This time out we’ve got Leo, Scooby-Doo and the WWE, a killer catfish, Power Rangers galore, Half-pint, the Satellite of Love, Penny Lane, the Muscles from Brussels, LARP-ers, and more.
Fire up that queue and prep that shopping cart. It’s that time of the week.
The Wolf of Wall Street
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| Paramount / Released 3/25/14 |
Sex. Money. Power. Drugs. Brace yourself for an outrageous true story from legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers as a young stockbroker hungry for a life of non-stop thrills, where corruption was king and more was never enough. His rise to power earned him the title The Wolf of Wall Street. Together, Scorsese and DiCaprio deliver a story of American excess. Extras include featurette.
Last Word: Playing on a similar structure and story-telling style familiar to both the director and his audience, from Goodfellas, Scorsese nails the cocaine and quailude fueled world of corporate greed and excess that is high finance and Wall Street wheeling and dealing. He has pulled out all the stops in his use of stylized camera work, almost perfect use of sound, and the amazing editing of long-time collaborator, Thelma Schoonmaker, to immerse the audience in the insanity and decadence of Belfort’s world.
Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a tour de force performance as Belfort. Personally, I think this is his best performance of his career so far. DiCaprio is supported by an amazing cast including a phenomenal performance from Jonah Hill as the pearly white toothed, not quite all-there but loyal, Donnie. Rob Reiner returning to his acting roots as “Mad” Max Belfort, Jordan’s short tempered, foul-mouthed Father. Jon Favreau in a small but crucial role as “the voice of reason”. Matthew McConaughey as Belfort’s early mentor and out-there boss. Margot Robbie as the girl who steals Belfort’s heart. The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal in a great role as the loyal friend who does all the dirty work for Belfort. Joanna Lumley and director Spike Jonze round out the already amazing cast.
This movie isn’t going to be for everyone. The violence, graphic nudity, and insane amount of drug use will upset some, however, Scorsese isn’t just showing it for shock value. Granted, it will be shocking to some. I feel, and I am sure the film maker feels that you can’t do this story of greed, money, excess, power and corruption without showing just how intense it got.
I have used Goodfellas as a comparison to this film as they both share a lot of similarities, both in film making and in the story they tell. To me, that is a high standard to hold to as I believe Goodfellas was one of the best films of the 1990s. The Wolf Of Wall Street is a not quite as perfect a film, but it is close. It is Martin Scorsese’s love letter to that style of film making and almost like a small “Yeah, I still got it” nod to Scorsese’s self. I highly recommend it and leave you with this obscure comparison; If Goodfellas is Infernal Affairs then The Wolf Of Wall Street is The Departed. I will leave you to figure out what that means. (– Benn Robbins)
Odd Thomas
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| Image Entertainment / Released 3/25/14 |
Small-town fry cook Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) is an ordinary guy with a paranormal secret: he sees dead people, everywhere. When a creepy stranger shows-up with an entourage of ghostly bodachs – predators who feed on pain and portend mass destruction – Odd knows that his town is in serious trouble. Teaming up with his sweetheart Stormy (Addison Timlin) and the local sheriff (Willem Dafoe), Odd plunges into an epic battle of good vs evil to try to stop a disaster of apocalyptic proportions.
Last Word: Odd Thomas is one of those films that will most definitely get lost among the bigger releases and that is a real shame, for this movie is quite possibly one the smartest and well-intentioned genre flicks to come out in a long time.
A cross between The Frighteners and Constantine (although lets be honest here, this is a lot better) Odd Thomas is the story of a small-town fry cook blessed (or cursed depending on who you ask) with the gift to see dead people. Only instead of being frightened by it, he uses his power to track down those who caused the violent death and kick some serious ass, a premise that might seem ladled straight out of the boring soup stock of Hollywood genre, but it manages to defeat that curse through superb acting and smart dialog.
Unlike a lot of films that use the “I See Dead People” premise as a way to insert conflict into character relationships, Odd (played by Anton Yelchin) doesn’t hide his gift from those he is closest to, like the local sheriff (Willem Defoe) who covers for Odd when his talent might become known to the masses or his girlfriend Stormy (Addison Timlin) who not only accept Odd’s particular gift, but supports (albeit cautiously) his quest with a level of honest love and devotion that would seem almost sappy in a less talented actor’s hands.
To be honest I didn’t hold out much hope that Odd Thomas would be anything but boring, but I was completely smitten by it. Sure, the premise is recycled: Weird guy with powers finds out that an apocalyptic murder spree is going to happen in his small town and only has 24-hours to figure out where and when before the bodies pile up all around him. Add to that some creatures from hell that only he can see (called Bodachs) who feed off the carnage of violence and will kill him if they find out he is aware of them, and you have just about every plot point of the Horror/Fantasy/Sci-Fi movie genre.
But unlike most of those movies, Odd Thomas is pretty self-aware of itself and deviates from the traditional muck by giving the characters actual brains that work and reactions to events that you or I would most likely have. Take for instance the Sheriff, a character that usually fits into one of two molds: Assholes who refuse to believe the main character until the very end or, the main psychopath. In this case Chief Wyatt Porter is a well-rounded guy who is grateful for his friendship with Odd and works with him to capture bad guys, not to mention that two men have a complete and utter respect for one another even though Odd seems to know exactly when the Sheriff and his wife are about to get it on and totally interrupts them EVERY SINGLE TIME. In the usual movieverse you’d expect that they would fight or at least have some animosity toward each other but no, they are colleagues who are connected together to stop horrific things from happening (or taking care of them when they do) and it is not only refreshing but adds a depth to the movie you don’t often see.
Which brings us to the relationship between Odd and Stormy. Now, I have seen thousands of movies in which the characters are supposedly absolutely and completely in love with one another and I have always felt that real love is hard to show on screen since it takes a certain subtlety and bond that requires more within the silences than it does through dialog alone (and who doesn’t cringe at love scenes between empty, vapid characters with no chemistry) but these two have the most solid and respectful relationship I have ever seen on screen. Cute without being saccharine, loving without the all the angst, respectful and adoring without making you want to puke…a combination that I have to profess I wish I could see in the movies a hell of a lot more.
Yes, all-in-all this is a pretty straight genre film that recycles a lot of well-known plot points that we have all seen before and, even though it manages to do so in clever and well-written ways, we already know what is going to happen before the movie shows us. But let’s not throw in the towel just yet. Just because we know the destination doesn’t mean the journey is trite. In fact, it isn’t and that is why the film is a great deal of fun and worth the 96 minutes. Sometimes you want to see a movie that entertains you that doesn’t insult your intelligence and in the capable hands of this cast (as well as director Stephen Sommers) you get both, a surprising amount of fun while still making you feel that your IQ is in the triple digits when the end credits roll. So don’t let this flick pass you by. (– Elizabeth Weitz)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIX
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| Shout Factory / Released 3/25/14 |
Ahead of its time in many ways, the beloved comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000 used social media before there was social media. Consider: a creative team of actors and writers put on a puppet show and shared with us not just cheesy old movies, but how they felt about them. They sent their show into the ether, hoping to find kindred spirits to join in the fun and pain. The comments were delivered verbally in snarky one-liners called riffs, the spiritual father of funny tweets. The initial popularity of the show mushroomed as fans made tapes and traded them…viral videos before they turned digital. Is it any wonder, then, that the first MST fans were drawn to the burgeoning internet, using it to find each other and share the love? All the above notwithstanding, this new DVD collection is the only way to own these four never before released episodes with fun extras. Relationship status? It’s not complicated: fans forever. #MovieSign!
Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXIX brings us Untamed Youth, a rock n’ roll exploitation flick about two beautiful and talented sisters on their way to Tinseltown who are arrested on trumped-up charges by a corrupt judge; the 1961 sci-fi fantasy adventure Hercules and the Captive Women, where, in a mishmash of myths, the celebrated Greek hero must battle an army of super warriors who are under the mysterious power of Atlantis’ treacherous queen; The Thing That Couldn’t Die, the tale of young Jessica, who is drawn to a crate buried on her aunt’s ranch, only to discover the living head of a 16th-century devil worshipper; and The Pumaman, a 1980 sci-fi miracle in which a young paleontologist discovers that he is actually a flying man-god descended from aliens, destined to protect a really important mask before it falls into the hands of Donald Pleasence. Extras include original version of The Pumaman, New Interview With Untamed Youth Star Mamie Van Doren, New Interview With The Pumaman Star Walter G. Alton, Jr., The Movie That Couldn’t Die, New Introductions By Joel Hodsgon, About Joel Hodgson’s Riffing Myself, MST3K Artist In Residence: Steve Vance, Theatrical Trailers and 4 Exclusive Mini-Posters By Artist Steve Vance.
Scooby-Doo: Wrestlemania Mystery
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| Warner Bros. / Released 3/25/14 |
When Shaggy and Scooby win tickets to WrestleMania, the entire gang travels in the Mystery Machine to WWE City to attend the epic event. However, when a mysterious ghostly bear appears and threatens to ruin the show, Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred work with WWE Superstars to solve the case.
Last Word: Full disclosure. I’m a sucker for crossover events that involve my favorite childhood pastimes. So it should come as no surprise that I marked out ridiculously when the trailer for Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery hit the web. Think about this: as popular as wrestling was in the 80’s, Hulk Hogan never teamed up with our Scooby snacking canine. Now, our current crop of WWE Superstars join the historic lineup of such luminaries as The Three Stooges, The Harlem Globetrotters, and Batman and Robin for some mystery-solving shenanigans.
The story isn’t that complicated, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s Scooby-Doo for crying out loud, and it has all of the usual elements that we’ve come to expect from this adored franchise. Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby take in some leisure time in WWE City until a seemingly supernatural ghost bear threatens WrestleMania. It’s up to the gang to discover who is behind the fiendish plot. The usual suspects are introduced throughout the movie to throw off the scent of the real mastermind behind it all.
As far as wrestlers go, John Cena is the star of the show and DAMN, he is strong. Like Superman strong. For his sake, I hope Warner Bros doesn’t conduct wellness testing. I kid, I kid. However, his wide array of skills come in handy. These skills include being able to speak “Masked Luchador” which is where Sin Cara comes in as the co-star and begs the question: who did Rey Mysterio piss off to get snubbed for the role? Sin Cara’s involvement actually serves the story well as his family legacy is linked to the legend of the ghost bear. Triple H has a strong presence but he doesn’t do anything important. However, he is holding the WWE title in every billboard, flyer and poster in the film. The cynic in me wonders if this was coincidence or by design?
Brodus Clay and his funk-tastic dialog is short and sweet, AJ Lee is the furthest thing from a self-centered crazy chick, and The Miz is as annoying in animated form as he is in real life. Kane, Santino Marella, and Vince McMahon round out the superstars with speaking roles but there are also some non-speaking wrestler cameos. The voice acting clearly conveyed the amount of fun they were having in the recording studio which augmented their performance. Most of them spoke as exaggerated versions of themselves which is ultimately what a wrestlers gimmick is supposed to be.
Let’s talk about WWE City. It’s a magical place full of sports entertainment themed shops, restaurants, gyms, and hotels. It also has the most messed up laws to ever pass legislation. Now, it is admitted that the action in the ring is all for show. Later on, law dictates that Shaggy and Scooby must compete in the very same ring in order to rule the day. Does this mean they got a fake beating or a real one? This is a little confusing, but I give the writers a pass on this one. After all, this is a cartoon about a talking dog solving crimes with a professional wrestler. Suspension of reality is required.
If you are a Ring of Honor loving, Daniel Bryan-worshiping, El-Torito-bashing son-of-a-gun, you will hate this movie. However, if you don’t mind an outrageously fun film that puts more emphasis on the WWE title than the actual company itself, your heart just might grow two sizes bigger. After all, it’s about the champ and those meddling kids! (– Atlee Greene)
Little House on the Prairie Season 1
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| Lionsgate / Released 3/25/14 |
For the first time since their original TV broadcast, all 24 season one episodes are now presented complete and uncut, newly restored and remastered for optimal picture and sound quality! Plus, you’ll discover where the Little House on the Prairie TV legend began – with the original, full-length pilot movie that introduced the Ingalls family to millions of viewers around the world. Relive all the heartwarming adventures from season one – from the arrival of Charles Ingalls and his family in Walnut Grove, through the building of a new home and friendships, to battling for their lives against a vicious blizzard. Extras include featurette and screen test.
Last Word: A staple of seventies television, Little House on the Prairie hits all of the nostalgiac notes in this wonderful release. Starring Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert, Pamela Sue Anderson and Lindsay Sidney Green Bush, Little House chronicled the adventures of the Ingalls family as they settled and prospered in Walnut Grove. Among the issues dealt with in the first season include alcoholism, natural disasters, blizzards, broken hearts, birth defects, illiteracy, marital issues, typhus, con artists and more. With solid writing and performances, this period drama is as watchable (and as enjoyable) today as it was when it first aired. Highly recommended.
Veep: The Complete Second Season
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| HBO / Released 3/25/14 |
HBO delivers a new season of the Emmy-winning comedy series created by Armando Iannucci (Oscar nominee for co-writing In the Loop) that takes a sharp, satirical look at the insular world of Washington politics. Veep follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus in her Emmy-winning role) as she juggles her busy public schedule, puts out political fires, and defends the president’s interests, even as she tries to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive. Over the course of ten Season 2 episodes, Veep hilariously skewers the nuances of everyday office politics – set against the backdrop of the second highest office in the land. Extras include commentaries and deleted scenes.
Key & Peele: Seasons One & Two
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| Paramount / Released 3/25/14 |
Key & Peele: Seasons One & Two give viewers no choice but to laugh again at their hilarious way of examining life in a provocative and irreverent way, through a combination of filmed sketches and live stage segments. From gangsters sharing a passion for Twilight, to Ice-T as a naughty puppy, or racist super heroes, Key & Peele showcases their chemistry, camaraderie and unique point of view, born from their shared background and experiences growing up biracial in a not quite post-racial world. Extras include interviews, featurettes, commentaries and outtakes.
Last Word: Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele aren’t just funny. They’re smart and funny, which sets them apart from many other sketch comedies. Like Dave Chapelle before them, much of Key and Peele’s humor is based in race. Which not only sometimes creates controversy, but also some much needed insight and commentary. Among the memorable icons skewed are President Obama, Lil Wayne, Jesus, Ice-T, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Harriet Tubman, LMFAO, and Darius Rucker with notable guest stars including Ty Burrell, Larry Joe Campbell, Rob Delaney, Carla Gallo, Ryan Hansen, Ken Marino, Wayne Brady, Kevin Sorbo, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, Dean Norris, Kristanna Loken, Brenda Song, and Billy Dee Williams. Key & Peele is awesome and comes highly recommended.
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: A Dash Of Awesome
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| Shout! Factory / Released 3/25/14 |
Join Rainbow Dash for five thrilling adventures alongside her very best friends in all of Equestria: the studious Twilight Sparkle, quiet animal lover Fluttershy, the party enthusiast Pinkie Pie, the always loyal apple farmer Applejack and Ponyville’s very own fashionista Rarity! That’s right! Five episodes dedicated to everypony’s favorite high-flying Pegasus, Rainbow Dash!
Welcome to the Jungle
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| Universal / Released 3/25/14 |
A group of unsuspecting office workers find themselves stranded on a desert island when a corporate retreat led by unhinged former Marine Storm Rothchild (Jean-Claude Van Damme) goes horribly wrong. Now Chris (Adam Brody) and his co-workers must battle nature – and each other – to survive! Welcome to the Jungle is a hilarious journey into the heart of madness also featuring Rob Huebel, Kristen Schaal, Dennis Haysbert, and Megan Boone. Extras include deleted scene and behind the scenes.
Last Word: A surprisingly entertaining addition to the Van Damme filmography that crosses Office Space with The Lord of the Flies. Van Damme leads a corporate retreat gone awry as two competitive co-workers form their own factions declaring war on one another. The supporting cast is top notch, and Van Damme’s comic timing is as exact as his kicking prowess. Welcome to the Jungle is a pleasant diversion and worth a watch. Recommended.
The Punk Singer
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| MPI Home Video / Released 3/25/14 |
Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill and dance-punk trio Le Tigre, rose to national attention as the reluctant but never shy voice of the riot grrrl movement. In so doing she became both one of the most famously outspoken feminist icons and a cultural lightning rod. While her critics wished she would just shut up, her fans hoped she never would. So when in 2005 Hanna stopped shouting, many wondered why. Through 20 years of archival footage and intimate interviews with Hanna and those who were part of the scene, including music legends Joan Jett and Adam Horowitz, The Punk Singer takes viewers on a fascinating tour of contemporary music and offers a never-before-seen view into the life of this fearless leader.
Last Word: A fascinating and often touching portrait of rocker Kathleen Hanna. Never a fan of her music, per se, this doc covers Hanna’s place in the riot grrrl movement, where her life took her and where she is today. A wonderful love letter to the early nineties, The Punk Singer is a reminder of the grunge culture, zines, Doc Martins and a strong female driven music explosion that Hanna was a key member of. Inspiring at times especially seeing the independent Hanna needing help, The Punk Singer is a love letter to both a bygone era and one of it’s important voices.
Beneath
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| Shout! Factory / Released 3/25/14 |
When a group of young friends commemorating their high school graduation take a trip to the remote Black Lake, their celebration turns into a nightmare. Trapped in a leaking boat with no oars, the teens face the ultimate test of friendship and sacrifice during a terror-stricken fight for survival when they find something is living beneath the surface. Extras include commentary, featurettes and trailer.
Last Word: A conscious Jaws ripoff/homage by cult director Larry Fessenden, Beneath is full of unlikable characters and silly effects. And it’s fun. Unlike other similar themed films like Shark Night or Bait 3D, Beneath is extremely self aware and in the hands of Fessenden, pretty entertaining. That being said, there’s nothing remarkable about this film, it’s another creature feature with mediocre acting and unrealistic character motivations. Then again, it’s about a giant killer catfish, so what do you really expect? Skip your Saturday night Syfy Channel movie and check this out instead. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Boardwalk
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| MVD Visual / Released 3/25/14 |
David Rosen (Lee Strasberg) and his wife Becky (Ruth Gordon) have lived in the same Coney Island neighborhood for most of their married life. But the area is not what it used to be, and a gang leader named Strut has decided to make it his new turf. Strut begins shaking down the merchants, demanding payment for “”protection”” and using violence to deal with anyone who gets in his way.
Wonderwall
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| Shout! Factory / Released 3/25/14 |
Set in swinging 1960’s London, Wonderwall is the story of a reclusive professor Oscar Collins (Jack MacGowran) who becomes infatuated with his next door neighbors, the beautiful model Penny Lane (Jane Birkin) and her Svengalian photographer boyfriend (Iain Quarrier). When the professor attempts to rescue Penny from an overdose following a quarrel with her boyfriend, he enters the magical realm of the Wonderwall on a transformative journey, and returns to his laboratory a changed man. Extras include publicity materials, featurettes, biographies, music videos, outtakes, trailer, theatrical and director’s cut.
Last Word: More than a bit of a mess, this psychedelic LSD-inspired narrative has been a cult film, and with some fantastic music by George Harrison and the Beatles connection with the name of the film’s heroine, Penny Lane, it’s easy to see why. Nevertheless, it’s an acquired taste, not mine, but for fans of experimental video and music of the period, it’s a solid release.
Here’s Lucy: The Complete Series
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| MPI Home Video / Released 3/25/14 |
Lucy’s back! For more love & laughter in her top 10 comedy hit. The legendary queen of television comedy, Lucille Ball, is joined by her real-life children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr., in her third long-running sitcom success. Ball plays Lucille Carter, widowed mother of teenagers Kim and Craig. Lucy works for her brother-in-law Harry, played by Gale Gordon, who owns Carter s Unique Employment Agency, leading Lucy into endless predicaments and hilarious hijinks.
The Complete Series of Here’s Lucy (1968-74, CBS-TV) gathers all 144 uncut and digitally remastered episodes together for the first time and features a wealth of special features including vintage television appearances, interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and much much more!
Last Word: The first lady of sitcoms, Lucille Ball’s third sitcom which focused on her as a single working mother with two teenaged children. Gale Gordon, who co-starred opposite Ball in The Lucy Show co-starred, and longtime collaborator Vivian Vance made regular appearances. A number of celebrities made guest appearances, as themselves, including Jack Benny, Wayne Newton, Van Johnson, Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, Jack LaLanne, Liberace, Lawrence Welk, Ann-Margret, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sammy Davis Jr., Buddy Rich, Vincent Price, George Burns, Rudy Vallee, Art Linkletter, Flip Wilson, Dinah Shore, Rich Little, Ginger Rogers, David Frost, Allen Funt, Eva Gabor, Joe Namath, Petula Clark, Donny Osmond, O.J. Simpson, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gormé, Eddie Albert, Frankie Avalon, Chuck Connors, Milton Berle, and Phil Harris.
Other guest stars included Shelley Winters, Wally Cox, Sid Haig, Cesar Romero, Victor Buono, Howard Keel, Paul Winchell, James Hong, Alan Hale Jr., Charles Nelson Reilly, Robert Alda, Stafford Repp, Jayne Meadows, Tony Randall, Helen Hayes, Keye Luke, Tim Matheson, Alan Oppenheimer, Lloyd Bridges, Eve Plumb, Ricardo Montalban, Ruth Buzzi, Don Knotts, Elsa Lanchester, Danny Thomas, Jackie Coogan, Andy Griffith, Joan Rivers, Foster Brooks, Al Lewis, Dick Sargent, Arte Johnson, and Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden.
The show was notable also for portraying teenagers more realistically as well as covering stories about civil rights, rock music, the sexual revolution and changing gender/sexual morals. The Lucy Show isn’t as well known or beloved as I Love Lucy and although that series is timeless, this one is an interesting look at the time it was produced. It’s also extremely funny. Highly recommended.
Calloused Hands
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| Horizon Movies / Released 3/25/14 |
12 year old Josh is a mixed race boy and a promising baseball player. He is abused by his mother s boyfriend Byrd, and neglected by his mother Debbie. He forges his own path in life when his estranged grandfather insists he study for his Bar Mitzvah.
The Swimmer
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| Grindhouse Releasing / Released by 3/25/14 |
In his finest performance, Burt Lancaster stars as Ned Merrill, a man who confronts his destiny by swimming home, pool by pool, through the suburban nightmare of upper-class East Coast society. Based on the acclaimed short story by John Cheever, and directed by Frank Perry, The Swimmer is a film like no other, a feature-length Twilight Zone episode by way of The New Yorker. Extras include feature length documentary, New Yorker short story audio edition, liner notes by Stuart Gordon, trailers, tv spots, and stills.
Last Word: A strange film that leaves much interpretation to the viewer, The Swimmer is a fascinating watch. Lancaster’s Merrill appears to be having a mental breakdown. The reasons exactly aren’t particularly clear. Merrill goes from one pool to another swimming as his past is slowly revealed, revealing one personal failure after another. Almost indescribable, The Swimmer is a must see experience, made even more amazing from Lancaster’s incredible performance. Highly recommended.
The Conspiracy
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| Xlrator / Released 3/25/14 |
When two young filmmakers select a crazed conspiracy theorist as the subject of their new movie, they have no idea the terrifying peril they will put themselves in. When the man disappears without a trace, the filmmakers begin an obsessive quest to uncover the truth that will lead them to an ancient and dangerous secret society. A meticulously researched thriller based on real conspiracy theories, The Conspiracy blurs the line between fact and fiction, news and propaganda.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
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| Paramount / Released 4/1/14 |
The wait is over, America – Ron Burgundy is back and “funnier than ever!” After losing his job to his wife and co-anchor, Ron reassembles the news team and squares off against a new rival. Will the world’s greatest anchorman be crushed beneath the weight of his own ego (and his salon-quality hair)? Anything goes in the outrageous comedy that critics are calling “one of the funniest movies of the year!” Extras include three versions of the film, commentary, cast auditions, featurettes, cast table reads, gag reels, line-o-ramas and deleted, extended and alternative scenes.
Last Word: This unnecessary, bloated sequel is an exercise of experimental comedy rather than laughs, with a focus on weird improvisation rather than based around actual humor. Cameo heavy, the film is just an excuse to entertain Ferrell’s non funny non sequiturs. The film is one of the more unlikable movies in recent memory, with a fair amount of unfunny jokes may surprisingly racist. A bad movie that should serve as a reminder not to indulge an actor’s vanity project.
47 Ronin
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| Universal / Released 4/1/14 |
Keanu Reeves stars in the action-adventure epic, 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and reclaim their honor. This band of ronin must seek help from Kai (Reeves) – an enslaved half-breed they once rejected – in their ultimate fight for redemption in a savage world of mythic and wondrous terrors. Kai becomes their most deadly weapon and the heroic inspiration for these outnumbered warriors to confront their enemy and seize eternity. Extras include deleted scenes and featurettes.
Last Word: Visually stunning, 47 Ronin is a mess of a movie. Overlong and devoid of any humor, charm or personality, this CGI snoozefest is one missed opportunity after another to engage. Borrowing much of it’s tone and style from anime, 47 Ronin never manages to develop it’s own identity, instead delivering a cliched movie that does a poor job adapting a classic Japanese tale.
Power Rangers: Seasons 13 -17
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| Shout! Factory / Released 4/1/14 |
The world’s favorite children’s action-adventure series returns with five more astonishing seasons, including the fan-favorite Power Rangers S.P.D. and the explosive Power Rangers Mystic Force, Power Rangers Operation Overdrive, Power Rangers Jungle Fury and Power Rangers RPM. Join your favorite Rangers as they take on evil unlike anything the universe has ever seen!
Power Rangers S.P.D.: In the not-too-distant future, the Power Rangers open a Police Academy to train, educate and house the next generation of Rangers. The Earth is now an interstellar melting pot where alien beings from distant planets live alongside humans, but it is also a dangerous place where a planet-conquering alien force has turned its destructive sights on Earth…and all that stands in the way of Earth’s demise and the fall of our universe is the newest breed of Power Rangers S.P.D. – Space Patrol Delta!
Power Rangers Mystic Force: The evil Morticon leads his army of darkness to attack the modern-day peaceful city of Briarwood. To stop them, the powerful sorceress Udonna recruits a team of five teenagers destined to become the Power Rangers Mystic Force. Udonna takes this new team of Rangers to her magical headquarters in an otherworldly forest known as Rootcore. There, the Rangers practice magic and through the powers of the magical books known as the Xenotome, use spells to battle back the forces of evil encroaching on our world. Equipped with Mystic Morphers and Magi Staffs and aided by other magical Rangers, our heroes will need every trick up their sleeves to overcome the vast armies of Morticon.
Power Rangers Operation Overdrive: Throughout the history of mankind, good has battled evil…and good has always prevailed, but all of that is about to change! The “Crown of the Gods” encrusted with seven magnificent jewels from seven galaxies, is said to bestow ultimate power on the wearer. Once written about by the ancients, but dismissed as mythical forces from the past awaken and search for the seven missing jewels. If they are found and placed in the crown, evil will be unstoppable. Five brave teens set out on an exciting global treasure hunt to track down and find these long-lost jewels. Their quest will be filled with action, adventure, spectacular battles and mind-wracking puzzles to decode. The jewels must be found and secured, or evil will wear the Crown of the Gods. Our world and the entire universe’s fate rests in the hands of Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive.Power Rangers Jungle Fury: A secretive Kung Fu clan in modern times is attacked by the evil spirit Dai Shi. With their master dead and one of their members possessed by the evil spirit, three Kung Fu adepts search for new masters and new abilities to defeat the evil force before it can destroy the world. Under the tutelage of the easygoing RJ, the three students become Power Rangers. Using animal Kung Fu techniques, they battle the army of Dai Shi known as the Rinshi.
Power Rangers RPM: In a world ravaged by a malicious, rapidly evolving computer virus known as Venjix, the last survivors of humanity huddle under the domed city of Corinth. Protecting the people of Cornith is the last force left of Earth to stand against this computerized menace – The Power Rangers RPM. Led by the brilliant but elusive Dr. K, this elite squad of teenagers trained to operate sophisticated armored suits and state-of-the-art combat vehicles defend the people of Cornith. But when an amnesiac vagabond named Dillon wanders in from the wastelands one day, he brings with him a body full of Venjix technology cybernetic implants and a secret that can either finally turn the tide against the endless robotic menace that has all but conquered the planet Earth, or wipe out the human race for good.
This limited-edition collection contains all 166 episodes
and comes packed with hours of bonus features, including retrospective
featurettes celebrating the Power Rangers with brand-new interviews with
members of the cast and crew, archival material, and more.
Broadchurch: Season 1
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| Entertainment One / Released 4/1/14 |
Set in contemporary times in the Dorset seaside town of Broadchurch, the mystery begins when the body of 11-year-old Danny Latimer is found on a popular beach just before the onslaught of tourist season. Through eight gripping episodes that will leave your insides twisted into knots, two deliciously dueling detectives (Olivia Colman and David Tennant) are brought together by circumstances to solve the murder. Under the glare of an increasing media spotlight, the two race to find the killer amid the devastated townspeople struggling to keep their close-knit community together while bracing for secrets that will be laid bare.
Last Word: Before it’s US remake arrives, you must see this! Broadchurch is one of the best, most addicting series in recent memory (yes, I’m including True Detective). A murder of a child in an otherwise quiet seaside town sets off an investigation that throws Broadchurch into a set of disarray. DI Hardy (Tennant) and DS Miller (Coleman) are often at odds, but both these characters are incredibly well conceived as well as impeccably brought to life through two phenomenal performances. The murder of Danny Latimer is more than an investigation, it’s the thorough examination of a town and it’s inhabitants, that for better or worse, have plenty of things to hide. Highest recommendation.
Knights of Badassdom
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| Entertainment One / Released 4/1/14 |
Knights of Badassdom follows three best friends (Peter Dinklage, Steve Zahn and Ryan Kwanten) and dedicated LARPers (Live Action Role Players) as they take to the woods to reenact a dungeons and dragons-like scenario fresh out of the Middle Ages. Trouble arises after they unwittingly conjure up some serious evil in the form of a blood-lusting Succubus from the pits of hell. And as fantasy and reality collide on the Fields of Evermore in an all-out epic battle of make-believe wizards, demons and assorted mythical creatures, their courage and friendship is put to the test as they attempt to vanquish the evil they have summoned. Will the group prove to simply be foam sword-wielding LARPers or true “Knights of Badassdom?” The film co-stars Summer Glau, Danny Pudi, Maragrita Levieva and Jimmi Simpson. Extras include interviews, featurettes and SDCC panel.
Last Word: On the surface, Knights of Badassdom seems like it’s going to be awesome. Unfortunately, it’s not. After a well publicized feud regarding the final cut of the film, we’re presented not with the director’s cut. Without the opportunity to view that, and just having the cut on hand, it’s not very engaging. LARP has rarely been covered in cinema (although used to great effect in Role Models) and the concept of medieval gore and humor has already been executed to perfection in Army of Darkness, leaving Knights of Badassdom to ultimately be not much of anything. Not even a solid ensemble can save this.
Fargo Remastered Edition
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| 20th Century Fox / Released 4/1/14 |
In this seven-time Oscar-Nominated film, things go terribly awry when small-time Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife so he can collect the ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. Once people start dying, the very chipper and very pregnant Police Chief Margo (Frances McDormand) takes the case. Will she stop at nothing until she gets her man? You betcha. Extras include commentary, featurettes, trivia track, gallery and article.
Last Word: Never looking or sounding better, Fargo returns in this upgraded release just in time for the FX spinoff. Fargo is the quintessential Coen Brothers film, capturing the best of their dark humor and eccentricities. The film is a must see (and a must own), and tells the very violent and quirky tale of a kidnap and ransom gone wrong, with bad people doing horrible things and the very pregnant police chief who’s taken over the investigation. A strong supporting cast, Fargo deserves every accolade it has received and is filled with sharp dialogue, shocking moments and quirky twists that make the Coen Brothers two of cinema’s best storytellers. Highest recommendation.
The Little Rascals Save the Day
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| Universal / Released 4/1/14 |
The Little Rascals are back in an all-new movie! Join the fun with Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Buckwheat, Petey the dog and the whole gang as they are up to their usual mischief! The Rascals try anything to raise the money needed to save their grandma’s (Doris Roberts) bakery. The only trouble is – they just can’t seem to do anything right! From botched pet washes to terrible taxi service, they can’t raise a penny. Their only hope is to win prize money from the local talent show – but have you ever heard Alfalfa sing?
Last Word: Somewhere Hal Roach is spinning in his grave. This direct to video effort fails spectacularly on every level. Unfunny? Check. Slapsticky? Check. Bad acting? Check. A discredit to the legacy of the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts? Check. Bad CGI? Check. CGI in a Little Rascals film? Check.
Not even the characters are well cast/acted. We’ve got Spanky, Alfalfa, Stymie, Buckwheat (in a bad afro wig), Darla, Porky, Woim, Butch, and Waldo. But no Froggy, Waldo, Scotty, or Bobby.
The original Little Rascals remain a childhood favorite. This film is an insult to their legacy. For kids only. Particularly if your kid eats paste.
When Jews Were Funny
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| First Run Features / Released 4/1/14 |
Insightful and often hilarious, When Jews Were Funny surveys the history of Jewish comedy, from the early days of Borsht belt to the present, ultimately exploring not just ethnicity in the entertainment industry, but also the entire unruly question of what it means to be Jewish.
Popular comedians from the past and present provide an abundance of surprising opinions and witty humor. Veterans of the 1940s and 50s deny that their comedy reflected anything of Jewish culture. For younger comics, their biggest influences are family members, fathers, aunts and yentas. Many bemoan the loss of Yiddish, while arguing about the quintessential Jewish joke.
Perhaps the movie’s real subject isn’t so much comedy but what it means to be Jewish. It’s an impossible question to answer…but it’s also one well worth exploring, especially in a movie as funny and heartfelt as this one. Extras include bonus clips and joke medley.
Last Word: A funny and sometimes touching film that looks at Jewish culture and how humor is an integral part to identity, family, history, happiness and tragedy. Among the comedians interviewed are David Brenner, Gilbert Gottfried, Eugene Mirman, Rodney Dangerfield, Howie Mandel, Marc Maron, David Steinberg, Bob Einstein, Shelley Berman, Judy Gold, Andy Kindler, Jackie Mason, Elon Gold, Norm Crosby, Jack Carter, Alan King, Henny Youngman and Shecky Greene. When Jews Were Funny is an illuminating and entertaining conversation of the history of my culture. Recommended.
At Middleton
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| Starz/Anchor Bay / Released 4/1/14 |
Academy Award nominees Andy Garcia and Vera Farmiga star as straight-laced George and eccentric Edith, two strangers who meet on their children’s campus tour at the idyllic Middleton College. Failing comically to connect with their kids, George and Edith play hooky together, ditching the official tour for a carefree adventure reminiscent of their own college years. But what begins as an afternoon of fun soon becomes a revealing and enlightening experience that will change their lives forever. A light-hearted romance for adults on the surface, At Middleton is a deeply moving portrait of roads not taken and the timelessness of youth. Also stars Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco, Peter Riegert, and Tom Skerritt also star in this story about what can happen on your first day of college – no matter who you are – At Middleton.
