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RMN Quick Critique: The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)

 

 

 

        Humphrey Bogart seemed to have two different personas onscreen; there was the tough guy romantic as remembered in Casablanca and the tough guy criminal from films such as The Treasure of Sierra Madre and his many noir classics. The Two Mrs. Carrolls somehow manages to utilize both of these personas in a thrilling forgotten classic filled with murder and intrigue, based on the stage play by Martin Vale which mostly takes place during one rainy evening. Geoffrey Carroll (Bogart) is married to Sally, played by Barbara Stanwyck, but he was married when he met her. As a fickle artist, Geoffrey trades out wives to keep his work fresh, and Sally is the next victim in this cycle.

 

       

       

Entertainment: 7/10

Quality: 7/10

Availability: DVD

 

 

Throwback Thursday Review: A Prairie Home Companion

 
  • Actors: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen
  • Director: Robert Altman
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Studio: New Line Home Video
  • Release Date: October 10, 2006
  • Run Time: 106 minutes


  •         There is a kind of forced timelessness about A Prairie Home Companion, but even more so the film has an ambiguity when it comes to time. The film begins with the sound of a radio dial being turned from station to station, evoking a classic feeling of nostalgia until slowly more modern sounds are blended in through certain stations, most notable being the traffic report from a helicopter. The next image is of a diner as our narrator Guy Noir, a private eye, is having his dinner before he goes to work as a security guard at the radio program. As if the name and the private detective narration isn’t enough of a hint, Altman is making reference to a certain time; a time when people ate in streetcar diners and dark detective and film noir stories were popular. Just as quickly we begin to see more modern elements within the world, seeping into the radio station as they broadcast their last show.

     

    The cast of characters traipsing on and off stage during the final broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion is what keeps the film moving in between the musical numbers. We begin with Guy Noir who is played by Kevin Kline. Guy is a private eye who is fascinated by a mysterious woman (Virginia Madsen) who comes back stage for the last performance. Through the whole film Guy talks like he is reading straight from a detective novel. John C Reilly and Woody Harrelson are Lefty and Dusty, the Old Trailhands, and they always leave you wanting more. Their interactions with each other, both in the constant bickering and competitiveness as well as the contrast of their performing together has the feeling of two people that have known each other for years. Reilly is especially fabulous onstage and Harrelson has his fun when they stop singing.

     

    There is also Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin as the Johnson Sisters, Yolanda and Rhonda. These two go to town with Altman’s freeing direction style (he claims to encourage improvising so much that he never even read the film’s script before shooting), often chatting away with each other in such a believable and realistic way that it becomes believable to the point of irritating. Lindsay Lohan is a stark contrast as Yolanda’s daughter, Lola, who is more interested in writing songs about suicide than her mother’s constant chatter. The sisters are too much too bear at times, more annoying and frighteningly familiar than they are fun to watch.

     

    The DVD will be especially appealing to fans of the music in the film. There are extended musical segments as well as the advertisements. The songs are played in their entirety and the musicians are on display. Much of the footage just seems like director Robert Altman was having a ball filming while the musicians showed their stuff. The amount is so overwhelming that it is clear that they couldn’t have ever expected it all to make it into the film. There is also a behind-the-scenes featurette and a commentary track with Altman and Kevin Kline, and some deleted scenes.

     

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 9/10

    Disc Features: 8/10

     

     

    Love Is All You Need Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Trine Dyrholm, Pierce Brosnan
  • Director: Susanne Bier
  • Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English  
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 116 minutes


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            Love Is All You Need is a Danish film set in Italy with an English star. If that sounds complex, it would be fittingly so. Though this may have been a cliché romantic comedy or an overwrought melodrama in Hollywood, it makes for ceaselessly unexpected delights at the hand of Danish auteur, Susanne Bier. The screenplay was written by another predominant filmmaker in Scandinavian cinema, Anders Thomas Jensen, who does a great deal in helping the narrative along with believable ease, but it is Bier’s ability to direct her actors which elevates Love Is All You Need beyond the limitations usually applied to genre films such as these.

     

            The narrative’s main focus surrounds the days leading up to a wedding held at a villa in Sorrento, Italy. Philip (Pierce Brosnan) is an English widow running his produce business from Denmark, intentionally choosing a life of solitude after the passing of his wife. Ida is a Danish hairdresser who has just endured a round of chemotherapy in hopes of defeating her cancer when she discovers that her husband has been cheating. Philip and Ida have a tear-filled meet-cute in the airport on the way to the wedding of Philip’s son and Ida’s daughter.

     

            The family dysfunction endures on both sides of the family, with Ida’s repugnant husband and young mistress being the highlight. At the same time, the situation provides Ida and Philip the opportunity to get to know each other. Nothing comes easily, and although Love Is All You Need is romantic and will make you laugh, it is not as safe or black-and-white as most Hollywood romantic comedies tend to be. With that being said, the film plays “That’s Amore” five times, and uses nearly three exposition shots between every scene. I understand that the setting was gorgeous and the footage is truly incredible, but the editing could have been a bit less indulgent and the soundtrack less repetitious.

     

            The Blu-ray release includes a commentary track with Brosnan and Bier, as well as three featurettes with cast/crew interviews. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette with Dyrholm, interviews with the cast from the Venice Film Festival press conference, and a Q&A with the two stars, the director and the screenwriter.  

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 8/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 8.5/10

    Historical Significance: 7.5/10

    Disc Features: 7/10

     

     

    Sisters & Brothers Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Cory Monteith, Dustin Milligan, Amanda Crew, Camille Sullivan
  • Director: Carl Bessai
  • Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English  
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: ANCHOR BAY
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 86 minutes


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            I enjoy a good Hollywood satire, because there are many elements of the entertainment world which is ripe for picking on and the industry narcissistically appreciates negative attention over none. The problem with an independent film satirically insulting Hollywood is the mere hypocrisy of the entire endeavor. It’s like the kid who is terrible at a game and insists that the game is stupid while desperately trying to be the winner. Canadian filmmaker Carl Bessai clearly wants to be a part of the club, though this film has an obsession with belittling Hollywood while he simultaneously attempts to make a movie to build his reputation within it.

     

            You may wonder why I am discussing Hollywood satires for a film called Sisters & Brothers. It is true that the familial relationships is the main focus of the narrative, just as Bessai’s previous films, Mothers & Daughters and Fathers & Sons. The problem with these sibling situations is the mere fact that two out of the four deal with one or two characters working within the film industry. In the most fantasy-based section of the film, brothers Justin (Cory Monteith) and Rory (Dustin Milligan) deal with their competing careers in Hollywood. Although Rory was a star first, his brother Justin quickly surpassed him to movie star status, and they bicker over what is important as Justin shows off his luxurious lifestyle. The other actor in the film is pathetic Canadian dreamer, Nikki (Amanda Crew), who has a cynical half-sister named Maggie (Camille Sullivan) to judge her on a road trip to L.A. with a promise-filled writer whose brother is also an actor.

     

            The only two stories which aren’t obsessed with the entertainment industry are the two more melodramatic sequences, and also contain some of the poorer acting. Louise (Gabrielle Miller) cares for her mentally ill brother (Ben Ratner), although the improvised nature of the film and Ratner’s inability to keep from breaking character makes this entire section entirely insensitive to people with real mental problems. Perhaps Ratner was just having fun with the role, but Bessai’s inability to retain control makes this section more offensive than effective. The last section is the most amateur and manipulative, involving an unbelievable situation with unrealistically exaggerated character behavior, all ending with a contrived emotional resolution. Spoiled teen Sarah (Gabrielle Miller) discovers that she has a half-sister from her mother’s time as a cult member in India.

     

            There is no screenwriter listed in the credits of Sisters & Brothers, instead listing the film as a collective creation by the cast. I can only assume that means that they improvised or made up most of it on their own, which makes the performances slightly more impressive and Bessai appear an extremely lazy filmmaker. I would not recommend this to anyone, especially not anyone actually in the entertainment industry. Perhaps the Canadian film industry will enjoy the jokes about Hollywood, although anyone who has seen an episode of “Entourage” could write material this realistic.

           

    Entertainment Value: 3.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 2/10

    Historical Significance: 0/10

    Disc Features: 0/10

     

     

    Peeples Blu-ray Review

     
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Lions Gate
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 95 minutes



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            Very rarely is anything with Tyler Perry’s name attached going to be unpredictable. He has franchised his name into a safe and generic type of entertainment, and his films and television shows can all be exactly the same as long as he continues to draw in audiences that want more of the same. Thankfully he has taken only a producer position in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples, though the locations look remarkably familiar and the narrative is far from original or surprising. The most surprising thing about this film is how unsympathetic and distasteful the romantic female lead is for a film written and directed by a woman.

     

            Essentially ripping off Meet the Parents in as many aspects as possible without threat of plagiarism, writer Tina Gordon Chism (Drumline, ATL) also made this her directorial debut. Craig Robinson is the film’s sliver lining as Wade, a modest man who takes it upon himself to show up and meet his girlfriend’s wealthy family in hopes of asking for her hand in marriage. When it turns out that his girlfriend, Grace (Kerry Washington), has never even told her family that she was dating Wade, he lets it go far too easily. When he discovers that she has been keeping many other things from him, including a plethora of local lovers a solid twenty years older than her and a criminal record, it becomes obnoxious that Wade still wants to marry her. The film makes him a saint and that just makes him too good for the entire family, including the judgmental Judge Peeples (David Alan Greer), Grace’s father. 

     

            When this film wasn’t annoying me, I was entertained because of Robinson. There isn’t much material to go on here and it feels like a product more than a piece of art, but it makes for a decently bland evening’s entertainment. The Blu-ray release also includes a digital copy, along with a few featurettes, a commentary track, and a gag reel.

           

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

    Historical Significance: 1/10

    Disc Features: 7/10

     

     


     

    Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Gloria Allred, Michele Bachmann
  • Directors: Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger
  • Format: Blu-ray, Closed-captioned, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
  • Release Date: September 3, 2013
  • Run Time: 90 minutes


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            I had never heard of Morton Downey Jr. prior to watching this documentary. I grew up in the 1980s, but my parents restricted what I watched and I can’t imagine I would have cared about the right-wing agenda of his show anyway. With that being said, I could not have been more fascinated with the documentary about this bizarre ego-maniac.

     

            Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie follows the sudden rise and sudden fall of Morton Downey’s late-night talk show which paved the way for people like Jerry Springer under the guise of patriotism. What becomes truly clear about the man, however, is that he enjoyed the spotlight and fame far more than anything he was doing to achieve it.

     

    Prior to his talk show and political convictions, Morton Downey Jr. attempted to match his father’s success as a singer. When he becomes famous for his political tripe, it almost appears to simply be another way for him to absorb as much attention as possible. The more we discover about the man that he truly was, the more of a phony his persona appears to be. Given the title “Father of Trash Television,” Downey Jr. had a studio audience to help him bully guests until nobody but strippers would agree to make an appearance. This is how we ended up with Jerry Springer, apparently.


    The Blu-ray release includes a number of special features for fans of the subject and documentary alike. There are memorable moments from the famed talk show, as well as a featurette on the film’s animation sequences, and a commentary track with directors Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller and Jeremy Newberger.

           

    Entertainment Value: 8/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 7/10

    Disc Features: 8/10

     

     

    The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Robert Patrick, Danielle Harris, Electra Avellan
  • Director: Gabriel Bologna
  • Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: ANCHOR BAY
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 93 minutes


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            Horror movies are not known for having believable acting or clever dialogue, but the inability to portray believable characters tends to be distracted by the threat of death that usually dispatches of the bad actors one-by-one. The acting may not be worse than usual in The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond, but with a storyline that essentially has the audience watching a board game being played there is little else to focus on. The Academy Awards have debated the inclusion of Best Casting Director into their awards for years, although The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond makes a far better case for the inclusion of such an award at the Razzies.

     

            The seemingly simple premise of The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond is actually just a lack of content. Horror movies with casting and dialogue as awful as this one should not take nearly so long to get to the action. A group of friends with a variety of annoying melodrama get together for a cabin-in-the-woods type of weekend, resulting in an inevitable struggle for survival. What makes this film barely unique is a board game that the friends find in the home. It essentially turns into a game of truth or dare, although the game board and cards seem to have a supernatural ability when it comes to the tasks and questions given. The construction of the game itself is quite comical, and one of the saddest aspects of the film’s production design. I could actually see the metallic glitter pen used to try and make the cards look old and creepy, though it did not achieve the desired effect.

           

            Casting director Corbin Bronson has collected a number of actors that have been consistently bad through their careers, type casting bad actors from horror movies to be bad actors in a lower budget horror movie. This mentality is common in Hollywood, though all it has done is recycle generically bad actors merely for being recognizable. For instance, Danielle Harris has clearly been included in the cast merely for her role in the Hatchet franchise, which she only got from her role in Rob Zombie’s arrogant Halloween revival. She was bad in those films and is worse here, but seems content to force every role into the same angry scream queen joke. James Duval is also included as the unfairly judged black sheep of the group. Duval is best known for playing Frank the rabbit in Donnie Darko, and it seems no accident that the rabbit imagery in this film, including the board game player pieces, look remarkably similar to the costume design of Duval’s previous role.

     

            These are obnoxious casting choices, but not even the worst. The film’s most horrendously, offensively, nauseatingly bad acting comes from two actors who have made a career out of being twins willing to undress together. They were the babysitter twins in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse double-feature, and then returned as twin nurses in the Machete franchise. They may fit into the exploitation world under the novelty of twins in cliché fantasy roles, but their chance to act in this film is one which should have never been given to them. Neither one can act, and I can’t imagine that either has a career without one twin dressing up in a matching Halloween costume beside the other.

     

            There are some horror elements of this film which distract slightly from the terrible acting and uninspired screenplay, but it is too little and far too late. The filmmakers should have realized first and foremost that watching a group of characters play a board game is not compelling cinema. The Blu-ray special features include an alternate opening.

     

    Entertainment Value: 3/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 3/10

    Historical Significance: 0/10

    Disc Features: 2/10

     

     

    Now You See Me DVD Review

     
  • Actors: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Isla Fisher
  • Director: Louis Leterrier
  • Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Summit Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: September 3, 2013


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            The tag line for Now You See Me is “The closer you look, the less you’ll see.” This is a line repeated several times throughout the film, and it is a very accurate description of the film itself. The ability to slow down and playback sequences on home video may satisfy a certain amount of curiosity, but it is the same result as discovering a magicians tricks. The magic is gone and all that is left are a couple of boxes and mirrors.

     

    On the other hand, Now You See Me remembered something that nearly all of the heavy-handed comic book blockbusters of the summer forgot; how to have fun. It is a fast-paced film full of energy and spectacle, without any of the weight of morality or turmoil that seemed to make every other blockbuster this summer sink like a bag of rocks. Now You See Me is the kind of film which provides less the more you look at it, but it provides the kind of escapist entertainment that summer films are meant to provide.

     

            The powerhouse cast attached to Now You See Me along with the heist-like elements of the narrative, beg for comparison to Ocean’s 11 with the unique element of magic added in. The audience is given hints as to what is going on, but we are never on the inside. In the opening sequence we watch as four extremely different magicians are joined by a mysterious anonymous figure, recruited to be a part of one magic routine with a specific goal of revenge.

     

             J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) is the most traditional stage magician, doing card tricks and a variety of the usual staged shows of his ability. His former assistant, Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), adds an element of danger and blood to her edgier routine and the group. Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson) is a former star mentalist, down on his luck, and the fourth member of the group is a gifted escape artist and thief named Jack Wilder (Dave Franco). When the first show of this group named “The Four Horsemen” results in a bank being robbed across the country, F.B.I. and Interpol (led by Mark Ruffalo, Common and Mélanie Laurent) agents make it a priority to find out what is behind the curtain. The film also co-stars Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

     

            The DVD release includes an audio commentary by producer Bobby Cohen and director Louis Leterrier. There is also a behind-the-scenes featurette, which shows a few filmmaking tricks. The DVD package also comes with an ultraviolet copy of the film.  

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 9/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

    Historical Significance: 7/10

    Disc Features: 6.5/10

     

     

    Hammer of the Gods Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Charlie Bewley, Clive Standen, James Cosmo
  • Director: Farren Blackburn
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: Spanish
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 99 minutes


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            Although there are actors borrowed from the television show “Vikings” in the cast of this period epic involving a Viking warrior, I found it much more difficult not to compare this film to Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” The narrative is less than satisfactory despite blatant borrowing from classic literature, which is disappointing considering some of the talented cast members involved. The focus instead remains on the violent action, which is not quite memorable or visually exciting enough to stand out amidst the many films and television shows tackling this style of entertainment.

     

            In Britain, 871 AD, the youngest son of a Viking king is called forth by his dying father for a final task. Steinar (Charlie Bewley) is sent to find his older brother, who was banished from the kingdom when he was still a child. This journey brings peril from many directions, as another brother dispatches ruthless mercenaries to stop him, knowing that the journey’s completion could change the successor to the throne. This journey is perilous and maddening, especially considering the uncertainty of what they seek.

     

            This film would make an interesting viewing companion with Nicolas Winding Refn’s Valhalla Rising, although this is merely because they are both films about journeys ending in madness which happen to involve Vikings and graphic violence. As an action film, however, Hammer of the Gods was extremely disappointing. The Blu-ray special features include behind-the scenes featurettes on the making of the film and the visual effects implemented. There are also some interviews and a promotional featurette from AXS TV.

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance: 5/10

    Disc Features: 6/10

     

     

    Frankenstein’s Army Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Karel Roden
  • Director: Richard Raaphorst
  • Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Dark Sky Films
  • Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 84 minutes


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            It is always impressive when a low-budget film can manage to look like it was made on a studio budget. Less impressive but more noticeable are the films that are made with close to no budget with nothing more than innovation and creativity. Frankenstein’s Army has a budget which is so low that it almost appears to embellish the simplicity to boast of its filmmaking abilities. The filmmakers seem content to allow us to see how minimized the costs were, because that only enhances the impressiveness of the special effects while detracting from the lack of story or character development. The end result feels like a walk through an amusement park horror maze, showcasing gory images without any substance beyond the visual tricks.

     

            Utilizing the tired found-footage style of filmmaking allows for the film to have shaky camera work and jarring editing while appearing amateurish intentionally. In the final days of World War II, a group of Soviet soldiers and a documentary filmmaker go on a mission into enemy territory when they stumble upon a secret lab run by a deranged Nazi scientist (Karel Roden). The lab is an old factory of sorts, and it is filled with humans he has reanimated with machinery attached to their body. As the fake-documentary style filmmaking allows the audience to travel through the hallways of the maze, encountering these creatures, the entire film feels as if a filmmaker simply took a camera into a Halloween maze to film a make-shift movie. Add in an excessive amount of sound effects to attempt to make up for the shortcomings of the actors in the suits and make-up and you have the makeshift horror film provided with Frankenstein’s Army.     

     

            The highlight of this film is very clearly the monsters, which very often move like a man in an awkward costume rather than anything mechanical or stiffly affected by rigor mortis the way that the sound effects would suggest. Though the movement is off and the sound is nearly always more obnoxious than realistic, the visual look of each creation gives pause. With each new addition for our forgettable protagonists to run from, Frankenstein’s Army becomes more engaging. The soldiers in the mad scientist’s army are far more entertaining even in their silence than any of the dialogue we are provided from our so-called protagonists. Even having just finished watching this film, I can’t recall who, if anyone survives at the end of the movie. I do remember each of the monsters that hunted them, however.

     

            The Blu-ray release includes a making-of featurette, as well as various spots for the creatures and a trailer.

     

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

    Historical Significance: 5/10

    Disc Features: 5/10

     

     

    Blancanieves DVD Review

     
  • Actors: Maribel Verdú (Pan s Labyrinth), Daniel Giménez Cacho (Get The Gringo), Ángela Molina (That Obscure Object of Desire)
  • Director: Pablo Berger
  • Format: Black & White, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Cohen Media Group
  • Release Date: September 3, 2013
  • Run Time: 104 minutes


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            Even though it was released in 2011, there is no way of reviewing Blancanieves today without making comparison to the Best Picture winner from two years ago, The Artist. Both are modern silent films which attempt the appearance of being much older than they are, for no clear reason.

     

    With The Artist, it was a silent film about the difficulties a silent movie star had with the advent of sound, something which we only fully understand with the film’s only spoken words at the film’s conclusion. Blancanieves, on the other hand, has no clear reason beyond novelty for being made as a silent film. This doesn’t make it a bad film, although it is somewhat inexplicably stylistic in these retro film choices.

     

            In addition to the silent-film style, the narrative is borrowed from the familiar tale of “Snow White,” with all magical elements removed. Taking place in 1920s Seville, the movie utilizes bullfighting into the storyline, while keeping all of the classic elements of the narrative. The seven dwarves become seven bullfighting dwarves, and the beautiful Carmen is the latest addition to their show after she is found in the wilderness nearly killed. As we know from the familiar story, Carmen was meant to be killed at the order of her evil step-mother. With no memory of who she is, Carmen begins a new life with the dwarves and as a bullfighter.

     

            This is clever, albeit unnecessary, filmmaking. It is an enjoyable little art piece which relies a bit too heavily on one stylistic concept, but somehow manages to remain engaging with a slight variation on the beloved fairytale. The DVD features include a making-of featurette and a director’s introduction. There is also a live concert of Blancanieves from Barcelona and Madrid.

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 7/10

    Disc Features: 7/10

     

    Arthur Newman Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Anne Heche
  • Director: Dante Ariola
  • Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Cinedigm
  • Release Date: September 3, 2013
  • Run Time: 101 minutes



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             There are certain actors I would prefer not hearing speak with an American accent, and Colin Firth is at the top of that list despite his ability to do so convincingly. Arthur Newman is a strange and haphazardly written screenplay, saved from complete and utter independent film mediocrity with leading performances by two Brits giving an American accent a whirl for no reason other than the novelty of showing off the actors’ abilities. The end result is a mildly amusing and entirely forgettable road trip film.

     

            I’m not sure when or why it became such a huge trend for independent films to hit the road, but the independent road movie has become a bigger staple at the Sundance film festival than comic book movies are to summer release. The ‘getting-to-know-you’ aspect of long journeys are fitting for the excessive dialogue often required of an independent, as well as setting up situations for strangers to meet and reconciliations to be had. In this particular cliché, a man is running from his past with an attractive new stranger along for the ride.

     

            Firth stars as the title character, Arthur Newman, although that is not his real name. Tired of his mild existence as a bank employee, dating a girl he is not really interested in (played perfectly pathetic by Anne Heche), and the son who acts as though he doesn’t exist, Wallace Avery fakes his own death and hits the road with the new identity of Arthur Newman. Convinced that he can start his new life over as a golf pro across the country, Wallace/Arthur escapes his old life for a new one.

     

            Fates intervene when our protagonist crosses paths with an unpredictable woman going by the name of Michaela (Emily Blunt), despite also having a stolen identity. These two bond in a bizarre way that quickly becomes more fetish than affection. As they travel across the country together, they find couples that they pretend to be in order to avoid being themselves. They have something of a relationship, although only finding intimacy when pretending to be other people.

     

            The Blu-ray includes a behind-the-scenes featurette.

     

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance: 4/10

    Disc Features: 4/10

     

     

    The Iceman Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, James Franco
  • Director: Ariel Vromen
  • Format: Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Millennium
  • Release Date: September 3, 2013
  • Run Time: 105 minutes



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            The classic rise-and-fall gangster narrative paired with the uniquely secretive serial killer aspect in the storyline makes for an original crime film in The Iceman. It is the type of film which takes us down many familiar paths, so it is the individual blend of the expected which makes up a majority of the entertainment. Even when we can guess where the storyline is heading, this is a film rich enough in production design and compelling acting to make up for some of the safer filmmaking decisions and the limitations of being tethered to a true story.

     

            Based on the notorious killing of a mob-employed contract killer known for freezing bodies to dispose of at a later date, The Iceman is a film carried by its lead actor, Michael Shannon. Shannon has shown us the eerie side of this role in previous performances, but adds an extra element of machismo as Richard Kuklinski. Some of the actual facts behind this case are debatable, with some of the 100-some murders he claimed to have performed actually occurring when he was already behind bars. This film isn’t dedicated to precise facts, but instead gives us the portrait of a man disturbed and proud enough to embellish his kill-count.

     

            There is a typical rise-and-fall storyline at play here, but it becomes more untraditional with the understanding that monetary gain seems to mean less to Kuklinski than fear and respect. The high point in his rise in success is due to a partnership he makes with a freelance contractor riding around in an ice cream truck, played by Chris Evans. The weaker aspects of the story come with the family life aspects of Kuklinski.

     

    Where this film varies from most gangster tales is the fact that Kuklinski’s family was oblivious to his actual profession, believing him to be nothing more than an average American business man. Through his marriage with his wife (Winona Ryder) and the raising of his children, somehow Kuklinski is able to hide his true nature as a ruthless killer. As compelling as this idea is, onscreen it does not play out nearly as well. The film has more to gain from the relationship Kuklinski has with his victims than it does his family life. Ray Liotta’s brief appearance adds much-needed heft to the criminal underworld aspect of the film, which would be otherwise off-balanced by focus on familial secrets.

     

    The Blu-ray includes a making-of featurette, as well as some behind-the-scenes footage. 

     

    Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

    Historical Significance: 7/10

    Disc Features: 5/10

     

     

    Da Vinci's Demons: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Review

     
  • Actors: Tom Riley, Laura Haddock, Elliot Cowan, Lara Pulver, Tom Bateman
  • Director: David Goyer, Paul Wilmhurst, Michael J. Bassett, Jamie Payne
  • Writer: David S. Goyer
  • Producer: Lee Morris
  • Format: Box set, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English, Spanish
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
  • Release Date: September 3, 2013
  • Run Time: 466 minutes


  •         There are no shortage of art history experts in an outrage about this Starz Originals television series, specifically the complete and utter disregard for accuracy and truth in creating a series about the famous Renaissance painter and inventor. The fact is, this series shares as much in common with reality as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter did with the life of our sixteenth president. While writer David S. Goyer added some realism to the fantasy of Batman, he seems to have implemented a little bit of fantasy into the life of Leonardo Da Vinci.

     

            Tom Riley stars as the enigmatically brilliant Da Vinci, an artist and inventor with a serious case of attention deficit disorder. He has unimaginable energy that seems to stem from a mind which never ceases to work, only slowing when he takes to smoking opiates for relief. Not unlike Sherlock Holmes, he is also gifted with physical aptitude not expected for a scholar or drug addict. This allows scenes of swashbuckling action on top of the imagery created to allow us to see Da Vinci’s mind at work. Add in an excessive of nubile bodies seeming to take a cue from “Spartacus,” another successfully indulgent Starz Originals, and “Da Vinci’s Demons” has plenty of guilty-pleasure spectacle. 

     

            I found the first season of Da Vinci’s Demons fairly engaging, despite the obvious way the series seems to have been concocted nearly as a Frankenstein of past successes. With the writer of the successful Dark Knight trilogy, a period series looking to capture a bit of the success from series such as “Game of Thrones” and many imitators, and the excessiveness of “Spartacus,” this series looks like a sure-thing. But I’m pretty sure they thought the same thing about “Flash-Forward” as a copycat of “Lost,” and any other number of carefully constructed failures. Only time will tell if this show will continue among the mass of other period action/fantasy films.

     

            The Blu-ray release of the first season includes all eight episodes and an assortment of special features on three discs. There are audio commentaries with writer/creator Goyer and actors Tom Riley, Laura Haddock, Blake Ritson, David Schofield and Tom Bateman. There are also four featurettes on the third disc, mostly dealing with the period aspects and how Da Vinci’s life was adapted. There are also deleted scenes and a second-screen promo.

           

                   

    Entertainment Value: 8/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 6/10

    Disc Features: 7/10

     

     

    The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow DVD Review

     
  • Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: G (General Audience)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: September 10, 2013
  • Run Time: 22 minutes



  •  

            It is quite clear from the spooky content in this single 22-minute Smurfs special that The Legend of Smurfy Hollow was made as a Halloween short better suited for release in October rather than September. I imagine that the initial plan was for this short special to help get a little more from the box office release of the Blockbuster CGI sequel for these popular animated blue creatures from the 1980s. It still seems to be an attempt to boost box office, but the September release shows how little confidence there is in the attention span of young audiences. In one month’s time there will be other films to pillage for home entertainment.

     

            The film version of these beloved little creatures utilizes cutting edge computer generated interfacing to bring them to life while the original cartoon from the 1980s was the traditional hand-drawn 2D animation. This 22-minute short special utilizes both, although does a much better job at imitating the hand-drawn animation than the computer generated images. The computer generated images bookend a hand-drawn story told around the campfire. It has the typical moral message of a Smurf cartoon, paired with a mildly spooky storyline following in the tradition of the headless horseman.

     

            The one saving grace of this rushed short is the inclusion of many of the actors who lent their voices for the features films as well. Hank Azaria provides his voice for the animated version of Gargamel while Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen and Anton Yelchin all reprise their roles as Smurfs, Gutsy, Brainy and Clumsy. There are no special features and it almost seems as though this could have simply been a bonus on the feature-film home release, making this a purchase only necessary for die-hard fans.   

     

           

    Entertainment Value: 5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 4/10

    Historical Significance: 2/10

    Disc Features: 0/10