 Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – When it was still called “Humboldt Park” and was probably more closely related to Chicago’s thriving Hispanic neighborhood, Alfredo De Villa’s “Nothing Like the Holidays” was probably a lot more interesting than the cookie-cutter dramedy that ended up on the big screen.
CHICAGO – When critics talk about the most influential films of the ’70s, they too often forget a little flick that became a phenomenon, Robert Clouse’s “Enter the Dragon,” recently released in a gorgeous box set with a new HD transfer, new special features, and new collectible items. Bruce Lee’s most beloved work still influences the Martial Arts genre today and gave birth to an entire cultural shift as cinema, particularly action films, became more influenced by Asian styles. The Blu-ray is a beauty with new special features about the making of and importance of “Dragon” that even those who have seen the flick a hundred times on cable will find enlightening.
CHICAGO – Every element of “Jack the Giant Slayer,” released today on Blu-ray and DVD, feels like a subpar version of something done better in a superior film. There’s the epic scope and final siege of a “Lord of the Rings” film. There’s the reimagined fairy tale not unlike “Alice in Wonderland” or “Oz the Great and Powerful.”
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