VIDEO RELEASES 6/02/09
All capsule reviews are excerpts from Dennis Willis' book Flick Nation.
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (2008)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon
SCR: Justin Haythe; Based on the novel by Richard Yates
DIR: Sam Mendes
R / 1:59 / RELEASE: 12/26/08
BOX: $21,941,000
www.revolutionaryroadmovie.com
Brutal and searing adaptation of Yates’ novel captures a married couple in freefall after being soul-crushed by 50’s-era suburbia and the trappings of conventional mores. DiCaprio and Winslet are the Wheelers, seen at the very apex of their marriage, which is coasting on boredom, thankless jobs and the occasional spark from an extramarital affair here, a frivolous dream there. Casting the iconic Titanic couple was a masterstroke, as they arrive with pre-packaged awareness and chemistry. Michael Shannon scored an Oscar nomination as a recently institutionalized man with a habit for stating the painfully obvious. Sure, the whole ironical look at What Lies Beneath suburbia has been done to death, but it’s generally a device to show how freaky people are (look no further than director Mendes’ American Beauty or Winslet’s Little Children). But in the Revolutionary world of white picket fences and men who wear hats to work, the biggest risk is daring to aspire to be something better. (Paramount Vantage)
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (2009)
Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Kris Kristofferson
SCR: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein; based on the book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
DIR: Ken Kwapis
PG-13 / 2:09 / RELEASE: 2/6/09
BOX: $93,836,028
www.hesjustnotthatintoyoumovie.com
Occasionally clever inter-cutting stories reopen the endless debate about the differences between men and women, and their dating/mating habits, until the last act when predictability shows up wearing a big bow. Most of the sprawling cast is playing well within their safe zones, with a few notable exceptions: Goodwin spins insecurity into a nervous frenzy waiting for the phone to ring. Connelly does a lot with what could have been a one-note role. Long is the dating Yoda, who tells it like it is and kind of acts like the film’s Greek chorus until succumbing to its romantic comedy structure. And Johansson is just luscious, the perfect face of temptation. On the other side of the fence, Connelly is as stiff and nerdy as he is on Entourage (which makes me wonder if that’s just him), Barrymore (also a producer) is miscast with a handful of lumpy monologues; and Aniston is just shrill. Although there are insightful and uncomfortable truths throughout, any self-respecting commentary on this film has to bring up the numerous and blatant When Harry Met Sally… thefts. From the “average folks” in the framing sequences down to a few key dialogue exchanges, I’m surprised Nora Ephron isn’t listed in the writing credits. Oddly, the cinematography (by John Bailey) is much more gorgeous and detailed than one would expect. (New Line Cinema)
DEFIANCE (2008)
Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay
SCR: Clayton Frohman, Edward Zwick
DIR: Edward Zwick
R / 2:17 / RELEASE: 12/31/08
BOX: $28,644,813
www.defiancemovie.com
In 1941, the Bielski brothers retreated into the woods with hundreds of other Jews and took a stand against the Nazis. Despite the nobility of the little-reported historical tale, many reviewers were glib, I’m guessing because Zwick turned this interesting story into slick entertainment. Craig is an exceptional actor, and all the performances are strong (even though “brothers” Craig, Schreiber and Bell look nothing alike). But once Craig gets into noble action movie mode, he turns into a combination of Oskar Schindler and Chuck Norris. The Jews not only fight back, they kick ass. The story is worthy of big screen treatment and has some exciting battle sequences, but it’s too long and Zwick spoon-feeds too many big emotional moments with soundtrack cues. (Paramount Vantage)
DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG (2008)
Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion, Simon Helberg
SCR: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Zack Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen
DIR: Joss Whedon
NR / 0:43 / RELEASE: 7/15/08
www.drhorrible.com
Delightfully daft musical that pits super-villain Dr. Horrible (Harris, with a Ph.D in Horribleness) against arrogant man-of-steel Captain Hammer (Fillion) for the affection of the kind-hearted Penny (Day) was originally produced for the internet during the Writer’s Guild strike. Whedon allegedly footed the entire bill (around $200,000) as an experiment to show that internet content need not be cheap or uninteresting. Horrible has all the panache and wit of a big-screen affair, and is indeed more affecting and entertaining in its brief 43 minutes than most comedies…or musicals…or superhero flicks…in their entirety.
TV ON DVD:
-ARMY WIVES
-THE JETSONS
-PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL SEASON
-WEEDS: SEASON 4
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (2008)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon
SCR: Justin Haythe; Based on the novel by Richard Yates
DIR: Sam Mendes
R / 1:59 / RELEASE: 12/26/08
BOX: $21,941,000
www.revolutionaryroadmovie.com
Brutal and searing adaptation of Yates’ novel captures a married couple in freefall after being soul-crushed by 50’s-era suburbia and the trappings of conventional mores. DiCaprio and Winslet are the Wheelers, seen at the very apex of their marriage, which is coasting on boredom, thankless jobs and the occasional spark from an extramarital affair here, a frivolous dream there. Casting the iconic Titanic couple was a masterstroke, as they arrive with pre-packaged awareness and chemistry. Michael Shannon scored an Oscar nomination as a recently institutionalized man with a habit for stating the painfully obvious. Sure, the whole ironical look at What Lies Beneath suburbia has been done to death, but it’s generally a device to show how freaky people are (look no further than director Mendes’ American Beauty or Winslet’s Little Children). But in the Revolutionary world of white picket fences and men who wear hats to work, the biggest risk is daring to aspire to be something better. (Paramount Vantage)
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (2009)
Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Bradley Cooper, Kris Kristofferson
SCR: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein; based on the book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
DIR: Ken Kwapis
PG-13 / 2:09 / RELEASE: 2/6/09
BOX: $93,836,028
www.hesjustnotthatintoyoumovie.com
Occasionally clever inter-cutting stories reopen the endless debate about the differences between men and women, and their dating/mating habits, until the last act when predictability shows up wearing a big bow. Most of the sprawling cast is playing well within their safe zones, with a few notable exceptions: Goodwin spins insecurity into a nervous frenzy waiting for the phone to ring. Connelly does a lot with what could have been a one-note role. Long is the dating Yoda, who tells it like it is and kind of acts like the film’s Greek chorus until succumbing to its romantic comedy structure. And Johansson is just luscious, the perfect face of temptation. On the other side of the fence, Connelly is as stiff and nerdy as he is on Entourage (which makes me wonder if that’s just him), Barrymore (also a producer) is miscast with a handful of lumpy monologues; and Aniston is just shrill. Although there are insightful and uncomfortable truths throughout, any self-respecting commentary on this film has to bring up the numerous and blatant When Harry Met Sally… thefts. From the “average folks” in the framing sequences down to a few key dialogue exchanges, I’m surprised Nora Ephron isn’t listed in the writing credits. Oddly, the cinematography (by John Bailey) is much more gorgeous and detailed than one would expect. (New Line Cinema)
DEFIANCE (2008)
Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, George MacKay
SCR: Clayton Frohman, Edward Zwick
DIR: Edward Zwick
R / 2:17 / RELEASE: 12/31/08
BOX: $28,644,813
www.defiancemovie.com
In 1941, the Bielski brothers retreated into the woods with hundreds of other Jews and took a stand against the Nazis. Despite the nobility of the little-reported historical tale, many reviewers were glib, I’m guessing because Zwick turned this interesting story into slick entertainment. Craig is an exceptional actor, and all the performances are strong (even though “brothers” Craig, Schreiber and Bell look nothing alike). But once Craig gets into noble action movie mode, he turns into a combination of Oskar Schindler and Chuck Norris. The Jews not only fight back, they kick ass. The story is worthy of big screen treatment and has some exciting battle sequences, but it’s too long and Zwick spoon-feeds too many big emotional moments with soundtrack cues. (Paramount Vantage)
DR. HORRIBLE’S SING-ALONG BLOG (2008)
Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion, Simon Helberg
SCR: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Zack Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen
DIR: Joss Whedon
NR / 0:43 / RELEASE: 7/15/08
www.drhorrible.com
Delightfully daft musical that pits super-villain Dr. Horrible (Harris, with a Ph.D in Horribleness) against arrogant man-of-steel Captain Hammer (Fillion) for the affection of the kind-hearted Penny (Day) was originally produced for the internet during the Writer’s Guild strike. Whedon allegedly footed the entire bill (around $200,000) as an experiment to show that internet content need not be cheap or uninteresting. Horrible has all the panache and wit of a big-screen affair, and is indeed more affecting and entertaining in its brief 43 minutes than most comedies…or musicals…or superhero flicks…in their entirety.
TV ON DVD:
-ARMY WIVES
-THE JETSONS
-PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL SEASON
-WEEDS: SEASON 4
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