Hey folks, Harry here… I don’t know if it is just me, but there was more this week to be pissed over than I felt I was recommending, I know that technically isn’t true, but this week on DVD, it was like Hollywood cleaned out a horse stall – and expected us to fertilize our eyes with it. There is some really good stuff here too though. And as usual, the box art and the titles are clickable (except one film so fucking bad, I won’t profit from it – THINK ABOUT THAT SHIT!) – which will take you to AMAZON, where you can learn more on the title or if you’re feeling it, you can purchase – thus contributing to this column’s continued existence. Happy New Year – and I wish we were starting it off better!

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Season 4.0

I have avoided all knowledge of season four since I caught up with the first three seasons, but I gather from the pantless cries for Kleenex, that it is going as well as Seasons 1,2 & 3. I didn’t get sent a screener for this, so I can’t tell you whether or not it is as awesome as it could be, but I am a tad upset that it isn’t hitting on Blu-Ray. I’m trying to decide personally if I can wait for the unannounced future maybe date in High Def. Hmmm…

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

I love PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, it’s more than just a pot comedy, it’s something from a separate universe of filmmaking. Something I thought lost. A movie about a genuine friendship, good drugs, a hot immature girlfriend and badass violence… not to mention general hilarity. Personally I felt this film was funnier and better made than TROPIC THUNDER, but it seems it was a toss up between people that saw both – depending if they preferred broader humor (TROPIC THUNDER) or more situational humor (PINEAPPLE EXPRESS). Me, well. You know which one I loved. (Yes, I will have the winners announced later today on the contest – I got way more submissions than I was prepared for.

THE LAST EMPEROR (Blu-Ray)

Bernardo Bertolucci’s brilliant LAST EMPEROR has really been done right by Criterion’s new Blu-Ray division. In addition to the brilliant Oscar winning masterpiece, you get nearly 5 hours of various documentaries covering everything from the making of the film to Bertolucci’s personal process, to interviews with the crew about the making of the film. This is a LOADED Blu-Ray and the most important part is the film and it is stunning. DTS-HD sound and commentaries and… well you get the idea… pretty much everything you could want on this title which has the early lead on best Blu Ray of 2009!

RIGHTEOUS KILL

This is a sloppy, badly written film starring two of the most brilliant actors of my life time and it is absolutely infuriating to see both of these men in material this weak and badly put together. Deniro literally feels lost in this film and Pacino is just there. NOTHING in this film is worthwhile… NOTHING. A complete and utter waste of my attention and hopes. You see the cover? Everything is as sloppy and bloated looking as that.

BANGKOK DANGEROUS

Directed by The Pang Brothers, whom I had high hopes for once. Starring Nicolas Cage whom I loved in pretty much everything pre-CON AIR. I’m not as mad at this film as I am at RIGHTEOUS KILL mainly because it isn’t Deniro and Pacino sucking in this film. But if you want to see Cage under-selling every scene to such a degree that you need to pry your eyelids open with toothpicks to stay awake… Man, is this film for you. There’s a cool shot about shooting someone in a gondola, but that’s about it. Just flaccid.

BABYLON A.D.

The uncut version is better, but only because it’s like 7 day dried shit, as opposed to the fresh shit you submitted yourself to when you saw this in theaters. The above three films are not SO BAD YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM (of the three, this is the closest to that) but honestly I don’t take any joy in eviscerating any of these. Vin Diesel, Nick Cage, Deniro & Pacino deserve better than this. There’s something fucking wrong when you have talent and money hemoragging bloody shit on screen like this. All three of these films make THE HAPPENING seem professional.

DEXTER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (Blu-Ray)

Of all the material I received for this column, this is the one that I can’t wait to make time for. I’ve had so many friends tell me how great this show is and the premise just sounds like evil joy. It is, isn’t it? If not – let me know in Talkback below, but I’m pretty damn sure this is gonna be a great watch!

MANNIX: THE SECOND SEASON

Mike Connors is not only MANNIX, he is the absolute shit! MANNIX isn’t just a Private Investigator, but he’s Mike Connors… He’s a Korean War veteran that’s incredibly proud of his French/Armenian ancestory… The show was violent as all fuck and controversial – but it was better than that, it was a great show and a classic of its era. This was the first season that he went solo as a PI and is now even more cool than he was in the first season… which had to be a great discovery after the first season.

THE WACKNESS

Saw this film back at SXSW and have just loved every second of it. This film is funny and real. It’s basically focused on a relationship between a pot dealer and a therapist – who trade for services. All taking place in a certain time and a certain place. It’s fantastic. About the time you find yourself cheering for Ben Kingsley all over one of the Olsen Twins. It’s sick, perverted and kinda perfect.

Michael Powell Double Feature ( AGE OF CONSENT, STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN )

Here you have one of the great filmmakers of all time, Michael Powell – and a double feature of hard to fine and great films in AGE OF CONSENT and the classic STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN which was known as A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. These are lessor films of his career, they’re amongst the best – and I guarantee if you watch them, listen to Scorsese’s intro, you’ll find yourself getting the rest of his films… To Scorsese you will listen, yeeeaaeessss, To Scorsese….

SECRET DIARY OF A CALLGIRL – Season One

I watched the first half of this season, and at some point I’ll probably dive into the rest. Billie Piper is extremely charismatic, and… well obviously hot. I hear that Herc loves the show. He’s got good taste, it’s worth loving.

DISASTER MOVIE

So fucking bad, that I won’t even allow it to link to put money in my pocket. Shit so bad, that I won’t even profit from it. THAT’S BAAAAAAAAD!!!

Ok – pretty sad week, eh? Well next week you will get APPALOOSA, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, Director’s Cut of the Original MY BLOODY VALENTINE, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, MIRRORS, SWING VOTE, MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL, THE TAKING OF POWER BY LOUIS XIV, TOKYO GORE POLICE, Rossellini’s History Films, 4 WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, SUPERCOP, TRAFFIC Blu, FATHER OF THE KAMIKAZE and much more…