Seconds Criterion Collection Blu-ray review

Actors: Rock Hudson, Salome Jens, John Randolph, Will Geer

Director: John Frankenheimer

Format: Blu-ray, Black & White, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

        Seconds makes a perfect companion paranoia piece to auteur filmmaker John Frankenheimer’s earlier masterpiece, The Manchurian Candidate. The storylines share little in common, though there is a similar mood and series of themes running through the dissimilar narratives. Both involve are shot in stark black and white, with purposefully feverish camera angles, and both stories rely on covert scientific experiments which force our protagonist to question the reality of his existence. These are science fiction films which make use of a growing distrust in government and authority in the 1960s.

 

        Seconds has the type of plot which could easily be made today as a large-scale Hollywood blockbuster, complete with as many chase sequences as the narrative could hold. The way that Frankenheimer approaches it is much quieter, however, combining the creativity and mysteriousness of a “Twilight Zone” episode with the artistic patience of John Cassavetes. The film follows the dark path taken by a tired old bank executive named Arthur Hamilton (John Randolph), who late in life realizes that he may have been too safe with his choices. Given the opportunity for a second chance, Hamilton is contacted by a friend telling him about a company with the ability to use science in order to give the old man a new body.

 

After bringing Frank Sinatra acclaim with The Manchurian Candidate, Frankenheimer makes another revelatory casting decision by placing Rock Hudson in the role of Arthur Hamilton’s new persona, Antiochus Wilson. Whereas the company that gave him this opportunity had planned for Hamilton to use Wilson to do thing differently, the life of quiet brooding changes only in location. Even with a new job as a painter, complete with a failsafe plan that removes any pressure for success, Wilson is even more maladjusted than Hamilton was, leading to a revelatory final twist which adds a chilling context for the entire film.

 

Frankenheimer’s filmography is remarkable for many reasons, one of which is the mere length of time he has continued to make solid suspense and thrillers, but his paranoia films from the 1960s are the solid foundation of his illustrious career. The Criterion Blu-ray release for Seconds includes a newly restored 4K digital film transfer, with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack and optional director’s commentary track. Additional special features include a new interview with Alec Baldwin, a new making-of program about the film, as well as an excerpt from an older behind-the-scenes program for the film and an interview with Frankenheimer from the early 1970s. There is the usual booklet insert with an essay by film critic David Sterritt, as well as a new visual essay by R. Bartin Palmer and Murray Pomerance, which is included on the dic.

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 10/10

Historical Significance: 8/10

Disc Features: 9/10

 

 

Hatchet 3 Blu-ray review

 

 

Actors: Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Zach Galligan

Director: BJ McDonnell

Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Dark Sky Films

Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 81 minutes

 

 

        The Hatchet series started by Adam Green pays homage to the horror films of the 1980s, especially the Friday the 13^th franchise and its duplicates, so it should come as no surprise that the sequels have consistently been released since the original film. Adam Green helmed the first two films, though he passed directorial reigns to BJ McDonnell for this third installment. I’m sure we will see many more of these in time.

 

Beginning where the second film left off allows for an easy transition, and McDonnell is capable of continuing the franchise in the same bloody manner, for better or worse. None of the issues I had with the first two have been resolved, and all of the assets from the first films have been adequately amplified. In other words, this is a safe bet if you enjoyed the practical effects carnage and mayhem from the previous horror films.

 

        Danielle Harris was bad in Halloween, but she is absolutely unbearable as the continuing protagonist of the Hatchet franchise, Marybeth. After surviving the attacks of her inbred swamp-residing relative in the first film and returning for revenge with mercenaries in the second film, Marybeth is still alive and now teaming up with local law enforcement to try and take out the ghostly hatchet-wielding maniac Victor Crowley (Kane Hodder).

 

        The local sheriff (Zach Galligan) conveniently has an ex-wife (Caroline Williams) obsessed with the mythology of Crowley and a theory on how to stop the monster. There are many scenes of pointless violence and action as others try to take Crowley down in the incorrect manner, but this is much more engaging than the pointless dialogue that Marybeth and the sheriff’s have in between the effects shots. Bad acting abounds, along with dialogue that is only occasionally intentionally cheesy, but there is no denying the impact of practical effects that are used in the Hatchet franchise.

 

        The Blu-ray release includes a crew commentary track with writer/producer Adam Green along with McDonnell, cinematographer Will Barratt and make-up effects artist Robert Pendergraft. There is also a second commentary track with the Green, McDonnell and Hodder. The featurettes includes a typical behind-the-scenes making of feature, as well as one about Hodder and the swamp setting for the film. There is also a trailer gallery.

       

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 5/10

Historical Significance: 3/10

Disc Features: 8/10

 

 

The Guillotines Blu-ray review

 

Actors: Zhang Wen, Xiaoming Huang, Shawn Yue, Yuchun Li, Ching-Tien Juan

Director: Andrew Lau

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

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Subtitles: English

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

 

        I’m not sure how much historical accuracy there is in the weapons at the center of The Guillotines, but the special effects used to show what they are capable makes them seem more fantasy than fact. This is fine had director Andrew Lau committed to a film of spectacle, but instead The Guillotines attempts to balance between historical accuracy and fantastical action sequences. In the end, both suffer as a result, resulting in a moderately entertaining and modestly realistic historical epic with a rather typical storyline.

 

        The Guillotines were a secret brotherhood of assassins utilized by Emperor Yong Zheng during the Manchurian-ruled Qing Dynasty. When Emperor Qian Long took the throne, he brought Western ideas and technology with him, making the Guillotines unnecessary and expendable. While fighting against the Han Chinese rebels, The Guillotines must also worry about the new army of artillery brought by the new emperor, which could easily be turned on them.

 

        Though The Guillotines is not an action-packed film, and has less hand-to-hand martial arts than many might have hoped for, what action the film has is incredibly violent. The decapitations from the aptly named weapon and subsequent crew of assassins using them are the obvious source of many violence sequences, though there are many others involving more traditional weapons as well. There are a few good sequences here, though some of the action is a bit of a let down considering the buildup and emphasis that is placed on the title weapons.

 

        The Blu-ray includes a making-of featurette, as well as interviews with the cast and the crew. There is also a trailer which shows how much importance is placed on the film’s central weapons.

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

Disc Features: 5/10

 

 

To the Wonder DVD review

Actors: Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, Javier Bardem

Director: Terrence Malick

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

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

Release Date: August 6, 2013

Run Time: 113 minutes

        Terrence Malick has a unique style of filmmaking which is immediately recognizable; gorgeous photography, often with fields and blowing summer dresses, combined with minimal dialogue and soft-spoken voiceover narration which is more poetry than plot. The familiarity of Malick’s style combined with the fact that he has drifted even further from the realms of mainstream storytelling makes To the Wonder simultaneously one of Malick’s most personal and most inaccessible films.

 

        Though perhaps inaccessible is an unfair way of describing To the Wonder, which is ripe with emotions and ideas for those willing to participate. This is not a film for passive viewing. Audiences must be willing, and in some cases, brave enough to bring their own life experiences into the theater with them. This isn’t a film which demands intellectual probing, analyzing for significant ideas and concepts buried within the screenplay. I’m certain some scholars can and will do so, but this is a film which must be felt.

       

        There isn’t much of a plot in To the Wonder, but rather a series of vignettes following the various emotions echoing throughout a relationship, even after it has ended. Ben Affleck is an American contractor named Neil, though we rarely hear his name or learn much about him. While on a business trip of some sort he meets and has a relationship with Marina (Olga Kurylenko), bringing her and her daughter back to his home in rural United States. From here the film drifts through a series of vignettes, showing the stages of a relationship and the emotions along the way.

 

With a minimalist storyline involving a couple as they struggle through stages of a relationship, not much needs to be said for there to be moments which ring true. This is helped along by Emmanuel Lubezki’s photography and Hanan Townshend’s beautiful soundtrack, which is a bit like a sophisticated version of Thomas Newman’s Meet Joe Black score. Rachel McAdams has a brief supporting role as a former girlfriend that Neil reconnects with, and Javier Bardem plays one of the film’s most difficult roles as a bitter priest.

 

The DVD has a making-of featurette, as well as a couple additional extras. There is a featurette about the actors’ experience on set and one on the location choices that Malick makes. There is also a theatrical trailer.

       

Entertainment Value: 6/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

Historical Significance: 7/10

Disc Features: 5/10

 

 

New Classic Doctor Who on Blu-ray and DVD: Spearhead from Space and The Green Death

Actors: Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, Caroline John

Director: Derek Martinus

Writers: Robert Holmes

Producers: Derrick Sherwin

Format: Color

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

 

        Each time the Doctor changes his appearance in “Doctor Who,” it provides the opportunity for new beginnings. This is helpful, especially since many of the earliest episodes of the series have been destroyed. Many actors have been able to play the same character with the convenient plot device of the Time Lords changing the Doctor’s appearance as punishment. “Spearhead from Space” marked the arrival of Jon Pertwee in the role, which he played for four years.

 

        Rather than releasing the show by season, the classic “Doctor Who” is released by stories, which are a series of half-hour cliffhanger episodes that make up an entire storyline. “Spearhead from Space” is story number 51, and “The Green Death” is 69, and both star Pertwee and are newly available for home entertainment purchase. While “The Green Death” is available only on DVD due to the typical video quality, “Spearhead from Space” was shot on film because of a strike at BBC and is now available on high definition Blu-ray as a result. This was also the first of the Doctor Who stories to be shot in color, adding some historical significance with the glorious picture.

 

        “Spearhead from Space” has a storyline remarkably similar to that of the pilot episode of the reincarnation of “Doctor Who.” The mannequins in London begin to come alive and attack people, and it is up to Doctor Who and a female cohort to put a stop to them. The Blu-ray extras include a restoration comparison, showing how the 2K Master from the original 16mm negative was done to bring a better version than was previously available. There is also 22-minutes of title sequence material, though a majority of the features are dedicated the cast members. There is an exclusive profile of Pertwee with actors Katy Manning, Judy Cornwell, David Jacobs, Geoffrey Bayldon, Kenneth Earle and writer Terrance Dicks. There is also a tribute to Caroline Shaw, who played Liz Shaw.

 

        “The Green Death” has giant bugs and a final appearance from Doctor’s assistant Jo Grant (Katy Manning). When a man is found dead in an abandoned mine with his skin glowing green, the Doctor and Grant go to Wales to investigate, only to discover a chemicals factory may be creating deadly giant maggots. The DVD Special Edition special features are extensive, including a commentary track with Manning, producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Discks. There are additional commentary tracks for episodes 3-5 with actors Richard Franklin and Mitzi McKenzie and visual effects designer Colin Mapson, moderated by Toby Hadoke. There is also one for episode six with Manning and writer Russell T. Davies. The special features also have a number of interviews and some making-of documentary type featurettes, but the highlight are a couple of episodes from the new “Doctor Who” featuring Manning returning to play the role of Jo Grant one more time, with Matt Smith as the 11^th Doctor.

 

Actors: Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, Nicholas Courtney, Richard Franklin, John Leven

Director: Michael E. Briant

Writers: Robert Sloman

Producers: Barry Letts

Format: NTSC, Color

Language: English (Mono)

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 153 minutes

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

Historical Significance: 9/10

Disc Features: 10/10

RMN Quick Critique: Side Effects (2013)

 

 

        The first act of this film had me worried that director Steven Soderbergh had made a drama dedicated to scolding the evil pharmaceutical companies with a cautionary tale, before tossing any preachy message aside for a twisty thriller with a top-notch cast. This continues a solid streak of small films with big box office potential for Soderbergh, following last year's Magic Mike and Haywire. Solid entertainment by a seriously talented director, though nothing of substance within the script by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion).

       

Entertainment: 7/10

Quality: 7.5/10

Availability: Blu-ray, DVD, Redbox

 

 

The World’s End theatrical review

 

 

 

 

        Apocalypse films have riddled our cinemas in the last decade, but in a surprising turn of events some of the most successful of this summer have been comedies. This is the End was as Hollywood as possible, while the somewhat similarly titled The World’s End is the final film in the extremely popular British films directed by Edgar Wright. The World’s End is the final film in the Cornetto Trilogy (also known as the ‘Blood and Ice Cream’ Trilogy), which began with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

 

        Keeping true to the themes of male friendship paired with a melancholy about youth lost, The World’s End is a fitting end to the trilogy. Simon Pegg serves as our narrator, and the film’s most volatile and unpredictable character, Gary King. Struggling to adjust to the idea of being an adult as he reaches middle-age, King convinces his former cohorts of youth (Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan and Paddy Considine) for a return visit down memory lane. They attempt a pub crawl 20 years after they failed it the first time, and somehow become entangled in a robotic overtaking of sorts.

 

        The ways in which these three films interact with each other is worth investigating, and I could spend this entire review remarking on the clever connections. All three star Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, whose friendship is central to each narrative. Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End both imagine an apocalypse which must be survived by an adult male protagonist living an irresponsibly youthful existence. Both Hot Fuzz and The World’s End involve a small-town conspiracy uncovered by an outsider. There are many connections between the three, but they all also stand on their own.

 

At the same time, it seems as though the criticisms given to Hot Fuzz were taken into consideration while making The World’s End, though it may not have been for the best. While Hot Fuzz seemed slow starting, The World’s End may show its hand too early. Or perhaps these actors and the dialogue is just far more interesting than any way the robotic invasion can be elevated. This is not a film with ground-breaking special effects, but that is not due to a limited budget. With a poster design, title and basic plot borrowed from a science fiction dud and a soundtrack which could be taken straight from a 1980s John Carpenter film, there is a campiness to this film which is a delightfully and intentionally campy.

 

       

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

 

 

Political Animals: The Complete Series DVD review

 

Actors: Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, James Wolk, Sebastian Stan, Brittany Ishibashi

Producers: Greg Berlanti, Laurence Marks, Sarah Caplan

Format: Color, NTSC

Language: English

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Release Date: August 6, 2013

Run Time: 301 minutes

 

 

        Transparently borrowing from reality for its cliché and predictable story, “Political Animals” attempts to enter the world of political television shows alongside “The West Wing” and the more recently successful Netflix Original, “House of Cards.” There is a strongly feminist through line in the narrative, which is ironic considering how sex-obsessed and exploitative nearly every episode of the miniseries seems to be. This show wants to have its cake and eat it too, but by trying to be everything and please everyone, it just ends up a jumbled mess of incoherent angry feminist rants amidst poorly constructed real-life recreations. In the end, it just feels like a de-fanged feminazi version of “House of Cards.”

 

        The series jumps around with flashbacks that are entirely unnecessary, especially when they reveal information that doesn’t really need to be shown once we have been given back-story enough to understand what happened in the past. If you followed Hillary Clinton’s failed attempt at running for President or her embarrassing marital issues while in the White House, there are no surprises here for you. Sigourney Weaver plays Clinton… I mean, Elaine Barrish Hammond, former first lady attempting to shake off her latest defeat in her political career and marriage. After blaming her husband’s infidelity as her reason for being unable to win a primary election, Elaine divorces her philandering former President husband (Ciarán Hinds) and prepares her plan to run again despite any damage it does to her family.

 

        I have no problem with a miniseries about the first female president, or one which appears to be heading that way. The problem that I had with this series is two-fold, and the first has to do with the angry feminist ideals written into the story. Elaine is not a proud female as much as she is a sexist woman who hates men and even admits that she wants to become president because she is tired of the egos of men. I found this personality equally egotistical, not to mention sexist and spiteful in the way she speaks of men in a way that would never be allowed were a man speaking about women. This type of double-standard goes completely against the feminist ideology, not to mention the fact that this series insists that every character is also sex-obsessed. There are far too many unnecessary and exploitative sex scenes, which seem to be inserted just to give it more edge. For example, what reason was there to have two separate scenes in which Elaine’s son discusses his impending nuptials with his fiancé during sex? These scenes could have been shot dozens of other ways. The sex doesn’t fuel the plot in any way, other than to titillate audiences as if they were all as sex-obsessed as former President Clinton… I mean, former President Hammond.

 

Entertainment Value: 6/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

Historical Significance: 2/10

Disc Features: 0/10

 

 

The Thick of It: Seasons 1-4 DVD review

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 7

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: August 6, 2013

 

        If you have ever longed for a show which has the awkward sense of humor of “The Office” paired with the political savvy of “The West Wing,” this British satire is exactly that. “The Thick of It” follows the misadventures of the fictitious government offices of the Department of Social Affairs led by successive ministers, Hugh Abbot and Nicola Murray (Chris Langham and Rebecca Front). The series ran for four seasons and was the inspiration for the feature film, In the Loop, and HBO’s series, “Veep.”

 

        The series focuses on the daily spin put on the news in order to keep the truth from the public, though it mostly just points out the incompetence and uselessness of the positions. The Department of Social Affairs has several different cabinet ministers, with one being fired in the pilot episode. The one constant is the abusive party leader, Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), who is the one to do the firing and a majority of the creative cursing that the show is famous for. They even employed a special writer just to come up with some of the more inflammatory insults used in each episode.

 

        This seven disc set includes all four seasons that make up the complete series. The first two discs are shorter, contained entirely on one disc each season. The third and fourth each take two discs each, with longer seasons, and there is a seventh disc with the specials. The special features are contained on each season along the way, which were all previously released discs combined in this set. The special features include commentaries on select episodes, deleted scenes and outtakes, and a number of making-of featurettes for the more dedicated fans.

       

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

Historical Significance: 7/10

Disc Features: 7/10

 

 

Top Gear USA: The Complete Season 3 DVD Review

Number of discs: 4

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: August 6, 2013

Run Time: 704 minutes

  

        Any time you take a beloved product and change or adapt it, there are bound to be fans of the original that have nothing better to do but bitch and moan on internet discussion boards. “Top Gear USA” is a perfect example of this, angering many fans of the original BBC series which is exclusively made for gear heads. This American spin-off (aka: rip-off) is less interested in a passion in the technical aspects of the cars, and far more interested in the spectacle. This is fine until it becomes clear how much of the spectacle is staged, and how poorly it is done.

 

        The first problem many people have with this show is the hosts, and I think they are about 2/3 correct in this assessment. Actor Adam Ferrara is the least competent of the three, capable of crashing more than actually driving. His personality can also be somewhat grating, insisting on being as arrogant as the others without any of the ability and minimal knowledge. The racer included is Tanner Foust, who has the ability and knowledge paired with the show’s most obnoxiously conceited personality. Only the expert Rutledge Wood amused me, with a sense of humor and less competitive nature to make up for an unwillingness to speed dangerously or crash recklessly like the others.

 

        There could be an argument that these shows should focus on the ability of the cars more than anything else, but this is hardly the case with TGUSA, for better or worse. It comes off more manipulated and staged, like a majority of American “reality” television seems to be. For example, in one stunt challenge they are given passengers with drinks that aren’t to be spilled. When Adam and Rutledge drive, there is liquid in the drinks, but Tanner brings his own car to the race and apparently didn’t want to get water in the car. So instead of using a different car or addressing his vanity, instead they try and fake it by having cubs without water and the actors put their hands over it for the entire drive. The manipulation of the audience’s intelligence calls into question the validity of everything shown, and nullifies any belief in the stunts as well. American producers need to stop treating audiences like idiots when they make reality television. In that regard, the British version is still lightyears ahead in terms of accurate information and intelligent tests. The US version is poorly staged fake TV, kind of like watching “Jack-ass” with stunts done on a closed track and half faked.

 

        The complete third season is included in this four-disc set, along with special features. There are extra scenes, audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with each of the hosts.

 

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 3/10

Historical Significance: 3/10

Disc Features: 5/10

 

 

The Muppet Movie Blu-ray review

 

Actors: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz

Director: James Frawley

Writers: Jack Burns, Jerry Juhl

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

Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Release Date: August 13, 2013

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

        In celebration of just short of a 35^th Anniversary, the original Muppet Movie is being released on high definition Blu-ray. After years of success with The Muppet Show, Henson finally brought the gang to the big screen in 1979 with The Muppet Movie. It seems less likely that this release has to do with an anniversary, and more probable that this is merely a marketing ploy to get these loveable puppets into the minds of young audience members prior to the latest addition in the film franchise, Muppets Most Wanted (2014). Even if that is the case, I welcome any reason to return to this incredible first entry into the world of film for Jim Henson’s wonderful creations.

 

The Muppet Movie takes us to the imaginary beginning of all of the legendary characters, and how they found their way into show business. It is a magical film that manages to escape seeming at all dated, even with a few tunes that are apparently influenced by the times in which the film was made. Mostly it is a fun and enjoyable film that has plenty for adults and children alike to enjoy. A perk for adults will be all of the great cameos by huge stars, staying true to the formula which made the television such a success. Among the most memorable are Steve Martin as an irritated waiter and Mel Brooks as a mad German scientist.  

 

 

        The movie is set up as a movie within a movie, so it begins with all of The Muppets gathering in a studio screening room to watch the film they have just finished about the very beginning of The Muppets. The audience is then brought back to the beginning, when Kermit the Frog was just a frog on a log in a swamp. It isn’t until a Hollywood agent just happens to pass by in a canoe and tell Kermit that he should be in show business that Kermit decides to leave the swamp. As he travels towards Hollywood, he finds himself meeting all sorts of other animals and creatures that also have a dream in Hollywood, so they form a group as they make their way. The group gets larger and larger, and Kermit is also being pursued by a fast food mogul who wants Kermit to help promote his fried frog leg chain.

 

With danger, dancing, show business and songs, The Muppet Movie is filled with entertainment. Kermit has a very sophisticated sense of humor, and he often tells one-liners directly to the audience. Many of the jokes are incredibly sophisticated and only adults are likely to understand them, but there is plenty of other stuff for the children to enjoy as well. It was also incredible how some of the scenes were done with the puppets at the time the film was made, and to a certain extent the same remains true today. There were not the easy digital solutions which would be used today, so it is all about camera tricks and great puppetry.

 

The Blu-ray release of this classic film is highlighted by the enhanced audio and visuals, but it also has some exclusive new special features which were not included in any previously released DVD. Though one of the features from the previous DVD is now released as a Classic Bonus feature, all the rest are new. There is a Disney intermission feature which is similar to others from Disney, with a special Muppet touch. There is also a karaoke feature, allowing a sing-along option for the famous songs. There is also a technical featurette, with never-before-seen footage of the first outdoor camera test of the famous puppet characters.

 

       

Entertainment Value: 9.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 9/10

Historical Significance: 10/10

Disc Features: 8/10

 

 

On the Road Blu-ray review

 

Actors: Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Sam Riley

Director: Walter Salles

Format: Blu-ray, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English  

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: August 6, 2013

Run Time: 124 minutes

 

 

        As long as it took for this film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s generation-defining novel to come to arrive, it was sure to be met with mixed feelings. Any novel with a following is bound to be judgmental of any interpretation which exists off of the page and outside of the reader’s own imagination, and this is only truer for a piece of literature many hold as nearly holy. I have no impression of the original source material, though I can’t imagine Kerouac imagined a bunch of pretty boy actors playing the roles in a tepidly safe adaptation of what was once a controversial text.

 

        I can almost see the attempt to draw in a specific audience group with the casting choices, and it was nearly brilliant in construction while the execution failed miserably. Casting an actress from Twilight alongside a bunch of Abercrombie models markets the film toward a younger audience, and with the film taking place during the beat generation we are also given a clear example of how unoriginal and uninspired hipsters are. The problem with a film starring a young and attractive cast looking and acting similar to the target audience is that it then has to appeal to that target group. Kerouac’s novel may have been youthful and exuberant, but the source material seems to have aged with him and the narrative in this film is so lifeless that it nearly has one foot in the grave.

 

        Sam Riley heads up the cast as Sal Paradise, our narrator and a struggling author who finds his voice through a relationship and random adventures with the selfish whirlwind of personality, Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hudlund). They travel cross country, occasionally with Dean’s first young wife, Marylou (Kristen Stewart), in tow. There are times that Marylou is along, even as they travel for Dean to visit his second and current wife (Kristen Dunst) and children. We are meant to dismiss Dean’s abysmal irresponsibility, because he is a free spirit. In the end, Sal just comes of a putz for trusting Dean or ever thinking he is capable of friendship without needing something in return.

 

        The cast is impressive, although mostly under-used. All people seem to be talking about is Stewart’s “bold performance,” which is code for her being willing to show her breasts and taint the image which fueled her career in another adaptation of a popular book. Stewart is good for reasons other than nudity, which is actually tasteful and limited. The cast also includes Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss, and Viggo Mortensen, though none are used as much as they should be. Each scene with one of these actors is heightened, until we are forced to return to the story of Dean and his shadow.

 

        The Blu-ray release includes deleted scenes and a trailer.

Entertainment Value: 6/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

Disc Features: 3/10

 

 

The Demented Blu-ray review

 

Actors: Kayla Ewell, Richard Kohnke, Ashlee Brian, Brittney Alger, Sarah Butler

Director: Christopher Roosevelt

Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

Release Date: July 30, 2013

Run Time: 92 minutes

 

        There are two types of independent horror films, and this is how it has always been. On one hand you have filmmakers like Roger Corman and his modern-day imitators, making films which blatantly rip off a more successful mainstream film in hopes of stealing a little of the residual glory. The other types are made by the more daring filmmakers who use the freedom of independence cinema to make a film which might not have been made in mainstream cinema. Unfortunately, The Demented is one of the first type of low budget horror films, and even more disappointing is how late it is to the party.

 

        To say that all of The Demented has been done in other films better is an understatement, as the market has been flooded with these type of infection-based horror since 9/11. In yet another quarantined biohazard horror, a group of college friends escape for a weekend getaway at an estate in a Louisiana bayou when a missile attack disrupts their peace. Suddenly all of the people in the surrounding areas act rabid and are contagious, in another zombie-like scenario.

 

        There are moments in the film which are well shot, and even a few sequences of suspense that almost make it worth enduring the standard bad dialogue and over-acting. All the rest won’t have to look far in the horror genre to find something similar. The Blu-ray release includes a high definition presentation of this low expectation horror film.

 

Entertainment Value: 3/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

Historical Significance: 1/10

Disc Features: 1/10

 

 

Ishtar Blu-ray review

Actors: Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman

Director: Elaine May

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Dubbed: English

Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Sony

Release Date: August 6, 2013

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

        Ishtar was one of those passion projects with a horrible reputation in the press long before it was released in 1987. As is the case with most massive cinematic flops, it isn’t nearly as bad as you might imagine. Mostly, Ishtar just feels like a waste of time, both for the talent involved and anyone unfortunate enough to sit through it. The director’s cut has no major changes to vastly improve the blandness of the film, and somehow I can’t imagine many people are excited to see this homage to classic Bing Crosby road comedies released in high definition.

 

        Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman are the only things keeping this surprisingly unfunny comedy afloat and even their performances get lost amidst a convoluted satire of Reagan-era international politics. The film works best when the jabs are directed at the entertainment industry instead, and the first act of Ishtar has the potential of being a Spinal Tap for lounge singers, but it quickly falls apart when the pair travels to the fictional country.

 

        Beatty and Hoffman are Rogers and Clarke, two singer/songwriters with little talent and endless ambition. Upon the advice of their limited agent, the pair goes on a concert tour in the Middle Eastern republic of Ishtar. Instead of performing, the pair becomes mixed up with beautiful freedom fighter (Isabelle Adjani) and ends up inadvertently taking on the CIA (led by Charles Grodin).

 

        The scenery looks fine in high definition, but no amount of image and sound clarity can help make the jokes funny. The highlight of the film are the moments of intentionally bad song writing, and even that isn’t enough to demand either a director’s cut or a Blu-ray release.

 

       

Entertainment Value: 5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

Historical Significance: 3/10

Disc Features: 1/10