THE SUNSET LIMITED DVD Review

by Rob Wieland    Posted: April 6th, 2012 at 5:55 am

Projects in Hollywood need a name attached—script quality and director’s vision and rarely make a project happen until someone that Hollywood trusts to make money joins the project.  The Sunset Limited is scripted by the writer of No Country For Old Men, starring Samuel L. Jackson squaring off against Tommy Lee Jones.  Who wins in this face-off between two actors loved by so many?  Check out our review after the jump.

GAME OF THRONES Season One DVD Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: March 7th, 2012 at 6:58 am

HBO’s Game of Thrones comes at an interesting time in geekdom, and its success speaks to the barriers that have been broken. Though fantasy and science fiction have often been popular cinematically, on television it’s been stuck in a Stargate-esque ghetto. But now we’ve got one of the most thoughtful shows currently on air on one of the most prestigious networks that also happens to be about dragons and swordplay. Perhaps the better arbiter of what crosses over to the mainstream and what doesn’t is quality, and Game of Thrones is definitely an engrossing show even for those who’ve never picked up a twenty sided die. Sean Bean, Lena Headey, Mark Addy and Peter Dinklage lead a mostly British cast in a tale about warring families in a fantastical middle age. Our review of Game of Thrones on DVD follows after the jump.

AN IDIOT ABROAD DVD Review

by Jackson Cresswell    Posted: February 25th, 2012 at 6:30 am

An Idiot Abroad is a BBC travel series dedicated to the seven wonders of the world and the culture that surrounds them.  It isn’t a new idea.  Dozens of shows have tackled the exact same subject using a combination of stunning photography and a charismatic, informative host which can create a rich, in-depth look at some truly remarkable feats of architecture and ingenuity.  But Idiot Abroad offers something that none of those other documentary series has: a host who has no curiosity or interest in the subjects he is sent to cover.  Karl Pilkington is the host (or presenter) of Idiot Abroad and is either an Andy Kaufman-esque performance artist or, more likely, a man with unbelievably simple tastes.  Either way, his interactions and observations make this travel series extremely entertaining.  Hit the jump for our review of An Idiot Abroad on DVD.

WOODY ALLEN: A DOCUMENTARY DVD Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: February 16th, 2012 at 5:00 pm

Woody Allen deserves a three hour documentary, and with Robert B. Weide’s Woody Allen: A Documentary, the artist’s life and work is put into great perspective. Done originally for PBS, the two part film covers his early years working as a joke writer and stand-up through to his transition into master class filmmaker. For those looking to get a handle on a career that now spans over 50 years, it’s a clear, concise work that reminds why he used to be hilarious, and why he’s now revered as one of America’s greatest working filmmakers. Our review of the DVD of Woody Allen: A Documentary follows after the jump.

PROJECT NIM DVD Review

by Keith Demko    Posted: February 14th, 2012 at 6:28 am

With British documentary maker James Marsh’s often wild mix of genuine footage and re-creations, in lesser hands his movies could easily slip into something approaching an episode of Cops.  But luckily, as he proved with the Oscar-winning Man on a Wire and now again with Project Nim, he has the ability to blend the formats into an engaging narrative that pushes the definition of documentary filmmaking without ever breaking them down completely. In Nim, he tells the epic and often harrowing tale of a chimpanzee who becomes a pawn caught in the middle of the nature vs. nurture debate with visual verve and a genuine flair for storytelling.  You can read Matt’s review of the film from Sundance 2011 here. Hit the jump for a review of Project Nim on DVD.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TIM Season Two DVD Review

by Phil Brown    Posted: January 9th, 2012 at 8:00 am

Rather quietly, Steve Dildarian’s The Life And Times Of Tim has become one of the subtlest, funniest, and crudest (in terms of the animation, but the writing team isn’t afraid of getting saucy) animated series on television. The show has built up a cult audience on HBO that should be much larger and might be were it part of the Adult Swim lineup. Dildarian’s talent lies in the comedy of the cringe, creating situations of excruciating embarrassment that provokes nervous giggles building to crippling bursts of laughter. Chances are it’s the funniest show on television that you’re not watching or if you’re one of the converted, it’s that show you keep trying to get your friends into. Regardless, the newly released second season DVD deserves to be watched by everyone who enjoys laughing and awkward conversation. Hit the jump for my review of the second season of The Life and Times of Tim on DVD.

LARRY CROWNE DVD Review

by Scott Wampler    Posted: December 23rd, 2011 at 6:12 am

For as long as I can remember, Tom Hanks has been the reigning champ of the romantic comedy genre.  Oh, sure, upstarts have come along every few years to try and overthrow the dude’s throne, but if you’ve ever seen Splash, Sleepless in Seattle, or Bachelor Party (What?  That’s not a rom-com?  Well, what about the donkey?), you know that Hanks is pretty much undefeatable in these kinda roles:  his everyman likability, his universal demographic appeal, his longstanding reputation as the nicest dude in Hollywood—it all adds up to a rom-com master.  This year’s Larry Crowne, recently released on DVD, will do nothing to tarnish that reputation…but it also won’t do anything to advance it.  Read on for the full review, after the jump.

30 ROCK Season Five DVD Review

by Rob Wieland    Posted: December 11th, 2011 at 6:39 am

30 Rock has come a long way from being the “Untitled Tina Fey Project”. While it hasn’t been a ratings blockbuster, it’s crawled its way inside pop culture in a way other shows would kill for. It’s also launched (and relaunched) the careers of its leads, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. The fifth season of a show is a milestone of its success, since it now has enough episodes to sell to syndicators. Being able to sell the same work multiple times is always a good feeling. Does the show still have what it takes? Hit the jump to take a look at how season five pans out.

ONE DAY DVD Review

by Sasha Tandlich    Posted: December 5th, 2011 at 7:00 am

One Day follows the progression of one couple from their first meeting in 1988 through their much-changed lives twenty years later. The film, which is based on the novel by David Nicholls (who also wrote the script), gets along by peeking in on this couple on the same day each year. Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) meet on July 15 on their graduation from university. The two decide to remain friends rather than pursue romantic interests, and the film takes off from there. Some years are given more attention than others as the film strings through the saga of a couple that never quite gets it all right. Hit the jump for our review of One Day on DVD.

BEGINNERS DVD Review

by Jake Lasker    Posted: December 1st, 2011 at 5:59 am

When I received the DVD for Beginners in the mail last week, I was out of my mind excited. After all, Beginners is one of my favorite films of the year. I couldn’t wait to check out the supplemental material and I’m glad to report the disc doesn’t disappoint.

First things first: the film itself. Mike Mills’ semi-autobiographical tale follows Oliver, played wonderfully by Ewan McGregor, at two very different times in his life. The first timeline follows Oliver’s time with his father Hal (an Oscar-worthy Christopher Plummer), who has recently been diagnosed with cancer and come out of the closet. The second timeline follows Oliver as he embarks on a romance with Anna (Inglourious Basterd’s Melanie Laurent), a French actress staying in Los Angeles. Oliver is kept company at all times by his faithful terrier Arthur.  Continue reading for my full review.

THE OFFICE 10th Anniversary Edition DVD Review

by Rob Wieland    Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 5:49 am

It seems like when influential TV shows are discussed, anything past the 1980’s is left off the list. Things peter out around All in the Family and come to a stop right around Seinfeld. That’s nearly two decades worth of shows left out of the conversation. One of these shows recently released a 10th anniversary edition. The Office may only have two short English seasons and a 2-part Christmas special under it’s belt, but its influence has been felt in modern television for a decade. Our review is after the jump.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ESSENTIALS COLLECTION DVD Review

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 27th, 2011 at 6:00 am

The first Alfred Hitchcock film I ever saw was Psycho. Teenage me scoffed at the notion that a black and white movie that was made during the Eisenhower era could be as scream-inducing as “real scary movies” like A Nightmare on Elm Street or Leprechaun (that little green guy scared the hell out of me). Of course, I quickly realized that my initial impression of the film was 100% wrong. Not only was Psycho genuinely frightening, it’s also an exquisite piece of filmmaking. Even a layman like me knew I wasn’t just seeing a bunch of scenes that were randomly cut together; it was the first time I realized that there’s a true art to good filmmaking.

Hitchcock had a knack for telling incredibly rich and layered stories that appealed to both the wide masses and the deeper-thinking cinephiles. Now, arguably five of his best films have been remastered and boxed together in one glorious package that includes Psycho, North by Northwest, Rear Window, Vertigo, and The Birds. Hit the jump for our review of Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection on DVD.

THE PEOPLE VS. GEORGE LUCAS DVD Review

by Phil Brown    Posted: November 19th, 2011 at 5:16 am

With Star Wars Blu-rays sitting on everyone’s shelves that offer both an amazing presentation of a childhood classics and even more of the irritating changes that George Lucas insists improve the movies, the love/hate relationship between the flannel-loving fantasist and his fans has never been more intense. It’s kind of amazing how in the ten years since the release of The Phantom Menace, Star Wars has gone from one of the most beloved film franchises in existence to being simultaneously the most loved and despised. In an age where geeks run the world, Lucas seems to enjoy prodding and irritating the fanbase that made him a multibillionaire for reasons best known to himself. Fortunately, the ongoing obsession and frustration of Star Wars fans has been given a definitive documentary in The People Vs. George Lucas. Short of a confrontational interview with the man himself, the film covers every aspect of the Star Wars phenomena and controversies in a breezy, entertaining manner. The new DVD is an ideal companion piece to the best selling Blu-ray to examine how the Star Wars phenomena has awkwardly evolved over the last decade. Hit the jump for our review of The People vs. George Lucas on DVD.

BAD TEACHER: UNRATED EDITION DVD Review

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: November 12th, 2011 at 8:12 am

A box office blessing while being critically commonplace, Columbia Pictures’ Bad Teacher was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray. The Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) picture, starring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake, follows foul-mouthed, gold-digging middle school teacher Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) in her quest to raise funds for a boob job in hopes of landing a wealthy suitor. That’s about as deep as the film’s plot gets as half-hearted attempts at character development suffer from poor editing and disjointed pacing. Collider’s Matt Goldberg has praised the film’s humor while our Bill Graham pointed out its flaws in his review. Hit the jump to see where I stand and for a look at what you can expect on the DVD.

ROBOT CHICKEN Season 5 DVD Review

by Rob Wieland    Posted: November 9th, 2011 at 5:42 am

Seth Green lives a life that would make many geeks sell their souls to El Diablo Robotico. He’s been a part of multiple defining franchises ranging from Austin Powers to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He’s gotten George Lucas to laugh at the excesses of Star Wars. And, for the past five years, he’s been getting paid to play with dolls on camera. It’s hard to believe Robot Chicken has been around for that long, but the season five DVD is here. More on the new set after the jump.

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