Synopsis:
A suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller, Lynne Ramsay’s WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN explores the factious relationship between a mother and her son. Tilda Swinton, in a bracing, tour-de-force performance, plays the mother, Eva, as she contends for 15 years with the increasing malevolence of her first-born child, Kevin (Ezra Miller).

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN explores nature vs. nurture on a whole new level as Eva’s own culpability is measured against Kevin’s innate evilness.

Ramsay’s masterful storytelling simultaneously combines a provocative moral ambiguity with a satisfying and compelling narrative, which builds to a chilling, unforgettable climax.

CAST
Eva – Tilda Swinton (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Michael Clayton)
Franklin – John C. Reilly (Step Brothers, Chicago)
Kevin – Ezra Miller

CREDITS
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Screenplay by Lynne Ramsay
Rory Stewart Kinnear

** All images Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories **

Technorati Tags: We Need to Talk About Kevin, Trailer, Screenshot, Lynne Ramsay, Rory Stewart Kinnear, Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller, Thriller, Drama

Release Date: March 16, 2012

Directed by: Tarsem Singh
Written by: Melisa Wallack, Jason Keller
Cast: Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman, Valentine’s Day)
Lily Collins (The Blind Side)
Armie Hammer
Nathan Lane (Lion King, Birdcage, Trumbo)
Mare Winningham (St. Elmo’s Fire)
Sean Bean
Michael Lerner (No Way Back)
Produced by: Bernie Goldman, Ryan Kavanaugh, Brett Ratner,
Executive Producer: John Cheng, Jamie Marshall, Josh Pate, Tucker Tooley, Tommy Turtle, Jeff G. Waxman

Mirror Mirror is a reimagining of the classic fairy tale starring Oscar® winner Julia Roberts as the Queen, Lily Collins as Snow White, Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott, Sean Bean as the King and Nathan Lane as the Queen’s hapless and bungling servant, Brighton.

An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright in a spirited adventure comedy filled with jealousy, romance and betrayal that will capture the imagination of audiences the world over.

Visionary director Tarsem Singh rewrites fairy tale history as a wicked enchantress (Roberts) schemes and scrambles for control of a spirited orphan’s (Collins) throne and the attention of a charming prince (Hammer). When Snow White’s beauty wins the heart of the prince that she desperately pursues, the Queen banishes her to the forest, where a ravening man-eating beast hungrily awaits.

Rescued by a band of diminutive highway robbers, Snow White grows into an indomitable young woman determined to take back her realm from the treacherous Queen. With the support of her subjects, she roars into action in an epic battle that blends spectacle, magic and contemporary humor in Singh’s signature, jaw-dropping visual style.

Technorati Tags: Mirror Mirror, Upcoming Movie, March 2012, Fairy Tale, Julia Roberts, Sean Bean, Mare Winningham, Movies, Screenshots

Release Info:
Original Release Date:
DVD Release Date: October 18, 2011
Online Availability: Amazon for $15.99

In my house, Pirates of the Caribbean is a tradition. My nephew, who is seven years old and convinced that he will one day be a pirate (he enjoys their work ethic), demands it. He has loved Captain Jack since he was old enough to speak. He has grown up with the movies and he continues to love them as he gets older. It’s hard not to like a movie with elements of fantasy, drama, and fun that is also well-acted and has great special effects.

Of course, there were some big changes to this, the fourth installment in the Pirates series. The biggest changes have to do with the acting talent. Both Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom are absent from this film, as At World’s End implied. On the plus side, the talented Ian McShane has been added to the mix, portraying Blackbeard.

Stepping away from the role of the aunt that has a nephew obsessed with Captain Jack, I have to say there were some pluses and minuses to this film. The biggest problem I encountered was that many of the new characters were undeveloped so I did not gain any true interest in them or care what happened to them. Another issue I had was that things felt like they had been done before. This is most likely because I had watched them in the previous films. Since we have all seen Captain Jack escape from the law, other pirates, or some other evil force, we can’t help but want each escape to feel new and fresh. In this case, I can’t say that they did.

Logically, I know this film was made to make money. From a business sense another film was going to be made whether or not it should have been. The loss of Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley (The Duchess) eliminated the love story that many disliked, but it left a hole in the series, as well.

What is left is the addition of two main characters, Blackbeard (Ian McShane – LoveJoy) and his daughter, a former love interest of Captain Jack, played by Penelope Cruz. Cruz seems to be there because of her body and the remarkable way in which she can appear to be Captain Jack. Otherwise, her character seems rather pointless. On the other hand, the skill of McShane and the lore of Blackbeard give this series so many places to go. Sadly, McShane is underutilized. The story is rather bland and though his interpretation is good, there are few places for him to take the role with what he is given.

What I loved, beyond seeing McShane man his own pirate ship, was the interesting spin on the use of fantasy characters. The Mermaids were quite different than the ones we’re used to seeing. The beginning of the movie had parts that made me consider falling asleep, but as things progressed I was interested enough to watch the movie. I can’t (and won’t) say that it’s my favorite of the four, but it serves its purpose for Pirates fans. A fifth film has been confirmed. One can only hope that when they continue with the series they will return to some of the things that made each movie whimsical and delightful every time you watch it.

The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Plot
Captain Jack has lost his ship and has narrowly escaped more trouble, only to dive head first into some new and dangerous adventures. It seems that everyone is on a quest to find the Fountain of Youth. King George II of London wants Captain Jack to locate the Fountains before the Spanish find it. The Spanish hired Jack’s old shipmate, Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) who is one leg and a Black Pearl lighter these days, to find the Fountain first.

While Jack declines the offer in his own subtle way, he soon ends up captured by Blackbeard (McShane) and his daughter, Angelica (Cruz) on his ship, The Queen Anne’s Revenge. It seems that Blackbeard has heard about the ability of the Fountain to extend one’s life under the right circumstances and he wants to make sure that he lives as long as he can. In order to extend your life, you need to drink water from one of two silver chalices and the chalice that you drink from must contain a mermaid’s tear. If you drink from the chalice with a mermaid’s tear you shall live an extended life. The other person drinking will not.

Jack and crew are attacked by mermaids, capture a mermaid, and see the power of the Fountain work its mysterious ways, even though things don’t go according to plan for some. On Stranger Tides offers supernatural forces, mermaids, intrigue, a budding (but not fully developed) love story, and the promise of a potential sequel/addition to the series for some.

Now remind me why I almost fell asleep again?

Storyline/Plot: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 2 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Disney always does 3D films justice, so when I put On Stranger Tides into the player I wasn’t expecting to be let down on a visual front. The thing that separates this film from some of Disney’s other recent 3D offerings is that On Stranger Tides was filmed in 3D. The dark scenes manage to come out beautifully and with little problem, but the city of London is miraculously gorgeous when color and a lighter image comes into view. Of course, the scenes on Queen Anne’s Revenge also stand out, as well, when it comes to being visually stunning. There are some consistency issues concerning the 3D, which can be a pain. However, if you like the thrills and pops of images that come from 3D this shouldn’t disappoint. Of course, if you have no access or use for 3D you might find a better visual quality on the 2D offerings that do not have some of the same visual issues with consistency that can be a problem with the 3D version.

When you hear a near flawless DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack you generally won’t have anything to complain about. Frankly, this soundtrack was created to shine and it does. This type of movie is perfect for a robust sound platform. You get all the right sounds with the level of intensity that should match them. The fights sound wild, the waves crash with ferocity, and the dialogue is always easy to hear. There really is nothing bad to say about the sound for On Stranger Tides. It is absolutely fabulous. Naturally, as with most Disney releases a host of other audio tracks and languages are available, as well as subtitles.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a number of special features available in the combo pack for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The majority of the features are available on both discs, but the Blu-ray does have some special options, so if you’re into the features your money would be best spent on the combo pack.

The Audio Commentary is offered by Rob Marshall and John DeLuca. A lot of talk is devoted to the process of making the film, which is par for the course in many commentaries. They do mention a fair bit about the casting that was done, the art and set design, and the extras. In the end, this wasn’t the worst audio commentary that I’ve ever heard, but it certainly wasn’t the best.

Bloopers of the Caribbean: This is just a three minute set of gags and bloopers that happened on set.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: Captain Jack’s Brick Tales: Here you have five Lego shorts. These are just recreated scenes from the movie. It would have been more exciting to see small shorts made up just for the purpose of having the Lego shorts. These aren’t as exciting because they are just re-done scenes that you’ve already watched. The only difference is that they are in Lego form.

Legends of On Stranger Tides: This is your basic making of feature that shows you various areas of production. There is some back patting that occurs, so be prepared for that, but there is also some pretty good moments with behind the scenes footage and interviews.

In Search of the Fountain: This is an eleven minute feature that looks at the basics of the film. This is one of the best features on the Blu-ray, with a look at the conceptualization of the film to the actual filming.

Last Sail, First Voyage: Ian McShane is the man of the hour in this feature. As Blackbeard, much of the film takes place on his ship. This feature is cool because they take the time to show how they transform the Black Pearl into Blackbeard’s ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge.

Under the Scene: Bringing Mermaids to Life: This is a nine minute feature that looks at the visual effects involved in making these interesting (and occasionally hot) mermaids come to life!

Also included are trailers, nearly ten minutes of deleted and extended scenes, a two minute feature looking at the relationship between Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, Disney’s Second Screen Technology, and a Digital copy of the film.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Pirates of the Caribbean is a good series, but this particular movie is not without it’s disappointments. The transition that comes with new characters and getting rid of some of the others, in order to tell a new tale leaves the series, as a whole, especially this movie, up to extreme criticism. Johnny Depp is always amusing as Captain Jack, but at this point, with this story, too many elements felt overdone, because they have been done before. You might want to rent this one before buying, unless you’re a die hard Captain Jack fan.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides, Blu-Ray, DVD Combo Pack, Review, Blu-Ray Review, Movie, Film, Johnny Depp, Ian McShane, Disney, Pirates, Blackbeard

For more information on this new film, visit the Official Site for One Day.

You can also Like and follow updates for One Day on Facebook by Clicking Here.

One Day is a Focus Features film. More information on the release is available through the Focus Features Twitter.

One Day is set for release in theaters on August 19, 2011.

Technorati Tags: One Day, Trailer, New Trailer, Romantic Drama, Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Movie, Lone Sherfig, Focus Features

Release Info:
Original Release Date: December 24, 1986
DVD Release Date: May 24, 2011
Online Availability: Amazon for $15.49

Platoon is finally on Blu-Ray. As its star Charlie Sheen would now say, “winning”! Of course, I find it terribly difficult not to be distracted by the off screen image Sheen has created for himself. What the Tom Cruises and Charlie Sheens of the world do not realize is that their insanity, which spews across the tabloids and regular news sources alike, is detrimental to their career. I used to like Sheen as an actor, but every time I see his smug mug I think of all the insane things he has said and done in his drug induced state. It is the same reason I have trouble watching Grease, after seeing Jeff Conway on Celebrity Rehab, and realizing what a slimeball drugs made him.

Back in the day, actors had to maintain an image, and with good reason. Sure, some of their secrets (like Rock Hudson being gay) have leaked into the public, over time, but their pristine image while in Hollywood for so long makes it easier to overlook what some would call Hollywood discretions. Today, celebrities are of a different ilk. They will act out however they can, and believe it or not, it does affect their image. Some will watch because they are a train wreck, but most just do not want to bother. It taints their previous work, and sadly, Platoon falls victim to this.

Oliver Stone seems to be one of those directors you either love or hate. I happen to love him. Platoon is certainly one of his shining achievements. He both wrote and directed it. They say write what you know and he definitely knows a thing or two about Vietnam. His personal voice about his experiences in Vietnam are clearly echoed throughout the plot and characters. I can see a lot of his own personality come out through the character, Chris Taylor (Sheen). It’s a shame Sheen has made himself such a laughing stock, because first person perspectives on Vietnam are rare in such unbridled quality and captured so well into the imaginations of those who could not imagine experiencing what these soldiers did, first hand.

Brimming with a who’s who of famous stars (Defoe, Beranger), the film does not suffer from any plot deformities or other problems from which the majority of films today suffer. This is why Stone’s film won a slew of Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. You gotta feel sorry for Oliver Stone. He had no idea, some 25 years ago when he hired Charlie Sheen that the guy would go berserko on the world and make himself, and everything he ever starred in, look like the resume of Ronald McDonald. Unfortunately, as good as a film as Platoon is, in order to watch it, it has to become a whole lot more fictional. You really have to suspend your disbelief and try to pretend you have no idea who Charlie Sheen is, so you can actually enjoy watching this movie.

On a side note, Platoon hits home with me in a myriad of ways. I knew a soldier like Chris Taylor, who signed up to serve in Vietnam, proud to go fight for his country. Like Taylor, he became disillusioned with what was going on in Vietnam and with war, in general. This led to many problems for him, and every time I think about Vietnam, my mind goes to him, and what he went through.

The Platoon Plot
This is the tale of an all-American soldier, who signs up to go to Vietnam. He chooses to drop out of school, so that he can go to war and serve his country. This bright eyed soldier is in for a rude awakening, because all of his expectations about what war is and what serving his country means are going to change who he is when they are thrown to the wayside.

It is 1967 and Chris Taylor (Sheen) is on his way to serve with the Bravo Company,1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division somewhere near the border of Cambodia. Taylor struggles in deplorable living conditions and though the more experienced soldiers seem reluctant to befriend him, his only means of holding on to his desire to fight and serve is to admire and respect them. With every passing day, his expectations change and how he feels about the war and fighting is darkened.

Taylor and his battalion face many obstacles. They are ambushed repeatedly. Decisions they make in the field about civilians often lead to moral conundrums. Two of the leaders, Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Staff Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) have very different methods of fighting and how they should go about conducting themselves in combat situations. This creates tension among the men, as well as a divide in the ranks, some siding with Barnes and others siding with Elias. This eventually leads to the demise of many soldiers and raises even more questions about morality.

Issues of death by friendly fire arise, and Taylor gets in trouble for passing off his ambush duty patrol on another soldier, Junior. When Junior falls asleep, the unit is ambushed by the NVA (North Vietnamese Army), and at least one soldier is killed. Taylor is the one who faces trouble for the matter, even though he has a flesh wound from the incident. As things become more intense, the stakes rise. Taylor is able to work his way into friendship with “the Heads” a group of soldiers who do questionable things, and he must make decisions that may result in guilt and denial later on, when he realizes all of the horrible things he himself has done in the name of this war.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Platoon has a vastly improved image on Blu-Ray. The film is presented in 1.85 widescreen, with a AVC-encoded, 1080p high definition transfer. If you own this on DVD you will be pleasantly surprised by the upgraded detail. Fans of Blu-ray should not be disappointed. The colors are natural and do not appear over-enhanced or forced. Many of the little details are enhanced, as well, which makes for a nice sight. Even the black levels are upgraded, though I will admit that they are not necessarily up to par when compared to brand new films. Still, the weaker black levels are the only bad thing that I can say about this visual quality. The details and colors are a step above all previous versions and there is little to no grain or visual problems that become distracting to the eye.

When it comes to audio, Platoon has been given the lossless, DTS-HD MA 5.1 treatment. However, what you receive is kind of a mixed bag. While the audio sounds much better than in previous offerings, this is not anything that sounds like a modern film in this genre. You notice the background noise more than in the DVD, which is good due to the setting. The sound levels show balance, so you can always hear the dialogue clearly regardless of what is going on in the background. The music is a welcome part of the mix, as well, with catchy tunes that move the story forward. The sound effects offer a bit more in terms of the harsh realities of war, which is another welcome change. You can also hear the original mix, should you wish to change the audio format. Platoon also comes in a variety of languages including Spanish, French, German, Russian, Portuguese, and Italian. Czech and Hungarian tracks are also available. Subtitles are available in all of the same languages and Polish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Greek, and a number of other languages.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
If you don’t own the DVD version of Platoon you will find this Bluray set to include numerous awesome features that only add to the movie that you’ve just purchased. However, if you own the DVD and are looking for an upgrade, you might not find much more here than you already have on your DVD. There is a lot of content here, but much of it seems to be ported over from the previously sold, special edition Platoon DVD.

Things get rolling with a commentary from Oliver Stone. I am not usually a huge commentary fan, as I prefer to just watch the film, but this was pretty interesting. Stone talks a lot about his Vietnam experiences and the similarities that he managed to capture on film. Film buffs will like his commentary when it comes to talks about jungle shoots and locations. If you have not heard this one, I highly recommend giving it a listen. It was worth it. Another commentary is also available. The second comes courtesy of Captain Dale Dye. If you are curious about the realism in terms of the militaristic details of the film and of war, you will love this. I preferred Stone’s of the two, but this was also definitely worth enjoying and it did give me plenty of information.

There are also a number of featurettes, including:

“Flashback to Platoon“: This opening featurette spans nearly an hour and offers a three part look at what goes into making a movie. As with most of these kinds of featurettes you will see plenty of cast and crew interviews alongside information on the period and the historical aspects of the film. While I highly recommend watching this, there is some overlap from the commentary so be prepared for that should you watch this.

“One War, Many Stories”: This feature lasts for twenty five minutes and consists of interviews that are with various Vietnam vets. Each person is gracious enough to share their stories of the war. I found this to be fairly compelling, especially when Stone chimed in on his own experiences.

“Preparing for ‘Nam”: This is a seven minute featurette that offers interviews from vets (and Stone) about their choice to enlist and the preparation they went through when it came to heading to war.

“Caputo and the 7th Fleet”: This is one of the smaller features, coming in at just about two minutes. It deals with Phillip Caputo and the 1975 evacuation of Saigon.

“The Dye Training Method”: This looks at how Dale Dye whipped the actors into shape and made them appear to be soldiers.

“Gordon Gekko”: This one minute snippet looks at the relationship between two of Stone’s movies; Platoon and Wall Street.

Along with these featurettes are around ten minutes of deleted scenes. You can watch these with the commentary or via the menu. Television spots and the theatrical trailer are also included. All in all, this is a pretty good set of bonuses, though it goes without saying that it’s a letdown that only the trailer is available in high definition, with everything else coming in standard.

Bonus Features: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
While I have always liked Platoon, I had trouble re-watching it, because every time I saw Charlie Sheen, I wanted to yell “winning!” at the screen. If you are stronger than I am and can look past Sheen’s buffoonery, then you may want to give this Blu-Ray copy a try. It looks great, has a decent amount of bonus features, and it does feature an Academy Award winning story by an Academy Award winning director. If you can look past the insanity of Charlie Sheen, you will see Platoon has a true message about war and survival, and that kind of perspective is always good to have, especially during times of war in this nation.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Platoon, Blu-Ray, DVD Combo Pack, Review, Blu-Ray Review, Movie, Film, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, John C. McGinley, Forest Whitaker, Kevin Dillon, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Vietnam

The Poster:

Cast & Crew:
Cast: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius
Written & Directed by: Sofia Coppola

The Trailer:

Technorati Tags: Sofia Coppola, Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Drama, Family, Actors, Movies, Somewhere, Focus Pictures

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: April 21, 1995
DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $20.99

I hate to admit it, considering the way it will probably sound, but I love movies about drug addicts. I think it’s the dramatic aspect of them that appeals to me. As a writer, I love viewing the tormented soul and the length of destruction they will go through before they attempt to pull themselves, sometimes feebly, from the abyss. Unfortunately, truly amazing drug addict movies are hard to come by. In all honesty there are only a few that really stick with me. Three of these movies were made in the same decade. The first two are Where the Day Takes You and Sweet Nothing. The third is the only one currently on Blu-ray, and that is The Basketball Diaries.

Sweet Nothing and The Basketball Diaries actually have a fair bit in common. Both movies are based on true stories; the former is crafted from a diary found in a New York apartment and the latter is based on the life of writer, Jim Carroll. Both movies also star Michael Imperioli, though in one he’s the star and in the other he has a brief supporting role. Both movies are incredibly powerful, offering the highs and lows of addiction and life in general.

The Basketball Diaries has often been highlighted as a movie that is so violent that it creates the image that behavior seen in this film is acceptable in real life. Every so often a school shooting will happen and you will hear a third rate psychologist comment that the teenager had a copy of The Basketball Diaries on them or at their home. The fact of the matter is that this film is not disturbing for its violent content. Even the drug addiction scenes are eased over so nothing overly graphic is ever shown. None of this matters though because the acting is convincing enough for you to imagine the high and the desperation that comes when the main character cannot have it any longer. DiCaprio truly deserves to be celebrated for his work here.

Jim Carroll is the man of the hour. He was a creative teenager on the streets of New York living with a single mother. He had dreams of a basketball scholarship and played for one of the best Catholic School teams in the city. He also was a writer. His life took a turn for the worst when he decided to focus on drug use full time. This is his story.

I have seen this movie at least 100 times. If I ever murdered anyone they would probably blame it on the number of times that I have seen this. Now that I have it on Blu-ray, I will probably watch it even more. It’s one of my go-to movies. No matter what mood I am in, I can always watch this. The acting is superb, the story is moving, and the picture (in terms of the general film) is virtually flawless. If you haven’t seen this, you need to watch it. If you have, well there’s nothing more I need to say because you already know what I am talking about.

Sadly, Jim Carroll, the man that this film is based on, passed away last year on September 11. According to reports, he died of a heart attack, doing what he loved the most. He was at his desk writing. One can only hope we are all as lucky, to die doing what we love the most. Lord knows, most of us probably won’t be.

The Basketball Diaries Plot
The Basketball Diaries is based on Jim Carroll’s actual experiences as a teenager and a New York City heroin addict. The film takes place in the 90s (the book took place in the 60s) and Carroll (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a rising star on the hottest Catholic School basketball team in the city. Despite having the skills to become a star, it seems that many things are standing in his way. From traditional teenage angst to his best friend that is dying with leukemia (Imperioli), Carroll’s life is slowly falling apart.

His mother (Bracco) encourages him to be the best, and though she is, at times, overbearing, it’s obvious that she has his best interests at heart. None of that matters though because he’s dealing with the rigors of Catholic School, a creepy basketball coach (Bruno Kirby), and he’s flirting with drug use.

The more he huffs, pops pills, and snorts cocaine the deeper into the drug life he goes. He quits the basketball team and school after an ill-fated, drug induced game. His friends Mickey (Wahlberg) and Pedro (Madio) follow right along with him. Only one, Neutron (McGaw), continues on with occasional drug use while at school, so he can meet his goal of being on the All-Star team.

Carroll ends up on the streets, travelling the back rooms and underpasses of New York’s heroin world to survive on the only thing he can rely on. As his friends fall to the wayside and only the next high matters, it’s up to Carroll to learn the hard way, or die without trying.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Basketball Diaries appears in Blu-ray with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a 1080p transfer. Despite this not being a new movie, it certainly passes with a pretty good video quality. The detail is higher than one would expect for an older film (made pre-Blu-Ray) and everything has a fairly natural appearance to it. The colors are strong and the blacks are acceptable, but they could be better. Things like edge enhancement and noise occur randomly, but these things are not present enough to cause huge problems. Overall, there really isn’t much to complain about with this release. It is worlds above and beyond the quality offered in the DVD that was previously released. Fans will definitely want to own this.

The Basketball Diaries offers two main, English audio tracks. I listened to select scenes with one audio and watched the entire film with the default, DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. The other track is LPCM 2.0. Both tracks sound good and have their benefits. I did not notice any audio defects on either track. The sound was strong, though in different ways, and there were no issues with volume toggling. The surround sound isn’t too dynamic, but it does what it needs to do in key scenes. The 2.0 track seems better at detailing some of the quieter moments, while the 5.1 track gives a more robust feel and sound to the overall picture. Like the video, this is a direct improvement over what is offered in the DVD.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are two main features here and some previews that round out the special feature section. There could have been more, but what is here is definitely worth watching. Normally, with a movie like this lacking features I would complain, but the ones here are short, sweet, and to the point, and I like that.

“Jim Carroll Interview & Reading” – The interview comes from a December 1981 interview while Carroll was in Toronto. He discusses writing, how he got started, and drug use. After the interview there is a reading of “Just Visiting” by Carroll.

“Interviews” – Plenty of short interviews are included with the cast and crew. The complete list is with Scott Kalvert, Liz Heller, Mark Wahlberg, James Madio, Patrick McGaw, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruno Kirby, Ernie Hudson, and Lorraine Bracco. Everyone talks about their part in the movie, including their characters, their impression, and what it was like making a movie on this particular topic.

That’s it, other than some standard previews for other Palm Pictures that will be or have been released.
Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Basketball Diaries is a modern day classic. Stories about drug use always have the potential to be powerful when put to screen, but Diaries offers stellar writing, exemplary acting, and it gives you characters along with real life emotions that you can relate to and care about. If you’ve never seen this movie you need to watch it. If you have, it will be no surprise that it comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 4.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lorraine Bracco, Mark Wahlberg, Bruno Kirby, Juliette Lewis, The Basketball Diaries, Blu-ray Review, Jim Carroll, Drug Addict

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: March 6, 2009
DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $18.99

Typically, when you think of royalty, you think of Queen Elizabeth (I or II), Henry VIII, or another, popular monarch. Though Queen Victoria served the longest term of the modern English monarchs, there haven’t been as many movies or stories told about her. Victoria led a very interesting life. While the majority of monarchs were men, she was one of the few female monarchs. She was the present monarch as the English monarchy moved from a political entity to a symbolic one, ushering a new era for England and expectations for the UK royal family.

Period pieces take a lot of work to film. They often involve elaborate costuming and like any historical movie, require a certain level of attention and care through the acting. Victoria’s reign accompanied the Victorian era, when England thrived industrially and Britain was still known as a dominant world power. Victoria also had control over other sovereign nations that were under English control, at this time, such as India. All of these things make her an incredibly interesting subject to use as the basis for a film. Luckily, the filmmakers paid attention to these details when painting the picture of Victorian England for this movie.

The acting is what makes The Young Victoria a worthy film. Emily Blunt is the title character, and she brings to life this long dead monarch. A supporting cast of Rupert Friend, as Victoria’s dashing husband, Prince Albert, Jim Broadbent as her uncle, King William IV (Victoria ascends the throne after his death), Miranda Richardson as the mother of Queen Victoria and Mark Strong as Sir John Conroy (who was suspected of being her mother’s lover), helps to round out this film. These actors are all quite competent in their roles and make The Young Victoria more enjoyable.

What I also find interesting is that this film was produced by Graham King, Martin Scorsese, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Tim Headington. The fact that the Duchess of York and Scorsese produced this together, makes me giggle like a school boy, but it makes sense as to why this film is such a success.

Queen Victoria, especially in her early years, led an incredibly interesting life. Her reign was before our time, so many of us who do not have extensive knowledge of British history, know little about her. The Young Victoria is a fun film. If you like dramatic period pieces, this movie will be right up your alley. With a decent plot, great acting and an intriguing story to be told, The Young Victoria, is a step above many of the other period dramas of late.

The Young Victoria Plot
In the mid-1800s, King William (Broadbent) of England is dying. His successor is his young niece, Victoria (Blunt) , who is just 17 years old. While the court is trying to get to know the young Princess, her mother, The Duchess of Kent (Richardson) and her advisor, Sir John Conroy (Strong) have kept Victoria in seclusion with their own political aspirations. The two set out to manipulate Victoria, whom has only one friend, her governess, Lehzen (Hain).

Victoria is set up with her cousin, Albert, who attempts to win her affection. Sick of being controlled, Victoria is put off by this initially, but Albert, too, has been manipulated and used, so the two find a kinship in this, with one another. Albert allows Victoria to dictate the path of their relationship and waits for her to make the next move. This earns Albert even more respect with Victoria, and they eventually have a romance that leads to marriage.

When King William dies, Victoria is crowned the Queen of England. Tired of her overbearing mother, she banishes her and Sir Conroy. She also gets a new advisor in Lord Melbourne (Bettany). With her romance blossoming, her new role as Queen and a public that seems to adore her, Victoria’s reign seems to be moving in the right direction. However, when politics seem to teeter the happiness in the royal court, she must figure out how to keep the people of England happy and allow her country to prosper. This is the story of the longest queen’s reign. This is the story of Queen Victoria.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Young Victoria utilizes a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and an anamorphic widescreen picture. The result, even for DVD, is nearly flawless. The colors are strong and rich, the blacks are spot on, and the picture lacks any glaring visual defects that will ruin a viewing experience. I was expecting something dazzling, considering the brand new nature of the film, but I actually ended up with more than I was expecting. This was a beautiful transfer.

Again, the audio succeeds on a pleasing level, as well. Dolby Digital 5.1 is generally the top of the line for most DVDs and this isn’t going to be any different. That being said, the sound is a very full, rich experience. The music booms through the speakers and sounds amazing. The dialogue is always front and center, so you never have to fight to hear it over one of the other sound elements. The limited special effects also sound near perfect. Like the video, there is nothing to complain about here. In addition to the English audio, subtitles and Closed Captioning are available.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a few special features here, which is more than I can say for most DVDs these days. Generally, you end up getting a bare bones DVD and a feature rich Blu-Ray. The Young Victoria offers DVD fans a nice selection of features, so if you only have a DVD you won’t miss out completely.

Deleted Scenes account for about 22 minutes of missing or extended scene watching. There isn’t anything here that is going to leave you amazed, but there are a few scenes that are definitely worth watching. Many of the scenes that were deleted were similar to other scenes, so when they were deleted you didn’t really lose anything. Still, these are worth watching to get a complete look at the film.

“Making of The Young Victoria” – This is just a quick six minute look at what it took to make the film. It appears that it was done more from a promotional aspect. It is fun to see actual royalty included in this film. All of the usual suspects are here along with a few interesting facts.

“Lavish History: A Look at the Costumes and Locations” – It’s only natural that this section was here considering the Academy Award win. This feature gives you a seven minute look at the costumes and the work that Sandy Powell put into the production. It would have been nice to see sketches of the clothing and a more in depth idea of design part of the production

“The Coronation” – This gives you a chance to hear more about the historical aspects of the production. It’s only about three minutes, so there isn’t too much here, but it’s worth a look.

“The Wedding” – This feature is about the same length as the last. You get to see some on screen footage and hear the thoughts of Julian Fellowes.

“The Real Queen Victoria” – This seven minute featurette actually includes some excerpts from Victoria’s diary, which is a cool addition. You get to see the actors talk about their initial impressions of the Queen and the thoughts that they had that were wrong. This isn’t the most informative, as the name might suggest, but it’s interesting enough.

The only other thing here is previews of other movies.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Young Victoria is a well acted, well written film that has a fun story about a woman long gone. Despite being royalty, any human can relate to Victoria and her story. Though a few liberties have been taken with the storytelling, most of this movie is historically accurate. Still, ignoring that aspect makes the film well worth watching. With great quality for a DVD and a nice selection of bonus features The Young Victoria comes recommended.

Overall Rating: 4.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Young Victoria, DVD Review, Oscar Winner, Academy Award, Period Movie, Royalty

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: February 26, 2010 (limited)
DVD Release Date: April 13, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $20.99

Superhero movies have been big business for some time. You have your staples like X-Men, Batman, and Iron Man, to name a few. You even have your comic smartass ones that you never heard of like Blank Man. The common thing these movies all have in common is big name people. Defendor is certainly not a superhero movie like any of these. Well, at least not the first three. Created by Sony, this film is not going to offer you a big budget or lots of thrills. It will offer you Woody Harrelson and a basic plot, but that’s about all you’re getting.

I should point out that I like Woody Harrelson a great deal. He’s an unconventional actor with a boyish smile, plenty of talent, and he makes parts work that others would struggle with. At times though, I think he needs to lay off the hash. It’s hard to imagine going from The People vs. Larry Flynt to something like this. Harrelson did it though and despite this movie not being exceptional, I have no doubt that he will bounce back. Up until now I have made it sound like I hated Defendor and that’s not really a fair assumption. I didn’t hate it. That being said, it was mediocre and while it’s watchable enough to beat out an infomercial, I wouldn’t pit it against any of my favorite movies.

The huge problem, at least for me, is that this movie tries to do so much and fit into so many genres that it quickly loses itself and never manages to find its goal, once lost. Essentially, this is a mix of comedy and science fiction, but then the director tries to mix in some action (something most Sci-fi super hero movies have) and some drama, so it ends up being a jumble of not much of anything. It’s a story and there is a plot somewhere, but it doesn’t equal much at the end of the day.

I wanted to like Defendor, but I think the reason for that had more to do with Harrelson and less to do with the actual movie. I didn’t hate it, but I sure wasn’t impressed. It should have been a sign when I realized I never heard a thing about this movie being made. Even when it did it’s festival run (which was short and sweet) the buzz was nearly non-existant. So, this came as a surprise. I just wish it would have been more pleasant. Fans of Harrelson will probably watch this no matter what I say, and I can understand that. I just hope they’ll rent it first because it will save a lot of them money in the long run.

The Defendor Plot
Arthur Poppington (Harrelson) is Defendor. We learn this through flashbacks. In present, Poppington is under the care of a psychiatrist, Dr. Park (Oh) who is evaluating him prior to a criminal trial. The flashbacks teach us all we really need to know about Defendor. He’s an odd fellow that likes to dress in black or dark clothing and patrol the streets with the goal of helping those in need. He’s not your average crime fighter that’s for sure!

Defendor is obsessed with his arch nemesis, Captain Industry. He’s always on the lookout for him and Defendor is certain that he will one day capture him and bring him to justice. Unfortunately, he has more than one bout with the law before that day comes. The first time we see him get in trouble he allows a prostitute (Dennings) to get away from the detective (Koteas) that is forcing her to comply with sexual acts she’s uninterested in. While Defendor is taken in soon after this event, they let him go because he seems harmless enough.

Defendor spends time with the prostitute and forms a friendship with her. He tries to help her change her ways. Through this friendship he learns the identity of Captain Industry and becomes even more obsessed with bringing him down. Around this time the movie comes from primary flashbacks into the present day in order to offer the climax, and the eventual end.

You get 101 minutes and several themes are explored. It doesn’t seem like a lot and it’s not. Some central themes are rushed over and other unnecessary elements are made to look like key parts of the story. With a little more time and effort this could have been a lot better. Oh well, too little, too late.

Storyline/Plot: 2 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 2 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3 out of 5 stars
Directing: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
A good portion of Defendor occurs at night. That being said, I was glad to determine that the blacks are strong. If not, it could have offered serious problems for the film. Luckily the anamorphic widescreen (aspect ratio of 2.35:1) transfer looks fantastic for DVD. There is no Blu-ray offering for this lower budget superhero film, but it’s nice to see that it comes with a better than suitable transfer for DVD. There were minimal, if any, instances of grain, and no other visual issues to speak about. All in all coloring and detail are high, and things look great.

Like the video, the audio is acceptable, as well. It’s not as good as the video, but it’s certainly passable. The default audio is English Dolby Digital 5.1. The dialogue comes through without a problem. The surround sound could use a little work, but for a DVD it manages to be pleasing, but not perfect. Volume toggling was not a problem. In addition to English, there are audio tracks in Spanish, Thai, and Portuguese (also DD 5.1). Subtitles come in numerous languages including Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Defendor offers a few bonus features, but not much in terms of true content or quality. Yes, all the usual suspects are here. That does not mean that the usual suspects are worth putting here. You receive a semi-entertaining commentary with Harrelson, Dennings, and various crew members. That serves as one of the main offerings on this disc. Production featurettes are included that take you through the filmmaking process from start to finish. This is basically what you receive. Nothing super essential is presented, but it’s worth a look if you really enjoy the movie.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The basic idea of Defendor has some sense of promise, but that soon fizzled and the audience is left with little to hold on to as the film progresses. This movie has a good cast, so it’s hard to say you should pass on it, but it’s really not that good of a movie. Often the writing will make or break a film and that’s what happened here. The acting wasn’t terrible, but the actors had little to work with and the film ends up feeling rushed and scrambled as a result. If you have to see this, rent it. It’s not worth buying because chances are, you’ll only watch it once.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, DVD Review, Woody Harrelson, Superhero, Defendor

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: December 25, 2008
DVD Release Date: April 7, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.99

Meryl Streep has the ability to strike up an array of emotions when she’s on screen. Still, never have I felt such a strong emotion for her as I did while watching Doubt. I’ve watched the movie more than once and each time I feel differently towards her character. I’m either passionate for her cause or I want to smack the crap out of her character until I knock sense into her head. If an actress can make her audience feel that way, this means she’s doing a superb job!

Doubt was one of the best movies I’ve watched this year. The acting is superb. The plot is tightly woven, yet open to interpretation. The movie is stellar in every aspect from the film’s adaptation from the stage to the care that was taken to make the film as realistic as John Patrick Shanley wanted it to be in an attempt to make the setting identical to that of his childhood.

You don’t need to be a Catholic to enjoy Doubt. In fact, in light of all the scandals that have plagued the Catholic church in the past several years, people of any denomination will get something from watching Doubt. The movie is poignant and whether you agree with one side or the other, you will have extremely strong feelings for whichever side you support.

There is only one thing wrong with Doubt and it is so minuscule it’s easy to look past. In one scene, a student has a transistor radio that looks remarkably like an iPod. Considering when the film is set, it was kind of humorous to see something that looked so advanced (technology wise) in an older decade where iPods weren’t even thought of, let alone imitated in design.

The Doubt Plot
It’s 1964 in The Bronx and most of the children in the area attend the local Catholic Church and School. The movie starts in church where the parish priest, Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) is giving his weekly sermon. The sermon is about doubt and how it is a powerful force, much like faith. He gives the congregation something to think about, especially Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), who finds the sermon a bit disturbing.

Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is the principal of the parish school. She’s tough as nails and doesn’t let anyone get away with anything, not even the priest. That night, at dinner with the other nuns, who are the Sisters of Charity of New York, Sister Aloysius asks her fellow nuns what they think of the sermon. She finds doubt an unusual topic, so she tells them to be on their guard when it comes to Father Flynn and to look out for anything potentially suspicious.

Sister James (Amy Adams) is a fellow nun who teaches at the school. In her class is the very first African American boy, Donald Miller. Donald is harassed by his classmates, even though he is an alter boy. He seems to have hero worship for Father Flynn, who is especially nice to him and noting the problems Donald seems to be having, he takes the boy under his wing.

After Donald is called to the rectory, one day, to meet with Father Flynn, Sister James notices something unusual. The boy has alcohol on his breath and he seems very upset. She doesn’t tell anyone about her fears until she sees the Father put one of Donald’s t-shirts in his locker when he thinks no one is looking. Sensing this might be the kind of weird thing that Sister Aloysius has spoken about, Sister James tells her superior nun that she suspects something might be going on between Donald and Father Flynn.

Father Flynn is a rather progressive priest who uses ball point pens (totally unacceptable to Sister Aloysius), seems to care a lot about the kids in the parish and even eats red meat. Sister Aloysius is already skeptical about Father’s Flynn’s methods as parish priest, so she is raring to go when Sister James brings this,somewhat incriminating evidence to her.

Sister Aloysius pursues the matter full force. She doesn’t want a priest like Father Flynn in the church. She has her certain beliefs that he is guilty and nothing or no one can change her mind. With Sister Aloysius going up against Father Flynn full force, she attempts to involve Donald’s mother (Viola Davis), and the question soon becomes…what is actually going to protect these children? Should Father Flynn be kicked out or should he be allowed to stay?

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Doubt has plenty to offer from a visual standpoint. The 1080p MPEG-4 AVC transfer offers a huge amount of detail in the slightest of ways. This is not a colorful picture, but it’s gorgeous none the less. With the winter and autumn landscape, and the church setting, visually things might seem a tad harsh.

The video looks amazing though and it helps propel the story with the perfect setting to help it along. Despite the fact that things aren’t colorful both the blacks and whites come through incredibly strong and the flesh tones look great. There are occasional moments of grain, but I couldn’t help but feel that it added to the scenes where it was present. In any case, this was not distracting at all. You really couldn’t ask for a better transfer for a movie like this.

Dialogue driven dramas usually do not utilize much of the high tech sound stage that they are often given on Blu-ray. Doubt may be the exception to this rule. The DTS Master Audio 5.1 surround sounds amazing in nearly every way. It doesn’t seem to matter if the dialogue is being soft and subtle or if it is going through a climactic burst of sound, the results are often chilling.

Many of the sounds are nothing more than a whistling, harsh wind or the sounds of voices as they speak to one another. Still, the wind offers much to the story and the voices of stars like Streep, Adams, and Hoffman are often strong and emotion-filled. It’s not an action track so there isn’t a lot of surround action. Still Doubt uses the audio power that it has been given to its advantage. In addition to English audio there is a French Dolby Digital 5.1 track and subtitles in English and Spanish.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Doubt has quite a few informative special features, though when it comes to quantity there is not an abundance of material here. Still, it’s more important to have a few good features than 20 bad ones, so that said things are all good here.

A commentary with writer/director John Patrick Shanley is filled with real life memories, observations, and character portrayals that really help you to see the movie in a number of different ways. The only problem I have with it, is that there is some dead spots throughout and Shanley has a tendency to occasionally speak in a dry, monotone voice. These issues can make some moments harder to listen to the commentary. However, there are some moments that make it worth sitting through. Shanley does his best to offer information that will not sway your opinion, but may help you to see things in a whole new light. Even with the negatives this is worth a listen.

“From Stage to Screen” allows Shanley the chance to talk about his work and to Interview Streep for her point of view, as well. This is particularly interesting and is filled with plenty of information that adds to the movie. For example, Sister James is based on the idea of Shanley’s 1st grade teacher. It is also interesting to learn how the play was adapted for the big screen and the challenges that came with doing so. As usual, Steep steals the show as she discusses this film and her role in it.

“The Cast of Doubt” comes in at about 14 minutes and includes the main cast, Hoffman, Streep, Adams, and Davis. Dave Karger, with EW, has a fairly informal chat with the cast. The questions here seem pointless for the most part, though the cast takes this all in stride and manages to make this as entertaining as possible.

“Scoring Doubt” offers Howard Shore a chance to weigh in on his behind the scenes role of composer for the film. It is worth noting that when making the music, Shore attempted to avoid casting judgment towards one character or another. Despite being brief, this four minute featurette is completely worth watching.

“Sisters of Charity” brings four nuns to the table that talk about living as a nun. You get a chance to hear about how they spend their day, the purpose and history of the habit, and what life has been like since the church was modernized in the 60s. It is interesting for the most part, even if it’s because it seems there are fewer and fewer nuns in the world these days.

Other than that you have a small handful of theatrical trailers and promos for things like Lost and The Proposal.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Doubt offers an amazing Blu-ray quality. This release has some fun and informative bonus materials. The movie is so fantastic it doesn’t matter what format you purchase this movie in. You just need to purchase it…PERIOD! Doubt is a movie I will watch over and over again. Sure, Meryl Streep has the ability to make my blood pressure rise, but that’s a sign of outstanding acting. This film couldn’t be more highly recommended if I sent you all copies of this myself, just so you can see how good it truly is. Go out and buy <em>Doubt</em> today.

Overall Rating: 4.79 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Doubt, Blu Ray, Blu-ray Review, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Catholic Priest, Viola Davis, Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams