Hey folks, Harry here with this week’s DVD column – few hours later than normal, but here still. I was doing this last night – picked the titles and pre-coded the article, but when I went to start writing it – my eyes began to fall heavy – and the lack of sleep from SXSW really killed me. These first several titles are all pretty weak to me – there isn’t a lot of greatness this week, that’s next week. As usual the images and titles link to Amazon for further information and purchasing ease. If you do buy through a link, I’d like to thank you. It helps more than you know. Here ya go…
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON
I like to think that everyone that didn’t like Joe Johnston’s WOLFMAN…. Is a fan of this. That thought just kinda makes me giggle. I still haven’t seen NEW MOON. Depending who you talk to, it is better or worse than TWILIGHT. I’m actually picking this up today, so Patricia and I can watch it soon. So take off your shirt, do some crunches and bask before a NEW MOON. (that sentence really is offensive.)
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
This bores the bejeesus out of me. And it makes me sad. Disney’s first 2D animated film was a severe disappointment. When it pulled in an Animation Oscar nom – it actually saddened me, because while the physical animation itself is beautiful - the film has character design issues (I hate their frogs) and the songs are almost uniformly BAD. This film felt like ANASTASIA and not a Disney work of magic. I also just felt putting this story within some magical New Orleans… I just never got on board. Seems to delight the kiddies though – and folks with a lower expectation from Disney animation. But this is less successful for me than films like HERCULES & HUNCHBACK & POCAHONTAS. C’mon Disney… blow us away with the next one. Remember – tell a story worth telling…
That said – this BLU RAY is gorgeous – The behind the scenes making of work on the discs are very nice. If you loved the movie, you’ll love this disc. And if you didn’t. As an animation fan, even if you didn’t care for the film, the behind the scenes on a Disney Animated film – I always find fascinating.
NINJA ASSASIN
The film has its moments – particularly the pre-credits sequence is absolutely killer. But once we get into the Europol investigation – never mind the whole… why is Rain even in Berlin in the first place. The film does nothing to develop its characters – and at no point do I feel like I have an ounce of insight into our main characters. That said – the film was made for Blu Ray in the sense of how pretty it is. It really is a bit of a junky movie… but, that kinda describes most of the Ninja genre, right? To me, Ninjas are a tool – a really badass tool, but ultimately there is somebody else that’s pulling their strings. Here, that is never gone into – and as a result they’ve cut the ‘sense of purpose’ of the Ninjas out. At least to me.
ASTRO BOY
There is stuff to like about ASTRO BOY – I just feel that the character doesn’t become the character till the last moments of the film. And I resent that. I wanted that tough scrappy Astro Boy throughout… or at least for the majority. Here he’s mostly mopey. However, if you have kids – this film will delight them. It is very visual and quite a bit of fun. It just wasn’t quite the ASTRO BOY big budget movie I’ve been waiting for. I guess that was A.I.
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: XVII
In this set you’ll get MST3K’s riffs on THE CRAWLING EYE, THE BEATNIKS, THE FINAL SACRIFICE and BLOOD WATERS OF DR. Z. There’s also fun extras like Crow vs Crow at DragonCon 2009 – an interview with Bruce J Mitchell of THE FINAL SACRIFICE, along with a special introduction to THE CRAWLING EYE by Joel Hodgson. Not to mention the trailers, photos and other hijinks.
BROKEN EMBRACES
Part of what pissed me off immensely about the Academy Awards this year – is this. 1st, Penelope Cruz did deserve an Oscar nod, but not for Supporting Actress for NINE ( which should have honored Marie Cotillard instead), but instead – she should’ve been nominated for Best Actress for her work in Pedro Almodovar’s BROKEN EMBRACES. This film is remarkable. There’s a short film by Almodovar that you’ll love checking out. A Variety Q&A with Penelope. Deleted scenes and a feature that looks at Pedro directing Cruz. But the jewel here is the great story of a director that went blind after… well, you’ll find out. Penelope’s escort turned kept lady turned would-be actress… it is a beautiful character arc filled with pathos, emotion, passion and vitality. Wonderful wonderful film. Which is only natural coming from Pedro Almodovar.
ARMORED
While ARMORED may not quite be CRISS CROSS… it’s a better DIE HARD movie than any of the sequels in that franchise. If you want to see what Nimrod Antal’s chops are – and the film that got him the job on PREDATORS – it is ARMORED. I love this cast – in particular – Larry Fishburne. You’ll also be surprised by how much you’ll like Columbus Short. It’s pretty amazing to have a young actor that you’ve never really seen before shine like this. At this point, ARMORED is second only to CRISS CROSS in the ‘armored truck film noir” sub genre. Now – there’s only the two of them that I am familiar with, but I do love the inside job Armored Truck story as a device. Hope to see more like this in the future.
THE FOURTH KIND
Around the same time that I saw PARANORMAL ACTIVITY in consideration of programming it for FANTASTIC FEST last year – I saw THE FOURTH KIND. It is very rare that a mess of a movie has resulted in me having so many discussions about the film. The problem is this. THE FOURTH KIND is an Alien Abduction film. It has a cast that includes folks like Milla Jovovich and Will Patton – who are being asked to reenact scenes, which get edited together with “real documentary footage” from the actual incidents. The result is apocalyptically ill-conceived. The actors simply cannot compete with reality. Their chops just are not up to par. The “real” footage is haunting, fascinating and absolutely irresistible. But then there’s this DocuDrama crap which just sucks the soul out of the film. This is a great film to show what not to do in this sort of project. If you’re a UFO fetishist you’ll kinda need to see this.
CLASH OF THE GODS: THE COMPLETE SEASON ONE
I was really kinda jazzed when I got this – and when I put it on – I realized that this was an excellent teaching tool for my 9 year old nephew, Kublakhan. It is more than Greek Mythology – they dive into Norse and even Tolkein myths. The fx are kinda goofy but in a pretty cool way. I like this set. And my nephew is devouring it. That is as it should be.
MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS: Uncut Director’s Edition
I’m not real sure if you’re masculinity is secure enough for Fred Williamson in MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS. Watching Fred chew the screen with the likes of Roddy McDowall, Stuart Whitman and fucking Elliot Gould is just too cool! Essentially here is a story of an insubordinate grunt that beat fuck out of his deserving of an ass-whupping superior officer. Lands stateside only to be mugged (who the fuck could mug Fred Williamson? You’ll have to see) – then there’s incarceration followed by the worst fate imaginable. He becomes a gas station attendant for the most awesomely politically correct bastard (heh), then he becomes a HIT MAN! Yeah. This is that kinda story. Nut up and check it out.
That’s it for this SXSW Tuesday – but next week we’ll be looking at THE BLIND SIDE, season 3 of MAD MEN, TOY STORY 1 & 2 on Blu Ray, The T.A.M.I. SHOW, FANTASTIC MR FOX, BROTHERS, MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, THE AFRICAN QUEEN on Blu, RED CLIFF International edition on Blu, YOJIMBO & SANJURO via Criterion Blu, DAYS OF HEAVEN Criterion Blu, BIGGER THAN LIFE Criterion Blu, THE PRISONER Miniseries, AFTER DARK HORRORFEST Vol 4, KROD MANDOON & THE FLAMING SWORD OF FIRE, CARNY, CAT GIRL, SUPER DIMENSION ODYSSEY TRITIA, THE 14 AMAZONS, HITLER MEETS CHRIST, YAKUZA JUSTICE: EROTIC CODE OF HONOR and much more. Finally a really fucking great week – coming next week!
