Author: Jason Zingale (Page 33 of 112)

Blu Tuesday: Justified, Tomorrowland and More

October 13, 2015 / Jason Zingale

Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.

“Justified: The Complete Series”

WHAT: U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is reassigned from Miami to his childhood home – the poor, coal-mining town of Harlan, Kentucky – where he faces off against a group of backwoods criminals, including Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), a smooth-talking outlaw who will lie, steal and cheat his way to the top of the food chain.

WHY: “Justified” is one of those shows that never really got the credit (or the audience) it deserved, because it’s a sharply written and well-acted neo-Western that managed to pull off what most series have failed to do: stick the landing. Though it started out as a more formulaic, crime of the week-type drama, “Justified” evolved into something much richer over the years by focusing on the relationship between Raylan and Boyd, two men who grew up under similar circumstances but ended up on different sides of the law. Both Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins deliver strong, well-rounded performances in their respective roles, but while it would be difficult to imagine the show without either of them, the supporting cast is just as important, especially Nick Searcy as Givens’ crusty boss, Jacob Pitts and Erica Tazel as fellow Marshalls, and Joelle Carter as Boyd’s fiancée/partner in crime. The rotating cast of guest stars is also impressive, adding to the series’ rich tapestry of down-and-dirty hillbillies, criminals and lawmen to create a lived-in world that feels more genuine than just about anything else on television. The fact that “Justified” was able to maintain its high quality throughout all six seasons is pretty extraordinary, but it’s also one of the few shows to produce a satisfying series finale, and that definitely earns it a spot among the TV drama elite.

EXTRAS: In addition to the previously released bonus material (consisting of audio commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes and outtakes), there’s an additional disc of all-new extras that includes a look at making the final season, a tour of the writer’s room with creator Graham Yost, the cast and crew’s favorite moments and a gag reel. The box set also comes packaged with a branded flask to carry around your own personal supply of (hopefully not poisoned) apple pie moonshine.

FINAL VERDICT: BUY

“Tomorrowland”

WHAT: After discovering a pin that magically transports her to a futuristic world called Tomorrowland, science prodigy Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) teams up with cranky inventor Frank Weller (George Clooney) – who was exiled from there as a young boy – to return to Tomorrowland in order to save Earth from its impending destruction.

WHY: Director Brad Bird certainly didn’t do himself any favors by shrouding “Tomorrowland” in so much secrecy, although it’s easy to see why, because the movie doesn’t really appeal to any particular audience. It’s too grown-up for kids, while most adults will have a difficult time buying into its childlike idealism. The film also happens to be incredibly boring, bogged down by a bloated runtime and unnecessary opening sequence that could have easily been addressed with a few lines of dialogue. It feels like Bird and co-writer Damon Lindelof created the titular world first, and then tried to build a story around it, because “Tomorrowland” doesn’t always make sense. In fact, while the movie features several flashbacks and large chunks of exposition designed to do exactly that, the purpose of Casey and Frank’s adventure is never totally clear. There are some fun set pieces along the way, and youngsters Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy make up for George Clooney’s lifeless performance, but there’s very little payoff. After all, for a film that generates so much excitement and mystery around Tomorrowland, you’d think the audience would get to spend more time there.

EXTRAS: There’s a trio of featurettes on production, casting and the score, as well as director Brad Bird’s video diaries, deleted scenes, a faux children’s TV program hosted by Hugh Laurie’s character, an animated short about Tomorrowland and more.

FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

Entertainment, Movies, Television

Blu Tuesday: Magic Mike XXL, Dracula and More

October 6, 2015 / Jason Zingale

“Magic Mike XXL”

WHAT: Three years after leaving the stripper life to pursue his dream of starting his own business, “Magic” Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) reunites with the remaining Kings of Tampa – Ken (Matt Bomer), Big Dick Ritchie (Joe Manganiello), Tito (Adam Rodriguez) and Tarzan (Kevin Nash) – for a road trip to the annual stripper convention in Myrtle Beach for one final performance.

WHY: One of the biggest complaints about “Magic Mike” was that it was a lot more serious than people were expecting for a film about male strippers, and “Magic Mike XXL” addresses those criticisms head-on by delivering a more upbeat and whimsical bro-fest that plays like a racier version of “Entourage.” Channing Tatum is still the star, but supporting players like Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello are given larger roles, while new addition Jada Pinkett Smith nearly steals the whole movie. It’s everything the first film should have been and more, making up for its loose narrative structure by unabashedly pandering to the audience with show-stopping dance numbers that are so theatrical it could be turned into a traveling stage show. Though the movie is slightly ridiculous and lacking any real substance, it’s also incredibly entertaining, with rarely a dull moment despite the almost two-hour runtime. You have to respect a film that does exactly what it sets out to achieve (in this case, slow-jam beefcake cheesiness) and doesn’t apologize for it, because “Magic Mike XXL” embraces that attitude full tilt and never looks back.

EXTRAS: There’s a pair of featurettes on the film’s choreography and location shooting in Georgia, as well as an extended version of Stephen Boss’ dance sequence.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

Entertainment, Movies

Blu Tuesday

Blu Tuesday: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Entourage and More

September 29, 2015 / Jason Zingale

“Avengers: Age of Ultron”

WHAT: After retrieving Loki’s scepter from Hydra, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) attempt to use its power to produce an army of A.I. robots that can protect the world from any threat. But instead, they create Ultron (James Spader), a maniacal robot hell-bent on destroying the Avengers and remaking the world in his image with the help of a pair of super-powered twins (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen) who have a personal grudge against Stark.

WHY: The first “Avengers” was so much fun that it didn’t seem possible that “Age of Ultron” could be a disappointment, and yet it’s hard not to feel somewhat unsatisfied by the final product. Though it’s a decidedly darker and grittier entry that gives its characters actual problems to deal with, some are more successful than others. It makes sense that the three Avengers who have yet to receive their own solo movies – Hawkeye, Black Widow and Bruce Banner/Hulk – are treated the best in terms of development, but it comes at the cost of other characters, particularly Thor, who gets saddled with a pointless subplot involving the Infinity Stones. Newcomers Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also given little time to make an impression, and though James Spader is perfectly cast as Ultron, the robot isn’t a very engaging villain. The buffet of characters can be a tad overwhelming, but director Joss Whedon juggles the large ensemble and overstuffed action scenes incredibly well, creating memorable moments within each sequence that are filled with classic Whedon banter. In fact, while it’s arguably one of the studio’s weaker entries to date, “Age of Ultron” is still a mostly enjoyable installment that sets the stage for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that said, I don’t envy the task ahead for the Russo brothers, because if this film proves anything, it’s that the upcoming two-part finale is going to be an even more daunting proposition than it originally appeared.

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by writer/director Joss Whedon, there are four featurettes – covering production, location shooting around the globe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Infinity Stones – as well as deleted scenes and a gag reel.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Entourage”

WHAT: Freshly divorced and raring to get back to work, Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) agrees to star in Ari Gold’s (Jeremy Piven) first movie as studio head under one condition: he also wants to direct it. But when the film goes over budget and Vince asks for more money, the financier’s son (Haley Joel Osment) begins to interfere with the production, pushing Ari to the breaking point as he tries to protect Vince’s vision and his job.

WHY: “Entourage” has always operated as a larger-than-life helping of male wish fulfillment, but while creator Doug Ellin was no doubt seduced by the lure of going even bigger for the film version, it’s refreshing to see that, for the most part, the movie is just more of the same. It’s like a supersized episode of the HBO show, not to mention a welcome return to the lighter, more playful tone of the earlier years that made it so popular. Admittedly, the movie doesn’t hit as many high notes as the series delivered at its very best, but fans of the show will like it regardless, and it might even convince some non-fans to go back and watch it from the start. More than anything else, though, “Entourage” is a fitting farewell to a series that never really felt like it got the ending it deserved, and Ellin embraces that second chance with so much fan service that it occasionally gets in the way of the story. The movie tries too hard to please everyone, resulting in a messy narrative, but it’s also sensationalized, fizzy fun, and as fans of the TV series know only too well, that’s all that counts.

EXTRAS: There’s a making-of featurette, a roundtable discussion with writer/director Doug Ellin and the cast, a behind-the-scenes look at Vincent Chase’s movie-within-the-movie, some deleted scenes and a gag reel.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

Entertainment, Movies

Movie Review: “The Walk”

September 28, 2015 / Jason Zingale

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale, Clément Sibony, César Domboy

Robert Zemeckis

Philippe Petit’s death-defying walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974 was previously spotlighted in James Marsh’s Oscar-winning documentary, “Man on Wire.” But for as compelling as that film was, it lacked a key element: footage of Petit’s performance. Recognizing an opportunity to recreate that incredible moment (one that only a small crowd of people had the privilege to experience) on the big screen, director Robert Zemeckis gives Petit’s famous high-wire act the Hollywood treatment with the generically titled “The Walk,” and in IMAX 3D, no less. Though a majority of the movie doesn’t benefit from the premium format, it’s worth the upgrade for the big finale, which utilizes the added sense of depth to showcase the danger and awe of what Time magazine called the “artistic crime of the century.”

The story begins six years earlier in 1968, when Philippe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was just a young artist in Paris performing for audiences on the street. While waiting in a dentist’s office one day with a toothache, Philippe sees an article about the proposed construction of the Twin Towers and immediately becomes obsessed with walking between them on a high wire. Several years later, Philippe meets a street musician named Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) and falls in love, eventually enlisting her help, along with fellow friends Jean-Louis (Clément Sibony) and Jean-Francois (César Domboy), to fulfill his dream. There are a number of logistical issues standing in the way of Philippe’s success – including how they’re going to get a 200-foot steel cable across the gap between the buildings – but with construction on the towers almost complete, the group heads to New York City to put their plan into motion. No amount of surveillance and rehearsal could have prepared Philippe and his team for what they were about to attempt, and yet despite numerous close calls and an injured foot, Philippe emerged at the top of the South Tower on the morning of August 7th, with no harness and 1,368 feet in the air, and proceeded to put on a show for the next 45 minutes, crossing the gap eight times (in addition to some other tricks) before surrendering to the police.

Entertainment, Movie Reviews, Movies

Joseph Gordon Levitt

Coming Soon: A Moviegoer’s Guide to October

September 27, 2015 / Jason Zingale

The awards season machine continues to chug along this month, with several high-profile contenders making their debut, including the latest from Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg and Danny Boyle. Of course, if prestige films aren’t your thing, there are still plenty of options for those who simply want to be entertained, whether it’s Guillermo del Toro’s new gothic horror flick, Vin Diesel hunting witches or the origin story of Peter Pan. This is shaping up to be the best October in recent history, and moviegoers won’t want to miss it.

“The Martian”

Who: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels and Kristen Wiig
What: When he’s stranded on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
When: October 2nd
Why: Andy Weir’s 2011 science fiction novel, “The Martian,” was one of the most talked about books of that year, so it’s not surprising that producer Simon Kinberg was so quick to nab the rights to adapt it for the big screen. Though director Ridley Scott has been in a bit of a rut lately, the premise for this movie is almost too good to mess up. Matt Damon is the perfect choice to play the stranded astronaut (even if it’s oddly similar to his cameo in “Interstellar”), while the supporting cast is comprised of A-list talent that should be headlining their own films.

“Steve Jobs”

Who: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels and Seth Rogen
What: The true story of the life of visionary Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
When: October 9th
Why: Do we really need another movie about Steve Jobs so soon after the 2013 version starring Ashton Kutcher? Probably not, but the fact that it’s written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle makes it awfully difficult to come up with reasons why you shouldn’t see it, even if the film appears to cover much of the same ground as “Jobs.” Michael Fassbender may not be the first person you’d think of to play the Apple co-founder (Christian Bale was originally attached to the project before dropping out), but he’s an incredible actor who will undoubtedly make up for his lack of physical similarity with yet another top-notch performance.