Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 17th, 2016
“I earn money…I meet people…I can pay my debts…I can buy nice things for myself.”
Taken at face value, all of those pursuits sound totally admirable, especially when you consider that the person earning that money, meeting those new people, and buying those nice things is a bitter old woman who slowly comes out of her caustic shell. I mean, the only minor hiccup here is that Paulette — the title character in this wacky, soufflé-light French comedy — turns her miserable life around by selling drugs.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 16th, 2016
The Martian, which is about an astronaut stranded on Mars, is one of the biggest hit movies of the summer. By the end of the movie, the entire world is united in their hope that the astronaut will be saved. The Martian is not a true story. The 33 is. It is the true story of 33 miners trapped underground for 69 days in a Chilean gold mine in 2010. The world really does come together in their hopes and prayers for the trapped miners. Even though it is a true story, it also functions as a good old-fashioned disaster flick in the tradition of The Poseidon Adventure or The Towering Inferno. It also showcases Latino actors primarily, but some other big-name actors round out the cast as well. The two biggest are probably Academy Award-winning French actress, Juliette Binoche (The English Patient) and Irish actor Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects). Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jacob Vargas, Bob Gunton, and Oscar Nunez are just a few of the familiar faces known for playing Latin characters (Latino, Hispanic, and Latin are all technically politically correct according to various sources) who anchor this movie. One of the most familiar faces is Cote de Pablo, who was born in Chile but is best known for playing Israeli Mossad officer Ziva Davis in the monumentally successful TV show, NCIS. Kate del Castillo is a hugely popular Mexican actress who also had success in the United States on the Showtime series, Weeds. I could go on, but the point is that this is a product meant to appeal heavily to the Latin American population while still having a broad worldwide recognition factor. It succeeds mostly, but it has a greater responsibility than that. It also has to honor the story of the 33 men who were trapped in that mine.
The film includes footage from Anderson Cooper, Brian Williams, and other international journalists who covered the worldwide, potentially tragic event. It also has the active participation of Don Francisco, the host of Sabado Gigante, which just ended a 53-year run on the air. Don Francisco is a television personality in 185 countries (but is actually Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld, the son of Jewish German immigrants who escaped to Chile fleeing the Nazi occupation). Clearly this is a film with international appeal. It is a well-known story the world over when we all held our breath wondering whether the miners would be saved. In case you don’t remember how the story concluded, I won’t spoil it for you here. The film definitely milks the suspense at every opportunity.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 16th, 2016
In 2013 husband-and-wife production duo Mark Burnett and Roma Downey teamed up to bring The Bible to the History Channel. The 10 episode series gave as a whirlwind tour of the milestones from the Bible and brought about some critical acclaim along with solid ratings. It aired during Easter/Passover season. It was certainly an ambitious project and left the team feeling they could do more with the project. They managed to strike a deal this time with NBC to air a sequel of sorts to the mini-series. Enter AD The Bible, which takes an opposite approach to the first show. Instead of cramming thousands of years into just 10 episodes AD spreads out quite a bit, offering us 12 episodes on just the first years after the death and resurrection of Christ. We're basically talking the book Acts of the Apostles. It's the story of the birth of Christianity and the early work done by the followers of Jesus. If you felt rushed the first time, this is the series you've been waiting for.
There were a few obstacles to overcome to bring the series to television. Diogo Morgado was not available to reprise the role of Jesus this time around. This led to a rather radical decision that appears to have paid off. Juan Pablo Di Pace takes over the role admirably. If they were going to replace Christ himself, why not start with a fresh cast all around? That means that every part that was also shown in the first series has been recast. This includes the role of the Virgin Mary, who was originally played by series producer Roma Downy. Credit the filmmaker for understanding that making an exception for herself might have sent the wrong message. It also was the kind of distraction a series like this really doesn't need.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 15th, 2016
“It's like five minutes before every launch, everyone goes to a bar, gets drunk, and tells me what they really think of me.”
During the final act of Steve Jobs — which is less of a biopic and more of a three-act performance piece inspired by the visionary Apple co-founder — the movie winks at its own gimmicky premise. The cheeky reference to the film's rigid, laser-focused structure is appropriate given that Jobs obsessively measured the design his own products down to the millimeter. The result is a movie that wonderfully mirrors its protagonist: Steve Jobs is enthralling, endlessly imaginative, and kind of exhausting.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 13th, 2016
"You have got a tricky day ahead of you."
It's safe to say that Daniel Craig peaked as James Bond with Skyfall. Sam Mendes was the man who figured out how to make Craig work in the part. The secret wasn't in the classic images of Bond's past, but in the future. Instead of trying to mold Craig into Bond, Mendes molded Bond into Craig. It was the right thing to do as long as Daniel Craig was going to continue in the role. With Mendes repeating as director and John Logan from Gladiator and Penny Dreadful fame handling the script, expectations were through the roof for this one. That is before Craig himself toured the interview circuit complaining about playing James Bond. I believe there was a reference to a hot poker in the eye being preferable to reprising the role again. Now I've seen Spectre twice, and I don't believe Daniel Craig has anything to worry about. I suspect the next film will sport a brand new James Bond. And indeed, I think this film proves it's time for a change. Let the speculation games begin.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Dan Holland on February 11th, 2016
"Ah, the holidays. The most wonderful time of the year. And so begins my tale..."
Love the Coopers seems to be a holiday title that arrived a little later than expected at the Upcoming Discs hub. Within the first five to ten minutes, you come to realize that it is a family-oriented holiday film with a rather impressive A-list cast, consisting of Steve Martin, John Goodman, Diane Keaton, Alan Arkin, Ed Helms, and Olivia Wilde. If you aren’t already a fan of any of these actors and actresses, the film’s story is endearing, as are most holiday films. However, what sets this film apart from other holiday titles (for me, anyway) is the hauntingly accurate idea of a “family” being a bleak entity, as well as atmosphere, that we all must learn to love in our own ways. For some this might come easily, but for others, it can be a slippery slope to ascend. Love the Coopers foregrounds each character’s journey up this slope and provides a satisfying conclusion for each.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 11th, 2016
A detective appears to be trapped between heaven and hell in Convergence, which is not all that different from the way I felt watching this supernatural thriller. On one hand, I was impressed by some of the mood and unsettling imagery established by writer/director Drew Hall; the film is mostly set in an abandoned hospital, which inspires even more dread than spending time in a fully functional one. Then again, there are also a lot of nonsense characters and story elements here that don't get a satisfying payoff, making Convergence an occasionally confounding and hellacious slog.
The story opens in 1999 with a series of terrorist bombings targeting clinics in Atlanta. Detective Ben Walls (Clayne Crawford) is supposed to be enjoying a day off with his wife Hannah (Alysia Ochse) and new baby when he is called in by his captain (Mykelti Williamson) to investigate the latest bombing. But faster than Det. Walls can say, “I'm not even supposed to be here today” he and a few others are rocked by the bomber's latest explosion. The next thing Det. Walls knows, he is in an eerily empty hospital. Captain Miller is there too, but he insists that they can't leave.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 9th, 2016
Season one of From Dusk Till Dawn gave us a ten-episode remake of the hit original movie while setting up a mythology to stretch its story over numerous seasons. Season two wastes no time in blazing its new path as it continues the blood-soaked adventure that departs from the famed Titty Twister and takes us deeper into the vampire syndicate. How does season two fare? After making it through the 10-episode season, I can say I survived this bloody, testosterone-laced thrill ride, but it does have a few missteps along the way.
When we first meet Richie Gecko (Zane Holtz) and Santanico (Eiza Gonzalez), they are working together with the goal of taking down all the powerful vampire clans. The first episode is a telling glimpse of the direction Robert Rodriguez and his team plan to take the series as the episode unfolds around a heist that doesn’t go as planned. Separated from his brother, Richie now has a chance to make a name for himself, and as the season plays out, we get to see just how ambitious he really is.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 9th, 2016
The story is the star in Freeheld, which chronicles a same-sex couple's fight for equality. The film is based on the Oscar-winning documentary short of the same name and follows Laurel Hester, a New Jersey cop with terminal lung cancer, as she attempts to pass her pension benefits to domestic partner Stacie Andree. Despite being a modest production, Freeheld was able to enlist some top-drawer acting talent. Unfortunately, it also attracted a risk-averse team of filmmakers who tell Laurel and Stacie's story in a thoroughly rote and uninspired manner.
The movie begins in 2002 with Laurel (Julianne Moore) bailing her partner Dane (Michael Shannon) out of a jam during a sting operation. This opening is meant to illustrate that Laurel is an exceedingly capable police officer, but the clumsily-staged sequence has the unfortunate side effect of shining a light on director Peter Sollett's limitations. (Same goes for a subsequent storyline involving a double homicide that is equally clunky.) Laurel is also a lesbian who worries about someone at her job finding out about her sexual orientation, so she drives to Pennsylvania to take part in social activities. That's where she meets Stacie (Ellen Page), a younger woman who sparks Laurel's interest.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 8th, 2016
“Witches live among us. Their magic passed from an ancient race, diluted, half-forgotten but dangerously powerful. After centuries of conflict, a truce was forged. Witches would be allowed to live and govern themselves if they followed one strict rule: that magic never be used against humans. But a truce is a fragile thing…”
Vin Diesel has made the Fast and Furious franchise into a massive global behemoth, but Diesel is not a global behemoth on his own. He has had successes and failures. He is someone who seems to be an unlikely star. He tried to make Riddick (Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, Riddick) into a multi-film franchise and accomplished it through sheer force of will, but his stardom largely rests on Fast and Furious. Diesel bristles at being typecast, so he has always tried to find new vehicles that will demonstrate his range. XXX was a big success, but Diesel did not appear in the sequel. XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage is on the schedule for 2017. He walked away from Fast and Furious for a few installments because he was so intent on diversity but eventually relented and came back. The Last Witch Hunter is his latest attempt to start a new franchise. The film was attacked by some critics when it was released, but it is a pretty decent attempt to create a new legend out of a cauldron of Dungeons and Dragons ideas. That was the inspiration, and a group of script writers did a decent job, and the director Breck Eisner (son of Michael) also does a good job. The cast includes Sir Michael Caine, Elijah Wood, and Rose Leslie (wildling Ygritte from Game of Thrones). It also includes excellent actors such as Isaach De Bankole as a male witch who runs a restaurant that sells pastries that includes ingredients such as hallucinogenic bugs. All the elements are in place to make a great movie experience. The problem is that there is a weak link. It’s Diesel.
