http://www.filmmonthly.com/ en Copyright 2012 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:23:09 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Poirot) and directed by Euros Lyn (Torchwood, Dr. Who), the George Gently mysteries are all about solid, no-nonsense police work. Making sure that’s just what happens are Martin Shaw (Judge John Deed, Cranford, The Murder Room) as George Gently, and Lee Ingleby as protégé John Bacchus (The Last Legion, Marple: Nemesis). As the program begins, Gently’s wife has been killed in a hit and run. He decides to take early retirement and get out of the police. But a dead motorcyclist and a tip-off from an informant sends him heading up north to lead the investigation. With his young and ambitious partner John Bacchus at his side , the investigation begins. However, in addition to trying his best to solve the crime, Gently is distracted by his suspicions of all those around him, including the confusing ethics and background of Bacchus. Eventually, Gently gets the crook and begins work molding his new, young partner, John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) into a decent cop. The set includes two other Gently stories. The next of these is "Gently Go Man," about the murder of a member of a motorcycle gang and the small-town secrets that Gently's unravels as he digs up the truth of the man’s death. Then there’s "The Burning Man," where Gently investigates the death of a man who may have been a political terrorist with the Irish Republican Army. In this episode, Gently finds himself butting heads with a cop from Special Branch with whom our world-weary hero has a past. In "Bomber's Moon," Gently looks into the killing of a former German prisoner of war and Gently’s returning to visit the local farm family with whom he had been stationed, all of which reveals all sorts of bigotry still lingering from the war. The Gently stories are told with as much lean style as Bacchus's skinny Beatles suits and sleek sports car, yet they remain surprisingly modern . "Gently Go Man," in particular, echoes an undertone of tolerance for homosexuality that would not have been found in 60’s England. Series creator Flannery states on the commentary track that what appealed to him about the novels was that, "the world was on the cusp of massive social change," at the time the stories are set, "and George Gently's values were being challenged by that change." That aspect is a strong element of all three 90-minute movies included here, and it's just one aspect that makes the series most appealing. All in all, George Gently’s stories make for entertaining viewing. Inspector George Gently, Series 1 releases on BluRay on January 17, 2012.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/george_gently_series_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/george_gently_series_1.html Video and DVD Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:23:09 -0600 MAD Season 1, Part 2, the new animated sketch-comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation. The series is inspired by the iconic MAD magazine, a twisted mix of humor and animation styles that pulls back the curtain and exposes the sordid truth behind movies, TV shows, games and, of course, curtains. This is not your typical animation show. The animators have worked diligently to ensure that MAD Magazine comes to life in this satirical animated sketch show. Each episode is a collection of animated parodies of movies, games, TV shows, celebrities, and other media using various types of animation. Visit the official site here. Full Product Description Screen Aspect: 16 X 9 FULL FRAME Episodes Info : Pokemon Park / WWER So You Think You Can Train Your Dragon To Dance / Yo Gagga Gagga Straight A Team / Gaming's Next Top Model The Buzz Identity / Two and a Half Man Are You Karate Kidding Me / Fresh Prawn of Bel Air HOPS / Naru-210 KoBee Movie / Law & Ogre Pooh Grit / Not-A-Fan-Of Montana The Social Netjerk / Smallville: Turn off the Clark TwiSchool Musical / Avenger Time ArThor / Big Fang Theory Ribbetless / The Clawfice Force Code / Flammable Packaging Type: Eco Amaray Case Copyright: “MAD” © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. “MAD” and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © E.C. Publications, Inc.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/mad_season_1_part_2.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/mad_season_1_part_2.html Video and DVD Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:28:37 -0600 Geek Charming is another in the long list of Disney Channel movies peddling materialism and beauty, while providing a cute pouty-faced moral lesson of acceptance and tolerance. Disney, in their official released synopsis (which is cribbed from the back cover of the Robin Palmer book, from which the film is based), explains the story like this: “Dylan Shoenfield [Sarah Hyland of Modern Family] is the princess of L.A.'s posh Castle Heights High. She has the coolest boyfriend, the most popular friends, and a brand-new "it" bag that everyone covets. But when she accidentally tosses her bag into a fountain, this princess comes face-to-face with her own personal frog: selfprofessed film geek Josh Rosen [Matt Prokop from Disney’s High School Musical franchise]. In return for rescuing Dylan's bag, Josh convinces Dylan to let him film her for his documentary on high school popularity. Reluctantly, Dylan lets F-list Josh into her A-list world, and is shocked to realize that sometimes nerds can be pretty cool. But when Dylan's so-called prince charming of a boyfriend dumps her flat, her life - and her social status - comes to a crashing halt. Can Dylan - with Josh's help - pull the pieces together to create her own happily-ever-after?” Dylan bases everything in her life on a scale of popularity – she pegs every cafeteria table with a clique label, chooses friends based upon looks and fashion, selects a beau based on athletic prowess and swoop of blonde bangs. Most of all, her entire world revolves around winning the crown of Blossom Queen. But oh! She misses her dead mother (how Bambi!), so all is forgiven. She’s earned her shallow and vapid degree in the school of hard knocks, with a minor in pity. She’s jut hurting, is all – give her a break! In the hands of director Jeffrey Hornaday (whose chief listing in IMDB is choreographer), and first time scribes Hilary Galanoy and Elizabeth Hackett, Geek Charming never rises above the cookie cutout teen tropes, where the kids learn about how it’s cruel to be all judgey and stuff… but, only when the judgey kids have kicked you out of their elite club. And also the kids will learn that being wrapped up in beauty and image is cured by – what else! -- a good makeover! The story, decidedly very light fare, is suppose to be a lesson about individuality and tolerance. The problem is, everyone in the film is a stereotype, every situation is wrought with cliché, and the morality lessons are decided and resolved by the keyboard of the writer, not by the natural progression of the characters. It’s like a light switch is flipped and the characters suddenly are cured. The worst offense is the proffered image of young girls. There doesn’t seem to be a proper female portrayal in the bunch. They’re all there at the behest of the males in the script. Dylan slaves hard to keep the interest of her aloof jock beau, until she realizes it’s the geek she really needs to pine over. Then there’s her two-gal entourage who tag along so they can be a part of the boy hungry clique, and Josh’s film geek group’s only female member, who is smitten with him, and makes a buffoon of herself trying to please him. And let’s not forget the pretty young thing who smiles and swishes her hair in slo-mo for Josh, and only Josh… until she unselfishly sacrifices her happiness to allow him to take Dylan’s love instead. All wonderful role models for our daughters to emulate. The DVD package is topped off with a bonus disc of 10 episodes of the Disney Channel sitcom Shake it Up, about two fame-starved tweens (Bella Thorne and Zendaya), who dance on a local TV show and lie to each other and make judgey remarks about people who don’t act like them and also girls with eating disorders… until they learn a moral lesson that will be conveniently forgotten before the next weeks episode. Thank goodness se have Disney to help our kids out. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/geek_charming.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/geek_charming.html Video and DVD Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:09:43 -0600 A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas is not that. It doesn’t claim to be a movie masterpiece or even take itself that seriously, but that is part of the unquestionable charm of A Very Harold & Kumar. The third in the Harold & Kumar franchise starts off a little rocky. Where the first one was a stoner classic and the second one faltered with its not-so-veiled political aspirations, the two stoner pals had a difficult task ahead of them. Especially with the decision to set the film several years after the events of the second film, meaning Harold & Kumar are “grown-ups” now, the film struggles with presenting these two as the goof-off pals from the 2004 film. Luckily, with the help of Neil Patrick Harris, the film regains some of its youthful jubilance. While A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas struggles to turn their two leads into adults, Harris (as himself) is as irreverent as ever. Harris reminds us of the raunchy fun that Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle gave us in 2004 and even though its not aging as gracefully as one would hope, it’s still got enough cheap laughs to satisfy an audience for its 90-some minute running time. But easily one of the most amusing things about the movie is its recognition of the medium itself. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas may meander with its story, but it does the same with its film techniques in a playful manner. Even though this particular blu-ray isn’t in 3D, the film’s unabashed mocking of the film technique holds up in all the right places. Still, the claymation sequence is easily one of the most amazing scenes that A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas has to offer. The child-like animation style mixed with claymation gore is one that won’t soon be forgotten. Although the jokes in A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas are hit-or-miss, the film does have something to offer its audience and that is pure, unadulterated fun. It is by no means anything new to the generic field of the “Christmas movie” but as a fan of the earlier entries into the Harold & Kumar franchise, I was happy to return to these characters. Even with some unwelcome changes, as our two stoner pals embrace adulthood, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas has fun with its material which makes for an entertaining experience for its audience.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/a_very_harold_kumar_christmas.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/a_very_harold_kumar_christmas.html DVD releases Video and DVD Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:18:26 -0600 Metal Shifters is about a Russian satellite crashing in a small town. The satellite was knocked out of orbit by a meteor carrying an alien bacteria, which thrives on metal surfaces. Not only that, the bacteria is apparently physically strong enough to animate its metal “hosts” and hunt down human beings. Why does it want to kill humans? Because it needs to infect our blood and consume the irons and coppers we all naturally carry. Why doesn’t it just consume the literally tons of metal it infects and animates along the way? I have no idea. Plot holes are commonplace for Syfy originals. Artificial character arcs and flimsy scientific justifications are kind of their niche. But Metal Shifters really lowers the bar. As far as the characters go, our cast includes two brothers, Jake and Ethan (Kavan Smith and Colby Johansson), Jake’s high school girlfriend (Nicole De Boer, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, 2002), and her teenage daughter (Merritt Patterson). Jake and Ethan have invested all their money into remodeling a rundown house (presumably for resale or something? It’s unclear). Emotions fly when Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Amanda, moves back to town after a recent divorce. Everything is fairly straight forward and obvious until a metal statue built by the owner of the local scrap metal yard (Donnelly Rhodes) is infected by this alien bacteria and starts killing people around town. Which brings us to the air tight scientific logic at work in Metal Shifters. It’s a necessity of each of these films to go to enormous lengths to explain how everything is scientifically plausible. These explanations are traditionally long, repetitive, and for all the time spent on them they don’t really ever make sense. Thankfully for the audience, Amanda is a science teacher, and with very little contact with the bacteria she is able to figure out that the alien mold can only thrive on metal, and that it wants to infect humans for our blood metals. All this is more or less believable. The really confusing part about the science is the idea of the bacteria not only clinging to the 12 foot metal statue and moving it, but actually animating it. It’s hard to understand why the bacteria would want or even be able to move the statue like an automaton; bending its knees to walk, and turning its head to [seek out its prey?]. This complete lapse of common sense makes it impossible for the audience to suspend their disbelief and try to enjoy this on any level. Special features on the DVD include only a behind the scenes featurette. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/metal_shifters.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/metal_shifters.html Video and DVD Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:03:31 -0600 The Phantom of the Opera is nothing short of monolithic. Since its opening on Broadway in 1987, respectively, it has played more performances on Broadway than any other musical in history. The 2nd longest running Broadway musical is CATS. Guess who also wrote that one? Most people have probably seen Phantom in one or other of its incarnations. Between the movie of a few years ago, the touring company, the productions running in London, New York, Germany, Argentina, etc.... this is a show that has a life of its own. Mr. Lloyd Webber pioneered the art of the pop musical, and was a smart businessman on top of being a creative personality. It was his idea to release singles from his show on the London pop charts before the show was open, in order to stir up excitement and early ticket sales. It worked. Phantom made huge stars out of its original performers, Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford (don't worry, they show up in the 25th Anniversary), and has since provided jobs for probably most working actors at one point or another. Say what you will about the show, it is probably the biggest ticket-selling machine in musical theater history, and most producers probably wish they had a piece of it. So, the scene is set: for the 25th anniversary of the musical, Cameron Mackintosh, the show's producer, took a few of his dollars and decided to stage the full musical at Royal Albert Hall in London. Think if the Beatles were all living and decided to reunite at Carnegie Hall for one night, play all the songs from all their albums, and broadcast the thing around the world. It's pretty much like that. An epic, rock concert atmosphere for a very complicated and epic show. With a cast of about 135 according to the special features, the tiny stage at the Royal Albert seems about ready to cave in at certain points. It must be said, it's a little unnecessary. Anyone going to see the show at a real theater with a cast of about 40 is not going to suffer from lack of crowd- the actual theater sets are enormous. Because they couldn't recreate the original design in that space, a few great things are lost. Most especially the bone-chilling moment at the end of the first act when the chandelier comes crashing down to the stage. Anyone who has sat through that moment in London or on Broadway will miss it dearly. But, the show is not completely destroyed. Indeed, there are moments when the projections and stage effects are used beautifully. On the whole, though, it is a very different kind of spectacle than the original stage show. This isn't the one to see first, it's the one to collect and keep. It must be said, the Blu-Ray does wonders. The clarity of sound and picture bring what is already a pretty exciting and electrifying event into full force, and if you have a TV big enough... you'll be on the edge of your seat. Probably the best thing about the magnitude of the show is its orchestra. Bigger than any that could fit into a small theater orchestra pit, stocked with every instrument from harp to harpsichord, the music has never sounded so majestic or swelled so high. However, it must be said, that does give the singers a lot to... sing over, as it were. And creates some more unfortunate results with the show's two soprano stars, Christine and Carlotta. High notes pushed that loud rarely escape in tune. The Carlotta, Keira Duffy, is unfortunately lacking. A disappointment as an actress, she doesn't bring anything new to the singing we haven't already heard from a myriad of cast recordings or live performances, and lacks any comedic timing, another essential element to the role. There really isn't much to say about anyone in the minor character category. The comedy that does exist if the actors are skilled enough, is completely missing. Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre are dull and lifeless, and a distraction from the plot, and the Monsieur Piangi has several of his big solos and funny moments taken away from him and distributed to other male chorus members, a strange and mysterious choice. The Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, is played by Hadley Fraser, and his performance is acceptable, though nothing to scream at. Handsome and with a clean baritone, he does not excite the senses, though he does no disservice to the role. Christine is played by Sierra Boggess, who did the production in Vegas for a long time, also played Ariel the little mermaid on Broadway, and after seeing her in this, it is impossible to imagine her in fins and roller skates. She is a graceful, beautiful Christine, and brings a playful youth to the role I'd never seen before (though I must admit, I can't attest to the age of the usual soprano who plays the role on stage). Her soprano is sweet and 99 percent perfect. But her misses are huge, and unfortunately, her performance of "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", Christine's big second act song, is completely over the top. But still, in all, she is a very good Christine. Much better than Emmy Rossum, at any rate. The title role is played by Ramin Karimloo, and he is simply too young to be an effective phantom. Nothing can be said against his singing voice, it is fantastic and he brings a clear, clean tone to all the Phantom's songs. But the gravitas that might be supplied by an older, more experienced actor is clearly missing. One of the cruxes of the show's plot is the confusion Christine experiences over the Phantom's identity; she cannot decide if he is her father's ghost or an angel of music sent to look after her by her father. In this production it looks as though she might be experiencing difficulty from a ghostly older brother. The pros and cons aside, this is not a production to look down on. It is well-sung (mostly), well-acted (mostly), and well-executed (mostly). And more impressive still is the fact learned on the special features that it was all put together in ten days. With how little sleep the lead actors must have gotten, they look fresh as daisies and sing just as well, a huge feat. The special features are slim; a trailer for the Blu-Ray release of the musical sequel of Phantom, Love Never Dies (I hope I get a chance to review that one, too!) and a featurette about the behind the scenes. It is brief but interesting. Not worth buying for those two things but if you want a chance to see the show live in its entirety, this is pretty much your only option. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_phantom_of_the_opera_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_phantom_of_the_opera_1.html Video and DVD Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:54:48 -0600 Kimi Ni Todoke (From Me to You) is a slice of life high school drama so full of dramatic emotions and sappy dialogue that it is great! Watching it as an adult, you remember what it was like to be a teenager. If you are a teenager then you will be able to relate to the events, no matter what culture you are. The nature of the themes can speak to anyone in any culture; making friends, finding happiness, and budding romance. While there are situations that deal with Japanese etiquette specifically, like calling people by their given names, even if you are not aware of the societal implications you will still understand the scene. This is not to say that the themes of the anime are completely superficial. If that were the case, while watching Kimi Ni Todoke you would not feel a great connection to the characters. Through all the drama and romance there are deeper themes such as bullying, loneliness, and what it means to truly accept someone as your friend. Kimi Ni Todoke is the story of a high school girl, Sawako Kuronuma, who is misunderstood by her peers and this causes rumors to be spread about her. Sawako has been given the nickname of “Sadako” due to her close appearance to the character in The Ring. Along with the nickname come more rumors. Rumors like Sawako can see ghosts or if you look into her eyes for longer than seven seconds something terrible will happen to you. The truth is that Sawako is a shy naive girl who has been lonely for so long she doesn’t know how to make friends. This first part of the series sees Sawako slowly learning to make friends and become accepted by her classmates. Much of this change is due to one of Sawako’s classmates, Shota Kazehaya. Kazehaya is a popular boy who also happens to be really kind and sees something in Sawako that others don’t. He befriends her and this leads to others doing the same. Now Sawako has another problem; how is she supposed to act with friends? The four-disc, Blu-ray/DVD Premium Edition of Kimi Ni Todoke comes in an 8"x11"x1" beautifully simple cardboard cover-box along with a 28-page, full-color, hard cover book. The book is entitled “My Memories” and is set up much like a scrapbook. It contains gorgeous snapshots from the show, both scenery and character. The writing in the book comes straight from the dialogue in each episode. The book is split into small sections that pertain to each episode. Although they use pictures and dialogue from each episode, they do not give away the plot. It feels as if you are looking at a scrapbook Sawako put together herself. After reading this you feel even closer to her as a character. The book is not just supplemental material for the anime but to your emotions. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/kimi_ni_todoke_volume_one_premium_edition.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/kimi_ni_todoke_volume_one_premium_edition.html Asian Video and DVD Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:35:13 -0600 Hannibal Brooks mixes things up with some good action sequences as the group flee various German soldiers, and some decent emotion as Brooks continues to work so hard to protect Lucy. Oliver Reed’s performance is a bit of an anomaly. It’s not bad, but it’s not good. He tries to hit all the comedic moments and emotional moments, but his timing seems to be slightly off at every turn. It feels like he’s trying to be too dramatic or maybe just working too hard to convey connections to the other actors and Lucy. Perhaps the best word to describe the performance is unnatural. On the other hand, probably the best part of the film is the Packy character, played by Michael J. Pollard. Packy is an American, who plants traps for German convoys so he and his men can raid their supplies. Despite the fact that Packy represents a common and stereotypical portrayal of Americans in British narratives (arrogant, ambitious, and near sighted), Pollard manages to give Packy some depth here. Audiences will have to suspend their disbelief more than usual on this one. Pulling too hard on any given plot line can cause it to completely unravel. For example, it’s unclear how Packy manages to keep up with Brooks and Lucy’s adventure. Not only keep up, but actually Brooks keeps catching up with Packy, who has once again set up a new way to sabotage the Germans. It’s also unclear why a large portion of the German army is dedicated to tracking down one British soldier and his elephant before they leave the country. So, try not to over think Hannibal Brooks, and it’s at least good for an enjoyable couple of hours. Not hard to imagine why it never got a proper DVD release before, but apparently it does have somewhat of a cult following, so the dreams of the few have been realized this day. Special features on the DVD include the original theatrical trailer and nothing else. The transfer of the film is pretty clean though. It looks good given this was probably sitting in a warehouse somewhere for the past 40 years. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/hannibal_brooks.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/hannibal_brooks.html Video and DVD Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:20:45 -0600 What My Husband Doesn’t Know. Instead, this a taping of a live performance of the play. The difference is small, yet significant, and puts me in the unique position to comment on this as a play rather than a film. The story centers around Lena Summer (Destiny Child’s Michelle Williams), a rich and neglected housewife who begins having an affair with a plumber named Paul (Brian White, Stop the Yard) working on her home. As a play, this has many many flaws, and I have to imagine it’s because playwright David E. Talbert also directed and produced the production, and thus had no one to criticize his work. First of all, there are too many characters here. It’s really a two character play between Lena and Paul, and should be devoted to their relationship. This would be a major change and would change the entire play, but definitely for the better. The inclusion of Lena’s husband, Franklin (Clifton Davis), could arguably be necessary, but there’s a lot of ground to be gained in making Franklin’s distance and absence more literal. All of the other characters are completely unnecessary. Even principle characters like Lena’s best friend, Falana (Tiffany Haddish), and Franklin’s pseudo-father, Mr. Moody (Esau McGraw) don’t contribute anything to the story other than obvious jokes and any cheap innuendo you can imagine. Then we have the characters who could be cut without making any substantial changes to the script at all. Pastor Braddok’s secretary (Chloe Spencer) and Paul’s foreman (Diondre Jones) stand out because they each only appear in one scene and could have easily been written around. I can either take or leave Pastor Braddok himself. His role in the play is as someone for Lena to confess to, which means that all of the scenes between Braddok (Horace V. Rogers) and Lena are very much in the telling mode, not showing us anything new or interesting. So, if these scenes could show us something new and contribute to the overall story, they may earn a status as necessary here. The problem is that these scenes along with a lot of other elements of the play feel like they’re part of a first draft. The next problem with the play is that it seems to have no idea what kind of tone it wants to set. There’s a lot of really bad comedy and presentational acting throughout, but then it’s cut together with an almost melodramatic intensity that feels too out of place. On top of that, the characters will randomly break into song sporadically throughout the play. This musical element feels the most out of place. The first song comes relatively late in the play (for a musical) and so the audience is forced to adjust to a completely different world than the one they’ve been presented with thus far. The other problem is that there will be huge amounts of time between musical numbers, to the point where we forget we’re watching a musical (for lack of a better word). It also has to be said that the songs are not good. Most all of them digress into repetitive, redundant lyrics and thus go on way too long to be effective. Of course, making this a two person play won’t solve the problems with the production. The Paul character’s ability to become completely obsessed with Lena isn’t at all organic or believable. Plus, talking about this particular production, Michelle Williams’ acting shows a lot of room for improvement. Her characterization of Lena changes from scene to scene, which is obviously to some degree a problem with how Lena’s written, but Williams’ over the top gestures and reactions to various situations can get ridiculous fast. This isn’t a bad way to experience a play. By allowing a film camera to capture the action and still having the energy of the live audience reacting, it manages to capture the best of both film and stage working together. It’s hard to see what the audience loves so much about this script, but their reactions do aid the overall production. At one point, Falana remarks that “This would make a great lifetime movie.” So, hopefully that gives you some idea of what to expect here. At least a lifetime movie version of this would stick to one storytelling element rather than cramming a bunch of different ones together. But unfortunately the statement is accurate in that the story is rife with cliché, predictability, and inconsistency. It’s obvious that Mr. Talbert is very passionate about his writing, and maybe his other work is better considering he says in an interview that this is typically not the sort of play he writes, but it’s hard to get over the flaws of What My Husband Doesn’t Know and then actively seek out his other work. Special features on the DVD include a tour of the set, interviews with the cast and crew, and a commentary track. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/what_my_husband_doesnt_know.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/what_my_husband_doesnt_know.html Video and DVD Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:13:57 -0600 Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings is a show any action junkie should not want to miss. Based off of the hit Capcom beat'em up games, the show is set in a fictional version of Warring States period in Japan. Various warlords like Masamune Date, Yukimura Sanada and others fight across Japan for power and glory. When an evil lord, Oda Nobunaga decides to take over all of the land, by any means necessary, all of the warlords decide to team up to him down. This first season was directed by Itsuro Kawasaki, famous for other shows like Legend of the Legendary Heroes and L/R: Licensed by Royalty and produced by Production I.G. While the series definitely takes some liberties to Japanese history, in terms aesthetics and design, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings is a great action show and some of the most fun I've had in a while. The first two episodes alone were enough to have me hooked, in terms of the quality and content within. Production I.G does an amazing job to illustrate the intensity and scope of the series with the meeting of Masamune Date and Yukimura Sanada. They cause giant waves of energy to bounce off of one another and even a massive mushroom cloud explosion to show off their manliness and fierce fighting spirit. It is the equivalent to a summer Hollywood blockbuster film and I was just grinning from ear to ear as various battles played out for 13 episodes. While most shows based off of video game properties usually tend to go through the motions and be very bland, this never came off that way. This series is really impressive in the way that it is able to emulate the sheer insanity and chaos of the game and is able to focus that into a clear and concise narrative. From the very designs of the characters, (Masamune Date's horse has handle bars and exhausts pipe, like a motorcycle) to their attitudes, Sengoku Basara has an edge that other shows severely lack and makes you look forward to the action and thrills contained within. If there was a single issue that I'd have with the show is that it might be hard for people to keep up with all of the characters included. There's no real background story to any of the warlords and its pretty helpful if you're already familiar with the Warring States era of Japan. If not, you might get confused as to who these characters are and their alliances to one another. The video on the Blu-Ray discs of Sengoku Basara are encoded in a 1080p, AVC transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Production I.G has a rich history of superb animation, with films like End of Evangelion and Eden of the East as part of their resume. The HD transfer of Sengoku Basara places the studio's efforts at the forefront and it passes with flying colors. The color palette is rich and the level of clarity is astounding and all of these details give way to the natural beauty, grand castles and epic battlefields that ancient Japan had to offer. The DVD's that are included look great as well, they're just presented in standard definition. The audio comes in two versions, the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel and the Japanese Dolby True HD 2.0. The mix of the 5.1 track is extremely impressive with the use of incredible panning and its ability to draw one into the large battle sequences. The 2.0 track was the one I stuck mostly, due to the fact that since the show takes place in ancient Japan, it seemed much more suitable that way. It's been a long time since I've seen an anime period piece that delivered as much as Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings. It's well animated, action packed and delivers an interesting twist into the wars and battles that have created Japan. I think its one of the bes new offerings that Funimation has to offer and kudos to them for bringing it out here. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/sengoku_basara_samurai_kings_season_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/sengoku_basara_samurai_kings_season_1.html Asian Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:38:04 -0600 One Piece Collection No. 4, one of the best sets yet in the long running series. The Straw Hat Pirates are very close to Alabasta, but they must search for doctor in order to treat Nami's high fever. This leads them to Drum Island, an island known for its medical doctors and advanced treatments that is blanketed in an eternal winter. It is here that they will gain a new member and continue on their journey into the heart of Alabasta, to confront Baroque Works and their sinister plot to take over the desert kingdom. This collection collects episodes 79-103 of One Piece and contains some of the best batch of episodes yet. This set is a real treat because it gives you the entirety of the Drum Island arc and good portion of the Alabasta arc. Not only does this collection do it justice by having the quantity of episodes, but the sheer quality of them are just brilliant. Just about every single character in the Straw Hat Pirates crew have some sort of tragic back story. Nothing that came before can compare to the beginnings of Tony Tony Chopper, the new recruit in the group. What really works for this origin is the fact that Tony's cute and mascot-like appearance, betray what the audience expects from his history. The heart of this show has always been its characters and with Tony's origin and recruitment, it is ever more present and a perfect example of why people have flocked to this show. While I was hesitant in the past to seriously commit to a show that currently has over 500 episodes, One Piece Collection No. 4 has made me an die hard fan of One Piece. The show knows when to make you laugh, when to make you cry and above all, entertain you with the thrill of adventure. These One Piece Collection's are pretty bare bones and they continue to do so with Collection No. 4. There's only a few commentaries by the English cast, textless intros and outros and a bunch of trailers for other Funimation shows. While other sets like this may not cut the mustard, One Piece has a plethora of episodes to get through and its more than enough to carry one through, without the a wealth of extra features. While I will definitely say that all of the other sets were enjoyable in their own right, One Piece Collection No. 4 is the one that I would push on people. Its a prime example of its key themes, well executed story and entertainment that make it one of the shows around. Highly Recommended!]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/one_piece_collection_no_4.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/one_piece_collection_no_4.html Asian Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:24:22 -0600 The Big Caper is an excellent heist film and an fantastic addition to MGM's Limited Edition Collection. The film follows Frank Harper (Rory Calhoun), a con man that keeps losing all of his money on gambling. With his losing streak at an all time high, Frank decides to come up with a big heist and runs it by his boss, Flood (James Gregory). The plan is to knock off a bank in a small town, carrying a million dollars in cash that belongs the military. Frank and Flood's girlfriend, Kay (Mary Costa), would move into the town together, pose as a newly wedded couple and assimilate themselves into the community. While they do this, Flood would then gather the rest of the crew in order pull off the heist of a lifetime. The film may lack grace and elegance under Stevens' control, yet The Big Caper still packs a punch in terms of its subject matter and it's execution that make it an awesome excursion in heist cinema. The core of any heist film is how the team comes together to pull everything off. Flood's character manages to get the lowest of the low, which include an alcoholic pyromaniac and a closet homosexual with a body building fetish. It is the dark and seedy elements within characters such as these that make The Big Caper so much fun to watch. This and the juxtaposition of Frank and Kay's false identities as the ideal nuclear family, that create tension within the group that make for plot and pacing. Martin Berkley's adaptation of Lionel White's novel is rock solid and an efficient for its entire 84 minute running time. Another reason why the film's pacing may work so well is the fact that Stevens has a big background within TV directing and probably managed to be efficient, since he was used to working under pressure. The only downfall of coming from a background like this is the fact that the film lacks any flair whatsoever. While this isn't a bad thing at all, it just shows that The Big Caper doesn't carry the same finesse as something like Wells' Touch of Evil or Kubrick's The Killing when exploring such similar territories. While the MOD discs from the MGM Limited Edition Collection always come with a disclaimer of visual and audio quality being based off of what they had on hand, I can say that the materials procured for The Big Caper are some of the best they've had in their vaults. The image was really crisp and clear and the audio quality was really great. As a big fan of heist and crime films, I can definitely say that The Big Caper is worth your time if you love those genre's and makes for some really great entertainment. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_big_caper.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_big_caper.html Film Noir Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:18:31 -0600 Mulberry Child is a documentary on the life of Jian Ping, author of the book “Mulberry Child” and her family. Jian was born in 1960 during Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward. Her father, although devoted to the Communist Party was sequestered away and labeled as a “traitor” because he had stood up for a friend wrongly accused of “unpatriotic acts.” Her father had been captured and tortured by the Japanese during their occupation of China. This further slandered his reputation. Jian’s mother, Wing Sue, was left to fend for her 4 children and disabled mother-in-law alone. Soon after the family was forced to move to a mud hut with no running water nor electricity in the dead of winter. Jian’s family was harassed daily. Her mother was forced to write self re-criminations all day by the red guards who attempted to force her to divorce her husband. She refused. She didn’t want her children to be fatherless. Her eldest children were sent to labor camps and Jian, the youngest, was left with her crippled grandmother. Despite all the hardship and injustice they experienced, Jian’s parents stayed loyal to the communist party. At an early age, Jian learned from her family's behaviour, that she must hide her emotions and be strong for the family. The documentary begins with the present day relationship of Jian and her daughter Lisa. Jian fears that her daughter doesn’t have the strong family values of a Chinese daughter. Lisa complains that she doesn’t feel a connection with her mother and feels more like a “guest” in her mother’s house. The story unfolds with Jian telling us why she wrote the book, “Mulberry Child” and flashes back to when Jian was a child growing up during the Cultural Revolution. Jian wanted her daughter to know what she went through and have a better understanding of her and their ancestry. Events that happened to Jian and her family are re-enacted and some old footage from the Cultural Revolution is woven in as well. It begins with Jian’s mother, Wing Sue, as a young girl choosing her potential husband from a list of names. We find out the soon-to-be husband had chosen Jian’s mother from a list as well. This destiny will bind them, keeping them together through the roughest of times. Towards the end of the documentary we follow Jian and her daughter Lisa on a trip to China to visit Jian’s parents and relatives and to see the Beijing Olympic ceremony. Spending time together strengthens their relationship as they get a better understanding of each other. It also shows the modernization and success of China since the time of the revolution. This documentary was compelling and informative. It weaves the old and the new together very smoothly. It begins with the mother/daughter conflict and explores Jian’s behavior by delving into the trauma of her past in an historical and engaging way. Utilizing old footage and simple re-enactments, the film demonstrates how the past experiences of Jian influence who she becomes as an adult as well as her daughter’s behavior. The theme is universal and at once accessible and intriguing.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/mulberry_child.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/mulberry_child.html Video and DVD Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:28:33 -0600 Windfall, a feature film by Laura Israel, provides a balanced and insightful portrayal of both positive and negative aspects of industrial wind energy as experienced by residents of Meredith, NY. An anonymous wind developer proposes attractive financial incentives to boost the failing economy of Meredith, NY, however, the town residents become extremely divided over the environmental impact of 400-foot tall wind turbines, sited 1,000 feet from people’s homes. When it is discovered that the town hall supervisor has a conflict of interest (he was approached by wind developers to sign a contract), mental red flags are raised. Some residents want to maintain the beauty and solitude of the area thus standing for NIMBY (not in my backyard). Other residents express that man and nature are working together in the form of renewable energy. NIMBYs of Meridith, NY, argue that roads would be widened to accommodate the huge blades, which can be up to 180 feet long, the turbines would be embedded in tons of concrete to keep them standing, there would be a persistent low frequency sound, and a continual shadow flicker when the sun gets behind the moving blades, to name a few harmful effects Landowners that signed contracts with wind developers, were also required to sign confidentiality agreements, thereby leading to an air of secrecy and paranoia amongst neighbors. Neighbors that were friends for more than thirty years and attended church together, were now on opposite ends of the controversy as distanced foes. Windfall captures the heated debates at public townhall meetings but what is very apparent is the fact that the wind developers were not in attendance. While the wind developers provide positive positive information about the project, some residents independently compiled heavy research from outside sources that revealed a darker more menacing view to wind energy. When asked in an interview what she wanted audiences to take away from the film, producer/director Laura Israel stated that public officials making decisions about regulating these projects should not have a personal interest. Laura further declared that citizens should have access to unbiased information in order to make informed decisions and take part in an open and honest democratic process concerning the future of their communities. Although the film may have been too long to illustrate its primary and secondary messages, Windfall is a good faith effort to make the subject of community organizing around alternative energy compelling. The film’s music is bland, however, the photography is vivid. Windfall will do especially well in academic settings rather than mainstream audience. B-]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/windfall.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/windfall.html Video and DVD Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:21 -0600 Dirty Girl only has the pretense of rebellion. The film establishes off the bat its anachronistic 1987 small town setting, rapid fire profanity, and brazen sexuality. But soon the story falters into a realm of teary-eyed cliché. Like many films concerning itself with the precarious nature of teenaged characters, it ends up lacking the self-awareness the characters themselves don’t have. Danielle is openly promiscuous, hopping from boy to boy in her high school with a cloud of cigarette smoke trailing right behind her. The shorts and bright tube tops she wears proclaim that Danielle is that girl who says she doesn’t give a damn, but when you look closer, she’s looking for approval just as desperately as everyone else. After a particularly damning gaff at school she is sent to a remedial class where she meets and slowly befriends Clarke (Jeremy Dozier). Clarke is gay and overweight, dealing with bullies not only at school, but also at home in the form of his homophobic father (Dwight Yoakam). His mother (Mary Steenburgen), while sympathetic, can’t seem to protect him. While Danielle feels her home life is a mess, as well, Danielle deals with her naïve if heartfelt mother (an oddly cast Milla Jovovich) who is marrying a Mormon (William H. Macy) out of desperation and desire not to be lonely. Thinking that her L.A. based father is the answer to her problems, Danielle decides on a road trip. Clarke comes along for the ride, hoping to find a worthwhile place for himself in the world. Danielle and Clarke bring along a sack of flour, named Joan, they are supposed to treat as a child for their remedial class assignment . The inked-on face changes in pivotal moments, telegraphing how the audience feels. Coupled with Danielle’s voice-over, full of half-baked daddy issues, profanity, and yearning for authenticity, it’s hard to take anything to heart. But there are a few sweet moments like the sing-a-long to Teena Marie while Danielle and Clarke drive through New Mexico. The film, directed by first time writer/director Abe Sylvia, has an uneven tone that makes it hard to truly connect to the story. But even with all these issues, one can appreciate the passion behind it, if not the product that comes on screen, which is a generous approach to this frustratingly messy debut. Temple tries her hardest to bring a liveliness to the story, but she overplays Danielle’s early trampy side and the teary-eyed drama that comes afterwards. Dozier, as Clarke, is unable to find a through line for his character, who is a checklist of gay stereotypes. This mish-mash of traits never adds up to fascinating or even empathetic characters. The film also creates a questionable link between Danielle’s promiscuity and her absent father that speaks to a lack of understanding or effort in depicting female sexuality. Dirty Girl, with its faux bravado and lack of self-awareness, never hits the mark for which it so earnestly aimed. It isn’t particularly funny, heart warming, or even memorable. The problem is that it tries too hard and we’re only given glimpses of a more interesting bitchy cult movie. Dirty Girl is trashy melodrama taken to an emotionless, all-over-the-map extreme. But it doesn’t even have the crazed so-bad-it’s-good vibe to make it memorable beyond the credits. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/dirty_girl_1.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/dirty_girl_1.html DVD releases Video and DVD Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:01:07 -0600