ACADEMY AWARD^®-WINNER* CHARLIZE THERON STARS
IN THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED COMEDY

YOUNG ADULT

Wickedly Funny Film From Oscar^®-Winning** Writer Diablo Cody
Debuts on Blu-ray™ and DVD March 13, 2012

The YOUNG ADULT Blu-ray includes commentary by director Jason Reitman and additional crew, a look at the making of the film, a Q&A featuring Jason Reitman and film critic Janet Maslin, deleted scenes and a scene deconstruction.  The DVD includes the commentary, scene deconstruction and select deleted scenes. All Blu-ray and DVD releases available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies.  With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

YOUNG ADULT Blu-ray

The YOUNG ADULT Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, and with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  Special features are as follows:

o   Commentary by director Jason Reitman, director of photography
Eric Steelberg and first assistant director/associate producer
Jason A. Blumenfeld

o   Misery Loves Company: The Making of Young Adult

o   The Awful Truth: Deconstructing a Scene

o   Q&A featuring Janet Maslin & Jason Reitman at the Jacob Burns Film Center

o   Deleted Scenes

YOUNG ADULT DVD

The DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, French 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround and English Audio Description, and with English, French and Spanish subtitles.  Special features are as follows:

o   Commentary by director Jason Reitman, director of photography
Eric Steelberg and first assistant director/associate producer
Jason A. Blumenfeld

o   The Awful Truth: Deconstructing a Scene

o   Deleted Scenes

About YOUNG ADULT

Jason Reitman directs and produces “Young Adult” along with producers Lianne Halfon (“Juno,” “The Libertine”), Russell Smith (“Juno,” “The Libertine”), Mason Novick (“Jennifer’s Body,” “500 Days of Summer”) and Diablo Cody.  Helen Estabrook (“Up in the Air”) serves as executive producer with Steven Rales (“Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “The Darjeerling Limited”) Nathan Kahane (“The Switch,” “Whip It”) and John Malkovich (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”).

Order Young Adult on Blu-ray!

Mavis:  Here’s the deal; Buddy Slade and I are meant to be together and I’m here to get him back.
Matt:  I’m pretty sure he’s marries with a kid on the way.
Mavis:  No, kid’s here… I’m cool with it.  I mean look, I’ve got baggage too.

Theron plays Mavis Gary, a beautiful and somewhat successful author who is also lonely and somewhat of an alcoholic.  After getting a brief image of what Mavis’ life is like living in the big city, Minneapolis, we see her hatch a new plan of sorts, following the notification that her old high school boyfriend, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson), has just had his first child.  Mavis packs up her things, including her purse-sized dog, Dolce, and heads back to her hometown of Mercury, Minnesota.  Her plan is to reclaim Buddy, oblivious to the problems that this idea presents.

Upon arriving, Mavis avoids going to her own home with her parents and instead gets a hotel room.  She immediately tries to make a rendezvous with Buddy, only to schedule a date for the next day.  In the meantime, she goes to one of the old bars in town and strikes up a friendship with Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt), a former classmate who was crippled in high school and has since remained a resident of Mercury.  Matt is the only one who learns of Mavis’ plan, but once Mavis begins to reconnect with Buddy and interact with his wife, Beth (Elizabeth Reaser), things move down a dark and awkwardly comedic hill.

I have been a big fan of director Jason Reitman, who previously made Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up In The Air.  Each of those are films that I love to revisit, so in my mind, it seemed apparent that Young Adult was going to have to work hard to be able to match up.  While I would say that Young Adult is a good film overall and works well in not compromising its characters for the sake of a touching, Hollywood ending, I would also put it at the bottom of list, when ranking Reitman’s films.  That is almost a way of complimenting the film, as this reaction of mine is mainly due to its lack of a certain charm that the other films have had.  Young Adult does not feature a lead I would really want to continue to hang out with, regardless of how strong Theron’s performance is.  This movie is basically the opposite of Bad Teacher, not copping out on its lead character, going the route of a sitcom-style plot and instead embracing her level of narcissism and the overall cynical tone that is resolved in a fairly haphazard sense.

The film was scripted by Diablo Cody, who previously won an Oscar for Juno.  Hipster dialogue be damned, that’s a well written film, but the stylized nature of that screenplay is very much dialed down in favor of a much more retrained type of story.  The humor is very dark, very dry, and embraces the Ricky Gervais style of making things as cringe worthy as possible.  The central story is essentially smaller in scope, focusing on the train wreck occurring, as Mavis tries to shoehorn herself back into the life of her old boyfriend.  The best decision was to add the character of Matt, played by Oswalt, who serves as an appropriate outlet for Mavis, while also being able to voice discerning reasoning as to why her objectives are so abhorrent.  Given the tragic nature of Matt’s back story (and other tragic revelations), it is all these additional details that really add to the film overall.

I have noted a few times that Theron is great in another role that requires her to really ugly herself up.  Not Monster-style ugly, but ugly in the sense that she is stripped of actor pride for the sake of portraying a mean, narcissistic, and very vulnerable persona.  The way Mavis must glamour herself up before going out, hiding the sad, lonely, distraught woman underneath says plenty.  More revealing scenes, in more ways than one, arrive later in the film as well, further indicating the strength of this performance.  It is a well crafted performance that is never overplayed and rightly establishes all the necessary qualities to make it work, regardless of how much respect we end up having for the character.

Additionally, there are a few notable supporting roles that work as well.  Oswalt, who I have seen do great work in a smaller film, Big Fan, gets another chance to shine here, establishing pathos for his character as well as easily highlighting his own idiosyncrasies.  Patrick Wilson deserves a good amount of credit for playing not really a dolt, but a man who acts oblivious to Mavis, in hopes of not having to relive whatever it was that pushed them apart in the past.  Keeping it together in the midst of heavy come-ons from an ex, while the wife and newborn factor in was a good enough challenge for Wilson to have.  I also enjoyed Reaser as Buddy’s wife quite a bit.  She does not have a prominent role, but there was a lot to take away from her expressions in the wake of Mavis’ presence.

In the past I would say that Reitman, as a director, has done a good job at applying a clever visual style to his films, sometimes more overtly than others.  In this film, much like the script and performances, his visual touches seem dialed back for the film.  It is not necessarily a bad thing, but it seemed more apparent that this is a film made based on desire to re-collaborate with Cody again, as opposed to really adding a personal stamp to the film.  Still, there is a lot to admire in the way the film comes together.  It flows fairly well, up until the third act, which is a bit rushed, but definitely does not outstay its welcome.  There are also some good soundtrack choices, which has been another good staple of Reitman’s films.  The tracks heard in this film are quite fitting both in tone and in how they are rooted to the times from the past that Mavis is revisiting in her mind.

I wanted to like this film more, but in a way that is similar to The Descendents, I found the film to be good enough for a watch, but not one that I need to really revisit anytime soon.  The writing and acting in this film is very good.  I have especially high regards for Theron and Oswalt, who both manage to reveal enough about themselves and show how vulnerable they are when you get right down to it, but without having any of that drama register as unreal.  I was also pleased that Cody’s script did not feel like another version of Juno, but instead seemed like a good sign that there are many shades of what her writing has to offer.  It is a fine character study about a person I don’t really want to root for and would just rather see grow up.

Buddy:  Mavis, I’m a married man…
Mavis:  I know.  We can beat this thing together.

Film   

First, let’s be perfectly honest with ourselves.  The main draw of Jennifer’s Body is Megan Fox’s body.  Oops! I meant to say actress Megan Fox.  Is there really any dispute in the fact?  Would the opening box office turnout even have been so high with only Amanda Seyfried in the starring role?  I would like to think not.  I, like probably half of the moviegoers here, was really interested in one thing here.  No, it wasn’t to see what if anything more would be shown of Megan Fox’s sexy body after the leaked production photos last year.  That’s what Google Search is for.  C’mon guys!  Get your perverted minds out of the gutter.  I simply wanted to know whether Miss Fox could sink or swim in her first leading role or if she was just another pretty face destined to become just a Hollywood fad after her 15 minutes of fame had expired.  However, I personally don’t think Michael Bay would let that last part happen as long as he is still making movies.

 So just how awful was Megan Fox in her first starring role?  I am going to go out on a proverbial limb here, hoping not to go out too far and risk a branch breaking and boldly say that she truly was the charm of this film.  From her quirky, adolescent delivery of corny one-liners to her sh#$-eating, bloody grins, I found myself engaged, amused and entertained throughout.  While her performance is hardly good enough to warrant any Oscar nods, it was exactly the kind of deliverance that I was expecting from her in this juvenile role.  Actually I did not know what to expect, but let me state what I just said in a different way you all can understand.  Simply put, if you were satisfied with her performance in the Transformers films, then there is no way she can disappoint you here.  I believe Miss Fox deposited a sincere portrayal of the yuppie high school cheerleader, we have all come to know and love, that just so happened to have a need for feeding on the flesh of the living and practicing male population control.  But what else is a succubus to do? 

So does the inclusion of Megan Fox make Jennifer’s Body a Blu-ray movie worth plopping down your hard earned Benjamin’s for?  If you were initially curious like me, a Megan Fox fanboy, or just a fan of Cody’s quirky writing style, then I think this Blu-ray warrants a purchase.  However, if you are easily annoyed by the slow moving nature of Cody’s writings or a Megan Fox hater, then your time may be better spent scouring ebay looking for a still sealed mint condition Hordak figure.  I am not saying this because Jennifer’s Body is a bad movie, but on the contrary I believe it to be much of an acquired taste like beer first is in your youth.  It was just the right mixture of homogenous ingredients to get me over the hump of some of the bad movies I had seen in the August/September 2009 timeframe.  The film is a dark, brooding horror-comedy that feeds on your brain much like the undead zombies feed on fresh flesh.  Aligning perfectly with the split mixed critical reviews, you are either going to find this movie appealing in a guilty pleasurable kind of way or you will simply be appalled by it.

If you found the vomit scenes in Drag Me To Hell too gross to handle, then just keep moving on, as this is not the film you are looking for (as I make my Jedi-like wave).  Although the film is violent in nature, much of the gore is kept to a minimum.  In retrospect, if you cut out the very infrequent F-bombs that were used, I really cannot see a reason as to why this film could not have achieved a PG-13 rating.  The R-rating is probably what kept the box office numbers low.  But who does not like a good, abrasive, cutting edge R movie anyway?  The movie studio is really going to hate me for this, but I feel this is my civic duty to let all the fanboys know that Megan Fox does not have any nude scenes.  You have actually seen more nudity of her on the Internet (hence my reference to Google Search before), during production of this film, then you will ever see within the movie’s 102 minute runtime (or 107 minutes depending on which version you are viewing).

It has been said that writer Diablo Cody wrote Juno at Starbucks in a Target store.  So don’t be alarmed when you hear a random shout out to Super Target within the movie.  Little inside jokes like this are what I find clever in filmmaking; with the exception of Revenge of the Sith’s lightsaber handle swaps.  Besides the eye candy of Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body also stars Mamma Mia!’s Amanda Seyfried and everyone’s favorite newspaper editor, J.K. Simmons.  In addition to the well-known cast members, the film also rocks a sonic soundtrack that will appeal to even the broadest range of alternative fans.  If you are like me and you enjoy a hot female lead, a campy B-movie storyline/feel and essential horror gore, then you will probably like Jennifer’s Body.  Notice, I used the word ‘probably.’  As I stated before, this film will not appeal to everyone.  You just have to keep an open mind, accept the fact that you have bought this Blu-ray for Megan (or Amanda if she is your cup of tea) and be able to appreciate the mundane from time-to-time.  If I had to break the film down in mathematical terms, I would quantify a statement that Jennifer’s Body equals the quirkiness of Juno plus the horror comedy elements of Drag Me To Hell.  Take that for what it’s worth. 

Before we move on to the technical aspects of the Blu-ray release I guess it would be nice of me if I gave you a very brief synopsis of what Jennifer’s Body is even about other than spending 5 paragraphs talking about that fact that Megan Fox stars in it.  Cody is on record saying that she wanted the film to speak to female empowerment and explore the complex relationship between best friends.  I find it hard to digest the word ‘complex’ in Cody’s statement.  There is nothing about Jennifer’s Body that is complex.  Yes, the film does explore the affinity between best friends (Fox and Seyfried), but I would hardly call this relationship complex.  They wear BFF necklaces.  How much more juvenile can we get?  In case you are wondering, BFF stands for Best Friends Forever and is pronounced ‘biff’ with a short ‘i’ (as a tribute to Back to the Future I have read).  But think about this.  What if your best friend was so completely the opposite of you that no one outside of your relationship really understood you or why you two were friends in the first place?  Now, what happens if your best friend all the sudden transforms into an unstoppable flesh eater that will stop at nothing until her male appetite is relinquished?  Will you stand by her or would you put a stop to the killing even though you know she would never harm you?  Jennifer’s Body never markets itself as a true horror film, but in my belief that won’t stop the film from achieving a modern day cult classic status due to its sometimes witty and clever dialogue and brilliantly fun performances (in which Megan Fox really does deliver the goods).  All right, enough fluff, let’s get move on to the Blu-ray vitals!

Video     

Jennifer’s Body sinks her teeth into Blu-ray with a delectable 1080P video presentation that will leave even the most petite succubus wanting seconds.  The nectarous video transfer sees an AVC MPEG-4 encode celestially filling your entire HDTV screen real estate with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio.  The seductive Megan Fox never looked better as every delineated shadow is accounted for.  The video presentation is almost perfect as the exceptional transfer is consistent throughout and exquisitely captures Diablo’s vision and moody undertones.  The movie looks exactly the way I saw it in the theater, minus the annoying teenagers kicking the back of my reclining chair.  After much internal debates with myself, I finally settled on a score of 4.  While this presentation is hardly reference quality, it does however faithfully reproduce the theatrical exposition of the film in the privacy of your own home.  Isn’t that what the Blu-ray format is supposed to do?  If the answer to that question is a Rob Zombie “Superbeast”-like hell yeah, then Jennifer’s Body is a bloody victory. 

Everything is done right in this transfer (skin tones are “dead” on, Megan’s tattoos are flawlessly covered, detail is staggering, colors are vivid when required and the print is cleaner than a fat kid’s plate after eating cake), but what really stands out the most are the exceptional black levels. For a movie that is consistently drenched in dark shadows and horror-like atmospheres, the black levels are unrivaled.  One scene that comes to mind takes place near the end of the movie where Jennifer is laying in bed and then she turns out the remaining lights in her teenage bedroom.  Even with all the lights off, the subject matter (Megan Fox) and all her surroundings are brilliantly captured and visible just like I was there on the set seeing it through my own set of 1080P eyes.

Audio   

Jennifer’s Body is even more bodacious and infectious on the Blu-ray format thanks to the rocking and thunderous DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track.  The surround track is sumptuous on a number of accounts.  Sure, the track will never be a true reference quality that rivals the great action movies on the Blu-ray format, but the quirky and brooding atmosphere of Jennifer’s Body is faithfully intact here thanks in large part to its impressive audio.  I never thought I would have ever been reaching for my remote control to turn the volume down.  I initially thought the other way around.  When the action heats up on the screen the surround track kicks it up into high gear and encompasses you in the center of it all.  The dialogue always remains loud and clear throughout.  But most of all, it is the score and alternative pop songs that are truly the masterpiece here.  You want to talk about a film soundtrack?  I bought it as a blind buy weeks before the movie’s theatrical release last year and it is still a heavy hitter in my car’s CD library (and in Gregg’s iPod).  The songs rattled my Onkyo subwoofer and gave it an exhausting workout like it has not had for a long time.  Just like the movie is to many fans, I think they will be pleasantly surprised here with a Blu-ray audio track that deserves to be recognized for what it is…killer.

Special Features   

The Blu-ray debut of Jennifer’s Body is outfitted with a pretty succulent supplement package.  The succubus tale of Jennifer’s Body is accompanied with quite an arsenal of Hi-Def goodies.  Unfortunately, most of these extras are quite short in runtime, thereby preventing me from awarding a higher score in the special feature category.  The real crown jewel of this Blu-ray release is the inclusion of a Director’s Cut version of the film, which appears in addition to the theatrical one.  The Unrated version of the film adds an extra 5 minutes of runtime to the feature.  Make no exception here; the inclusion of this extra footage is a much welcomed addition to an already tantalizing film.  Usually, unrated editions add unnecessary footage and end up burdening the overall viewing experience, but that’s definitely not the case here.  The seductive story of Jennifer Check only benefits from the add-on treatment.  How often can you say that?  Anyway, let’s get down to business and check out every special feature of Jennifer’s Body.

Below are some pictures I took of the back cover art, the inside packaging of the 2-disc set (Digital Copy on the left and the Blu-ray disc on the right) and the paper insert with the Digital Copy activation code on the flip side (valid until December 28, 2011).  Click on the below images to enlarge for maximum viewing pleasure.

Below are some screenshots I took of the Blu-ray disc main menu selections. The menu choices remain static on the bottom of the screen as different movie scene images cycle in the background.  Click on the below images to enlarge for maximum viewing pleasure.

• Unrated Version – As stated before, you can choose between the theatrical version of the film and an Unrated Director’s Cut.  The runtimes between the two differ by only 5 minutes (theatrical – 102 minutes & Unrated – 107 minutes).
• Audio Commentary on the Theatrical Version – The audio track features Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody.
• Audio Commentary on the Unrated Version – This audio track features only Director Karyn Kusama.
• Deleted Scenes (HD) – Here you will find 6 polished deleted scenes clocking in at a total runtime just shy of 14 minutes.
• Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool (HD) – This 14-minute featurette takes a quick look behind-the-scenes into the production of the film, set locations and special effects such as the unhinged jaw of Jennifer Check used during her feeding scenes.  This was really worth it for me.  I recommend checking this one out.
• Cast & Filmmakers’ Behind-the-Scenes Video Diaries (HD) – There are near 13 minutes worth of short video diaries from various members of the cast and crew.  There’s nothing of real substance here so let’s move on.
• Gag Reel (HD) – I was kind of surprised this one lasted as long as it did clocking in at almost 5 minutes in length.
• Megan Fox is Hot (HD) – When I first heard about this special feature I thought what a great way to market to the Megan Fox fanboys and move Blu-rays.  Naturally, this was the first extra I watched.  I hate to say it, but it was nothing special.  Heck, it does not even last one minute in length.  Boo!  Give me more!
• Megan Fox Peer Pressure PSA (SD) – I was actually quite bummed that this 40-second charm was not present in Hi-Def.  The quick satire was fun and right to the point.
• Fox Movie Channel Presents Life After Film School with Diablo Cody (SD) – The longest special feature on the Blu-ray disc features a 26-minute interview of Diablo Cody by three film school students.
• Trailers (HD) – There are trailers for Gentlemen Broncos, All About Steve, Whip It and Fame.  Sadly, there are none for Jennifer’s Body.
• Digital Copy (SD) – Last but not least, the included DVD disc in the set contains a portable copy for your favorite media player.  Enjoy it on the road!

Final Thoughts   

I am sure by now you have grown tired of me singing nothing but praise for Jennifer’s Body.  Ordinarily, on a movie such as this one that is split equally amongst critics, I would be obligated to give this one a rating as a rental.  However, due to my over poignant fondness of this film, the Blu-ray’s sonic audio surround track and an equally impressive video transfer, I am going to whole-heartedly recommend a purchase of this title.  For the fans who somewhat enjoyed it during its theatrical run, give it a second chance on the Blu-ray format, and I am confident you will be pleasantly surprised like I was.  For all the Megan Fox fanboys out there, well then this goes without saying.  I was so surprised to see that by 7 PM all the Best Buy stores in my area were completely sold out of this Blu-ray title.  Either there were only a few copies to go around or the cult following buzz that was missed as an opportunity in the film’s initial marketing is taking off faster than I expected.  Whatever the case is, you will definitely get your money’s worth here.  If nothing else, you always have good eye candy (I can just hear Gregg snarling at me now as he is reading this).  For what it’s worth, I am in love with Jennifer’s Body, the Blu-ray of course.  Thanks for reading!

I hope you enjoyed my review of the Fox’s Jennifer’s Body Blu-ray release.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.  I look forward to receiving any and all feedback from my readers. 

Jennifer’s Body was released on Blu-ray December 29th, 2009.  If you like what you read in the review above, then please show your support for our site by clicking the shopping cart link above to order and save with Amazon’s Everyday Lowest Prices.  Thanks!

10. Jennifer’s Body

Let’s be honest here.  The only reason people flocked to the cinema for this was because of the film’s sexy vehicle Megan Fox.  Do you think the majority of the people came to see Diablo Cody’s follow-up to Juno?  No.  I am willing to bet that the bulk of the viewing audience was split amongst two reasons for even being there.  First, you have your fans that were there solely for the sex appeal of Megan Fox, probably hoping to get a glimpse of more skin or any other kind of slip thanks to the leaked online photos that were taken of her during the filming of the movie.  If you don’t know what I am talking about, then just do a quick Google search.  You’ll find your pirate treasure.  Second, I feel strongly in my assumption that probably half the viewing audience was there just to see if Miss Fox could even act at all or if her 15 minutes of fame had expired.  Let’s face it.  Her role in Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise is not that avant-garde.  Heck, Michael Bay is even on record as saying he just wanted Megan to look sexy in his film.  He could care less about her acting abilities.  So I believe that people were truly eager to see what Megan Fox could do on the silver screen without the help of giant alien robots masking her potential acting inabilities.  Would she sink or would she ultimately swim? 

Thankfully, Megan did not drown, but that’s only in part to her character’s simple role.  In contrast, how much different was her character Jennifer from that of her character as Mikaela in Bay’s Transformers?  Besides the flesh eating, the answer is quite simple in the fact that there essentially wasn’t much of a resounding difference at all between the two roles.  They both utilized bimbo-like stereotypical female roles whose only essential requirement was that of mass sex appeal to the viewing audiences.  I am not going to throw Megan under the bus and say she is not hot, but she’s not all that either.  I probably would have preferred to see a young actress like Odette Yustman, who has some proven acting endowments and a comparable sexual appeal to Megan’s, thrown into this picture as the leading lady.  Nonetheless, it’s the film that speaks here.  After all, that’s why you’re reading this.  Yes, the fanboys get Megan Fox in many different sexual footings, but I ultimately had fun with this movie.  It was a little mixture of the quirkiness that made Juno fun with a hint of cult following that forever notarized the brand of The Lost Boys.  It definitely was not the best of 2009, but it was good enough to secure the final spot on my Top 10 list as I look forward with anticipation to checking out Megan’s body…ummm I mean Jennifer’s Body on the Blu-ray format.  This film, in a nutshell, is either one you are going to love or you are going to hate.  I don’t believe there is any middle ground or room for discussion here.  I am glad to have this one in my repertoire as a guilty pleasure, but if you don’t believe me feel free to research the many critics who reviewed this film and I think you will find the same 50/50 result.  But before we move on, I have to give kudos to the film’s killer soundtrack that rocked my car’s stereo for months now.  Talk about a great blind buy!

9.  Crank: High Voltage

What would life be without Chev Chelios?  I know.  Boring!  The Crank franchise is another one of those aforementioned titles that you are either going to love or you are going to flat out hate (that’s you Gregg).  If murder, mayhem, chaos, non-stop zany action, outrageous sexual scenarios and film footage that is so razor sharp that you can get an abrasive rash from it is not your cup of proverbial tea, then obviously Crank is not for you.  Wow!  That was a mouthful.  But for everyone else out there who just can’t get enough of the 105 mph thrill ride crazy antics of actor Jason Statham, Crank: High Voltage is a worthy sequel to its equally over-the-top predecessor.  I was very skeptical about how they were going to pull this one off considering the state of Jason’s character in the first film, but my fears were quickly relinquished within the film’s first 5 minutes.  I was instantly transported (no pun intended) again into the chaos I fell in love with in the first film.  The ending is a little iffy, but I said that for the first film, so we will see how they rebound again in the third Crank film.  Bravo!

8.  I Love You, Man

I don’t know what it was about the film’s trailer, but its marketing must have been really effective as it made me want to see the movie despite there being no star attraction for me other than comedic Paul Rudd.  Initial critical reviews were kind to the film and I rationally decided why not.  I took the plunge and I loved everything about it except for some reason, Rashida Jones.  But who cares about Rashida, let’s talk about Jason Segel.  I never really gave him a second look in Knocked Up, but in I Love You, Man, Jason is off the hook.  His hilarious antics and warm interactions with Rudd’s character really made this an effective heart felt comedy minimally rooted in the raunchy spirit of an Apatow production, but never going overboard.  And then on the 8^th day God created SNL’s Andy Samberg.  This dude was hysterical!  I instantly became a fan.  Did I also mention that the film’s production went green?   Well I did now!  Although I do have to admit that I am figuratively speaking of the cameo by the Incredible Hulk, Mr. Lou Ferrigno.  If curiosity has the best of you, then check out the interview we did with him this past summer here.  Fans of the legendary rock band Rush also have something to rejoice about.  You’ll see and hear what I mean soon enough if you heed the following free advice.  If you have not checked this film out yet, then I highly recommend making it a Blockbuster night.

7.   Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

What better movie ingredients can you have than Lycans (werewolves to the lay person), vampires and a smoking hot Rhona Mitra?  If you are seeking my opinion, then honestly the answer is simply not much.  Not even Orville Reddenbacher can top that lineup.  I admit to initially being hesitant about seeing this newest chapter in the Underworld trilogy quite simply because of the fact that my beloved Kate Beckinsale would not be appearing in the film.  I kept asking myself what is Underworld without Kate Beckinsale?  My response was always a simple one-word answer that I hinted at before, nothing.  Well my opinion quickly changed once I witnessed the impeccable action performance of Rhona Mitra in 2008’s Doomsday.  I then knew I would be giving this film a chance come 2009.  I was still reluctant to check it out on opening night, but my insecurity did not stop me from an afternoon viewing prior to the Steeler’s Super Bowl victory later that day.  I love underdog Rocky-like tales and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans takes no prisoners as the Lycans are led by the rebellious leadership of one man/Lycan who is both brave enough to stand up to the superior race, the vampires, and also dumb enough to fall in love with the head vampire’s daughter.  Now that’s what I call poetry in motion.

6.  Drag Me To Hell

Here’s an interesting one.  I had little interest in wanting anything to do with this.  Not being a fan of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead pictures I instantly dismissed this upon seeing the first theatrical trailer.  It was not until the overwhelming positive buzz came sweeping through the nation like a tsunami did I think I should probably give this film a try.  So I dragged my wife and some friends out to see this against their will.  My wife and I not only loved this flick, but we were darn near crying during some scenes at the rare comedic horror element the now genius Sam Raimi had injected within the film.  Sure you have your gross out moments and your predictable scares, but you have one thing that most of today’s horror/slasher films do not have in it, F-U-N.  If nothing else, this film definitely put Sam Raimi back on the map after the brutal bashing he took for his unpopular take on the third Spider-Man film.  I’m still confused on why I think that one was the best of the three, but that’s a story for a completely different day.  If you thought Sam lost his touch with the latest adventure of Peter Parker, then you need to second guess yourself and give this one a test drive. 

5.  Taken

A father’s love for his daughter is most commonly noted as one of nature’s strongest bonds.  So what happens when a former CIA agent’s daughter is kidnapped and marketed for international prostitution?  All hell breaks loose!  I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to include this film on my Top 10 list.  It’s not because the film isn’t extraordinary by any means, but because the film was actually released the year prior internationally before landing in American cinemas this year.  I remember seeing this film playing in Mexico during my vacationing there in December of 2008.  It was not until a couple co-workers highly recommended this movie that I made the logical decision to go check it out.  These are the action films I like.  This is what an action film should be like.  Sprinkle a dash of Jason Bourne and stir with a splash of Steven Segal and you have one of 2009’s greatest action heroes.  Instead of drowning in corny stunts, elementary dialogue and silly humor we are all witnesses to an onslaught of revenge tactics one man deploys to get back his only daughter.  Liam Neeson stops at nothing, beating down door after door and relentlessly slaying anyone that either gets in his way or is involved in the slightest with the kidnapping of his daughter.  This one ranks high on my list of all-time revenge movie plots. 

4.  G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

All right, here’s where I feel my believability factor and popularity might suffer a bit.  I just can’t help it and I am not ashamed to admit it.  I had fun this summer with G.I. Joe.  Much like I was with 2007’s Transformers, I was very apprehensive about them bringing my childhood sandbox to life on the big screen.  It was not the perfect movie by any means, but it was the perfect movie for me.  The fun factor, seemingly unbelievable technology and off-the-wall action sequences are what made this my perfect late summer escape from the non-existent Cleveland heat.  G.I. Joe never took itself too seriously and it never claimed to be something it was not (i.e. an Oscar award-winning movie).  It accomplished what it sought out to be right from the start, a summer blockbuster worthy of another chapter yet to be told.  I just hope in some way, fashion or form I get another dose of Sienna Miller’s Baroness.  She was the perfect combination of sexy fine and evil/villainous.  Fans of the product line will have to be a little forgiving with the way some back stories of the G.I. Joe lore are changed, but other than that just prepare to check your brain in at the door and have a romping good time with this one.

3.  District 9

Wow!  Did this movie ever have promise.  It took Comic-Con by storm this past July.  The Peter Jackson infused project seemed to be a winner even before its debut in the theaters.  I am sure most of the hype was stirred up by Harry Knowles over at Aint It Cool News, but for the most part, the film did deliver a grand epic of a story and a strong message about the inhuman treatment that mankind is intolerably capable of.  I may have not initially been mind blown like Harry, but I was not disappointed either.  I guess I wanted the ending to be so much more than it was that I ultimately disappointed myself.  I recently had the opportunity to revisit this one again on Blu-ray, before writing this list.  I tend to like things more the second time anyway.  And guess what folks?  I was mind blown.  I have no idea what I was thinking the first time I saw this.  Feel free to call me a hypocrite and throw the proverbial tomatoes at me.  I take back every nitpick I made against the film.  I was literally moved by this tale the second time around and I felt such a strong emotional connection with those aliens that I have not experienced in a movie since my inaugural viewing of Blood Diamond several years ago.  Bring on District 10, for I cannot wait for more!  It will be three years before we know it.  Will Christopher make good on his promise?  I sure hope so!

2.  Avatar

What can one really say about this movie that has not been said already in the past two weeks?  The motion picture is strong, visually stunning and overall amazing.  The story is not particularly original, but it’s the way it is told and the way your emotions are stirred into caring about how the Na’vi people are being mistreated by the humans.  You can turn your head away as much as you want, but there’s no denying that after seeing this film you realize some strong messages that are purported throughout.  It’s very hard not to see these.  And to think I almost stayed away from this film.  My curiosity got the best of me as I very much wanted to see what all the hype was about this movie and I admit to being a technology whore.  It was being shown in 3D after all.  What a perfect chance to see the new Real 3D technology and to witness, if anything, any improvements it might bestow upon Hollywood filmmaking.  I think fellow reviewer Bob Ignizio said it best when he asserted that the 3D option was not a gimmick and that this film is a good story nonetheless.  If you have a heart and you can allow yourself to slip into the Pandora universe for a good chunk of time, then you will find yourself lost in the world of Avatar much like I did.  You will have no care in the world other than primarily making sure the Na’vi people’s rights are upheld and protected from the evil human race.  Until the ending credits roll, be prepared for a rousing magical carpet ride.  I cannot wait to view this one again on the Blu-ray format!  I just hope the next one isn’t 14 years in the making away.

1.  The Hangover

The Hangover came out at a perfect time in my life.  I was combating a lot of problems during the month of July and The Hangover was my perfect antidote to get me through the roughest of days.  Every time I was feeling down and out I would hit up the theater for another treatment of The Hangover.  I always walked out with a glistening (because you know my teeth are so white) wide smile upon my face.  You can’t ask for anything better than that.  The Hangover was the perfect combination of comedic genius, laughter and mayhem action all bundled into one cohesive screenplay.  There’s that word again…”perfect.”  Are you starting to see a theme going on here?  You should!  In essence, The Hangover was the P-E-R-F-E-C-T movie of the year, in my opinion.  It’s just what the doctor ordered.  And besides, it had to be “perfect” for me to keep revisiting it over and over again as many times as I did during its theatrical run.  I take great pride in considering myself personally responsible for making it the highest grossing R-comedy of all time.  Since owning it on the Blu-ray format for a little over two weeks I have watched this movie a record nine times already and I am preparing for an eventual return visit or two by week’s end.  Make no mistake, when you just can’t get enough of a movie, you know you found a good thing.  Here’s raising my glass in anticipation to the gang’s next mishap journey coming in 2011.  May it be filled with more of the same crazy scenarios, memorable gut busting moments and insatiable laughter.  Cheers!

Honorable Mention 

Star Trek

Despite being a hardcore Star Wars fan (go ahead and say it…you can call me a nerd), throughout my entire life, and have never seen a single episode of the original TV series, or a film from the franchise for that matter, I thoroughly enjoyed the JJ Abrams project.  The action scenes were off the hook, but the time traveling was quite confusing for new fans of the franchise.  I understand why they went there and the nods to the original series, but I have to admit that the time traveling debacles bumped it down a bit on my list.

Saw VI

It’s no secret that I am fan of the legendary, but not completely stale yet, Saw franchise.  The sixth movie, in my opinion, was a welcome addition to the most profitable horror franchise (see my review here).  However, gruesome scenes of torture and gore, prevent even me from watching them too frequently, but come Halloween season I can always be found dusting off my Saw Blu-ray collection.  Honestly, I have grown so used to visiting the theater the third weekend of every October that I could not imagine a Halloween season without a Saw movie.  Thankfully for me, Saw VII is not only slated for next October, but it will be in 3D!  Can you imagine a Saw film presented in 3D?  I wanna play a game!

Wish I Would Have Seen

Zombieland

Law Abiding Citizen

Ninja Assassin

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

BIGGEST Disappointment

9

I am not going to pretend and claim that I can say it any better than fellow reviewer Gregg proclaimed in his post yesterday.  The animated film 9 was by far one of the biggest disappointments and most over-hyped films of 2009.  Granted, there are a couple others that come to mind, but none more disappointing than 9.  You know when you look at your watch multiple times during your initial viewing that you are in trouble.  I should have known by the third time I glanced at my watch during the movie’s runtime that I was in terrible danger of being utterly disappointed and that it was not going to get any better than it already was.  In fact, the only thing the movie has going for it is it’s short duration.  I have never been so let down in recent memory by a film that looked so promising, majestic and powerful in its theatrical trailers.  You got to give kudos to the marketing department behind this film’s release.  It packed a lot of suckers in to the theater to witness this on 09-09-09.  And worse of all I’m guilty of falling for this marketing ploy and being forever shamed.

Become a Fan today!

I am digging the fresh cover art for the Blu-ray release.  Kudos Fox!  As a treat to my loyal readers I have not only included the full press release below from Fox, but also the full-size Blu-ray box art.  Just click on the box art below to maximize for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy!

SHE’S EVIL… AND NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOL EVIL…
MEGAN FOX STARS AS A KILLER CHEERLEADER IN

JENNIFER’S BODY

Written By Academy Award® Winner* Diablo Cody, The Wickedly Sexy Horror Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD December 29

Featuring An All-New Unrated Extended Cut Too Sexy and Gruesome For Theaters

LOS ANGELES, CA – (November 6, 2009) In every school there’s one girl, every girl wants to be friends with…and every guy would die for. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents a “student body” with a ferocious bite when Jennifer’s Body arrives on unrated Blu-ray Disc (BD) and DVD December 29. Sexy temptress Megan Fox (Transformers) is hotter than hell as Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader who takes evil to a whole new level after she’s possessed by a sinister demon. Steamy action and gore galore ensue as the male student body succumbs to Jennifer’s insatiable appetite for human flesh. Now it’s up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried; Mamma Mia!) to stop the demonic diva’s reign of terror before it’s too late!

Fueled by the satiric wit of Oscar^®-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno), the sexy horror directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux) features a strong supporting cast of young Hollywood stars including Adam Brody (“The O.C.”), Johnny Simmons (Hotel For Dogs) and Chris Pratt (Bride Wars) as well as J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy”). Killer bonus features include an unrated extended cut packed with more sex and terror in addition to writer and director commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, video diaries, a Megan Fox PSA and much more. Jennifer’s Body will be available on Blu-ray (BD) as a two-disc release featuring a Digital Copy version of the extended cut on December 29^th.

Blu-ray Features:

Disc One
? Theatrical Widescreen Feature Film
   ? Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody
? Extended Widescreen Version
   ? Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama
? Deleted Scenes

   ? Dead Boys
   ? Jennifer Check Is Gross
   ? Needy Confronts Jennifer

   ? Who’s Cindy Crawford?
   ? Needy Faces The Band
   ? Ass, Gas or Grass…

? Gag Reel
? Jennifer’s Body: The Dead Pool
? Video Diaries

   ? Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons
   ? Amanda Seyfried 

   ? Diablo Cody
   ? Dan Dubiecki

? Megan Fox Is HOT
? Megan Fox “Peer Pressure” PSA
? Fox Movie Channel Presents ‘Life After Film School’ With Writer Diablo Cody
Disc Two
? Digital Copy of Jennifer’s Body (Extended Version) 

Miramax has made plans to release the Mike Judge comedy Extract on Blu-ray December 22nd.  Extract features comedic performances from Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, J.K. Simmons and Ben Affleck.  Iheard good things about this one!

In shocking news, don’t know if you consider this good or bad, Troma Entertainment has decided to go “Blu” in 2010 by releasing a new Blu-ray title every month.  Here’s hoping we see The Toxic Avenger on the Blu-ray format in the near future!

Summit Entertainment has announced that they will be bringing The Hurt Locker to the Blu-ray format on January 12th.  I can’t say I know too much about this one.

This last bit of news was from Friday, but sadly we never got around to posting it until now.  Warner Brothers/New Line Cinema has set a February 9th Blu-ray release date for the Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana drama The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Pre-order your Blu-rays today with Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee and know that 1% of your purchase will go directly to making a difference in the life of a child at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. To pre-order any Blu-ray mentioned in the above news article just click on the movie title link.

In addition to the slew of popular titles arriving on the Blu-ray format December 29^th, Universal Studios will deliver the Tim Burton produced animated film 9.  That’s one film I am definitely passing on and will make my list for one of the biggest disappointments of the year.  Universal will also be bringing the Smokin’ Aces 2: Assassin’s Ball sequel to Blu-ray on January 19^th. 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment recently announced a January 19^th Blu-ray release date for Weeds: Season 5.  I have heard so many good things about this show.  I need to check it out sometime.

Disney/Buena Vista just put the word out on the street about a January 26^th Blu-ray release date for the Bruce Willis sci-fi thriller Surrogates.  This may be an interesting film.  I don’t know.  It could go either way.  I missed this one in the theaters.  I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised like I was for I, Robot a long time ago.

Speaking of December 29^th Blu-ray release dates, Sony’s District 9 Blu-ray release will feature a demo of the upcoming Playstation 3 exclusive game God of War III.  The demo will only be playable on the PS3.  After completion of the demo you will also be able to unlock a God of War III making-of-featurette.  For the kiddies, Sony has published a January 5^th Blu-ray retail date for the animated hit Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  Sony has also been busy at working prep a possible December Blu-ray release of Michael Jackson’s This Is It.  That’s pretty quick for a film that has not even hit the theaters yet, but you got to cash in quickly I assume the thinking is.

Last but not least, Warner Bros. will release Chuck: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray January 5th.

How’s that for a daily dose of Blu-ray news?  Don’t answer that.  It was a rhetorical question.  Have a good rest of your hump day! 

After the sleeper success and Oscar win of 2007’s Juno, screenwriter Diablo Cody has become a breakout success with a bizarre rags-to-riches story.  But in the past year the backlash due to her trademark ‘dialogue’ and what many felt an undeserving win, has almost out-shadowed her success.

The same can be said for the film’s leading lady, Megan Fox; after bidding time with average teen-drama fair, Fox broke out in Michael Bay’s Transformers making mouths drool and heads turn from her stunning looks.  Unfortunately, over time, her loud opinions and general overexposure has made even horny teenage boys tire of her, which bring us to Jennifer’s Body; an enticing collaboration between the two.  When announced a year ago, the concept screamed ‘box-office success’ but at present has only made a small whimper at the cinemas.  The film is overly ambitious and muddled yet overall it’s a shame because looking past its flaws and media gossip lies a fun B-movie that deserved a fair shot.

First things first, Megan Fox is smoking hot in the film but that’s a given.  Luckily, she also impresses on the acting front, playing the ice-cold high school diva with relish.   She’s equally as game to flaunt in her cheerleader outfit as she is to vomit black bile in demon make-up.  Yet, for all the effort she puts in, the true stunner is Amanda Seyfreid who manages to steal the show with the less flashy role.  Her take on Needy is grounded and involving, helping the uneven film through some of its more awkward and bizarre moments.

On the screenwriting side there’s no denying that Cody is a good writer, behind both her films lie an involving story with three-dimensional characters regardless of all the superficial quirks.  Yet Juno comes out superior for its grounded drama and was subtler with its quirkiness while Jennifer’s Body attempts to go straight for the jugular and wallow in its excess.  Most of Cody’s trademark dialogue comes off as flat and more specifically robs the third act from any decent emotional involvement.  Another flaw is the film’s ambition.   Diablo attempts something that is part dark ‘High school’ satire, part ‘feminist’ message and part B-grade horror, overall creating a concoction hard to swallow although enjoyable to watch.

Director Karya Kusama’s attempts to blend it together are as slick as possible, yet stumble when she aims her style for Gothic and elegant with the subject screaming gritty and ‘Grindhouse.’  The end product is a film that falls short of its ambitious checklist, yet you can never hate a film for trying.  For the several times Jennifer’s Body falls on its face, once in a while it hits one out of the park creating something fresh, sometimes exciting and overall fun.

Overall: 3/5

 So just how awful was Megan Fox in her first starring role?  I am going to go out on a proverbial limb here, hoping not to go out too far and risk a branch breaking and boldly say that she truly was the charm of this film.  From her corny one-liners to her sh#$-eating grins, I found myself partially amused throughout.  While her performance is not going to warrant any special recognition, it was exactly the kind of deliverance that I was expecting from her in this juvenile role.  Not to take her too seriously, I believe Miss Fox deposited a sincere portrayal of the yuppie high school cheerleader, we have all come to know and love, that just so happened to have a need for feeding on the flesh of the living.  For some strange reason Megan reminded me a lot of Mila Kunis’ character from That ‘70s Show, when she wasn’t practicing male population control, of course.

So does the inclusion of Megan Fox make Jennifer’s Body a movie worth plopping down your hard earned Benjamin’s for?  If you are curious like me, then I think so.  However, if you were among the few in attendance tonight at the theater, your time may have been better spent enjoying the last remnants of summer nights.  I am not saying this because Jennifer’s Body is a bad movie, but on the contrary I believe it to be much of an acquired taste like beer first is.  It was just the right mixture of homogenous ingredients to get me over the hump of the bad movies I have seen over the past couple weeks, but not by much.  The film is a dark brooding horror comedy that feeds on your brain much like the undead zombies feed on fresh flesh.  Aligning perfectly with the split mixed reviews I have been observing ever since last week’s Toronto Film Festival, you are either going to find this movie appealing in a guilty pleasurable kind of way or you will simply be appalled by it.

If you found the vomit scenes in Drag Me To Hell too gross to handle, then just keep moving on, as this is not the film you are looking for (as I make my Jed-like wave).  Although the film is violent in nature, much of the gore is kept to a minimum.  In retrospect, if you cut out the very infrequent F-bombs that were used, I really cannot see a reason as to why this film could not have achieved a PG-13 rating.  The R-rating is what will probably keep the box office numbers low.  Despite the massive appeal that Megan Fox possesses over the male population, I was very surprised to behold a low theatrical turnout for opening night.  I could have walked into the movie, just as it was starting, and would have had no problem finding my favorite seats.  The movie studio is really going to hate me for this, but I feel this is my civic duty to let all the fanboys know that Megan Fox does not have any nude scenes.  You have actually seen more nudity of her on the Internet, during production of this film, then you will ever see within the movie’s 103-minute runtime.

It has been said that writer Diablo Cody wrote Juno at Starbucks in a Target store.  So don’t be alarmed when you hear a random shout out to Super Target within the movie.  Little inside jokes like this are what I find clever in filmmaking, with the exception of Revenge of the Sith’s lightsaber handle swaps.  Besides the eye candy of Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body also stars Mamma Mia!’s Amanda Seyfried and everyone’s favorite newspaper editor J.K. Simmons.  In addition to the well-known cast members, the film also rocks a sonic soundtrack that will appeal to even the broadest range of alternative fans.  If you are like me and you enjoy a hot female lead, a campy B-movie storyline/feel and essential horror gore, then you will probably like Jennifer’s Body.  Notice, I used the word probably.  This film will not appeal to everyone.  You just have to keep an open mind, accept the fact that you are there for Megan and be able to appreciate the mundane from time-to-time.  If I had to break the film down in mathematical terms I would quantify a statement that Jennifer’s Body equals the quirkiness of Juno plus the horror comedy elements of Drag Me To Hell.  Take that for what it’s worth.  With all that being said, this will be a Week 1 Blu-ray purchase for me. (Grade: B- )

I scoured the Internet and found three different theatrical posters (see below) for Jennfier’s Body.  Hell yes!  Enjoy! 

Feel free to leave some comments below and let me know your thoughts on this review and/or Jennifer’s Body.  Thanks!