Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 16th, 2012
Somehow, I should have known that when my wife started to read the Twilight Series, I would eventually get dragged into watching the movies. The first one, I probably saw three times, the second one, only once. The interesting thing was that my wife was turned off by the movies and I am not sure I remember how the third one ended up. But low and behold, the fourth chapter of the series did not escape my grasp. Not because of my wife, but because of my webmaster knowing I am a glutton for punishment. Enter Breaking Dawn.
Remember kids, this is part one. The new thing in this day and age is if you are adapting a book to film and really want to place emphasis on that last book, you release it in parts. This is two fold, one there is usually a lot of information that needs to get onto screen (since books are more detailed than movies) and two, everybody involved wants to milk the cash cow at least one more time than they would normally be allowed. This only works by the way if the movie is ultra successful. See Harry Potter, and now of course Twilight.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on February 15th, 2012
Mexico's most powerful crime lord, Julian Perez, wishes to redeem himself in his mother's eyes. Her wish is for him to find his estranged younger brother and return him home to Mexico. Julian agrees before knowing that his brother has been taken hostage while he was serving with the US Army in Iraq. A misfit team of mercenary types are assembled to infiltrate Iraq and fulfill Julian's vow to his mother.
The characters in this film all look like caricatures of 1970s cop movie characters merged with hipster cowboys. Obviously a team of warriors that look this unusual could only exist in a comedy. And indeed, this film is billed as an action-packed comedy. Though I fear that much of the more subtle humour is lost in translation for me as I found most of gags existed in the aforementioned costuming of the characters. Then again, not all was lost on me. Some of the gags, both physical and verbal, were effective. In fact, I am particularly partial to the reoccurring joke about their chosen war cry of “Tomatoes!”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 15th, 2012
Back when I reviewed the original Blu-ray/DVD combo release, I said that those wanting special features should wait for the inevitable double-dip. Well, here it is, and so loaded with features that they get a Blu-ray to themselves.
Following the events of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Autobots are working hand-in-mechanical-glove with human authorities (in other words, the apparently all-powerful CIA), keeping close watch for Deception activity, but also helping out in human-on-human conflicts. Meanwhile, Shia LaBeouf has traded in improbably hot girlfriend Megan Fox for the equally improbable Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (an improbability that the script does have some fun with). He is also out of work and dismayed at not being given due consideration as a saviour of the planet.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 14th, 2012
It really does seem like certain movies are created for the sole purpose of winning a boatload of Oscars. I don't really have a problem with this: I'd personally rather see studios and filmmakers make a shameless grab for prestige than make no attempt at all and revert to their de facto sequel/prequel/reboot mode. The problem is — despite that one clueless, rude person who insists on taking phone calls and texting during the feature presentation, and is somehow always seated directly in front of or behind you — movie-going audiences are more sophisticated than ever. More specifically, moviegoers are hipper to the way movies are sold and presented.
As a result, we usually end up resenting and rejecting these Oscar catnip offerings because who the hell is anyone to tell us what the best movies of the year are going to be before we even see them?! (Please observe a moment of silence for the Oscar prospects of Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar.)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 14th, 2012
Catholic priests are used to hearing confessions, but for one particular pastor in Chicago, the usual confessions about using the Lord's name in vain or stealing a couple of paperclips from the office just weren't exciting enough. Father Dowling loved reading mystery books, and it appears to have sharpened his own powers of observation and deduction. As luck would have it, crimes and mysteries would simply fall into his lap. With the help of Sister Stephanie, better known as Sister Steve, he would step away from his pastoral duties to track down clues that were elusive to the Chicago Police Department. You might just say he was the answer to their prayers. All the while he would attempt to keep the financially strapped Saint Michael's parish on solid footing.
Tom Bosley was the perfect choice to play the lead character here. America had already adopted him as the television father of an entire generation with his role as Ritchie Cunningham's father on the hit series Happy Days. He has a quiet and soothing demeanor that is quite suited to a man of the cloth. He had such a gentle way about him that he actually reminded me somewhat of my own childhood pastor and friend. The cast also included the granddaughter of famed 1950's television couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and the daughter of their teen idol singer son Ricky Nelson. Tracy Nelson adds the more manic pep counterpoint to Bosley's more easygoing nature. Sister Steve was once a street-wise juvenile delinquent until Father Dowling turned her life around and she became a nun. She was often found rushing headlong into dangerous situations and appeared to be able to score jobs at crucial businesses without any effort or interview. The Father and Sister persona also allowed them to gain the trust of those holding information they might need. Like Columbo, they made a career out of being underestimated.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 14th, 2012
"Millions of people around the world believe we have been visited in the past by extraterrestrial beings. What if it were true? Did ancient aliens really help to shape our history? And if so, what if there were clues left behind, something hiding in plain sight? What if we could find that evidence?"
Ever since Eric von Daniken released his speculative book and its subsequent 1970 film Chariots of the Gods, there has been an entire field of study created around something commonly called Ancient Astronaut Theory. The idea is that extraterrestrials have visited many of our ancient civilizations. The theory continues that these visitors had a hand in shaping our development, whether it be through technology or even manipulation of our very DNA. These believers point to a world of evidence to support their claims. There are tons of images from earlier civilizations that could certainly be interpreted as depicting modern devices, concepts, or even space men. There is plenty of speculation that some of the knowledge and accomplishments of these peoples could not have been possible without some outside interference. There are even those who believe that aliens best explain our religious beliefs and that God himself was/is an extraterrestrial being. Whatever your own beliefs on the subject, there are certainly some fascinating points to be made. There is no question that the speculations and observations bring up some interesting queries that deserve our attention. This series attempts to document much of this evidence and the beliefs these findings have inspired.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on February 12th, 2012
It followed Annie Hall by two years, once again reshaping the mass market’s notion of serio-comic romance. With its bittersweet plotting and cynical one-liners, Woody Allen’s Manhattan was an even bigger commercial success than its Oscar-winning predecessor. Its current incarnation on Blu-Ray offers the best chance yet to revisit its eccentric brilliance.
With spectacular picture-postcard compositions (shot by the great Gordon Willis), spine-tingling George Gershwin orchestrations, and a plot line that would freak out most parents with teenagers, Manhattan is as unlikely a hit as any Allen work. Indeed, the filmmaker himself was reportedly unhappy with the final product. We have no idea why, and you won’t get any hints on the new disc. As usual with the Wood-man’s videos, there are no extras beyond a theatrical trailer. So the film must speak for itself, and it does so most eloquently.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on February 12th, 2012
People — especially nerds like me, who have been writing about movies for years — often complain about the predictability and clichés that seem to be permanently embedded in certain types of movies. However, the not-so-dirty little secret is that we enjoy wrapping ourselves up in that comfortable blanket of familiarity more often than we'd like to admit. Horror movies and romantic comedies are certainly among the most notorious offenders, but I'd make the case that sports movies belong at the top of the list.
Consider Moneyball: some consider the Oscar-nominated drama a traditional "sports movie" by only the loosest definition, but even that film was beholden to certain recognizable beats. For example, there needed to be a "Big Game" toward the end of the movie, even though we're talking about a team that lost in the first round of the playoffs and their dramatic victory was winning their 20th regular season game in row. (Not exactly the highest dramatic stakes.)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on February 10th, 2012
This April will mark 35 years since Woody Allen emerged as a world-class comic filmmaker. Although Annie Hall was his seventh feature (if you include the voice-over spy-spoof What’s Up, Tiger Lily?, which you certainly should), and although Allen already had a sizable group of admirers (including this longtime fan), his 1977 mainstream smash gave him commercial clout and a little something called the Best Picture Academy Award.
What kind of movie wins major awards, earns big box-office, and puts its writer-director-star in position to make a feature a year for the next 35 years? Here’s the catch: You can’t cram this gem into one easy category. Sure, it’s essentially a romantic comedy, and you can call it that without getting huge arguments. But the story of neurotic, selfish comedian Alvy Singer (Allen, of course) and his up-and-down affair with equally neurotic, selfish Midwesterner Annie Hall (Diane Keaton in a bravura, signature performance), is much more than your basic boy-girl three-act love story.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on February 8th, 2012
First was the play, then came the film, and now we're 140 episodes deep in Meet The Browns sitcom. Like a lot of Tyler Perry projects, the family dynamic can be a bit bamboozling at times. So...it's an elderly man living with his daughter and his niece and her husband and their adopted kids, with regular appearances by his neighbour who is also Aunt to...oh heck, let's just get on with the review...
My mind immediately wanted to draw comparisons between this and another Tyler Perry sitcom, House of Payne (a volume of which I have panned on this very site: https://upcomingdiscs.com/2011/07/23/house-of-payne-volume-8/). To my relief, this show is nowhere near as stereotype ridden nor aggravating as “Payne.” That being said, this is, by no means, a great comedy. The stories are rehashed (the season opener even uses the heavily treaded Flintstones gimmick of having someone become a new man after being bashed on the head), the character dynamics confusing (one of the adopted children looks nothing like his “family” and is interacted with so little at times that I thought his character might have been a ghost living in the house), and the laughter often only comes when they resort to some sort of slapstick when a punchline couldn't be conjured up.
