Justified: Season Three DVD review

Actors: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel

Directors: Adam Arkin, Bill Johnson, Dean Parisot, Don Kurt, Gwyneth Horder-Payton

Format: AC-3, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: French

Dubbed: Spanish

Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: December 31, 2012

Run Time: 541 minutes

 

 

            I’m not sure how accurate the police work is in “Justified,” but it is certainly more compelling drama than most cop shows in recent history. In the opening sequence of the “Justified” pilot, Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) approaches a Miami drug cartel hit man that he has threatened to shoot if he doesn’t leave Miami. This promise is followed through, but only after the hit man pulls a weapon, making the shooting justified (get it?). Although the shooting was justified, Raylan is under investigation for his behavior, and he is sent back to his hometown as a punishment. With his personal knowledge of Harlan County, Kentucky, Raylan happens to also be the perfect candidate to take down a local crime family.

 

            Based on the short story “Fire in the Hole” by crime novelist Elmore Leonard, “Justified” works as an adaptation which allows room for growth. I suspect several more seasons will follow. Timothy Olyphant has a strong presence as the lead, and he has plenty of experience carrying a western-type show. This may not be “Deadwood,” but it is an enjoyable crime show nevertheless. The premise has begun to run a little bit thin by the third season, though all of the elements which made the first ones a success still remain. He is still a lawman who often operates outside of conventional law, and surrounded by corruption this becomes a necessary approach.

 

            All season three episodes are included in this 3-disc set. Special features include four cast/crew commentaries on nine episodes, outtakes, deleted scenes, a set tour and several featurettes. There are new bad guys and new storylines, but the drama in season three is no different than we have seen in previous seasons of “Justified.”

Premium Rush Blu-ray review

Actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon

Director: David Koepp

Format: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Chinese, English, French, Korean

Dubbed: French

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: December 21, 2012

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

 

            If nothing else, Premium Rush is an original concept for a thriller. Being chased by a bad guy through the city is not new, nor is it original that he is a corrupt police officer. What makes Premium Rush stand out is the manner in which out protagonist is chased, which happens to be on a bicycle in the middle of Manhattan traffic. This promises some unique action sequences, which are delivered with a remarkably small amount of CGI utilized. Many of the action tricks are achieved through real stunt riding, which was apparently fun enough for star Joseph Gordon-Levitt to try. During the credits of the film there is behind-the-scenes footage of a crash he endured from a failed attempt at a stunt. 

 

Though not all aspects of the film live up to the premise of the film, the cast far exceeds it. Gordon-Levitt stars as Wilee, a name which is both fitting and without any subtlety. It also makes little sense, considering The Roadrunner was always the fast one in the cartoons. Wilee is a bike delivery messenger, and he rides a single-gear bike without any brakes. This makes for tricky maneuvering at all intersections, which he always rides straight through. This job is dangerous and pays minimal, but Wilee is an educated man choosing to ride in the streets for the lifestyle rather than the money or prestige.

 

When one particular delivery inspires interest from a plainclothes detective insisting one retrieving it before the delivery is made, Wilee finds himself the one being chased. Michael Shannon is effective as the cop with a personal need to get the package that Wilee is carrying, and these two actors are enough to overcome the weaknesses in the script. The Blu-ray captures all of the action chases through Manhattan in high definition glory. The special features include two featurettes; one on the cast and filmmakers, and the other on the action and stunts within the film.

Les Miserables Blu-ray review

Actors: Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, Claire Danes, Hans Matheson

Director: Bille August

Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Norwegian, Swedish

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Run Time: 134 minutes

 

 

            Just in time for the release of the new theatrical musical version of Les Misérables, the theatrical version of the adaptation of the book (as opposed to the musical) from 1998 has been released on high definition Blu-ray. Although it does not have the songs that many associate with the story, all of the characters and magic from Victor Hugo’s novel are included, for the most part.

 

            Liam Neeson stars as Jean Valjean, a convict who is transformed by an act of kindness and rises up to be a man of virtue. When a prostitute named Fantine (Uma Thurman) begs Valjean to raise her child, Cosette (Claire Danes), it is an opportunity for the convict to redeem himself. At the same time a determined police officer named Javert (Geoffrey Rush) is determined to put Valjean back behind bars, and all of this takes place during the French Revolution.

 

            The cast is wonderful and director Bille August is able to provide a concise telling of the story in just over two hours. Though the latest version is likely to be more popular, simply because of the musical aspects and a new cast, this is an admirable adaptation of Hugo’s classic tale. The Blu-ray includes a featurette, though the high definition presentation is the true reason for this Blu-ray. Even that is somewhat unspectacular, seemingly rushed just to have this on shelves in time for the new theatrical release. 

Purple Noon Blu-ray review

Actors: Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet

Director: René Clément

Format: Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: December 4, 2012

Run Time: 118 minutes

 

 

            Before Anthony Minghella’s adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” French director René Clément made Purple Noon (Plein Soleil). Created just five years after the release of Highsmith’s novel, Purple Noon aligns much closer to the book than the later version starring Matt Damon and Jude Law, while adding a bit more believability and realism to the criminal acts than are found in literary form. The result is a fantastic film, both gorgeous and meticulous in detail, surely one of Clément’s best and the film which made Alain Delon a star.

 

            Delon stars as Tom Ripley, an American who has traveled to Rome in search of a trust fund young man named Philippe (Maurice Ronet) and convince him to return home to his father in San Francisco. Ripley is something of a savant, able to forge signatures and imitate others. He uses this ability to plot out a way to take over Philippe’s life in Italy, though this effort does not come without huge obstacles. The largest is Philippe’s unsuspecting on-again/off-again girlfriend, Marge (Marie Laforêt).

 

            What is truly remarkable about Purple Noon is the amount of effort taken to show us how Ripley would be able to accomplish what he does, without forcing the audience to sympathize with him or even understand why he would. There is no need for motive or explanation, as greed is quite clear to see. Delon is marvelous as a carefree Ripley, almost appearing as a child who is proud of his ability to fool others with lies and trickery. He marvels himself smarter than those around him, at one point even openly discussing his murderous intentions to his victim.

 

            The Blu-ray release of this classic French thriller comes with a new digital restoration presentation, including an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. The special features include a new interview with Clément scholar Denitza Bantcheva, as well as archival interviews with Highsmith and Delon. The package comes with a booklet insert with an essay by film critic Geoffrey O’Brien and an excerpt from an interview with Clément from the early 80s.

 

           

The Good Doctor Blu-ray review

Actors: Orlando Bloom, Riley Keough, Michael Pena

Directors: Lance Daly

Format: AC-3, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

Release Date: December 18, 2012

Run Time: 91 minutes

 

 

            The Good Doctor is a disturbing little thriller, understated in a way which makes it all the more believable and terrifying. I have never much cared for actor Orlando Bloom, but he gives a subtle and chilling performance as Martin Blake, a young doctor whose insecurities are matched only by his ambitions. This pairing of these two characteristics proves deadly in the hands of this unstable doctor, making for a smart little serial killer film. 

 

            Martin wants to be a doctor for all of the wrong reasons, caring little about human interaction and much more about the prestige that comes with the profession. Expecting everyone to fall at his feet now that he is a doctor, Blake is unsettled to find the nursing staff treating him as an equal and less. He becomes so disturbed that it throws him off of his ability to perform, which threatens his future ambitions. Unable to allow this, Martin finds a way to force an outcome he desires.

 

            When an eighteen-year-old girl named Diane (Riley Keough) with a kidney infection comes into the hospital, it provides Martin with the opportunity he needs. His desire to obtain Diane for himself is matched only by a desire to advance his medical career, and soon Diane’s safety is put at risk so that Martin can keep her in the hospital. Soon he must take further action to cover up what he has done. This is what Tom Ripley would look like as a doctor.

 

            The Blu-ray release includes a making-of featurette, as well as a short promotional video shown on TV and a theatrical trailer.

The Words Blu-ray review

Actors: Dennis Quaid, Bradley Cooper

Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: December 24, 2012

 

 

            Story within story within story, and all about a fictional story which is actually more non-fiction, The Words is a literary Inception; it takes a simple idea and overcomplicates it somewhat unnecessarily. There are some fantastic moments within the film, as well as acting which keeps the story mesmerizing even when it never quite reaches a point of fulfilling the promise that the build up promises. There is little mystery or suspense in this movie, and if you have seen the trailer you already know the entire movie. Even if we are not told something until the very end, it is hinted at so obviously that only a fool would not know the truth before the third act.

 

            Aside from my annoyance with the fact that this film is being marked as a thriller rather than a drama and the overbearing repetition of story-within-story, I found myself enjoying much of The Words. Bradley Cooper is better than he usually is as Rory Jansen, a writer who finds a story in an old briefcase while on vacation and claims it his own. Even more captivating is Jeremy Iron, who plays the man who actually wrote the story. There is also an unnecessary storyline involving another writer (Dennis Quaid), who is the narrator of Janson’s story, though this framing story is almost not worth mentioning. It makes little sense, especially the addition of a young woman who nearly stalks him to find out more about his work. The role is played by Olivia Wilde, but the character is so unbelievable that it doesn’t matter who plays it.

 

            Aside from a decent bit of dialogue and one interesting idea about literature which is pounded in time-and-time again, there is much to be desired within The Words. It builds suspenseful while never paying off with anything more than that one concept. The DVD includes an extended version of the film, adding a few minutes that don’t change much one way or another. There is also a behind-the-scenes look at one of the scenes and a look at the discovery of the material for the film.

V/H/S Blu-ray review

Actors: Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Adam Wingard

Directors: Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg

Format: AC-3, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Magnolia

Release Date: December 4, 2012

Run Time: 116 minutes

 

 

            The found-footage sub-genre of horror has been done to the point that it has little of the effect which once propelled these films. We no longer look at these movies the way we did The Blair Witch Project, but the medium proves to have a few tricks remaining with this anthology horror film from some newcomer horror directors. Although I have never been much of a fan of anthology horror films, V/H/S has a few moments which shouldn’t be missed by any horror aficionados. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of moments in-between which are easily missed and even more easy to forget.

 

            A great deal of the film seems to be footage taken from the camera of men who use it in the most disgusting ways imaginable. Our wraparound storyline involves a group of pigs who videotape assaults on women in public, forcing them to flash the camera unwillingly. When they are offered a large sum of money to rob a house and find a videotape, they tape this hunt. They are slowly picked off, and in the meantime we are given the opportunity to watch several found footage tapes while they search for the one they were sent in to get. The storyline of the one VHS tape they are meant to retrieve is never really developed entirely, but it provides the necessary frame for all of the other short horror stories.

 

            Right away we jump into more vulgar men behaving badly on camera, this time determined to film a sexual act with an unwitting female brought home from the bar. When a strange and creepy woman comes back to their room with them, they end up with more than they bargained for. Another hotel room story involves a slow burning suspense story about a couple on a vacation when a nightly visitor starts intruding on their privacy. There are stories which range from serial killer horror all the way up into the most extreme paranormal horror tales. The most frightening sequence of the film is an escape from a haunted house, also the one film to show men on a more admirable note. The effects in the sequence are over-the-top, albeit fantastically achieved.

 

            At nearly two hours, this is a bit long for a horror film, and there are certainly sequences which seem to drag the film down. At the same time, I can’t help but recommend it for the moments that work really well. The Blu-ray only further enhances the stronger special effects in the film, with a ton of additional features to add to the experience. There is an alternate ending for one of the sequences, as well as additional footage for another. The film comes with an optional audio commentary with cast and crew members, as well as a number of making-of features and webcam interviews.

The Qatsi Trilogy Blu-ray review

Director: Godfrey Reggio

Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 3

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Run Time: 274 minutes

 

 

            Godfrey Reggie’s Qatsi trilogy began with Koyaanisqatsi (1983), an unconventional film which utilized the visual aspects of cinema with a score by Philip Glass. The result was the creation of a new type of film, commonly referred to as Soundscapes. The trilogy was completed with Powaqqatsi in 1988 and Naqoyqatsi in 2002, though there have been many other films which have followed in the same footsteps of Reggie, Glass and cinematographer Ron Fricke. This trilogy is the epitome of soundscapes, and each of movies has a precise theme which is only clear upon the revelation the title’s meaning.

 

            Using spectacular photography and time-lapse effects, Koyaanisqatsi catalogues the marked changes in the environments of the Northern Hemisphere. From the shifts in nature to the increasing reliance on technology by humans, the photography and music allow an understanding of the themes without the need for dialogue. From a rocket lifting off to a simple aerial shot, there is a magnificence in the Qatsi trilogy that is more impressive than any of the Imax or 3D spectacles of today. The film is featured in a newly restored digital transfer, approved by Reggio with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The special features include an interview program with Reggio and Glass discussing the film, as well as new interviews with Fricke and Reggio. There is also an early demo version of Koyaanisqatsi.

 

            Powaqqatsi shifts to third-world countries when he chose to focus on the Southern Hemisphere for the follow-up to Koyaanisqatsi. The visual style is shifted somewhat also, with far more segments in slow-motion, forgoing the time-lapse photography which was essential to the first film. This film shows the ways of the Southern Hemisphere, before showing the manner in which these traditions are destroyed or altered for the sake of industry. Glass returned to score the film, though his sound also changed to adjust to this particular theme. The Blu-ray release includes a newly restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by Reggio, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The special features include an interview program with Reggio and Glass discussing the film, as well as new interviews with Reggio and an extra short film, Anima Mundi (1989). This is a film of over 70 animal species in 28 minutes, created by Reggio.

 

            The final film in the trilogy takes on the digital revolution. Naqoyqatsi utilizes both slow motion and time-lapse, not to mention found footage and computer generated imagery. The film series comes full circle with the theme of a world shifting from a reliance on the natural to the artificial. The use of virtual reality within the creation of the film brings this message full circle in an embracement. This time around Glass is joined by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The Blu-ray release includes a newly restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by Reggio, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The special features include a making-of documentary as well as a video afterward by Reggio on the making of the trilogy. There is also a panel discussion on the film with Reggio and crew, as well as interviews with Glass and Yo-Yo Ma. 

The Forgiveness of Blood Blu-ray review

Actors: Refet Abazi, Tristan Halilaj, Sindi Lacej, Ilire Vinca Celaj

Director: Joshua Marston

Format: Dolby, DTS Surround Sound

Subtitles: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: October 16, 2012

Run Time: 109 minutes

 

 

            The Forgiveness of Blood is American filmmaker Joshua Marston’s follow-up film to the 2004 Oscar-nominated Maria Full of Grace. Although his debut was about a Columbian woman working as a drug mule and this film is about an Albanian blood feud, both films are coming-of-age tales. They tell the unique stories to specific regions, and are done with an accuracy which brings the audience into a different environment before watching as out protagonist finds a way of escaping for the sake of their own future. In Maria Full of Grace it was done through criminal activity, whereas the law has little significance within The Forgiveness of Blood. The customs within this film are much older and pay little heed to what the laws expect of them.

 

            Set in northern Albania, the film starts with a sense of tradition and routine, though changing times have made for some difficult growing pains. The dispute the entire film comes from is a simple one; there is a piece of land which was once owned by the family of a bread delivery man, and when it is redistributed he is forced to change the path he has taken in his cart every day for work. This dispute leads to blows, which we don’t actually witness. It isn’t important who is exactly to blame or what happened. All that truly matters is the aftermath of the altercation, with a father forced to go into hiding and a family left to deal with the aftermath.

 

            The blood feud says that if any male member of the family is seen in public, they can be killed as revenge. This is a real threat which forces our teenage protagonist into house arrest. Until the conflict is resolved, he is forced to remain at home and indoors. Meanwhile his sister must continue the bread delivery for her family to survive, as the only capable member allowed in public. The adults are secondary characters within this fictional film based on highly researched material, with the teenagers and their reaction to events out of their control taking the main focus in the story.

 

            The Blu-ray includes a new high-definition digital transfer, approved by the director of photography, Rob Hardy, with a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The special features include an optional audio commentary with director and co-writer Joshua Marston, audition and rehearsal footage, and a series of interviews. The booklet insert has an essay by film writer Oscar Moralde.

Following Blu-ray review

Actors: Alex Haw, Lucy Russell

Director: Christopher Nolan

Format: Black & White, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R (Restricted)

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Run Time: 70 minutes

 

 

            Christopher Nolan may most recently be known for his contribution to the Superhero trend in films, more specifically for his direction in the revival of Batman and as a producer in the newest Superman film, but none of this would have been possible without Following. Few filmmakers have such a clear tendency towards a certain type of films, and Nolan showed an interest in non-linear and twist-filled stories from his debut, Following, made on a shockingly simplified budget. Before the revenge-mystery Memento, Nolan made this simple film noir on 16 mm.

 

            Despite being told out of sequence, Following is reminiscent of many classic Alfred Hitchcock films in the sense that it involves an ordinary man being pulled into a world he is unfamiliar with. When an unemployed aspiring writer (Jeremy Theobald) needs inspiration, he gets in the habit of walking around his London neighborhood. He follows strangers in search of inspiration for his writing, which comes in an unexpected manner. When the young man follows a man named Cobb (Alex Haw), who is a thief in the process of a home break-in when the writer first encounters him.

 

            These two develop a relationship, which eventually leads the young writer into a criminal world he is unprepared to handle. The only other characters in the film is a policeman and the film’s femme fatale, known in the credits only as Blonde (Lucy Russell). In many ways, even the non-linear way in which the story is told can be traced back to days of classic film noir, and is a tradition that Nolan would carry on in a more complex manner in his next film, Memento.

 

            The Blu-ray release of Following comes with a newly restored digital transfer of the film, supervised by Nolan, along with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack and a new 5.1 surround mix rerecording by mixer Gary Rizzo. The film comes with an option audio commentary by Nolan, as well as some new interviews and a three-minute short film by the director. The film is also available in a chronological edit on the Blu-ray, and an insert with an essay by film critic Scott Foundas.