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Reviews for DVD Releases

The Fourth Kind
Jack Rico
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2010/03/20 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Fourth Kind

03.20.2010 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG-13 for violent/disturbing images, some terror, thematic elements and brief sexuality.
Release Date: 2009-11-06
Starring: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thefourthkind.net/

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The Fourth Kind has many a scares, but it feels more like a made-for-tv movie than anything else. That doesn’t make it bad, it just makes the decision to wait for it on DVD that much easier. 

 

The film, based on ‘real events’ and shot juxtaposing documentary and reenactment footage, is a good thrill… for a few minutes. The film’s publicity and marketing material suggest that The Fourth Kind is based on actual occurrences , but the reality is that this is as “based on a true story” as Fargo was (not at all). It’s all part of a backstory that extends beyond the screen. The director, Olantunde Osunsanmi, purports include “real” footage of unexplained phenomenon that transpired in Nome, Alaska during the early years of the 21st century, but there are plenty of clues both in the footage and outside of it that debunk its veracity. One doesn’t need to be aware that no one named Abbey Tyler practiced psychology in Alaska to know this woman is not real. The makeup applied to her face during her “interviews” is not convincing and the unidentified actress playing Abbey may cause pause even for those who want to buy what Osunsanmi is selling.

 

Although it’s fascinating to dissect the movie on an intellectual level and examine what pieces and structural choices work and don’t work, I’m sure that’s not how the filmmakers intended their production to be approached. On a purely narrative level, The Fourth Kind offers the occasional “boo!” moment but is too tame (consider the PG-13 rating) to generate any lasting horror and too contrived to work on a dramatic level. The best thing I can say about it is at least it’s not another Asian horror remake.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Namreta Kumar
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2010/03/20 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

03.20.2010 | By |

Rating: 2.0

Rated: Not available.
Release Date: 2009-11-20
Starring: Melissa Rosenberg
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.twilightthemovie.com/

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It seems like it took a long while coming, but New Moon just does not thrill audiences the same way Twilight, the movie or the books have. Overall the film covers the basics of the novel but fails to deliver as compelling a story.

As with any rewrite, stories have to be manipulated to adapt however for a novel about the development and growth of two prominent characters and relationships this film never fully develops. Everything about the film, from the music to most of the liberties, seems so disconnected and distant that it always feels like you are watching clips of the book.

Despite the problematic nature of the adaptation Chris Weitz’s constant desire to keep the original style of the film was very rewarding. With the exception of the almost obvious edits to existing sets, the overall style of the film and direction are what keeps this film close to the original novel. The novels established characters all seem very believable; however the triangle that is supposed to be formed at the end of the film, almost seems established from the start.

As a movie audience it is hard to see how much Bella has grown attached to Jacob without inserting dialogue. However, for a two-hour movie, this movie comes up short of making any progress and so the dialogue falls flat. In fact when it finally seems to be getting somewhere the conclusion of the film picks up its pace too rapidly and then it almost seems like a second films is starting.

Unfortunately this film just never gets passed the dramatics of a smaller role for Edward and fails to deliver the conflict that is supposed to drive this film and fuel the next.

The Princess and the Frog
Jack Rico
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2010/03/20 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Princess and the Frog

03.20.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: PG
Release Date: 2009-12-11
Starring: Ron Clements, Rob Edwards, Greg Erb, Don Hall, John Musker, Jason Oremland
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/

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“The Princess and The Frog” is an historic moment for Disney, but it also represents a step forward in the entertainment industry to diversifying its films to reflect today’s current social landscape. Perhaps a long anticipated Latina on the horizon? Cinematically speaking, the film is an entertaining and amusing throwback to the classic Disney cartoons of old, but doesn’t really hold its own compared to the classics. The same formula is used with a twist, but its missing originality.

This animated romantic comedy set in the great city of New Orleans in the 1920’s features a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on an adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.

The voices are top notch across the board. The music is not at the height of previous efforts and feels like producers just picked up some songs from the Disney archive catalog. The production quality of the animation though is a pleasure to behold. In a time when CG, 3D and even stop-motion animation are all the rage, this seems like an old friend coming back to visit.

Kids and parents will have a good time with it and sing along with the crocs and bugs, but is it a classic? No, but it is historic enough that it must be seen.

Los Abrazos Rotos
Jack Rico
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2010/03/15 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Los Abrazos Rotos

03.15.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: R for sexual content, language and some drug material.
Release Date: 2009-11-20
Starring: Pedro Almodóvar
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:Spain
Official Website: http://www.pedroalmodovar.es/PAB_EN_Cap01.asp

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One of Spain’s most talented sons gives cinema a new work titled ‘Broken Embraces’. Pedro Almodóvar reunites with Penélope Cruz to once again give us a visually sensual and beautiful, bold and impressive theater of the mind, but one that regrettably doesn’t break new ground. It is not his best film and thus the reason it wasn’t selected to participate in Spain’s Oscar selections for this upcoming ceremony. It is by no intention a bad film, it simply isn’t overwhelming. Were we asking for too much? Was that the problem?

The premise is interesting and very Almodovar. Harry Caine (Lluís Homar), a screenwriter/director, suffers a near fatal crash that leaves him blind. After healing from his wounds 14 years later, he finds himself directing and editing his last movie which starred his eternal love.

There is beauty in his work, but I believe there was also writers block, which is why he recycled so much of his favorite films such as Elevator to the Gallows, Voyage to Italy and his own Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Pedro took the opportunity to become Tarantino in this film and craft a class in filmmaking to us all. His new work combines amour fou, crime-noir melodrama, satirical comedy, complex structures and subplots and anything else his head could devise. He’s good but his ambition got the best of him and the construction of the story ultimately did not rise to the levels of his previous works. It looks as if his focus left the narrative and shifted to the technical aspects and look of the film. Almodovar is accountable for his own success and it burns him here.

Nonetheless, the minor imperfections do not damage his reputation as a dexterous helmer nor should it influence your decision to see the movie. Penelope Cruz gives another mesmerizing performance as the “femme fatale” but one that doesn’t rival her character in passion and charm from ‘Volver’. The rest of the cast shows why Spain is a gold mine full of talented actors.

In a broad comment, this year was specifically a great year for Spanish movies. The box office has reaped the benefits of their marvelous stories and productions and we’re all the better for it. Almodovar is being challenged by other filmmakers such as Isabel Coixet, Fernando Trueba, Daniel Sánchez Arévalo and Alejandro Aménabar (half Chilean). I hope to see their work rival his because Hollywood awaits them desperately.

Up in the Air
Jack Rico
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2010/03/09 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Up in the Air

03.9.2010 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: R for language and some sexual content.
Release Date: 2009-12-04
Starring: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.theupintheairmovie.com/

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Where the Wild Things Are
Alex Florez
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2010/03/03 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Where the Wild Things Are

03.3.2010 | By |

Rating: 2.5

Rated: PG for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language.
Release Date: 2009-10-16
Starring: Spike Jonze & Dave Eggers, Maurice Sendak (book)
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/

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The night that ‘Max put on a wolf suit and started doing one shenanigan after another’ marked the moment in my childhood when I let my imagination run wild. I’m referring to the boy in that fantasy book written by Maurice Sendak, who later finds himself in a forest ‘Where The Wild Things Are.’
 
When I found out that the filmmaker Spike Jonze (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich) had the intention of adapting a classic of children’s literature to the big screen, I was easily excited. However, the great expectations that came along with the making of the film were enough to worry me. How loyal would the film be to the book? And most importantly, how would they stretch out a story of just a few pages so that it would work as a movie?
 
For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the book is about a boy named Max who gets sent to bed early for his bad behavior. But he ends up escaping to a forest where he is accompanied by a family of wild creatures. As is traditional in children’s books, ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ has a moral to its story, but I remember it mostly for it’s surrealist world. Something Jonze’s film also succeeds at, but regrettably as a movie ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ falls short.
 
Here’s the problem: the film doesn’t have enough plot to push the story forward. Since the book is short, Jonze has no choice but to come up with something to further develop the movie. However, the filmmaker doesn’t risk quite enough to make things interesting. Instead he opts to show us filler – like extended sequences of Max playing with his monsters. And that’s just not filmmaking. Although the costuming, the special effects and the wonderful soundtrack do an amazing job of bringing the book to life, the captivating moments are rare. Simply put, the book would have been better served as an exceptional short-film.
 
‘Where The Wild Things Are’ is one of the all time classic bedtime stories, but when it also puts you to sleep in the movie theater, that’s not a good sign.

Gentlemen Broncos
Jack Rico
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2010/03/03 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Gentlemen Broncos

03.3.2010 | By |

Rating: 1.0

Rated: PG-13 for some crude humor.
Release Date: 2009-10-30
Starring: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: No disponible.

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One of the worst movies of 2009 is Gentlemen Broncos.

 

Directed by Jared Hess, the creator of ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, the film revolves around a young writer whose novel is plagiarized by his favorite author.

 

The comedy is some of the more corniest I’ve seen in my life and the dialogue is ridiculous.

 

It is amazing that such horrific films as this continue to be created for the public consumption.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
Karen Posada
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2010/03/02 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

03.2.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: R for sexual content, brief nudity, some drug material and language.
Release Date: 2009-11-27
Starring: Rebecca Miller
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: www.pippalee.com

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This is definitely a chick flick for smart viewers; the drama which drags most chick flicks is taken lightly and sprinkled with unsuspected moments of hilarity. I didn’t know exactly what to expect of it but I came out glad to have gone through Pippa’s journeys along with her.
 
The film by director Rebecca Miller explores the life of Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) a suburban housewife who seems to have it all together and be leading the perfect life. Her husband (Alan Arkin) an accomplished publisher who is 30 years older than her decides to move them out of NYC to a retirement community in Connecticut. Pippa as the perfect wife follows willingly, although we get a sense there’s something stirring within her that’s about to explode. She begins the narration of the life she has led up to the point where she met her current husband. We start seeing Pippa’s troubled past and wonder how she is so together in her present, but a series of weird occurrences take place which make everything fall in place. As her retired husband decides he can’t live in complete retirement she fills her time with activities and meets a younger man (Keanu Reeves), they begin to help each other through their paths of self-discovery.
 
Blake Lively from ‘Gossip Girl’ plays the younger version of Pippa Lee, her character’s fun, sensual personality combined with her innocence makes us want to help her out of the hole she digs herself into. Younger Pippa loves her mother (Maria Bello) but as she grows up she realizes her household is not what she thought it was, her mother’s addiction to drugs and her father’s (a priest) indifference takes her life for a spin.  
 
These great actors are part of a puzzle that forms a beautifully imperfect picture. All the funny moments make the dramatic plot easy to watch without feeling overwhelmed or sad. Seeing how Pippa’s life turns out despite the complicated “lives” she’s led is delightful, seeing her come in to her own and finally realizing that there was no need to make a perfect persona but that accepting herself and the fact that life is full of surprises was the answer, gives us an uplifting conclusion.

The Box
Jack Rico
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By

2010/02/23 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Box

02.23.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.0

Rated: PG-13 for thematic elements, some violence and disturbing images.
Release Date: 2009-11-06
Starring: Richard Kelly
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thebox-movie.com/

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With such a simple title, how can ‘The Box’ end up being so convoluted? Thank director/writer Richard Kelly (the mastermind behind Southland Tales, one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen) for that costly gaffe. This film had the promise to be exceptional, marked by its beginning and ending, but the middle wrapped itself in tangled conundrums and it never managed to fully correct itself.

Norma and Arthur Lewis (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden), a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger (Frank Langella), delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. But, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don’t know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.

The message at its core is the avarice of men and how its implications will set off the cataclysmic genocide of mankind. This deep philosophical notion was not told well by Kelly. I don’t mind a mental challenge while at the movies, but at least provide me with some clarirty while you tell it. His adapted script is based on the short story ‘Button, Button’ from legendary fantasy writer Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, What Dreams May Come) and it is quite seductive and full of intrigue. Kelly’s version had the chance to be just as good if it weren’t for the occasional hiccups.

On the other hand, Ms. Diaz, of cuban ancestors, and Mr. Marsden (Enchanted, 27 Dresses) did a wonderful job of deciphering the jumbled script to give, in my opinion, strong and compelling performances. Marsden, in particular, is good every time out. Even in family fare such as ‘Enchanted’ (he was hilarious in it), Marsden can be proud of his work. Unfortunately, Langella just didn’t have enough to work from here.

Was it suspenseful? Yes. Was it interesting and compelling? Yes. Did it get so incoherent that it irrevocably lost me? Yes to that! Enjoy the film if you so choose, but remember, you’re also paying more than you should for it. It is not a bad film, but wait, wait, wait for it on DVD.

The September Issue
Jack Rico
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By

2010/02/23 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The September Issue

02.23.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language.
Release Date: 2009-08-28
Starring: Documentary
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.theseptemberissue.com/

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