DVD/Movie Review: Private School

 

Private School is a coming-of-age comedy from 1983 starring Phoebe Cates, Betsy Russell, Matthew Modine, Kathleen Wihote, and Ray Walston. The best way I can describe this movie is a combination of Porky's and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, yet nowhere near as good as either of them. However, if you were a boy anywhere near puberty in the 1980s this was one of the movies you always hoped came on cable late at night when you got to stay up late. The script and acting are atrocious. Even though the movie had some young stars who would go on to be relatively good actors, they were not given much to work with, even by teen sex comedy standards. There were also some whose careers never made it out of the 1980s. It has about every 80s movie cliche you can imagine (right down to the cheesy music montage). 

The DVD is very bare-bones. There are no extras such as deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, or the like. Realistically, given that it was not one of the major teen comedies of the 1980s and is far more of a cult classic, it is not surprising that it did not get a more expensive DVD release.

The two best things about the movie are Betsy Russell and having some relatively good songs on the soundtrack. Phoebe Cates was the big star in the movie, coming off her role in Fast Times. And although she was the "sexy one" in that movie, she plays the rather bland "good girl" in this one. She is of course still gorgeous and did show a little bit toward the end of the movie, but Betsy Russell is the one who amps up the sex factor here. Ultimately you know what you get with this. It is not great by any means. Do not expect an Academy Award winner, but if you fall within the demographic who remembers this movie from your youth, you can have a good laugh at how good you probably thought it was when you were young and fondly remember ogling Betsy.

DVD/Movie Review: Out of Sight

 

Out of Sight was a 1998 crime-drama/dark comedy directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, and Albert Brooks. The movie is, at its core, a love story (albeit a twisted one) about a bank robber/prison escapee (Clooney) and a federal marshal (Lopez) who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is also very much a drama with some very funny moments. In that way, it really does not fit any label perfectly. It is part love story, part chase movie, part criminal looking for one last score. The story is told part in the present and part through flashbacks (in an almost pulp fiction-like manner). That part of it really works well, and I think it ultimately makes the movie better than it would have been had it run in chronological order.

As far as extras on the DVD version go, there is a 25-minute making-of documentary, a commentary track by Steven Soderbergh, 22 minutes worth of deleted scenes, and select scenes that highlight certain songs from the movie. All in all, enough to keep those who like going through the bonus material happy.

The strength of the movie is the stellar ensemble cast. Clooney (who was probably at the height of his ER fame when the movie was made) and Lopez were the stars and the focus of the movie, but everyone from Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks to Steve Zahn (who steals nearly every scene he is in) works perfectly. There are also cameos by Michael Keaton and Samuel L Jackson, which, although brief, are very good. Clooney and Lopez either had very good chemistry or faked it well because you can buy the sexual tension between the two that the movie was going for. It is a very good movie that is absolutely worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: Office Space

 

Office Space is a 1999 comedy written and directed by Mike Judge. It stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, John C. McGinley, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Diedrich Bader, and Richard Riehle. The movie centers around three guys who have crappy jobs at a corporation called Initech. Ron Livingston plays Peter, who is the lead character. He becomes completely apathetic toward his job after a botched hypnotherapy session and basically tries to get fired. He ends up hatching a plan to rip the company off that goes haywire. As I said, that is almost ancillary to the real purpose of the movie, which is to poke fun at office life and the various characters.

I really think this movie will hold up in any era. Really as long as corporations exist this movie will be hilarious. To the extent there is a plot it almost takes a back seat to making fun of the corporate culture. And let's be honest, for those of us who work in the corporate world, some of the things they are making fun of (albeit in over-the-top ways in some instances) still very much exist. It was made from an animated short by Mike Judge the creator of Bevis and Butthead and King of the Hill.

The DVD does have a handful of extras. Those include an approximately half-hour retrospective made in 2005, about 10 minutes of deleted scenes, and the trailer. There is definitely enough to satisfy those who like going through the extras.

The movie has a true ensemble cast, which was made up of relative unknowns. They made a pretty big casting coup in landing Jennifer Aniston when Friends was immensely popular. She really did not dominate the movie though and really fit in well with the ensemble cast. The two most memorable characters in my opinion were Milton, played by Stephen Root, and Lumberg played by Gary Cole. All the actors did a wonderful job, however, even those with the smallest roles. It really seemed like they were all having fun with it, which along with the well-written script (which has tons of quotable lines) really make the movie.

It is really a "cult classic" kind of movie. The brand of humor is probably not for everyone, but it holds up as well or better as any of the more modern-day comedies do. I think anyone who likes any of Judge's other work will find this enjoyable. There is a lot of swearing in the movie, and in that respect, it earns its R rating, but it is really nothing more than you get in any R-rated comedy. It is absolutely worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: My Cousin Vinny

 

My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 comedy starring Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei (in her breakout movie role), Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Austin Pendleton, and Fred Gwynne. The plot involves Macchio and Whitfield's characters, Bill and Stan, being arrested in Alabama for the murder of a convenience store clerk. Bill's cousin, Vinny (played by Pesci), who is a personal injury lawyer in New York, agrees to represent them for free. He travels to Alabama with his fiancee, Mona Lisa Vito (played by Tomei), where the two stick out like sore thumbs, and Vinny is in over his head trying a murder case and dealing with the hard-ass judge (played by Gwynne). 

This movie really was kind of a lightning-in-a-bottle type movie. I don't think anyone would have guessed that it would turn out as good as it did. Pesci, who up to that point was best known for being in mobster movies, the burglar in Home Alone, and a sidekick in the Lethal Weapon movies, got to show off his comedic chops in a leading role. And he pulled off the New Yorker thrown into the Deep South perfectly. Tomei, of course, stole every scene she was in and ended up winning an Oscar for her role as Lisa.

The DVD version of the movie is pretty light on extras. It does include the trailers, a couple TV spots, and a commentary by the director, Jonathan Lynn. Overall, the movie is wonderful. The two things that made the movie work were the fact that it did not take itself too seriously and made fun of everything and the excellent supporting cast. Fred Gwynne, who was a great comedic actor himself, was a great straight man to Pesci's Vinny in what ended up being his last role. It is a movie that, even after 30+ years, stands up on its own, never needing multiple sequels to water it down, and will hopefully never be remade. It does have quite a bit of swearing and some sexual innuendo, but compared to what is in some of today's movies, even that is pretty light. But if that turns you off to a movie then you should probably skip it, but for everyone else, I cannot recommend the movie highly enough.

DVD/Movie Review: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a 2005 Action/Dark Comedy starring Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody, Michelle Monaghan, Jennifer Morrison, and Kerry Washington. The best way I can describe the movie is if you take War of the Roses, combine it with True Lies, and mix in a little Bourne Identity action sequences, you have this movie. In this case, both spouses are agents; neither one knows about the other, and most of the film surrounds what happens after they find out. The two things that make the movie work as well as it does are that it is very well written, mostly tongue in cheek, and the great chemistry between Pitt and Jolie. The two played off each other perfectly, whether it was with comments or even looks, which made the dark comedy moments great.

The supporting cast is good, but they are used very minimally. Vince Vaughn is in the role when he really does the best, as the sidekick wisecracking buddy. Adam Brody of The OC fame and Jennifer Morrison from House and Once Upon a Time have small roles in the movie as well. There are two great action scenes in the movie, one a total spoof on The War of the Roses, and the second a great car chase sequence.

The special edition DVD's extras include about 8 minutes of deleted scenes, an 8-minute making-of feature, and the trailers. There are also three separate commentary tracks on the film from the various filmmakers. Nothing is too extensive, but it's okay for what is there. 

All in all, it is very well written and well acted, and of course, Pitt and Jolie provide eye candy for their respective audiences. So, if you are in the mood for an action movie that has some humor, this is worth the time to watch and/or to add to a physical media collection.

DVD/Movie Review: Mallrats

 

Mallrats is a 1995 comedy written and directed by Kevin Smith as a part of his View Askewniverse. The movie stars Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Claire Forlani, Shannen Doherty, Jeremey London, Ethan Suplee, Smith and Jason Mewes (playing Jay and Silent Bob), and Joey Lauren Adams. The premise was simple. Two friends get dumped and go hang out at a local mall. From there, hilarity ensues. (Historical note for those who care, the mall involved looks totally different after massive renovations).

Kevin Smith has repeatedly said that Jason Lee makes Mallrats, which is true. He was definitely the best part of a very underrated movie. Ultimately, Mallrats had a very uphill battle to overcome, being the movie that followed up Clerks. If you have only seen Clerks at this point, you will recognize some of that story put into this one, and even actors from Clerks playing different roles in this movie. That is the one thing you have to accept with Kevin Smith's movies. He uses a lot of the same people in his movies, but casts them in different roles.

This DVD includes the theatrical cut of the movie, as well as a 2-hour extended cut (which is given an 11-minute intro by Smith and Scott Moser). There is also a 50-minute Q&A session with some of the cast and crew. 

While I do not think the movie is as good some of Smith's other movies, such as Clerks, Chasing Amy (which Smith made a couple of years after this one), Dogma, Or Jersey Girl, it is still a very good comedy (if you enjoy Smith's brand of comedy). All in all, if you are a fan of the movie itself, a fan of Smith's movies in general, or just a fan of good comedy (all be it raunchy comedy), then definitely check this out.

DVD/Movie Review: Live Nude Girls

 

Live Nude Girls is a movie from 1995 written and directed by Julianna Lavin and starring Dana Delany, Kim Catrall, Cynthia Stevenson, Laila Robins, Lora Zane, and Olivia d'Abo. Anyone who hears the title of the movie will think it is smutty or something that is on Cinemax overnight, but that is not the case. Yes, there is nudity in it, but it amounts to about 2 scenes (and yes, one does involve Olivia D'Abo), but that is it. Even though there is not much nudity, there is a lot of sexual suggestion and dialogue and a lot of swearing. The movie is basically a slumber party before the wedding day of Kim Cattrall's character, where the group of childhood friends sit around and talk about their lives and about sex. It has a good mix of drama and humor.

There are a few different physical media versions of the movie (the original DVD, a DVD that includes an unrated cut of the movie, and a blu-ray version). I have the original DVD version that just includes the theatrical version of the movie with no extras. 

The movie is really a story about the relationships (good and bad) between the characters. There really is not any kind of overcomplicated plot that you need to follow, so it is one of those movies that can just kind of be on in the background, and you can tune in and out of it. It is a good relationship story that does not drag on too long. This is good because, for the most part, it is set inside the same house (save for a couple scenes) and could have easily ended up going way too long. While the easy comparison is to Sex and the City (especially given Catrall's involvement), while the movie does have some similarities, it is quite different. The movie is definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but if you are not offended by talk of sex and don't mind dialogue-driven movies, this is worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: The Legend of Zorro

 

The Legend of Zorro is a 2005 sequel to 1998's Mask of Zorro. Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones return to reprise their roles from the first movie, and Rufus Sewell joins the cast as the main antagonist. This movie is set 10 years after the original, just before CA becomes a state. Elena and Alejandro are at odds over his dedication to Zorro at the beginning of the movie, and that theme plays throughout most of the movie. Rufus Sewell is the main bad guy in the movie and, as usual, excels at playing a jackass who you love to hate. Like in the first movie, there is a conspiracy to take down, and this time, Elena is much more involved in thwarting it separately from Zorro.

The movie is okay, but it is definitely not as good as the original. Even though some of the scenes were done to mirror some from the first movie (the opening sequence for example, and Elena facing off with bad guys in a stable), it does not have the same feel as the first. That is good and bad. It is good in that it is not a carbon copy of the first movie, but bad because it also does not have some of the things that worked well in the first. It is really the trap that a lot of sequels fall into. One thing I think the movie misses is the comedic elements between Alejandro and Elena that worked so well in the first one. But because they spend a lot of the movie apart, and fighting when together the movie tries to get the comedy elements in via other ways that just do not work as well.  You can tell that the tone of this movie was meant to be less dark than the first. It is not nearly as violent (although there is still a lot of action and fighting, it is not as graphic as the first movie. The film also misses the presence of Anthony Hopkins and the father/authority figure he played in the first.

As far as extras go, you do get more with this than from the first movie, at least on the DVD version. There are more features, including a few deleted scenes (that can be played with or without the director's commentary), four making-of featurettes, a couple of scene deconstruction featurettes, and the trailer. There is also a commentary track by the director Martin Campbell and the cinematographer on the film, should you choose to listen.

Overall if you accept that like the majority of sequels this one is not as good as the first movie, and is a little more toned down and family friendly, you can enjoy it. If you are not one who collects the physical discs, I think it is fine as a rental or streaming because, while it is worth the time to watch, it is probably not a movie that most people will be compelled to watch again and again.

DVD/Movie Review: The Mask of Zorro (Deluxe Edition)

 

The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 movie starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matt Letscher, and Tony Amendola. The movie tells the tale of two Zorros and how they are each out for revenge. Anthony Hopkins is Zorro at the beginning of the movie, but his identity is discovered, and he is imprisoned for 20 years after his wife is killed and his baby is stolen by the main antagonist, Don Rafael Montero. He becomes the mentor to the younger Zorro (played by Antonio Banderas), whose brother is killed by the second main villain of the movie, Captain Love.

It is part origin story, part master/student, part love story, and part revenge tale. There is a lot of action in the form of sword fighting and horse riding. It also has very humorous moments (mainly between Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones) as the film goes along. The movie does not make much use of special effects (although there are some), so it is not really one where if you own the DVD version, an upgrade to Blu-ray is likely going to get you much more. The DVD looks and sounds fine, especially for a late 1990s movie. The disc has little in the way of extras. Just the trailer and a short "making of" feature.

Overall, it is a well-written, well-acted action movie. The plot is not complicated and really only boils down to a few key players. Personally, I think this was Banderas' best role. His character, Alejandro Murrieta is kind of like a less serious version of his character in Desperado. The movie is a bit violent, so it may not be suitable for younger kids, but that aside, it makes for an entertaining couple of hours and is well worth the price.

DVD/Movie Review: The Last Tango in Paris

 

The Last Tango in Paris is a 1972 film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. In its day, this movie was extremely controversial, mainly because of the age difference between the past his romantic lead prime, Brando, and barely out of her teens, Maria Schneider. In terms of nudity, it is for the most part tame by today's standards. It has become more controversial over the years because of Schneider's description of the trauma she felt filming the rape scene, which was not originally in the script and sprung upon her. There are a couple points in the uncut version where Maria Schneider is fully nude, but that it is. The film is not really erotic per se. Yes, there is a lot of nudity and sex in it, and certainly, the language is not something you heard in mainstream movies in the 70s. But it really is about two scarred people having an affair that is unhealthy for both, yet one neither can let go of.

The two characters, Paul and Jeanne come together, literally and figuratively while looking at the same apartment. That apartment becomes basically a place to have sex and nothing else. He will only agree to meet her on the condition that they never reveal their names or anything about their lives and never see each other outside of the apartment. For most of the movie, she wants more from him, trying to get him to open up and she keeps coming back despite his cruelty. In the end, it is Brando's character chasing her, which leads to the finale of the movie.

The only bonus feature on the DVD is the theatrical trailer. There is no making-of material or a commentary track on the movie. The movie will definitely not appeal to everyone. I thought the pacing was kind of slow and I think it could have easily had 15 to 20 minutes cut out and still told the same story. I think the acting was good, but not great. I am not an aficionado of Brando as some are, so I can't say I followed all his work, but personally, I thought he was better in The Godfather than in this movie. There is definitely a 1970s-era feel to the movie, so if you are generally not a fan of movies from that time you probably want to skip it. For fans of Brando or generally just dark dramas, it is definitely worth the price.

DVD/Movie Review: The Last Days of Disco

 

The Last Days of Disco is a movie from 1998 starring Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale (in one of her early US roles), Chris Elgeman, Michael Weatherly (in one of his first major roles), Jennifer Beals, Jaid Barrymore (Drew's mother) and Robert Sean Leonard. It is based loosely on the demise of Studio 54. To the extent that there is a larger plot, it revolves around a group of twenty-somethings that work and/or hang out at an exclusive NY club in the early 1980s. Like the real Studio 54, the club is being investigated by the police and is ultimately raided.

Reviews for the movie tend to be all over the place. Some people love it, and some absolutely hate it. I am pretty neutral toward the movie. To me, the problem with the movie is that it tries to base the story too much around the characters that frequent the club and their lives. The problem is that none of the characters do much of anything or are all that interesting or likable. They mainly sit and talk, go to the club, then talk some more, go back to the club, hook up, then talk more. I think the movie would have been better if the focus was on the illegal activity at the club (and had more characters involved in the crime and/or investigation) as opposed to being focused on characters that were going to a club where shady shit was going down. 

The original DVD release is very light on extras (to say the least). The only bonus feature is the movie's trailer. If you get the Criterion Collection release, there are a lot more extras, including a commentary track on the movie and deleted scenes. Ultimately, the movie was okay, but it could have been better. It featured a group of talented actors (most of whom were still relatively young at the time), but it did not give them great material to work with, and as a result, the movie just seemed to lag. To me, it is the kind of movie you can have on in the background while you are doing other things and still know everything about it. It is certainly not the worst movie of all time, but on the other hand, you are not missing much if you skip it.

DVD/Movie Review: A Knight's Tale

 

A Knight's Tale is a movie from 2001 starring Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Laura Fraser, and Alan Tudyk. In the movie, Ledger plays William Thatcher, a squire to a man named Sir Ector, who dies before competing in a jousting tournament. Willam, along with the other squires, Roland (Addy) and Wat (Tudyk) devise a plan to have William impersonate Sir Ector in order to win the tournament and then devise the identity of a Noble named Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein for William so that he can continue to participate in other competitions. Paul Bettany, in his breakout role in the US, plays Geoffrey Chaucer, a destitute con man with a gambling problem who agrees to forge a patent of nobility for William (and to be his hype man) in return for his protection (and payment). Fraser plays Kate, a widowed blacksmith who makes and repairs Williams's armor, Shannon Sossamon plays a noble lady named Jocylen and love interest for William, and Rufus Sewell plays a count who is a rival to William both in the competitions and for Jocylen's affection.

This is a movie that does not take itself too seriously. That is evident from the opening scene, where a medieval jousting match is set to Queen's We Will Rock You. In fact, there are rock songs from the 1970s and 1980s throughout the movie. The strength of the movie is the cast. If the Joker in Dark Knight ended up being Heath Ledger's signature role, this is the one that established him as having Hollywood lead potential. His character, William, was a blend of heroic, prideful, stubborn, and naive, and he pulled them off very well. As well as adding an element of humor. 

The supporting cast was also great. Paul Bettany stole nearly every scene he was in, especially when announcing William's matches. Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, and Laura Fraser all did great in their respective roles as William's crew. I also thought Shannyn Sossamon did a fair job as the love interest, although her performance was nothing to write home about. It was one of her first movie roles, and she was relatively green. The role called more for her to look pretty than it did for an Academy Award-winning acting performance. Looking at the movie now 20-plus years later, it was definitely a breakout movie for Bettany and an establishing movie for Leger (whose breakout was in 10 Things I Hate About You a couple of years before this). It surprises me that Sossamon did not have a bigger career after this movie because, while she was very green when it came out, she certainly had the potential to be a bigger star than she ultimately became. 

The DVD has a decent amount of extras, including a commentary track on the movie with the director, Brian Helgeland, and Paul Bettany, an HBO first-look making-of special, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, cast filmographies, production notes, and more. If you have a computer with a CD drive, the DVD also includes a screen saver (which may or may not be able to be installed on contemporary operating systems).

Ultimately, the movie is not going to appeal to everyone. It does not even really attempt to be a very serious or overly dramatic movie and certainly does not try to be a historically accurate period piece. It was meant to be a fun, even silly at times movie that blended action and comedy and mixed in a little bit of drama. To that end, it pulled it off well. And if you are a fan of those kinds of movies or any of the actors involved, it is a fine way to spend a couple of hours. 

DVD/Movie Review: Kill Bill Volume 2

 

Kill Bill Volume 2 is the 2004 sequel and conclusion to 2003's Volume 1. Like Volume 1, this movie is ultra-violent but in a much different way. Where the first movie was over-the-top, almost campy with the action and violence, this one is not. There are definitely a couple really good fight scenes, but things are more real in this one than the first. There is no spraying, blood, dismembering, or crazy stunts done with wires (save for a couple). While it does take some suspension of disbelief to accept everything that happens, this is far more of a realistic action/drama than the first one was.

This volume lays out the entire back story of what led up to the attack we see bits and pieces of in the first movie. It also puts The Bride (Uma Thurman) in real peril, both physically and emotionally, as the movie goes along. The confrontation with Bill (David Carradine) is almost all dialogue and about 45 seconds of an actual fight scene, but it works perfectly. To the extent that Bill could be made sympathetic in any way for what he did, the writing and David Carradine's performance pulled that off. He balanced an almost easygoing nature with a sinister one perfectly. Daryl Hannah and Michael Madsen get a lot of screen time in this one, much more than Vivica Fox and Lucy Lui got in the first movie. The fight scene between Elle and The Bride was certainly the high point of the movie, action-wise.

The DVD extras are very sparse. Like with the release of Volume 1, there is a short making-of documentary, then a music video, and a deleted scene. What was included was fine, but chances are there is a lot more that could have been included. Ultimately, whether you like this or not will depend on your taste. The movie definitely earns its R rating, but it is a more well-rounded and overall better movie than Volume 1. It is a good mix of action, drama, and dark humor. If you like Tarantino's other movies (especially Volume 1), chances are you will like this one. If bad language and violence are not up your alley, then you probably want to stay away.

DVD/Movie Review: Kill Bill, Vol. 1

 

Kill Bill is a revenge story written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Volume 1 was released in 2003 and starred Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Chiaki Kuriyama, Vivica A. Fox, Julie Dreyfus, Daryl Hannah, and Sonny Chiba. David Carradine and Michal Madsen also appear in the movie but have much larger roles in Volume II. Volume I gives you bits and pieces of the story, but the entire story is fleshed out in Volume II.  In Volume 1, we see Uma Thurman's character (just called "The Bride") beaten and shot during her wedding rehearsal. We find out that she is attacked by the assassin squad she used to be a member of, led by the titular Bill. She awakens from a coma 4 years later and starts picking them off. Volume I introduces all the main characters (somewhat) and shows The Bride, although Bill is never shown. You just hear his voice. The story kind of jumps around a little (somewhat to the way it did in Pulp Fiction), but it is really not that hard to follow if you pay attention.

You have to know what you are getting into with a Tarantino movie. There is lots of over-the-top violence and gore, off-color humor, and bad language. If any of those are immediate turn-offs for you when choosing a movie, don't even think about this one. You will hate it. If you can accept those things and you like his other films, you will very likely love this one. Volume 1 is actually the more violent and gory of the two films, although there is a lot in both. The gore, however, is so extreme it is more tongue-in-cheek than it is real. Like chopping off arms and gallons of blood spewing out like a geyser. It is meant to be more humorous than scary and is far less believable than what you would get in a horror movie. The movie is kind of a combination of a Western, with the 1970s martial arts films. Right down to The Bride having to go through tons of subordinates to get to her main target in the climactic fight scene.

The bonus content is relatively light. There is a about 20-minute making-of documentary and trailers for some of Tarantino's other movies. Hopefully, subsequent releases will get more extensive extras, especially if Tarantino ever makes a follow-up. Ultimately, whether you like this or not is totally subjective. If you are a fan of Tarantino's other movies, this is very much in a similar vein. It definitely deserves its R rating and will not appeal to everyone. For everyone else, though, it is a great story, well acted, funny in parts (although very dark humor), and has lots of action. If those are the kinds of things that appeal to you, it is definitely worth the time to watch and/or worth adding to your physical media collection.

DVD/Movie Review: The Island

 

The Island is a 2005 movie directed by Michael Bay and starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean, and Djimon Honsou. It was one of the few Michael Bay movies (along with Armageddon, Bad Boys, and Pearl Harbor) that is not explosion-laden the entire time. While there are explosions in this movie, to be sure, there is also good, quality acting, a story with some substance to it, and comedic elements that were not stupid or cheesy. The movie also has a good supporting cast including Michael Clarke Duncan and Steve Buscemi.

The premise is that rich people can pay 5 million dollars to have themselves cloned as an insurance policy. Think instant organ donation. The clones are marketed as being held in stasis until needed, where in reality they are kept alive in an almost cult-like community until needed. That is as much of the story as I will give away, but the movie centers around the ethical dilemma that surrounds the program.

The acting in the movie is good all around. Scarlett Johansson (who was in her first major role after Lost in Translation) and Ewan McGregor play the parts of the escaped clones very well. McGregor also has to play the "real" person who interacts with his clone which he also does a great job with. Sean Bean plays the main bad guy role as the one who runs the cloning center. He did very well portraying the fact that his character basically had no morals and only cared about money. I personally think the best supporting performance was from Djimon Hounsou who basically plays a bounty hunter tasked to track down the escaped clones. He has to strike a balance between a guy doing the job he was hired for, and not truly believing in the ultimate purpose.

The DVD has a handful of extras, including a director's commentary track on the movie and a few making-of featurettes. Excluding the commentary track, the bonus features clock in at around half an hour in total. 

It does have some of the hallmarks of a Michael Bay summer blockbuster, but even if you are only lukewarm to his other movies, this one is worth giving it a chance. It is definitely more than just things blowing up. While it is certainly not an Academy Award winner or something that will keep you thinking about it for days after you watch it, there is enough substance to the story to make it worth seeing.

DVD/Movie Review: Into the Blue

 

Into the Blue is a 2005 movie starring Paul Walker, Jessica Alba,  and Scott Caan as a group of friends living in the Bahamas. Ashley Scott plays Caan's girlfriend, Amanda, and Josh Brolin plays the antagonist, Bates. The main selling point for the movie seemed to be having Jessica Alba (then in her early to mid-20s) swimming around in a bikini. The first third of the movie basically shows off the main cast members in swim trunks (Walker and Caan) and bikinis (Alba and Scott), focusing on Alba and Scott swimming or lying around wearing very little, with lots of (covered) T&A shots. The story picks up as the group, when exploring a shipwreck, discovers a crashed plane filled with cocaine. Of course, the owners of said cocaine discover that the "heroes" know the location of the drugs, and the predictable hijinks ensue.

The DVD extras include deleted scenes (that can be played with or without commentary by the director), a director's commentary track on the movie, scene tests for Scott Caan, Paul Walker, and Tyson Beckford, and a making-of featurette. None of the extras are that extensive, but they are about what you would expect for this type of movie.

Ultimately, the movie is not an Academy Award winner by any means. It has great visuals (both landscape and flesh variety), decent action, and a pretty easy-to-follow plot. The movie is a pretty standard action thriller. There is not a lot of character development or great acting in the movie. I think Walker is better in this movie than he has been in any of the Fast & Furious films. Alba's character is a toned-down version of her Dark Angel character (she has some of the snarkiness of that character but less ass-kicking ability).  Ashley Scott and Scott Caan's characters are actually pretty unlikable, and pretty much the reason for all the trouble that ensues. Josh Brolin (in his pre-No Country For Old Men fame) does a good job as the ultimate bad guy in the film. It is a little long (clocking in just under two hours), but the pace moves fairly well, so it does not feel like the movie is too long. All in all, it is an okay way to kill a couple of hours.

DVD Review/TV Series Recap: In Plain Sight - Complete Series

 

+++Fair warning, this will contain minor spoilers from throughout the series. +++

In Plain Sight was a procedural series about a US Marshal that aired on the USA Network from 2008 to 2012 and starred Mary McCormack, Frederick Weller, Nichole Hinz, Paul Ben-Victor, and Lesley Ann Warren. The story is centered around Mary Shannon (played by Mary McCormack), who is a witness protection inspector in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Each episode contains a case of the week storyline, which pertains to some new witness (or witnesses) who need protecting, and more arc-driven storylines involving Mary's personal life. That is mainly centered around her dysfunctional mother, sister, and other agents in the Albuquerque office.

McCormack does a great job with her character, playing Mary as harsh, cold, and uncaring at times, yet the exact opposite at others. Her more tender side is covered by a smart mouth and sarcastic wit. Fredrick Weller plays her partner Marshall perfectly as well. The two have great chemistry, and throughout the series, it is implied and teased that he loves Mary but there is never an overt will they get together vibe, really ever, over the run of the series. To the extent anything between them is teased in the background, it is resolved at the end of the series. The other story that plays out well throughout the series is Mary dealing with her family issues. While Mary does have to deal with her screw-up sister and flighty mother, it is the fact that her father abandoned the family that is the big serial storyline that goes through the entire series, and the resolution is done very well.

There are a couple of options for full-season sets. One that packages the individual DVD seasons together and one that is a complete series set. As far as extras go, both sets appear to have the same content. The first few seasons have a small amount of extras such as some deleted scenes, commentary tracks on select episodes, and a gag reel. There are no extras for seasons 4 and 5. Ultimately, I think the series did a good job of not being too repetitive. The weekly cases were entertaining and were not repetitive. The various characters evolved over time, and the show did not hang on too long to the point where it got stale. I also think the fact that the seasons were kept short (13 episodes from seasons 1-4 and 8 episodes in the last season) kept it from getting flat. The series is well-written and very well-acted. It is a very good procedural drama with some humor mixed in, and it is absolutely worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

 

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is the 1998 sequel to the 1997 horror/suspense movie I Know What You Did Last Summer. The movie brings back Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Muse Watson to reprise their roles from the first movie and adds Matthew Settle, Brandy (the 90s pop/R&B singer), Mekhi Phifer, Jennifer Esposito, and Jack Black (in a hilariously awful role). The events of this movie are set a year after the events of the first film. In this one, Julie and her college roommate, Karla (Brandy's character), win a trip to the Bahamas via a radio contest. Julie, Karla, Karla's boyfriend Tyrell (Phifer's character), and his friend Will Benton travel to Tower Bay, where Julie starts receiving the same kind of notes that Ben Willis sent in the first movie, and of course, the murders start.

The DVD has a handful of special features, including the music video from Jennifer Love Hewitt's song, How Do I Deal, a making-of featurette, and trailers. The movie is bad. The first one was okay but was probably only as popular as it was because of the movie Scream and because of Sarah Michelle Gellar's popularity because of Buffy (which started the same year). This one is far worse than the first movie and probably only got a sequel because Scream made horror movies cool again. The only difference was that Scream was actually creative and made fun of silly movies like this one. This movie has every horror/slasher movie cliche that Scream made fun of. I am all for having to suspend disbelief when watching one of these movies, but things like the killer being able to move bodies around in a short period of time (which there is a bit of an explanation for) and leave no trace of blood (which there is not) are just stupid. The plot twist in this movie is easy to spot from a mile away, and we are subjected to Jack Black as a dreadlocked stoner.

The two things this one had going for is that the dialog was not as schlocky and stupid as it was in the first one (although it was close), and despite the tease at the end of the movie, they thought better of making any more of these. And, JLH was (and still is) hot as fire and looked great in a tank top. Like the predecessor, I do not think this is a must-see or must-own. If you are looking for a horror movie to watch for an hour and a half, it is not the best and not the worst.  It is definitely not a movie that is worth multiple viewings, however.

DVD/Movie Review: Hotel Rwanda

 

Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 movie starring Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, and Joaquin Phoenix. The film is about the genocide that occurred in Rwanda during the 1990s. Cheadle plays Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of a Hotel in Kigali, who ends up helping thousands of people from being killed while trying to appear to keep the hotel functioning, working with the Red Cross, and bribing the Rwandan military.

The DVD has several bonus features, including a commentary track on the movie by the director and the real Paul Rusesabagina, commentary on specific scenes by Don Cheadle, and a making-of documentary and a documentary entitled Return to Rwanda, which explores the aftermath of the genocide. The movie is very good. It is well-written and very well-acted. While it is a tough movie to watch, it tells a story that most people in the United States would probably never hear otherwise. 

While the movie is based on a true story, I don't know how much of the story that was told on screen was true. I presume that parts of it were fictionalized. The movie does provide a glimpse of just how corrupt the government was and how the people who did not have connections and money to pay bribes in order to stay alive were killed off in droves. The movie does have some violence, but it is actually not all that gory. Most of the story takes place inside the hotel, where people are kept relatively safe. However, when they did venture outside the hotel (like when the UN was trying to get some of the families out), you did see what kind of violence and indiscriminate killing was going on. It is absolutely worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: Hide and Seek (Minor Spoilers)

 

Hide and Seek is a 2005 movie directed by John Polson and starring Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, Famke Janssen, Elisabeth Shue, and Amy Irving. De Niro plays David Callaway, a psychologist who moves with his daughter Emily (played by Fanning) to upstate New York after his wife (Irving) commits suicide. Emily reveals that she has a friend named Charlie, whom David assumes is an imaginary friend, and starts to become more and more worried for his daughter as "Charlie" becomes violent. 

The DVD has several bonus features, including a commentary track with the director and screenwriter, several alternate endings, deleted scenes, rough scenes that are a mix of live-action and storyboards, and a making-of featurette.  You can also watch the movie with the alternate endings or just watch the alternate endings on their own. The movie is a good, but not great, thriller. I thought De Niro did a good job being crazy when he was let loose at the end of the film. But you could really see what was going to happen with his character a mile away. Dakota Fanning did an excellent job with her part and was really able to convey a range of emotions that someone her age usually cannot pull off. It is in part because of her great acting you can tell what happens with De Niro's character. Her reactions to him were perfect. The rest of the film, however, was pretty formulaic. From the potential love interest, the creepy next-door neighbor, and the mistrusting sheriff. I just think that there was not a ton of originality to the script. A lot of that got saved by the acting, but it could have been better. Even so, it is worth watching if you are looking for a thriller/suspense movie.