In the Name of My Daughter Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Adele Haenel, Catherine Deneuve, Guillaume Canet

Director: Andre Techine

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: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 116 minutes

 

        Some of the relevance in the true-crime narrative of In the Name of My Daughter may be lost on those who have not followed the ongoing French murder case, which returned to the courts even as the film was being completed. This may have made this a hard sell for international audiences, but it was lack of excitement and relatable characters which caused this movie to fail for me as entertainment, far more than relevance. Filmmaker André Téchiné does his best to theorize answers to the mystery and fleshes out the characters involved with this process, but the result is as unsatisfying as it is unsavory.

 

The Red Road: The Complete Second Season DVD Review

     Actors: Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson, Kiowa Gordon, Martin Henderson, Tom Sizemore

Director: Aaron Guzikowski

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: ANCHOR BAY

DVD Release Date: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 265 minutes

 

        Television shows are at an advantage over films when it comes to character development. Even with minimal episodes in each season, as is the case with Sundance TV series “The Red Road,” more time is spent with the characters than would be in a film. There is also usually the opportunity for story continuation, though that chance ended for this show when it was cancelled after the second season. This is unfortunate, because this is the season that I truly became invested in these characters and would have likely returned for more episodes with them.

Pitch Perfect 2 Blu-ray Review

Actors: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Banks, Hailee Steinfeld

Director: Elizabeth Banks

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, 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

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

 

        The basic premise is downright asinine; the structure is a mirror image of Pitch Perfect; the climactic final song never believably sold me as a winning number; and yet, despite the many flaws of Pitch Perfect 2, it is undeniably entertaining. Even though the film feels directed at a specific demographic of teenage girls (who make up a surprisingly large percentage of all cinema ticket sales), I found myself easily won over by Pitch Perfect 2 and its irreverent charm. More impressive was how little this movie reminded me of the similarly toned television series, “Glee,” which far outstayed its welcome.

 

Breaker Morant Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown

Director: Bruce Beresford

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Rated: PG

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

        The complexities of the true story which Breaker Morant is based upon layers the narrative with moral ambiguities and discrepancies, making this a difficult film to categorize. It plays out like a typical courtroom drama, though the audience must sit in as members of the jury in a case which is not clear cut or simple; one could easily find justice in the argument from each side, as well as fault. This was a case that was much larger than the men or lives involved, having impact on the outcome of a peace treaty to end the war these crimes occurred during, as well as effecting relations between the countries involved long after the case had been closed.

 

Zathura Blu-ray Review

Actors: Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Kristen Stewart, Dax Shepard, Tim Robbins

Director: Jon Favreau

Producers: Scott Kroopf, William Teitler

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

Language: English

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

Dubbed: Portuguese, French, Thai, Spanish, Japanese

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 101 minutes

        As Jumanji was one of the vehicles to catapult Kirsten Dunst into celebrity, Zathura served the same purpose for Kristen Stewart and Josh Hutcherson ten years later. This was also a chance for director Jon Favreau to try his hand at a spectacle-filled adventure film prior to delving into the world of comic book films. Zathura is part of another interesting trend in the actor-turned-filmmaker’s work; this film followed the success of Elf, and Favreau’s next film is a live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book. I once heard Favreau say that he wants to make movies that his kids can enjoy, and that seems to be a genre he thrives in.

 

Jumanji Blu-ray Review

Actors: Kirsten Dunst, David Grier, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde, Robin Williams

Directors: Joe Johnston

Producers: Scott Kroopf, William Teitler

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

Language: English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, Korean, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Norwegian, Dutch, Thai, Spanish, English, Danish, Japanese

Dubbed: Portuguese, French, Thai, Spanish, Japanese

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Rated: PG

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 14, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 104 minutes

 

        Jumanji was made during a time when digital effects were far from perfect, however moderately they were relied on in telling the imaginative story of a board game come to life. It was also made during a period filled with nostalgia for me, as I remember experiencing the excitement of the film in theaters as a kid. Regardless of how cartoonish the computer generated monkeys may be, Jumanji will always brings me back to a place of joy and wonder; a perfect fit for an adaptation of the storybook by author Chris Van Allsburg, which I enjoyed as an even younger child. Now I can enjoy the experience all over again, twenty-years later, with the Blu-ray Anniversary Edition release.

The Indian in the Cupboard Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Rishi Bhat, Lindsay Crouse, Litefoot, Steve Coogan, Richard Jenkins

Director: Frank Oz

Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall

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

Language: English

Subtitles: French, English

Dubbed: French

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Rated: PG

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

 

        I didn’t much like The Indian in the Cupboard when it came out, and I found it somewhat tiresome to watch 20-years later. Part of the problem with this unfortunate children’s book adaptation is that it came out the same year as a far more exciting and successful adaptation: Jumanji. The Indian in the Cupboard, by comparison, is slow-paced and unfortunately cast. While Jumanji had the performance from a young Kirsten Dunst, The Indian in the Cupboard has the awkward Hal Scardino, whose credits ended soon after this performance. Even with Frank Oz as the director, there is no sense of humor and minimal excitement to make this movie memorable or even enjoyable.

 

Saint Laurent Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Louis Garrel, Jérémie Renier, Léa Seydoux, Gaspard Ulliel

Director: Bertrand Bonello

Producers: Christophe Lambert, Nicolas Altmayer, Eric Altmayer

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

Language: French

Subtitles: French, English

Audio Description: English

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 150 minutes

        One of two French biopics about Yves Saint Laurent in a single year, Saint Laurent plays out like a fashion show on film; the visual spectacle of flawlessly prepared outfits within decadent surroundings provide an ocean of surface with little depth to match it. Rather than a straightforward method of storytelling, Saint Laurent glides along the surface with style, skipping around the narrative with more flair than emotional connection. The ability to capture the essence of Laurent’s style on film, director Bertrand Bonello proves an understanding of fashion without giving the audience much of an opportunity to know the man behind it all.

 

Modern Family: The Complete Sixth Season DVD Review

     Actors: Ed O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, Julie Bowen, Sarah Hyland, Sofia Vergara

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Studio: 20th Century Fox

DVD Release Date: September 22, 2015

Run Time: 556 minutes

        The mockumentary style of television has become a standard style after the success of “The Office,” though “Modern Family” gives it a suburban household twist. We don’t know why the characters are talking to the camera, but it provides ample opportunity for humor, as does the option of acknowledging the camera’s existence during the action as well. What it all comes down to is the interesting characters, and in this way “Modern Family” also seems to be mimicking the success of “The Office” or “Parks and Recreation,” filtered through the typical set-up of a family situation comedy.

 

Sleepy Hollow: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie, Orlando Jones, Katia Winter, Lyndie Greenwood

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

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 4

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 790 minutes

 

        I was on the fence about “Sleepy Hollow” after the first season, but the second season knocked me right off and onto the side against the supernatural series. What began as a creative fish-out-of-water narrative has quickly turned into a show that is more witchcraft and magic than historical or literary connections. Gone are the mysterious four horsemen of the apocalypse, in favor of endless demonic resurrections and familial connections. Even worse, it feels as though this season loses steam at the mid-season finale, wrapping up the narrative from the first season until there is nowhere else to go.

 

Cinderella Blu-ray Review

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

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Writer: Chris Weitz

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

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

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG

Studio: Walt Disney Studios

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 105 minutes

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

 

Closer to the Moon DVD Review

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

Director:Nae Caranfil

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 112 minutes

 

 

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

The Seven Five DVD Review

     Actors: Michael Dowd, Ken Eurell

Director: Tiller Russell

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Rated: R

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 104 minutes

 

 

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

 

Blind Chance Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Boguslaw Linda

Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski

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

Language: Polish

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Run Time: 123 minutes

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

 

Furious 7 Blu-ray Review

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

Director: James Wan

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

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

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 2

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: September 15, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

Run Time: 140 minutes

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

 

Redeemer Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Marko Zaror, Noah Segan

Director: Ernesto Díaz Espinoza

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Dark Sky Films

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 90 minutes

 

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

 

The Goldbergs: The Complete Second Season DVD Review

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

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

Language: English

Subtitles: French, English

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3 

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 8, 2015

Run Time: 519 minutes

 

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

 

Extinction DVD Review

     Actors: Matthew Fox, Jeffrey Donovan

Director: Miguel Ángel Vivas

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

Language: English

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

Dubbed: Thai, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 113 minutes

 

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

 

Two Days, One Night Blu-ray Review

Actors: Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salée

Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Run Time: 95 minutes

 

 

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

 

Broken Horses DVD Review

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

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Producers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Subhash Dhar

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

Language: English

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

Dubbed: French, Portuguese, Thai, Spanish

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: September 1, 2015

Run Time: 101 minutes

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