Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on March 25th, 2020
It’s hard to believe as a cinephile that Terrence Malick isn’t a more celebrated director. Sure, he has his fans, but his films virtually never translate to box office success, which is a bit of a shame. His past few films have managed to sneak into movie houses and disappear with little to no fanfare. Honestly, I was a bit surprised to realize how many films Malick has managed to release since the release of The Tree of Life. I understand how most will look at his films and say they are “pretentious” or even “boring”. To be fair, his films are not for everyone, but the one thing I think anyone can take away from his films is that they are each visually stunning. Malick doesn’t simply make your typical tent pole adventure film. Instead they all have a tendency to be contemplative and have a more spiritual or philosophical message. When it comes to A Hidden Life, he delivers just that, and while I’d consider labeling this one of his better films, its nearly-three-hour running time has this film feeling as though it’s overstayed its welcome.
A Hidden Life follows Franz Jagerstatter (August Diehl), an Austrian farmer who is called upon to fight with the Nazis in World War 2. We get to go along with Franz as he goes into training to be a soldier, but quickly we see how he wants to be no part of it; he’d rather be back at home on his farm with his wife and three kids. It doesn’t take long at all to get that Franz is a good guy who holds firmly to his beliefs, but is he willing to make the sacrifice of remaining true to himself and his nature by continuing to refuse to fight and not pledge loyalty to Hitler? Franz understands the consequences of his actions, and the film follows Franz and his family as it stretches over four years till he is finally faced with the ultimate decision of life or death. The plot is so simple, but Malick isn’t trying to tell a compelling story but rather film the experience of making such a difficult decision. We see the pain and turmoil that Franz and his family endures over the years, from Franz and his physical and emotional confrontations with Nazi officers at the prison, to the struggles Fani (Valerie Pachner) encounters at the farmhouse.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 19th, 2020
"There's a bomb in Centennial Park. You have thirty minutes."
Clint Eastwood is about to hit 90, and there are no signs that it's slowing him down. Last year he even returned to the front of the camera for The Mule. Now he's back as just the director, and it appears that Eastwood has found two of his favorite subjects in one film. He's always been attracted to the isolated man. If you look back at the men he himself has portrayed over the years, they were misunderstood loners. In recent years he has taken a bit of a shine to telling true stories that usually deal with unlikely heroes who are thrust into a dangerous situation and must act. Heroes like Chris Kyle in American Sniper, airline captain Chesley Sullenberger, the WWII heroes who raised the iconic flag at Iwo Jima in Flags Of Our Fathers, and the brave ordinary tourist who stopped a terrorist attack on a passenger train in The 15:17 To Paris. These heroes always pay a price for their actions, and often they are even persecuted for what they've done, as in the case of Sully. Eastwood has combined that true story and unlikely hero for his latest work, Richard Jewell. It's a cautionary tale that is worth watching, particularly in an age where we are constantly told that if we see something, we must say something. After watching Richard Jewell, you might just experience a potentially catastrophic hesitation. And who could blame you?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2020
"Who are we if we can't protect them? We have to protect them."
As I write this there's a truly "Zombie Apocalypse" attitude going on around the world. With the launch of A Quiet Place II delayed because of health panic this might just be the time to "quarantine" yourself in your home theatre and watch the film again on UHD Blu-ray in 4K. There's nothing different about this release except for the steelbook format and different cover art. The discs provided are exactly the same discs you already have if you own the previous 4K release. It makes a nice collector's item as you wait for the eventual follow-up, which I hope will be very soon. You might call me jaded, but I am pretty disappointed by the state of horror movies. It's not just the last few years. The truth is I haven't seen 10 really good horror movies in over a decade. Now that I've had a chance to see A Quiet Place, that number isn't going up. A Quiet Place is not a really good horror movie. It ends up making a lot of the same mistakes that filmmakers think define a horror film in the modern age. It relies too heavily on jump scares and characters who do some of the most idiotic things, thus placing them in a somewhat self-created dangerous situation. But I will make the argument that A Quiet Place is still a pretty good horror film because of a rather clever and unique concept and a filming process that allows us care for these characters more than the usual horror film red-shirt fodder that too often leaves me rooting for the monster in a Darwin-like weed-out-the-gene-pool kind of way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 13th, 2020
“You are in the presence of angels.”
After recently reviewing Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, it only seems fitting that I am returning to you in order to give you the scoop about the most recent installment of the franchise. It is in fact an installment into the franchise, as it exists in the same universe as the television series, as well as the two films that starred Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. However, in this installment, the Townsend Agency has gone global with agents (called Angels) operating in several international cities, each with their own Bosley (a title that serves as a rank in the organization). For the purposes of this film, we are focused on Sabina Wilson, played by Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Jane Kano, played by Ella Balinska (Midsomer Murders), and Elena Houghlin, played by Naomi Scott (live-action Aladdin). Rounding out the cast are Patrick Stewart, Djimon Hounsou, and Elizabeth Banks, who also serves as the film’s director.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 13th, 2020
"That's the bravest damn thing I think I've ever seen."
Director Roland Emmerich is no stranger to big-screen battles. The difference is that up until this year those battles have been against aliens, huge climactic changes, or giant lizards named Godzilla. There's no question that he understands how to shoot epic confrontation. The question I had going in to Midway was, can he deliver a battle that wasn't fiction? After nearly tow and a half hours, the answer came back somewhat mixed. This isn't the first time that the Battle of Midway has been brought to the big screen. In the 1970's Charlton Heston gave us a film that was more renowned for the trendy Sensurround gimmick than it was for the drama that unfolded on the screen. Sensurround was a fancy name for huge subs that would shake the theater, and if you were lucky enough to be seeing the film at a theater with enough money to go all the way, you might have found yourself in a seat that was wired to shake, rattle, and roll. Today the chains call that Dolby. This Midway didn't lend itself to some William Castle hustle. It's all up on the screen. The film bears no relation to that earlier effort except for the legendary battle in the Pacific that turned the tide of the Pacific theater of World War II toward the Allies. The film actually shares more in common with the classic Tora Tora Tora in that we spend a good deal of screen time with the Japanese players in the battle. Not at all like the earlier gimmick film, this movie is intended to place you squarely in the middle of the action. If that's what you came to see, you are certainly in for an immersive experience, only without the hot-wired seat.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on March 11th, 2020
Warner Brothers has done an impressive job when it comes to their live action DC Universe television shows. Everything including Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow have been fun entertaining experiences. Now with them starting up their own streaming service, they have upped the ante by releasing Titans. When I first heard about this one, I wasn’t sure what to think considering I wasn’t much of a fan of the animated series, but I’m so glad I came into this show with an open mind, because this show is jam-packed with coolness. Since this was made for a streaming service and not broadcast television, not only do we get superheroes dropping F-bombs, but we get some edgier storytelling along with some violent action you may not expect. Seriously, this one is not for the kids. Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left us hanging as we see the Titans coming together to save Rachel (Teagan Croft) from her father, Trigon, as he’s about to destroy the world. You know; typical bad guy behavior. What’s a little disappointing is how easily this villain is taken out, but of course it doesn’t take long before a new villain to be introduced. For those who are familiar with the DC comics and for those who are fans of Arrow, the big bad is a familiar masked villain as Deathstroke is brought into the show. Considering the number of characters in the DC rogues gallery, it is a bit annoying how we are given a character that we’ve seen before, but thankfully this live-action version is different enough from the Arrow-verse version that the storyline feels somewhat fresh.
This season not only does it head west to make San Francisco the team headquarters, Season 2 also takes place over two separate timelines, one being present day as they facing Deathstroke for the second time, while the other timeline takes us five years into the past where we see the original Titans in their prime when they first confronted Deathstroke. Seeing the dynamic of the old and new Titans is certainly one of the season’s high points. It’s not just about seeing a bunch of superheroes together, but seeing their chemistry as well as their feuds offers up plenty of drama. At times the drama is absurd and is like watching a superhero version of The Real World.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 6th, 2020
"The system is rigged. They want us to believe that it'll protect us, but that's a lie. We protect us. We do. Nobody else. Not the companies, not the scientists, not the government. Us."
Dark Waters is an alarming, based-on-true-events thriller that will have you more than little worried about your cookware. Mark Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, an attorney who is drawn into a conspiracy involving a chemical conglomerate that resulted in hundreds of unexplained deaths. Anne Hathaway is his wife, who has to endure her husband’s over-twenty-year obsession with bringing down this company, all while trying to hold their family together. As I said, this was truly illuminating movie based on the 2016 New York Times article, The lawyer who became Dupont’s worst nightmare. The idea that something like this could happen for so long without any real consequences makes this story worth telling.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2020
I remember over my years watching History's Duck Dynasty that the lead characters had very characteristic beards. One of the multi-season collections even came with a beard you could put on or display. A lot of folks thought it was a clever element that set these "good ol' boys" apart from the other eccentric characters the network parades in their "reality" shows, but if you're a fan of American music, you would know those beards anywhere. They originally belonged to ZZ Top iconic guitarist Billy Gibbons and equally iconic bass player Dusty Hill, who along with the ironically beardless drummer Frank Beard form the trio ZZ Top. After 50 years they remain the longest running rock band in history to still feature the complete original lineup. Of course, that's not quite as hard to do with only three members, but it's a milestone that even few marriages celebrate, and that's only two people. Like them, love them, or not, ZZ Top have become one of the most quintessential American bands in history. It's easily recognized with just a few opening chords, and it's about time someone sat down with these boys to find out what makes them tick and just how three poor cowboys from Texas changed the American music scene forever.
The documentary is by noted filmmaker Sam Dunn, who is usually known for his coverage of the metal scene. ZZ Top is a little out of the way for Dunn, but he manages to capture the essence of a band that has relied on an element of mystery their entire careers. They don't do a lot of events, interviews, or promotional gigs. They have traditionally let the music speak for themselves, and it likely took a director with a willingness to color outside the lines to bring the band's history and true personality out for the cameras. It's not a traditional kind of documentary. As history is told by one participant or another, you certainly get the expected vintage photographs, performance posters, and grainy footage of the days before fame. That's all here, but there's more. The film resorts to some black & white animation to cover some of the important meetings and decisions that came up along the way. Of most interest is the overall use of a private performance deep in the heart of Texas where the trio gather and recreate the milestone musical moments that served as turning points in their lives. It's not only nice to have a somewhat intimate concert with the band but be close enough to watch them recall those moments as they ran through the music being described. I loved those moments and wish there had actually been more of that.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2020
"Over the next two days you little critters will get to experience some of the things that the mighty German army goes through every day, and even though it would appear our country's on the back foot and there really isn't much hope in us winning this war, apparently we're doing just fine."
The book Caging Skies was written in 2000 by Christine Leunens. The book became more the inspiration for the film JoJo Rabbit rather than the source material, as they are very different animals indeed. The book is a rather sober look at the indoctrination of a young generation of boys and girls in Hitler's infamous Hitler's Youth organization. It was pretty much like the Boy Scouts of America, except, you know, for young Nazis. When director Taika Waititi got his hands on the material, it became somewhat a dark or black comedy with entire concepts added to the storytelling that were not a part of the original novel. Waititi is pretty much known as a comic director who has managed to intertwine his particular sense of comedy with other genre films with relative success. A prime example, of course, is his foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, which became one of the oddest entry in that film franchise. Expect more when we get to see his work again with that old God of Thunder when the next Thor installment Thor: Love And Thunder is released soon.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 29th, 2020
It's been six years since Frozen became somewhat of a surprise hit out of Walt Disney Studios in 2013. No one was surprised it made a good haul at the box office, but I suspect that even the masterminds at Disney never saw this billion-dollar baby when it was first being born. It's become the biggest original hit out of Disney since the original Lion King set animated feature records in the 90's. I'll give the studio credit. They didn't rush out and try to cash in on the momentum as quickly as other studios would have. They took their time and assembled the same team of directors and songwriters and allowed the process to follow a six-year process with the intent of doing it right rather than doing it fast. For the most part I think that strategy paid off, and while this film will never be the classic the original has become, it will fit rather snugly into the franchise and will delight children, while possibly cursing the adults who are fated to watch the film over and over again. This is absolutely one of those kinds of movies.
It all starts in the past where we spy young Elsa and Anna playfully getting ready for bed. The King puts them to bed with a story out of the kingdom's past. He regales them with how their grandfather met the people of an enchanted forest who had magical powers over the four elements of land, fire, air and water. They are told of the great gift of peace their grandfather gave these people in the form of a huge dam. It all turns nasty when the story continues to tell of a peaceful gathering where the people of the enchanted forest suddenly attack the people of Arendelle. The elements were so angered by the act of betrayal that they separated the kingdoms and enshrouded the enchanted forest with an impenetrable fog that has isolated the forest ever since.
