, as well as a 1993 television episode about the real-life case which inspired the film. The package has a booklet with an essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda.  

Sansho the Bailiff Criterion Collection Blu-ray review

Actors: Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Run Time: 124 minutes

 

 

            Sansho the Bailiff is a remarkable period drama adapted by the “Sansho the Steward” stories by Ogai Mori. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi in post-WWII Japan, Sansho the Bailiff is a thoughtful and well-paced drama. This is the work of a seasoned filmmaker, the 81^st film of an illustrious cinematic career. Other Japanese directors were more established internationally than Mizoguchi, but this should not detract from his monumental importance nationally. Sansho the Bailiff is a perfect example, a lesser known film from a director worth studying.

 

            The film follows the trials and tribulations of a governor’s family after he makes the mistake of disobeying the reigning feudal lord by acting on his own conscience. Before he is cast into exile, he speaks a few profound words of wisdom to his son. Among other things, he says, “Without mercy, man is like a beast,” leaving us with the religious and moral subtext for the remainder of the film. When his wife and children attempt to find the exiled governor, they are instead captured and sold into slavery. The slave traders separate the mother from her children, who spend the remainder of the film trying to find a way back together.

 

            The brutality of the film comes with the fact that each act the family members take to reunite simple wrenches them further apart, until fewer and fewer remain for the reunion. The Buddhist ideology is easily found in the way the family members selflessly think of others before themselves. The father sacrifices for the family, the mother for the children and the sister for the brother. It is a never-ending cycle of giving, though the bitter-sweet element of their nature comes with the nature of the world surrounding them. Though they are selfless and good, this is often not nearly enough to overcome the despicable nature of those around them, specifically Sansho the Bailiff, who has no hesitation in brutally punishing slaves so that they behave.

 

            The Blu-ray release of this complex classic has a presentation in high definition, through new digital restoration. There is also an optional audio commentary track featuring Japanese-literature scholar Jeffrey Angles and interviews with select crew members. The highlight of the package, however, may not be on the disc. The booklet insert has an essay by scholar Mark Le Fanu, paired with two versions of the story which the film is based on. 

On the Waterfront Criterion Collection Blu-ray review

Actors: Marlon Brando, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden

Director: Elia Kazan

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Run Time: 108 minutes

 

 

            Most give John Cassavetes credit for the beginning of independent cinema in America, but it was not unheard of evening the days of strictest studio control for a film to be produced independently. It was rare, but happened and Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront was one of these exceptions. Kazan’s credibility as a filmmaker at the time gave him the freedom to take risks that others may have been unable to see through. But On the Waterfront is more than just an excellently made film with some of the best film acting ever captured onscreen; there is also a historical significance which makes the film that much more compellingly complex.

 

            This 1954 shipyard drama tells the story of boxer-turned-longshoreman Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), a man who must make a difficult moral decision when forced to choose between protecting a mob-connected union boss (Lee J. Cobb) and innocent victims getting hurt by the ruthless thugs. The decision is complicated further because of Terry’s brother, Charlie (Rod Steiger), who is the right hand-man to the brutal union leader, and the guilt Terry feels for his own involvement. In the opening of the film, Terry helps to lure a man into the open, for union thugs to attack and kill. When Terry develops a relationship with the man’s grieving sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint), it is further reason for him to feel guilt for his involvement and motivation to sacrifice for the sake of justice.

 

            The controversy surrounding this film at the time has more to do with what was happening in the country than what happens in the film. At the time there were trials and even a committee for un-American activity. Red scares were on the rise and a fear of communism would eventually blacklist many in Hollywood from ever working again. Kazan was one of the few who made public that he was testifying and giving names of colleagues with suspected communist involvement. This decision was carried with Kazan for the rest of his life, and did not make him the most popular man. It is easy to see the correlation between justifying a thug’s decision to testify against a corrupt union leader and a filmmaker’s decision to give the names of communist colleagues. Whether or not the comparison is just or fair is somewhat irrelevant, though certainly worth examining and discussing. On the Waterfront will remain a classic, not just because of the historical significance or the quality of the film itself, but because of the way both come together to form a piece of art. You may not be able to hang it in a museum, but it has the same purpose.

 

            The Blu-ray release comes with a new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack, as well as an alternate 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio track. There is also a second disc which contains two alternate aspect ratio presentations of the film, in both 1.85:1 (widescreen) and 1.33:1 (full screen). Disc one has the film in 1.66:1. The first disc also comes with an optional audio commentary with authors Richard Schickel and Jeff Young, and a conversation about the film with critic Kent Jones and Martin Scorsese. There are many additional special features, including many new interviews and an unbelievable wealth of making-of documentaries. The package also includes a 40-some page booklet insert with essays, interviews and old newspaper articles which give even more real-life significance to the film.  

Chronicle of a Summer Criterion Collection Blu-ray review

Actors: Marceline Loridan, Mary Lou Parolini

Directors: Jean Rouch, Edgar Morin

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Run Time: 91 minutes

            The concept for this film seems to ensure that it was dated the moment that it was completed. It is a film which examines the lives of a random polling of people in a specific place during one specific summer. The things that were happening at that time in that place are specific to this exact film, and even if another was made it could never be the same. This is the type of film which cannot be copied, duplicated or remade. These views are specific to the people in Paris during the summer of 1960.

 

In some ways the topics in this film are dated, as well as nationally specific. There is a great deal of discussion over the French-Algerian War, which had been going on for nearly a decade already. In other ways, Chronicle of a Summer seems just as relevant today as it was the day it was made. There are similarities between the cultural views towards the war than many could make correlate with Americans and their views on the war in Iraq.

 

But even beyond the political similarities of the times, there are commonalities which can be found in mere humans. The most relevant questions asked of the people interviewed simply seem to probe what they live like, and whether or not they are happy. In the end, the same issues follow people, regardless of time or place. There will always be grief and sorrow, just as surely as there will always be happiness and hope.

 

Filmmakers Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin make themselves a part of the discussion, and even expose their film to criticism and evaluation in the final sequence. Their film is more of an anthropologic study than a narrative feature; an experiment which resulted in something of a cinematic time-capsule. The Blu-ray release includes a new 2K digital master from the 2011 restoration. Also included is a feature-length documentary about the film, with additional footage. The special features also include archive and new interviews, with the filmmakers and scholars. The package includes a 35-page booklet with an essay by Sam Di Iorio.

 

 

 

           

The Marine 3: Homefront Blu-ray review

Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English, French

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Run Time: 90 minutes

 

 

            WWE knows a good thing when they have found it. Why else would they still be doing their gaudy 80s wrestling shows? I know that there are people who get very into WWE and may find it insulting that I call it a show, but that is what they are doing. They put on a show for audiences, and ultimately all of the wrestler must be actors and performers first of all. This is why it makes complete sense for the franchise to start making movies. Action films do a great deal to promote the stars of WWE, even when they move on the bigger things. We all know how Dwayne Johnson got his start.

 

            John Cena was given the spotlight for the first Marine film, and then it was Ted DiBiase’s turn for the sequel. This time around it is Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, who stars as Sgt. Jake Carter, who is on leave when his sister is abducted by a band of violent extremists planning a deadly terrorist strike. With the authorities unwilling to risk saving his sister, Jake goes on a one-man rampage against the terrorists.

 

            On par with the first two films, there is plenty of hand-to-hand action, as well as some good gunplay. The simplicity of the first film is missing, and this one is easily the least believable for a myriad of reasons. That being said, the action is still hard-hitting and moderately engaging in the way that this type of film is meant to be. You won’t be challenged, but if you are lucky you will be entertained.

 

            The Blu-ray includes a number of features, including a journal from the star, several featurettes about him, and one about casting choices. There are also a few featurettes about the intricacies of filming on a boat set. 

The Master Blu-ray review

Actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Price Carson

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writers: Paul Thomas Anderson

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Run Time: 144 minutes

 

 

            Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson does not make throwaway films. He has never taken a break from making art films for the occasional blockbuster, and it would seem that he is one of very few in Hollywood who have not made compromises once blessed with success and fame. Even David Fincher made a remake and Christopher Nolan has cashed in on several franchises, but P.T. Anderson’s films get more complex, and often less enjoyable. The Master is as impressive as it is uncomfortable to sit through, a character study of intensely haunting proportions.

 

            The film has many plot points which are worth mentioning, but at the heart of the film is an examination of a single man returning home from World War II. The post-war trauma which swept through the nation after the war was enough to inspire an entirely new and exclusively American film genre, the film noir. Although borrowing style from German filmmaking of the 1920s, film noir had an attitude and mood exclusive to the post-war anxiety men had returning home from the war to find they no longer had a place at home. Women had taken the jobs while they had been away, and control was lost for many of them.

 

            The protagonist of The Master is one of these men, a drifter named Freddie Quell (Juaquin Phoenix, returning the screen for the first time since his poorly received prank). Freddie is more than an alcoholic, mixing booze with poisons and gasoline to give it extra kick. When this disturbed and aimless man crosses paths with a man named Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), he becomes entangled in a movement known as “The Cause.” Details are slowly revealed about this organization, which at times appears as more of a cult, but the film is much more focused on how this would appeal to a man like Freddie.

 

            Though I don’t believe it comes close to being the masterpiece that was There Will Be Blood, The Master only further solidifies my belief that Paul Thomas Anderson is this generation’s Stanley Kubrick. At times he is ahead of audiences, but I believe that historians will look back at him as one of the greatest films working at this time. Though not always the easiest films to sit through, movies like The Master offer rich complexities which beg for repeat viewings. Spectacularly shot in 65mm, gloriously acted, and directed with precision, The Master is surely one of the best films of the year. Unfortunately, most won’t be willing to endure the unpleasantness in the plot to discover the intellectual depths of the film.

 

            The Blu-ray includes outtakes and additional scenes, as well as a short film and behind-the-scenes featurette. The highlight of the bonus features, however, is a WWII documentary by John Huston, Let There Be Light. This 1946 documentary seems a likely source of inspiration for The Master, and opens the film up to even more understanding and analysis.

The First Time DVD review

Actors: Britt Robertson, Dylan O'Brien, James Frecheville, Victoria Justice

Director: Jon Kasdan

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: March 12, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

            Please allow me to put aside usual formalities taken when reviewing films to appropriately describe my feelings after watching The First Time. Let me first ask, how the hell did this independent film impress me more than any other teen romance I have seen in the last few years? How did this film have dialogue far more compelling than much of Tarantino’s latest screenplay? (Regardless of the Academy’s decision, Inglourious Basterds is a masterpiece but Django Unchained was sloppy work for the filmmaker). But most of all, as I watched The First Time, I was thinking the same thing over and over again. Fuck Juno and Fuck 21 and Over. Give me more movies like this.

 

            What is wonderful about the teenagers and the way they behave in The First Time is the fact that they aren’t typical teenagers. They are dynamic and interesting. Dave (Dylan O’Brien) is a gentleman and a romantic, even though it isn’t popular to be so. Jane (Victoria Justice) doesn’t believe in Facebook or Twitter and prefers having face-to-face encounters. These aren’t the hipster too-cool for popular things either. They aren’t likely to get knocked up just out of boredom, and when they inevitably have their first time, it is treated more sensitively and honestly than I have ever seen on film before.

 

            Written and directed by Jonathan Kasdan, The First Time is a sweet and charming film that gives teenagers today a film that they can relate to, rather than watching a film that they are supposed to look up to and envy, which is usually just a film filled with heavy partying. There are several parties within The First Time’s storyline, but the most significant things that happen at them is dialogue related. The only sequence with topless girls seems out of place. Even the actors in the scene seem a little surprised. The First Time has a few moments like this, unnecessary to say the least. It isn’t a perfect film, but comes far closer than any big budget romance from this past year, all Nicholas Sparks adaptations included.

 

 

Storage 24 DVD review

Actors: Noel Clarke, Colin O'Donoghue

Director: Johannes Roberts

Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: March 12, 2013

Run Time: 87 minutes

 

 

            Alien invasion films are on the rise all over the world, including London. There is nothing altogether original about Storage 24. It confines a group of seemingly helpless humans in a confined space with an unpredictable alien, who slowly picks them off. Usually the confined spaces in these films are due to the constrictions of space travel; they may be in a space station or a spaceship, or otherwise confined from escaping. In this particular film, the confined space is a storage locker that the victims are trapped inside.

 

            There is far too much melodrama with the characters, but in the end it is all rendered insignificant anyway, so I won’t bother to go into great detail. Shelley goes to her shared storage facility with a couple of friends after breaking up with her boyfriend, Charlie. Charlie arrives with a friend of his own. This group along with some random workers and security guards are all trapped inside when a military cargo plane crashes, releasing an alien in the storage facility with them.

 

            The film tries too much to have characters that have relationship issues and other melodrama that doesn’t really matter. All of this seems sloppy and forced, whereas the effects and the deaths are much more complexly created. This is a film which savors the gore in each blood-spurting, skull-crushing moment. This is not for everyone, but those who appreciate it will also appreciate the quality with which it was completed.

 

            The DVD includes deleted scenes and a slew of behind-the-scenes featurettes in the special features. There are also several video blogs, a feature-length commentary with actor Noel Clarke and director Johannes Roberts, as well as select-scene commentaries. There are a ton of features, especially for a film like this.

Smashed Blu-ray review

Actors: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally

Director: James Ponsoldt

Writers: James Ponsoldt, Susan Burke

Producers: Alishe Beardeaux, Andrea Sperling, Elise Salomon, Jennifer Cochis, Jonathan Schwartz

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Chinese, English, Korean

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 12, 2013

Run Time: 81 minutes

 

 

            Smashed is an extremely honest film, which is not always an easy thing to sit through. Life is difficult enough without having to experience the pain of someone else’s life as well when escaping to the movies, which is probably why most audience members would rather choose an evening watching a werewolf fight against a vampire over the love of a silly teenage girl. But for those looking for something with more depth, and performances that put most Academy Award nominees this past year to shame with brazen honesty, Smashed is a treasure. Though I don’t imagine I need to see it again any time soon, I would highly recommend this film.

 

            Mary Elizabeth Winstead carries the film as Kate, a young school teacher who still spends every night drinking heavily with her irresponsible musician husband, Charlie (Aaron Paul). When these nights of heavy drinking begin to get out of control for Kate, she realizes that it may have become a problem that is taking over her life. After vomiting in front of her first grade class, she tells people she is pregnant to avoid telling the truth. This inevitably disastrous situation paired with several nights of waking up in strange places leads Kate to seek help, turning to a new group of friends in AA (Nick Offerman of “Parks and Recreation” and Octavia Spencer from The Help).

 

            There are some moments within the film that are a bit too awkward, perhaps unnecessarily, but the one thing that always remains within the film is sincerity. Never for one moment did I doubt that anything in the film could really have happened, but Smashed also somehow manages to refrain from cliché and predictable territory. It is truly an original and honest film about addiction; somewhat heartbreaking, but excellent in every way.

 

            The DVD comes with a commentary track with director and co-writer James Ponsoldt and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. There is also a making-of featurette, some footage of the Toronto screening and Q & A, and some deleted scenes.

Playing for Keeps Blu-ray review

Actors: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Noah Lomax, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman

Director: Gabriele Muccino

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

            I went into Playing for Keeps with no previous knowledge. I had not seen the trailer, and had no idea what type of film it was. All I knew was the cast of actors, and the cover of the film shows two leading men and four leading ladies, so it was unclear to me if this was an ensemble romance or if there was one special couple amongst those six actors. At a certain point during the beginning of the film, I though this might not even be a romantic comedy at all; I imagined it to be a father/son bonding film, perhaps through the love of soccer. But this is a romantic comedy, just one which is poorly constructed and defectively conceived.

 

            Gerard Butler has had a string of bad romantic comedies, but at least the others with a little less chaotic. There is a cast of actors involved in this film, all of whom seem to be giving it their all to be humorous. They very bravely go over-the-top and without any apparent guidance or restraint from the director. The one thing this film seems sorely lacking is direction, which is perhaps why it is so unclear what we are supposed to be rooting for. Much of the film had me cringing. I felt bad for the actors involved.

 

            Butler stars as a piece of man-meat who was once a soccer star, but now he just provides opportunities for gorgeous, desperate soccer moms who throw themselves at him when he starts coaching his son’s team. This coaching takes up very little screen time, though it introduces most of the extraneous characters, from fast-talking soccer dad (Dennis Quaid) to a slew of moms (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, and Judy Greer). Jessica Biel also stars as the mother of our protagonist’s son, though her character is rather two-dimensional.

 

            The Blu-ray includes deleted scenes, a featurette about the casting and a making-of feature.

Lay the Favorite Blu-ray review

Actors: Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joshua Jackson, Rebecca Hall

Director: Stephen Frears

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

 

            To be honest, I was expecting more from Stephen Frears. There is nothing wrong with Lay the Favorite, but I found myself more irritated than entertained. This is mostly because I was expecting more about the world of gambling, since the film is based on a expose on the underworld by Beth Raymer. Instead of focusing on these interesting details, the movie wastes no time to give way to romantic melodrama. Perhaps in another film I would have been more interested in the characters than the secret underworld of professional gamblers, but not in this film and not with these characters.

 

            We are essentially given one secret of gamblers, which is the way that they place throwaway bets just to change the odds before making their own real bet. Once we are given this fact, the remainder of the film is essentially just a film about romantic entanglements. Former stripper Beth (Rebecca Hall) wastes no time in getting close to her gambler boss, Dink (Bruce Willis), despite his marriage to a feared woman (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

 

When she separates herself from that situation, Beth then becomes involved with another guy (Joshua Jackson), but her gambling career keeps her from pursuing it. If only we saw more of the gambling or if only there were a way to make gambling more interesting to watch, Lay the Favorite may have been a more engaging film. I understand the choice to make relationships just as dominant as the gambling; I just wish that the melodrama were more interesting and less predictably cliché. I guess that is what you get when borrowing from real life.

 

The Blu-ray includes deleted scenes.

 

             

Girls Against Boys Blu-ray review

Actors: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberta, Liam Aiken, Michael Stahl-David, Andrew Howard

Director: Austin Chick

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Run Time: 93 minutes

 

 

            The flippancy towards violence of all manners within Girls Against Boys is more than a little sickening. It isn’t quite clear if director is writer/director Austin Chick is addressing the violence in this matter as a form of commentary, or simply because the filmmaker is as desensitized to violence as the characters within the film seem to be. Either way, it makes for some socially awkward moments that may make for uncomfortable viewing in any audience member reading any level of seriousness from the plot.

 

            In something of a manipulative evening, Shae (Danielle Panabaker) goes out with her mysterious co-worker, Lu (Nicole LaLiberte) for a night of fun. By the end of the night, Shae has been violated by a man she met at a bar, giving Lu the perfect opportunity to share her particular madness. The pair hunt down the man responsible for Shae’s attack, but Lu ruthlessly assassinates any male they come into contact along the way, innocent or otherwise. This tears down the relevance, making this less of a revenge film and more of a spiteful psychopath killer type of a film.

 

            After the revenge has been had we are meant to believe that they got away with all of the killings without a hitch or suspicion from the police. Even more unbelievable is the fact that Shae seems hardly affected, immediately rebounding with a nice guy from her class. Lu is not so willing to move on after the mass murder, wanting to continue a rampage against all men, for no reason we are ever given other than for the mere pleasure of it. As cool as this film may be, it is sloppy filmmaking that doesn’t bother to look past the artifice of the image to the reasoning behind each character’s actions.

 

            The Blu-ray includes a commentary track with filmmaker Chick and actress Panabaker.

Deadfall Blu-ray review

Actors: Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Charlie Hunnam, Sissy Spacek, Kris Kristofferson

Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Closed-captioned, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

Release Date: February 5, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

            There are a few spectacular moments in Deadfall, as well as performances to solidify these moments in their greatness. Somehow the magnificence of these individual moments is bittersweet, however, because the film as a whole is rather forgettable. The plot is just shy of containing enough material to make a feature film, spread out perhaps a bit more than it should have been. At the very least, I kept anticipating some further character development, but instead much of the film seems to be killing time in between those miraculous moments of purpose. Director Stefan Ruzowitzky handles action nimbly, though they are more often simply moments of violence. This is less of an action film, and more of a hodgepodge of horror, film noir, family drama and western.

 

            When three thieves escaping from a casino heist are in a car crash, only two survive. Siblings Addison (Eric Bana) and Liza (Olivia Wilde) have a mysterious and slightly disturbing relationship with each other, but we are never given much of a chance to discover what it is before they split up to escape. Liza is rescued on the side of the road by an ex-boxer named Jay (Charlie Hunnam of TV’s “Son’s of Anarchy”), who is also on the run from the law. While Liza uses seduction to get where she needs to be, Addison takes other methods, leaving a path of carnage wherever he goes.

 

            What sets Deadfall aside from many other films is Addison. Whether it is the writing or Bana’s choices, he appears a unique type of madman. There doesn’t appear to be joy or malice in his actions, but instead he seems able to delusion himself into believing any violent act is justified if he deems it necessary to getting what he wants. The best sequence in the film is one in which this psycho comes across a Native American in the woods. This battle doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the film, though it is one of the most memorable within it. The story dribbles into predictable territory when the siblings reunite at Jay’s childhood home, along with weapons and Jay’s parents (played expertly and without unnecessary melodrama by Kris Kristofferson and Sissy Spacek).

 

            The Blu-ray includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as production interviews with essential cast and crew. There is also behind-the-scenes footage and a promotional program that aired on AXS TV about the film. 

Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead DVD review

 

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

DVD Release Date: February 12, 2013

Run Time: 100 minutes

 

 

            There is a really interesting premise in this film, albeit one which is reminiscent of a recently successful horror film, while also blatantly ripping off a classic. Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead uses the structure of the beloved classic zombie movie, while also utilizing the insertion of helpless victims into the roles of the movie characters. If only this premise weren’t so unbelievably similar to Joss Whedon’s Cabin in the Woods, it may have actually been slightly effective. Unfortunately, with originality removed, all that is left behind is bad acting and poor effects.

 

            The story begins with a party following a horror convention. A bunch of movie geeks gather at a house, only to awaken the next day finding themselves dressed and placed in seemingly random areas. Eventually they piece together the details and realize that they are living out George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Once they know this, you would think that they could predict what was going to happen and stop it, but this is where the storyline finally deters away from the previously established structure of a well-known horror classic. Unfortunately, the film drags its feet so slowly through the first portion; it almost just feels like a bad remake of the original.

 

            Perhaps I am being too unkind to this independent horror film, but there are just so many of these to wade through that I tend to feel unimpressed by a majority of them. Mimesis isn’t a good film, but by comparison it also isn’t one of the bad ones either. It falls somewhere in the middle, in the easily forgettable zone. The DVD includes an audio commentary by director/co-writer Douglas Schulze and co-writer Joshua Wagner.

Robot & Frank DVD review

Actors: Frank Langella, Liv Tyler

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: Portuguese, Spanish

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Run Time: 89 minutes

 

 

            Science fiction has crept into independent filmmaking in a big way these last few years, from visions of the apocalypse to space discovery. By comparison, Robot & Frank seems nearly grounded in reality, aside from the fact that a co-star is a robot. It is a comedy which just happens to utilize some of the benefits of science fiction, though no amount of special effects could detract from Frank Langella’s performance. Fortunately, the director doesn’t even try, knowing that the simplicity of the film is what makes it work. Not ever science fiction film needs to have a special effects budget that is larger than the cost of the cast.

 

            Langella stars as Frank, a retired cat burglar whose aging has begun to worry his children (James Marsden and Liv Tyler). Their only solution is to buy their father a robotic caretaker, to cook him healthy meals and clean the house. The robot becomes something of a friend to Frank, as well as a useful tool when the retired thief decides to get back into the game. Between Frank’s experience and the robot’s mechanical abilities, they are able to pull off near impossible thefts together.

 

            The main reason that Frank finds to come out of retirement is a friendly librarian (Susan Sarandon), whose kindness gives Frank reason to find ways to repay her the only way he knows how. Realizing that the robot has no moral programming for theft, it makes him the perfect partner. The only danger is the recorded programming which threatens to give away their crimes together, and erasing the memory would mean erasing the friend he has adopted in the robot as well.

 

            The DVD includes a commentary track with screenwriter Christopher Ford and director Jake Schreier, as well as a robot poster campaign feature.

Dangerous Liaisons Blu-ray review

Actors: Cecilia Cheung, Dong-gun Jang, Ziyi Zhang, Shawn Dou, Lisa Lu

Director: Jin-ho Hur

Format: Dolby, Surround Sound, THX, Widescreen

Language: Cantonese

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Run Time: 110 minutes

 

 

            The last thing this world needed was another Dangerous Liaisons remake, regardless of the fact that it was made in a different country. Now it has become just as common for foreign countries to remake films as Hollywood is likely to remake films them. We are all just borrowing from each other, and Dangerous Liaisons has been made in several different countries, different time periods and in different languages. The problem is, the story s the same no matter how you tell it, and this latest version has absolutely nothing new to contribute besides some glossy new photography.

 

            Set in 1930s Shanghai, known by some as the “Paris of the East,” there are comparable replacements in the storyline from the original French text. There have also been some alterations to the relationships between characters, even further castration of any risqué material. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu bitterly plays with the lives and emotions of others around her, including her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun), who often joins her in destructive manipulations.

 

            Xie still pines after Mo, so they make a wager that will allow Xie to fulfill his carnal indulgences with his past lover. All Xie has to do is seduce a virgin socialite, though along the way he discovers a true romantic interest in humanitarian Du Fenyu (Ziyi Zhang). This ill-fated romance between a womanizer and a humanitarian is difficult to believe in the rushed 111 minute running time. Though I am grateful that the story I was already familiar with was not dragged out any longer than it was, something was missing to make me believe in the romance at the center of film’s plot.

           

            The Blu-ray includes a making-of featurette and a behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as a trailer gallery.

Bully Bu-ray review

Actors: Alex Hopkins, Tyler Long

Director: Lee Hirsch

Writers: Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: The Weinstein Company

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Run Time: 99 minutes

 

 

            As I watched Bully, I found myself wishing I could reach through the screen and hug some of these children. There is only so much that can be done about bullying, especially when it is not a physical threat but mere teasing instead, and the kids that are different are always going to be the likely targets. Some of the bullies angered me, but more often I simply felt empathy for the kids who don’t fit in. They are different, and even when they aren’t being picked on, you can see the sadness some of them would still carry simply from the loneliness of having no friends. I felt for these kids more than I felt anger at the bullies, who often seem to be struggling with their own fears and insecurities of childhood.

 

            The film follows five children with different issues making them a target for bullies. Over the course of one school year we see their personal struggles, each unique to the specific types of bullying they must endure. We follow a lesbian in a Midwestern small town public school, as well as a young boy whose social awkwardness makes it difficult for him to make friends in a tougher school. Other stories are not as traditional to follow, including the incarcerated young girl who pulled a gun on a school bus after having been bullied for the last time. Another story follows the grief of parents who lost their son to suicide after the bullying became unbearable.

 

            The filmmaking is adequate enough, but the true reason for the compelling nature of this documentary is simply the human element. These are real people struggling with real hardships and life realities. In some cases the children seem to handle the abuse far better than the parents, who feel a sense of helplessness to the situation. There is only so much that they can do for their child, especially when the school officials are also unable to legally do much. ‘Kids will be kids’ seems to be the mantra of the bullies and their parents, leaving the victims with little choice but to endure, usually with the parents constantly encouraging them to stand up for themselves.

 

            The Blu-ray includes the PG-13 version of the film, which merely means that a few of the foul words are bleeped out. There are many special features, including another version of the film for an even younger age group. There is also an update on the children from the film, deleted scenes and many featurettes about getting involved in the campaign to stop bullying.

A Late Quartet Blu-ray review

Actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, Wallace Shawn, Anne Sofie von Otter

Director: Yaron Zilberman

Writers: Yaron Zilberman, Seth Grossman

Format: Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: February 5, 2013

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

            A Late Quartet is one of those gems of movies that you can be proud to introduce to cultured friends with good taste. Although few are likely to have heard of it, I found the acting and the drama to be comparable if not better than most of the films nominated for awards this season. Philip Seymour Hoffman was nominated for his performance in The Master, but I found him equally compelling in A Late Quartet, even when the melodrama of the film pushed the boundaries slightly.

 

            The film is about a perfect quartet, which is forced to change when the eldest member and cellist (Christopher Walken) announces that he has a debilitating medical condition which makes his career as a musician impossible. This news sends shockwaves through the other three members of the group, which include his daughter (Catherine Keener) and her husband (Hoffman). Each of them take he news differently, with the famed first violinist (Mark Ivanir) taking the most clinical approach to replacing a friend.

 

            This is a performance-based film, though this is not code for boring. I found myself enthralled by the acting in this film, regardless of the fact that much of the film is just four characters arguing and discussing music. The screenplay obviously comes from a place of well researched understanding of classical music, and those are the parts which stand out above all else. The Blu-ray includes a solitary making-of featurette, though the film alone is a beautiful accomplishment.  

Chicken With Plums DVD review

Actors: Mathieu Amalric, Maria De Medeiros
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes

 

 

            The presentation of Chicken with Plums is so whimsical and fun, I was taken aback by the darker shift in narrative towards the film’s end. There was no preparation for the level of seriousness, mostly because the tone is set at a much lighter level when we begin. Previously, filmmaker Marjane Satrapi dealt with heavier themes within the lighter context of animation in Persepolis, but it doesn’t work out quite as well in live action.

 

            Though this film feels uneven at times, there is still much to be admired. Performances and creativity alone make it a worthwhile film to watch. The movie begins with a world-renowned violinist seeking a new instrument to play after his is damaged in a fight with his wife. Each instrument he finds fails to produce the same sound as his beloved violin, so Nasser-Ali Khan decides to go to bed and await death. As he starves himself to death, he has visions and insight, along with memories of his youth. These discoveries are made on his death bed, as his children and wife watch him selfishly wither away.

 

            There is a love story amidst all of the selfish behavior, though it is not one with his wife, making our protagonist more than a little unlikable at moments. The film doesn’t really stop long enough to examine the faults in the protagonist, instead glossing past it into the romantic side of the storytelling. The DVD includes a commentary track with directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, as well as a Q&A with them.

 

The Sessions Blu-ray review

Actors: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood, Annika Marks

Director: Ben Lewin

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

            The Sessions is a nice performance based independent film, one which deals with drama and comedy with the same light touch. There is nothing remarkably daring or profound within the screenplay based on a true story written by filmmaker Ben Lewin. In fact, some aspects of the film feel too safe for an independent film, even if the subject matter would suggest material more risqué or daring. This is a safe little film which is ultimately a performance piece within a dramedy.

 

            John Hawkes stars as Mark O’Brien, a poet and journalist who has been paralyzed and confined to an iron lung since childhood. Despite his handicaps, he was able to attend a university and receive a degree, and can even provide for himself with a job. The one thing he has never gotten around to accomplishing is the manhood rite of passage that is losing his virginity. As a devout Catholic, Mark seeks counsel from his priest (William H. Macy), who is more than encouraging in the endeavor.

 

            Mark seeks out a sex therapist (Helen Hunt), whose professional attitude and kind demeanor help the uncomfortable paralyzed 38-year-old have sex for the first time. They have a finite number of sessions together before the arrangement is completed, and the meetings inevitably become about more than just mere intercourse. There are some awkward bits within the screenplay, but even those are glossed over so quickly that this often feels like a Hollywood imitation rather than the edginess I would have once expected from an independent film.

 

            The Blu-ray includes a number of features, from deleted scenes to a handful of featurettes. There are some real-life behind-the-scenes featurettes, to show the inspiration behind the story. There are also featurettes for each of the main actors, who are showcased within the film and have been the highest selling point during this award season. There is also a general featurette about the cast.