Tag: Blu Tuesday (Page 17 of 49)

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.

“Trainwreck”

WHAT: Convinced by her father (Colin Quinn) at a young age that monogamy isn’t realistic, commitment-phobic magazine writer Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) has gone through life without having a single, meaningful romantic relationship. But when she’s assigned to do a profile on sports doctor Aaron Connors (Bill Hader), only to end up sleeping with him and realize that she wants more than the usual one-night stand, Amy doesn’t know how to respond.

WHY: Amy Schumer has been making people laugh for years, both on stage and on her Comedy Central TV sketch show, so it was only a matter of time before she made the jump to the big screen, and as the star and writer of “Trainwreck,” Schumer officially announces herself as a legitimate Hollywood double-threat. While her raunchy humor has a tendency to take some jokes a little too far, Schumer has an incredibly likable presence, even when playing a borderline asshole like she does here. What’s most surprising about her work in the film, however, is that she showcases some real dramatic chops in addition to the comedy. Bill Hader also turns in a solid performance as Schumer’s love interest despite being given the short end of the stick as far as character development goes, while supporting players like Colin Quinn, Tilda Swinton and LeBron James (yes, that LeBron James) are very funny in their respective roles. But while the jokes come fast and furious in the first act, the movie eventually gets sucked into the same tropes that plague the rom-com genre, and that causes the middle section to really drag. In typical Judd Apatow fashion, it’s also about 20 minutes too long. Still, it says something that “Trainwreck” is the first movie Apatow has directed that he didn’t also write, because it’s his best film in years.

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by writer/actor Amy Schumer and producer Judd Apatow, there’s a behind-the-scenes look at making the film, a featurette on the athlete cameos, deleted scenes, alternate line readings, a gag reel and more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Terminator Genisys”

WHAT: In the year 2029, resistance fighter Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back in time to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), the future mother of rebel leader John Conner (Jason Clarke), from a time-traveling Terminator designed to kill her. But when he arrives, Kyle discovers that the timeline has been radically altered, forcing him to team up with Sarah and an antique Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in order to save the world by resetting the future.

WHY: It may surprise you to learn that “Terminator Genisys” was only written by two people, because the film is such a narrative mess that it feels like the result of a design by committee. Unlike J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” (which is fast becoming the gold standard for franchise reboots), “Genisys” isn’t nearly as precious with the series’ history as it would like you to believe, relying on muddled time travel logic to hold together its incomprehensible plot. No amount of twists or character deviations changes the fact that “Genisys” is basically a less interesting rehash of the first two movies, especially when John Connor’s villainous turn makes about as much sense as anything else that happens in the film. Though Arnold Schwarzenegger is enjoyable as the aging Terminator, and the main trio fares well in their respective roles, there’s very little that sets “Genisys” apart from the other installments. Say what you will about “Terminator Salvation,” but at least that movie tried to expand the mythology by telling a different part of the story. “Terminator Genisys,” on the other hand, may look different on the surface, but it’s the same end-of-the-world yarn that James Cameron already told twice before.

EXTRAS: There’s a trio of featurettes on casting, location shooting and visual effects.

FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

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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.

“Southpaw”

WHAT: After his wife (Rachel McAdams) is tragically killed and he spirals out of control, undefeated light heavyweight champion Billy “The Great” Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) lands himself in trouble with the boxing league, losing his house, his possessions, and most importantly, custody of his daughter Leila (Oona Laurence). Desperate to keep her out of the foster care system where he spent his childhood, Billy seeks help from a gruff, veteran trainer (Forest Whitaker) to get back what he lost.

WHY: Throughout the years, boxing movies have been synonymous with tales of redemption, and Antoine Fuqua’s “Southpaw” is no different. But for as clichéd and heavy-handed as the film can be at times, the movie avoids dragging itself too far into melodrama thanks to some excellent performances and a solid screenplay by Kurt Sutter that is as brutal and emotionally charged as you’d expect from the “Sons of Anarchy” creator. Though Sutter originally wrote the lead role for Eminem, Jake Gyllenhaal brings a physicality and intensity to the character that’s beyond the rapper’s abilities. It’s a much more complex role than it appears on the surface, and Gyllenhaal knocks it out of the park. In fact, while “Nightcrawler” features the better performance, “Southpaw” is perhaps his most impressive piece of acting to date, if only because he’s managed to take a fairly standard underdog drama and elevate it on the strength of his shoulders alone. The film isn’t on the same level as the boxing greats, but with Gyllenhaal’s knockout performance front and center, it’s a lot more enjoyable than it probably had any right to be.

EXTRAS: There’s a making-of featurette, a Q&A with the cast, footage of Jake Gyllenhaal’s training regimen for the film and some deleted scenes.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Pixels”

WHAT: In 1982, NASA sent a time capsule into space in the hopes of contacting other life forms, but after an alien race misinterprets the message as a declaration of war, they attack Earth in the form of retro video game characters. When the military proves useless, U.S. President William Cooper (Kevin James) enlists the help of best friend Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), along with fellow video game prodigies Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) and Eddie Plant (Peter Dinklage), to save the planet from certain extinction.

WHY: Though it may seem like critics are being overly hard on “Pixels” simply because Adam Sandler is in the movie, it really is a bad film. The premise itself is cool, and director Chris Columbus taps into some of that potential with fun set pieces that look great and play with the mechanics of classic games like Pac-Man, Centipede and Donkey Kong, but unfortunately, the screenplay is a mess. It’s no better than the typical Sandler comedy (in fact, frequent collaborator Tim Herlihy is one of the co-writers), fueled by lazy and juvenile humor that falls flat more often than not. The casting of Kevin James as the president isn’t just ridiculous, but downright insulting, while the Q*Bert character shows that Hollywood never learned its lesson from Jar-Jar Binks. The rest of the cast doesn’t fare much better – Sandler does his usual man-child shtick and Josh Gad is wasted as his conspiracy theorist friend – but Peter Dinklage’s over-the-top performance as the Billy Mitchell-esque gamer is just silly enough to ensure that “Pixels” isn’t a complete disappointment. Still, an idea this good deserved something better.

EXTRAS: There are four featurettes on filming the movie’s video game-inspired set pieces, a look at Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani’s cameo and more.

FINAL VERDICT: SKIP

Continue reading »

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.

“Jurassic World”

WHAT: Twenty-two years after the disastrous events of the original Jurassic Park, Isla Nubar is now home to a fully functioning dinosaur theme park called Jurassic World. In an attempt to raise public interest, the park has genetically engineered a brand new dinosaur called Indominus Rex, but when it gets loose and goes on a killing spree, operations manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) enlists the help of raptor wrangler Owen (Chris Pratt) to hunt it down before it wreaks havoc on the park’s attendees.

WHY: Though it doesn’t hold a candle to Steven Spielberg’s 1993 original, “Jurassic World” is the sequel that fans have wanted (and deserved) for decades – a big, summer spectacle that understands the DNA of the franchise and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The first act is admittedly a bit messy as director Colin Trevorrow gets all of his pieces on the board, but the story really picks up once the Indominus Rex breaks free from confinement, turning into a full-fledged adventure film with no shortage of dinosaur-caused destruction. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are both solid in their respective roles, while Vincent D’Onofrio, Irrfan Khan and Jake Johnson round out the excellent cast. Even the two kid actors (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) are pretty likable, and that’s saying something. Granted, the movie isn’t without its flaws (particularly when it comes to basic common sense and logic, like in the climactic dino battle at the end), but it’s an entertaining piece of fan service that makes up for having to suffer through the last two sequels. And if the film’s box office domination is any indication, “Jurassic World” is just the beginning, although it’s difficult to imagine how John Hammond’s dream could possibly live on after yet another public catastrophe.

EXTRAS: The Blu-ray release includes a pair of featurettes on making the film, a behind-the-scenes look at the visual effects, a tour of the park’s Innovation Center, a discussion between director Colin Trevorrow and star Chris Pratt, deleted scenes and more.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Z for Zachariah”

WHAT: After a nuclear war wipes out most of humanity, a young woman named Ann (Margot Robbie) endures on her own, miraculously isolated from the fallout. But when two men – scientist Dr. John Loomis (Chiwetel Ejifor) and mysterious stranger Caleb (Chris Pine) – arrive on her family’s farm, the three survivors form a precarious bond that threatens to unravel when jealousy sets in.

WHY: Director Craig Zobel’s latest drama may be a marked improvement upon the vile and moronic “Compliance,” but it actually shares many of the same themes, including morality, trust and the weight of one’s actions. All three actors deliver solid performances – especially Margot Robbie and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who are given more time to develop their characters – but unfortunately, not a lot happens over the course of the film’s 98-minute runtime that’s particularly compelling. There are some really good moments littered throughout, like Ann’s introduction to Dr. Loomis, or the tense face-off between Loomis and Caleb in the movie’s closing minutes, but they’re surrounded by long periods of nothingness that test your patience. The arrival of Chris Pine’s character adds some much-needed conflict to the proceedings, although it takes the story into more predictable territory, while the religious undertones (from the Eden-like valley, to Caleb’s snake-like instigator) are laid on a bit thick. Though “Z for Zachariah” isn’t quite as boring as it could have been thanks to its outstanding cast, the film never rises above mediocrity, ultimately squandering its promising, post-apocalyptic premise.

EXTRAS: There’s a making-of featurette, deleted scenes, and interviews with director Craig Zobel, writer Nissar Modi and actors Margot Robbie and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F'”

WHAT: Two surviving members of the Frieza Force travel to Earth in search of the Dragon Balls so that they can resurrect their leader. When their wish is granted and the galactic tyrant returns more powerful than before, Frieza sets out to exact his revenge on Goku, who is training off-world with Whis after his fight with Beerus the Destroyer.

WHY: 2013’s “Battle of the Gods” may have been the first “Dragon Ball Z” movie produced in almost 20 years, but while that film served as a sufficient appetizer for fans of the series, “Resurrection F” is the main course, higlighted by the long-awaited rematch between Goku and Frieza. Though Goku has faced off against much tougher adversaries, there’s a reason why Frieza is still the most iconic villain in the franchise, and his fight with Goku doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it more than makes up for the anti-climactic battle in the last movie. “Resurrection F” also improves upon its predecessor by giving the supporting characters more to do. Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, Tien and even Master Roshi get in on the action, fighting off the first wave of Frieza’s attack as they await Goku’s return, and although Vegeta is once again relegated to the sidelines, at least he gets to land a punch this time around. “Resurrection F” follows the typical “Dragon Ball Z” formula to a tee, so there aren’t any major surprises, but it boasts great animation, some killer action beats and plenty of fan service for longtime viewers of the anime.

EXTRAS: There’s a behind-the-scenes look at recording the voices for the U.S. release and some interviews with the cast.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT