Code Unknown Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvic, Luminita Gheorghiu

Director: Michael Haneke

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Run Time: 117 minutes

 

        Code Unknown often feels more like a film by Krzysztof Kieślowski than Michael Haneke’s follow-up to Funny Games (1997), and I say this with the highest regard. It is not just that Code Unknown stars Juliette Binoche, who starred in one of the films in Kieślowski’s Three Colors trilogy, but also a similarity in theme and style. Though the narrative construct is different, this film continues discussion of social themes often found in Kieślowski’s work, such as Blind Chance (1981). And like much of Kieślowski’s work, there is an ambiguity to Haneke’s narrative, forcing the audience to participate in the deconstruction of its meaning.

 

The Golden Cane Warrior Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Christine Hakim, Tara Basro, Nicholas Saputra

Director: Ifa Isfansyah

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

Language: Indonesian

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Run Time: 111 minutes

 

 

        The Indonesian film industry has seen a boom in recent years, primarily due to the success of a few influential films in the international marketplace. This includes the financial success of the action franchise which began in 2011 with The Raid (the sequel was funded in part by selling the rights for a Hollywood remake currently in the works), as well as the critical reception to Indonesian-based documentaries, The Act of Killing (2012) and The Look of Silence (2014). But each of these movies, however successfully they worked within the Indonesian film industry, was directed by foreign filmmakers. The Golden Cane Warrior, on the other hand, proves that an Indonesian director can also create a technically polished film.

 

Seymour: An Introduction DVD Review

     Actors: Seymour Bernstein, Ethan Hawke

Director: Ethan Hawke

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: November 3, 2015

Run Time: 81 minutes

 

 

        There is a magnificently unexpected moment within Seymour: An Introduction, from which the tagline of the film was born. Filmmaker Ethan Hawke is having a conversation with legendary pianist Seymour Bernstein about the struggles of striving to live life “more beautifully.” Bernstein questions whether Hawke can achieve this through his career in film, a question which leaves the actor tongue-tied. If a life dedicated to the arts is not about commercial or financial success, what is the ultimate goal? These are the questions investigated in Seymour: An Introduction, a film chronicling one man’s decision to leave behind fame and wealth for a modest life teaching his art form as way to “play life more beautifully.”

 

Do I Sound Gay? DVD Review

     Actors: David Thorpe, George Takei, Tim Gunn

Director: David Thorpe

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: November 3, 2015

Run Time: 77 minutes

 

 

        Documentaries recently have begun to fall into distinct sub-genres, with a majority made up of biographies and those with political and/or social agendas. Though you could argue elements of the latter in Do I Sound Gay?, it is more of an investigation of a specific social phenomenon, never taking a strong stance or carrying a specific purpose. The answer may be too simplistic for a feature-film discussion, which is why the personalization of the topic by filmmaker and journalist David Thorpe helps to pad the narrative.

 

Hungry Hearts DVD Review

      Actors: Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher

Director: Saverio Costanzo

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI Home Video

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

 

        Even after completing Hungry Hearts, I’m not entirely clear on what type of film writer/director Saverio Costanzo intended to make; what begins with a scene that suggests a subtle romance slowly sinks into a schizophrenic narrative about mental illness unable to decide whether it is a thriller or a drama. Even when it seems clear that the screenplay would have us treat the material as somber melodrama, the music and stylistic camera choices that Costanzo use suggest that Hungry Hearts a psychological horror film in the tradition of 1970s Roman Polanski. Either way that I consider the film, it doesn’t work for me, though I will admit that elements of the narrative certainly succeeded in leaving me unnerved.

 

The Final Girls Blu-ray Review

Actors: Alexander Ludwig, Malin Akerman, Nina Dobrev, Alia Shawkat, Taissa Farmiga

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Producers: Michael London, Janice Williams

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

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

Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Thai, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Run Time: 91 minutes

        In Carol Clover’s crucial critical analysis of feminism in the horror genre in her book, “Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film,” the critic popularized the term ‘final girl’ in reference to the sole survivor within the slasher sub-genre. This ‘final girl’ is typically seen to survive due to the purity of her character (no drinking, drugs, or sex), enforcing the conservative ideology of Reagan’s America during the 1980s even further by showing the bloody demise of the characters displaying weaker moral compasses. This is where the significance of the title for The Final Girls originated, though the opportunity to reference classic slasher horror films is wasted beyond a basic premise for the rules of horror. None of the postmodern discussion of horror structure extends beyond one simple observation, and this merely feels like a rehashing of better movies, such as Scream and The Cabin in the Woods.

 

Pixels Blu-ray Review

Actors: Lainie Kazan, Kevin James, Josh Gad, Ashley Benson, Affion Crockett

Director: Chris Columbus

Producers: Adam Sandler, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Allen Covert

Format: Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

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

Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Thai, Spanish

Audio Description: English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 27, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 106 minutes

        Adam Sandler’s involvement in another lazily constructed comedy is not surprising, though I find it oddly fascinating that the quality of his films seems to diminish as the budget increases. While none have been masterpieces, some of his smaller productions have fared far better than these sophomoric blockbusters. Pixels boasts the premise of a special-effects driven action-comedy, but it has the approach of a mildly immature family film made on autopilot.

 

Paper Towns Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Nat Wolff, Austin Abrams, Justice Smith

Director: Jake Schreier

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

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

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: 20TH CENTURY FOX

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 109 minutes

        This is clearly a film made to be appreciated by young adults alone, and this is apparent by the ultimate message that the worst thing a teenager can be is responsible. Paper Towns actually reminds me a great deal of Juno, another film where pretentious hipster behavior is embraced as superior. Thankfully, unlike Juno, that judgmental representation of pretentious behavior is not found in the protagonist of the narrative. Whether it is me showing my age through my preferences, a poor adaptation of the original text, the failures of model Cara Delevingne as an actor, or a combination of all, less time spent with the character of Margo makes it easier to appreciate Paper Towns.

 

Back to the Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Crispin Glover

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Format: Digital_copy, Blu-ray, Box set, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 4

Rated: PG

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

 

        These days it is common practice to film several sequels at once, but it was still a daring decision when Back to the Future utilized this method. This is one of many ways that the time-travel franchise predicted the future. Back to the Future: Part II was released in November of 1989, with the end of the film containing a trailer for the third film set to be released in the summer of 1990. This was prior to the splitting of every final book in a series, before trilogies were planned out without the success of the original release, and when there were still few enough blockbuster franchises for these films to be culturally significant. 30 years later and the dynamics of the industry have drastically changed, but the influence of these films has stood the test of time.

 

The Benoît Jacquot Collection Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Fabrice Luchini, Isabelle Huppert

Director: Benoit Jacquot

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 274 minutes

        Not only are the three films included in The Benoît Jacquot Collection all from the 1990s, they each have a connection in themes and characters, especially when considering the commonalities in the young female roles. I can’t decide whether the approach is feminist or merely a representation of how the beauty of youth is coveted by an endless stream of middle-aged men in all three narratives. Either way, the ideas from these movies only work because of the enigmatic and captivating performances from Jacquot’s leading ladies, each balancing somewhere between girlishly adolescent behavior and the maturity of womanhood.

 

A Special Day Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni

Director: Ettore Scola

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

Language: Italian

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

        The title of Ettore Scola’s film could be interpreted several ways, as the events of the narrative take place during an important day in Italian history but may have even more significance for the two leading characters for completely different reasons. A Special Day takes place during Adolf Hitler’s visit to Italy and Benito Mussolini in 1938, which remains at the center of the narrative despite nearly the entire film taking place at a working-class apartment building. After the film opens with 6-minutes of actual newsreel footage, we remain distanced from these events, despite the constant radio broadcast as the background soundtrack to the narrative. 

 

Northern Limit Line Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Lee Wan, Jin Goo, Lee Hyun Woo

Director: Kim Hak-Soon

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: Korean

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 130 minutes

 

 

        Northern Limit Line is sure to resonate for South Korean patriots and family members of soldiers, though the film loses impact as an import. This is somewhat true because of the specific relevance this event has on Korean history, and expecting the impact to be the same outside of the country would be like Hollywood anticipating a film about 9/11 doing well in European theaters. More importantly, the approach to Northern Limit Line is transparently one-sided, with the North Koreans coming off more like villains from a James Bond film than fully fleshed out characters. This makes for a patriotic piece of South Korean Navy propaganda, though not as convincingly as a piece of art.

 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula Blu-ray Review

Actors: Tom Waits, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Producers: Francis Ford Coppola,  Charles Mulvehill, Fred Fuchs

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, AC-3, Dolby, Limited Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: French, English, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 127 minutes

 

        I’ve always found Bram Stoker’s Dracula to be a fairly unexciting narrative, if only for the fact that its story has been told enough cinematically to remove any element of surprise. Francis Ford Coppola does his best to remedy this, though he does so by vamping up the art direction and campy sexuality rather than the story. Sadly, the lush photography and over-indulged practical effects does not save the film from the amateurish acting by the younger cast members and the decision to make Dracula a protagonist in search of a lost love. While many movie monsters inspire sympathy in the audience, this has always worked much better with Frankenstein’s monster than with Dracula, and it takes away from the frightening elements of the genre.

 

My Favorite Martian: The Complete Collection DVD Review

     Actors: Bill Bixby, Ray Waltson

Creator: John L. Greene

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 3000 minutes

 

 

        ‘My Favorite Martian” was a trailblazing series, laying the groundwork for many popular fantasy sitcoms over the years. Without this show, there might never have been “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “ALF,” or even “Mork and Mindy,” not to mention all of the other fantasy shows with genies and witches rather than aliens. All three seasons and 107 episodes of this classic 1960s series are available for purchase in this complete collection, along with an expansive compilation of new and old special features.

 

Don Rickles: The Ultimate TV Collection DVD Review

  

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 8

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Time Life/WEA

DVD Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 1328 minutes

 

 

        Though this box set with 8 discs of Don Rickles entertainment collects some of the performer’s most memorable television moments in one set, there is only one disc which has not already been released individually. Along with all 37 episodes from the 2 seasons of “CPO Sharkey,” this set also includes 4 uncut specials and plenty of unedited bonus footage of the “nice guy who finishes first.” These plus plenty of additional extras make for a wonderful box set, perfect for the dedicated fans of Don Rickles and classic television.

 

Call Me Lucky Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Barry Crimmins

Director: Bobcat Goldthwait

Format: Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

        It is remarkable how many successful comedians come from tragic loss and a traumatic past, but not nearly as amazing as what comedian Barry Crimmins used this pain to accomplish, on and off stage. Call Me Lucky gently allows this narrative to unfold, never forcing or exploiting the material. Director Bobcat Goldthwait appears briefly among many other comedians to tell his own personal connection to Crimmins, but his handling of the subject is always distanced and respectful, never contrived or emotionally manipulative.

 

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Thomas Mann, Nick Offerman, Rj Cyler

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

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

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 106 minutes

 

        Finding the delicate balance between sentimental and realistic, with humor bridging the gap, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl often feels like independent cinema’s answer to films like The Fault in Our Stars. With the most expensive acquisition of any film to be bought at the Sundance Film Festival, there is a crowd-pleasing quality to Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, regardless of the dark humor utilized in the cumbersome title. Try as the film might to stay away from the cliché trappings of the familiar narrative, it ultimately cheats in order to remain original as long as possible while still providing many of predictable plot points for this type of narrative. Regardless of constant assurances through voiceover, this film goes exactly where it is expected to go, even wrapping the narrative up neatly with the cliché voiceover of a letter written to a college admissions department.

       

In the Courtyard Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Catherine Deneuve, Gustave Kervern, Feodore Atkine

Director: Pierre Salvadori

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R 

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

        I’m struggling to write this review, because I’m worried that my words won’t adequately represent the subtle charms of a film like In the Courtyard. Although it is extremely French at its core, the film’s themes are universally relatable, with performances from the leads most effective through the silent expressiveness of their faces. There is a lot about the structure of this narrative which aligns with the dramedy style found in a majority of American independent cinema, combing awkward humor and familiar pangs of realistic struggle. This is recognizable in any language, regardless of ethnicity or nationality.

 

Insidious: Chapter 3 Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Stefanie Scott, Dermot Mulroney, Angus Sampson, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell

Director: Leigh Whannell

Producers: Jason Blum, Oren Peli

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dubbed: Spanish

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

        I’m not sure I understand how a film titled “Chapter 3” can be considered a prequel to the first two chapters, though this is not nearly as disappointing as the lack of ambition within the narrative. While it does an adequate job capturing the essence of what made the first two films successful, the thrills and entertainment feel far more obligatory than they did under the direction of James Wan. Longtime horror collaborator and screenwriter Leigh Whannell gives his first attempt at directing after years of providing the scripts for Wan, but it simply feels like he is attempting to imitate this style rather than establishing a voice of his own.

 

Landmine Goes Click Review

 

        There isn’t a narrative that requires more commitment from the audience to the material than the revenge film. The basic structure always begins with an endurance test of emotional torture forced upon the viewer, typically with relentless physical abuse on an undeserving victim. Without this connection, the justification for revenge would not be prevalent, and the purpose of the genre seems to rely upon the audience’s participation in the primal urge for vengeance. Landmine Goes Click succeeded in dragging me along on this affecting journey through the emotional ringer, with the help of Levan Bakhia’s confidence as a director and the raw commitment in the performances of his cast.