The Cake Eaters: DVD Review
The Cake Eaters
Rating: M
Released by Arkles Entertainment
Kristen Stewart (sort of) sheds her Bella from Twilight image in this
bittersweet story of love.
Set in small town
America, Stewart plays Georgia, a teen with Freidreich's Ataxia, a progressive
degenerative disease of the nervous system.
Georgia suffers with a slurred speech and a stuttering walk - but one
day, while at a car boot sale, she meets Beagle (Aaron Stanford), the son of a
local butcher. Beagle's family has been torn apart by their mother's death and
his long errant brother has also just returned to town - to a wall of bitterness
and anger at his absence during the family loss.
This quiet low key, character driven indie would probably have been
consigned to TV movie status (and has sat on a shelf since 2007) were it not for
Kristen Stewart and the Twilight mania. That said, while she does play a
variation of the Bella character, Stewart shows what a talented actress she
actually is.
Rating: 6/10
Thursday, 12 August 2010
The Men Who Stare At Goats: Blu Ray Review
The Men Who Stare At Goats: Blu Ray Review
The Men Who Stare At Goats - Blu Ray
Rating: M
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Ewan McGregor stars as small town reporter Bob Wilton in this shaggy dog style story.
One day Wilton looks into the story of Gus Lacey who claims to have psychic abilities.
After dismissing the story, Bob finds he can't escape from the idea of the psychics - and despite being posted to Iraq, in the unlikeliest of circumstances, Bob comes across Lyn Cassady (a deadpan turn by George Clooney) who Lacey claimed was a major part of the operation.
With his journalistic nose well and truly piqued, Wilton follows the story having learned that Cassady was a "Jedi warrior" and part of a psychic unit started up by Bill Django (Jeff Bridges in Dude a la Lebowski mode).
The Men Who Stare At Goats is quite the loose comedy piece here and there with Clooney once again drawing on elements of his O Brother Where Art Thou goofiness - but honestly, it's really all in the script for this.
The Men Who Stare At Goats' ending comes a little unravelled (and the final scene is a bit of a disappointment) the journey is a scarily funny one with some great one liners, hysterically odd situations and moments where you actually question what you've just witnessed and whether it was based on some grain of truth.
Extras: Commentary with author Jon Ronson, director Grant Heslov and deleted scenes - as well as exclusive to Blu Ray featurette on the goats.
Rating: 8/10
The Men Who Stare At Goats - Blu Ray
Rating: M
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Ewan McGregor stars as small town reporter Bob Wilton in this shaggy dog style story.
One day Wilton looks into the story of Gus Lacey who claims to have psychic abilities.
After dismissing the story, Bob finds he can't escape from the idea of the psychics - and despite being posted to Iraq, in the unlikeliest of circumstances, Bob comes across Lyn Cassady (a deadpan turn by George Clooney) who Lacey claimed was a major part of the operation.
With his journalistic nose well and truly piqued, Wilton follows the story having learned that Cassady was a "Jedi warrior" and part of a psychic unit started up by Bill Django (Jeff Bridges in Dude a la Lebowski mode).
The Men Who Stare At Goats is quite the loose comedy piece here and there with Clooney once again drawing on elements of his O Brother Where Art Thou goofiness - but honestly, it's really all in the script for this.
The Men Who Stare At Goats' ending comes a little unravelled (and the final scene is a bit of a disappointment) the journey is a scarily funny one with some great one liners, hysterically odd situations and moments where you actually question what you've just witnessed and whether it was based on some grain of truth.
Extras: Commentary with author Jon Ronson, director Grant Heslov and deleted scenes - as well as exclusive to Blu Ray featurette on the goats.
Rating: 8/10
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Lake Mungo: DVD Review
Lake Mungo: DVD Review
Lake Mungo
Rating: M
Released by Madman
A doco style horror, Lake Mungo is an Aussie film about a sixteen year old girl Alice Palmer who drowns in the local dam.
Initially the family's overcome by the tragedy after her body's discovered - but then they start to see visions of Alice in the house - and in photos and videos.
Calling in a parapsychologist, the Palmer family begins further investigations&.however, that's when the true reality starts to come to light.
You really need to see this film before the team behind the Ring horror series get their hands on it - it's moody, evocative, creepy and disturbing. Cleverly put together, the doco style helps lend a sense of verite to the events unfolding in front of you on the screen - and the fact it's wonderfully understated and underplayed will give you goosebumps.
It's hard to talk about this without spoiling it - and to talk of spoilers is to build a mystique which isn't perhaps there.
Suffice to say this is an effective supernatural onion of an eerie film - as the layers gradually unpeel, there are some real jolts and surprises as the twists are unveiled. It's also just the right length - which seems like an odd thing to say but any further prolonging of events could put you off.
Recommended - and you may feel a little unsettled afterwards....
Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary and trailer.
Rating: 8/10
Lake Mungo
Rating: M
Released by Madman
A doco style horror, Lake Mungo is an Aussie film about a sixteen year old girl Alice Palmer who drowns in the local dam.
Initially the family's overcome by the tragedy after her body's discovered - but then they start to see visions of Alice in the house - and in photos and videos.
Calling in a parapsychologist, the Palmer family begins further investigations&.however, that's when the true reality starts to come to light.
You really need to see this film before the team behind the Ring horror series get their hands on it - it's moody, evocative, creepy and disturbing. Cleverly put together, the doco style helps lend a sense of verite to the events unfolding in front of you on the screen - and the fact it's wonderfully understated and underplayed will give you goosebumps.
It's hard to talk about this without spoiling it - and to talk of spoilers is to build a mystique which isn't perhaps there.
Suffice to say this is an effective supernatural onion of an eerie film - as the layers gradually unpeel, there are some real jolts and surprises as the twists are unveiled. It's also just the right length - which seems like an odd thing to say but any further prolonging of events could put you off.
Recommended - and you may feel a little unsettled afterwards....
Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary and trailer.
Rating: 8/10
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Who Do You Think You Are? DVD Review
Who Do You Think You Are? DVD Review
Who Do You Think You Are?
Series 1 - 4
Released by Madman
With nearly 30 hours worth of television, this is some in depth set.
It's the UK series which started the ball rolling - and preceded the explosive boom interest in discovering more about one's roots. (Certainly in my parents anyway)
It's a very simple premise - grab a celebrity and get them to do some basic genealogy and discover something of their history - then film the results as they find out something they hadn't really been expecting or anticipated.
The end result is compelling television - with a raft of celebs including the likes of Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, Stephen Fry and Jeremy Irons to name but a few, there's plenty of people from all different walks of fame.
But what the series indicates is that all of us are linked in inextricable ways to our past - in Jeremy Clarkson's case, what he found out was a real shock. Thanks to the smart way this is made, it's never intrusive and is appealing that the celebs open themselves up so much to the cameras.
Extras: Basics really - some unseen footage - and a piece giving the basics on how to research your family - there's nothing earth shattering on this but the shows are enough to keep you entertained and informed - as well as intellectually stimulated.
Rating: 7/10
Who Do You Think You Are?
Series 1 - 4
Released by Madman
With nearly 30 hours worth of television, this is some in depth set.
It's the UK series which started the ball rolling - and preceded the explosive boom interest in discovering more about one's roots. (Certainly in my parents anyway)
It's a very simple premise - grab a celebrity and get them to do some basic genealogy and discover something of their history - then film the results as they find out something they hadn't really been expecting or anticipated.
The end result is compelling television - with a raft of celebs including the likes of Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, Stephen Fry and Jeremy Irons to name but a few, there's plenty of people from all different walks of fame.
But what the series indicates is that all of us are linked in inextricable ways to our past - in Jeremy Clarkson's case, what he found out was a real shock. Thanks to the smart way this is made, it's never intrusive and is appealing that the celebs open themselves up so much to the cameras.
Extras: Basics really - some unseen footage - and a piece giving the basics on how to research your family - there's nothing earth shattering on this but the shows are enough to keep you entertained and informed - as well as intellectually stimulated.
Rating: 7/10
Monday, 9 August 2010
Law Abiding Citizen: DVD Review
Law Abiding Citizen: DVD Review
Law Abiding Citizen
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: R18
Gerard Butler stars as Clyde Shelton - in front of his eyes one day, his wife and daughter are brutally killed in a home invasion.
Shelton survives but when it comes to trying the case, a hotshot lawyer Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) manages to get the one who stabbed him and his wife off - because he persuades him to testify against his accomplice.
Ten years go past - and suddenly Shelton is confessing to the murder of the one who got away&.and things get worse for Rice when Shelton's imprisoned but people involved in the case end up dead.
Suddenly the killings are so close to home - and the clock is ticking for Rice.
How far would you go to avenge your family's death? Well for Butler it's about as far as he's ever gone before - he's quite terrifying in his change from household man to psycho raging against the justice system.
There's a smart premise here that one man wants to bring down the corrupt system - there's some taut action scenes and a vein of tension pumping throughout this - coupled with the good solid central performances of Foxx and Butler, and this is a watchable - but disposable piece of Friday night entertainment - things blow up, explode - the usual fare.
Extras: Behind the scenes docos and trailer - as well as producers commentary - nothing outstanding but solid for the release
Rating: 6/10
Law Abiding Citizen
Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: R18
Gerard Butler stars as Clyde Shelton - in front of his eyes one day, his wife and daughter are brutally killed in a home invasion.
Shelton survives but when it comes to trying the case, a hotshot lawyer Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) manages to get the one who stabbed him and his wife off - because he persuades him to testify against his accomplice.
Ten years go past - and suddenly Shelton is confessing to the murder of the one who got away&.and things get worse for Rice when Shelton's imprisoned but people involved in the case end up dead.
Suddenly the killings are so close to home - and the clock is ticking for Rice.
How far would you go to avenge your family's death? Well for Butler it's about as far as he's ever gone before - he's quite terrifying in his change from household man to psycho raging against the justice system.
There's a smart premise here that one man wants to bring down the corrupt system - there's some taut action scenes and a vein of tension pumping throughout this - coupled with the good solid central performances of Foxx and Butler, and this is a watchable - but disposable piece of Friday night entertainment - things blow up, explode - the usual fare.
Extras: Behind the scenes docos and trailer - as well as producers commentary - nothing outstanding but solid for the release
Rating: 6/10
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Green Zone: Blu Ray Review
Green Zone: Blu Ray Review
Green Zone
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Pictures
The team behind the successful run of Bourne movies have reunited for this thriller set in Iraq after the 2003 war.
Matt Damon is Captain Roy Miller, who's in charge of the hunt for WMDs - but every lead they're following turns out to be a dud; each time they're sent in, there's absolutely no trace of anything.
So with suspicions aroused over duff intelligence, Miller starts to follow his own leads - and finds himself slap bang in the middle of a major conspiracy.
Matt Damon continues to push his image as the dependably stoic and intelligent everyman that has seen him become a big screen success; Green Zone itself is a conspiracy thriller which takes a little while to unravel but if you have your wits about you, you can see where it's going - and how it will end.
Overall it's a solid thriller with some great set pieces and a certain level of tension - once again, it's another good performance into Matt Damon's career.
Extras: Behind the scenes, commentary with director Greengrass and Damon, docos on how the making and how Damon prepared - a good solid bunch.
Rating: 8/10
Green Zone
Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Pictures
The team behind the successful run of Bourne movies have reunited for this thriller set in Iraq after the 2003 war.
Matt Damon is Captain Roy Miller, who's in charge of the hunt for WMDs - but every lead they're following turns out to be a dud; each time they're sent in, there's absolutely no trace of anything.
So with suspicions aroused over duff intelligence, Miller starts to follow his own leads - and finds himself slap bang in the middle of a major conspiracy.
Matt Damon continues to push his image as the dependably stoic and intelligent everyman that has seen him become a big screen success; Green Zone itself is a conspiracy thriller which takes a little while to unravel but if you have your wits about you, you can see where it's going - and how it will end.
Overall it's a solid thriller with some great set pieces and a certain level of tension - once again, it's another good performance into Matt Damon's career.
Extras: Behind the scenes, commentary with director Greengrass and Damon, docos on how the making and how Damon prepared - a good solid bunch.
Rating: 8/10
Friday, 6 August 2010
Remember Me: Blu Ray Review
Remember Me: Blu Ray Review
Remember Me
Rating: M
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
R Patz aka Robert Pattinson returns to the screen in this romantic drama.
He's Tyler, a rebellious student in New York in 2001, who's got a strained relationship with his lawyer dad (an aloof and emotionally hard Pierce Brosnan) ever since his brother committed suicide.
Tyler is a bit of a closed book drifter, a one night stands kind of guy who won't emotionally open up - but that all changes when a twist of fate brings him to Ally (Lost's Emilie de Ravin).
Ally too is emotionally damaged - having seen her mom murdered on the subway when she was 11, she isn't initially too keen to let Tyler into her life.
But the pair's paths are intertwined and fate has a way of playing these things out&
Sure, the story may be the usual tale of brooding teen love but thanks to pitch perfect performances from Pattinson and De Ravin along with the rich ending of Remember Me which emotionally shocks you by knocking the wind out of your cinematic sails, this is quite the surprise - it's unexpected, powerful and may well leave you agog.
Extras: Cast and directors commentary plus a making of.
Rating: 7/10
Remember Me
Rating: M
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
R Patz aka Robert Pattinson returns to the screen in this romantic drama.
He's Tyler, a rebellious student in New York in 2001, who's got a strained relationship with his lawyer dad (an aloof and emotionally hard Pierce Brosnan) ever since his brother committed suicide.
Tyler is a bit of a closed book drifter, a one night stands kind of guy who won't emotionally open up - but that all changes when a twist of fate brings him to Ally (Lost's Emilie de Ravin).
Ally too is emotionally damaged - having seen her mom murdered on the subway when she was 11, she isn't initially too keen to let Tyler into her life.
But the pair's paths are intertwined and fate has a way of playing these things out&
Sure, the story may be the usual tale of brooding teen love but thanks to pitch perfect performances from Pattinson and De Ravin along with the rich ending of Remember Me which emotionally shocks you by knocking the wind out of your cinematic sails, this is quite the surprise - it's unexpected, powerful and may well leave you agog.
Extras: Cast and directors commentary plus a making of.
Rating: 7/10
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