F is for Fake Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, Joseph Cotton

Director: Orson Welles

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 87 minutes

 

        It is easy to see why F is for Fake is often called an “essay film,” because of how it transitions from one narrative of forgery to the next, each time connecting them with common threads. But it is also far more than that; a documentary with filmed sequences and original stories mixed in. It is an unpredictable viewing experience, which is what one would expect from the mind of Orson Welles, who becomes a link on the narrative chain along the way.

 

The Vanishing Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets, Johanna ter Steege

Director: George Sluizer

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Dubbed, Widescreen

Language: Dutch

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Run Time: 106 minutes

 

        In the wake of David Fincher’s critical and box-office success about a missing person’s case, a classic in the genre from 1988 has been released on Blu-ray through The Criterion Collection. Also based on a screenplay adapted from a novel by the author himself, The Vanishing was successful enough to warrant an American remake starring Jeff Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland five years after this French/Dutch version. In reality, however, this is a narrative which has been around for much longer, whether considering Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, The Lady Vanishes, or a classic Parisian Urban Legend from 1901. What makes director George Sluizer’s film memorable is his uncompromising and unforgettable ending.

 

Kundo Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Ha Jung-Woo, Kang Dong-won, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Dubbed

Language: Korean

Dubbed: English

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Run Time: 137 minutes

 

 

        Originality is something hard to come by in period martial arts movies, mostly because there have simply been so many of them. With the historical events of the Korean Joseon Dynasty, which resulted in a major division between peasants and the wealthily oppressive royalty, Kundun has the perfect scenario for a Robin Hood type narrative. Unoriginal as it may be, this is cinematically a perfect match, providing plenty of action and a reason to root for the vengeance of the good guys.

 

Sex Tape Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Jason Segel, Cameron Diaz

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, French

Dubbed: French

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2017

Run Time: 94 minutes

 

 

        The producers of Sex Tape must have been among the few in Hollywood to find good fortune in the controversial leaking of hacked celebrity photos and videos. Without this incident, commonly referred to as ‘The Fappening’ by online communities, the film Sex Tape would have had absolutely no relevance. Unfortunately, people will remember the celebrity scandal long after they have forgotten this ridiculously mediocre film ever existed.