LFO DVD Review

     Actors: Patrik Karlson, Per Lofberg

Director: Antonio Tublen

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: Swedish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Dark Sky Films

DVD Release Date: October 28, 2014

Run Time: 98 minutes

 

 

        This low-budget science-fiction dark comedy from Sweden plays into the darker recesses of human nature, specifically delving into the question of what we might do if there were no repercussions for our actions. What if we could act any way that we wanted, because the simple push of a button could provide the ability to control the way that others perceive events? LFO imagines a situation where that power is in the hands of a disturbed loner spending most of his time alone, envious of those he watches from the windows of his home.

 

Beneath DVD Review

    Actors: Kelly Noonan, Jeff Fahey

Director: Ben Ketai

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 28, 2014

Run Time: 89 minutes

 

 

        The ambiguity of the horror film Beneath is what allows it to still claim inspiration from a true story, though we know that many of the film’s more grotesque images cannot possibly have existed in reality. This is also what helps the audience to grasp some type of understanding from the ambiguity. I found this construction in the screenplay to be the most impressive element of the film, which in every other way seems to be as generic a horror movie as I have ever seen.

 

Impractical Jokers: The Complete Second Season DVD Review

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Full Screen, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Studio: Turner Home Ent

DVD Release Date: November 4, 2014

Run Time: 572 minutes

 

 

        I was more than a bit of a troublemaker when I was younger, mostly due to my overactive imagination and the unwillingness to remain bored. When my physical situation is dull, I find my mind compensating with creative inspiration for ideas of less than traditional amusement. In other words, I would have fit right in with the guys of “Impractical Jokers,” despite the fact that they are fully grown and still amusing themselves through immature methods. The adult in me is somewhat embarrassed for these four grown men, while the kid in me is simply jealous of their job.

 

Deliver Us From Evil DVD Review

     Actors: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramirez

Format: Subtitled, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: French

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony

DVD Release Date: October 28, 2014

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2017

 

        There have been far too many exorcism/demonic possession films in recent film history for Deliver Us from Evil to stand out without a twist, which is the blending of a police procedural with the religious horror genre. Add the fact that it was inspired by actual accounts of an NYPD sergeant (another favored element of the genre), and Deliver Us from Evil should have delivered adequate entertainment. Unfortunately, in order for a film to be frightening, you have to be able to see what is going on, and this is easily one of the worst shot horror films I have ever seen.

Grace: The Possession DVD Review

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

Language: English

Subtitles: French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish, English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 28, 2014

Run Time: 87 minutes

 

        Grace: The Possession has the laziness of a found-footage horror movie without any of the logic. Rather than being a film shot by the characters, we are instead given the sole perspective of a demon that has entered the body of our protagonist. This means we witness everything through the eyes of Grace (Alexia Fast), whose POV becomes the same as the typical hand-held camera shots of a found-footage horror movie. Then again, this also means the audience is not subjected to relentlessly asinine reasons for the character to be holding a camcorder for the running-time of the narrative.

 

F is for Fake Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, Joseph Cotton

Director: Orson Welles

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 87 minutes

 

        It is easy to see why F is for Fake is often called an “essay film,” because of how it transitions from one narrative of forgery to the next, each time connecting them with common threads. But it is also far more than that; a documentary with filmed sequences and original stories mixed in. It is an unpredictable viewing experience, which is what one would expect from the mind of Orson Welles, who becomes a link on the narrative chain along the way.

 

The Vanishing Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets, Johanna ter Steege

Director: George Sluizer

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

Language: Dutch

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Run Time: 106 minutes

 

        In the wake of David Fincher’s critical and box-office success about a missing person’s case, a classic in the genre from 1988 has been released on Blu-ray through The Criterion Collection. Also based on a screenplay adapted from a novel by the author himself, The Vanishing was successful enough to warrant an American remake starring Jeff Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland five years after this French/Dutch version. In reality, however, this is a narrative which has been around for much longer, whether considering Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, The Lady Vanishes, or a classic Parisian Urban Legend from 1901. What makes director George Sluizer’s film memorable is his uncompromising and unforgettable ending.

 

Kundo Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Ha Jung-Woo, Kang Dong-won, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Dubbed

Language: Korean

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 137 minutes

 

 

        Originality is something hard to come by in period martial arts movies, mostly because there have simply been so many of them. With the historical events of the Korean Joseon Dynasty, which resulted in a major division between peasants and the wealthily oppressive royalty, Kundun has the perfect scenario for a Robin Hood type narrative. Unoriginal as it may be, this is cinematically a perfect match, providing plenty of action and a reason to root for the vengeance of the good guys.

 

Sex Tape Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Jason Segel, Cameron Diaz

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

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2017

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

 

        The producers of Sex Tape must have been among the few in Hollywood to find good fortune in the controversial leaking of hacked celebrity photos and videos. Without this incident, commonly referred to as ‘The Fappening’ by online communities, the film Sex Tape would have had absolutely no relevance. Unfortunately, people will remember the celebrity scandal long after they have forgotten this ridiculously mediocre film ever existed. 

 

Chinese Puzzle Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Romain Duris

Director: Cedric Klapisch

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

Language: English, French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 117 minutes

        There are plenty of sequels to action movies, because there are always new villains and injustices for heroes to battle against. There are no shortages of horror sequels, giving the impression that some monsters will never die; at least not as long as their survival continues to sell tickets. The one genre which rarely sees a sequel is the romantic comedy, because to continue the story often means admitting that the ‘happily ever after’ ending from the previous installment was somewhat of a lie. Filmmaker Cédric Klapisch tackles this impossible task for the second time in one narrative, with time between each sequel being his only saving grace.

 

Le Chef Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Jean Reno, Michael Youn

Director: Daniel Cohen

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 84 minutes

 

        Hollywood has long had the tendency to look towards the foreign film market for new ideas to replicate, but Daniel Cohen’s lighthearted culinary comedy is a French film which seems to be imitating the bubbling simplicity of an American comedy. Realism and originality are thrown out the window for a carefree romp in the cinematic world of French haute-cuisine. While this approach is likely to keep Le Chef off of any lists for artistic achievements, it makes for an engaging evening of entertainment.

 

Nightcap Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Isabelle Huppert, Jacques Dutronc

Director: Claude Chabrol

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

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: September 30, 2014

Run Time: 99 minutes

 

        Claude Chabrol’s Nightcap (Merci pour le Chocolat) is what you might have gotten from Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca had it been a comedy. There is a mystery at the center of the film, but the reveal comes as less of a surprise as the casual manner with which the film’s murderous culprit justifies and dismisses these evil actions. Even the revelations of criminal insanity are not enough to disturb the pristine veneer of upper class wealth.

 

Daniel Boone: The Complete Series DVD Review

     Actors: Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, Dal McKennon, Ed Ames Fess Parker

Directors: Nathan Juran William Wiard

Writers: David Duncan, D.D. Beauchamp

Producers: Aaron Rosenberg

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 36

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Fox Mod

DVD Release Date: September 26, 2014

Run Time: 8150 minutes

        Daniel Boone was a real life frontiersman and American pioneer whose exploits and explorations were impressive enough to make him one of the country’s first folk heroes. This television series does not look to paint an accurate representation of history, but instead focuses on enhancing the legend of Boone. There are definite timeline issues in the narrative, but the spirit of the adventurer is captured in the same manner I imagine word of mouth originally embellished Boone into celebrity.

 

Witching & Bitching DVD Review

     Actors: Pepon Nieto, Mario Casas, Hugo Silva

Director: Álex de la Iglesia

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 114 minutes

 

 

        Director Álex de la Iglesia (El Crimen Perfecto, The Last Circus) has shown his ability to find the comedic edge in dark and often morbid narratives in the past, but he seems to be having more fun than ever with his latest, Witching & Bitching. Part crime film, part buddy action, part horror, and part screwball comedy; this film crams a little bit of everything into a concise and energetic 114 minutes that ends up feeling like a blend of From Dusk till Dawn and The Witches if Eastwick on crack. This may not be a perfect film, but it is unique and fun enough to easily forgive its minor shortcomings.

 

Venus in Fur DVD Review

     Actors: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner

Director: Roman Polanksi

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: French, German

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 96 minutes

 

        Fans of the award-winning play will enjoy the stylistic nuances that Roman Polanski has added through the medium of film, though it remains a narrative contingent upon the ability of the only two actors in the cast. The entire story takes place in just one evening, taking place at a single location, and to call it ‘dialogue-heavy’ would be the understatement of the year. This is what made for such great theater, containing roles theatrical actors can often only dream of, though Polanski and his cast must work twice as hard to make the same elements work on film.

 

Afterlife: Season Two DVD Review

     Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC

Language: English (Stereo)

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 7, 2014

Run Time: 370 minutes

 

 

        Made nearly ten years ago, “Afterlife” is only now finding its way to home entertainment, and the reason is clear to find in the cast members. This British horror series stars Andrew Lincoln of “The Walking Dead” fame, with ghosts rather than zombies for the actor to take on. Unfortunately, the series feels more than ten years old, with a dated and cliché narrative structure. Ghost stories are difficult to make engaging, and “Afterlife” does little to update or modernize the tired clichés of the genre. In many ways this series is The Sixth Sense in episodic form, with a gifted medium burdened with the task of helping all of the dead ghosts she encounters. Season two even begins with a narrative in which the dead are unaware they are no longer alive, a further reminder of the 1999 box office phenomenon.

 

In the Flesh: The Complete Season Two DVD Review

     Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC

Language: English (Stereo)

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 7, 2014

Run Time: 342 minutes

 

 

        It is completely unfair to make even the slightest comparison of “In the Flesh” to “The Walking Dead,” although it is inevitable that this association will be made between the two zombie television events. For one thing, “In the Flesh” is not a post-apocalyptic storyline. We join the story after civilization has recovered almost entirely, and it instead becomes a story about integration and acceptance. The horror elements are all but removed and zombies instead become a symbol for diversity and a metaphor for homosexuality.

 

The Honorable Woman DVD Review

      Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC

Language: English (Stereo)

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: Unrated

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 468 minutes

 

 

        There may be a brilliant storyline somewhere buried in “The Honorable Woman.” It’s just a shame that the writers didn’t feel the need to accommodate the audience in understanding what is going on until it is nearly finished. While this may work for a film which audiences are invested in once they buy the ticket and sit in the darkened theater, but an 8-episode television series provides too many opportunities to jump ship before revelations make the narrative comprehensible, much less enjoyable.

 

Silent Witness: Seasons One and Seventeen DVD Review

      Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC

Language: English (Stereo)

Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English

Number of discs: 2

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: BBC Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 363 minutes

 

        Imagine the American television series, “Bones.” Now remove all humor, quirky characters, convenient plot twists and escapist entertainment. What you would have remaining is the long-running British pathology crime series, “Silent Witness.” Whether you would be happier with this than the mindless American show depends on how much accuracy you want from your programming, as opposed to entertainment. “Silent Witness” also has the benefit of TV-movie lengths for each of the mystery narratives, which allows for more detail and character development.

 

Two Broke Girls: The Complete Third Season DVD Review

     Actors: Kat Dennings, Beth Behrs, Garrett Morris, Jonathan Kite, Matthew Moy

Writers: Michael Patrick King, Whitney Cummings

Producer: Michael Patrick King

Format: Multiple Formats, NTSC, Subtitled

Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Release Date: October 14, 2014

Run Time: 528 minutes

 

        If sexual innuendo and jokes at the intelligence level of a fifteen-year-old boy are still humorous to you, or if you still are fifteen, “2 Broke Girls” will make you laugh. I watch the series with mild amusement, mostly because I have met girls like the foul-mouthed and sex-obsessed Max (Kat Denning), as well as the superficial and self-involved Caroline (Beth Behrs). I watch the show because I can turn it off after twenty minutes, reminded why I no longer date those girls. After three seasons, both have grown slightly. Max has her first real relationship and takes steps in achieving her dreams. Caroline is also humbled with time from wealth, though her disgustingly greedy side still emerges with any hint of wealth in men, even despising Max’s boyfriend when she thinks he is poor despite having no money herself.