Amazonia DVD Review

• Actors: Martin Sheen
• Director: Thierry Ragobert
• Disc Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  G
• Studio: Lionsgate
• DVD Release Date: October 4, 2016
• Run Time: 93 minutes

        Amazonia is a strange amalgamation of scripted narrative film and nature documentary, which seems unconventional by today’s standards despite a tradition of these type of films from Disney in the past. Though the facts about nature are accurate and informative, we follow a single narrative involving a monkey which has clearly been fabricated as the vehicle for the delivery of educational information. Though there may be some who will prefer the realism of actual nature documentary material, Amazonia is perfect for younger audiences unaccustomed to the more unpredictable elements of nature. This G-rated film provide educational information within the safety of a sanitized script.

Men & Chicken Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Mads Mikkelsen, David Dencik, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Søren Malling, Nicolas Bro
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  Unrated
• Studio: Drafthouse
• Release Date: October 25, 2016
• Run Time: 99 minutes

        As a screenwriter, Anders Thomas Jensen has provided some of the strongest material for a few very serious-minded Danish filmmakers, which quite ironic considering the tone of the films which he seems to prefer making as a director. Although it has been 10 years since his last project as director, Jensen hasn’t missed a beat. Men & Chicken would make a perfect companion piece to Adam’s Apples (2005), not to mention the darkly comic similarities The Green Butchers (2003).

Skiptrace Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville, Bingbing Fan, Eve Torres, Eric Tsang
• Director: Renny Harlin
• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Lionsgate
• Release Date: October 25, 2016
• Run Time: 98 minutes

        Skiptrace feels like a movie made 15 years ago, and in many ways I mean that as a compliment. There is also a valid reason for the feeling of nostalgia brought on by this film, as it rejoins star Jackie Chan with director Renny Harlin, who were originally in the process of planning a film to take place on the World Trade Center when the attacks of 9/11 occurred. That film was understandably scrapped, and Chan went on to make The Tuxedo instead, which was the beginning of Chan’s shift from the physical comedy of his own stunt work to a reliance on CGI to make up for the growing limitations of his age. But despite being made a decade and a half after The Tuxedo, Skiptrace feels like a return to the signature Jackie Chan style.

Nerve Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, Juliette Lewis, Emily Meade, Miles Heizer
• Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
• Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Lionsgate
• Release Date: October 25, 2016
• Run Time: 96 minutes

        Nerve boasts an original idea with relevant modern commentary on the digital age and an over-reliance on social media for feelings of self worth, though it often feels like a creative concept destroyed by poorly drawn characters and increasingly idiotic plot twists. Individual traits only seem to exist in order for each character to shift the narrative where it needs to be, altered at the drop of a hat without consideration of consistency. The story manipulates everything in Nerve, including the audience. Rather than intelligently applying its themes, directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman merely cram them into a typical action movie formula.

       

Gleason DVD Review

• Cast: Steve Gleason
• Director: Clay Tweel
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: November 1, 2016
• Run Time: 111 minutes

        If Gleason were a scripted narrative film, it would likely come off as contrived. And yet, the intimacy that the camera is often able to achieve far surpasses the typical level of realism found even in the documentary format. This is exactly the type of complexity through contrast found within many elements of director Clay Tweed’s film. This is a film with brutally raw language, but amidst the casual use of the “F” word is an honest discussion about faith that would benefit even the most conservative of Christians. Gleason is a devastating front-row seat to the effects of a disease which destroys the physical body, while serving as an uplifting testament to the soul of the man within.   

Sherpa DVD Review

• Director: Jennifer Peedom
• Disc Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  PG
• Studio: LIONSGATE
• Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Run Time: 93 minutes

        Sometimes the difference between making a good documentary and a great one is just the simple luck of being at the right place at the right time. If I had to guess, I would assume that director Jennifer Peedom set out to make Sherpa as a film about the record-breaking climb of Everest by one of the local guides. Had he completed the summit during the 2014 expedition, Sirdar Phurba Tashi Sherpa would have beaten the record for the number of times a single person has reached the top of the infamous mountain. While that may have been the original intentions of Peedom’s film, it quickly became about something else as a tragic avalanche occurred during the 2014 expedition, taking the lives of a record number of Sherpa guides in one afternoon.

Hell on Wheels: Season 5, Volume 2 Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Colm Meaney, Phil Burke, Anson Mount, Common
• Producers: Chad Oakes, Michael Frislev
• Format: Subtitled
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: November 1, 2016
• Run Time: 301 minutes

        There are two ways to approach the review of the second volume of the fifth and final season of “Hell on Wheels.” I could review the content itself, which would be nothing but high praise for the emotional resonance of these final episodes. Unfortunately, the release plan for the last season has not been nearly as admirable as the content. Rather than waiting to release the entire final season together, they split it up into two separate packages with only 7 episodes in each. Considering the cost of each release, it is difficult not to see this as a direct insult to the fans.

The Hunger Games Ultra HD 4K Review

• Actors: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks
• Director: Gary Ross
• Disc Format: 4K, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Lionsgate
• Release Date: November 8, 2016
• Run Time: 111 minutes

        Certain films will lend themselves to the viewing enhancements brought by 4K better than others. Animation will always see the most noticeable upgrading, because of the technology used to create these films, and this is also why large budget action films with computer generated effects also appear improved. While the first film in The Hunger Games franchise had a noticeably smaller budget, all of the films benefit from this new format.

Len & Company DVD Review

• Actors: Rhys Ifans, Juno Temple
• Director: Tim Godsall
• Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  Unrated 
• Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
• DVD Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Run Time: 100 minutes

        There are several tired formulas in Len & Company, all swimming around the same film like a cesspool of indi-filmmaking clichés. There is absolutely no reason any of it should work on paper, but somehow manages to obtain a level of sincerity through casting. The actors embody the roles so wholly that it makes the lack of narrative within the film an asset rather than a flaw, and the dedication from the cast makes Len & Company an enjoyable, albeit familiar, ride.

Feed the Beast: Season One DVD Review

• Actors: David Schimmer, Jim Sturgess, Michael Gladis, Lorenza Izzo, John Doman
• Directors: Daniel Attias, Jon S. Baird, Dennie Gordon, Steve Shill
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 3
• Studio: Lionsgate
• DVD Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Run Time: 377 minutes

        After only one season, “Feed the Beast” was cancelled, proving that not every show on AMC is a winner. Based on a Danish series about a couple of friends opening a restaurant, much must have been lost in translation along the way. Rather than focusing on the food, “Feed the Beast” throws every cliché at the audience, devolving into more of a crime show than one about cooking or the business of selling food. And when criminal activity doesn’t dominate the narrative, bad relationship melodrama takes over.

Les Cowboys Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Finnegan Oldfield, Agathe Dronne, Ellora Torchia, Antoine Chappey, François Damiens
• Director: Thomas Bidegain
• Producer: Alain Attal
• Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Run Time: 105 minutes

        I can usually anticipate how I am going to feel about a movie after the first twenty-minutes. Most films follows such predictable structures that few surprises are found beyond the establishing act, but Les Cowboys had my head spinning with its unconventional approach to storytelling. The result was a viewing experience that was often disorientating, though ultimately rewarding. The definitive question remains though; did I enjoy the film in spite of the convoluted narrative, or because of it?

Diary of a Chambermaid Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Clotilde Mollet, Herve Pierre, Mélodie Valemberg
• Director: Benoit Jacquot
• Producer: Jean-Pierre Guérin
• Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  Not Rated
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: October 4, 2016
• Run Time: 96 minutes

        This is the third time that Octave Mirbeau’s novel has been adapted to the screen, and the casting of Léa Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) seemed fitting for a movie delving into the sexual fetishism of a French chambermaid during the turn of the century. And while Seydoux certainly gives a performance every bit as captivating as others before, having seen her recently in far more shocking films makes this film appear sanitized by comparison. This is not helped by filmmaker Benoît Jacquot’s decision to veer away from the edgy elements in the storyline popularized by previous versions.

Supermansion: Season 1 DVD Review

• Director: Zeb Wells
• Disc Format: AC-3, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, English
• Region: Region 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: Not Rated
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Run Time: 286 minutes

        It isn’t difficult to imagine “Supermansion” coming from the same minds as “Robot Chicken,” as it often feels as if the formula would have worked better as a shorter segment within that show. While the formula of “Robot Chicken” allows for gags and skits to be discarded as soon as they stop working, “Supermansion” remains stuck in the same jokes for the entire season. Even though a few bold narrative choices are made along the way, this is a show that irreverently spoofs the superhero genre, so the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the humor is more significant than plot twists or character development.

Independence Day: Resurgence 3D Blu-ray Review

• Disc Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen, 3D
• Language: English (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Release Date: October 18, 2016
• Run Time: 120 minutes

        I didn’t have many expectations for Independence Day: Resurgence, and I think that greatly improved my ability to enjoy the pure spectacle of the film. My opinion of the franchise had already been diminished after re-watching the original film, which does not hold up nearly as well as I had imagined it might. So, by direct comparison, there were not very large shoes to fill in the creation of a new film. It also helped that I had heard endless criticism of the film, from fans and critics alike, lowering my expectations to the point that disappointment was unlikely.

Into the Forest Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie
• Director: Patricia Rozema
• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Lionsgate
• Release Date: October 4, 2016
• Run Time: 104 minutes

        Apocalyptic visions of the future have become a common occurrence in film, so much that I imagine audiences are becoming desensitized to the material. It is the main source of inspiration for nearly every superhero film and has dominated the horror genre since shortly after 9/11, but it is the realism of Into the Forest which is most refreshingly original. Although I spent much of the first half of the film’s running time feeling as though zombies would be a welcome relief from the subdued realism of this approach, Into the Forest ultimately provides the perfect background for a character driven narrative.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 4K Review

• Actors: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Pei-pei Cheng, Chow Yun Fat, Chang Chen
• Director: Ang Lee
• Producers: Ang Lee, Bill Kong, Hsu Li Kong
• Format: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen, 4K
• Language: Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Polish, Croatian, Korean, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Hebrew, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Thai, English, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Japanese
• Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Czech, Hungarian, Thai, English, Spanish, Japanese
• Region: Region A/1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: October 18, 2016
• Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019

        Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a defining film in the United States, further establishing Ang Lee’s status in Hollywood while simultaneously proving that American audiences could be coerced into reading subtitles for the right film. The surprise popularity of Lee’s film would inspire a whole new market of poetic and remarkably beautiful action films. These martial arts films are not defined by the number of explosions or decapitations, but actually make the characters as significant as the action they engage in. This was the defining film which introduced Hollywood to the medium, actually seeming slow in comparison to the many have become since. It isn’t a perfect film, with many characters and sub-plots that drift in and out of the story, but there is little of the film which is not engaging and satisfying even as it requires extra work from the audience.

Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Aaron Paul, Lena Headey, Sean Bean
• Director: Takeshi Nozue
• Producers: Koseo Ito, Larry Sparks, Shinji Hashimoto, Hajime Tabata
• Format: Subtitled
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Malay, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian, Cantonese, Thai, Spanish, English
• Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Thai, Spanish, Japanese
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: October 4, 2016
• Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019
• Run Time: 115 minutes

        In terms of cross-promotional creativity, I must give credit to Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, a movie meant as a viewing companion to the newest video game. Much of the computer animated film resembles the cutaway scenes featured between game play, which often makes the lack of audience participation even more noticeable. Though the visuals are remarkable, this glaring issue with video game films is only increased in a movie that is included with the purchase of the game. If nothing else, this film should have the ability to encourage viewers to play the game instead.

Barbarians Rising Blu-ray Review

• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Studio: LIONSGATE
• Release Date: September 27, 2016
• Run Time: 336 minutes

        History has gotten far more entertaining since I was a kid in school, with even documentary specials such as “Barbarians Rising” making use of spectacle. Recreation footage has long been used in documentary programs, but it is done with real actors and production values in this series. The result is an engaging narrative framework for the history lesson, even if this approach means sacrificing a complete account of events.

A Scandal in Paris/Lured Blu-ray Review

• Actors: George Sanders, Signe Hasso, Carole Landis, Akim Tamiroff, Lucille Ball
• Director: Douglas Sirk
• Format: NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Studio: Cohen Media Group
• Release Date: September 27, 2016
• Run Time: 202 minutes

        Declared one of cinema’s greatest ironists decades after the period of his greatest success as a filmmaker, Douglas Sirk was given a place in film history thanks to the efforts made by French scholars in their development of the auteur theory. Sirk primarily worked in melodramas of the middle and upper class, leading to subtle social commentary and satire. Sirk is probably best known for the soap opera melodramas he made in the 1950s, which served as a dissection of the culture during that era, but this two-film set includes two of his films from the 1940s. Both are set in Europe despite being made in America and both are a reminder of the fact that Sirk was a European filmmaker, only forced to make movies in America through the displacement of WWII.

Ghostbusters Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Cecily Strong
• Director: Paul Feig
• Producers: Amy Pascal, Ivan Reitman
• Format: Subtitled
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Dubbed: Spanish
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: October 11, 2016
• Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019

        Can I review Ghostbusters without discussing gender roles? Is that even possible at this point? It has gotten so that the controversy is so connected to the film that it will live on far longer than the actual quality of its filmmaking would have allowed otherwise, just as was the case with The Interview, the comedy that brought threats of war despite being entirely forgettable. Ghostbusters was merely another in a series of franchise-reviving blockbusters, sanitized so much for modern audiences that it lacks the charm from the original. This has nothing to do with gender roles and everything to do with the artistic side of film being sacrificed in effort toward guaranteed financial success.