Hey folks, Harry here… Sorry about my Birthday column being late, but BNAT threw a wrench in. However, here it is – and I’ll be back tomorrow with that one! As usual the images and links take you to Amazon, where you purchase the items and help this column continue it’s best efforts. If you’d like access to the whole multiyear history of this column, in a beautiful i-friendly App, then check out PicksAndPeeks.Com!
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012
Seth MacFarlane’s TED is a hilarious man-child comedy that knows how to hump the awesome leg of FLASH GORDON! A filthy mouthed Teddy Bear comedy was bound to happen, but could we have predicted that it’d be this perfectly geeky? The party with Flash is the stuff of comedy riffing dreams. Sam Jones forever! I’ve only seen the Unrated version – which I loved. Defintely has a lot of repeat views in it.
This AVENGERS prequel movie setting up the origin of Clint Barton aka HAWKEYE is a blast. At least, that’s what I like to pretend as I’m watching it. That chase sequence at the end of this film is a real nail biter. The stuff on the motorcycle with Rachel Weisz freaked me out. She should never be in that kind of danger. This film really starts to play up the meta-human aspects, and I like that. Can’t wait for Damon and Renner to team up in the next one. Frank Marshall has basically said that’s gonna happen. Can’t wait! Looks great on Blu! Gilroy did real good!
ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT Blu Ray
I find this series completely boring and predictable. It’ll never stop because it makes all the money overseas. But it hurts my brain.
GIRLS: The Complete First Season Blu Ray
Love Lena Dunham’s GIRLS…. It’s just a wonderful peak into their world. I’ve been watching this series with Yoko and her Girls – and it has been a blast. If you haven’t caught the bug, it’s a great catch. That Block Party episode kills me.
Watching Warren Beatty translate Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy with so much heavy make up and crazy as hell primary colors…. WELL I LOVE IT! I just wish he’d let the makeup folks give him Dick Tracy lines – and if they’d mugged up Maggie a bit. This is a bare bones release – which is a shame. I would love a packed blu ray on this title. Alas, not a single thing. But it is nice to have a blu on the title.
Nolan’s awesome 16mm Film Noir debut gets the Criterion treatment – and fans of Nolan give thanks! In addition to a crazy crisp transfer of the film itself that was supervised by Nolan – you get the following goodies:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director Christopher Nolan, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
New 5.1 surround sound mix by sound editor Gary Rizzo, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition
Audio commentary by Nolan
New interview with Nolan
Chronological rendering of the story
Side-by-side comparison of three scenes in the film with the shooting script
Doodlebug (1997), a three-minute film by Nolan, starring Jeremy Theobald
Trailers
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic and programmer Scott Foundas
If you’ve never seen FOLLOWING, you’ll see a Nolan film more closely related to MEMENTO than any of his other work. That’s a good thing. I promise.
THE QATSI TRILOGY Criterion Blu Ray
The combination of Phillip Glass’ scoring and the stunning imagery that Reggio put together for these three transcendental experiences… well, it’s made for Blu Ray – and Criterion agrees. Powerful and trippy stuff at times. But if you love the diversity found on Planet Earth, few series will show it to you with the awe this does. Do not miss this!
We haven’t gotten nearly enough of the live action Disney classics on Blu… but getting this one is a real treat. Mickey Mouse Club vet Annette Funicello with the original Scarecrow RAY BOLGER – this fanciful kids tale shows it’s age, but does show in a charming as hell manner. This was a real treat to rewatch, I’d seen it years ago.
David Warner is playing a modern day pirate making Michael Caine’s life pretty miserable. And in a very odd way, has a lot more in common with HOOK than you would think… watch it, trust me, it is there… but this Peter Benchley story isn’t on par with JAWS or THE DEEP… BUT it is violent as hell and a yarn to enjoy
Directed by Victor McLaglen’s son, who helmed a couple things for The Duke… Here he has a team made up of Roger Moore, Richard Harris and Richard Burton… it is essentially an EXPENDABLES movie – where a team is sent in on a mission that they totally get screwed on, but because they’re badasses that won’t quit, shit gets handled and they’re pissed off about having to wipe. Personally, I can’t imagine not wanting to check this out. It will make you happy you did!
Looking for a good Apocalyptic title to go out on? Well, DOOMSDAY BOOK certainly offers a variety platter of end of the world scenarios. Here you’ll get Zombies, Asteroids and Robots fucking up with world. Kim Jee Woon – I SAW THE DEVIL and Arnold’s upcoming THE LAST STAND is unleashed here, along with Yim Pil-Sung, who has directed the upcoming HANSEL & GRETEL. The film played at Fantastic Fest this year – and audiences really dug it. Waiting on my disc to get here!
Here’s a quality 80’s slasher film that not that many of you may be familiar with. This is a story about a boy, separated by divorce from his father, whom he worships…. And forced on a road trip with his mother and her boyfriend… on the VACATION FROM HELL! Good stuff, don’t read too much on it, let the film just sort of slap ya around. Amazing to get this quality on this title. I love Blu Ray!
A friend of my father’s had this film on 16mm when I was a kid. I can remember clearly watching it projected on the patio one star-filled night in the 70s. BARON BLOOD creeped me the fuck out. There was something about this Mario Bava that chilled my blood and tingled my spine, so when Kino was good enough to send a disc, I decided to watch the film… alone…. Late at night – and try to give it a chance to creep me out. AND IT STILL DOES! No lie. This movie creaks in a manner to creep you out. Plus it has the lovely Elke Sommer and the great Joseph Cotton. Gothic as all hell, and great!
You know the phrase, “Misery loves company”? That’s the only way to enjoy this turd. Watched it with some BNATTERS before BNAT this year and even with their great cheer, the film withered before us. It barely has the Osama Bin Laden zombie in it. You watch for what seems like ages, but that’s ok cuz they’ll distract you with idiot characters doing idiot things.
THE ULTIMATE BUSTER KEATON Collection
Amazon only has 19 of these left right now, with more coming – and if you’re a Buster Keaton fan… you’ve probably already got much of this. HOWEVER, if you have a friend that you’d love to convert to the greater glory of Keaton – this is an excellent present. What do you get? 14 Blu Rays from Kino filled with amazing transfers and extras for all this: Buster Keaton Short Films Collection: 1920-1923 (Three-Disc Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray] (3-disc set) Battling Butler / Go West (Ultimate 2-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] The General [Blu-ray] The Navigator: Ultimate Edition [Blu-ray] Our Hospitality: ULTIMATE EDITION [Blu-ray] The Saphead: Ultimate Edition [Blu-ray] Seven Chances (Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray] Sherlock Jr. / Three Ages [Blu-ray] Steamboat Bill, Jr. [Blu-ray] Lost Keaton: Sixteen Comedy Shorts 1934-1937 [Blu-ray] Plus COLLEGE, which is the only new title to this release. If you haven’t explored Keaton, this is the plunge to take!
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – The Complete Series DVD
55 DVDs of the greatest spy show ever packed into the belly of dynamite! Yeah, that’s awesome! This is nearly 172 hours of face peeling, stings, séances, scams and action. If you have only ever known the title from the films starring Tom Cruise, you really do deserve to experience the pure glee you get from the original show. Martin Landau and Leonard Nimoy were my fave characters. But Peter Graves is who I want on the case, and always will!
Tomorrow I’ll be back with a look at PITCH PERFECT, TOTAL RECALL remake, TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE, KILLER JOE, PREMIUM RUSH, ARBITRAGE, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN Blu, SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION Blu, DEATHSHIP Blu, FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR Blu, RED HOOK SUMMER, THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS blu and that’s about it.
