Archive Page 538
December 23rd, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
We Bought a Zoo is a movie made to make you feel good. There is no other way around that. It features nice performances, a nice score, stakes that are enough to keep you involved, but never to really put you in a tense place, and an overall sweetness that is enough to make your teeth fall out. It is certainly nothing I hold against the film, especially given that it is based on a true story, but the joyful optimism seen in this film can only take one so far, before the level of interest starts to fade. Still, We Bought a Zoo is perfectly acceptable for families to watch together during the holiday season and at least possesses a confidence in the acting and filmmaking to keep it ahead of other, similar family friendly features. Continue reading ‘‘We Bought A Zoo’ Sure Is Sweet…’
December 23rd, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
As promised, here is my Top 10 FILM list for 2011. I actually had to scramble in compiling this list, because there was one movie that I needed to see before my deadline and I was confident that it would go on my list. Did it, though? That’s what you’re going to have to read to find out. These films are all films that opened in limited or wide release, but that exhibited in 2011. Not all of these films were actually seen at the theater, some were seen on Blu-ray – the point is that they were all seen this. year. With that out of the way, enjoy what I have to offer you in my Top 10 list of 2011 at Why So Blu. Continue reading ‘Gerard’s Top 10 FILMS of 2011′
December 22nd, 2011 by John Hitch
David Fincher’s newest flick, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, features an unforgettable opening sequence reminiscent of star Daniel Craig’s other franchise, which coincidently, is also filled with sex, spy gadgets and wealthy super villains. This movie begins by flashing sort-of-nude dancers writhing to a tune related to the movie, like Octopussy or Goldeneye did before it. Here it’s Trent Reznor and Karen Oh’s industrial update of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” which appropriately gears you up for the craziest events ever to befall Sweden, a tedious land of ice and snow, or more recently, IKEA and Volvo. The song choice, along with the assault of slick effects and rapid-fire editing, remind you this is going to be much more like Se7en than 007. Continue reading ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Movie Review)’
December 22nd, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of director Joe Johnston’s (Captain America: The First Avenger) action-filled and witty movie known as The Rocketeer. Now with state-of-the-art digital restoration and enhanced high definition sound, experience it as it jets off for the first time on Disney Blu-ray. The discovery of a top-secret rocket pack hurls test pilot Cliff Secord into a daring adventure of mystery, suspense, and intrigue! Cliff encounters an assortment of ruthless villains, led by a Hollywood screen star who is a secret Nazi spy. With the help of his actress girlfriend, the young pilot battles enormous odds to defeat his foes who are anxious to use the device in an evil plan to rule the world. The dangerous mission transforms the ordinary young man into an extraordinary hero. Continue reading ‘The Rocketeer: 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
December 22nd, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
The problem I have with a lot of films that are adapted from plays is how they tend to feel a bit too theatrical, yet limited scope. They are movies that feature big performances from the cast, complete with many key monologues, yet only feel like an expansion from the stage into a larger arena, as opposed to a whole new experience brought to a more cinematic format. There are many exceptions to this, with 12 Angry Men and Glengarry Glen Ross standing out as obvious ones, and I think director Roman Polanski’s adaptation of the play God of Carnage stands on sure footing. It is almost entirely contained in one setting and functions as a scathing comedy. While very limited in scope and possessing very little in the way of a true story arc structure, the film features strong performances from the four leads and is quite funny in a fittingly European way, with tinges of Curb Your Enthusiasm-inspired looniness. Carnage is an interesting departure for Polanski, but entertaining all the same. Continue reading ‘Sink Your Teeth Into Comedic ‘Carnage’’
December 22nd, 2011 by Brian White
It’s that time again. Another year has flown by and I’m still proverbially in the same place and physically in the same chair as I was last year. My how things don’t always change like you want them to, but that’s the beauty of looking forward to next year and all the endless possibilities dreams, hopes and endeavors may bring you. Here’s looking to 2012! But before I “turn the page” (a nod to Bob Seger, not Metallica), it wouldn’t be right without first recapping my favorite movies of the year and cramming down your throat why I think the way I do. Who’s right and who’s wrong when it comes to these? Absolutely no one is. We each have our own opinion, beliefs and value systems. That’s what makes us individuals. But when it’s your day to shine here on Why So Blu, your Top 10 list becomes as powerful as the almighty scriptures of the past. So for today, December 22, 2012…this is the new law being enforced upon you around here. Follow you will! Continue reading ‘Brian’s Unquestionable TOP 10 Films of 2011′
December 21st, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
I might have some more to say about this film next week, when my top 10 films list comes out, but in the meantime, word has hit that Martha Marcy May Marlene will be arriving on Blu-ray and DVD February 21, 2012. Besides having one of the most fun titles to say out loud, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a tense psychological thriller revolving around a young girl, Martha (a fantastic Elizabeth Olsen) who has escaped a cult. The film moves through a nonlinear timeline, exploring Martha’s fragile psyche, as she contends with both the life she lived and the readjusting to a regular society. It is a wonderfully creepy film in a very low-key sense and I am looking forward to checking it out again when it arrives on Blu-ray. Read on to find more from the official press release and to learn out more about the special features present on the disc. Continue reading ‘The Paranoia In ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene Returns’ In February On Blu-ray/DVD’
December 21st, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
After all the lighthearted fun I have had with the adventure films of December, 2011, it is now time to sink to someplace darker. The biggest curiosity I have with the self proclaimed, “feel bad film of Christmas,” is how the three groups of people will respond to it. The groups I refer to are those who have read the books, those who have seen the original films, and those who are completely new to the series. As The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is based on the first book in an internationally best selling series, which has already spawned a popular film, there seems to be plenty of elements to consider. The main reaction I have taken away is that the film is efficiently constructed and features a lot of specific elements that make it very watchable. I have some issues with this film’s personality versus the original, but at the very least, it is a well done, hard-R film, with an atypical female lead, for those who enjoy dense mystery thrillers. Continue reading ‘‘Dragon Tattoo’: An Almost Too Expected Use Of Fincher’s Talents’
December 21st, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
Making a Top Ten list of Blu-rays is always a difficult thing for me to do. The fact that there’s so many excellent releases that I haven’t seen yet just makes it even harder because I know a lot of them would be on my list. So I’ve decided to make a list of the Top 10 Blu-rays that I’ve seen and most likely reviewed, and another list of Blu-rays that I would have included on this list if I had seen them. Continue reading ‘Sean’s Top Ten Blu-rays of 2011 / Holiday Gift Guide’
December 20th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Beavis and Butt-Head, America’s favorite culture critics, made their triumphant return to MTV and proved that they are…just as dumb as they ever were. Now the beloved pair of fart-knockers is preparing to blaze a new trail in high definition when Beavis and Butt-Head: Volume 4 arrives on Blu-ray and DVD February 14, 2012. The season premiere of Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-Head in October of 2011 ranked #1 in all of cable among all core male demographics and was the most-watched telecast of the night on cable with over three million viewers. Creator Mike Judge has resurrected everything fans loved about the idle teens, but now they have more than just music videos to make fun of: Reality TV, the Internet, and Mixed Martial Arts are all subject to the withering commentary of these savvy television viewers. Continue reading ‘Beavis and Butthead: Volume 4 on Blu-ray February 14’
December 20th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
The record-breaking franchise that has terrified audiences around the world returns with the scariest story yet as PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 debuts on January 24, 2012 from Paramount Home Entertainment in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™ and a Digital Copy. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 will also be available On Demand. “Terrifying” (Time) with “heart-pounding scares” (BloodyDisgusting.com), PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 takes audiences back to where it all began with the masterminds behind the first two films returning to craft a hauntingly chilling follow up. Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the filmmakers who created the unsettling sensation Catfish, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 achieved the biggest theatrical debut for a horror film ever, ultimately earning more than $200 million worldwide. Continue reading ‘‘Paranormal Activity 3’ on Blu-ray January 24′
December 20th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
I was very excited when it was first announced that Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson would be collaborating on film adaptations of the popular “Adventures of Tintin” comic book series by Hergé. Having long been a fan of the series, both in comic form and in its HBO TV series format, putting these two master filmmakers behind the camera for a new, big screen adaptation was a pretty easy way to get me amped. Now as a friend of mine wisely put it, the popularity of Tintin in America is similar to the popularity of soccer. The character is much more of an international icon and the character’s depiction skews pretty broadly. Opposed to the gritty rough and tumble nature of many American heroes, Tintin tends to find himself in lighthearted adventures and peril resolved with playful coincidences. As a result, The Adventures of Tintin is a fairly lighthearted adventure that happens to be incredibly well made thanks to Spielberg’s directorial handle on a 3D motion capture film. Continue reading ‘‘Tintin’s Adventures Never Cease To Astonish, No Matter How Unexpected’
December 20th, 2011 by Gregg Senko
So many Blu-rays, so little time. If I bought every disc I wanted to see this year, I would’ve gone broke before the summer ended. There were some great releases that didn’t make my list such as Swingers, Attack the Block, and True Blood: Season 3. Then there were the sure-fire films I thought would make the list but missed by a mile, like a really bad video transfer of Gettysburg and an extras-less Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Who releases a big budget feature on Blu-ray with no extras?? Anyway, I’d have to say this was probably the most difficult top ten Blu-ray list I ever had to assemble as it underwent many changes throughout the year, most over the course of the last week. Now that 2011 is just about said and done, here are my favorite picks of the year…
Continue reading ‘Gregg’s Top 10 Blu-rays of 2011′
December 19th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly light up the screen in director Alfred Hitchcock’s suspenseful and romantic thriller TO CATCH A THIEF, debuting on Blu-ray March 6, 2012 from Paramount Home Entertainment. A delightful classic filled with star power, witty dialogue, breathtaking scenery and plenty of plot twists, TO CATCH A THIEF garnered three Academy Award® nominations and won the Oscar® for Best Cinematography, Color. Starring Cary Grant as John Robie, a reformed cat burglar, and Grace Kelly as an heiress with whom he becomes romantically entangled, the film takes place on the opulent French Riviera as Robie tries to uncover the identity of a jewel thief and prove his own innocence. Continue reading ‘‘To Catch A Thief’ on Blu-ray March 6, 2012′
December 19th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
I am super busy these days, but there are a certain number of films that I could not pass up when it came to checking them out on Blu-ray, at my own leisure, in the comfort of my own home. The following list is set of films that I consider to be some of the best that the Blu-ray format has had to offer for this year. Much like last year, I stayed true to some rules; I have to have actually watched the movie on Blu-Ray and delved into the special features and most importantly, I did not put any film on the list that may also be on my “Top 10 Films of the year” list. This means excluding films like Rango and Attack the Block (which have fantastic Blu-rays). For the sake of keeping my list interesting, I followed these rules; so here we go: Continue reading ‘Aaron’s Top 10 Blu-rays of 2011’
December 19th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
The Kino Lorber group have released Rapt, the latest thriller in the kidnapped genre, but with a slight French twist. The twist being that it’s a French film. Okay, that’s not really a twist, but it’s a French kidnap-thriller of a film. You guys already know how I feel about French films, so it was a real treat to get a chance to review the latest French Blu-ray involving a kidnap for ransom story. Now the important question is, was it any good? Did it suck? Well, that’s what you’re here to find out, isn’t it. Sit back while take we you through the mean streets of Rapt. Continue reading ‘Rapt (Blu-ray Review)’
December 19th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Man, it’s only been twenty years (more, actually) since Art of the Western World made its premiere on PBS, but now it makes that leap over to the DVD format. I had no idea it was this old, but had heard the chatter that went along with describing the show. I never saw it, but had heard great things about. Well, we’re now going to cover it on Why So Blu. Art of the Western World is packaged into three dvds along with a booklet. You may not have wanted to pay attention in class, but now you can bring the world of art to your home with this set. Let’s take it back to 1989, shall we. Continue reading ‘Art of the Western World (DVD Review)’
December 19th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Let the countdown begin. Leave the existing world behind and enter into a futuristic world where the aging gene is switched off after 25 and time is money, literally, that many can’t afford in the cutting-edge thriller IN TIME, arriving on Blu-ray and DVD January 31 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Featuring an all-star cast including Justin Timberlake (The Social Network), Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) and Cillian Murphy (Inception), the film puts an innovative spin on class warfare and explores the corruptness that lies within. Continue reading ‘‘In Time’ Arrives on Blu-ray January 31, 2012′
We Bought a Zoo is a movie made to make you feel good. There is no other way around that. It features nice performances, a nice score, stakes that are enough to keep you involved, but never to really put you in a tense place, and an overall sweetness that is enough to make your teeth fall out. It is certainly nothing I hold against the film, especially given that it is based on a true story, but the joyful optimism seen in this film can only take one so far, before the level of interest starts to fade. Still, We Bought a Zoo is perfectly acceptable for families to watch together during the holiday season and at least possesses a confidence in the acting and filmmaking to keep it ahead of other, similar family friendly features. Continue reading ‘‘We Bought A Zoo’ Sure Is Sweet…’
