Category: Entertainment (Page 134 of 277)

Blu Tuesday: Fast & Furious 6, Man of Tai Chi and More

December 10, 2013 /

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.

“Fast & Furious 6”

WHAT: Laying low in Spain following their latest heist, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is visited by DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) with news that his old flame, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), is not only alive, but is working with a British soldier turned criminal named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) who’s planning to steal a top secret computer chip worth billions. With the promise of full pardons for anyone that helps stop him, Dom enlists the rest of the crew and heads to London to face off against Shaw and his own team of street racing criminals.

WHY: The “Fast and Furious” franchise is like popcorn movie kryptonite, because for as cheesy, soapy and utterly preposterous as the movies can get at times, they’re also incredibly entertaining, especially following director Justin Lin’s retooling of the series. Though the sixth installment doesn’t quite live up to 2011’s “Fast Five,” which took the franchise to new heights in more ways than one, it still delivers everything that fans have come to expect over the years. One of main reasons the last film worked as well as it did was the excellent chemistry between its ensemble cast, and that’s still the case here. Of course, the real reason anyone watches these films is the action, and “Fast & Furious 6” doesn’t disappoint, with a series of excellent set pieces that somehow manage to outdo the previous movies in excess and sheer ridiculousness. The over-the-top nature of the “Fast and Furious” franchise has always been its greatest asset and its biggest criticism, and there’s no better example of that than in some of the gleefully amusing “Oh my god, I can’t believe that just happened” insanity that takes place in the film. Bigger and dumber but still tons of fun, “Fast & Furious 6” may have you rolling your eyes even more than usual, but that’s part of what make the series so great.

EXTRAS: There’s a wealth of bonus material on the Universal’s Blu-ray release, including an audio commentary by director Justin Lin, a four-part making-of featurette, interviews with the cast and crew, three more production featurettes, deleted scenes and an exclusive (but haunting) first look at “Fast & Furious 7.”

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Man of Tai Chi”

WHAT: Against his master’s wishes, Tai Chi student Chen Lin-Hun (Tiger Chen) competes in a local martial arts competition to prove the style’s effectiveness. After attracting the attention of wealthy businessman Donaka Mark (Keanu Reeves), Chen is offered the chance to compete in an underground fight club with the promise of making enough money to save his temple. But when he discovers the true purpose behind the fights, Chen teams up with an ambitious police detective (Karen Mok) to bring Mark down.

WHY: Conceived by Keanu Reeves as a starring vehicle for friend/stuntman Tiger Chen, whom he met while working on the “Matrix” trilogy, “Man of Tai Chi” is a throwback to classic martial arts films, right down to Reeves’ over-the-top villain. But while the story is pretty generic and the acting is only marginally better than the movies that it’s paying homage to, it features some incredible fight choreography from fellow “Matrix” alumnus Yuen Woo-ping. The early fights that take place inside the mirror room are not only some of the best in recent memory, but they really showcase Chen’s talent as a martial artist. The final battle between Marks and Tiger isn’t quite as memorable from a technical standpoint, but just seeing how much Reeves towers over his pint-sized co-star makes for a visually interesting sequence that evokes the Bruce Lee/Kareem Abdul Jabbar fight in “Game of Death.” Though the performances are surprisingly weak for a director that also plies his trade as an actor, “Man of Tai Chi” is nonetheless a solid debut from Reeves who smartly lets the action speak for itself.

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by director/co-star Keanu Reeves and Tiger Chen, the Blu-ray includes a behind-the-scenes look at making the film.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Battle of the Year”

WHAT: Desperate to reinvigorate interest in B-Boy culture in America, hip-hop mogul Dante Graham (Laz Alonso) convinces childhood friend and former basketball coach Jason Blake (Josh Holloway) to recruit a B-Boy dream team to compete against other elite dance crews from around the world in the upcoming Battle of the Year competition.

WHY: I’m not really sure what Hollywood’s obsession is with dance movies (apart from the fact that they’re super cheap to produce), but here’s hoping that “Battle of the Year” puts an end to this strange fad, because it’s one of the worst dance films yet. The premise is absurd, particularly in its lame attempts to validate B-Boy dancing as anything other than a niche subculture, though that doesn’t stop director Benson Chen from pimping his 2007 documentary, “Planet B-Boy,” every chance he gets. It’s hard to believe that Josh Holloway is finding it so hard to get work after the success of “Lost” that he’d have to resort to this, but it goes without saying that he’s the only thing that makes this movie even remotely watchable. Usually, the dancing sequences make these films easier to sit through, but everything is edited so poorly that you can’t even enjoy the amazing technique on display. It also runs an ungodly 110 minutes long, features more product placement than should be legally allowed, and has enough split-screen montages to make you wonder if you’re watching a movie or a music video. Need I say more?

EXTRAS: The Blu-ray release includes a look at B-Boy culture and signature moves, as well as rehearsal footage and some extended dance sequences.

FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

Entertainment, Movies

A chat with writer/director Scott Cooper (“Out of the Furnace”)

December 8, 2013 /

scott_cooper

If there’s a writer/director that strives to live by the adage of “keeping it real,” it’s Scott Cooper. The former actor burst on to the directorial scene with 2009’s country music drama “Crazy Heart” to rave reviews and two Oscars for Best Actor Jeff Bridges and Best Original Song by Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett. Cooper may have left the New Mexico locale of his debut effort behind, but the gritty honesty of his storytelling remains. The Virginia native uses the Rust Belt and the Appalachians to tell a story of revenge, retribution and struggle in “Out of the Furnace.” He recently sat down to discuss working with a new slate of A-list actors, the complexities of being a writer/director and his collaboration with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.

What was it like working with A-list talents such as Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Willem Dafoe in only your second film?

SCOTT COOPER: When you work with actors who fully realize their characters as these did and care as much as they do about giving three-dimensional performances, it’s truly about as good as it gets as a film director. You become very spoiled, because they’re so good and so passionate about what they’re doing and, ultimately, the finished product. It’s very, very gratifying.

How important was it to film on location in a place like the mountains of Pennsylvania?

SCOTT COOPER: It was critical on location. I wrote it for Braddock, Pennsylvania and I wasn’t going to make it a film if I didn’t shoot in that small town. I also wanted to conversely show the mountains of New Jersey, which are the shadow of the Empire State Building. I wanted to show two worlds that are very underrepresented in American cinema – the type of blue collar milieu and very honest, hardworking people that are too often overlooked in films today. It was critical that I shoot where I wrote the film for. Much like I did for “Crazy Heart.” I wrote it for Santa Fe, L.A. and Texas and was able to shoot in all three places. It was very important that I shot in Braddock.

As a writer, do you have a personal attachment to the material that makes it difficult when you go into editing?

SCOTT COOPER: As William Faulkner would say, “You’re killing your darling.” He would kill certain paragraphs or chapters. His stories still held up and he knew it was the right thing to do. You’re always doing that as a filmmaker, as a writer, and as you rewrite and in the cutting room. But it’s really important that you make those decisions with a great deal of thought, because I never do anything wantonly and I become obsessive. But I always simply want to tell the truth. That’s what I’ve done with this film, and shined a light on what America has gone through in these last five very turbulent years, and portray honestly and sometimes very brutally and truthfully.

Leonardo DiCaprio was one of the producers. Was he very hands-on in regards to the making of the film?

SCOTT COOPER: Yes, Leo has been a big supporter of the picture. His take on the material has always been very valuable. He’s made many, many films, and while he’s not a director, he’s spent a lot of time in cutting rooms. When you’ve spent time in the cutting room with Martin Scorsese, you get the best film education that anyone could hope for, so Leo has been a very valuable asset.

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Entertainment, Interviews, Movies

App of the Week: Skulls of the Shogun

December 8, 2013 /

Developer: 17-BIT, Inc.

Compatible with: iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and up, iPod Touch 4th gen and up

Requires: iOS 4.3

Price: $4.99

Available: Here

Strategy games on the mobile scene are a tricky lot. Too often many of them just default to the tower defense style and get lost in the masses of that sub-genre, while those that aim a little higher tend to be crushed under the weight of their own ambition or simply don’t appeal to those not looking for an in depth strategy game on their phone and tablets.

Yes, it’s not easy to make a compelling new strategy game for mobile devices. That’s why “Skulls of the Shogun” is all the more impressiv

Now, the first thing to know is that “Skulls of the Shogun” had a long road to becoming a mobile title. It started out its life as a Windows 8 exclusive, and has made an appearance just about everywhere else since then. However, it’s on the mobile scene where I feel confident saying it may have finally found its home.

A big reason behind that is the simplicity of the game’s combat and movement. There’s only a few units in the game (generals, monks, archers, infantry, cavalry) with a few variations, and they all work in a rock, paper, scissors format to insure that no one unit is necessarily more powerful. Moving them around is also as easy as it gets, as you simply tap your unit and choose where in their movement circle you’d like to place them. Combat also only consists of a few taps, when you are in range.

There are a couple of variants in place, though, that keeps things interesting. For instance there are various rice fields on the battlefield which can be occupied by your units and produce currency which is then used to purchase additional units. There’s also terrain advantages and disadvantages to consider such as bamboo used for hiding, and spikes which can cause additional damage to both you and the enemy. There’s also a somewhat morbid, yet very interesting, mechanic which requires you to devour the skulls of your enemies in order to power up your general.

SkullsoftheShogun

It’s a set-up that reminds me of the “Advanced Wars” series. That’s a comparison that I don’t make lightly, as those happen to be among the greatest strategy games of all time despite their relative simplicity. In both cases, these games take their smaller set ups and turn them from a potential detriment, into games that take advantage of the smaller number of variables and provide some of the tightest, most intense, and most rewarding experiences in the genre.

Now, don’t take that to mean the game is difficult. It isn’t. Instead it finds a rare balance in challenge that makes it so you often have to consider your movements, but are never overwhelmed by what is happenings. It’s a balance that makes it part of the reason the game works as well as it does on the mobile format, as you move along at a brisk pace, yet spend your game time still having to consider your options and their consequences.

The game’s art style is also perfect for your device as while it is far from visually taxing, the level of commitment put into the art style is head and shoulders above many modern games. More than just visually pleasing, the art style maintains a consistency throughout the game’s run that ensures that every new element introduced fits perfectly into the incredible world they come together to form. Even better, that world adds a dimension to the experience that easily sucks you into the proceedings in a way that only the best visual designs can.

There’s few games as easy to recommend as “Skulls of the Shogun.” It’s the type of game that mobile devices could use more of, as it feels like something that would have been released to great acclaim on a full fledged mobile system like the Nintendo DS, but comes in at a fraction of the price of one of those titles. It’s an immediately appealing and constantly engaging game that never wears out its welcome and encourages you to keep coming back based on no other factor than the consistent fun it provides.

One of the most complete experiences available on the app store, “Skulls of the Shogun” is also my app of the week.

Entertainment

2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Books and Documentaries

December 7, 2013 /

Whether you’re shopping for someone that likes to kick back with a good book or graphic novel, or enjoys watching documentaries and other non-fiction films, you’ll find several great suggestions here.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Before Watchmen Collections

Have you ever wondered what happened before the events of “Watchmen”? Creator Alan Moore has been pretty outspoken about his thoughts on the matter, but that didn’t stop DC Comics from enlisting some of the industry’s best writers and artists to create eight new miniseries exploring the histories of characters like Nite Owl, Rorschach, The Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre and Ozymandias. Serving as a prequel to the original 12-issue series, the “Before Watchmen” comics have since been collected in four hardcover editions, and the end result is a pretty mixed bag, especially since each collection features at least two characters per book. Though that’s good news for diehard fans, those that want to read J. Michael Straczynski’s Nite Owl series but couldn’t care less about his Dr. Manhattan story, for instance, are screwed. Additionally, some of the series are much better than others, with Darwyn Cooke’s Minutemen yarn the clear standout. Still, if you know someone who loves “Watchmen” that doesn’t mind that the property’s original creators aren’t involved, “Before Watchmen” makes for interesting supplemental reading.

American Experience: JFK

The story of John F. Kennedy is one of the most fascinating in American history. Regardless of your opinion of our 35th President, he will always be an iconic figure in American history, due to both the pivotal nature of his presidency and his tragic assassination. Debates will rage on about his performance in office and the circumstances surrounding his assassination, and his prolific adventures with the opposite sex have been fodder for the tabloids for decades. His story will captivate anyone who appreciates American history, so any documentary is likely to maintain the attention of viewers. But it’s hard to imagine anyone telling the story better than the folks at PBS who produce “American Experience.” They have consistently told the story of America through its presidents and other influential Americans in a series of compelling documentaries. “JFK” easily lives up to that legacy, and it’s a must-see, as this year we marked the 50th anniversary of that terrible day in Dallas. Like other “American Experience” documentaries, this is not just a story of the JFK presidency, but also the man.

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Books, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies, Stuff to Buy

2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Music Box Sets and Films

December 7, 2013 /

We must give the music industry credit: just when it appears that they have completely run out of ways to spin their back catalogs into gold for the umpteenth time, they find a way. (They’re nothing if not survivalists, those guys.) In addition to featuring a number of big box sets this year, we’ve also included some excellent concert films, as well as one The Beatles’ most famous movies.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Bob Dylan – The Complete Album Collection V.1

Box sets often make for great gifts, and this mega-set will put a smile on the face of any serious Bob Dylan fan. The CD set contains 35 studio titles (including the first-ever North American release of 1973’s Dylan album on CD), six live albums, and a hardcover book featuring extensive new album-by-album liner notes penned by Clinton Heylin and a new introduction written by Bill Flanagan. It also includes two “Side Tracks” discs that include a wealth of previously released non-album singles, tracks from various compilations and songs from films. This set is also available as a limited-edition harmonica-shaped USB stick containing all the music, in both MP3 and FLAC lossless formats, with a digital version of the hardcover booklet, but according to the reviews on Amazon, you should probably stick with the CD box set.

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert

Finally. After 21 years, the full April 1992 show featuring the surviving members of Queen fronted by a murderer’s row of early ‘90s rock star gods (and Liza Minnelli) is seeing the light of day, and on Blu-ray, to boot. (Inexplicably, the DVD of the set is still missing a few songs.) Extreme’s medley of Queen tracks has been added, as have sets by Metallica, Guns ‘n Roses and even Saint Bob Geldof (and Spinal Tap appears on the Blu-ray). The main show features one showstopper after another, whether it’s James Hetfield singing “Stone Cold Crazy,” George Michael singing “Somebody to Love,” Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott banging out “Tie Your Mother Down,” or Elton John and Axl Rose teaming up to take on “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The bonus featurettes from the 2002 DVD release are here as well. For the Queen fan in your life (or even the Muse fan in your life), this is a slam dunk.

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music, Stuff to Buy

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