Last Vegas Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline

Director: Jon Turteltaub

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

        Imagine The Hangover as a fantasy rather than a nightmare, replace the young cast with an impressive ensemble of actors with credits far too impressive to be sullied by this tripe, and you will have Last Vegas in a nutshell. This film may have been passable with a less impressive cast, but the expectations are raised too high with this ensemble and even the performances of their careers would not have been able to save Dan Fogelman’s predictable screenplay.

 

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris, James Caan

Directors: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn

Writers: Christopher Miller, Erica Rivinoja, John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Judi Barrett

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

        As was the case with the original, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a silly film which works because of its slap-happy characters and groan-inducing puns. Realism and logic have no place in this wonderfully imaginative follow-up film to the children’s book adaptation. The characters in this film exist in a true cartoon world, where anything is possible, and this loopy approach gives the film a distinct style of humor.

 

The Prey Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Albert Dupontel, Alice Taglioni, Stéphane Debac

Director: Eric Valette

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: January 21, 2014

Run Time: 105 minutes

        Taking its cues from Hollywood blockbusters, this French thriller becomes increasingly unbelievable as the narrative progresses, though it is done with such energetic fervor that disbelief can be set aside for spectacle and suspense. What helps keep the story moving is the ability to shift directions and genre-infusion. A serial killer film is combined with a crime thriller, with the first quarter of the film playing out as a prison narrative. Though each individual aspect of the film may seem contrived and highly unlikely, the combined effect is a high octane thriller teetering on the line between intelligent and escapist entertainment.

 

In a World… Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Lake Bell, Jeff Garlin, Fred Melamed, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Ken Marino, Nick Offerman, Eva Longoria, Geena Davis, Corsica Wilson

Director: Lake Bell

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: January 21, 2014

Run Time: 93 minutes

 

        There are a few different ideas crammed into Lake Bell’s cleverly conceptual industry comedy, with some working better than others. Amidst the apparently competitive world of voiceover narration for trailers is an opportunity to speak the immortalized words “In a world” for a new blockbuster franchise of films similar to The Hunger Games. Although most expect the deep voice of a veteran voiceover actor (Fred Melamed) to be chosen, the world of voiceover is thrown into chaos when his daughter, Carol (Bell), is considered alongside him.

 

Blue Jasmine DVD Review

     Actors: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard

Director: Woody Allen

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: January 21, 2014

Run Time: 98 minutes

 

        There is an unmistakable style to Woody Allen’s filmmaking, from the very first frames of old-fashioned opening credits over jazzy music to the expected musical chairs approach to relationships filling the plot twists with adultery and the subsequent regret. Blue Jasmine is no different than the rest, containing all of the expected aspects of an Allen narrative, though the main character and the manner with which Cate Blanchett embodies the role manages to elevate the film above these expectations.

 

Argento’s Dracula 3-D Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Hutger Hauer, Asia Argento

Director: Dario Argento

Format: Color, 3D, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Run Time: 110 minutes

 

        I have mixed feelings about the choice to have Italian horror legend Dario Argento’s name attached to the title of this campy 3D revision of the classic vampire tale taken from Bram Stoker’s novel. On one hand, it was a kindness to not attach Stoker’s name to the title, while Dario Argento’s name is also too good to be sullied by such a sloppy bit of filmmaking. Though it is has long been clear that Argento’s golden era of filmmaking ended decades ago, this is a new low in his filmography. The only positive reason for having his name in the title would be to elevate the box office numbers, while simultaneously sinking Argento’s credibility as a filmmaker.

 

Exclusive Interview: Kimberly Peirce on Directing Carrie

        Last week the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel from the 1970s was released on Blu-ray and DVD, and director Kimberly Peirce sat down with me to answer a few questions. As if that weren’t enough, in honor of the classic climactic sequence of telekinetic prom destruction, Peirce dropped a bucket of faux blood on my head. Click here for a video of the interview and the here for my brief moment of glory as prom queen. Click here for the review of Carrie on Blu-ray and DVD.

 

Carrie Blu-ray Review

Actors: Chloë Grace Moretz, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Gabriella Wilde

Director: Kimberly Peirce

Writers: Lawrence D. Cohen, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

Producer: Kevin Misher

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

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: MGM

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 100 minutes

        Stephen King’s novel about the outcast teen with telekinetic powers has been adapted previously; once in the 1976 theatrical release by Brian De Palma, and again as a TV movie a little over a decade ago. This was the first of King’s novels to be adapted into a film and was such a phenomenal success the first time around that it comes as no surprise that there have been skeptics of a new version. If anyone is equipped to handle this content in a new way, however, it is director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry, Stop-Loss). For my exclusive interview with Peirce, click here.

 

        In some respects, this material needs a feminine perspective to guide the story, refraining from the type of exploitation which would ultimately damage the film’s message. There are actual teenagers cast in the roles of high school students, rather than the unnecessarily nubile twenty-year-olds from De Palma’s version. Rather than simply offering up the prerequisite skin and gore for a horror film, Peirce’s Carrie is an introspective look at the damaging effects of bullying built into a brutal revenge film.

 

New to Blu-ray: Rififi (1955)

     Format: Black & White, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 118 minutes

        Hollywood is a hungry monster, almost like the alien mass in the classic science-fiction horror film, The Blob, constantly absorbing all that comes into its path. This often includes an assortment of foreign directors, whose success in their home country and native language can provide the chance to become a part of this beast. This tradition has been a constant since World War sent foreign film industries into a tailspin and the seclusion of Hollywood made it an ideal point of escape. It is so common for Hollywood to integrate foreign talent that it is easy to forget the significant moments in history which have sent American talent overseas in search of opportunity.

 

        Jules Dassin may have an extremely French sounding name, but he was an American with a distinctly Hollywood style of crime films under his belt before making his first film in France. Rififi (1955) was the result of an unfortunate set of circumstances, and one of the few instances in cinema’s history where filmmaker’s had reason to escape from rather than to Hollywood. Dassin had established himself in the hardboiled crime genre with masterpieces such as Brute Force and The Naked City until accusations of Communist activity forced him to flee Hollywood in 1951.

 

Plus One DVD Review

     Actors: Rhys Wakefield, Ashley Hinshaw

Director: Dennis Iliadis

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

        Plus One is almost a great film, but there are a few contradictory ideas within the film which destroyed the illusion for me. Comparisons have been made to Donnie Darko and Primer, combined with Project X for the trashier party elements of the storyline, but the difference between this film and those other two independent time-travel cult films is the way in which the hold up upon further inspection. Plus One seems to fall apart in terms of themes and character actions where Donnie Darko and Primer withstand excessive scrutiny that comes with cult status, but the fact that it had me thinking about it enough to find the tears in the fabric was impressive in itself.

 

        Set during an unrealistically over-the-top party held by a teenage college student, an unexplained phenomenon causes a strange rift in time. Suddenly the events from earlier in the evening begin to occur, with all new duplicates of everyone attending the party. This phenomenon remains a mystery for large portion of the film due to the shifting nature of the party’s events, so that everyone is outside when their doubles appear in the house. Only three friends who remained inside are aware of the duplicates, and must decide how to react without causing panic.

 

Terraferma Blu-ray Review

     Director: Emanuele Crialese

Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Italian

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 88 minutes

 

 

        Immigration is a topic clearly close to the heart of filmmaker Emanuele Crialese, first with his remarkable portrayal of Italian natives on their journey to Ellis Island in The Golden Door and now with an examination the same topic in modern Italian society. The message of Terraferma often feels heavy-handed and predictable in the melodrama of specific plot twists, mostly due to the fact that Crialese is able to convey his ideas more than adequately through the use of contrasting imagery.

 

        Like Respiro, Terraferma takes place on a remote island located near Sicily. This island is a remote vacation spot during the summer, and otherwise a difficult home to fishermen dwindling in numbers as quickly as the fish are in the sea. The film follows the struggle between an old code of the sea which the fishermen uphold and the conflict this has with modern immigration laws. Immigrants traveling from Africa by rafts are to be left in the sea, but one family finds their livelihood in danger after rescuing a mother and her child from the sea.

 

A Single Shot Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Ted Levine, Kelly Reilly, Jason Isaacs

Director: David M. Rosenthal

Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 116 minutes

 

 

        A Single Shot provides a moderately engaging viewing experience, mostly because of way that even the film’s narrative twists and turns seems comfortingly familiar. There are no real surprises in this film and little beyond the performances stands out in the memory after it has been watched. The rest almost seems to be there simply to service these wonderfully colorful characters that the actors play.

 

        Sam Rockwell gives a wholehearted performance as John Moon, a backwoods poacher who has seen bad luck that lost him his family farm and wife in a short period. This streak of bad luck continues when Moon accidentally shoots a woman while hunting for deer, and while stashing her body he discovers a box full of cash. This seems to be a stroke of luck until his newfound wealth brings all sorts of unwanted attention from some out-of-town visitors.

New to Blu-ray: Sunrise (1927)

   Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Full Screen, Subtitled

Language: English (Mono)

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

        The integration of sound into cinema came in a transitional period of stages, with an all-out dialogue-filled film being the end result. Before that were scenes of dialogue or music in an otherwise silent film, and even after the advent of sound there were silent films being made. Some of these utilized soundtracks before they did dialogue, because the sound effects could be added after the filming was already completed as a way of enhancing the silent film for audiences on the cutting edge.

 

        Sunrise utilized the groundbreaking Fox Movietone sound system to provide the audience with a soundtrack to match the magical visuals in F. W. Murnau’s melodrama masterpiece. This 1927 film was released only a month after The Jazz Singer, which contained cinema’s first spoken (and sung) words. Though Sunrise was a technical masterpiece with groundbreaking soundtrack work, it failed to impress audience because it had no spoken words.

 

New to Blu-ray: In the Heat of the Night (1967)

     Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Mono), Spanish (Mono)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MGM

Release Date: January 14, 2014

Run Time: 110 minutes

 

                Filled with stark and profound images of racism over the backdrop of a murder mystery and the winner of five Oscars, including Best Picture, In the Heat of the Night is more than deserving of an anniversary edition release on Blu-ray. As MGM celebrates their 90^th Anniversary, this classic from 1967 is transferred to high definition. The special features are simply transferred over from the 40th Anniversary DVD release.

 

Throne of Blood Blu-ray Review

     Format: Black & White, Subtitled

Language: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Run Time: 109 minutes

 

 

        The films of Akira Kurosawa offer endless bounty of rewards with repeat viewings and the more historical background is uncovered. His films are like eating an artichoke, finding layer upon layer until the heart is finally revealed. Even those who stop before reaching the center will be satisfied, with skilled filmmaking carrying a classic narrative, though this is no comparison to the delectable morsels at the center.

 

        It would be easiest to refer to Throne of Blood as Kurosawa’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and knowing only the story of the Scottish King from this tale would be enough to make Throne of Blood entertaining. Kurosawa made the change in setting from eleventh-century Scotland to sixteenth century Japan, recognizing a similarity in the times, but even more significant was the parallel the filmmaker saw in modern times. Rather than simply adapting Shakespeare's masterpiece, Kurosawa uses the play as a launching point, adding layers to the already complex tale of power and greed.

 

Badges of Fury Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Jet Li, Wen Zhang, Collin Chou, Cecilia Liu

Director: Wong Tsz ming

Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: Chinese

Subtitles: English

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Run Time: 98 minutes

 

 

        The cover art for Badges of Fury is widely misleading. With a stern-faced Jet Li facing forward and adjusting his cuffs with a somber gun-wielding Wen Zhang standing behind him, and a large explosion silhouetting the both of them, you might come to the conclusion that this is a buddy action film. In reality, this is simply a comedy that utilizes action for some of the jokes. All of the violence in the film is cartoonish, even when deadly, making the style of action more along the lines of a Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) film.

 

        The film even flirts with the supernatural when a series of gruesome deaths in Hong Kong are seemingly unexplained. Several men die with the same mysterious smile on their face, leading two troublesome cops in an unconventional investigation. Detective Wang is a young and reckless rookie with more zeal than intelligence, which is the opposite of his seasoned partner, Huang (Li). These two have different methods, but both are unafraid to go against police protocol to close a case.

 

Don Jon Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dubbed: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 31, 2013

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

        The ideas about romance buried within the screenplay of Don Jon are far from original, to the point that each of the film’s twists can be seen far in advance, but the presentation of these ideas come through unique characters and original plot points. At the center of the film is a simple argument that Hollywood romantic comedies are just as unhealthy for the female mind as pornography is for the male mind, essentially setting both up for disappointment when life does not live up to their fantasy for cinematic perfection.

 

        Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) would be a likely candidate for a new “Jersey Shore” cast member, spending every day working out and cleaning so that he can spend every night trying to get laid in clubs. The one thing we don’t see Jon do much of is work, though his hours as a bartender would likely be during the very time we see him constantly gallivanting. When Jon meets Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) he wants to sleep with her because she is the most beautiful girl he’s ever met, but she is high maintenance and leads Jon into a relationship by dangling sex like a carrot. The problem comes when Jon finally gets what he wants and is still left unsatisfied. Jon’s reliance on pornography to fulfill sexual desires is in complete contradiction to the Hollywood image of romance in Barbara’s fantasy, causing a rift in their relationship.

 

The Ultimate Life Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Drew Waters, Ali Hillis

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

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: December 10, 2013

Run Time: 110 minutes

 

        The Ultimate Life is the follow-up film to The Ultimate Gift, both adapted from the best-selling Christian books by Jim Stovall and made for nobody but fans of the franchise. The faith-based film industry often makes these movies with missionary attempts at saving mainstream audiences, but they make the films in such a way that insures only an ability to preach to the choir, so to speak. This type of insipid tale of religious affirmation hits the same notes repetitively in an overlong screenplay and dull direction. In other words, this film is suitable only for your religious grandmother who’s TV always seems stuck on the Hallmark Channel.

 

         The themes of The Ultimate Life are rather clear, repeating what was already learned the first time around. Money cannot buy happiness. If you truly need a film that is nearly two hours long and filled only with poorly written dialogue that is stiffly presented by the cast to tell you that money won’t buy happiness, this film may be able to teach you something. I imagine that this kind of lesson will only be interesting to those who don’t need it, as is the case with most Christian entertainment.

 

The Lone Ranger Blu-ray Review

   Actors: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Helena Bonham Carter

Director: Gore Verbinski

Writers: Justin Haythe, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio

Producers: Gore Verbinski, Chad Oman, Eric Ellenbogen, Eric McLeod

Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: December 17, 2013

Run Time: 149 minutes

 

        The Lone Ranger may not be a great film by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a far more interesting failure than you might imagine from the overwhelming mass of critical disparagement. It should be noted, however, that I had no previous attachment to previous radio, television and film incarnations of The Lone Ranger, so I was able appreciate this film as a standalone piece of entertainment without judgment about significant alterations made in the adapting process.   

 

        All of the criticisms made about this film are most definitely true; the budget was outrageous and all in an obvious attempt at harnessing some of the success from the previous Disney/Bruckheimer/Verbinski/Depp collaboration, The Pirates of the Caribbean. The film is also over-long with some structural issues, like much of Gore Verbinski’s filmography, and Johnny Depp’s elaborate performance overshadows the title character and hero of the film. I also saw some unexpected assets buried beneath all of the excess the film has to offer.

 

Elysium Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna

Director/Writer: Neill Blomkamp

Producers: Neill Blomkamp, Bill Block, Simon Kinberg, Stacy Perskie, Sue Baden-Powell

Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: December 17, 2013

Run Time: 109 minutes

       

        Neill Blomkamp took everyone by surprise with his debut feature, District 9, able to combine cutting-edge action sequences within the socially and political relevant science fiction storyline. Elysium has all of the same things that made District 9 a success: heavy science fiction, special-effects-driven action, and a heavy-handed political message under the surface. Aside from the fact that this feels a bit more forced the second time around, District 9 was a film made in the filmmaker’s home country of South Africa with a message that was obviously personal in nature. Elysium is a Hollywood feature which makes some transparent social statements about the United States in the narrative. I found this a bit smug coming from an outsider, and Elysium tends to feel heavy-handed with cinematic soap box themes weighing the spectacle down.

 

        The biggest problem with the allegories and political subtext in Elysium is how blatantly transparent it is. The story takes place in the dystopian future year of 2154, in which Earth is ravaged and only the wealthy can afford to live a healthy life on the man-made space station called Elysium. This space station also provides perfect health care, which none of the impoverished citizens of the United States can get. It is already clear that the film is dealing with issues of universal health care and immigration, which is pounded into the audience’s head even more obviously by the fact that apparently all citizens on Earth are Hispanic and all on Elysium are white. This is an obvious attempt to advance the liberal agenda of addressing the health care and immigration issues the Unites States deals with in regards to our impoverished southern neighbors in Mexico. This entire film could have used a bit more subtlety and intelligence.