Cinderella Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Helena Bonham Carter, Nonso Anozie

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Writer: Chris Weitz

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

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

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG

Studio: Walt Disney Studios

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 105 minutes

        In watching Kenneth Branagh’s 2015 live-action adaptation of the 1950 animated Disney film and its 1697 source material by Charles Perrault, I found myself marveling at some of the climactic moments of romance and magic. I had imagined that there would be no surprises in the viewing experience, which was a faulty assumption despite the fact that the greatest surprise was how easily I was swept up in the grand visual spectacle of the romance. Perhaps it says something about the power of nostalgia that the moments which affected me most were those that reminded me of the animated classic, but I am still simply impressed that a curtsy could be so magnificently executed that it caused me to rewind and re-watch. Unnecessary as this film may have been, Cinderella stands as the best in Disney’s slew of cash-grab live-action adaptations, free from cynical updates or feminist revisionism.

 

Closer to the Moon DVD Review

     Actors: Vera Farmiga, Mark Strong, Anton Lesser, Harry Lloyd

Director:Nae Caranfil

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 112 minutes

 

 

        Despite being based on true events, Closer to the Moon takes a number of liberties within the narrative in order to attempt an explanation behind a crime which still remains a mystery. This also frees the filmmakers to adjust the tone of the narrative, so that moments are comedic where they could have been melodramatic. The story fits into the ‘unbelievable but true’ category which is always bait for cinematic adaptation, though Closer to the Moon left me feeling as though there wasn’t quite enough story for the amount of movie.

The Seven Five DVD Review

     Actors: Michael Dowd, Ken Eurell

Director: Tiller Russell

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Rated: R

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 104 minutes

 

 

        Documentaries have a bad reputation for being boring, and there are times that sitting through films filled with talking-head interviews that I have found reason to agree. Then there are the non-fiction films so captivating that it only feels like a matter of time before some wise filmmaker adapts the narrative into a screenplay. The Seven Five has enough excitement to match a Martin Scorsese crime film, somehow enhanced by the larger-than-life personalities of the actual men involved in the scandal. If Scorsese can make white collar crime seem exciting in The Wolf of Wall Street, the story of crooked New York City police officer Michael Dowd would be a walk in the park, although I can’t imagine many actors able to be as captivating as the man himself.

 

Blind Chance Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Boguslaw Linda

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Polish

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 123 minutes

        Everything has meaning in a Krzysztof Kieślowski film, making repeat viewings a near necessity. Even with dozens of viewings, much of Kieślowski’s work is increasingly rewarding due to his ability to layer the films with carefully constructed themes and ideas. As well orchestrated as these narrative films are, it might be difficult to believe that Kieślowski began in documentary filmmaking, though he clearly carried over a social and political consciousness from this early work. Blind Chance is one of Kieślowski’s early narrative films, despite its release being delayed six years due to some of the content. Not only was he daring in the socio-political commentary made about communist Poland, Kieślowski’s experiments in storytelling were ahead of the times even when Blind Chance was eventually released in 1987.

 

Furious 7 Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson

Director: James Wan

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, Color, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

Run Time: 140 minutes

        It is something of a cinematic miracle that such a successful action franchise was built from the mildly amusing racing film from 2001. What began as a blatant Point Break rip-off could have easily died with its awful sequel, and it nearly did when major cast members started removing themselves from the franchise. Vin Diesel excused himself from the first sequel, replaced by a nonsensical backstory to provide Paul Walker’s character with a new sidekick (Tyrese Gibson), and then the entire cast was scrapped along with the undercover cop narrative in favor of a more direct racing film in Tokyo. When this film was a surprise success, suddenly the old cast returned to revive some of the old dynamics, but by the fifth film in the series it was no longer about racing or undercover cops. The franchise started added characters rather than losing them and the cars were used for carrying out action-heavy heists rather than drag racing.

 

Redeemer Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Marko Zaror, Noah Segan

Director: Ernesto Díaz Espinoza

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Dark Sky Films

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 90 minutes

 

        I can see all of the influences that inspired Redeemer, but even the imitation of well-made action movies isn’t enough to create something worthwhile and original. Fans of brutal and bloody action choreography may enjoy moments of the spectacle, but the amount of time spent on the filmmaking process isn’t equally distributed beyond these sequences of violence. Nearly every other aspect of storytelling is sacrificed in favor of creativity in the deaths and the showcasing of lead actor Marko Zaror’s martial arts abilities.

 

The Goldbergs: The Complete Second Season DVD Review

     Actors: George Segal, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia

Format: Multiple Formats, AC-3, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: French, English

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3 

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 8, 2015

Run Time: 519 minutes

 

        One of television’s earliest sitcoms was also named “The Goldbergs,” but this new series feels far more like a remake (or re-imagining) “The Wonder Years,” a family driven single-camera sitcom from the 1980s. “The Goldbergs” is actually based on the childhood of creator Adam Goldberg, though elements were clearly changed in ways that make it more similar to “The Wonder Years,” including the addition of an older sister character. It is more than that, however. When I was a child in the late 1980s, I watched a show about a family living in the 1960s. Twenty-some years later I am watching a series about a family in the 1980s, and can finally relate to what “The Wonder Years” must have felt like to my parents.

 

Extinction DVD Review

     Actors: Matthew Fox, Jeffrey Donovan

Director: Miguel Ángel Vivas

Format: Multiple Formats, Closed-captioned, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: French, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, English, Spanish

Dubbed: Thai, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

         Extinction is an enigma within its genre. It somehow manages to be original in its approach while simultaneously borrowing from enough horror tropes to feel derivative. Even if the overall film often feels original, it is made up of elements which can be traced back to far more successful films and television shows. This makes Extinction something of a Frankenstein film, containing several working parts to construct this cumbersome and uneven experience. Though it can often feel like a different film from one moment to the next, each of these tends to be more effective than the hoard of unimaginative trope that typically fills the genre.

 

Two Days, One Night Blu-ray Review

Actors: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée

Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

         If there is a phrase that seems to be utilized most when discussing the work of brothers and critically acclaimed filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, it is ‘social consciousness.’ Few filmmakers are as aware of the effects that business and politics have on the average human life, and those average people tend to be the protagonists at the center of their fictional narratives. This awareness no doubt comes from their years of making small documentaries, beginning in the 1970s, though their understanding of the rich depth within the human spirit is what marries these political ideals with characters we can all find relatable. Two Days, One Night may be the first film they have made with a famous movie star heading up the cast, but the manner with which Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard is able to shed the glamour of a movie star to embody the role of a simple struggling mother is a testament both to her acting abilities (earning her a second Best Actress nomination) and the Dardenne’s undeniable skill as socially conscious filmmakers.

 

Broken Horses DVD Review

     Actors: Vincent D'Onofrio, Sean Flanery, Thomas Jane, Chris Marquette, Wes Chatham

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Producers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Subhash Dhar

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

Language: English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Spanish, English

Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Thai, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 101 minutes

         Indian films typically tend to be a lengthier than most Hollywood films, which may be part of the reason the logic of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s first American-made film feels so broken. Adapted from his 1989 Hindi crime classic, Parinda, Broken Horses is nearly an hour shorter in length, but somehow still feels like too much time spent on derivative material. Despite a plot that feels manipulatively melodramatic and unreasonably contrived, there is raw energy in the action which could have made these flaws forgivable if it weren’t for the tragedy that is the bland dialogue.

 

Felt DVD Review

     Actors: Amy Everson, Kentucker Audley, Brendan Miller, Elisabeth Ferrara

Director: Jason Banker

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 80 minutes

         Felt is clearly a film made to inspire a reaction in its viewers, intentionally graphic and shocking in place of any actual work from the filmmakers. Sometimes these guttural reactions are enough to make a film memorable, but everything about this dark mumblecore thriller/drama is derivative to the point of being completely predictable, despite a minimalist approach to storytelling. The entire film feels hinged upon one inevitable climactic moment, which doesn’t feel earned or even appropriate for the rest of the film that director Jason Banker has given us. Nothing is earned, including the emotions of the audience. If you don’t develop a screenplay that provides character and story, there is nothing to become invested in prior to the exploitative final moments. Thoughtful themes treated lazily end up becoming trashy moments of unearned melodrama.

 

The Walking Dead: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yuen, Norman Reedus, Seth Gilliam

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Box set, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 5

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Run Time: 600 minutes

 

 

         What is there to say about “The Walking Dead” that hasn’t already been said. This cultural television phenomenon arrived with the successful revival of the zombie horror film, though it has outlasted the peak popularity of its cinematic counterpart. The post-apocalyptic television show has becomes something much more than just the usual horror trope, elevating the genre to something deeply profound and emotionally resonate. Not only is this series far better than nearly every zombie film in recent years, it is easily one of the best shows on television.

 

Wolf Warrior Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Jacky Wu, Scott Adkins, Kevin Lee

Director: Jacky Wu

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 90 minutes

 

 

         Wolf Warrior is the Chinese equivalent of the American military action film, Act of Valor; it is well shot, filled with exciting action, with a plot so simplistic it is nearly nonexistent, and a tone so patriotic that it borders on propaganda. If you can excuse the silliness of the story or the transparency of the movie’s national pride, there is still some above average action to enjoy. In fact, I would say that this is one of the more exciting Chinese action films I have seen recently, though the emphasis remains on firepower rather than martial arts.

 

Lost After Dark Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Robert Patrick, David Lipper, Alexander Calvert

Director: Ian Kessner

Format: Blu-ray

Language: English (Dolby TrueHD 5.1)

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 85 minutes

         Lost after Dark is not only a slasher film with a plot resembling the popular horror sub-genre of the 1980s, it aspires to be mistaken as one of these forgotten B-films. The narrative takes place in the ‘80s, but more importantly is the faux grindhouse style that attempts to recreate the look of a slasher seen at the drive-in. This means intentional screen static, scenes missing, and a series of practical effects. While the film is never less than entertaining, there is not enough commitment to this idea for Lost After Dark to feel like a success. Large sections of the film seem to completely forget about the faux grindhouse style, and overall it just feels like a watered down attempt at doing was already accomplished by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez with their double-feature film, Grindhouse.   

 

The Last Dragon Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Faith Prince, Taimak, Vanity

Director: Michael Schultz

Producer: Rupert Hitzig

Format: Blu-ray, Subtitled

Language: English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, English, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Spanish

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 108 minutes

 

         The martial arts movie meets blaxploitation films in this campy cult classic from the mid-1980s, brought to life in this 30^th Anniversary high definition Blu-ray release. I’m still unclear on whether Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon is meant to be parody or homage to classic kung-fu films, but it lives comfortably in the pop culture of the ‘80s, complete with absurdly colorful and over-the-top wardrobe and a soundtrack which often takes over the narrative like an extended music video. Whether you love it or laugh at it, fans of all types can appreciate this forgotten cult action-comedy in all its remastered glory, not to mention the new special features.

 

Citizenfour Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Edward Snowden

Director: Laura Poitras

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Run Time: 114 minutes

 

 

         I am not at all surprised by the fact that Citizenfour was the winner of Best Documentary Feature at the 2014 Academy Awards, mostly because of how much the film and filmmaker became a part of the story. This is not a documentary which tells us what happened, but instead was in the room being created as it happened. With that being said, I would be lying if I said that I found endless scenes of intelligent people talking in hotel rooms and clicking away on computers half as exciting as the hype for this film claimed. This feels like a film that was praised for the filmmaker’s involvement in the story and what it stood for far more than the actual construction or presentation of the material itself. Others may disagree (including the Academy, apparently), but I found the actual filmmaking to be frustrating and dull compared to the tenseness of the subject.

 

Welcome to New York Blu-ray Review

      Actors: Gerard Depardieu, Jacqueline Bisset, Paul Hipp

Director: Abel Ferrara

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Run Time: 108 minutes

 

 

         Though there have been name changes and we are told several times that the characters within Abel Ferrara’s Welcome to New York are entirely fictional, the very emphasis on this clarification makes it clear that the filmmaker wants you to know where the narrative inspiration was derived from. Much of the film’s power comes from the reality that the events are based on a widely covered international story about former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, whose escape from charges of sexual assault against a hotel maid became a clear allegory for the entitlement mentality of the rich and powerful. Ferrara achieves this without glorifying or condemning the actions of its protagonist, making for a film without bias, but which also feels void of any relevant commentary.

 

The Riot Club DVD Review

     Actors: Sam Claflin, Max Irons

Director: Lone Scherfig

Format: Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: August 18, 2015

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

         The Riot Club is about an elite group of wealthy and privileged students in a secret society at Cambridge University, providing for audiences the perfect subjects to loathe as symbols of the entitled upper class. The division of class is not a new subject for British cinema, but The Riot Club lacks the dark humor and satire from the days of classic Ealing comedies such as Robert Hamer’s Kind Hearts and Coronets. Even much of the humor from the play by Laura Wade, “Posh,” which she adapted into the film’s screenplay, is missing in favor of tension and drama, leaving anger as the audience’s default emotion to the events.

 

5 to 7 DVD Review

     Actors: Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe

Director: Victor Levin

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: August 18, 2015

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

         As the narrative within 5 to 7 began to unfold, I found myself marveling at the various aspects of filmmaking: the dialogue written by Victor Levin was snappy and clever, which he was able to direct magnificently, utilizing the talent of his actors in a way that made the casting seem inspired. Initially, the only thing I did not love about Levin’s film was the plot. I have never been completely sold on the idealized passion of cinematic adultery, and found myself cringing as the two main characters made their way to the bedroom. It was also in the bedroom that 5 to 7 eventually won me over, choosing an old fashioned glamorous approach to the representation of romance over the indulgence of raw carnal desire. I can’t quite understand how a film which hardly shows the romantic leads in anything less than undergarments was given an R-rating, because it is the intentionally mild sentimentality which causes the film to stand apart from most modern romance.

 

Rookie Blue: Season Five, Volume One DVD Review

     Actors: Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith, Ben Bass

Director: David Wellington

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Entertainment One

DVD Release Date: August 18, 2015

Run Time: 473 minutes

 

 

         It has been done before, and there isn’t a whole lot new in this Canadian-made cop show aside from the blending of soap opera elements which make it feel like “Grey’s Anatomy” with guns. There is less that is realistic within the cop drama involving highly attractive professionals who enjoy bed-hopping between catching crooks, but somehow that seems to be the point. It is less about gritty realism and more about the melodrama. And somehow that has worked well enough to last five seasons and counting, even if the narratives get increasingly unbelievable and contrived.