Tag: Blu Tuesday (Page 41 of 49)

Blu Tuesday: Iron Thrones, Fake Movies and More

February 19, 2013 /

For the second week in a row, Blu-rays fans have been treated to an impressive selection of new releases, including personal favorites like “Game of Thrones” and “Argo,” and other award-worthy fare to get you in the mood for the upcoming Oscars. We might not see another Blu Tuesday this good for awhile, so enjoy it while you can.

“Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season”

Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom” may have been my favorite freshman series of last year, but when it comes to HBO, “Game of Thrones” is (appropriately) still king. There’s nothing else quite like it on television, and though Season Two wasn’t as good as the first season on an episode-to-episode basis, the payoff was arguably even better, showing the full complexity and richness of the universe that George R.R. Martin created. As anyone who watches the series can attest, there are a lot of moving parts to keep track of, and though several new faces were introduced in the second season, it’s the familiar ones that remain the best reason for tuning in, including Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Kit Harrington as Jon Snow, and Maisie Williams as the cute but headstrong Arya Stark. Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen is regrettably saddled with a boring subplot this time around, but Season One background players Alfie Allen and Richard Madden are given much more to do, and the show is ultimately better for it. The scope of the series also seems to grow with every season, and as a fan of what David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are doing with Martin’s source material, I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Blu-ray Highlight: Much like last season, there’s a wealth of extras on the five-disc set, including a roundtable discussion with several cast members and a look at shooting the Battle of Blackwater Bay. The real highlight, however, is the 12 audio commentaries recorded by various cast and crew. There’s one track for every episode except “The Ghost of Harrenhal,” and Episodes 3, 9 and 10 each have two commentaries a piece.

“Argo”

Ben Affleck may have proved that he was more than just a one-hit wonder with “The Town,” but for his next project, the multihyphenate moved away from the comforts of Boston to a much larger stage, delivering his best film in the process. A politically charged thriller that felt eerily timely in the wake of the U.S. embassy attacks in Libya, “Argo” is unique in that it also juggles a lighter Hollywood insider subplot in addition to its main story. By all accounts, it shouldn’t work, but Affleck makes the blending of the contrasting tones seem effortless. The comedy provided by Alan Arkin’s veteran producer and John Goodman’s makeup artist never undercuts the seriousness of the action in Tehran, and yet the strategically placed laughs help break up the tension that mounts over the course of the film. It’s been a while since a movie literally had me on the edge of my seat, but “Argo” is extremely taut and suspenseful, topped off by a fantastic nail-biter ending and one of the year’s best ensembles. The fact that it’s also based on a true story is simply the icing on the cake.

Blu-ray Highlight: There’s so much great material here that it’s hard to choose. The feature-length picture-in-picture track boasts interviews with the people involved in the event (like CIA operative Tony Mendes, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor and the “house guests”), while director Ben Affleck and writer Chris Terrio discuss the actual making of the movie on the disc’s audio commentary. Also worth checking out is the excellent retrospective “Rescued from Tehran: We Were There,” which uses additional interviews with the real-life subjects about their memories of the event, and the making-of featurette “Absolute Authenticity.”

“Anna Karenina”

If there’s one director whose films I’ll watch no matter what the subject matter, it’s Joe Wright. The British-born filmmaker has a knack for making stuffy love stories interesting (see: “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement”), but unfortunately, even he falls short with his big screen adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.” Though the popular Russian novel has been adapted so many times that there really wasn’t a need for another interpretation, Wright at least brings something new to the material with his inspired theatrical setup. It’s like watching an acting troupe perform a play in your living room (complete with intricate, movable sets), and it’s an awe-inspiring piece of filmmaking… at least for the first act or so. By the midway point, Wright has pretty much given up on the theater gimmick in favor of a more traditional storytelling method, and it saps what little energy the movie had going for it. The main love story is insufferable and boring, and although there are some good performances from supporting players like Matthew Macfadyen and Domhnall Gleeson, it’s not enough to hold your interest. Still, it’s better than reading the book.

Blu-ray Highlight: There’s a good amount of bonus material on the making of the film – including a look at transforming a single theater space into the various sets and how it was accomplished during production – but listening to director Joe Wright explain the process and the reasoning behind it on the audio commentary is far more interesting.

Entertainment, Movies, Television

Blu Tuesday: Bond, Oscars and More

February 12, 2013 /

It’s been a little slow these past few weeks in regards to major releases, but there’s no shortage of high profile titles this week as the first batch of award-worthy films arrives on Blu-ray. Of course, not every entry is Oscar material, but there’s enough variety and quality here that you won’t have to look very far for something that perks your interest.

“Skyfall”

Just like a good scotch, it’s amazing what a little time can do for a movie’s quality. After the disappointing “Quantum of Solace,” it was imperative that the next James Bond film didn’t follow suit, and although the MGM bankruptcy fiasco that put production indefinitely on hold was worrying, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Not only does the story feel more polished as a result, but it features one of the best Bond villains in the series’ history. Javier Bardem’s platinum-haired cyber-terrorist doesn’t appear until the midway mark, but the actor makes the most of his limited screen time, including a particularly memorable introduction. It’s hard to imagine Bardem would have even been interested in doing a Bond movie if it weren’t for Sam Mendes, and the same could probably be said for the rest of the cast as well. Though he was certainly an unconventional choice, having a director of Mendes’ caliber behind the camera is something the Broccolis should strive for more often, because it’s clear from the start that “Skyfall” is in a totally different class than past installments. It has everything you could want in a 007 film – action, intrigue, style and even a little humor – resulting in Daniel Craig’s best Bond adventure to date.

Blu-ray Highlight: A review copy wasn’t provided in time to sample the bonus material, but between the audio commentary by director Sam Mendes and the 13-part making-of featurette “Shooting Bond,” it’s a safe bet that diehard fans won’t be disappointed.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

It’s not every day that the author of a critically acclaimed novel gets the chance to adapt their book for the big screen, let alone direct it, but after watching Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” it’s hard to imagine anyone else doing a better job. After all, Chbosky knows the material inside and out, and it definitely shows in this modest but heartwarming tale about finding your place in the world. It’s your typical coming-of-age story, but one that’s handled with a certain level of maturity rarely found in high school films, and though the comparisons to “The Breakfast Club” may be somewhat warranted, it’s one of the few movies about high school that actually gets it right. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller deliver excellent performances in their respective roles (especially Miller as the openly gay senior that takes Lerman’s freshman under his wing), and Chbosky’s deft script earns every emotional moment. It’s just a shame that “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” got lost in the awards season shuffle, because it’s one of 2012’s very best.

Blu-ray Highlight: In addition to a short but sweet featurette about the close friendships formed while making the film, the Blu-ray also includes a pair of audio commentaries. The first track with writer/director Stephen Chobsky is definitely the more informative of the two, but the second track with Chobsky and his young cast is more entertaining.

“The Sessions”

Writer/director Ben Lewin’s “The Sessions” may sound like some really bizarre cross between “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “My Left Foot” – after all, it’s essentially about a disabled man (real-life polio survivor and journalist Mark O’Brien) trying to get laid for the first time – but this incredibly low-key and feel-good dramedy is about so much more, and that’s why it was such a big hit at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. Though it would have been all too easy to produce the kind of heavy-handed Oscar bait that you normally see with these types of true inspirational stories, Lewin never martyrizes his main character, instead relying on O’Brien’s charming personality and self-deprecating wit to lighten the mood. The sex scenes are also handled with a frankness and intimacy that you don’t see very often in films these days, and that, coupled with a pair of superb, award-worthy performances by John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, is what makes “The Sessions” such a joy to watch.

Blu-ray Highlight: Like “Skyfall,” a review copy wasn’t provided in time for press (blame Fox), but I’ll update this space as soon as I’m able to check out the bonus material.

Entertainment, Movies, Television

Blu Tuesday: BFFs, MMA and Other Acronyms

February 5, 2013 /

My Blu-ray column may be about as consistent as the weather in Ohio (seriously, it sucks), but while I often skip writing it due to the lack of releases, last week’s column was binned because many of the major titles weren’t available for review. Thankfully, that’s not an issue this week, and there are plenty of new Blu-rays to choose from as well – so many, in fact, that I actually ran out of time trying to include them all. Except for “Alex Cross,” which was so dreadful that I found myself at a complete lost for words.

“Celeste and Jesse Forever”

Lee Toland Krieger’s Sundance hit is the antithesis of the traditional romantic comedy. Instead of telling a story about two people who meet cute and fall in love, it’s about a married couple who’s recently separated and is trying to move on with their respective lives, despite the fact that they can’t quite let the other go. It’s more mature than most Hollywood rom-coms, and to even label it a comedy would be a disservice to some of the bigger emotional beats that take place throughout the movie. Thankfully, the film isn’t nearly as depressing as it could have been, and that’s a credit to co-star Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s well-balanced script, which is refreshingly honest in its depiction of love, friendship and marriage. Jones and Andy Samberg are both great as the title characters – especially the former, who’s written herself the best role of her career – while Elijah Wood fares the best of the large supporting cast. Although the movie ends almost as predictably as a majority of rom-coms, the journey there is much more entertaining and rewarding.

Blu-ray Highlight: The audio commentary with Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg may not be as fun to listen to as it clearly was to record, but the other track with Jones, co-writer Will McCormack and director Lee Toland Kreiger is much better, focusing more on the actual making of the movie. And though making-of featurettes are pretty hit and miss, the one included here is actually worth watching and features various cast and crew discussing the story, its themes and the actual events that served as inspiration.

“Side by Side”

The debate about film versus digital cinema has been really heating up in recent years, and it’s at the center of Christopher Kenneally’s documentary “Side by Side.” Narrated by Keanu Reeves, the movie examines the evolution of the digital format while speaking with various directors, cinematographers, editors and actors (some admittedly more reputable than others) about their thoughts on the matter. To my surprise, the documentary is pretty one-sided, with a majority of the subjects either big proponents of the digital format (like George Lucas, James Cameron, et al.) or ones that have gradually adopted it. The only well-known pro-film advocates are director Christopher Nolan and his longtime DP Wally Pfister, and they don’t get as much screen time as you’d hope. With that said, the movie is an interesting look at how far cinema has come in the last 20 years (looking beyond just the photography side at digital editing, color timing, 3D, projection and archiving) that any film geek will enjoy. As for the debate itself, it’s really just a question as to which one you prefer, because there’s no reason why both formats can’t mutually exist.

Blu-ray Highlight: There isn’t much in the way of bonus material, but the disc does include about 16 minutes of additional interviews, including one particularly interesting anecdote from Robert Rodriguez about making “Grindhouse” with Quentin Tarantino.

“Here Comes the Boom”

Like most Happy Madison productions, “Here Comes the Boom” isn’t very good, but when compared to Kevin James’ past starring vehicles, there’s no question that it’s a major improvement. That doesn’t make his latest film any less of a disappointment, but it does provide a sliver of hope that James has finally graduated from making juvenile comedies like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.” In fact, it’s only because the actor is so likeable that the film almost manages to overcome its various problems, though he doesn’t get much help from his co-stars or the humorless script. For a movie about mixed martial arts, it’s also surprisingly light on action. There are a few fight scenes scattered throughout, but with the exception of the big finale, the sport never really gets the attention you’d expect, and at that point, you might as well just watch “Warrior” again instead. “Here Comes the Boom” certainly had the makings of a decent comedy, but when the laughs are so rare that you can count them on one hand, it’s not surprising that it leaves such a bland taste in your mouth.

Blu-ray Highlight: Sony definitely hasn’t skimped on the bonus material for the film’s Blu-ray release – which includes about 16 minutes of deleted scenes, a short gag reel and a series of production featurettes – but none of them are particularly memorable.

Entertainment, Movies

Blu Tuesday: Cops, Call Girls and Pulp Fiction

January 22, 2013 /

January has been pretty disappointing for movie fans thus far, both in theaters and on home video, but that cold streak appears to be finally coming to an end thanks to this week’s collection of new releases. Most of them aren’t particularly high profile titles (except maybe “End of Watch”), but they’re all worth seeing for one reason or another.

“End of Watch”

“Training Day” ranks pretty high on my list of the best cop movies ever made, so when I learned that writer/director David Ayer (who wrote the screenplay) would be returning to the genre with a found footage film, it definitely perked my interest. But while the idea is great in theory, “End of Watch” doesn’t work quite as well as you’d hope. The biggest problem is that Ayer isn’t fully committed to the found footage gimmick that he forces on the story, often relying on shots that clearly weren’t captured by any of the characters, surveillance cameras or dash cams, and it spoils the experience as a result. There really wasn’t a need to shoot the movie this way either, or at the very least, not draw so much attention to the fact that its heroes and villains are carrying around cameras the whole time. Despite these annoyances, however, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña are so incredibly committed to their roles – striking an excellent chemistry and delivering some of the best work of both their careers – that it’s worth seeing for their performances alone.

Blu-ray Highlight: In addition to some short promos and deleted scenes, writer/director David Ayer sits down for a mostly enjoyable commentary track where he discusses the cast’s dedication to the project, criticisms about the found footage cheats and more.

“For a Good Time, Call…”

Continuing the recent trend of R-rated female comedies, “For a Good Time, Call…” is like a stick of cotton candy – it’s fluffy and sweet, but doesn’t have very much substance. Unlike the sugary treat, however, the film is harmless fun. The story is pretty formulaic, and you probably won’t remember much about the movie when it’s over, but it’s an enjoyable slice of mindless entertainment that’s anchored by a pair of likeable performances by Ari Graynor and co-writer Lauren Anne Miller. Though I’m a little surprised that the comedy wasn’t raunchier, it’s nice to see an R-rated film that doesn’t feel like it has to resort to crude humor for laughs. That doesn’t mean it’s not raunchy at times, but Miller and Katie Anne Naylon’s script nicely balances those moments with the charming relationship between its two leads. The film also features some great cameos by Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith and Ken Marino, and though that doesn’t make it any less forgettable, it’s not a bad way to spend two hours.

Blu-ray Highlight: The included audio commentary features director Jamie Travis, stars Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller, and co-writer Katie Anne Naylon in an enthusiastic discussion about making the movie, but it’s not particularly informative or entertaining.

“The Paperboy”

I’m one of the few critics that didn’t fall head over heels for “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” when it was released four years ago, and a major reason for that was director Lee Daniels’ poor execution of the material. Not only does his Oscar nomination seem like a complete joke in hindsight, but based on the reaction to his latest movie, it appears that he’s finally been found out with yet another appalling effort. “The Paperboy” is bad filmmaking through and through, from its ugly, slapdash script to the dreadful acting by its cast. You know something’s wrong when Macy Gray delivers the best performance, and though everyone involved is pretty bad (even Matthew McConaughey, who’s had a really good year), Zac Efron is the worst of the bunch. Nicole Kidman, meanwhile, just makes a complete fool of herself, whether it’s peeing on Efron or miming fellatio while John Cusack’s convict jizzes in his pants. There doesn’t seem to be a point to anything that happens over the course of the film, and even the outrageous stuff is dull. If you’re looking for a great pulp thriller that doesn’t pull its punches, watch “Killer Joe” instead.

Blu-ray Highlight: There’s not a lot to choose from here, but the interviews with the cast and crew – including director Lee Daniels and actors Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron – do shine some light on the making of the film.

Entertainment, Movies

Blu Tuesday: Car Chases, Psychos and Bank Robbers

January 8, 2013 /

If the new year is anything like the one before it, 2013 should be a great time to be a Blu-ray fan. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a few bumps along the way, and you needn’t look any further than January for evidence of that. Though there are a few exciting titles to look forward to this month, just like the theatrical release schedule, you’re going to have to wade through a lot of crap in order to find any gems.

“Hit and Run”

It’s hard to imagine “Hit and Run” getting as large of a theatrical release as it did (or even one at all) without the involvement of Bradley Cooper, not only due to his box office drawing power, but because his amusing, against-type turn as a dreadlocked ex-con is about the only good thing the movie has going for it. Clearly inspired by “Smokey and the Bandit,” the action rom-com is mostly just an excuse for Dax Shepard (who also wrote and co-directed the film) to make a movie with his wife (Kristen Bell) and Hollywood friends. But despite a somewhat promising premise, it gets stuck in first gear and never really recovers. With the exception of Cooper and a cameo by Jason Bateman, the movie is almost completely void of laughs (Tom Arnold is particularly awful as a dim-witted U.S. Marshal), and the car chases aren’t nearly as exciting as intended. Fans of Cooper will no doubt be curious to see the actor in such an unexpected role, but while it’s certainly good for a couple of laughs, “Hit and Run” is more miss than hit.

Blu-ray Highlight: Apart from some deleted scenes, the only other bonus material on the disc is a trio of featurettes (on the cast, cars and the movie’s love story) that each run just over two minutes long. In other words, they’re a complete waste of your time.

“House at the End of the Street”

Jennifer Lawrence is still really young, so “House at the End of the Street” likely won’t be the last bad movie of her career, but it doesn’t make her decision to star in this bland “Psycho” wannabe any less tragic. No one that talented should be forced to slum it in a subpar horror movie, especially when her time could’ve been better spent making the next “Winter’s Bone” or “Silver Linings Playbook.” Though it’s nice to see Elizabeth Shue back in front of the camera as Lawrence’s protective mother, her character is perhaps the most one-dimensional of the bunch (and that’s saying something), while just about every scene featuring Max Thieriot is the equivalent of watching paint dry. Putting aside the bad acting, choppy editing and major plot holes, my biggest problem with “House at the End of the Street” is that it doesn’t even respect its audience, to the point that director Mark Tonderai provides false information in order to protect the big twist, even though he didn’t need to. Any movie that resorts to that kind of tactic is a lost cause in my book.

Blu-ray Highlight: “Journey Into Terror” is a pretty decent making-of featurette (at the very least, it offers an explanation as to why Lawrence would consider doing a movie like this), but it hardly qualifies as must-see material, and it’s the only extra on the disc.

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Entertainment, Movies

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