Crunch On This!

Chronicle

Danny Minton — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:26:40 GMT

Chronicle

Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, and Michael B. Jordan
Directed by Josh Trank
Rated PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking

    While it seems like the found footage category was coming to a creative end, it appears that there are new applications such as this crafty new superhero movie. In Chronicle, an unpopular and troubled teenager named Andrew (DeHaan) decides to start video taping his life. When he and two friends (Russell and Jordan) wander into a cave, they discover something not of this world and the next day the three of them are in possession of some nifty little super powers such as telekinesis and the ability to fly. Unable to handle his out of control emotions, Andrew begins using his powers for evil forcing his friends to try to stop him.

    Much of this film works really well. The best example of where the film goes right is in the story. The writing is very strong, placing an organic feel to the lives of the teenagers and tells a very believable “what if” tale. So many films about teens today paint an inaccurate picture of them. They all might show the culture of being a teen, but very few deal with the drama in a realistic manner. This film seems to do a wonderful job of getting it right.

    Giving a nice lift to the script is this talented cast of relative unknowns. They portray their characters in a believable way that brings a sense of empathy upon them. You really want them to use their powers for good and make good decisions, but you also know that they are teenagers with an exceptional gift which ultimately means that bad behavior and mayhem might be forthcoming.

    Where this film fails is in the found footage concept. Personally I found it completely unnecessary. It’s a gimmick that loses its appeal rather quickly. Not only that, but by the end they are splicing together found footage from so many sources that the whole premise lacks common sense. Maybe it helped keep the costs down, but it also manages to get in the way of something that could have been spectacular.

    Even with its faults, Chronicle is an entertaining thriller that should find a nice audience from a wide range of ages. I also think it opens the doors for a variety of different genres to jump into the found footage game. Horror seemed to be the obvious place, but if they can throw superhero into the mix, why not romantic comedies, crime dramas and science fiction? B+

New in Home Entertainment - February 7, 2012

Danny Minton — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:58:37 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

February 7, 2012

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
Rated PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, sexuality/partial nudity and some thematic elements
Available on Blu-ray and DVD
When tackling the fourth book in the Twilight series by
Stephanie Meyer, the decision was made to split it into two movies. In this fourth of four very bad but successful films, Edward and Bella get married and on their honeymoon discover she is pregnant. Here’s the problem: what exists in a two hour form here could have and should have been the first act of one movie, not the first half of two. This is the slowest and one of the most painful movies I have ever sat through. So long, so boring and so badly done. The writing is awful, the acting is hideous and the self importance is incredibly annoying. Personally, I find it disturbing that a film like this is the event film for today’s teens. We had Star Wars, Raiders and ET. There are few who could blame us for falling in love with movies during that time. Other generations have had similar experiences in their days. When a film like this has people sleeping in tents outside the theater and generates $700 million world-wide, it makes me feel like the Native American shedding a tear in the old Keep America Beautiful commercial. F

Lady and the Tramp
Rated G
Available on Blu-ray and DVD
It may not be the best example of Disney’s classic animated pictures, but it certainly is one of the cutest. Following the tale of a pretty young female cocker spaniel who falls in love with a homeless mutt, Lady and the Tramp is an entertaining film filled with loads of nostalgia and possibly one of the most iconic scenes in animation history (as many times as I tried that spaghetti thing on a date, it never worked out in my favor). This new hi-def edition looks amazing and gives the film a shiny new feel. Also, for those interested, there is some great new content not found on the 2006 DVD release. B+

Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
For those who have not gone to any of the live events done at theaters nation wide, this title may change your mind. Released in limited showings a few months back at your neighborhood cineplex, now this breathtaking performance of the once-in-a-lifetime event is hitting home. What it’s not is a filmed version of the infamous musical. What it is is the ultimate performance of the music with a cast and orchestra of over 200 at London’s Royal Albert Hall for the 25th anniversary of the legendary show. The cast here is an absolute dream and the encore is the icing on the cake as Andrew Lloyd Webber is joined by famous past phantoms on stage revisiting the show’s highlights. I’ll admit that Sarah Brightman’s encore is worth missing, but everything else on this disc is spectacular. A

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
Rated R for strong curde and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, and DVD
Time has changed Harold and Kumar in this third and very tired sequel to the hit stoner franchise. Harold and Kumar are no longer close buddies since Harold entered the business and family world, but fate brings them together on a winter’s night to find a Christmas tree to replace the one burned down by a magical joint. If you have a 3D television you have a chance of enjoying this new installment. There are some funny moments that don’t involve the use of 3D gimmickry, but most of the jokes require the new technology and suffer without it. But unfortunately, not even Neil Patrick Harris himself could save this film from being snuffed out by lame drug jokes that were probably hilarious as they were being written while stoned. C

In Time
Rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and partial nudity, and brief strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In the future humans are genetically altered to not age past 25 years, but they are also destined to die once their time runs out. Time is a commodity and the rich can live forever while the poor are constantly counting the minutes. As you would expect there are a lot of bad cliches throughout this sci-flick starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, but one has to appreciate the originality. Writer and director Andrew Niccol (Gattaca) invents an interesting premise here but the comparison to today’s class structure gets bogged down in its own preachiness. B-

Project Nim
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, drug content, thematic elements and disturbing images
Available on DVD
Oscar winning documentarian James Marsh (Man on Wire) tells another riveting tale here about an experiment gone wrong when a baby chimp is allowed to live like a human child before being sentenced to live his life as captive animal. If it weren’t for the fact that it is a real story, you would think you were watching the first half of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. In fact, the two films watched back-to-back makes for an excellent double feature. Not only is this a great story, but it is told in a riveting fashion and frankly, it should have been nominated for an Academy Award this year for best documentary. A-

New in Home Entertainment - January 31, 2012

Danny Minton — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:54:55 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

January 31, 2012

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Rated PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo
Available on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and DVD
If you would have told me five years ago that the Transformers franchise would be one of the most popular in movie history, grossing more than 2.5 billion dollars internationally and countless more in home entertainment sales, I would have thought you to be crazy. Sure the reviews for all three films have been mediocre, but that hasn’t stopped worldwide audiences from going to see them in droves and bringing them home to watch over and over again. This third installment has proven to be the biggest one of all mounting an impressive $1.1 billion international gross and $3.5 million in the U.S. If you thought the first two films were big, they don’t even hold a candle to the enormity of the third. I would go into deep detail about the plot, but its apparent that not many care about story when it comes to these pictures. They just want lots of robots creating havoc and that’s what they get. At 154 minutes, the film feels a little long, but at least there’s the pause button at home so you can take care of that six pack of whatever you started drinking two hours ago. Just don’t miss the finale where they take out the entire city of Chicago. B

Thunder Soul
Rated PG for brief language and momentary historical smoking
Available on DVD
In the 60s and 70s Houston’s Kashmere High School Stage Band was consistently known as the best high school jazz band in the country. Led by a great band director simply known as “Prof,” the band became a world-class standard-setting funk powerhouse that achieved success until the school superintendent made major cuts in the arts. Now, 35 years later, the band is getting together to pay tribute to the legendary director who brought them all together. If the the great premise and the 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes fail to peak your interest, then maybe the fact that this is a terrific local story that many here have never heard will have you checking it out. I didn’t know what to expect, but I sure did like what I saw and heard. This is one heck of an enjoyable documentary that will have you laughing, crying, and possibly even dancing. A

Drive
Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence, language and some nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Ryan Gosling is simply known as “Driver” in this little indie about a stunt car driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for either extra cash or maybe just the thrill. After he falls in love with his neighbor (Carey Mulligan), his life makes a turn for the worse when her husband gets out of jail. This is definitely one of the more surprising films this year. If this film is anything it’s unpredictable. Another word to describe it is cool. The crazy script by Hossein Amini (Snow White and the Huntsman) is masterfully directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (who just won the Houston Film Critics Society award). Perhaps of equal importance for the project is the eclectic collection of music from the 80s and that pink font for the credits. I’ll admit that it’s a bit too violent and unsettling for my personal taste, but you can’t deny that it’s a well put-together film with a lot of entertainment value. B+

Annie Hall and Manhattan
Available on Blu-ray
If the recent release of Midnight in Paris has put you in the mood for a Woody Allen-thon, then you have to check out these two new blu-rays being released this week by MGM and Fox. Had Annie Hall not won the Oscar for best picture in 1977 (beating out Star Wars), Manhattan might have taken the honor away in 1979. Both films run low on special features, but the new high def transfers look and sound great. Also getting the blu-ray treatment this week are a slew of other great classics including Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound, Rebecca, and Notorious as well as Billy Wilder’s The Apartment.

Red Tails

Danny Minton — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:18:35 GMT

Red Tails

Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrance Howard, and David Oyelowo

Directed by Anthony Hemingway (HBO’s Treme)

Rated PG-13 for some sequences of war violence

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is a classic American tale of courage, skill and perseverance. While the U.S. Military did not allow the African American pilots to fight in the main combat arena until towards the end of the war, their record of kills vs. casualties as well as their success at protecting American bombers is a truly fantastic and almost unbelievable achievement. So there is also no doubt that these brave men of the 332^nd Fighter Group deserve to be heralded and have their story preserved in film. The problem is that they deserve a much better legacy than this.

The 1995 HBO movie The Tuskegee Airmen was a decent enough approach to the subject but had many problems. That is probably why Executive Producer George Lucas and others at Lucas Films wanted to improve upon the story. Unfortunately, the only thing that was improved upon was the special effects. The aerial effects are truly spectacular and the fight sequences are surprisingly exciting. I say surprisingly because while everything in the air is gold, everything on the ground is lame.

Many will come away saying the acting is just plain lousy, but that’s not altogether true. There are some decent performers here that should have had a better script to read from. The dialog is very poorly written throughout and most of the characters are nothing more than cookie cutter caricatures. I’m shocked that many of the characters even had names. At least there was some personality given to the members of the 332^nd, because the white characters in the film were treated like complete stereotypes. There was “Racist General,” “Nice White Pilot,” “Racist Nazi Pilot” and many other completely contrived characters who only detracted from the power of the overall story. But even the main characters suffered from a lack of substance. The only member of the cast that got a sufficient plot line was that of Joe “Lightening” Little (Oyelowo) but his story alone couldn’t save the film.

Another serious issue with the script is its historical accuracy. It’s widely known that the Tuskegee Airmen were extremely successful, but this film makes them look invincible. While they lost less than most, they lost many more than this film represents. Their version of the war is almost like a video game where the hero has to make it at least to the end. War movies by nature revolve around the loss of human life and to show war differently is both deceptive and dishonorable. This lack of humility to the very idea of war distracts from the movie and steals away any credibility they manage to achieve.

The fact is that there is potential greatness in this premise and the film itself could have been another Glory. But rather than making an inspired and inspirational film, the filmmakers settled for a visually captivating movie that serves as a poor representation of the men who gallantly fought in WWII and surprised a nation. C

New in Home Entertainment - January 24, 2012

Danny Minton — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:44:10 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

January 24, 2012

Real Steel
Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
When I was a kid I used to have the old Mattel game Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em which placed you against a friend in a robotic boxing match. Now, decades later, comes the real thing with Hugh Jackman as a retired boxer trying to make it in the futuristic sport of robot fighting. While the film is based on a 1956 short story by Richard Matheson, and not on the classic game, you get the sense that there were a lot of fans of the game on the production team. The good news is that the fight sequences are pretty fantastic just as you would hope. The bad news is that the writing is not nearly as strong as the special effects. The script is full of bad exposition and cheesy dialog. Jackman is a very good actor, but its hard to overcome a bad screenplay. Still, I was hoping for an entertaining film filled with over-the-top robot fighting and that’s precisely what I got. B-

Paranormal Activity 3
Rated R for some violence, language, brief sexuality and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The first two films in this now very popular franchise sent chills up my spine. In fact, I found them to be absolutely terrifying. With the success of the first two, a third was inevitable and this time around they chose a prequel. Following the young sisters, Katie and Kristi, PA 3 sticks tight to the same trick, having the characters set up video cameras to capture the demon in action. This time around the nuance has worn off though and while there are some creative scares and a lot of creepy material, the pic is not as effective at creating goosebumps. B-

50/50
Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and some drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sometimes your favorite movies are the ones that you expect very little from and then bop you over the head. This was definitely one of those movies for me. I honestly blew this one off thinking that I saw it the first time when it was called Funny People. I was dead wrong. This highly personal story based on the real-life relationship between writer Will Reiser and actor Seth Rogen is a powerhouse of a script about a young man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who gets a dire cancer diagnosis and subsequently fights it to the best of his ability while preparing for the worst. It’s rare to have a film like this that is as funny as it is moving but the amazing cast and the material they had to work with allow for a terrific movie that will leave you very entertained. A

Belle De Jour: The Criterion Collection
Unrated
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
About a decade ago Martin Scorsese supervised spearheaded the restoration and re-release of this classic 1967 French film by famed director Luis Banuel and now its Criterion’s turn with this new high-definition digital restoration. This story about a Parisian housewife, beautifully portrayed by Catherine Deneuve, who fights the boredom of her empty life by becoming a prostitute is a fascinating character study that will leave you haunted. This new edition comes fully loaded with tons of extras about the film and its legacy. B+

New in Home Entertainment - January 17, 2012

Danny Minton — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:15:53 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

January 17, 2011

Courageous
Rated PG-13 for some violence and drug content
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD
Some would say that a good Christian film is an oxymoron, and I would say that while there is truth in that statement, that’s not always true. Over the last few years we’ve seen some pretty decent examples of the genre including the Narnia series and To Save a Life. Unfortunately, this new pic from the makers of the relatively successful films Fireproof and Facing the Giants is a bit of a dud. Just like their previous films, the intention here is good. The overall story about a group of cops who want to be better leaders of their families has the potential for a good family-friendly film. After all, the filmmakers really want their viewers, especially men, to focus on their home lives and become Christians with integrity - and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. The problem is that while they mean well, the message is clouded by some pretty poor examples of acting, writing and directing. Some of the scenes are bearable, but much of the film is cringe-inducing. If this is a genre you truly love, you might value the message over the media and find a way to enjoy the film, but if you are the average movie-watching public, this movie could be a real turnoff. The good news is that the production looks and sounds professional. I just wish that the production company, Affirm Films, would spend some of their profits on making sure their next film doesn’t suffer from these obvious problems. C

The Guard
Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material and sexual content
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD
In this indie favorite, Brendan Gleeson (Braveheart) is an exceptional but unorthodox cop from Ireland who teams up with an FBI agent (Ocean 11’s Don Cheadle) in order to track down a ruthless drug-smuggling ring. Trying to stay away from the traditional cop buddy film genre, writer/director John Michael McDonagh gives the film a bleak look while providing a wry sense of humor that borders on the abstract. The movie turns out to be funny and gloomy at the same time without coming off as a traditional dark comedy. The characters are very different from the norm which gives the talented cast much to chew on. If you are expecting Lethal Weapon, you’ll most likely be sorely disappointed, but if you are in the mood for a strange little dramedy with nice twists and unexpected dialog, you might find yourself having a good time. B+

Memphis
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Netflix
In 2010 the Broadway musical Memphis surprised the world by winning the Tony for Best Musical. This interracial love story set in 1950’s Memphis tells the story of a white DJ who was instrumental in introducing the white world to black music. The story feels like a hybrid of Ragtime and Hairspray but never quite achieves the power of either. Most of the music is good although there are a few stinkers in the songbook. The performances are all excellent except for that of the lead, played by Chad Kimball. I know he was nominated for a Tony for the role, but I found his performance to be one of the most irritating and overrated performances in recent memory. Still, I like the fact that more and more musicals are being released in this format and the fact that the show is still alive and well on Broadway and on tour proves that it has legs and is still capable of entertaining large audiences. B-

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Danny Minton — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:22:42 GMT

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Starring Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks
Directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot)
Rated PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images and language

    There is a moment in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close where the young boy played by Thomas Horn covers his ears and yells at his father, played by Tom Hanks, begging him to not be disappointed in him. It is a startling and rather tender moment that shatters any misconception that the boy is cold and unfeeling or anything besides strong, resilient, and a little obnoxious. Taking place in New York City shortly after the 9/11 attacks, the boy is learning to live without his father who was killed while in the World Trade Center. He worshipped his father and wants nothing more in life than to make him proud. When he finds a key hidden in his father’s closet he goes on a desperate mission to discover what the key opens, even at the expense of missing school and practically abandoning his mother (Sandra Bullock). Soon after he begins his search, his adventure is shared with an older man carrying an important secret (Max von Sydow) who is eager to aid him on his quest.

    I must warn you that this movie is a major tear jerker. Some might call it manipulative, but it’s not overly so. It’s just a subject matter that brings out a very strong emotional response. But don’t think that this is merely a sad film. It is about love and loss, but more importantly its about not giving up. Even when all seems lost, all might not be completely gone. It’s also very funny and incredibly moving.

    Based on the best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, the movie is a compassionate yet challenging look at what we as a nation lost on that “worst day.” Through the boy’s eyes we see a world that can be cruel, but that can also be filled with love, laughter and adventure.

    The acting here is absolutely top-notched. It helps to have accomplished actors such as Hanks, Bullock and von Sydow, but Horn appears to have been up to the challenge of working with such a talented cast. His character is that of a very different boy with possible high-functioning autism. It’s a tough part and he did a splendid job.

    The story and the script here are what make the film so special. To come up with such an amazing idea for the novel and then to have it terrifically adapted by Academy Award winner Eric Roth (Forest Gump) is an amazing feat which seems so effortless here.

    A lot of credit also goes to Stephen Daldry who has become quite a masterful story teller. He never shies away from tough material and seems to always churn out great movies.

    Lastly, unlike the other two big 9/11 films, I think it’s a movie that audiences can get behind. It’s a very unique tale that many will find a deep connection with. A

New in Home Entertainment - January 10, 2012

Danny Minton — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:24:38 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

January 10, 2012

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season
Rated TV-MA
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While HBO’s True Blood is certainly a popular replacement for their hit shows The Sopranos, Rome, Six Feet Under and Deadwood, HBO was in desperate need for another critical hit and it certainly found it in Boardwalk Empire. Set in the 1920’s in the very corrupt Atlantic City, New Jersey, Empire follows the life and times of Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) who takes advantage of prohibition in order get rich off of the illegal booze trade. As you expect, there are many folks who try to get in the way including his former protege Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) and the feds led by Agent Van Alden (Michael Shannon). From the lavish production design to the pitch perfect writing and acting, this is one heck of a great drama which proves once again that television is sometimes immensely more entertaining than the movies. A

Moneyball
Rated PG-13 for some strong language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While I can appreciate baseball, I’ve never really loved the sport, but one thing I do love is a good baseball movie and Moneyball certainly falls into that category. Loosely based on the true story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), Moneyball follows Beane during the historic 2002 season when he chose to use statistics rather than traditional scouting in order to assemble a ball team that could fall within his budget and win in the postseason. The movie works so well in its off-the-field moments that it almost doesn’t matter that the gameplay scenes rather stink. That is mostly due to the talent of Pitt as well as his by-the-numbers assistant played by Jonah Hill. The pic is a real crowd pleaser and should leave you with a big grin on your face. B+

Killer Elite
Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Supposedly based on a true story, Killer Elite follows a contract killer (Jason Statham) who is forced to do a complicated mission in order to save the life of his mentor (Robert De Niro). With a talented cast like this you would think there was a chance to be a strong action thriller. While Statham is his normal kick-butt self and his scenes are fun to watch simply due to his antics, the convoluted plot only makes for a good head-scratching and the writing is, for the most part, total crap. So if you are just looking for a rental with decent action, you’ll probably enjoy it, but if you are expecting something great from a great cast, you will most likely be disappointed. C

New in Home Entertainment - January 3, 2012

Danny Minton — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:55:19 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

January 3, 2012

Contagion
Rated PG-13 for disturbing content and some language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Director Stephen Soderbergh (Traffic) loves to assemble big casts of A-list actors and place them masterfully into ensemble films. Here he tells the story of a fictitious pandemic starting from the very first victim until its tragic end. Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Lawrence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet all combine forces to provide an idea of what could very well happen if a deadly contagious disease traveled the world today. It’s a grim tale well told and aside from the ending which was a bit too tidy, it’s a very solid film. Not only will it entertain you but it also provides a nice “what if” scenario that is extremely believable. B+

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
Rated R for violence and terror
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While this indie horror film about a young girl haunted by miniature monsters is sold as a Guillermo Del Toro film, don’t be fooled. Del Toro wrote the screenplay but the film was directed by first time feature director Troy Nixey and the lack of experience shows. The premise of the film isn’t bad, and the creatures are fairly creepy, but the movie is poorly directed and lacks any scares aside from the big one seen in the trailer. Perhaps if Del Toro would have taken on a larger role this film might have been a nice twisted macabre masterpiece, but instead it is a forgettable dud. C-

Mildred Pierce: The Collector’s Edition
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
HBO once again proves that they are the king of miniseries with this terrific adaption of the novel by James M. Cain about a divorced single mom (Kate Winslet) in Depression-era Los Angeles who struggles to maintain even a strained relationship with her daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). Directed by Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) the story is very different from the 1945 Joan Crawford classic and with its 344 minute running time it becomes more of an epic than a drama. The performances from Winslet and Guy Pearce are most definitely worthy of their Emmy wins and the overall production is a remarkable feet for HBO to have accomplished. A-

The Adventures of Tintin

Danny Minton — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:40:09 GMT

The Adventures of Tintin

Starring Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Rated PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking

    Based on the famous comic books by Herge′, this first of what are sure to be many adventures of the character Tintin finds the young detective Tintin on a dangerous quest to find the location of three secret scrolls, all of which are individually contained within the models of a ship called The Unicorn, that will eventually lead him to a great treasure. Along with his brave dog Snowy and the inebriated Captain Haddock, the team competes with the sinister Mr. Sakharine in the race to find the scrolls and the mystery behind them.

    If you are like me and very American, you will have probably never heard of Tintin. One of the reasons Spielberg opened the movie in Europe almost two months before the U.S. premiere is because Tintin is a national treasure there. While the movie is having a tough time coming out of the gate here, worldwide it has already grossed over a quarter billion dollars. But just because the character is not an icon here as it is there, don’t be surprised if he starts to makes some inroads.

    Americans love thrilling movies and this one is non-stop action and adventure. The journey starts almost as soon as the film begins and doesn’t let up until the credits. It’s like a 107 minute roller coaster that doesn’t make you sick.

    The film has several other admirable qualities, chief among them is the animation. Using motion capture, Spielberg has managed to create a breathtakingly beautiful world that you can’t take your eyes off of. So far the films that have utilized this technology form animation (i.e. Mars Needs Moms, Beowulf, The Polar Express) have had what many consider to be a creepy look. Tintin however has a brand new style that is mesmerizing. It’s so captivating that I had to watch the film twice in order to fully understand the plot simply because the look was distracting from the story. The story is fine, but the art takes over completely.

    The one thing that American audiences will find most troubling is the lack of character development. When you watch the Indiana Jones sequels you’ll notice a lack of character development simply because you are so familiar with the lead character, thanks to Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it’s okay to jump right into the action. Rather than go into a genesis story which would give you that same familiarity, Spielberg chose to jump right in under the assumption that most international audiences won’t need it. I think he hoped that American audiences would be sophisticated enough to go without as well. Would I have liked a genesis story? Absolutely, as will many of you. I’m probably not going to go back and read the comics just to have a better appreciation of the history of Tintin. This strategy in telling the tale might just hurt the chances of a humongous domestic box office, but I’m sure that is a risk they were willing to take, and so far it has paid off.

    Also of note is that this should have been a PG-13 movie. It doesn’t have any bad language or sex, but there is plenty of violence and drinking that will make parents of young children uncomfortable. Also, I don’t think young children will have an appreciation of anything more than the colors as the story is complicated and might be a little too hard to follow for them. B+

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Danny Minton — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:35:15 GMT

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Starring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Christopher Plummer
Directed by David Fincher (The Social Network)
Rated R for brutal violence including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity, and language

    Based on the best-selling novel by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, Girl tells the story of a Swedish magazine journalist (Craig) who goes on the search for a woman who has been missing for forty years. When his search becomes overly tedious, he acquires the help of a young but brilliant computer hacker with a huge set of personal issues (Mara). Together they find themselves on the verge of not only finding their missing woman, but uncovering a hidden secret that has plagued a northern Swedish town for decades.

    Before I dive into the obvious, I will admit that this new version of the huge best-seller is pretty darn good. It is a dark and frightening film that is a testament to what a film can be when you put a lot of money behind great source material and then hire the best director, writer and actors to build it.

    And now the elephant in the room: why did we need the film to begin with? In 2009 the first of the trilogy was released with another great director, writer and stellar cast. Sure it was in Swedish, and you had to read subtitles, but that didn’t seem to matter since the film ended up being a huge international success both financially and critically. Also, the lead actors both ended up as the stars of two other big competing holiday films (Michael Nyqvist in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Noomi Rapace in the new Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows). The film won many awards and made many critics’ top ten lists that year.

    And yet two years later the Americans decide they can best it. Well of course they can, but what’s the point? If the film wasn’t released in the US or had little recognition that would be one thing, but that simply isn’t the case. Did Fincher do a better job? Yes, but not that much better. Is Steven Zaillian’s script better written? Of course but both scripts relied heavily on the source material by Stieg Larsson. Are the actors better? Not hardly. They are better looking, that’s for sure, but both casts were fantastic. It’s one of those situations where you feel that instead of the filmmakers asking themselves if they could make a better movie, they needed to ask themselves if they should.

    Also, I think Columbia Pictures has been confused about this project for a while. They’ve done a poor job marketing it, partly because I don’t think they have a clue how to sell it to American audiences. They didn’t allow most critics groups to see the film before voting deadlines, which means they are only banking on possible Oscar nominations with no buzz leading up to it. And then you have the fact that they are releasing the film on an extremely crowded Christmas weekend which is a horrible date for a movie of this nature. Most Americans will go see a movie with their families over the holidays and I seriously doubt that audiences will choose a film about sexual violence over typical holiday fare like action and comedy.

    I’m sure many of you though haven’t seen the original and are asking yourselves if it is worth a go. At that point the answer is yes. This is a very good film, but be prepared for a disturbing drama. The original title of the book is “Men Who Hate Women.” Of course “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” has a nicer ring to it, but the actual Swedish title is a better descriptor. Sexual violence is not an easy subject matter to explore and that’s the theme of the entire film. A-

New in Home Entertainment - December 27, 2011

Danny Minton — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 02:34:15 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

December 27, 2011

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret: Series One
Available on DVD
In this ridiculously funny IFC original series, Todd Margaret (David Cross) is an inept American employee of a company run by an even more incompetent boss (Will Arnett) to become the new UK sales manager for a North Korean-made energy drink called Thunder Muscle. Addicted to lying and making bad choices, Margaret goes from one horribly uncomfortable situation to the next. While completely outlandish, the show is absolutely hilarious and a quick cure for those who miss British series such as The Office or Extras. B+

Apollo 18
Rated PG-13 for some disturbing sequences and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
While Apollo 17 was officially the last of the Apollo missions, the U.S. Department of Defense secretly launched one more and the footage from that voyage has been locked away, until now. While Blair Witch, Cloverfield and the Paranormal Activity franchise have made quite a splash with this “found footage” horror genre, Apollo 18 just doesn’t deliver the goods necessary to scare the daylights out of you. I think that the potential was there and there are some creepy moments with a nice mood throughout, but the fact is that I just wasn’t scared. I never once got a shiver in my spine. It doesn’t help that the characters are fairly boring and the acting isn’t the strongest. But more importantly, while the gimmick is interesting, the filmmakers couldn’t quite pull it off. C+

A Farewell to Arms (1932)
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This first film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s about a young ambulance driver who falls in love with a lovely nurse during WWI is finally getting a beautiful new release by Kino. While Hemingway was very vocal about how much he didn’t like this adaptation of his book, it walked away with two Oscars (cinematography and sound) and was nominated for two more (picture and art direction). It was also the film that put Gary Cooper on the map and made him the star he became. I’ll admit that the movie is a little corny and the chemistry isn’t the best between Cooper and Helen Hayes, but overall it’s a beautiful example of early filmmaking and this new release by Kino is exemplary. B-

The Borgias: The First Season
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Trying to capitalize on its hit show The Tudors, Showtime turned to Rome in the late 1400s as the Borgia family, billed here as the original crime family. Led by their patriarch, Rodrigo Borgia, brilliantly played by Jeremy Irons, the Borgia family manages to place Rodrigo as pope. As head of the Roman Catholic church he desperately commits every sin possible in order to retain his powerful position. While much creative license was taken in the storytelling, the writing and acting are solid and the deceit and lechery make it a very interesting show to watch. With a creator like Neil Jordan (The Crying Game), it’s no wonder these nine episodes are so enjoyable. B

The Best and Worst of 2011

Danny Minton — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:22:35 GMT

The Best and Worst of 2011

In 2010 my list was top-heavy with animated films. As a big fan of animation storytelling, I love it when a year has so many great examples of the art. Unfortunately 2011 wasn’t a good year for animation, and overall there were a lot of stinkers in theaters. While I did enjoy Arthur Christmas and had a fun time checking out The Adventures of Tintin, neither was close to the quality of How to Train Your Dragon, Toy Story 3 or Tangled.

This year had some great cinematic moments, including my top film of the year which I consider to be one of the best of the last decade. There was a lot of emotion this year, some terrific drama, and an immense amount of creativity and advancement of the cinematic art form. I was surprised to find that most of my favorites this year didn’t come out in December as is usual, but instead have been out for months and many are already available for you to watch at home.

As for the worst films? Why isn’t the new Twilight or Jack and Jill on there you might ask? That’s simple. I try not to watch bad films. I like to have at least the hope that I might like it if I’m to spend two hours or more watching it. All of these bad films actually held some potential at some point before I suffered through them.

The Best of 2011:

1) The Tree of Life. How do you even start to explore God’s complex relationship with mankind on film? Many artists have attempted to take on this task but none has ever done so as elegantly as Terrence Malick. The film has a dreamy, ethereal quality about it that asks more questions than provides answers, but it is all done in such a way as to bring comfort to the receptive soul watching it. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain turn in electrifying performances as the parents of three boys in 1950‘s Waco, Texas, but the film is bigger than the actors. While Pitt, Chastain and Sean Penn are the known stars of the film, they are really merely just the colors on the canvas being masterfully painted by Malick. Possibly the most polarizing film in many years (just as many folks hated it as loved it) but those that loved it, like myself, have a connection to the picture that is hard to explain. I was mesmerized and exhilarated by every minute. It’s the kind of theatrical experience I didn’t know was even possible.

2) Warrior. When Warrior was released in early September I was convinced that it would be a huge hit. Afterall, they took UFC fighting, a very popular sport, and created an emotional powerhouse of a story around it with a wallop of an ending that would have any grown man in tears. Watching the film land with a thud at the box office really hurt. I’m still convinced that the reason it isn’t getting the nominations from critics groups is that enough people still haven’t seen it. So now my hope is that when it is released this week on blu-ray and digital download that people will finally take a look. I feel this movie has the power to become the next Fight Club or Office Space if the word gets out. If there is one movie from this list that I insist you watch, Warrior is it.

3) Midnight in Paris. I will freely admit that seeing this film while flying to Paris last month added much to my enjoyment of it, but regardless, this is Woody Allen’s best film since Annie Hall. Allen’s story about a young writer living in Paris who is transported back to the 1920’s every night at midnight is absolutely magical. If you are one of those that just doesn’t like Allen due to personal feelings, you may be glad to know that he is only behind the camera here. But whether or not you love or hate him, it’s hard not to appreciate the genius of his work here. It’s hard to imagine this comedy not putting a big cheesy smile on your face. And just like Warrior, Midnight in Paris comes out this week on DVD and blu-ray.

4) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of this film yet as it won’t be released until late January, but let’s just say you’ll have a pleasant surprise in about a month. As you can probably imagine, making a movie about the events of September 11 without creating an aura of depression would be a difficult task. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are the parents of a uniquely strange nine-year-old who is doesn’t know how to cope with the fact that his father has been killed in the terrorist attacks. When he finds a key belonging to his father he starts off on a journey to discover whatever it may be his dad left him to find. This movie is not completely without tears (you may in fact need a large pocket stuffed with tissues) but the story is as powerful as it gets and the performances are incredibly moving.

5) The Help. Making a movie about the 60’s civil rights movement that is as funny as it is sobering is quite an accomplished task. Relative new-comer Tate Taylor wrote and directed this adaptation of the best-selling novel by Kathryn Stockett and the risk by Disney and DreamWorks has paid off big time with its $200 million haul. More than that though, they made a movie to be proud of with one of the best ensemble casts seen this year.

6) 50/50. Before going to see this I was certain that I would leave the theater imitating David Spade by saying “I liked it better the first time I saw it when it was called Funny People.” Needless to say I was wrong. Yes, Seth Rogen again plays the friend of a cancer victim who is given a horrible prognosis, but the script here is so much stronger and strangely hilarious. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is terrific in the role of the young man with terminal cancer and Anna Kendrick once again redeems herself after putting us through so many bad Twilight films. The big star here though is writer Will Reiser and his very brave script based on his own life and his relationship with his friend Seth Rogen.

7) The Artist. I’m sure most of you are very skeptical about all of these critics talking so highly about a French black and white silent film. I was too until I sat down to watch it. The film tells the story of a silent movie star, played brilliantly here by Jean Dujardin, who becomes obsolete once the talkies hit the scene. Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius has created a very original and lovely film that will entertain anybody willing to give it a chance.

8) Hugo. So much money was wasted this year on completely crappy 3D versions of movies. In fact, many audiences have shunned the technology and have opted to both save money and have a more enjoyable time by not sitting through the lame effects studios have thrown down in the hopes of a bigger return. Fortunately there are still films like Hugo which uses 3D the way it should be used: to greatly enhance the storytelling. Director Martin Scorsese has done a tremendous job of creating an innovative family film about a young orphan in 1930’s Paris who finds himself struggling to not get sent to an orphanage by secretly living behind the walls of a train station. When the boy’s secret is discovered, so is his journey which his father led him to before he died. Hugo is simply a fun and beautiful adventure which perfectly utilizes the much-abused 3D technology.

9) Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Aside from the ridiculous “damn dirty ape” comment by Draco Malfoy at the beginning of the third act, this wildly creative film that sets up the iconic but silly franchise is anything but just another Planet of the Apes film. Every few years a film comes along that breaks new ground technologically, but in order to give that film credibility, a great story has to take place, and Rise does just that.

10) The Descendants. I love Alexander Payne films and The Descendants falls right in line with his other superb work such as Sideways and About Schmidt. The very understated performance by George Clooney as a husband and father who finds out his wife, who is in a coma, has been cheating on him, will no doubt place him once again as an Oscar front-runner.

Honorable Mention: A Separation, The Adventures of Tintin, Arthur Christmas, Beginners, Bridesmaids, Buck, Life in a Day, The Elephant in the Living Room, Horrible Bosses, Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, Moneyball, The Muppets, My Week With Marilyn, Project Nim, Shame, Take Shelter

The Worst of 2011:

1) Your Highness. Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman teams up with Oscar-nominee James Franco and Danny McBride for the most disappointing film of the year. The only excuse I can think of for this waste of space is that they were all too stoned to practice good judgment.

2) The Change-Up. The good idea was there, the perfect cast was assembled, but the atrocious script ultimately ruined any chance of laughter.

3) Sucker Punch. Okay Zack Snyder, I’ll admit 300 was pretty cool and Watchmen was interesting, but Sucker Punch? You’ve gone too far dude. There’s no excuse for this mess of a film. And don’t try crying about how the studio made you trim it up too much. I saw your director’s cut and it sucked just as bad.

4) Arthur. Let’s take a movie that wasn’t very good to begin with and remake it with a wannabe movie star who likes to act drunk all of the time in real life. Sound like a good idea? I thought not.

5) The Hangover Part II. Second verse, same as the first. If I wanted to see the first movie again, I would have simply watched it again. I really want to like these guys but I feel a bit deceived.

New in Home Entertainment - December 13, 2011

Danny Minton — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:25:57 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

December 13, 2011

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Rated PG-13 for intense and frightening sequences of action and violence
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The Planet of the Apes franchise has always been known to be an iconic, yet also cheesy collection of movies meant for pure silly, almost b-movie entertainment. That is until this newest entry. Rise of the Planet of the Apes does serve as a prequel to the rest of the films, but also tells a terrific story which gives some credibility to them as well, as strange as that sounds. There are no men in ape suits here, but rather wonderfully created CGI apes, with Andy Serkis leading the fray as Caesar, a genetically-altered chimpanzee taken from his mother at a pharmaceutical company while still a baby, and raised by James Franco in a real home environment. When an event forces Caesar into an ape sanctuary, Caesar’s intelligence changes the course of Earth’s future. With mind-blowing special effects, an ambitious story, and loads of action and emotion, this new addition to the series rises above them all and is one of the surprise highlights of 2011. A-

Kung Fu Panda 2
Rated PG for sequences of martial arts action and mild language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Jack Black is back in this sequel to the hit animated film about a panda that saves the day with his Kung Fu. In this new pic, Po the panda must lead his team of martial artists to fight the sinister peacock Shen. The first film was a nice surprise since I expected it to be a pretty corny kids film and it ended up being a rather entertaining adventure. Unfortunately, this new release just doesn’t have the creativity or energy of the first and runs out of steam rather quickly. The animation is good enough and there are a few laughs to be found, but it feels like a movie put together too fast in order to capitalize on the tremendous success of its predecessor. C+

Vietnam in HD
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
With its highly praised WWII in HD, the History Channel has tackled Vietnam in the same manor with this new six-hour mini-series. Using hours of never-before-seen footage along with accounts of real soldiers, told by the soldiers themselves in combination with a cast of famous Hollywood actors, Vietnam in HD succeeds in not only giving a nice history lesson, but also puts a rarely seen human face on the war. Some might complain that the documentary doesn’t go into enough detail, but for most the detail is perfect and the images will stick with you long after its over. Just as in WWII in HD, this new look at Vietnam should appeal to both history buffs and to those that simply want a little better understanding of our country’s tumultuous history. A

The Life & Times of Tim: The Complete Second Season
Available on DVD
While it’s not one of HBO’s hit shows, The Life & Times of Tim is an edgy and entertaining animated sitcom that is full of rude humor and unexpected chuckles. If you thought the first season was outrageous, this new one is better. The writers and voice actors are obviously more comfortable with the material, as is evident from the fast-paced laughs. As a former drug rep myself, I found the episode “Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Gone Wild” to be the highlight of the very entertaining series. B+

Happy Feet Two

Danny Minton — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:39:48 GMT

Happy Feet Two

Starring the voices of Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Pink, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon
Directed by George Miller (Mad Max)
Rated PG for some rude humor and mild peril

    Taking place a generation after the events of the first film, Happy Feet Two follows the lives Mumble, Gloria and their new son Erik. Under pressure from his parents to either dance or sing, Erik is confused as to what his talent really is and searches throughout the film to find it. When global warming causes the colony of penguins to become trapped by mountains of ice, Mumble must find a way to rescue them before they starve to death.

    When Happy Feet hit theaters in 2006 I was shocked at how much I loved it. I expected a mediocre to bad experience and was treated to one of my favorite films of that year. The music was fantastic, the animation was gorgeous and the direction was inspired. So armed with a bigger budget and five years worth of animation advancement, I figured the sequel could have real potential. With expectations high, its sometimes hard to live up to them, and in this case they definitely weren’t lived up to.

    I’ll start off by admitting that they didn’t screw it all up. This one, just like the first, has a unique look to it that is simply beautiful. What could have been just a black and white film is full of vibrant colors that leap off the screen. And George Miller has an eye for animation direction that I believe is unrivaled in the industry. How to Train Your Dragon came close in regard to direction, but you could tell that there was a lot of inspiration from Miller. That being said, his story telling here isn’t nearly as good thanks to an unimaginative script that steals heavily from Disney’s Dinosaur.

    To make matters worse, the music here is just plain flat. There is an occasional laugh from a clever lyric such as “I’m Bringing Slushy Back,” but overall the music sounds like the B-sides from the first film.

    The big saving grace for the pic lies in the introduction of Will and Bill the Krill voiced by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Leaving their swarm, they attempt to fight their way up the food chain at any cost. Their dialogue is incredibly witty and their antics are extremely fun to watch. They are most definitely the high point of the film.

    Five years ago I had an image in my mind of what the first Happy Feet would be like before I saw it, and that image was the sequel. B-

New in Home Entertainment - December 6, 2011

Danny Minton — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:23:30 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

December 6, 2011

The Help
Rated PG-13 for thematic material
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This year it was hard to find a room full of people where half hadn’t read Kathryn Stockett’s best selling novel The Help. And when they discuss the book, they almost always compare it with the film and how they got it right. Having not read the book going in, I was more than pleasantly surprised by this story of social injustice that takes place during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. The stories of the workers are profoundly moving and it is a blessing that much progress has been made in the last fifty years. While Emma Stone is essentially the glue that holds the group of women together, it’s Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jessica Chastain that all provide Oscar-worthy performances. I can’t imagine anyone not loving this wonderfully entertaining drama. A

Big Love: The Complete Fifth Season
Available on DVD
HBO’s hit series about a Mormon Fundamentalist that practices polygamy came to the spotlight this past year when a major raid upon a compound revealed the scary truths the show portrays. I think we all knew after watching season four that it would be a bad idea for Bill (Bill Paxton) to come out as a polygamist once he won the Senate seat, but to what degree would be interesting to watch. In this fifth and final season, HBO did a great job of putting this show to rest. The writing is strong and the acting equally as powerful. While I won’t miss the discomfort I get from watching it, I will miss the originality and the superb drama. Also available in time for the holidays is a beautiful boxed set containing the entire series. B+

The Hangover Part II
Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After one of the funniest and most original comedies of the past decade, you would expect a fairly decent follow-up for the sequel. While this should have been the case for the second installment of The Hangover, it unfortunately wasn’t. I realize it would be difficult to duplicate the originality of the first, but it appears that they didn’t even try. They just basically took the same plot and moved it to Thailand. And then when they threw Mike Tyson in the mix in the end to sing a song, it was almost like they were making fun of the audience for spending over a half a billion dollars to go see it. I laughed a few times in spite of its problems, but overall I couldn’t help but thinking what a waste. C-

The Smurfs in 3D
Rated PG for some mild rude humor and action
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
While not nearly as clever or well-written as The Muppets, The Smurfs does provide a nice trip down nostalgia lane without all of the annoyances an Alvin and the Chipmunks. I like that they had the foresight to use such a cool iconic figure as Neil Patrick Harris in the lead, but I really wish there was a better story here. It has obviously made most audiences happy in spite of poor reviews (it hit a world-wide gross of $560 million) and will no doubt be stuffed in many stockings this holiday. If you do have a 3D television, the effects here are pretty decent. Also, you should check out the Smurf-O-Vision feature when you watch it. Sony has taken a cue from Warner Brothers and they are starting to really take advantage of the the blu-ray format and what is capable of. C+

The Debt
Rated R for some violence and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
In 1966, an elite group of Mossad secret agents is sent to Berlin to track down and bring in a wanted Nazi war criminal. Decades later, the three spies are confronted with the events of that mission, and the new task at hand. The Debt is exactly what you want a spy thriller to be: exciting, sexy and smart. The plot is complex without being confusing and the actors who play both the young and old spies do a bang-up job. Jessica Chastain (who was also excellent in The Help) is a perfect counterpart to her older self played by Helen Mirren. B+

New in Home Entertainment - November 29, 2011

Danny Minton — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:29:40 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

November 29, 2011

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Rated R for bloody horror violence, language and brief nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Tucker and Dale are just two nice-as-can-be country boys who are excited to be staying in their new vacation home/cabin in the woods when a group of teenagers mistake them for serial killers. Comically, the teens find innovative ways of accidentally killing themselves as they try to take out poor Tucker and Dale. Sure its a one-joke movie, but its a really funny joke that is told really, really well. Tyler Labine (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and Alan Tudyk (Serenity) are each very talented character actors who provide strong enough performances to make what could have been a bad B-movie a respectable little indie comedy. B+

Rushmore: The Criterion Collection
Rated R for language and brief nudity
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
It is with great joy that Rushmore has finally made the blu-ray plunge in grand fashion with this new Criterion edition. For the longest time, whenever I’ve pulled this title out to watch, I’ve had to suffer from lousy quality with a full black box around the picture and horrible sound. Criterion’s treatment here fixes all of that with as beautiful of a picture and soundtrack as you can imagine. Wes Anderson’s glorious coming of age tale starring Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray is as funny and poignant now as it was in 1998. And since it was filmed in and around Houston, there is a special attraction to the film. I wish they would have coughed up a few more special features than what appeared on the original DVD, but at least everything has been updated in the sight and sound department. A

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Rated G
Available on DVD and Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D
Famed director Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man) was offered a unique chance to take a small crew into the Chauvet caves of Southern France in order to capture the oldest cave paintings ever discovered. Discovered in 1994 in pristine condition, the paintings themselves are fascinating and a rare look at humanity’s oldest-known art. I don’t discount the fact that this is important stuff. I just wish it wasn’t so boring. I wanted to like the movie, but I just didn’t find it compelling. Maybe if Herzog had covered more material than just what was found in the cave, the movie might have been something I could recommend. But while loads of folks really loved the movie, making it a relatively successful documentary while in theaters, I unfortunately found it to be nothing more than an overly long and tedious documentary that made me feel a tinge of guilt for not fully appreciating its apparent significance. C+

Farscape: The Complete Series
Available on Blu-ray
Fans of this whacky SyFy Channel series will be glad to see its newest blu-ray release. While I was never really into the show, I have to admit that the material is fun just because it seems so custom-tailored for sci-fi geeks. This is the kind of show that your childhood friend who spoke more Klingon than Spanish was into. The question that many will be asking is whether or not to upgrade. The show itself was shot and aired in 4:3 until the last season, so you won’t be seeing additional widescreen here unless you manipulate the picture. Also, because it was a SyFy on a budget, you won’t be seeing a pristine 1080p picture as the original print is in much lower resolution, so many will find it to not be worth upgrading if they already own all of the DVDs. Then again, if you have been holding out, this will most likely be the definitive edition of the show and should make you happy if you are the targeted audience. B

The Birth of a Nation
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Largely considered one of the most controversial films of all time, D.W. Griffith’s monumental 1915 film about the Civil War and violent racism in America has been newly mastered in HD from its original 35mm elements. In other words, you will most likely never see a better looking print of this film. But while it was included as # 44 in the American Film Institute’s greatest American films list, this is definitely not a movie for the masses. This is also not an entertaining film, but rather an eye-opening vision of some of the ugliness America has endured. A-

J. Edgar

Danny Minton — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 03:50:35 GMT

J. Edgar
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Armie Hammer and Judi Dench
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Rated R for brief strong language

   As the creator of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover was known as one of the most feared and hated men in America for almost 50 years. While some feel that he spent years abusing the powers he was given, it is his private life that many have found to be most interesting. This new biopic by Clint Eastwood explores both the public and private world of one of American history’s most intriguing characters.

   I have to admit that I didn’t know a whole lot about J. Edgar before this film. We had read a little about him in history in as much as to obtain the knowledge of “who created the FBI?” I do remember my teacher discussing that he used to dress in women's’ clothing but knew nothing more than a single fact and a rumor. I only say this because I have no idea how accurate the film is. Part of me trusts Clint Eastwood to create as factual a biopic as he is capable of. That being said, if this is a true story, it’s a fascinating one. The movie portrays Hoover as a man of pure ambition professionally and total confusion personally. A man who knows what is acceptable to the world and how to get ahead in it, but who also must hide his homosexuality from it. He makes a living of gathering secret and damaging information on the country’s leaders while at the same time hiding his true identity and damning secret from those that would persecute him. In this regard I found the character study to be intriguing.

   The acting here is inconsistent. Actors of DiCaprio’s and Dench’s talents do well under the fast paced directing style of Eastwood, but Hammer, Watts, and other members of the cast come off as players who would have liked another take.

   As for the production, there were also many inconsistencies. I was pleased at how good the makeup looked on DiCaprio as the older Hoover (I actually thought it was Phillip Seymour Hoffman at first sight) and how poor it appeared on Hammer who looked like he was wearing a bad Halloween costume.

   I was also disappointed in Eastwood’s minimalist score which played like cocktail lounge music throughout. Clint is a talented composer, but this film needed a much better score than it received. I would bet that hiring Alexandre Desplat, a composer who is much more adept at expressing emotion in softer films, could have improved the experience immensely.

   Overall, I liked the idea of this movie quite a bit, but I was distracted by the execution. There was a lot of potential for a masterpiece, but that promise was not delivered. C+

New in Home Entertainment - November 8, 2011

Danny Minton — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:33:40 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

November 8, 2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
The final episode of the Harry Potter franchise was a momentous occasion this past year, not just because it was the last of eight films, but because they ended on such a strong note. Unlike the Twilight films, the Potter series has been overall a run of decent adaptations that have been well-liked by both fans and critics. And while the Prisoner of Azkaban had remained my favorite in the series to date, Deathly Hallows part two has become my new fave. Masterfully directed by David Yates, the film maintains the fast pace left by the previous installment and yet retains most of the great storytelling of the book by J.K. Rowling. And if you have blu-ray you are in for a real treat as the special features are a must see. If you’ve already seen the film once or twice (or more if you are a big fan) check out the pic in Maximum Movie Mode for an enhanced experience. A-

The Change-Up
Rated R for pervasive strong crude sexual content and language, some graphic nudity and drug use
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
I’ve always liked Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, but I sometimes question their judgment in the films they make. I’m sure the idea of this film was appealing, but the execution was tremendously flawed. From the opening scene where Bateman is shot in the face by his child’s excrement to the perverse sexual antics of Reynolds, this film takes an unoriginal but funny concept and gives us the worst possible results. Perhaps it would be more entertaining if Ryan Reynolds were actually into the beautiful women he appears with on the posters, but instead he resorts to tasteless sexual experiences that might force you to lose some of the dinner you just ate. There were so many directions this film could have been taken in that would have made it not just tolerable but perhaps a decent comedy as well. Unfortunately, the creative minds involved went down the wrong path giving us a poorly written mess of a film with a lot of wasted talent involved. D

Tabloid
Rated R for sexual content and nudity
Available on DVD
Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris (Fog of War) has always found a way of telling unusual stories in a fun and exciting way. Tabloid is no exception as he follows the adventures of Joyce McKinney, a former beauty queen who was made famous in the 70’s for going to London, kidnapping the man of her dreams, and forcing him to have sex with her until he was rescued by the Mormon church. It is such a whacky story that it is hardly to be believed, but Morris does an exceptional job of tracking down all of the different angles in a truly entertaining manner that will having you shaking your head in amazement. It’s not the best of Morris’s work, but it is still a very good example of what he is capable of. A-

Band of Brothers/The Pacific Special Edition Gift Set
Available on Blu-ray
Few will argue that HBO’s two miniseries, Band of Brothers and The Pacific, contain some of the best storytelling surrounding WWII. Producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have put together what many consider to be their legacy and this gift set embodies it perfectly. Not only does it contain both series beautifully packaged with previously released special features, but it also adds in a never-before-seen documentary featuring surviving veterans of Easy Company and the 1st Marine Division whose stories are told during the course of the two spectacular miniseries. A

New in Home Entertainment - November 1, 2011

Danny Minton — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:35:48 GMT

New in Home Entertainment

November 1, 2011

Water for Elephants
Rated PG-13 for moments of intense violence and sexual content
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
After falling in love with the novel by Sara Gruen, I so badly wanted this romance that takes place in a depression-era circus to be legendary, but instead we merely got a good but forgettable love story. The male part of the love triangle was well acted by Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz but Reese Witherspoon was royally upstaged by her female co-lead Rosie the Elephant. It’s not that Reese was bad, but she was severely miscast in the role. Still, the film was well-produced with some marvelous cinematography and a lovely score by James Newton Howard. B+

Crazy Stupid Love
Rated PG-13 for coarse humor, sexual content and language
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
This romantic comedy about love, loss and pain comes on strong with a terrific first and second act, only to be brought down several notches by its ridiculous third. Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone put on a great show for most of the film but writer Dan Fogelman (Tangled) ran completely out of creative steam towards the end leaving the film with much more of a Hollywood feel than the movie deserves. Due to the nature of the subject matter, I wouldn’t recommend it as a date movie, but it should play well as a movie that the girls will enjoy thoroughly with a bottle of wine and no men in the house. B-

An Invisible Sign
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and some disturbing images
Available on DVD and Blu-ray
Watching this trailer, I was really looking forward to what looked like a quirky and fun cross between Amelie and Stranger than Fiction starring Jessica Alba. But rather than the entertaining and creative experience I was hoping for, I ended up with a miserable ninety minutes that I wish I could have back. The film is not light at all, but rather a heavy mess that is not in the least enjoyable. D-

Cars 2
Rated G
Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D
Critics enjoyed piling on to this latest Pixar release, but I simply can’t join the fray. Cars 2 might be the least of the Pixar films, but when you are comparing to such perfection, that is not exactly fair. This sequel, which follows Lightening McQueen (Owen Wilson) and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) in a game of international espionage, is creative, funny and stunning to look at. Where it does fall short is in the script department. It’s not a bad script but not quite up to the standards of Pixar. Pixar films are known for being spectacular four-quadrant films. They are usually equally loved by males, females, young and old. Here the adults have dismissed, while the kids seemed to have loved it. The $549 million worldwide take in spite of poor reviews proves this point. If you have a 3D television, the 3D is a step up for Pixar and really brings the film to vibrant life. Also hitting stores this week are the 3D versions of the recently re-released Toy Story films. B+