Please enable javascript to view this site.

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image
Select a Page

Reviews for DVD Releases

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Alex Florez
0

By

2009/10/20 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

10.20.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material.
Release Date: 2009-06-26
Starring: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.transformersmovie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘Revenge of the Fallen’ falls somewhere between ‘American Pie’ and ‘Terminator’.  Yes, I know that covers the gamut of movie genres, but that’s exactly the situation at hand.  Director Michael Bay’s follow up to the blockbuster film based on Hasbro’s action figures, is clearly targeting the graduating class of 2009.  School is out, summer is in and screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman turn the first half of the movie into a teen-sex comedy, something most fans of the original cartoon series from the 80s won’t really care for.  But somewhere beneath all the sophomoric double entendres, lies a story-line with the potential of whipping fanboys into a frenzy by shedding light onto the ancient origins of the Transformers.

Optimus Prime, leader of the ‘Autobots’ (the good ones), is the ultimate hero to rally around but it is Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBoeuf) the boy responsible for discovering the alien race, who will hold the fate of the world in his hands.  Together with the help of the humans, the ‘Autobots’ engage in a battle of biblical proportions against the evil ‘Decepticons’.  The action here is certainly impressive and the special effects out of this world but it is difficult to enjoy when you can’t quite tell what’s going on – also my biggest concern with the first film. With the exception of Optimus Prime, the hot-rod semi-truck and Bumblebee, the golden Camaro, telling some of these robots apart is a mounting challenge especially during combat scenes.   

At the end of the day, there’s a lot of fat that can be cut out of the film to make it a leaner action-packed extravaganza. I’d start by eliminating a series of extraneous characters that add very little.  John Turturro as Agent Simmons, for instance, feels as out of place as the late Richard Pryor in ‘Superman III’.  And we all know how that franchise turned out.

The Proposal
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/10/13 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Proposal

10.13.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, nudity and language.
Release Date: 2009-06-19
Starring: Pete Chiarelli
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://touchstone.movies.go.com/theproposal/

 Go to our film page

The Proposal is a formulaic romantic comedy that offers nothing remotely fresh or new while following a very predictable outcome. For some people, that’s enough. Some will think its enough, but  the film is mediocre at best and hoping its anything else are just false expectations. 

 

Not much in the sense of a plotline – A pushy boss (Sandra Bullock) forces her young assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to keep her Visa status in the U.S. and avoid deportation to Canada.

 

It should not be considered a spoiler to reveal that the two actually fall in love. After all, that’s the point of the movie, and the only reason any percentage of the population will see it. (Also, once you’ve watched the three-minute trailer, there is no point in seeing the 108-minute film – not only does the trailer tell the whole story, but it includes all the best comedic material.)

 

The problem, which I alluded to earlier, is that the romance falls flat. It has nothing to do with chemistry. Bullock and Reynolds don’t burn up the screen, but they’re nice enough together. The movie doesn’t give us enough to go on to believe that these two have fallen in love. Those who buy it will do so because the formula demands it, not because the movie has succeeded in closing the sale.

 

There are some funny moments, chief of which is the overhyped “nude” scene in which Margaret, fresh from the shower and wearing nothing (but with arms and hands strategically positioned so the rating can remain PG-13) collides with an equally in-the-buff Andrew. It’s more amusing than laugh-aloud funny, and it’s about as naughty as things can get without crossing the line into R territory. Most of The Proposal‘s jokes are like that in that they provoke smiles and chuckles but fail to generate any really good laughs.

 

The cast isn’t populated by heavyweights. It has been a while since Sandra Bullock has been in the fast lane, and it’s been about a decade since she was a prime romantic comedy actress. Ryan Reynolds, who showed flashes of genuine talent in Adventureland, is back to phoning it in. (Although, to be fair, his flummoxed expression when Andrew “learns” he’s engaged to Margaret – which carries through more than one scene – is possibly the film’s funniest element.) 

 

The Proposal will give you a bland taste of romance this weekend. We rather you cozy up to one of the classic Tom Hank romantic comedies on DVD this weekend than endure the regurgitated, cardboard taste of The Proposal.

Drag Me to Hell
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/10/13 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Drag Me to Hell

10.13.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: PG-13 for sequences of horror violence, terror, disturbing images and language.
Release Date: 2009-05-29
Starring: Ivan Raimi, Sam Raimi
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.dragmetohell.net/

 Go to our film page

Sam Raimi’s ‘Drag Me to Hell’ is a deliberately funny, horror film, which is neither too funny nor too scary. It’s definitely not a classic, but a refreshing return to a format that has seen many successes in the decade of the 80’s. This film is not meant to be taken seriously at all; you’re supposed to laugh at the funny parts, and as a nice surprise, you’ll occasionally be on the edge of your seat with suspense. What you should expect is to be grossed out by a myriad of scenes. Raimi is obviously looking to make you feel uncomfortable.

The plot is simple and straightforward – a loan officer is cursed by a gypsy for not helping her keep her home and now she needs to try and stop evil spirits from dragging her to hell.

I must admit, I was caught off guard with the intentional hilarity of the film. I’m so conditioned to laugh at today’s horror films because of how bad they are that this one almost tricked me. Cinematically, this movie is not good. The acting is bad, the dialogue is comical and the pacing is off. Fortunately for me, I understood what the Raimi was trying to do here and it made me enjoy the rest of the film. Sam Raimi, known for his three Spider-Man films, is no neophyte to the horror/comedy genre, actually he’s known in many circles as the guy who created it with his series of 80’s cult movies – Evil Dead.

It’s funny to me though, how much the Spanish language and Hispanics (Mexican’s really) have integrated themselves within Hollywood storylines. The opening 5-8 minutes of the movie are spoken completely in Spanish with a Mexican couple trying to save their son from the clutches of the devil. The Oscar nominated Mexican actress Adriana Barraza (Babel) plays an enchantress who wants revenge on the devil. She goes on this Spanish spell monologue without subtitles which makes it difficult for non Spanish speakers to understand, but advantageous for us bilinguals to appreciate.

Overall, ‘Drag Me to Hell’ serves as a senseless night out with friends looking to laugh and be grossed out. I particularly wouldn’t pay New York City prices for it ($12.50 a ticket), but a good $5-7 ticket buy wouldn’t be out of the question for a fun time at the flicks.

Land of the Lost
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/10/13 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Land of the Lost

10.13.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and for language including a drug reference.
Release Date: 2009-06-05
Starring: Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.landofthelost.net/

 Go to our film page

‘Land of the Lost’ only has two funny scenes worth enjoying. The rest is ancillary and periphery entertainment that distracts you long enough from zonking out. I must admit though, Will Ferrell and Danny McBride are funny guys and they can make boring look funny, as was the case here. Without them, this film could have been much worse. Simply put, the story just wasn’t very interesting. In order to compensate for the deficiencies in the script, special effects teams had to work over-time to force audiences to re-route their attention to it.

Based on the television series with the same name, Dr. Rick Marshall (Ferrell) is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (McBride). In this alternate universe, the trio make friends with a primate named Chaka (Taccone), their only ally in a world full of dinosaurs and other fantastic creatures. Can they all make it back to our world alive, and if so: will Dr. Marshall go from zero to hero with his discoveries? These are the questions that are not worth sticking around for.

But I’m not going to go into bashing this film frame to frame. The bottom line is that Ferrell and McBride are great at what they do and they really are funny. They’re worth every penny, but not here. The reason is the story, an incongruous story and plotline at that.

The CGI was inconsistent, sometimes it was on, other times it didn’t fulfill expectations. Overall, this movie doesn’t fulfill my expectations nor will it yours.

Imagine That
Mack Chico
0

By

2009/10/07 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Imagine That

10.7.2009 | By |

Rating: 1.5

Rated: PG for some mild language and brief questionable behavior.
Release Date: 2009-06-12
Starring: Ed Solomon, Chris Matheson
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: No disponible.

 Go to our film page

Watching Imagine That, I was beset by a feeling of intense depression. Is this what Eddie Murphy has become? Once moviedom’s most high-octane comedian, a combustible mixture of raunchy, non-holds-barred verbal repartee and kinetic physical mayhem, Murphy has now become a sad parody of his former self. If the failure of the comedy isn’t reason enough to avoid the movie, its dramatic missteps are even more unforgiveable. 

 

Evan Danielson (Murphy) is a financial analyst at a Denver investment firm that is about to undergo a major restructuring. Longtime CEO Tom Stevens (Ronny Cox) is selling the company to a Donald Trump figure, Dante D’Enzo (Martin Sheen), who intends to fold the new acquisition into his empire. He initiates an Apprentice challenge to Evan and his biggest in-house competitor, Johnny Whitefeather (Thomas Haden Church). Whoever impresses him the most will get a top position in the conglomeration. Evan’s situation is complicated by the presence of his seven-year old daughter, Olivia (Yara Shahidi), who is staying with him for the week while her mother (Nicole Ari Parker) is otherwise engaged. Desperate for her father’s attention, Olivia dips into her make-believe world and consults a group of princesses about how certain stocks and corporations will fare. At first, Evan ignores her advice but, when the predictions start coming true, he re-evaluates the validity of her imaginary friends. Although he can’t see them, he starts to play along, and soon becomes obsessed with spending time with his daughter not because of who she is but because of what she can do for his career.

 

While Murphy’s recent resume (excepting Dreamgirls) might lead to low expectations for his cinematic endeavors, the involvement of director Kary Kirkpatrick could have been a cause for limited optimism. Kirkpatrick’s resume is solid. His only previous directorial outing was Over the Hedge, an amusing animated effort, but he has written a number of noteworthy screenplays, including those for The Spiderwick Chronicles and Chicken Run. Perhaps the problem with Imagine That is that he wasn’t involved in the writing. Whatever the case, this is as disappointing a live-action debut as one can envision.

 

Still, it’s hard to consider Imagine That an unmitigated failure. It will probably entertain the most undiscriminating and uncritical portion of its target audience: young children, most of whom will sit through anything featuring live-action figures imitating cartoon characters. They’ll love Eddie Murphy’s trampoline encounter and his pancake meal. For parents absorbing the blow necessary to entertain their offspring, it will take more than an active imagination to make believe that Imagine That is anything more than two hours of torture.

Year One
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/10/06 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Year One

10.6.2009 | By |

Rating: 1.5

Rated: R for some sexual content and language.
Release Date: 2009-06-19
Starring: Harold Ramis, Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.yearone-movie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘Year One’ was a big yawner, actually, I’m being too nice, it’s competing with ‘Land of the Lost’ for worse movie of the year. The idea of Michael Cera playing a caveman is not funny, just bad, and once again I see myself writing a consistent review on Jack Black, “he has got to be one of the most annoying comedians in Hollywood”. The film has several funny moments at the beginning, but dies out halfway through. It has no real grasp of where its story is going; it feels lost and all over the place.

The premise of ‘Year One’ looked bad from the start – two cavemen buddies (Jack Black and Michael Cera) in ‘year one’ of Earth set their sites to explore the world and end up living the Genesis and subsequent chapters of the Holy Bible – well because of them, holy no longer.

Harold Ramis, one of the original Ghostbuster actors, has teamed up with Judd Apatow (who is producing) to direct this fragmented film which has to do more about the Bible and religious jokes than the primitive man. Indie director Kevin Smith, once experimented with the comical side of religion with a film called, ‘Dogma’ starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and it went nowhere fast at the box office. I wonder what will happen with this one? (exuding sarcasm).

I’ll be honest with you guys, religion isn’t everyone’s cup of joe and making someone laugh already is hard enough; combining the two can mean a recipe for disaster. Only Mel Brooks, Monty Python and some of the other greats have managed to do it well, but I’m not sure if anyone today can pull it off with success. Ramis sure didn’t and neither did Bill Maher with his ‘Religulous’. They were forgettable.

But to be fair, the acting wasn’t bad at all (except for vexing Jack Black), and the dialogue was funny at times. The problem, which is too troublesome to overcome, is the   direction and pacing of the story along with the verisimilitude or implausibility of the adventures our protagonists go through. It distracts us from enjoying the funny moments.

When we interviewed Ramis for this review, he seemed like a hell of a nice guy. He possesses tremendous acumen about the history of film comedy and has an awareness of his place in it. That said, I don’t think he an Apatow seemed to be on the same page. Way too many flaws in the film for two very smart icons to get it wrong.

Nevertheless, ‘Year One’ isn’t what you’d expect from a Cera, Black comedy. They look out of place and the subject matter is tough to digest if you’re unfamiliar with the biblical texts. This film needs a rewrite and a recast really bad.

Monsters vs. Aliens
Mike Pierce
0

By

2009/09/29 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Monsters vs. Aliens

09.29.2009 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor and mild language.
Release Date: 2009-03-27
Starring: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.monstersvsaliens.com/

 Go to our film page

 

Yes! Monsters VS. Aliens – I had the chance to see this earlier this week and I must say…It was funny! I knew it would be. Check out the trailer and see for yourselves. (lol)

 

It stars the talented voices of Reese Witherspoon (Ginormica), Seth Rogen (B.O.B.), Hugh Laurie (Dr. Cockroach Ph. D), Will Arnett (The Missing Link), Keither Sutherland (General W.R. Monger), and many others. If you’re looking for a funny, all age family movie…Monsters VS. Aliens is for you!
 
It’s about this girl – who’s about to get the perfect life she’s always wanted. On her wedding day – she is hit by a meteorite from outer space…which turns her into a GIANT Monster lady. The government steps in and captures her – while she’s in the government prison…she meets 3 of the coolest monsters ever. Well, while that’s going on…an evil alien named, Gallaxhar decides he wants to attack and take over earth. As a last resort – with the leadership of General W.R. Monger and direct orders from the President of the United States…Ginormica and her 3 special friends must save the earth.
 
Ding…Ding…Monsters VS. Aliens. Your kids will love it and there’s enough adult humor to make you laugh.
I loved how they make you (me) remember all the classic monsters movies – The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Blob, and so on. You’ll see!
 
I give Monsters VS. Aliens…4 out of 5 Popcorns

Management
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/09/29 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Management

09.29.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: R for language.
Release Date: 2009-05-15
Starring: Stephen Belber
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.managementfilm.com/

 Go to our film page

Talk about getting suckered into vulnerability. Steve Zahn dripped that adjective in his latest performance in the film ‘Management’, also starring Jennifer Aniston. The movie, which has all the makings of an indie film, but it’s really targeted towards a more mainstream audience, is perhaps the best romantic comedy of the year. That’s really not saying much since the genre hasn’t put out a real charmer in a while.

Aniston plays a traveling saleswoman who sells cheap art to small companies in motels. She has a fling with an aimless, underachieving assistant motel manager (Zahn) at one of her stops, and he ends pursuing her all over the U.S.

The most memorable and moving moments of the film are found in the acting of Steve Zahn. His unconditional love towards Aniston was so touching and quirky, that I must’ve choked up almost 5 times. I think the beauty of this project lies in its simplicity and humility. All the characters were honest and sincere, and it’s those elements that added to a wonderfully, charming movie experience. Director and screenwriter Stephen Belber never complicated the dialogue nor the message. What did become a distraction were the extraneous subplots and unnecessary secondary characters that clogged the movie’s storyline (i.e Woody Harrelson who was blatantly miscast).

‘Management’ could have been better, which is a shame, but due to its poor scriptwriting decisions Belber lost a chance to make this film a rhapsody in romance.

Observe and Report
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/09/26 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Observe and Report

09.26.2009 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: R for pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content and violence.
Release Date: 2009-04-10
Starring: Jody Hill
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://observe-and-report.warnerbros.com/

 Go to our film page

Observe and Report is a bizarre film whose laughs are rooted in shock comedy. This is highlighted by the last 5 minutes which will either culminate with your fascination by the scene or your heaving at the person next to you. The choice will be yours. I’m curious to know which one you will pick. Nevertheless, the laughs aren’t as frequent and the storytelling process is nowhere in sight.

This movie comes at the heels of January’s surprise hit “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” – coincidence? It was written and directed by Jody Hill, whose underground hit “The Foot Fist Way” who brought an exploration of a main character who is reprehensible, delusional, and foolish.

Seth Rogen stars as a bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt who is called into action to stop a flasher from molesting his “mall crush” (Anna Faris) and turning shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show. But when Barnhardt can’t bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective (Ray Liotta) is recruited to close the case.

The cast is top notch, but perhaps the one who stands out most is comedy princess Anna Faris (Scary Movie, The House Bunny). Getting laughs is hard to do and she manages to make me laugh out loud in every scene she is in. Mexican-American actor Michael Peña, known for his dramatic performances, is another one who provided perhaps me with the loudest laughs halfway through the film. His character, Dennis, was undeniably underused. His screen time barely hits ten minutes, but he was a scene stealer from the very moment he was on.

What I can promise you is that you will laugh at this film, it is just a matter of whether you will feel right doing it. The director, Hill, takes perverse pleasure in getting laughs at whatever costs as he pushes the boundaries of what is funny and what isn’t.

The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Jack Rico
0

By

2009/09/22 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

09.22.2009 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference.
Release Date: 2009-05-01
Starring: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.ghostsofgirlfriendspastmovie.com/

 Go to our film page

‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore somehow manage to salvage the film by developing two well written romantic moments into the overdone cornball premise. The film doesn’t work as a comedy, but it gets the job done in the romance department.

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a free loving bachelor  who is the ultimate ‘playa’. Unfortunately, his childhood friend Jenny (Jennifer Garner) is the one woman in his life who has always seemed immune to his considerable charm. It all comes to a climax when three ghosts, yes a la Dickens, take him on a revealing odyssey through a lifetime of failed relationships. The purpose of this exam is to get him to redeem himself in front of his one true love – Jenny.

There is no doubts about this film being targeted to female viewers, Unfortunately, they’ll have to deal with some negatives. Most of the damage of the film exists in its overused storyline – Charles Dickens’ ‘The Christmas Carol’. That on its own should scare most moviegoers away. Adding to the barrage of detriments is the myriad of lame and unamusing gags that never go over. I don’t really remember laughing once. But halfway through the film, when Michael Douglas appears as Uncle Wayne, is when we finally experience the first engaging moment. Douglas’s detailed in-depth tutorial on picking up women to a young Connor possesses a real candor absent from similar movies of the genre. I’m sure female viewers will find it amusing if not absurd. We once again are treated to another memorable moment at the film’s climax when McConaughey himself dishes out some love wisdom of his own. These scenes mixed in with a gooey score and sufficient teary close ups will debilitate even some of the most stoic of men.

 

Apart from those likable sequences, the supporting cast is simply irrelevant and insipid. Their charms and levels of interest are nonexistent. Futhermore, McConaughey’s performance matches those of his previous uninspired works (Fools Gold, Failure to Launch, The Wedding Planner). Nevertheless, if you can get past the Dickens homage, ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ is better than most romantic fare out in theaters right now. Female viewers will enjoy a good insight into the male psyche and have a chance to see a man go from player to prince. Isn’t that what all women want?

Follow SBC

Select a Page