Brave Miss World Blu-ray Review

 

 

         Though most attention went to the lack of diversity among the nominees during the 2016 Academy Awards ceremony, for many it was a performance by Lady Gaga which had a lasting emotional impact. The pop star was joined onstage during her performance of the Oscar nominated song from The Hunting Ground by dozens of rape victims. My initial instinct was to refer to them as former rape victims, but that is about as accurate as referring to someone who has been to war as a former veteran. This was made clear by the bravery of those onstage at the Academy Awards, but even more so in the strength shown within Cecilia Peck’s documentary, Brave Miss World.

 

Sisters Blu-ray Review

Actors: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, James Brolin

Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

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

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 15, 2016

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2018

 

        The chemistry between these two “Saturday Night Live” alumni is undeniable, even if this is only the second feature they have starred in together. Often it is their ability to play off of each other so effortlessly which allows us to believe they are sisters, far more than the actresses’ ability to look like each other, and it is also what saves Sisters from an unfocused screenplay. If you ever thought that a “SNL” skit was funny until it repeated the same joke way past its welcome, you will have an idea of the type of approach Paula Pell takes in writing Sisters, with half of a lengthy 2-hour comedy centered on the joke that is middle-aged people partying like they are teenagers again.

Coming Home Blu-ray Review

Actors: Huiwen Zhang, Chen Daoming, Gong Li

Director: Zhang Yimou

Producers: Li Li, Jia Yueting, Jerry Ye, Zhao Yifang, Zhang Zhao

Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Spanish, English

Dubbed: Portuguese, Spanish

Audio Description: English

Rated: PG-13                                           Parents Strongly Cautioned

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: March 8, 2016

Run Time: 109 minutes

        Coming Home carries on the wonderful tradition of melodrama in Chinese cinema, certainly reminiscent of director Zhang Yimou’s early work (Raise the Red Lantern, The Road Home), but even more so of the quiet family dramas made by the legendary Yasujirô Ozu. There are not many surprises within the narrative of Coming Home, but it is a film instead content to the dedication examination of a simple premise. Even while there is a clear representation of a difficult political time in Chinese history, Yimou wisely makes this a film about the personal impact on individuals rather than the larger issues surrounding them.

 

Macbeth Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard

Director: Justin Kurzel

Format: NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R                                         

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: March 8, 2016

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

 

        Despite casting two magnificently proficient actors in the iconic leads, there is little new which can be brought to the words of William Shakespeare. Countless talented actors have spoken these words, leaving only the awe of unique visual spectacle for director Justin Kurzel to breathe new life into this age-old tale of violent ambition and the madness that follows. On a bare stage it is only Shakespeare’s words which paint the visuals into the viewer’s mind, but Adam Arkapaw’s cinematography is a narrator that richly parallels these words with a dreamlike landscape of imagery and ideas. This is still Macbeth, unlikely to brings story surprises to anyone who paid attention in their high school English classes, though the real shock is how engaging a familiar tale can be in the hands of an ambitious young filmmaker.  

Intruders DVD Review

     Actors: Martin Starr, Beth Riesgraf, Rory Culkin

Director: Adam Schindler

Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated                                  

Studio: Entertainment One

DVD Release Date: March 1, 2016

Run Time: 90 minutes

        Although it attempts to add a new twist to home invasion horror, the revisionist ideas in Intruders aren’t even original to this recently popularized sub-genre. The blurring of lines between victim and villain is a familiar trope in nearly all revenge films as well as sharing similar space in recent confinement horror such as 10 Cloverfield Lane and the upcoming Fede Alvarez home invasion horror, Don’t Breathe. The latter even involves a homeowner suffering from a disability, not unlike the crippling agoraphobia that the protagonist of Intruders suffers from. Of course, these handicaps may very well serve as the film’s red herring, giving the intruders a false sense of confidence until the tables are turned and they become the victim.

Lost in Hong Kong Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Xu Zheng, Bao Beier, Zhao Wei

Director: Xu Zheng

Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, THX, Widescreen

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated:

Unrated

Not Rated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

        I made the mistake of assuming this was a sequel to the hit comedy of errors, Lost in Thailand, and was excited to see the return of the same characters in a new situation. This is not the case, instead actor/director Xu Zheng merely carries over thematic similarities from Lost in Thailand and the 2010 film, Lost on Journey, which he starred in without directing. Lost in Hong Kong provides us with new characters and original comedy of errors while on vacation in an unfamiliar city. While I didn’t find it to be as amusing or engaging as the last outing, there are many clever moments referencing the tradition of slapstick comedy being blended with action and large scale stunts, even finding time to cram in a bit of sentimentality near the end.

 

Weaponized Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Tom Sizemore, Mickey Rourke, Johnny Messner, Jon Foo

Director: Timothy Woodward Jr

Format: Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated:

Unrated

Not Rated

Studio: Cinedigm

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

        Do I even need to expend energy criticizing this atrocious entry into low budget action? Merely seeing that Tom Sizemore and Mickey Rourke are crammed onto the film’s poster despite minor supporting roles should give you an idea of the B-film tactics used to try tricking audiences into accidentally viewing the film. This might even work for some, but anyone who has been following the career of these two fading stars knows that this is familiar pattern in their careers. And if their inclusion on the poster is not enough proof that the marketing department probably never saw the film, Rourke is featured standing on the cover, despite being handicapped and confined to a wheelchair within the film.

Secret in Their Eyes Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Dean Norris, Michael Kelly

Director: Billy Ray

Writer: Billy Ray

Producers: Mark Johnson, Matt Jackson

Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: February 23, 2016

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2018

 

        Despite a solid cast and a sophisticated screenplay based on the Academy Award-winning Argentinean film, El secreto de sus ojos, Secret in Their Eyes never feels completely necessary. Even dismissing the common decision to remake a foreign film into an English-language copycat, Secret in Their Eyes feels too familiar to a string of better suspense films. With similar moral discussions about certainty of guilt and the consequences of acting on these assumptions, there are many parallels between this film and Prisoners, but not enough new ground is covered to warrant another addition into the sub-genre, much less a remake. 

 

Becoming Bulletproof DVD Review

     Actors: Alec Bandler

Director: Michael Barnett

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Virgil Films and Entertainment

DVD Release Date: February 23, 2016

Run Time: 82 minutes

 

 

        Not unlike the movie that the documentary captures the filmmaking of, Becoming Bulletproof is far more admirable for the story behind the content than for the skill going into the filmmaking itself. It is a documentary with a message, but not one of political, economic or environmental significance. Instead it is a movie seeking only personal significance; obviously for the actors involved in the production, but also for anyone with a disability, or anyone with similar aspirations to pursue their dreams regardless of the odds they may face.

My All American Blu-ray Review

        Angelo Pizzo has made a career out of writing screenplays based on true life inspirational sports stories, and in the past they have all been directed by his former fraternity brother from his undergraduate days at Indiana University. But whether it is the fault of a diminishing ability to write an inspirational screenplay or his shortcomings as a first time director, My All American comes nowhere near the level of Hoosiers, Rudy, or even The Game of Their Lives. Considering it has been 10 years since his last screenplay made it to the screen, I’m afraid Pizzo may have returned to the well one time too many, with this latest endeavor feeling like a bad copy of his past successes.

The Sheik DVD Review

     Actors: The Iron Sheik, Dwayne Johnson

Director: Igal Hecht

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Dark Sky Films

DVD Release Date: March 1, 2016

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

 

        I’m sure if you are a fan of WWE wrestling, especially of the iconic figure this film is based on, The Sheik will provide plenty of enjoyment. Personally, I prefer my soap opera with a lot less yelling and a lot better acting, but was still able to find some enjoyment in the character study at the center of this documentary. I may have been able to enjoy the human aspects of the story even more if the filmmakers didn’t allow themselves to seep into the narrative as giddy fans during the second half of the film. While I appreciate their passion, it did little to reassure me the filmmaking wasn’t affected by the filmmakers’ obvious bias.

The Taviani Brothers Collection Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Omero Antonutti, Claudio Bigagli

Directors: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani

Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Italian

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: February 16, 2016

 

 

        There are many sibling filmmaker teams, and I’m sure that each has their own unique ways of distributing the directorial duties. For the longest time Joel Coen was listed as the film’s director with Ethan taking producer credits, despite both working together in all aspects of the process. The Taviani brothers, Paolo and Vittorio, have a completely different approach. Although they always share the director credit, each takes turn directing from one scene to the next, neither one interfering with the work of the other. The result is no less seamless, as can clearly be seen in three of their classics included in this Blu-ray film collection.

 

Steve Jobs Blu-ray Review

     Directors: Danny Boyle

Format: Color, Widescreen

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

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Universal

Release Date: February 16, 2016

 

        I am not a member of the Apple cult, nor did I have any interest in the life of its founder prior to watching Danny Boyle’s untraditional biopic, Steve Jobs. While nothing about this film did much to change my mind about the title character or his computer company, it provides a narrative structure as innovative as the technology at the center of the story. Nearly all of the technical aspects of Steve Jobs are executed well, and the complex personalities of the real life individuals are captured magnificently by the cast, even if Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay occasionally forces them into somewhat theatrical directions.

 

99 Homes Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Clancy Brown

Director: Ramin Bahrani

Format: Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dubbed: Spanish

Rated: R 

Studio: Broad Green Pictures

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Run Time: 112 minutes

 

 

         Somehow 99 Homes got lost in the awards season shuffle, perhaps overshadowed by the similarly themed contender, The Big Short. But while Adam McKay’s unconventional docu-drama looks at the big picture causes of the 2008 crash and its effects on homeowners all over the country, 99 Homes is far narrower in its scope, choosing instead to examine the effects on one man. While this may have worked to the benefit of the film, thanks to a talented cast of actors embodying the roles, they are let down by contrivances in the screenplay that are transparent (and slightly exploitative) in their attempt to insert suspense into the narrative.

 

Freaks of Nature Blu-ray Review

Actors: Ed Westwick, Josh Fadem, Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis, Joan Cusack

Director: Robbie Pickering

Producer: Matt Tolmach

Format: Ultraviolet

Language: English

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

Dubbed: French, Thai, Spanish, Japanese

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019

Run Time: 92 minutes

 

         As often as vampires and other horror monsters have been adopted to teen fantasy narratives (mostly adapted from poorly written YA fiction) or zombie horror is combined with humor (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Warm Bodies, Shaun of the Dead etc), Freaks of Nature is a parody which seems so inevitable in its arrival that it feels somewhat derivative. Everything and the kitchen sink is thrown into the mix, filling the narrative with every usual suspect from the horror genre, while never taking any of it seriously enough for impact beyond pastiche. Even in the gruesomeness of the film’s monster violence (which includes every horror creature, save ghosts) the impact is for humor shock value rather than any intention to inspire fear from the audience.  

 

Labyrinth of Lies Blu-ray Review

Actors: Lukas Miko, Johannes Krisch, Johann Von Bulow, Robert Hunger-Bühler, Hansi Jochmann

Director: Giulio Ricciarelli

Producers: Sabine Lamby, Uli Putz, Jakob Claussen

Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: German

Subtitles: French, English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: February 16, 2016

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019

Run Time: 123 minutes

 

         It seems that every award season there will be at least a few films having to do with the Holocaust, from both Hollywood and various entries into Best Foreign Language Film category. This year it seems to be the Hungarian drama Son of Saul which is receiving the most attention, though Germany’s submission in the category has similar interests. Labyrinth of Lies makes a convincing argument for the widespread ignorance about the wartime atrocities by the German public, or at least an unwillingness to remember by those who were aware. Though it may have been more effective with more courtroom suspense than personal anguish from the protagonist, Labyrinth of Lies provides a respectful record of events for Germany fifteen years after World War II.

 

Paulette Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Bernadette LaFont, Carmen Maura

Director: Jerome Enrico

Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: February 9, 2016

Run Time: 87 minutes

 

 

        There could be an entire sub-genre of movies involving senior citizens and marijuana, so I initially thought I knew what to expect from another lighthearted comedy about a struggling widow forced to put her homemaking skills to illegal use. I anticipated another sweet protagonist such as the one in Saving Grace, but instead was shocked to find the title character of Paulette to be a spiteful racist. It is a bold decision which wears off in shock value as the narrative drives this protagonist down a predictable character arc, so that the stakes must be raised into a contrived climax. The overall outline of the film adheres remarkably close to the structure of a Hollywood film, though its direct approach to the discussion of racism that stands apart as something American films are rarely brave enough to tackle. 

Estranged Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Amy Manson, James Cosmo, Craig Conway

Director: Adam Levins

Format: Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated (Not Rated)

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: February 16, 2016

Run Time: 101 minutes

 

 

        I went into Estranged blind, not having seen a trailer or read much about the plot. This is often necessary with films about amnesiac characters, because the suspense is derived by how slowly information is doled out to the audience, often at the same time as it is revealed to the protagonist. This works for Estranged until the secrets are revealed and it becomes a different movie entirely. I would liken it to the sudden tonal shift in David Fincher’s Gone Girl at about the halfway mark, though his film provided far richer payoffs whereas Estranged is content to unravel into a mindless and bloody revenge film.

 

A Ballerina’s Tale DVD Review

     Actors: Misty Copeland

Director: Nelson George

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: February 2, 2016

Run Time: 84 minutes

 

 

        Though it raises some valuable questions about society’s ideas of race in the art of ballet, A Ballerina’s Tale is the cinematic equivalent of a vanity piece, for more interested in promoting the brand of Misty Copeland than providing a thoughtful analysis of the questions raised. There is certainly some inspiration to be found in the talented dancer’s rise into fame, but it feels to easily earned in a film about struggles against adversity. Perhaps many of the difficult times were glossed over in favor of moments of inspiration, or it could be that the idea of discrimination is merely a selling point for her image, reason to praise her more than others who have worked just as hard.

 

The Kid Blu-ray Review

      Actors: Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Jackie Coogan

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Format: Full Screen, NTSC, Restored, Special Edition, Subtitled

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: February 16, 2016

Run Time: 52 minutes

        If it were possibly to adequately convey emotion on page as they are within our living flesh, I would have pages upon pages to pour out for Charlie Chaplin’s crucial classic, The Kid. This was the vaudeville performer’s transition from short films to features, but it also conveyed his signature ability to combine pathos with humor, blending the melodrama of a ‘woman’s pictures’ with the silliness of ‘slapstick.’ But The Kid is much more than historically relevant; it also carries deep personal significance for me.