Archive for February 2012
Tiny Furniture Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: One Character in Search of a Relationship
I think you sound like you are in the epilogue to “Felicity”.
Read MoreNo Subtitles Necessary DVD Review: Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
Absorbing documentary about the two legendary cinematographers.
Read MoreHugo Is the Pick of the Week
Martin Scorcese’s gorgeous love letter to the movies comes out this week.
Read MoreWorld on a Wire Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: The Nature of Unnatural Reality
While the plot is obvious, the film’s cerebral take on sci fi and impressive ’70s cinematography make it well worth its lengthy running time.
Read MoreJ. Edgar Blu-ray Review: Bloated Hollywood Makeup Drama
A hodgepodge of powerhouse moments interjected with a lot of ho-hummery.
Read MoreMandrill Blu-ray Review: Chile’s Contribution to the Neo-Grindhouse Genre
I’m something of a “Mandrill” myself, if you know what I mean.
Read MoreSantana: Greatest Hits Live At Montreux 2011 DVD Review: An Artist Still on Top of His Game
Forty years on, the musical giant is still pushing boundaries.
Read MoreCinema Sentries Select the Best of 2011
Forget the envelope; just continue reading.
Read MoreLooney Tunes Super Stars: Pepe Le Pew DVD Review: Le Win
Warner’s barebones disc delivers pristine-looking shorts coupled with timeless laughs.
Read MoreWorld on a Wire Criterion Collection DVD Review: A Superb Piece of Science Fiction
One of Fassbinder’s most obscure and fascinating works.
Read More3 DVD Review: A Playful Menage a Trois
Director Tom Tykwer follows up the deadly dull The International with a coolly ironic take on modern relationships.
Read MoreBook Review: Reel Culture: 50 Classic Movies You Should Know About (So You Can Impress Your Friends) by Mimi O’Connor
A nice primer of 50 classic films from the 20th century.
Read MoreBreakfast on Pluto Movie Review: The Strange and Exotic Tale of Patrick Kitten Braden
With a line like “If I wasn’t a transvestite terrorist, would you marry me?” at least you know Kitten won’t bore you.
Read MoreAmerican Teacher DVD Review: A Distant Look at the Profession
Full of facts but lacking the ability to keep this student engaged.
Read MoreThe Sons of Tennessee Williams DVD Review: Mardi Gras Offers Sanctuary Amidst the Celebration
An important documentary about the gay civil rights movement in Louisiana.
Read MoreBuzzkill Movie Review: Just Isn’t Funny Enough
Naming your comedy “Buzzkill” might be asking for trouble.
Read MoreThree Outlaw Samurai Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Genre-Defining Samurai Film
A brilliantly shot period piece with beautiful cinematography and lots of fighting.
Read MoreJ. Edgar Is the Pick of the Week
Clint Eastwood’s biography of the enigmatic FBI director gets my pick this week.
Read MoreTalking Heads: Chronology DVD Review: More Videos About Buildings and Food
Featuring live performances spanning from 1975-1983, the DVD shows the evolution of one of the most influential bands of the ’80s.
Read MoreThe Son of No One Blu-ray Review: “Meh, I Saw That One Coming”
The writer/director and star of Fighting reunite to bring us something just as boring.
Read MoreBullhead Movie Review: Oscar-Nominated Drama as Meat-Headed as Its Protagonist
An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, Bullhead possesses a crippling lack of insight into its steroid-addled protagonist.
Read MoreBook Review: The Age of Movies: Selected Writings of Pauline Kael
A very worthy addition to the library of anyone who ever lost it at the movies.
Read MoreSpecial Treatment DVD Review: Prostitution and Psychotherapy Overlap in Underwhelming Film
Strong performances, including a turn by the great Isabelle Huppert, make the film worthwhile, but its script lets the actors down.
Read More2012 Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts Review: Bring Tissues, Because You’re Going to Cry
This year’s nominees stuff a lot of emotion into small packages.
Read MoreThe Bed Sitting Room DVD Review: Post-Nuclear British Satire Hits the Mark
Richard Lester’s adaptation of the Spike Milligan and John Antrobus play is a sharp piece of surrealism.
Read MoreBook Review: How To Fight, Lie, and Cry Your Way To Popularity (and a Prom Date): Lousy Life Lessons From 50 Teen Movies by Nikki Roddy
Hilariously lousy advice for teens from 50 classic movies.
Read MoreThe Deadly Spawn Blu-ray Review: A Wonderful Slice of Gory, Cheapo ’80s Sci-Fi / Horror that Delivers
Elite Entertainment returns from the grave with a disappointing “High-Def” release.
Read MoreTreasure Train Blu-ray Review: I’m Being Punished for Something, I Know It
What, they can’t find a good print of The Secret of Magic Island, but they can release THIS on Blu-ray?
Read MoreFerry to Hong Kong DVD Review: The Beginning of the End for Orson Welles
One of the rare films where German great Curd Jürgens plays a good guy.
Read MoreThe Richard Thompson Band: Live At Celtic Connections Blu-ray Review: Something for Everyone
The folk rock legend returns with his first-ever Blu-ray.
Read MoreThe Rum Diary Is the Pick of the Week
Johnny Depp plays Hunter S. Thompson again to mixed reviews.
Read MoreGod Is the Bigger Elvis Movie Review: Classic Film Star Dolores Hart Returns After 50 Years, and Oscar Notices
The Hollywood starlet who became a nun is back in this unlikely Oscar nominee.
Read More5 Star Day Blu-ray Review: A Movie About Life, Love, and Manure
Any movie that has a lounge singer is OK by me.
Read MoreSurvive! DVD Review: Mexploitation Cannibal Goodness with Hugo Stiglitz
Best fit for a gloomy, snowed-in afternoon with a raw steak at your disposal.
Read MoreA Very Harold & Kumar Christmas Blu-ray Review: The 19th Best Christmas Movie of All Time
A funny return to form for this generation’s Cheech and Chong.
Read MoreWhat Do You Say To A Naked Lady? DVD Review: Not Ready for 1970 Prime Time
Allen Funt turned his “Candid Camera” to more adult themes for a dated, but entertaining film.
Read More2012 Oscar-Nominated Live-Action Short Films Review: A Mixed Bag of Nominees
Time travel humor, estranged friends, and adoption struggles are among the subjects of the 2012 Oscar-nominated live-action short films.
Read MoreUp The Creek (1984) DVD Review: Whitewater Rafting Never Looked Like This Much Fun Before
After all these years, the film is still funny and entertaining.
Read MoreTexas Killing Fields Blu-ray Review: Unimaginative and Disjointed
Just another procedural crime drama.
Read MoreStyx: The Grand Illusion • Pieces of Eight Live Blu-ray Review: Music to Soothe an Angry Young Man
These classic rockers dust off two of their most successful albums live.
Read MoreScooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Season One, Part 2 DVD Review: Crystal Cove Curse
The Scooby Gang’s dark journey to solve the secrets of the previous Mystery Incorporated.
Read MoreThe Rebound (2009) Blu-ray Review: A MILF and a Twenty-something Guy Walk into a Movie…
Hey, Catherine Zeta-Jones can use me for rebound sex any day.
Read MoreGeek Charming DVD Review: Boy Meets Girl and You Can Guess the Rest
Everyone loves a geek, even snobby little rich girls.
Read More2012 Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films Review: Five Strong Nominees Vie for Gold
A pair of beautiful and idiosyncratic Canadian films, one ode to books and one to tall tales, and Pixar’s latest compete.
Read MoreHalls of Anger DVD Review: Turgid Race Drama Enlivened by the Performances
Despite featuring a muddled stew of ideas on race relations, performances from Calvin Lockhart and a young Jeff Bridges elevate the material.
Read MoreThe Thousand Plane Raid DVD Review: An Ode to Stock Footage
A weak WWII flick that only succeeds in dropping the wrong kind of bomb.
Read MoreMidnight in Paris Movie Review: A Beautiful Fantasy
What is it with this city?
Read MoreThe Whistleblower (2010) Blu-ray Review: A Highly Effective Film
Rachel Weisz takes on human trafficking in war-torn Bosnia.
Read MoreGodzilla (1954) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: The King of Monsters is Back
While the concept was original back in 1954, nowadays the film comes across as quite anticlimactic.
Read MoreDownton Abbey: Series Two Is the Pick of the Week
Simple a marvelous show which includes the Christmas special.
Read MoreFright Night (1985) Blu-ray Review: Already Hard-to-Find, but Definitely Worth It
Twilight Time presents us with another wonderful HD release.
Read MoreThe Rolling Stones: Some Girls: Live In Texas ’78 Blu-ray Review: It’s Live Rock ‘n’ Roll and I Like It
Yet another excellent document of The Rolling Stones in action.
Read MoreZone Troopers DVD Review: Nazis, Aliens, and Tim Thomerson, Too!
A wonderful tale from Charles Band and the makers of The Rocketeer.
Read MoreGog DVD Review: The Final Chapter in Ivan Tors’ OSI Trilogy
A good pick for the fan of vintage ’50s sci-fi.
Read MoreJerry Lewis as The Jazz Singer (1959) DVD Review: Jerry Sings? Oy Vey!
A genuine prize for any Lewis lover.
Read MoreThe Woman in Black (2012) Movie Review: Harry Who?
Daniel Radcliffe shuffles off the ghost of Harry Potter with the help of Hammer.
Read MoreQueen: Days of Our Lives Blu-ray Review: A Definitive Look at the Legendary Band
The best documentary on the band to date.
Read MoreMercenary Fighters DVD Review: When Cannon Films Roamed the Earth
Peter Fonda and Reb Brown “star” in another embarrassing Golan-Globus dud.
Read MoreMurder By Proxy: How America Went Postal DVD Review: Intriguing yet Offers More Questions Than Answers
A documentary focusing on the disturbingly frequent occurrences of mass shootings in America.
Read MoreRango (2011) Blu-ray Review: There’s a New (Animation) Sheriff in Town
Highly recommend to fans of animation and Westerns.
Read MoreBusting DVD Review: ’70s Buddy Cop Film Elevated by Elliott Gould
Not exactly a forgotten masterpiece, Peter Hyams’ debut feature still has plenty going for it.
Read MoreThe Ides of March Movie Review: Beware the Ides of Clooney
A stylish but largely empty political thriller.
Read MoreDivision III: Football’s Finest Blu-ray Review: Andy Dick Jokes Do Not a Movie Make
I can’t even see college brahs owning this one in their library.
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