Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Li Feng, Mark Chao
• Director: Lu Chuan
• Format: Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, THX, Widescreen
• Language: Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitles: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  Unrated
• Studio: Well Go USA
• Release Date: July 5, 2016
• Run Time: 115 minutes

        Watching Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe, it finally made sense to me why so many bad Hollywood blockbusters rely on China to pick up the slack on ticket sales for films that bomb in the United States. It isn’t that this is necessarily a bad film, but the incoherency of the narrative is consistently overshadowed by pure visual spectacle. I often had no idea what was going on until the revelations of the third act, but it is also one of the most visually polished films I have seen from China. Everything from cinematography to special effects is highly accomplished, though it is somewhat like building a sturdy house on quicksand. Without the strength of a solid screenplay, all the rest is merely a fleeting distraction until the next big-budget extravaganza is released.

Precious Cargo Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Bruce Willis, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Claire Forlani
• Director: Max Adams
• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: LIONSGATE
• Release Date: June 28, 2016
• Run Time: 90 minutes

        First off, I must start by pointing out that despite his top billing and prominence on the poster/Blu-ray cover, this is yet another film which Bruce Willis has lent his name and reputation in hopes of fooling consumers into thinking he plays a larger role than he does. Willis is merely a supporting player, no doubt involved in the production for a quick paycheck. This is usually enough to assume that Precious Cargo is just another poorly made low budget action movie, and in many ways that is exactly what it is. The gunplay is entirely too reliant on CGI muzzle flashes, supporting cast are so stiff in their line delivery that one must assume that they are related to the filmmakers, and the screenplay feels lazily compiled from a handful of better action movies. What surprised me was how much I managed to enjoy much of the film even with its obvious shortcomings.

Adventures in Babysitting DVD Review

• Actors: Sabrina Carpenter, Sofia Carson, Max Lloyd-Jones, Kevin G. Quinn
• Director: John Schultz
• Writer: Tiffany Paulsen
• Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Studios
• DVD Release Date: June 28, 2016
• Run Time: 90 minutes

        Taking little other than the title from the 1987 classic, Adventures in Babysitting is a typical Disney Channel ‘original’ movie, complete with the usual cheesy characters that end up learning predictably sappy lessons through their sanitized hijinks together. The only thing surprising about this hokey endeavor is the number of questionable habits taught along the way, most of which are at the expense of the clueless parents. Dishonesty and theft are encouraged, while the bigger sin is being too responsible as a teenager. This film tries to be as edgy as the original while existing in a world where bad guys are bumbling idiots and the cops are cute romantic interests. Trying to make the film family-safe while retaining the original premise ends up making this one of the more socially irresponsible children films I have ever seen. On top of that, it’s not very good.

Rams Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Theodór Júlíusson, Charlotte Bøving
• Director: Grímur Hákonarson
• Format: Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Subtitles: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Cohen Media Group
• Release Date: June 28, 2016
• Run Time: 93 minutes

        American audiences accustomed to narrative-driven cinema may have a difficult time with Rams, not because it is lacking in plot but because the characters ultimately take precedence. The Icelandic dramedy actually has an original premise to lean on, but the resolution to this clever scenario is not the filmmaker’s priority. The events within the film service the characters and their ultimate arc, rather than the other way around. For those who can adjust or are more accustomed to this style of storytelling, Rams offers plenty of rewards. Those expecting the film to resolve the dilemma offered by the plot may find the conclusion less satisfying.

Going Away DVD Review

• Actors: Louise Bourgoin, Pierre Rochefort
• Director: Nicole Garcia
• Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  Not Rated
• Studio: Cohen Media Group
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Run Time: 95 minutes

        Going Away is excellent at mood and atmosphere, setting up a predictable melancholy romance with intriguingly mysterious characters. Dolling out information slowly is the wisest choice that director and co-writer Nicole Garcia makes, but it also leads to a major letdown once all of the secrets are revealed. The questions turn out to be far more engaging than the answers. The third act takes the film into an area of contrived social commentary, but this isn’t even the worst offense. The shift of the narrative handicaps the characters in many ways, but even more disheartening is Garcia’s apparent inability to decide what to do with them once turning the film away lonesome romance narrative and into a discussion about class divisions. All of the effort to get us to care about them in the first hour dissipates as the filmmaker appears uncertain how to end their story. We are left with a final scene, but no real resolution.  

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Nia Vardalos
• Director: Kirk Jones
• 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
• Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  PG-13
• Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2018 

        My Big Fat Greek Wedding is the cinematic equivalent of a one-hit wonder, making an absurd amount of money for a film that cost next to nothing. It also made the career of Nia Vardalos, who has leeched off of this singular success ever since. While occasionally leaning on the this first independent film to get additional projects, primarily from those whose pockets were lined by the first film, Vardalos has mostly vanished from the spotlight in the fourteen years since its release. Audiences didn’t want more of the Portokalos family even a year after the initial release, with a sitcom continuation starring many of the amateur actors failing miserably after only a handful of episodes, so the theatrical sequel My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 reeks of desperation and a last-ditch effort to bleed the franchise dry.

King Georges DVD Review

• Actors: Georges Perrier, Nicholas Elmi
• Director: Erika Frankel
• Details: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Not Rated
• Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Run Time: 77 minutes

        King Georges offers plenty of amusement in the character study of its subject, which is 67-year-old French chef George Perrier and his Philadelphia restaurant Le Bec-Fin, in equal measure. What is missing from the documentary is a clear narrative direction. Although non-narrative cinema is not required to have an opinion about the subject, despite an overabundance of propaganda-fueled films using the medium to make political points or encourage social action, King Georges almost goes too far in the opposite direction. The inexperience of first-time director Erika Frankel is apparent in her noncommittal perspective, instead choosing to allow the narrative to drift aimlessly from sequence to sequence. Nothing is boring, but I had no clear understanding of what the point of the film was by the end.

Anesthesia Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Sam Waterston, Kristen Stewart
• Director: Tim Blake Nelson
• Format: Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Run Time: 90 minutes

        Tim Blake Nelson’s Anesthesia utilizes a format seen often before, linking several strangers together through a coincidental series of events or accidental intersections. Sometimes this is used to show a sampling of characters within an environment. In Gus Van Sant’s Elephant, it was a high school, though more often than not it tends to be a specific city. The story in Anesthesia takes place primarily in Manhattan (all except one subplot), but the comments about humanity in have no location in mind. Even if the movie takes place in New York, it is relatable to all Americans.

Knight of Cups Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Antonio Banderas, Christian Bale, Brian Dennehy
• Director: Terrence Malik
• Format: Widescreen
• Language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Broad Green
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Run Time: 118 minutes

        Knight of Cups is less ambitious than Terrence Malick’s notoriously enigmatic Tree of Life, but somehow contains even less narrative and presents it even more ambiguously. The legendary director’s films have always been distinguished with dreamlike visual qualities, though his narratives are drifting further from structure as the years go by. While some remain dedicated fans of this experimental and improvisational style of filmmaking, others often remark that his freestyle methods have almost become a parody of what was once praised about the director. I find myself somewhere in-between, able to appreciate the braveness of his style while wishing that it were paired with a less noncommittal narrative.

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Isla Fisher, Gabourey Sidibe, Rebel Wilson, Mark Strong, Barkhad Abdi
• Director: Louis Leterrier
• Producers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Nira Park, Peter Baynham, Todd Schulman, Ant Hines
• Format: Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, English, Spanish
• Dubbed: French
• Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
• Audio Description: English
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: June 21, 2016
• Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2019
• Run Time: 83 minutes

        Sacha Baron Cohen’s original three characters from “Da Ali G Show,” and their subsequent individual theatrical films, were highlighted by their ability to shock in a way that was simultaneously amusing and intelligently satirical. While his latest endeavor, The Brothers Grimsby, certainly lives up to the shock value, it is done for mindless puerile amusement rather than social commentary. While this may provide a few chuckles for an evening’s entertainment, The Brothers Grimsby has more to say about the spy film genre than any real-world issues. Although there are a few jokes about gun violence which could be construed as relevant, the silliness overpowers any commentary. On the other hand, he does use the film to give Donald Trump aids, which should count for something.

Every Thing Will Be Fine Blu-ray Review

• Actors: James Franco, Rachel McAdams
• Director: Wim Wenders
• Format: Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  Unrated
• Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
• Release Date: June 7, 2016
• Run Time: 118 minutes

        Despite the familiarity of the plot in Every Thing Will Be Fine, it manages to rustle up a few unique and compelling themes. Unfortunately, these are ideas which remain always on the cusp of the narrative, hinted at and briefly mentioned rather than delved into the way that audiences may desire. Director Wim Wenders instead invests most efforts into the visual style, attempting to bring audiences into the mind of the protagonist with the use of 3D photography. While we may at times feel as though we exist in the same world as its characters, rarely do we understand what they are thinking or feeling, and this is a glaring shortcoming of the film’s screenplay. Performances which could have been heartbreaking are instead enigmatic, and suddenly the visual effort is all for naught.

The Other Side of the Door Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Sarah Wayne Callies, Jeremy Sisto
• Director: Johannes Roberts
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Surround)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: 20TH CENTURY FOX
• Release Date: June 7, 2016
• Run Time: 96 minutes
•        
  
  
   The setting may be somewhat unique, but don’t let that fool you. This horror film has been done many times before. The narrative alone shares themes similar to countless other movies, most notably the classic Pet Cemetery, but even more derivative are the stylistic choices made by director Johannes Roberts. It isn’t so much that this is a bad film. In fact, many of the sequences are effectively eerie. The problem is that they all have been done before. The ghost-like woman apparition threatening to come from the afterlife looks and moves remarkably similar to the TV-dwelling spirit from The Ring franchise, while other imagery from Japanese ghost narratives such as Ju-on (remade as The Grudge) are also peppered throughout the familiar storyline. Production elements are on point, but The Other Side of the Door would be far more effective if I was unfamiliar with previous releases in the ghost story subgenre. 
  
  

Under the Sun of Satan Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Gérard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Alain Artur
• Director: Maurice Pialat
• Format: NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated:
  Unrated
• Studio: Cohen Media Group
• Release Date: June 14, 2016
• Run Time: 98 minutes

        Faith is a difficult concept to convey cinematically, even with the use of dialogue as primary tool of discussion. While there are scenes in which the characters have a conversation about religion and life-purpose, Under the Sun of Satan approaches most ideas through character action, making for a straightforward but often ambiguous viewing experience. Perhaps due to my inability to relate to the flawed individuals within the film, or a difficulty in conveying the material adapted from the work of Georges Bernanos, I find the viewing experience of Under the Sun of Satan to be far more intellectual than emotional. Director Maurice Pialat worked as a painter prior to becoming a filmmaker, and at times it feels as though he expects his audience to approach this film as they would a work of art hanging in a museum.

Eddie the Eagle Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman
• Director: Dexter Fletcher
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Surround)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
  PG
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Release Date: June 14, 2016
• Run Time: 106 minutes

        As is often the case with films based on true stories, much was altered for the cinematic story of courageously inexperienced British ski-jumper, Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. Characters were added, events were changed, timelines were skewed, and in some cases the facts were more outlandish than the fictional screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton. While one can’t help but wonder what a darker and more accurate version of this story may have looked like onscreen, Eddie the Eagle easily wins over audiences with a charming spirit and a pair of magnetic performances. Sometimes a crowd pleasing feel-good movie is more desirable, especially in the cynical times we live in.

Get a Job Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Miles Teller, Bryan Cranston, Anna Kendrick, Alison Brie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Director: Dylan Kidd

Format: NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R                    

Studio: LIONSGATE

Release Date: June 14, 2016

Run Time: 93 minutes

        Millennials have been called the “entitled generation,” carrying an air of arrogance and expectation without the benefit of experience or hard work to back it up, and Get a Job is a cinematic enabler for this infantile mentality. While it does address the egotism of modern college graduates, the sycophantic screenplay from first-time writers Kyle Pennekamp and Scott Turpel attempts to lay blame on the encouraging way that this generation was raised, as though their shitty attitude were the fault of supportive parents and participation trophies. But rather than following through with this cynical game of finger-pointing to some actual social commentary, these amateur screenwriters lazily resort to resolve it with a mindless young adult wish-fulfillment fantasy. This movie is utter garbage, made even worse by the talent that was wasted to make it.

 

Jarhead 3: The Siege Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Scott Adkins, Charlie Weber, Dante Basco, Romeo Miller, Erik Valdez

Director: Will Kaufman

Writer: Michael Weiss

Producers: Jeffery Beach, Phillip Roth

Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: 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: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Not Rated

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2018

        Jarhead, the 2005 war film from director Sam Mendes, is an unlikely movie to build a franchise from. The reception was mediocre, the action was nonexistent as intentional commentary on the state of modern warfare, and there was little opportunity for significant characters to return. Thematically, the sequels don’t even belong in the same category, much less carrying the same title. They get away with this by carrying over a supporting character and turning the franchise into mindless action. While it may not be cut from the same cloth as Jarhead, it is rather predictable for a straight-to-video sequel.  

 

Alaskan Bush People: The Complete Seasons 1&2 DVD Review

Actors: Billy Brown, Gabe Brown, Noah Brown, Ami Brown, Bam Bam Brown

Details: Box set, Color NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 3

Studio: LIONSGATE

DVD Release Date: June 14, 2016

Run Time: 450 minutes

        When the Discovery Channel reality series “Alaskan Bush People” first aired on television, many viewers were skeptical of the authenticity. Some theorized that the family claiming to have lived in the wild for the last 30 years was merely a group of actors, while others simply didn’t believe the outrageous claims of survival that they made to the cameras. Personally, I am hesitant to believe anything in reality television isn’t at least somewhat contrived. Although I have no reason to believe that this family isn’t related, I also have little faith that many of the situations in the show aren’t staged to a certain degree. Even in the trivia section of the series on IMDB.com, the episodes are referred to as “reenactments” of events taken from Billy Brown’s book. It automatically raises a red flag when the man claiming to want nothing from civilization has promoted himself through the publication of books. Others have found YouTube channels and other websites with other members of the family also trying to increase their fame.

 

Kill Your Friends Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Nicholas Hoult, James Corden, Ed Skrein

Director: Owen Harris

Format: Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Run Time: 103 minutes

        Kill Your Friends is not outrageous enough in its violence or dark enough in its tone to give the satire of the novel it is based on enough edge, despite the screenplay being written by author John Niven. Worse yet, comparisons are bound to be made with American Psycho, which still feels more groundbreaking despite being made 16 years earlier than this film. Had director Owen Harris taken this narrative in another direction, it may have avoided the comparisons that the material obviously had no chance to live up to, but instead much of the violence ends up feeling more perfunctory than shocking. There is potential amongst the differences for some uniquely scathing commentary, but Kill Your Friends instead unwisely focuses on the most derivative elements of the narrative.

 

The Confirmation Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Clive Owen, Jaeden Lieberher, Maria Bello, Robert Forster, Tim Blake Nelson

Director: Bob Nelson

Format: NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13             

Studio: LIONSGATE

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Run Time: 83 minutes

        Much of the narrative in The Confirmation has been done previously, and occasionally with far more dedication to realism (there are moments which bring to mind Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves), but it is in the optimistic tone and engaging performances that this film finds its stride. Like the Oscar nominated film, Nebraska, which first-time director Bob Nelson wrote the screenplay for, The Confirmation is often equally hilarious and heartbreaking. Nelson understands as a filmmaker that these two things need not be mutually exclusive, which grounds the film without drowning audiences in cynicism and sadness. Some may find the resolution a bit too neat (especially those expecting the Bicycle Thieves similarities to play out), and others may find the film’s morality a bit too flippant. This is a balancing act between two extremes, likely to leave both sides slightly unsatisfied, while neither outright disappointed. A few more risks in the narrative may have solved this problem, or it could have brought the entire house of cards tumbling down.

 

Touched with Fire Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Katie Holmes, Luke Kirby, Christine Lahti, Griffin Dunne

Director: Paul Dalio

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R                  

Studio: LIONSGATE

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Run Time: 110 minutes

        While I appreciated the discussion of mental illness and its connection to artistic creativity within the narrative Touched with Fire, at times the individual scenarios of the specific plot overshadow the larger topic. Writer/director Paul Dalio based the film on his own experiences, and while this brings honesty to the material, it often also runs the risk of carrying romanticized bias of personal memory. In this case, some distance from the content may have helped to create a stronger film. Despite compellingly convincing performances from the lead actors, Dalio’s narrative often feels aimless at best, and predictably melodramatic at its worst.