DVD & Blu-Ray Review

Blu-Ray Review: Oliver Stone’s ‘W.’ Disappointing Film, Great Blu-Ray

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:08:08 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – What happened to Oliver Stone? Despite strong performances by Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, and Elizabeth Banks, “W.” is one of the most inert, middle-of-the-road movies that this once-controversial auteur has ever made, helped on the home market by an excellent Blu-Ray release but still a little “eh” as a film.

The previews and advertising campaign for “W.” made it out to be a satirical jab at the most openly ridiculed President in the history of the United States. The satirical use of “What a Wonderful World” over footage of the last eight years and the tagline on the great posters - “A life misunderestimated.” - promised a no-holds-barred skewering by one of the best filmmakers of the last quarter-century.

W. was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

So why is “W.” so dull? The balance between the decisions that Stone and writer Stanley Weiser made that had a humorous angle - like recreating the infamous pretzel-choking incident - and the depressingly dramatic ones result in a film that too carefully walks the line. Stone and Weiser don’t find enough comedy in the story of the world leader who plunged a large section of the world into anarchy, but are clearly not interested in a straight-up drama either.

W. was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

The dramatic inertness of “W.” makes for one of Stone’s least powerful films. It’s still a decent movie because of the stellar ensemble and highly underrated lead, but it should have been great.

The lack of a narrative through line - most of “W.” plays like a greatest hits album of Bush moments from his first term - leaves Stone with nowhere to focus his passion. Whether you love him or hate him, Oliver Stone’s best work has always been a passionate filmmaker.

Stone and Weiser focus most of their piece on the days leading up to the war, especially the construction of the “Axis of Evil” speech, intercut with the more compelling story of a little boy lost always trying to impress his daddy. His early years are sketched out as a man who jumped from job to job and saw his family name as a burden more than a gift.

The scenes between George Sr. (James Cromwell) and his controversial son are easily the best in the film. We’ve all seen most of the dramatic beats of the White House material in “W.” but scenes like the one where his parents try to talk him out of running for Governor feel more refreshingly new. They are easily the strongest in the film.

The modern era material feels surprisingly underdeveloped, like a press secretary hitting key talking points but missing the meat of the story. I never felt like I was actually watching Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and Condoleeza Rice, always remaining aware of the good impersonation by Richard Dreyfuss, better one by Jeffrey Wright, and downright awful one by Thandie Newton.

W. was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

What is memorable about “W.” is in what Stone gets out of Josh Brolin and James Cromwell. These are two of the best performances of 2008 and it’s criminal how little Josh was mentioned in the Best Actor race. He’s better in this than Pitt in “Benjamin Button”. He gets underneath Bush’s skin, doing much more than an impression. A scene where he whines about his father giving him a gift because dad can only write kind words instead of saying them perfectly captures something about Dubya that hadn’t been before.

On one more positive note, master cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (“Walk the Line,” “Sideways”) shoots the film brilliantly. Like every Stone film, it looks great.

And it looks even better on Blu-Ray. Lionsgate is growing in the Blu-Ray market after releasing a few titles with excellent transfers including “The Midnight Meat Train” and “Saw V”. A studio that somewhat struggled last year in HD has moved to the forefront of the field with transfers that have very rich color palettes and crystal clear picture, even in the darker scenes.

“W.” is presented in 1080P with a perfect English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio Track. A very good collection of special features include a commentary by Stone, “Dangerous Dynasty: The Bush Legacy,” “No Stranger to Controversy: Oliver Stone’s George W. Bush,” “W.” Filmmakers Research and Annotations Guide, deleted scenes with optional director commentary and the theatrical trailer.

A nearly flawless video and audio transfer and an excellent collection of special features. It’s starting to become a pattern with Lionsgate. If only the movie itself had lived up to expectations.

‘W.’ is released by Lionsgate Home Video and stars Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Elizabeth Banks, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Dreyfuss, Scott Glenn, Toby Jones, Stacy Keach, Thandie Newton, and Jeffrey Wright. It was written by Stanley Weiser and directed by Oliver Stone. It was released on February 17th, 2009. It is rated PG-13
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By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Midnight Meat Train’ Delivers the Gory Goods

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:15:37 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The world of horror movie distribution is seriously messed up. Millions are allowed to flock to junk like “Saw V,” “The Eye,” and “The Unborn” as they play on thousands of screens, but a lot of the best genre movies for 2008, which was actually a very good year for horror, were barely released. Believe it or not, “The Midnight Meat Train” was one of the best.

I’m sure a lot of readers find it hard to fathom that a movie called “The Midnight Meat Train” is worth their time, but that’s one of the things I love about it. You know exactly what to expect from a movie like “The Midnight Meat Train”. It’s not a mysterious title like “Cloverfield” or even “The Strangers”. This is “The Midnight Meat Train”. Gird your loins and get on board.

The Midnight Meat Train was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

Leon Kauffman (Bradley Cooper) is a struggling photographer who has been told repeatedly that he needs to push himself farther to get the gritty, urban shots he’s reaching for with his art. By strolling subway platforms looking for the underbelly of the city, Leon stumbles across Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), a serial killer with a mallet and a hook who waits for the final train of the night and commits vicious, bloody murder.

The Midnight Meat Train was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

The photographer finds himself both disgusted and intrigued by the silent Mahogany. He wants to stop him but he also wants to get that amazing shot. It’s easy to read the plot as a commentary on the horror genre in general - one that produces thrills by showing us the pain of others.

Leon goes deeper and deeper into Mahogany’s world and discovers that this is not your ordinary killer. The final act of “Midnight Meat Train” goes where most horror movies aren’t willing to go - completely off the rails and the unconventional climax is probably what scared Lionsgate out of giving the film a wide theatrical release. Horror fans will find and love “MMT”. It’s a cult movie just waiting to find its audience.

Clive Barker has often been a tricky author to adapt to the big screen. Personally, I’m a big fan of a lot of his writing, but I think he has a surreal sensibility that fits literature or the graphic novel form better than the literal world of cinema. Barker deals with complex issues like lust, madness, and evil that can’t really be interpreted literally.

And that’s why “The Midnight Meat Train” works. The great Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura (who made the awesome “Versus,” a movie you really need to see if you haven’t) was the perfect fit for Barker. Kitamura brings an over-the-top, gore-filled, foreign twist to the Barker vision that simply rocks.

Some viewers have complained that “MMT” is too over-the-top with its excessive gore. In one beautifully conceived, brutally twisted scene, Kitamura films a POV shot of a woman getting her head knocked off and seeing her body lying in the train car. THIS is Clive Barker. It should be cartoon-ish. It’s called “Midnight Meat Train”. Every popping eye and blood-splattered train window blends together to create an almost graphic novel-esque style that fits perfectly.

The Midnight Meat Train was released on Blu-Ray on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

As much as I loved the style and tone of “Midnight Meat Train,” the dialogue is pretty weak. Another pass by a better writer would have made this a truly great film.

And while casting Vinnie Jones as the villain was pure genius, I’m not sure the typically good Bradley Cooper was as much. He’s good with the emotional stuff, which most horror actors aren’t, but some of the physical stuff seems wrong for him. The final conflict, in particular, looks almost uncomfortable for the actor with some stiff stage combat.

“The Midnight Meat Train” looks and sounds great on Blu-Ray with a 1080p 2.35:1 presentation that’s good and a 7.1 DTS Master HD Audio track that is one of the best horror audio mixes in a long time. “MMT” is a movie meant to be played loud.

The special features for “MMT” are good too with a great, honest, interesting commentary track by Barker and Kitamura that details both a lot of the studio problems with the film and their general satisfaction with the final product. The commentary is excellent, but the special features are just okay with “Clive Barker: The Man Behind the Myth,” “Anatomy of a Murder Scene,” and “Mahogany’s Tale” all running a little short.

A surprisingly effective and stylish horror movie with nearly perfect video and audio and a fantastic commentary by one of the literary masters of the form - “Midnight Meat Train” is the horror Blu-Ray of the year to date.

‘The Midnight Meat Train’ is released by Lionsgate Home Video and stars Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields, Roger Bart, and Vinnie Jones. It was written by Jeff Buhler and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura. It was released on February 17th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’ Deserves to Lose Viewers Too

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:37:53 -0700

DVD Rating: 1.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Considering the talent on display, “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is jaw-droppingly, shockingly bad. If this was just another straight-to-video National Lampoon comedy, it might be easier to forgive, but how so many funny people got involved in a project so misguided will remain one of the biggest movie mysteries of 2008.

Based on the autobiographical memoir of Toby Young, “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is about the way an egotistical, slobbish writer works his way through the celebrity scene in New York by whatever means possible.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People was released by MGM on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox.

Renamed Sidney Young, the great Simon Pegg plays a bumbling hero who was clearly never well-defined by the writer, director, or star. Is Sidney a jerk? If so, casting one of the most likable actors alive was probably not a good idea. Is he an idiot? Pegg doesn’t play that well either. He’s just a black hole in the center of the movie. It’s Pegg’s least memorable performance to date.

Sidney is a celebrity journalist in England who is surprisingly called and hired by one of the most upscale magazines in NYC, headed by Clayton Harding (Jeff Bridges). Sidney becomes enemies, friends, and then love interest in the most predictable way possible with fellow writer Alison Olsen (a miscast Kirsten Dunst) as he deals with a vicious publicist (a miscast Gillian Anderson), a sleazy boss (a miscast Danny Huston), and a rising starlet (okay, this one was well-cast - Megan Fox).

Will the starlet become a celebrity? Will Sidney become a hot new writer on the scene? Will he impress his irascible boss? Will Alison fall in love with him? Did they stop to figure out how to make us care about any of these questions and did anyone do any research into making the world of celebrity journalism in New York feel remotely genuine?

“How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is one of the most inert, lifeless, and dull movies of 2008, a film without one real laugh and a project that is constantly telegraphing its sense of self-importance. You know that guy at the party who tells a stupid joke that he cackles at but no one else laughs? “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is the movie equivalent of that jerk.

The film could have possibly been redeemed at least slightly by a decent home release but MGM chose another plan. Simon Pegg has already made his feelings about the US release clear, urging people not to buy “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” until a better edition comes out. I would suggest not renting it either.

Not released on Blu-Ray, “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People” is available on DVD with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and an English 5.1 Dolby Surround sound track. Reportedly, other regions get deleted scenes and multiple commentary tracks, but the US version includes only one commentary with Weide and Pegg and a brief featurette called “Sharp Interviews”. Lucky them.

‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’ is released by MGM Home Video and stars Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Danny Huston, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson, and Megan Fox. It was written by Peter Straughan and directed by Robert Weide. It was released on February 17th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Quarantine’ With Jennifer Carpenter Rocks But Forgets Roots

BrianTT — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:19:34 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – “Quarantine” leaves this hardcore horror junkie conflicted. The film itself is one of the better genre entries of 2008, a thrill ride that will satisfy nearly everyone who rents or buys it on Blu-Ray. But the special features on the disc omit something unbelievably important and, in doing so, leave a bad taste in my mouth.

You could listen to the entire commentary by writer/director John Erick Dowdle and writer/producer Drew Dowdle and never know that “Quarantine” is a remake of the excellent Spanish film “[REC]” by Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza. Conspiracy theorists have written manifestos on why “[REC]” still isn’t available stateside on DVD, but if you can track down an international copy, you should. It’s great.

Quarantine was released by Sony on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

Like “Cloverfield” or “The Blair Witch Project,” “Quarantine” is a film that looks like it was shot entirely on handheld camera. The set-up is that a news crew, led by the excellent Jennifer Carpenter (“Dexter”), is spending a night at a fire department, chronicling the personalities there and what an average evening is like for the crew.

After a slow start of flirting with the firemen (including Jay Hernandez and Johnathon Schaech) and sliding down the fire pole, the news crew springs into action on a distress call. A woman has been screaming in her apartment. They bust down the door and enter an absolute nightmare.

“Quarantine” is surprisingly effective. Carpenter is consistently engaging and the direction is clever and underrated. The handheld conceit is expertly executed (the shot of the cameraman using his recorder as a weapon is one of my favorite horror movie deaths of the year) and the film is perfectly paced.

I loved how Dowdle takes his time between explosive moments in “Quarantine”. He builds tension through quiet, scared moments and then explodes in mayhem. At the fifty minute mark, when a lot of horror movie directors would have just barreled forward to the climax, “Quarantine” allows for a scene where the residents do an apartment roll call, making sure everyone’s still okay. So many horror movie directors fail to realize that roller coasters don’t work with out the slow, tension-building rises to accompany the falls.

The funny thing about my praise for “Quarantine” is that a lot of it holds true for “[REC]” too, but most people will never get to see that film.

Quarantine was released by Sony on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

There are dozens of great international films not available on US DVD. It sucks but it’s a fact of life. But having a film be unavailable and having a remake’s creators completely ignore its existence outside of one credit are two different things.

Some of “Quarantine” is shot-for-shot with “[REC]” but the co-writers and director of the remake never acknowledge that on the commentary of their film. Were they put on a gag order by Sony, who are holding even the existence of “[REC]” secret? As the Dowdles comment on their action set-pieces and concept, how could they not want to recognize their inspiration? It’s just weird.

“Quarantine” is a very good horror movie, but if the people who made it, including the studio releasing it, would recognize its roots, I wouldn’t feel so cautious about praising it.

“Quarantine” looks very, very good. A lot of the film takes place in extreme darkness and the colors were always well-defined in 1080p. The sound is perfect in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. I adored the sound design in “Quarantine” with its use of helicopter sounds outside the building and the eerie silence before the chaos inside and it’s been perfectly mixed on the Blu-Ray release. Sony may be leading the way in Blu-Ray audio.

As for special features, once (or if) you get past the odd dismissal of “[REC],” they are actually an interesting collection. The Dowdles seem like nice guys, constantly praising their talented cast and crew. “Anatomy of a Stunt” dissects a particularly complex shot, “Dressing the Infected: Robert Hall’s Make-Up Design” is pretty self-explanatory, as is “Locked In: The Making of Quarantine”.

In a very weak year for horror, “Quarantine” was one of the few bright spots. Now if they would only release “[REC]” in theaters so audiences could see where it all began.

‘Quarantine’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech, Rade Serbedzija, Dania Ramirez, Steve Harris, Columbus Short, and Greg Germann. It was written by John Erick Dowdle & Drew Dowdle and directed by John Erick Dowdle. It was released on February 17th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘High School Musical 3: Senior Year’ Shines on 3-Disc Deluxe Extended Edition

BrianTT — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:46:43 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” certainly won’t stand among the best song-n-dance films of all time, but it delivers a jolt of escapist entertainment to its target audience and the expertly remastered, three-disc Disney Blu-Ray release should be a smash hit for everyone eager to buy it.

After shattering records with the Disney Channel broadcasts of “High School Musical” and “High School Musical 2,” the house that Walt built realized the logic of releasing the third film in the franchise in theaters and “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” brought the phenomenon to the big screen to the tune of $250 million in receipts worldwide. “HSM 3” is one of the top ten grossing musicals of all time, above “Moulin Rouge!,” “Annie,” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”.

(L to R) Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron
Photo credit: Fred Hayes/Disney.

There are two ways to look at the “High School Musical” franchise. At first, the fact that all of the characters in “HSM 3,” from the leads to the chorus players, are the kind of genetically gifted people that would win Homecoming King and Queen at nearly any high school in America got on my nerves.

In the world of “High School Musical,” no one has acne, bad teeth, weight issues, or the desire to swear and everyone is so clean, well-dressed, perfect-looking people who can sing, dance, and make their eyes twinkle. This is the actual high school experience of absolutely no one on Earth. If you can’t get past that, the perfect people of East High will drive you nuts.

Photo credit: Disney

Having said that, I did get past the perfection pretty quickly. This is a fantasy world like any other Disney movie. The fact that even the dorkiest kid at East High would win a beauty contest fits into both the musical and Disney mold perfectly.

The cynical teen in me finds it funny that tweens who idolize “HSM” are going to realize just how fake the movies are when they hit the harsh reality of high school, but the musical lover in me knows that there would be no other successful way to make these flicks. No one wants to see real teenagers singing and dancing. That would be terrifying.

The film follows a relatively archetypal series of teenagers led by the gifted Troy (Zac Efron) and the gorgeous Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens). Troy is the basketball star at East High in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but he can also sing and dance enough that Juilliard is interested in him after graduation. He’s torn by a father and friend Chad (Corbin Bleu) who want him to play ball at the University of Albuquerque and the fact that his girlfriend Gabriella will be at Stanford, thousands of miles away.

Meanwhile, the egotistical Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) is in competition with a few classmates for the Juilliard scholarship, including Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) and Troy. The gang comes together for one final musical show, detailing their lives at East High and the decisions that face them on their way out into the real world.

The cast of “High School Musical 3” is almost overwhelmingly charming and charismatic. In particular, Efron and Tisdale can carry a tune and hold a screen as well anyone from recent genre offerings. And Kenny Ortega directs the film better than I expected. It feels like a big-screen production instead of just a blown-up TV movie. “High School Musical 3” is energetic, well-choreographed, and confident.

What holds “High School Musical 3” back is the songwriting. Are kids really humming these tunes on the way out of the theater? I doubt it. Almost all of them are the kind of generic pop junk that wouldn’t be a hit on the radio if beautiful people like Efron and Hudgens weren’t singing them in a Disney movie.

Corbin Bleu (center), principal dancers
Photo credit: Fred Hayes/Disney.

Someone get the kids who think these are great musical tunes a copy of “Grease” or “Singin’ in the Rain”. Heck, get them “Little Shop of Horrors” for that matter. The final number is impressively toe-tapping, but the rest are surprisingly forgettable. Even after a reprise.

But it’s a minor complaint about a musical that if I found satisfying, the target audience is going to be overwhelmingly happy about having on Blu-Ray.

It’s not just the kids of East High that look perfect. Disney has done an amazing job with the three-disc Blu-Ray release of “High School Musical 3”. The set includes a Blu-Ray copy, DVD copy, and digital copy, making sure the “HSM” fan can enjoy the film anywhere. Why more studios aren’t following this lead - providing multiple formats in one set - is beyond me. It’s brilliant.

The video and audio on “High School Musical 3,” presented in 1080p with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track are nearly perfect. The picture is vibrant and deep, helping the impression that “Senior Year” is a lot more than just another TV movie. The sound isn’t quite as good. I wasn’t blown away. But when I did focus on it, I noticed no problems. The music and lyrics are well-mixed, which is the most important part of audio for a musical.

The special features for “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” are a model of what to do with a release like this one - not too much to overwhelm with useless clips but not too little to leave fans wanting more. “HSM 3” comes with 8 minutes of deleted scenes, the ability to sing-along with subtitled lyrics to the songs, bloopers, behind-the-scenes information, and interesting featurettes. The only thing missing is a commentary, but I’m not sure “HSM 3” fans would really want that anyway.

For most people over the age of twenty, “High School Musical 3” would be more accurately placed in the horror genre than the musical one, but there’s something undeniable about this release - it completely satisfies its target audience. Put your hatred for musicals and Disney movies aside for one second non-believers and ask yourself how many releases you can say that about in a season?

Note: The first “High School Musical” has also been released on Blu-Ray this week in a “Remix” edition with new picture, sound, and special features. “High School Musical 2” came out on the format last year. Now, you can have the entire holy tween trilogy in HD.

Check out behind the scenes clips of “High School Musical 3”.

‘High School Musical 3’ is released by Walt Disney Home Video and stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman. It was written by Peter Barsocchini and directed by Kenny Ortega. It was released on February 17th, 2009. It is rated G.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Round Up, Feb. 17, 2009: ‘Amadeus,’ ‘Boondock Saints,’ ‘A History of Violence’

BrianTT — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:04:23 -0700

CHICAGO – A Best Picture winner that looks nowhere near as old as many of the films that came out a quarter-century ago with it, a recent masterpiece from David Cronenberg that probably should have been more recognized by Oscar, and a little film that was never on the Academy’s radar but has developed an insanely huge and loyal cult following.

Last week, Warner Brothers released a wonderful new edition of Milos Forman’s “Amadeus,” New Line brought “A History of Violence” out of the catalog and gave it the HD treatment, and Fox delivered “Boondock Saints” to the legions of cult fans who adore it.

Honestly, we often include titles in the Blu-Ray Round Up that we can’t wholeheartedly get behind as recommended purchase items. All three of this week’s title would make great additions to anyone’s collection. Don’t call it a Round Up. Call it a shopping list.

All three of these titles were released on February 10th, 2009.

“Amadeus: Director’s Cut”

Photo credit: Warner Brothers Home Video

What more can possibly be written about one of the great Milos Forman’s best films, an eight-time Oscar winner (including Best Picture) and one of the most accomplished films of the ’80s? You already know that “Amadeus” is movie greatness, so let’s focus on the Blu-Ray release. Warner Brothers doesn’t skimp, packaging the film in a beautiful cardboard case with a booklet about the making of the film and the history of Mozart. They also include a special CD compilation of highlights of the Mozart catalog with an insert that provides a little bit of history on the eight chosen pieces and the version of the film released on Blu-Ray includes twenty minutes of scenes not seen in its original release.

As for the film itself, “Amadeus” remains a screen triumph, as sumptuous period epic, as soaring celebration of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and as the winner of 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Actor, Director, and Adapted Screenplay. In 1781 Vienna, court composer Antonio Salieri (Abraham) is maddened with envy after discovering that the divine musical gifts he desires for himself have been bestowed on the bawdy, impish Mozart (Tom Hulce), whom he plots to destroy by any means necessary.

“Amadeus: Director’s Cut” is presented in 1080p High Definition 16x9 with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track, Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and DD 5.1 tracks in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.

Special features include the aforementioned CD, commentary by director Milos Forman and writer Peter Shaffer, “The Making of Amadeus” documentary, and the film’s theatrical trailer.

“The Boondock Saints”

Photo credit: Fox Home Video

Troy Duffy’s “Boondock Saints” has to be one of the most surprising cult phenomena of the last several years. Barely noticed on its initial release in 2000, the film grossed just over $30k on the five screens that saw fit to play it theatrically. Shocking everyone, “Boondock Saints” became an enormous hit on DVD. The film that critics had mostly ignored or derided (19% on Rotten Tomatoes) became a cult hit by fans who adored it (7.8 user rating on IMDB). The buzz was huge enough to actually support the financing of a sequel. “All Saints Day” is currently in post-production, making “Boondock Saints” one of the least theatrically successful films in history to ever get a sequel.

Heart-pounding and graphic, this action-packed film pits FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe) against a pair of Irish brothers (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus) out to rid the world of evil - starting with the Russian mob. But as the brothers brutally take on Boston’s underworld, Smecker finds himself torn between busting the vigilantes…and joining them.

“The Boondock Saints” is presented in 1080p High Definition with a widescreen ratio of 2.35:1 and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. Spanish subtitles are the only foreign language option available.

Special features include the extended director’s cut of the film, audio commentary by writer/director Troy Duffy on the theatrical cut, audio commentary by actor Billy Connolly on the theatrical cut, outtakes, deleted scenes, and the script for “The Boondock Saints”.

“A History of Violence”

Photo credit: New Line Home Video

One of the best movies of the last several years, David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” is a fantastic drama, a movie that has lost none of its riveting power in the time since its release and now comes home in a beautiful Blu-Ray edition. With a fantastic commentary by one of my favorite directors and interesting special features about the differences between the international version and US versions of the film, “A History of Violence” is already a prized part of my collection. Make it one of yours too.

Likable family man and small town diner owner Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is living his life, minding his own business. Then an act of heroism puts him on all the news channels, and certain people take notice - Made men from Philly who are dead sure Stall is the ex-mob assassin they want to find and whack. Mistaken identity? Or is Tom actually a stone-cold killer? Director David Cronenberg (“The Fly,” “Eastern Promises”) ramps up the tension in a fierce, convulsive, thought-provoking thriller that also stars Maria Bello, Ed Harris, and William Hurt (an Academy Award nominee and Los Angeles and New York Film Critics Award winner for his powerful performance).

“A History of Violence” is presented in 1080p High Definition 16x9 with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track and Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The lack of other language tracks is surprising and the only foreign language subtitle track is in Spanish.

Special features include a fantastic commentary by Cronenberg, a riveting deleted scene called “Scene 44” and a mini-featurette about its production called “The Unmaking of Scene 44,” “Acts of Violence” minidocumentary gallery, the brief “Violence’s History: United States Version vs. International Version,” and “Too Commercial For Cannes”. It’s a short but excellent collection of special features.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: ‘Clint Eastwood: American Icon Collection’ Includes Four Diverse Films

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:00:51 -0700

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – With the $130 million gross and counting for “Gran Torino,” Clint Eastwood has proven that his star power has not diminished in the slightest even with 50 years in show business under his belt. There’s an entire generation new to Clint who have an amazing catalog to explore and they can start with four of his most unforgettable roles, now available in the “Clint Eastwood: American Icon Collection”.

Universal probably thought their excellent “American Icon Collection” would be perfectly timed to take full advantage of at least one, maybe two more Oscar nominations for Clint Eastwood. With his direction of “Changeling” and critically acclaimed lead performance in “Gran Torino,” Eastwood seemed a slam dunk to be a part of Oscar night 2009, as he has so many times in recent years.

Clint Eastwood: American Icon Collection is released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on February 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal

Even though that’s not the case, Clint seems as popular as ever. “Changeling” hits Blu-Ray/DVD this week and “Gran Torino” is still playing in theaters, after shattering expectations of what a septuagenarian lead could do at the box office. It’s the perfect time for a DVD collection.

The latest Eastwood collection highlights four diverse roles from the late-’60s to mid-’70s including two films directed by the icon.

Disc one of the three-disc set contains my favorite film of the quartet, 1971’s “Play Misty For Me,” Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut. Eastwood stars as a radio disc jockey who becomes the victim of psychotic obsession when he tries to end a torrid affair with a fan (Jessica Walter).

With his first film behind the camera, Eastwood proved that he would be a force in Hollywood as a director as he had been as an actor. “Play Misty For Me” is a great thriller that has held up incredibly well in the nearly-four-decades since its release. The digitally remastered “Misty” is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Digital two-channel mono track.

Disc two includes the second Eastwood-directed pic, 1975’s “The Eiger Sanction”. Less successful than “Misty” but interesting in its own right, Eastwood stars in “Eiger Sanction” as a professional assassin who is forced out of retirement in order to avenge a friend’s murder in the Swiss Alps. “Eiger” co-stars George Kennedy.

The digitally remastered transfer of “The Eiger Sanction” is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with a Dolby Digital 2.0 mono track.

Disc three includes two films on one DVD - “Coogan’s Bluff” and “The Beguiled” - both directed by Don Siegel. In the former, Eastwood plays a soft-spoken, straightforward Arizona lawman whose unorthodox methods of capturing an escaped murderer anger a tough NYC police lieutenant. “The Beguiled” is a psychological thriller of love, betrayal and hidden passions, which stars Clint as a wounded soldier who finds shelter in an all-girls academy during the Civil War.

Both “Coogan’s Bluff” and “The Beguiled” are remastered in anamorphic widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by Dolby Digital 2.0 mono tracks.

Bonus features in the “American Icon Collection” include “Play It Again: A Look Back at Play Misty For Me,” “Clint Eastwood on DVD,” “Clint Eastwood Directs and Acts,” “The Beguiled, Misty, Don and Clint,” and much more.

‘Clint Eastwood: American Icon Collection’ is released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. It was released on February 10th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Greg Kinnear’s Feel-Good ‘Flash of Genius’ Not Great

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:17:31 -0700

DVD Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Greg Kinnear does solidly entertaining work in “Flash of Genius” and director Marc Abraham understands the basics of the inspirational crowd-pleaser, but the film ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to tell a more riveting version of the same story. The excellent design, great central performance, and an entire team with its heart in the right place go a long way in making “Flash of Genius” a worthwhile rental, but the screenplay by Philip Railsback misses the heart of this complex story.

One of the more underrated actors alive, Greg Kinnear, does an admirable job of selling the David-and-Goliath story of another little man struggling to take down a corporate giant, a story made all the more powerful in our current economic crisis. But I think there’s more to Bob Kearns than this Capra-esque take on his life story.

Flash of Genius is released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal

Bob Kearns invented the intermittent windshield wiper. Before Bob, windshield wipers were either on or off with no varying speeds in between. It’s a pretty cool invention. And Ford Motor Company stole it.

Flash of Genius is released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal

Kearns and his friend (Dermot Mulroney) took the “Blinking Eye Windshield Wiper” to the biggest car company in Motor City, knowing that they had been working on the same thing for years but hadn’t technically cracked it. They wanted Bob’s and, after a lot of convincing of the protective Kearns, took a model for design.

Less than two years later, Kearns saw what looked like his design on the new Ford model and he sued. Despite encouragement to settle, mountains of paperwork, and years of his life and his own sanity in question, Kearns wanted nothing more than recognition and would fight until he got it.

To do what Bob Kearns did with Ford takes a little bit of insanity. There are complicated, dark aspects to the Kearns story that I wish “Flash of Genius” would have taken more time addressing. We could definitely use more men in this world who value things like justice and pride over the almighty dollar.

At the same time, “Flash of Genius” misses the fact that Kearns tore his life apart. His wife (Lauren Graham) left him. He rarely saw his kids when they grew up. He lost his job. He battled a company for which time meant nothing and turned down money that could have forever changed the lives of his children.

Was it right? There’s a case to be made either way, but Abraham and Railsback put Kearns on too much of a pedestal. You know there were nights when Kearns cried himself to sleep. There must have been soul-searching moments where he nearly took the settlement or realized that victory was unlikely. I wish “Flash of Genius” featured more of that and less of what the DVD case calls a “remarkable, feel-good journey”.

Flash of Genius is released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on February 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal

Even if the script for “Flash of Genius” feels a little shallow, the design of the film is remarkably deep. Abraham and his team have made a film that feels authentic, even if the emotion and passion is missing.

“Flash of Genius” is a crowd-pleaser that would have been a much more effective film if the people who made it recognized that David has to be a little crazy to take on Goliath.

Universal was clearly disappointed in “Flash of Genius,” choosing to release the film only in standard definition and not making it available on Blu-Ray. Aren’t we at the point where all theatrical releases from a major studio will get a Blu-Ray release? I think we will be by the end of the year.

The DVD for “Flash of Genius” is presented in anamorphic widescreen with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. For standard DVD, it looks and sounds very good. Special features include deleted scenes with commentary by Abraham and an audio track by the director on the entire film. The lack of a behind-the-scenes featurette or any interview footage with Kinnear is disappointing.

‘Flash of Genius’ is released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment and stars Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Alan Alda, and Dermot Mulroney. It was written by Philip Railsback and directed by Marc Abraham. It will be released on February 17th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Shockingly High Levels of Melodrama Sink ‘Nights in Rodanthe’

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:15:19 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

CHICAGO – I have a very high threshold for melodramatic romance. I was raised on cheesy musicals and will admit to pausing on the underrated “The Notebook” more than once when I pass it on cable. Having said that, I hated “Nights in Rodanthe,” a film that mines rarely seen lows in manipulative soap opera dreck and washes away the screen presence of two of the genre’s most physically blessed stars in a sea of fake tears and ridiculous plot twists.

The script for “Nights in Rodanthe” by Ann Peacock and John Romano from a best-selling book by Nicholas Sparks would get most writers laughed out of a pitch meeting for an episode of “Days of Our Lives”. I am easily moved and will admit to openly crying at films more often than a grown man should, but rarely have I seen a melodramatic script rendered more ineffective by horrendous dialogue and cliched behavior than the one for “Rodanthe”.

Nights in Rodanthe is released by Warner Brothers Home Video on February 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

The two charismatic and beautiful stars of “Unfaithful” - Richard Gere and Diane Lane - star in “Nights in Rodanthe” and prove that they still have an impressive and interesting screen chemistry. They just chose the wrong script to do so.

Nights in Rodanthe is released by Warner Brothers Home Video on February 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Gere plays Paul, a surgeon who long ago traded family for career and has had to deal with upheaval in his life after a woman died on his operating table during a routine surgery. He’s grown distant from his son (an uncredited James Franco) and goes to a remote inn on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to unwind and meet up with someone important to his past and future.

Lane plays Adrienne, a devoted mother who has been separated from her husband (Christopher Meloni) since he cheated on her but the cad now wants back into her life. It doesn’t help that Adrienne is facing pressure from their daughter (Mae Whitman) to reconcile but she finds support from her close friend (Viola Davis), the owner of the inn.

Adrienne happens to be watching the inn when Paul happens to be the only guest there on a weekend where there happens to be a hurricane. There’s a lot of “happens” in “Nights in Rodanthe”. Just not a lot of believability.

The first part of “Rodanthe,” the courtship period between Adrienne and Paul, is surprisingly lifeless and inert. Without the natural chemistry these two stars have together, it would be nearly unbearable. They hang around the inn, eating, drinking, playing garbage-can basketball. Is this how people going through emotional upheaval really grow close to one another?

Of course, mother nature must step in and the hurricane forces Paul and Adrienne to turn to one another as they try to put the problems of their lives in perspective. The dialogue in the mid-section of “Nights in Rodanthe” is unbelievable.

“Not the best husband, the best father. The best doctor!”

“What are you afraid of?”

“Do you even remember who you really are any more?”

Nights in Rodanthe is released by Warner Brothers Home Video on February 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

These are the kind of cliched, manipulative lines that shouldn’t make it past a rough draft much less to a shooting script. No one talks like that and once you realize that “Rodanthe” is just another melodramatic soap opera, it loses all interest or emotional power. Past the star’s copious chemistry and like-ability, there’s nothing to care about.

Warner Brothers knows that “Nights in Rodanthe” is a very likely rental, possibly even a purchase for fans of the couple or Nicholas Sparks, so they do a decent job with the Blu-Ray release. The video transfer is very good and the audio is above average. Even as the world around Paul and Adrienne is falling apart, the lush, beautiful setting of the Outer Banks looks stunning in HD. In fact, the video transfer is the best thing about the Blu-Ray release of “Nights in Rodanthe”.

I expected a commentary or in-depth look at the making of the film, but neither are really present. There are a few EPK-style interview bits with Lane and Gere on the making-of feature called “The Nature of Love,” which runs about twenty minutes, probably long enough for casual fans of the movie, but serious ones usually want a bit more than that.

“A Time for Love: Keeping Up with Nicholas Sparks” is for hardcore fans of the author only and “An Intimate Look at ‘In Rodanthe’ with Singer/Songwriter Emmylou Harris” is the same for those who adore the country star. The inclusion of Gavin Rossdale’s “Love Remains the Same” may be the most unusual addition.

Finally, director George C. Wolfe appears on a director commentary on a handful of correctly deleted scenes. In one, he comments on the cut of a shot of a house going down the shore after the hurricane because of Katrina memories he feared it would raise. Wolfe, a theater veteran and household name in those circles, is an interesting creative voice and I wished he had done a commentary, even if it meant I had to sit through “Nights in Rodanthe” again.

‘Nights in Rodanthe’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video and stars Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Scott Glenn, Christopher Meloni, Viola Davis, and James Franco. It was written by Ann Peacock and John Romano and directed by George C. Wolfe. It was released on February 10th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Clint Eastwood’s ‘Changeling’ Features Great Performance By Angelina Jolie

BrianTT — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:49:23 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – I usually don’t agree with suggestions that certain movies need to be seen twice to be appreciated. If a movie doesn’t work on first viewing, then it simply doesn’t work. Having said that, watching Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling” a second time on Blu-Ray made me appreciate the final product significantly more than my disappointed reaction to it in theaters.

What struck me about the first time I saw “Changeling,” starring Oscar-nominee Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan, and Jason Butler Harner, was the disjointed storytelling in the film and the way the black and white themes don’t play into Eastwood’s strengths as a director.

Angelina Jolie stars in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling
Photo credit: Anthony Michael Rivetti

Eastwood has always been at his best when his films deal with gray areas of behavior and morality. “Unforgiven,” “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby” - all of these films feature characters caught in complex moral situations. Sometimes good and bad can reside in the same troubled soul and very few filmmakers have captured that in drama like Eastwood.

Angelina Jolie stars in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling
Photo credit: Anthony Michael Rivetti

J. Michael Straczynski’s screenplay for “Changeling” is missing that complexity and subtlety that has marked Eastwood’s best work. In “Changeling,” characters are pure good, pure evil, pure heroism, or pure corruption.

And the film fluctuates wildly in styles, trying to be a drama, women’s rights story, period piece, and thriller all in one. There’s a fine line between making trying to make an unpredictable one and making one that feels disjointed and I think “Changeling” sometimes crosses that line.

Watching it a second time and being able to put those issues aside, I was able to appreciate Eastwood’s film more than I did in theaters. What felt disjointed on the big screen with only one viewing, feels more ambitious on Blu-Ray and it’s easier to get over the lack of gray area when you know not to look for it.

“Changeling” is a brutally dark, upsetting true story of a single mother in 1920s Los Angeles. Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) was living an ordinary life until she came home from work to find her son missing. The LAPD at the time was already knee-deep in bad PR due to increasing corruption and couldn’t handle more bad press. They returned another orphaned child to Ms. Collins and tried to convince her that he was her son.

Collins knew immediately that the boy was not hers - differences in height and circumcision are pretty obvious signs - but Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) and the rest of the police force ignored her until they eventually threw her in a psychiatric hospital to keep her quiet. Only the powerful radio figure Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) kept her story alive long enough for the shocking truth to come out.

Angelina Jolie gave one of the best performances of 2008 in “Changeling,” taking a part that would have been tragically melodramatic in the wrong hands and making subtle, interesting decisions instead of descending into great hysteria. Jolie is fantastic and she makes the film worth at least a rental on Blu-Ray.

Having said that, I still think “Changeling” is a bit of a missing opportunity. Trying to tell so many stories in the film’s 141 minute running time makes everyone a bit two-dimensional. The police force must have realized at some point that they were doing something wrong, but they are painted as two-dimensional villains, draining the film of believability. There’s a complex, character-driven mini-series in this amazing true story that has been reduced to just the essentials and anchored by one central, riveting performance.

Angelina Jolie stars in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling
Photo credit: Anthony Michael Rivetti

The design of “Changeling” looks great in HD and the precise and detailed costumes and art direction should impress in 1080P, but I do wish the world felt more lived-in than backlot. Everything about “Changeling” looks too good and not quite realistic. The pretty picture of the Blu-Ray release mesmerizes until it dawns on you that admiring the design keeps it and the film as a whole at arms length.

Technically, “Changeling” is good but not one of Universal’s best. The blacks and blues often blend a bit too much in the film’s many darker scenes and, in general, the picture doesn’t pop like you think it would. The audio is similarly right around average with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

U-Control is still my favorite studio Blu-Ray function on the market and “Changeling” makes smart use of it, providing interactive cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage using the Picture in Picture feature. U-Control also allows the viewer to see pictures of “Los Angeles: Then and Now” as the story unfolds to compare the city as it was in the ’20s to the sprawling metropolis today. Archival images and documents are also presented through U-Control allowing the viewer access to the real-life individuals and story portrayed in the film.

Two HD features - “Partners in Crime: Clint Eastwood and Angelina Jolie” and “The Common Thread: Angelina Jolie Becomes Christine Collins” - round out the Blu-Ray release of “Changeling”.

Ultimately, “Changeling” is a good film that I wanted to be great in theaters but it’s easier to forgive the film’s flaws with a studio as great as Universal producing its Blu-Ray release.

‘Changeling’ is released by Universal Home Entertainment and stars Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore, and Jason Butler Harner. It was written by J. Michael Straczynski and directed by Clint Eastwood. It will be released on February 17th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com