Zach Demeter | popgeeks.com

“The Green Hornet” Blu-ray Review

The Green Hornet film was in development hell for years, possibly decades (I didn’t follow it that far back), before a studio finally got serious about making a film. Sony finally got the ball rolling when a serviceable script was introduced and…it was co-written by and starring Seth Rogen. Mind you the immediate reaction of all (myself included in that “all”) was “how is he going to play a superhero?” Rogen slimmed down significantly for the role and while he wasn’t showing off any sculpted abs, he didn’t look like a slobby slouch that you could write off as someone who couldn’t get a few good punches in. While the film failed to impress just about everyone, it’s overall ticket sales were bolstered by the overseas intake which pushed the $120 million dollar film to over $220 in tickets—not bad for a film that ranks rotten on Rotten Tomatoes.

Synopsis
Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is a slacker by day, party animal by night… until he finds a serious career that’s seriously cool: crime-fighting action hero. As the Green Hornet, he teams up with gadget wiz and martial arts master Kato (Jay Chou) to take down LA’s underworld. Even Britt’s assistant Lenore (Cameron Diaz) doesn’t suspect this mismatched pair is the masked duo busting the city’s toughest thugs led by Chudnofsky (Academy Award® winner Christoph Waltz, 2010, Supporting Actor, Inglourious Basterds). With style, swagger and an arsenal of awesome gear, the Green Hornet and Kato are doing justice their way, making every mission a mix of over-the-top action and outrageous comedy.

I think there is a key element that goes into watching this film: you have to believe that it is going to suck so incredibly bad, that when it doesn’t you are taken aback in such a fashion that you actually enjoy the film. That’s what happened with me and while I’ll probably start out by singing the films praises in this review at first, I will likely end up trashing it so thoroughly that I can’t wait to throw out the disc when I get home. Wherever we end up in a four or five paragraphs remains to be seen, but I will start out by saying that I really enjoyed this film and I think its carefree attitude is what made it so easily enjoyable.

The immediate thought when it came to this film starring Rogen was that it was going to be some kind of stoner comedy. While it does feature Rogen pal James Franco in it very briefly, that’s about the last of our stoner comedy memories that we get. Rogen plays it straight in this film and while he’s obviously someone who tries to be a ladies man, the film really doesn’t portray him to be the all-out jerk you expect it to. In stark contrast, Rogen’s sense of nobility is kind of impressive here and really just sets you up for something that you’re not expecting. It’s easy to look at this film as a comedy, but it’s more than that. Well not much more than that since it’s pretty much a straight up action-comedy, but the film has a bit of heart to it amidst the seeming randomness of the story itself.

Perhaps the films biggest flaw is the sense of randominity. You get the impression that Britt Reid gets his idea for becoming the Green Hornet from his father, but the way it’s played here he just comes up with it because…well, he probably read too many comic books. I don’t know anything about the history of the Green Hornet franchise but the story we get here does just seem very, very random in its presentation. Characters get thrown in an almost haphazard way and the whole thing feels like it may have been better served as a TV show (shocking!); still, even though the film encroaches on the two hour mark I never felt myself looking at the clock until the end when I wondered how they were going to wrap it up without it feeling too abrupt. They managed to pull it off though and while I’m sure the film could have any number of improvements made to it so that it flowed better, the story is still just entertaining to watch nonetheless.

For me the humor is just what sold me on the film. While not all of the jokes were funny, a lot of them were executed brilliantly. Some of the humor was childish and they dropped the s-bomb in this movie more times than I can count, but it really just worked. I really enjoyed almost everything about this film, from the characters, to the humor, to the action…I don’t know what it is, perhaps I was just in the mood to watch it but this was a very simple and very enjoyable action/comedy outing. The only downside to the film was the sometimes wonky special effects—Kato’s slowdown of time was really odd and Britt’s random ability to tap into that towards the end was strange as well, but I guess you kind of just have to roll with it in the end.

Another thing that needs highlighting is Kato and Britt’s relationship because it really is the focal point of the film. From the start their interaction is flat out hilarious and even when they go through their predictable “tiff” over who’s the leader of the Green Hornet initiative or who gets to go out with Lenore (Cameron Diaz) you can’t help but enjoy their quarrel. Hell, that whole fight between Britt and Kato really sold me on the idea that Rogen could actually fight—he took way more punches, granted, but he defended himself in a really believable way. Its little elements like that that help add to the believability of such a ridiculous scenario happening.

There is also the supporting cast, though it really just all comes down to Christopher Waltz who plays the villain beautifully—thank the maker Nick Cage didn’t show up in that role. Really the film is a bit kooky and you could say it’s moderately camp but it’s played straight so it never comes off as being silly just for the sake of being silly. I’ve undoubtedly seen better films from the action/comedy genre in the past, but as far as buddy cop/superhero type setups go The Green Hornet is really just a fun way to kill a couple hours. Recommended

The Blu-ray
The Green Hornet finds a home in a standard single disc Elite Blu-ray case—and that’s it, really. Unless you trade up to this fancy-as-hell three-disc edition, in which case this film will really stand out on your shelf. There are two varieties of this release for some reason; one with just the Blu-ray and one with a Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/DVD combo pack. Not sure why they have two different versions, but there you have it. This super deluxe version has the three individual discs housed in a clear plastic, PS3 style case that kind of has a 3-D element going for it just on the packaging alone. The Black Beauty is prominently displayed on the front and the backdrop is actually an insider inside the case, so in a sense it looks like the Black Beauty is driving out at you. A cool little visual bonus—wasn’t expecting that at all based on the cover art they showed online! Menu’s are simple and easy to navigate and look great for a film such as this.

Moving onto the AVC encoded 1080p 2.40:1 transfer we get the usual flawless presentation out of Sony. The majority of the film oozes detail out of all of the frames, boasting plenty of detail in the myriad of sequences that range from daylight to nighttime in the city. I was really quite surprised by the amount of daylight sequences in this film; whether its Britt’s arrival home to find his father dead or the daytime meeting in a dirt pit, the film definitely had some surprising locations. The newspaper was a great place to have a shoot out too, with all the robotic reams of paper and the printing press. On top of that we have plenty of detail on character faces and the like, although there does seem to be a bit of a coloring issue at times—in particular the rooftop sequence with Waltz’s character and one of his henchmen. Their faces looked really, really orange at times—not sure if it was some neon sign doing it or what, but it varied from shot to shot. Unfortunately I have no 3D capable TV, so I can only comment on the beauty of the standard Blu-ray—but it is beautiful. Just about as beautiful as The Black Beauty itself.

The audio matches the visual presentation with great precision. I’m not sure I’ve heard a more lively presentation in ages, because this track was all over the place. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix spread the love across all the channels and it wasn’t just something that happened once or twice—every major action scene was spread all around the room and the shoot out in the office floor was just all over the place. I really think the audio mix had a huge part in my enjoyment of this film—if I had to listen to it quietly I doubt I would’ve had a dumb smile plastered on my face as much as I did.

Extras include:

• PS3 Theme
• movieIQ
• Jay Chou Audition
• Double Barrel
• 3D Animated Storyboard Comparisons
• The Green Hornet Cutting Room
• Filmmakers’ Commentary
• “Awesoom”-Gag Reel
• “Trust Me” -Director Michel Gondry
• Writing The Green Hornet
• The Black Beauty: Rebirth of Cool
• The Stunt Family Armstrong
• Finding Kato
• The Art of Destruction

All total there are an hours worth of features and deleted scenes, but the major highlight here is the commentary track with Seth Rogen, producer Neal Moritz, director Michael Gondry, and writer Evan Goldberg that is equal parts informative and funny. There’s a whole lot to like about this track and perhaps it was because I enjoyed the film so much the first time, but just hearing these guys talk about it was a ton of fun as well. Combine it with the other featurettes and such and this is a solid little disc for extras.

Overall The Green Hornet isn’t a perfect film but damn if it wasn’t a lot of fun to watch. The Blu-ray makes it even better with an absolutely killer A/V presentation. I doubt we’ll see a sequel to this film anytime soon, but the unorthodox ending definitely made for the possibility should the team re-assemble for (what will hopefully be a more cohesive) a sequel. Highly Recommended.

The Green Hornet arrives on Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 3rd.

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“Street Kings 2: Detroit” Blu-ray Review

Catch Ray Liotta and Shawn Hatosy in the action packed thriller, STREET KINGS 2: MOTOR CITY. Your heart will be racing as this compelling story about the ultimate struggle for justice comes to Blu-ray and DVD April 19 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Synopsis
Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) delivers an intense, electrifying performance in this explosive follow-up to the gritty urban crime thriller Street Kings. Liotta plays Detroit detective Marty Kingston, the leader of an undercover narcotics team, whose members are being systematically murdered one by one. To solve the brutal killings, Kingston joins forces with a cocky, young homicide detective (Hatosy). But neither of them is prepared for the shocking corruption their investigation will uncover — stunning secrets that will set both men on a violent collision course with betrayal and vengeance. Shot on location in Detroit, renowned director Chris Fisher brings the story to life in a way that is sure to have audiences raving. STREET KINGS 2: MOTOR CITY also stars Clifton Powell (“Army Wives,” Preacher’s Kid, Street Kings), and Zuliekha Robinson (“Lost,” The Namesake). STREET KINGS 2: MOTOR CITY will be available as a 1-disc DVD, 2-disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) or Street Kings Blu-ray 2 pack (Street Kings BD + Street Kings 2 BD).

The original Street Kings was a stupid, but fun, dirty cop drama simply because of the actors involved. The story was pretty mundane and the acting was questionable, but having Keanu Reeves and Hugh Laurie in the same movie just seemed awesome for some reason. For some reason someone decided that a sequel would be a good idea, though it definitely wasn’t a film that deserved one. But whatever, the film got made and was assigned director Chris Fisher, aka the brilliant mind behind S. Darko. “Ah,” I hear you saying, “that film really blew!” Yes it did. But Fisher’s direct-to-DVD films seem to have a common thread: they incorporate at least one of the actors from the original to…I don’t know what. Help make it seem like it exists for a reason? Who knows, but so far his career has sucked and the fact I’ve had to review both of his films for Fox as of late is a real disservice to me considering I enjoyed the original films he’s sequel-izing.

But I digress. This one is pretty obviously bad from the outset just because Ray Liotta is in it. He doesn’t seem to even care about the roles anymore so much as the paycheck and that is sadly quite evident here considering he phones in just about every scene he is in. The film opens with a huge shoot out which is probably the moment you should shut it off as it just steamrolls downhill from there. From there we progress three years into the future and find Liotta’s character, having been wounded in the shootout, playing an anti-drug dog at a local school. I guess we’re supposed to feel for the man, but I don’t because I know he’s an ass—Liotta’s character is always an ass. So I pretended that he wasn’t for a few seconds before the movie told me otherwise and that he was really the big killer of the whole film. Dirty cop!
And yeah it was really as simple as that. The film let go of this juicy plot point about halfway through the film, so that was perhaps the only relieving element of it—it just put us out of our misery super-fast. Of course it then dragged on another hour or so despite this “shocking” turn of events and I proceeded to hate myself for having to finish it. It’s supposed to be a game of cat and mouse for the last half of the film, but it really isn’t so much that as a game of mouse trap. You spend an hour setting the damn thing up and then the result is a fleeting twenty seconds of watching stuff knock other stuff down.

So basically what I’m saying is…this film is a giant waste of time and should be Skipped. It’s not even a guilty pleasure because it’s not a “so bad it’s good” type movie…it’s just bad. Period. There are no redeeming qualities and even the films occasionally atrocious dialogue isn’t enough to laugh at because it’s delivered so poorly and stupidly. Overall Liotta participated in another bomb of a film and the director of S. Darko continues a stupid streak. Shocking!

The Blu-ray
Street Kings 2: Detroit finds a home in a standard two disc Elite Blu-ray case—and that’s it, really. Just the two discs (Blu-ray, DVD) and insert.

Moving onto the AVC encoded 1080p 1.78:1 transfer we get the usual flawless presentation out of the Blu-ray format you expect. The majority of the film oozes detail out of all of the frames, boasting plenty of detail in the myriad of sequences that range from early morning shots to some very grainy and very blown out sequences…at least the sequel mimicked the looks of the original (that’s about all it did right though). On top of that we have plenty of detail on character faces and the like. The audio matches the visual presentation with decent flair, as the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix thuds and booms at every turn, spreading the love around to all of the surrounds and making full use of the LFE output during the shootout sequences and whatnot.

Extras include:

• Murder Scene Deconstructions
• Creating a Convincing Cop Story
• Motor City Setting
• An Explosive Opening
• Interactive Weapons Check (Blu-ray exclusive)
• Deleted Scenes

The extras are as worthwhile as the film. We get about a half hours’ worth of stuff here and none of it something I recommend. It all sucks, just like the movie. (Was that too harsh?)

Overall you can Avoid this release without worry.

Street Kings 2: Detroit is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

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“Forgiveness” DVD Review

Helen Whitney’s FORGIVENESS explores the act of forgiveness through a wide range of stories, from adultery and personal betrayal to the post-genocidal reconciliation of nations. In focusing on specific instances of affliction—one family torn apart by abandonment, the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation hearings in South Africa or the memories of ’60s radicals coping with their violent acts of protest—FORGIVENESS studies the psychological impetus and impacts of this crucial sentiment, illuminating its power, its limitations and, in some cases, its dangers. Giving voice to the stories of nations and individuals who have suffered and struggled to forgive, FORGIVENESS provides a moving and much-needed chronicle of reconciliation.

Synopsis
The deepest wounds can destroy countries, ravage families and damage generations to come. As difficult and painful as it can be, forgiveness is often the only thing that can heal these wounds and set things right. Helen Whitney’s FORGIVENESS explores the act of forgiveness through a wide range of stories, from adultery and personal betrayal to the post-genocidal reconciliation of nations.

It should come as no surprise that a documentary that was produced, directed, and written by someone who was nominated for an Oscar, won an Emmy and won two Peabody Awards is amazing and quite worthwhile to watch. It’s a pretty basic premise, but it’s deeply emotional in that it inevitably connects with anyone and everyone on some kind of level. It’s a universal concept and one we don’t really practice as much as we should and this film helps take a look at all kinds of forgiveness, though it often deals with weightier topics (which in turns help you put into perspective your own situations in which you must forgive others as well).

The documentary is split into two parts, with the first focusing on the “private realm.” This goes into such areas as the Amish response to the slaughter of children at the Nickle Mines schoolhouse massacre. It’s by no means a light topic to watch or witness, but it is one that is very eye opening as well. The second part is focused in the “public and political” realm, which zeroes in on such things as the post-genocide in Rwanda and the reconciliation between Jews and Germans.

It’s a very thought provoking film and one that will no doubt leave you a little shaken no matter what. Even if you’re on good terms with everyone in your life by some chance, it’s still a Highly Recommended documentary as you really won’t see anything else quite like it. After all, how many DVD covers do you know of that has a quote from the Dalai Lama on it?

The DVD
New Video/docuramafilms brings Forgiveness to DVD in a standard amaray DVD case. Nothing overly special about the presentation of the documentary here—no fancy exterior cardboard slipcase and the cover itself looks rather simplistic. Video and audio is a solid presentation overall and about what you’d expect from a documentary. As can be expected from a documentary the video is in 1.85:1 and the audio is a simple DD5.1 mix with the majority of the track focused in the front channels. Extras include:

Extended Bonus Sequences

The extra sequences are definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the film; sadly there aren’t many of them, but with a run time of nearly three hours this isn’t a documentary that needs more to it. Highly Recommended.

Forgiveness is now available on DVD.

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“Casino Jack” Blu-ray Review

Catch Kevin Spacey in his Golden Globe-nominated performance as a megalomaniacal lobbyist in CASINO JACK, which arrives on Blu-ray and DVD April 5th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The critically acclaimed film based on a true story tells the tale of one of DC’s most lucrative lobbyists, who used his power and influence to create an extravagant lifestyle that included private jets, exotic cars, and even an offshore gambling business.

Synopsis
Two-time Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey delivers a “bravura performance” (The New Yorker) in this “uproarious, riveting and wickedly hilarious” (Elle) film inspired by a true story. Spacey stars as Jack Abramoff, the real-life Washington power player who resorted to jaw-dropping levels of fraud and corruption. High-rolling excess and outrageous escapades are all in a day’s work for Abramoff, as he goes to outrageous lengths to promote the Indian gambling industry, earning him the nickname “Casino Jack.” But when Jack and his womanizing protege Michael Scanlon (Barry Pepper) enlist a dimwitted business partner (Jon Lovitz) for an illegal scheme, they find themselves ensnared in a web of greed and murder that explodes into a worldwide scandal. CASINO JACK is a cautionary tale that showcases the best and worst of Capitol Hill intrigue, and also stars Barry Pepper (True Grit) Kelly Preston (Old Dogs, Death Sentence) and Jon Lovitz (Saturday Night Live, The Producers).

Kevin Spacey seems to be drawn to political films about really polarizing situations…and he seems to be drawn to the ones that no one remembers or has even heard of. Case in point the Recount film that HBO made surrounding the 2000 presidential election. I really enjoyed that film, but pretty much no one knows of it because it made such a small splash when it came out originally. Next up on Spacey’s docket is Casino Jack, the rather embellished take on the Jack Abramoff scandal. Considering the drama that has come out of that whole affair, it’s rather off-putting how nonchalant this film seems to be about things with serious scenes being backed up by rather glib music that makes the whole film feel…well, just strange. Critics seemed to agree with that sentiment as it didn’t survive long in theaters and it’s home video release is less than stellar, although there is something about this film that is at least in a small way a bit charming.

By that I mean it’s really Spacey’s performance that kind of saves it from being nothing but a complete mess. The pacing of the film is terribly awkward and though it’s less than two hours long the film just manages to flutter back and forth in a way that you are really unsettled by its progression. Granted it’s not exactly a story that you should be comfortable with given the media coverage, but it’s still not a film you really can get into completely. It has such a strange feeling about it; Spacey’s Abramoff is kind of a quirky fellow here and it just doesn’t feel right that he’s as zany as this. It certainly makes for a highly entertaining movie but it doesn’t feel like an entirely factual one.

Having said that the film is still kind of fun to watch in a guilty pleasure sort of way; it’s so uneven and haphazardly paced that it won’t make for a very mentally pleasing time to watch, but the performances alone are worth checking out. Spacey in particular showcases why he got those two Oscar’s—the man is just versatile as hell. While he tends to play loud and abrasive characters more often than not, this performance is nonetheless a very entertaining affair to watch. It’s not something you’ll watch more than once but Casino Jack is worth a Rental at least. I doubt all of what you see here is factual, at least in terms of the characters personalities, but I guess their ludicrosity (is that a word?) helps the disturbing things this guy did with people’s money a bit easier to swallow.

The Blu-ray
The set itself arrives in a standard single-disc Elite Blu-ray case without any kind of slipcover or anything. Inside is a barren case with just the lonely disc. Menus are simple and easy to navigate and extras…well, we’ll tackle that amazing element in a paragraph or so.

Video is an AVC encoded 1080p effort and as usual it looks great. There isn’t a whole lot on this disc to fight for space so the film features a healthy 20mbps transfer and it looks spectacular—plenty of daylight sequences that really show off what the format is capable when it comes to daylight scenes and the detail that they can provide. It’s a pretty nice looking little transfer and the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is decidedly kind of overkill on a film like this so it’s no surprise that the surrounds barely make a whisper most of the time. Same for the LFE really—it’s a pretty mundane audio mix but it serves its purpose.

The only extras on this disc is a quick Blooper Reel, some Deleted Scenes and a Photo Diary–definitely nothing special and definitely nothing that’ll take up more than twenty minutes of your time…literally. Of course this isn’t a movie that did well enough neither critically nor commercially to warrant more extras, but that’s still a poor turnout. Makes you wonder why they even put them on there to begin with.

Overall a strict Rental disc.

Casino Jack is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

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“Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” Blu-ray Review

When acclaimed documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Monterey Pop, The War Room) filmed Bob Dylan during a three-week concert tour of England in the Spring of 1965, he had no idea he was about to create one of the most intimate glimpses of the rock legend ever put on film. Wanting to make more than just a concert film, Pennebaker decided to seek out both the public and private Bob Dylan. With unobtrusive equipment and rare access to the elusive performer, he achieved a fly-on-the-wall glimpse of one of the most influential musicians of all time—and redefined filmmaking along the way.

Synopsis
Released on Blu-ray for the first time, this definitive set includes the classic film in high-definition, the 65 Revisited bonus disc—which includes an hour-long behind-the-scenes look at Dylan—and a new, never-before-seen interview of director D.A. Pennebaker by renowned rock critic Greil Marcus and the director. More than just a concert film, DONT LOOK BACK is a window into the spirit of the ’60s, and one of the poet-musicians whose words and songs defined it.

Perhaps the idea of the documentary didn’t fully come into mind during this production, as all of this footage feels like the participants have their guards up a little too much. Dylan especially seems to rebuke the camera at times, sometimes coming off as quite standoffish and inexplicably rude. This seems to be the persona he keeps up throughout the brief documentary, but there are moments where his true self (as well as other participants like Joan Baez) shines through and it’s not quite the same aloof mentality from the people on screen that we grew used to.

The strange thing about this film is not just how old it is but also how un-documentary like it feels. It really doesn’t have any kind of narrative throughout; it’s just watching a particular period in Dylan’s life as he tours. It’s interesting for that reason alone though; there is some really raw footage here and while it’s hard to tell if some or all of it is staged, it is still nevertheless a very interesting “documentary,” regardless if it really can be considered one or not. It’s really just a fly-on-the-wall type of approach, as there isn’t a lot of revelatory footage in this film but it’s the kind of stuff fans clamor for in an attempt to get to know their idol that much better.

This documentary is over forty years old at this point, but it still manages to be an entertaining production nonetheless. Chances are if you’re a Dylan fan you’re already well aware of this documentary…but if you aren’t, then you should at least check it out as it’s a Recommended outing to be sure.

The Blu-ray
This marks the first docuramafilms Blu-ray I’ve ever reviewed; generally I just get DVDs from them, but this is a nice two-disc Blu-ray/DVD set that fans will definitely enjoy. The original film is presented here in high definition though the footage is so old that even though it’s remastered to the best of their abilities it’s still pretty grainy, but the “65 Revisited” is still on a separate DVD-only disc. I’m willing to bet this is the same disc as previously released on DVD, but not owning it I can’t compare the two. Still, it’s a nice little set and one fans will definitely like to add to their collection.

Extras include:

65 Revisited Bonus Disc
Greil Marcus Interview with D.A. Pennebaker
Five Additional Uncut Audio Tracks
Commentary by D.A. Pennebaker and tour road manager Bob Neuwirth
Alternate Version of the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” Cue Card Sequence
Original Theatrical Trailer

It’s a pretty meaty set, though, again, I don’t think it differs much from the previous release. Still a Highly Recommended set if you want this one on Blu-ray, but I don’t think you’re going to get much of a performance boost considering the source quality and its age.

Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back arrives on Blu-ray on April 26th.

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“Fly Away” DVD Review

The poignant yet humor filled story about a single mother of a teenager severely impacted by autism, forced to reckon with her daughter’s future. As her child becomes an adult, what used to work, no longer does. What will sustain her daughter, and herself? A parent-child love story, when love means letting go.

Synopsis
A powerful film directed by Emmy Award® winner Janet Grillo (Autism: The Musical), FLY AWAY narrates the story of Jeanne (Beth Broderick, Bonfire of the Vanities, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) and her autistic teenage daughter, Mandy (Ashley Rickards, One Tree Hill). Jeanne has cared for Mandy since the day she was born, growing closer every day to a child who is charmingly offbeat one moment and nearly impossible to manage the next. In the dog park, Jeanne encounters Tom (Greg Germann, Ally McBeal, Friends with Money), an easygoing and accepting neighbor who sparks a romantic interest, but she finds juggling Mandy’s care and her own career leaves little room for a new man. As the pressures of work and her child’s needs increase, she must decide whether or not to enroll Mandy in a therapeutic residential facility. Over the course of a few weeks, Jeanne is confronted with the most difficult decision a parent can make: to let go, allowing her child to grow, but also grow apart; or to hold on tight and fall together.

Though it seems to be set up to be a documentary, this is in fact a low-budget film that only seems as such at first. I was a bit skeptical of the film at first, because it seemed like an odd combination of both documentary and film but then I looked at the back cover and recognized Greg Germann and realized that I was, in fact, watching a small little film from writer and director Janet Grillo. The premise is one that is deeply moving and unfortunately one that many parents can relate to. Raising a child as a single parent is an unfortunate circumstance and having a child with autism is just another layer to add to an already difficult situation.

Though the film is short (barely over eighty minutes), it does paint a very moving portrait of a mother and daughter and the trials and tribulations she must go through to try and support her autistic daughter as well as have a work-from-home career (which even comes under attack by her daughter when her laptop gets treated as a toy). With no help from her ex-husband, Jeanne (Beth Broderick) tries to maintain a hold on her situation but frequently finds it difficult to not only do just that but to also find new outlets for human contact. A saving grace comes in the form of Tom (Germann), but that turns sour as Jeanne cannot reconcile a relationship with him as well as maintain one with her daughter.

It’s not a film I personally felt any connection to but it was still one that was deeply moving regardless. It may feel a little bit like a Lifetime production, but it’s nonetheless a Recommended outing if only for the strength of the performances here. They were so good that it very well could have been a documentary without much trouble.

The DVD
New Video/Flatiron brings Fly Away to DVD in a standard amaray DVD case. Nothing overly special about the presentation of the film here—no fancy exterior cardboard slipcase and the cover itself looks rather simplistic. Video and audio is a solid presentation overall and about what you’d expect from a documentary. As can be expected from a documentary the video is in 1.85:1 and the audio is a simple DD5.1 mix with the majority of the track focused in the front channels. Extras include:

A conversation with the filmmakers of FLY AWAY
Autism Speaks: It’s Time to Listen (Music Video)
Companion guide with information on autism spectrum disorders

The conversation with the filmmakers is definitely a must-listen if you enjoyed the film, though sadly the rest of the extras are pretty light. I would’ve liked more insight from the actors involved, but overall a solid DVD (and one which 10% of the sales goes to Autism Speaks). Worth a Rental as I doubt it’s something you’ll watch repeatedly.

Fly Away arrives on DVD on April 26th.

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“Rory Gallagher’s Irish Tour ’74” Blu-ray Review

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to announce the April 12 CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, and 2LP vinyl release of Rory Gallagher’s Irish Tour ’74, a stunning document of extraordinary blues-rock power from one of the world’s greatest guitarists of all-time. Captured at a time when Gallagher was voted the #1 guitar player by Melody Maker Magazine, Irish Tour is a brilliant showcase of his musical prowess. Award-winning filmmaker Tony Palmer followed Gallagher around Ireland as audiences went wild night after night. The film—which enjoyed a successful run in theaters—has been beautifully restored and remastered from the original footage, and is making its Blu-Ray debut.

Synopsis
The two-hour DVD/Blu-Ray features nine jams—“Walk On Hot Coals,” “Tattoo’d Lady,” “Who’s That Coming,” “A Million Miles Away,” “Going To My Home Town,” “Cradle Rock,” “As The Crow Flies,” “Hands Off” and “Bullfrog Blues”—as well as bonus home movie footage from Gallagher’s Japanese tour of the same year. Also on the DVD/Blu-ray is the 1972 RTE (Irish television network) half-hour documentary “Rory Gallagher: Music Makers.” Highlights on this rare gem include “Toredown,” “Laundromat,” “Pistol Slapper Blues,” and “Don’t Know Where I’m Going.” Regarded as one of the greatest live albums of all time, the Irish Tour CD/vinyl captures Rory’s exceptional playing, sans overdubs and studio fixes. The sound is raw, real Rory. The CD’s 10 tracks are “Cradle Rock,” “I Wonder Who,” “Tattoo’d Lady,” “Too Much Alcohol,” “As The Crow Flies,” “A Million Miles Away,” “Walk On Hot Coals,” “Who’s That Comin’,” “Back On My Stompin’ Ground” and “Maritime.” The vinyl is a double-album. Side A has “Cradle Rock,” “I Wonder Who” and “Tattoo’d Lady.” Side B has “Too Much Alcohol,” “As The Crow Flies” and “A Million Miles Away.” Side C has “”Walk On Hot Coals” and “Who’s That Comin’.” Side D has “Back On My Stompin’ Ground” and “Maritime.”

We once again enter into territory I’m completely unfamiliar with as my knowledge of Gallagher’s works is only what I’ve heard on local stations as I’m flipping through stations in the car. Not to say I can’t enjoy his music on some level, but it’s definitely not music I listen to by choice—and with this concert bringing back some of Gallagher’s most treasured and favored songs, I can say that I did at least recognize a few of them…and quite remarkably they don’t sound too bad for a concert this old. There’s always that bit of live concert difference when you hear songs you’re used to listening to the studio recordings of, but overall this was quite an enjoyable concert…especially with the dated aspect of it; it somehow made it feel more special that I was seeing this time capsule of a concert.

The track list includes:
1) Walk On Hot Coals
2) Tattoo’d Lady
3) Who’s That Coming
4) A Million Miles Away
5) Going To My Home Town
6) Cradle Rock
7) As The Crow Flies
8) Hands Off
9) Bullfrog Blues

Overall a Recommended disc for fans, but if you’re like me and don’t immediately gravitate towards music of this era then you’ll want to give it a rental first.

The Blu-ray
Eagle Rock Entertainment brings Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour ‘74 to Blu-ray in a standard Elite Blu-ray case. A booklet inside contains information and photos from the concert as well as information about the group and this particular production, while the menu system for the disc lays out everything in a nice and tidy fashion.

The video arrives in an AVC encoded 1080i transfer and the concert itself contains a…well, mixed transfer. It does look good for its age, but is overly soft and doesn’t really boast too much detail as a result. It still shines on occasion, but close up shots are very obviously a bit blurry; it’s still a nice presentation overall, though. As is usual with Eagle Rock releases, the concerts boasts three audio tracks as well, a DTS-HD MA, DD5.1 and a PCM track. All three have their merits, but it’s the DTS-HD that is the king of the listing here, as it has a nice spread about the room and represents the individual musical styling’s remarkably well.

Included extras:
Audio Commentary with Donal Gallagher and Gerry McAvoy
Music Maker Documentary
Japanese Tour ’74 In Your Town

Fun extras for the fans but I admittedly didn’t get much out of it. The commentary was pretty interesting though since it acts as kind of a retrospective of Gallagher and this tour in particular. All total there’s about two and a half hours of extras (commentary included, naturally) included and fans will absolutely love every minute of them. A Highly Recommended release for fans.

Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour ’74 is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

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“Lucky” DVD Review

Doesn’t matter how impossible the odds are – the chances of actually hitting a Powerball jackpot are just 1 in almost 200 million – almost everyone dreams of winning the lottery. Who hasn’t found themselves daydreaming of an answer to the question, “What would I do with all that money?”

Synopsis
Directed by Jeffery Blitz (Spellbound), LUCKY offers a glimpse into the reality behind the fantasy of lottery winners. They come from an amazing range of backgrounds, but all of their lives are radically transformed by the same thing – an enormous lottery jackpot. With prize money reaching into the hundreds of millions, some lives are changed for the better, some for the worse. And together, their stories show us what happens when the fantasy turns real. Do we become what we dreamed we would or what, deep down, we really are?

It’s always something you dream about, but what if you really did end up winning multi-millions of dollars. Just by writing that sentence I went off into a dream world for a few minutes, thinking about what I’d do with my winnings and then thoughts immediately drifted to the inevitable many who would come out of the woodwork, demanding money for whatever reason. It’s a not uncommon issue among lottery winners and, as this documentary shows, it’s also not all fun and games after winning the lottery either. It brings with it its own set of headaches and some wish they had never won it at all.

As the documentary attempts to show it seems the amount you win equates to the amount of the headache, though there are outliers in both regions. Some people change drastically, for better or worse, and others stay entirely the same. It’s an interesting look at this phenomenon as it’s something that few have experienced, yet they’re thrown into the spotlight so immediately after winning that they can’t help but try to shy away from it at first. It doesn’t hurt that Lost popularized the idea of cursed winnings, but that kind of notion has been around for decades prior regardless; but I can definitely see that show as being a reason for the sudden production of this film.

It’s an interesting psychological study as well as a character study, since both undergo such drastic changes after a big win. The documentary is brief but covers a wide enough territory that you don’t ever spend too much time on any given winner. Overall it’s not a highly educational documentary like most of docuramafilm’s other releases, but it’s still a Recommended one if only to fulfill the voyeuristic desire we have when it comes to looking at the wealth of others.

The DVD
New Video/docuramafilms brings Lucky to DVD in a standard amaray DVD case. Nothing overly special about the presentation of the documentary here—no fancy exterior cardboard slipcase and the cover itself looks rather simplistic. Video and audio is a solid presentation overall and about what you’d expect from a documentary. As can be expected from a documentary the video is in 1.85:1 and the audio is a simple stereo mix with the majority of the track focused in the front channels. Extras include:

Deleted Scenes
Filmmaker Biography

The extra scenes are definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the film; sadly there aren’t many of them, but it’s not exactly a documentary that needs much more to it. Worth a Rental.

Lucky arrives on DVD on April 26th.

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“Taxi Driver” Blu-ray Review

Not only one of Martin Scorsese’s most iconic films but also one of Robert DeNiro’s, Taxi Driver stands the test of time with performances that remind us why it was such a groundbreaking film…all the way back in 1976. The film continues to inspire new directors, actors, writers, and anyone involved in the production of films with its startling storytelling and (then) unique way of tying up a film: with an overly ambiguous epilogue that left many wondering if what they had just witnessed was real or if our taxi driver had driven his mind to create a reality in which he’s hailed as a hero.

Synopsis
4 Academy Award(r) nominations including Best Picture! (1976) Special Collector’s Edition is digitally remastered and includes a never-before-seen making-of documentary featuring interviews with the creators and stars of the film. Robert De Niro stars with Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, and Albert Brooks in the all-too-real story of a psychotic New York cabby who is driven to violence in an attempt to rescue a teenage prostitute.

I readily admit to not having seen this film—yes this was another one. But now that I’ve seen it the important thing is…well, that I’ve seen it. The film itself is just so clearly influential not to only other Hollywood talent but to also Scorsese himself who has continued to kind of work off the same formula for a few decades now; while his films are not all identical by any means, the same settings and same kind of neurotic characters help kind of create a similar feeling universe in each one of them. For Taxi Driver, DeNiro plays a character so flawed, both physically and mentally, that the eventual psychotic break we see him undergo doesn’t come as any real surprise. In fact, we kind of root for it, even though the path he’s headed down is one that would seemingly cause the death of a possible presidential candidate.

The film is really quite layered the more I look at it. While DeNiro’s character is obviously the focus, there are so many others that come and go throughout the film that it really creates quite a wonderfully crafted world for these characters to inhabit. Though Travis Bickle suffers from insomnia and spends his time during the day at porno theaters, he does attempt to come out of his shell, even going so far as to attempt to meet someone and go out on a few dates. Though he eventually does offend her by his choice in movies, this opens up another avenue for the film to explore and it just snowballs from there until the films aforementioned ambiguous finish.

There’s really a lot of history behind this film and watching it only once I felt like I’d only touched the tip of the iceberg. Thankfully the Blu-ray release was just packed with extras, spilling over from previous releases, and I ended up spending three or four times the original length of the movie going over the extras, further familiarizing myself with the film and the plethora of historical facts behind it. I doubt there’s ever anything I could add that was considered a unique insight into this film, not only because of its age but also because of how thoroughly it has been dissected, digested, and talked about amongst film critics for over three decades. Overall this is a Must See film and a true classic of American cinema.

The Blu-ray
This release comes is in a “collectible” package…which really just equates to it being larger than the rest of your other Blu-ray’s so it stands out. It’s a rather thick package, granted, but this is the kind of movie that deserves to stand out on your shelf anyway so it’s not really wholly unwelcome on there. Though it is limited to a sole disc, there are a dozen photographs (on lobby cards) that are included to help round out the package. It’s a very well done package and one that will immediately jump out at you; I’m quite surprised this release is as cheap as it is (under $15 on Amazon as of this writing), but it’s a welcome surprise at least!

The video arrives with an incredibly strong AVC encoded transfer. I say “incredibly” because his film is over three decades old at this point, but it really looks fantastic on the format. Strong details abound from start to finish, with the varied locations of the film each taking on a life of their own. Whether it’s the night life of New York or Bickle standing outside with a full on mohawk, there’s not an image in sight that doesn’t visually appease in some form or another. Close-ups are always laden with detail and it’s really only the long shots that exhibit any real softness to the image; so it’s not a flawless image, but it’s darn near close and given its age that makes it all the more surprising.

Audio is similarly pleasing, with a DTS-HD 5.1 MA track that surrounds and delights. There is a bit of a dated feel to the track, both in terms of ambience as well as LFE usage, but overall it’s remarkably clean. There’s no hiss or distortion and there’s a lot of surround activity when it comes to the New York sequences. It is a bit subdued, but, again, that’s probably more to do with its age than anything else. Overall it’s a well done track, but since the film isn’t exactly all about packing in the explosions, don’t expect a whole lot of booming from the woofer—it’s really quite quiet most of the time.

Extras include:

• Original 1986 Commentary with Director Martin Scorsese and Writer Paul Schrader recorded by The Criterion Collection
• Interactive Script to Screen
• Feature Length Commentary by Writer Paul Schrader
• Feature Length Commentary by Professor Robert Kolker
• Martin Scorsese on Taxi Driver
• God’s Lonely Man
• Producing Taxi Driver
• Influence and Appreciation: A Martin Scorsese Tribute
• Taxi Driver Stories
• Making Taxi Driver
• Travis’ New York
• Travis’ New York Locations
• Storyboard to Film Comparisons with Martin Scorsese
• Animated Photo Galleries

Audio commentaries aside there is well over two hours of bonus features to watch here and when you pile the commentaries on…well, you’ll be working through this disc for some time. The extras are a mix of 1080p and 480p (the original “Making Of” is in 480p), but the majority of them are 1080p. There really isn’t anywhere this set is lacking—not only is the packaging superb and the A/V presentation damn near flawless, but the extras are incredibly exhaustive. This is a Must Own collection.

Taxi Driver is now available on Blu-ray.

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“Let’s Talk About Sex” DVD Review

Every day in America 10,000 teenagers catch a sexually transmitted disease, 2,400 young girls get pregnant and 55 young people are infected with HIV.

Synopsis
LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX takes a revealing look at how American attitudes toward adolescent sexuality impact today’s teenagers. Director James Houston takes us on a journey to examine trends in American society as personified by a cast of diverse characters. At a high school for pregnant teens in Los Angeles, young girls are contemplating teen parenthood. In Washington, D.C., where HIV infection rates rival several African countries, community outreach workers are trying to save lives. The film also travels to the Netherlands, where Houston compares European attitudes with those in America, then concludes in Oregon, where the lessons learned in Western Europe are helping to create practical solutions. Real parents and youth, compelling statistics, animation and archival material all combine to paint an urgent picture of American youth in crisis, one that not enough people are talking about.

This documentary is probably not going to do much to change the way we currently teach sex education, but it makes a valiant effort to do so. The star power the film has received in terms of quotes isn’t bad either, with actor Hugh Jackman stating “Whether you have children, teach children, or are around children at all…this movie is a must-see.” And it really is; while it’s an uncomfortable topic for adults to have with children of any age, the documentary goes beyond that and helps provide multiple perspectives on the issue in an attempt to disperse the taboo surrounding “the talk.”

The film takes a pretty wide glance at everything, with the film going through a pretty wide variety of areas in the world to research the topic. Granted, the U.S. is a major focus but the trip to the Netherlands is a nice eye opener in terms of how we treat the topic compared to Europeans. Of course in that same regard, Europeans think it’s horrible that Americans enjoy watching extreme and gory violence in films…but that’s just the difference between the cultures that come into play quite a bit. In any case the documentary does a superb job in kind of narrowing down the oddities of the “situation” and discussing how we can better deal with the topic in the US.

It’s not a perfect documentary and like I said I doubt it’ll solve very many problems (and it’ll probably only solve a few if the right people watch the documentary to begin with), it’s still a valiant effort and one that will hopefully find the right people so changes can start to trickle down. As Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice said, “A humorous and factual approach to the important issue of sexuality education make this a must-see for any American.” There’s no real better way to sum up this documentary than that. Recommended.

The DVD
New Video/docuramafilms brings Let’s Talk About Sex to DVD in a standard amaray DVD case. Nothing overly special about the presentation of the documentary here—no fancy exterior cardboard slipcase and the cover itself looks rather simplistic. Video and audio is a solid presentation overall and about what you’d expect from a documentary. As can be expected from a documentary the video is in 1.85:1 and the audio is a simple DD2.0 mix. There are no extras.

Overall a disc that’s worth a Rental as I’m not sure if you’d ever want to come back and watch this a second time, but it’s definitely worth checking out at least once and to maybe pass onto others.

Let’s Talk About Sex arrives on DVD on April 21st.

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