Now Available on DVD
Hello, folks! In this segment I will break down 15 films I have recently viewed on DVD. A couple of them have been out for a few months, but you'll just have to deal with it. I've nearly seen every note-worthy and interesting film of 2011. So, in the near future I will re-release my top films of 2011, as well as my own personal Oscar picks, as they have both changed significantly. Have fun, and don't be afraid to chime in. Enjoy!
A Dangerous Method -- This is a mildly interesting and controversial film starring Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung and Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud. David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence) obviously has quite the resume and a knack for his craft, but this material is awfully boring on screen. Unless you're interested in the psychology aspects of the film I'd stay away, despite a pretty darn good performance by Keira Knightley. (B-)
Anonymous -- You obviously have to suspend your belief going into this film, being that it suggests William Shakespeare was nothing more than a middling actor and not the world changing scribe we all know. Some of the performances aren't terrible and the costumes are terrific, but this entire film is a bore. Despite a note-worthy performance by Vanessa Redgrave (Mission: Impossible, Atonement), this film is certain to lose its audience awfully quick because of a laugh-less and head-scratching script. Sebastian Armesto's performance is Adam Sandler-bad, so beware of that. (C-)
Carnage -- Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer, The Pianist) does it again! This is a superbly written black comedy with four outstanding performances from Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz. Winslet is easily one of the best actresses alive, and Reilly is so spot-on with his typical brand of humor. He's slowly become one of the most reliable sources of comedy in the past few years. This is Waltz' best performance since his Oscar-winning role in 2009's Inglourious Basterds. (A-)
Contagion -- Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's Eleven) is probably the most versatile directors alive. He certainly doesn't shy away from a job offer. Contagion is a slightly realistic apocalyptic film that's sure to hold your attention. The cast is marvelous, highlighted by performances from Laurence Fishbourne, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Matt Damon. It's shorter than it should be, running at 106 minutes, and it ends rather abruptly. However, it's altogether fascinating, convincing and alarming. (B+)
Like Crazy -- One of the more disappointing films of 2011, without question. Critics raved that this film resembled Blue Valentine and/or (500) Days of Summer; nope. It stars the promising Anton Yelchin (Fright Night, Terminator: Salvation), who looks like he's 40 already; sorry dude. The two main characters are dry, shallow and completely unlikable yuppies with no sense of humor and complete disregard towards each other. One of those rare films where I root against the couple. It's not all bad, but you can probably skip it. (C+)
Margin Call -- Despite very good performances by the entire star-studded cast, I found this true Wall Street drama to be tedious and obviously way too predictable. I'm sure the film would be more entertaining if you knew what these rich, arrogant a-holes were talking about half of the time. Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci stood out to me, which should come as no surprise. Worth a look if Wall Street interests you; otherwise read a book or something. (C+)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol -- Tom Cruise has been hit-and-miss in the past few years, but he always seems at home when playing Ethan Hunt. While this film doesn't even come close to the timeless original, it's still damn entertaining. Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town) was a fantastic addition to the crew. I personally found this to be the second best of the M:I films, slightly edging out M:I3. This was easily one of the best action films of 2011. (B+)
My Week with Marilyn -- Oscar-worthy performances help keep this simple film afloat. Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Brokeback Mountain) shines as Marilyn Monroe, which should certainly come as no surprise given her phenomenal track record. More importantly, however, Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie, Pirate Radio) is tremendously hilarious as the late Laurence Olivier. Newcomer Eddie Redmayne could be considered the weak link of this film, but I found that he fit the role. (B)
Puncture -- Here's an astonishing true story that's botched by it's filmmakers. Chris Evans (Captain America: First Avenger, Fantastic Four) puts forth a magnificent effort as a drug-addicted lawyer who won't let the biggest case of his life go. He's certainly come into his own as an actor in the past couple of years, but it's all for not as the terrific storyline is ruined by below average filmmaking and sub-par supporting acting. (C)
Senna -- It's been a down year for documentary filmmaking, but this one is a definite must-see. This is a wonderful, heartbreaking look back at the life of Aryton Senna, a once great Formula one race car driver who met his demise on the track. It's simply amazing how much raw footage was compiled to create this tragic film, which feels more like a drama than a documentary. You don't need to be a racing fan to dive into this multiple BAFTA award winner. (B)
Terri -- This is an odd, quirky black comedy with a handful of laughs and two handfuls of awkward moments. While John C. Reilly is funny, as usual, the overall tone of the film is discomforting and clumsy. The title character, played by Jacob Wysocki, is a lonely, confused, tormented, obese 15-year-old with 101 problems. Some people have described this film as heartfelt or genuine, and while that sure may be true, it comes off bizarre and a little too idiosyncratic for my taste. Absolutely not a waste of time by any means, but some of the scenes are certain to put you off and you may find yourself grasping for laughs. (C+)
The Descendants -- This Oscar-winning film has all the ingredients of an instant dark comedy classic. George Clooney delivers yet another fantastic performance. The last act of the film is somewhat of a letdown, which I believe kept it from winning Best Picture. But, overall its a treat to watch Clooney and newcomer Shailene Woodley argue and bicker over personal family matters. This is a serious movie with comedic undertones that, for the most part, lift your spirits. Director Alexander Payne has proven himself to be an A-lister with this effort, following the magnificent Sideways. (A-)
The Guard -- Brendan Gleeson (28 Days Later, In Bruges) and Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Boogie Nights) make quite the comedic duo in this Irish "buddy cop" film. It may be hard to follow their thick Irish accents from time to time, but it's only a slight problem. It's predictable to a fault, but the hilarious dialogue between Gleeson and Cheadle carries the film. (B)
The Thing -- Doesn't nearly do the original John Carpenter film justice, but does have a few interesting moments. For the most part, this "prequel" genuinely lacks scares or high-raising moments. The acting isn't dreadful, thanks in large part to Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Animal Kingdom), but the middling special effects supersede the plot. I actually found the last 20 minutes to be enjoyable, which kept this formulaic film from being a total disaster. (C)
Young Adult -- Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) is easily one of the best directors in the world right now. You have to admire his ability to make even Charlize Theron look like an actress. The tremendous Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) script puts this film among the best of 2011. Cody's screenplays always take place in Minnesota, which as a Minnesotan is a treat. I have to say, it's fun watching Theron go off the deep end. (B+)
A Dangerous Method -- This is a mildly interesting and controversial film starring Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung and Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud. David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, A History of Violence) obviously has quite the resume and a knack for his craft, but this material is awfully boring on screen. Unless you're interested in the psychology aspects of the film I'd stay away, despite a pretty darn good performance by Keira Knightley. (B-)
Anonymous -- You obviously have to suspend your belief going into this film, being that it suggests William Shakespeare was nothing more than a middling actor and not the world changing scribe we all know. Some of the performances aren't terrible and the costumes are terrific, but this entire film is a bore. Despite a note-worthy performance by Vanessa Redgrave (Mission: Impossible, Atonement), this film is certain to lose its audience awfully quick because of a laugh-less and head-scratching script. Sebastian Armesto's performance is Adam Sandler-bad, so beware of that. (C-)
Carnage -- Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer, The Pianist) does it again! This is a superbly written black comedy with four outstanding performances from Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Christoph Waltz. Winslet is easily one of the best actresses alive, and Reilly is so spot-on with his typical brand of humor. He's slowly become one of the most reliable sources of comedy in the past few years. This is Waltz' best performance since his Oscar-winning role in 2009's Inglourious Basterds. (A-)
Contagion -- Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's Eleven) is probably the most versatile directors alive. He certainly doesn't shy away from a job offer. Contagion is a slightly realistic apocalyptic film that's sure to hold your attention. The cast is marvelous, highlighted by performances from Laurence Fishbourne, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Ehle, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Matt Damon. It's shorter than it should be, running at 106 minutes, and it ends rather abruptly. However, it's altogether fascinating, convincing and alarming. (B+)
Like Crazy -- One of the more disappointing films of 2011, without question. Critics raved that this film resembled Blue Valentine and/or (500) Days of Summer; nope. It stars the promising Anton Yelchin (Fright Night, Terminator: Salvation), who looks like he's 40 already; sorry dude. The two main characters are dry, shallow and completely unlikable yuppies with no sense of humor and complete disregard towards each other. One of those rare films where I root against the couple. It's not all bad, but you can probably skip it. (C+)
Margin Call -- Despite very good performances by the entire star-studded cast, I found this true Wall Street drama to be tedious and obviously way too predictable. I'm sure the film would be more entertaining if you knew what these rich, arrogant a-holes were talking about half of the time. Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci stood out to me, which should come as no surprise. Worth a look if Wall Street interests you; otherwise read a book or something. (C+)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol -- Tom Cruise has been hit-and-miss in the past few years, but he always seems at home when playing Ethan Hunt. While this film doesn't even come close to the timeless original, it's still damn entertaining. Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town) was a fantastic addition to the crew. I personally found this to be the second best of the M:I films, slightly edging out M:I3. This was easily one of the best action films of 2011. (B+)
My Week with Marilyn -- Oscar-worthy performances help keep this simple film afloat. Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Brokeback Mountain) shines as Marilyn Monroe, which should certainly come as no surprise given her phenomenal track record. More importantly, however, Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie, Pirate Radio) is tremendously hilarious as the late Laurence Olivier. Newcomer Eddie Redmayne could be considered the weak link of this film, but I found that he fit the role. (B)
Puncture -- Here's an astonishing true story that's botched by it's filmmakers. Chris Evans (Captain America: First Avenger, Fantastic Four) puts forth a magnificent effort as a drug-addicted lawyer who won't let the biggest case of his life go. He's certainly come into his own as an actor in the past couple of years, but it's all for not as the terrific storyline is ruined by below average filmmaking and sub-par supporting acting. (C)
Senna -- It's been a down year for documentary filmmaking, but this one is a definite must-see. This is a wonderful, heartbreaking look back at the life of Aryton Senna, a once great Formula one race car driver who met his demise on the track. It's simply amazing how much raw footage was compiled to create this tragic film, which feels more like a drama than a documentary. You don't need to be a racing fan to dive into this multiple BAFTA award winner. (B)
Terri -- This is an odd, quirky black comedy with a handful of laughs and two handfuls of awkward moments. While John C. Reilly is funny, as usual, the overall tone of the film is discomforting and clumsy. The title character, played by Jacob Wysocki, is a lonely, confused, tormented, obese 15-year-old with 101 problems. Some people have described this film as heartfelt or genuine, and while that sure may be true, it comes off bizarre and a little too idiosyncratic for my taste. Absolutely not a waste of time by any means, but some of the scenes are certain to put you off and you may find yourself grasping for laughs. (C+)
The Descendants -- This Oscar-winning film has all the ingredients of an instant dark comedy classic. George Clooney delivers yet another fantastic performance. The last act of the film is somewhat of a letdown, which I believe kept it from winning Best Picture. But, overall its a treat to watch Clooney and newcomer Shailene Woodley argue and bicker over personal family matters. This is a serious movie with comedic undertones that, for the most part, lift your spirits. Director Alexander Payne has proven himself to be an A-lister with this effort, following the magnificent Sideways. (A-)
The Guard -- Brendan Gleeson (28 Days Later, In Bruges) and Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Boogie Nights) make quite the comedic duo in this Irish "buddy cop" film. It may be hard to follow their thick Irish accents from time to time, but it's only a slight problem. It's predictable to a fault, but the hilarious dialogue between Gleeson and Cheadle carries the film. (B)
The Thing -- Doesn't nearly do the original John Carpenter film justice, but does have a few interesting moments. For the most part, this "prequel" genuinely lacks scares or high-raising moments. The acting isn't dreadful, thanks in large part to Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Animal Kingdom), but the middling special effects supersede the plot. I actually found the last 20 minutes to be enjoyable, which kept this formulaic film from being a total disaster. (C)
Young Adult -- Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno) is easily one of the best directors in the world right now. You have to admire his ability to make even Charlize Theron look like an actress. The tremendous Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) script puts this film among the best of 2011. Cody's screenplays always take place in Minnesota, which as a Minnesotan is a treat. I have to say, it's fun watching Theron go off the deep end. (B+)
Carnage
Young Adult
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