Johnny Mad Dog is a riveting and brutal examination of child soldiers in Africa which ranks amongst the best war films in recent memory.
Although nominally set in an unnamed African country, it was shot in Liberia – still recovering from a long civil war – and makes use of former child soldiers and documentary-style techniques to create a hellish recreation of a contemporary issue.
Based on the 2002 novel Johnny Chien Méchant by the US-based Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala, it brings to life the reality of a difficult and disturbing subject.
I recently spoke with director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire about the film and you can listen to the interview by clicking below:
A Serious Man (Universal): The Coen Brothers returned from the Oscar success of No Country For Old Men, with this exquisitely crafted black comedy exploring the pointless nature of suffering. Beginning with a seemingly incongruous prologue set in an Eastern European shtetl, it moves on to explore the hellish suburban existence of a Jewish maths professor named Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) in Minnesota, during 1967.
With a hectoring wife (Sari Lennick) who wants a divorce, her annoying widower lover (Fred Melamed), a leeching brother (Richard Kind), a pothead son (Aaron Wolff ) into Jefferson Airplane, dithering academic colleagues, an awkward Korean student and a succession of perpetually useless rabbis, he appears to living in a modern day version of The Book of Job. One of the best films of the year, it might just be the Coen Brothers’ finest film to date. [Buy the Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
The White Ribbon (Artificial Eye): Director Michael Haneke won the Palme d’Or at Cannes back in May with this expertly crafted drama about the strange and disturbing things that start to happen in a German village on the eve of World War I. The action revolves around the dominant characters in the stern Protestant community: the Baron (Ulrich Tukur), the pastor (Burghart Klaussner) – who wields a significant influence on the local children – and the doctor (Rainer Bock).
As you might expect of a Haneke film the technical aspects are superb, especially Christoph Kanter’s production design and Christian Berger‘s stark black and white photography. The deliberate lack of a musical score helps add to the sense foreboding as viewers get a chilling glimpse of the generation that would grow up to embrace Nazism. [Buy the Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
Johnny Mad Dog (Momentum): A riveting and brutal examination of child soldiers in Africa from director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire ranks amongst the best war films in recent memory. Although nominally set in an unnamed African country, it was shot in Liberia – still recovering from a long civil war – and makes use of former child soldiers and documentary-style techniques to create a hellish recreation of a contemporary issue.
Based on the 2002 novel Johnny Chien Méchant by the US-based Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala, it is a remarkable achievement even if many audiences might not make it through the gut wrenching opening sequence. [Buy it on DVD]
Elizabeth (Universal): This 1998 historical drama explored the early reign of Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) and how she became one of the most iconic rulers in British history. Torn between her duty to political allies – Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) and Cecil (Richard Attenborough – and her love for childhood sweetheart Dudley (Joseph Fiennes), she also has to see off Catholic conspirators such as the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston) and a Vatican spy (Daniel Craig). Capably directed by Shekhar Kapur, it plays fast and loose with historical details, but remains an absorbing look at one of the most fascinating periods in British history. The production design and costumes are convincing and all look terrific on Blu-ray. Nominated for several Oscars, it helped launch Blanchett as a star and also look out for small roles featuring Eric Cantona and a 12-year-old Lily Allen. [Buy the Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
A road trip film of sorts, it bears quite a few similarities to Shaun of the Dead in its jokey, referential humour. That said it is an entertaining ride and a welcome antidote to the scores of gory, horror remakes which have sprouted up in the last decade. Strangely, it also bears some similarities to Adventureland, which also starred Jesse Eisenberg, as well as featuring a theme park. [Buy the Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
An Education (E1 Entertainment): Coming of age dramas can often fall prey to cliché or sentimentality but this manages to avoid avoid such pitfalls to become something really special. Based on journalist Lynn Barber‘s memoir of growing up in the early 1960s, it explores the life lessons learnt by a 16 year old girl named Jenny (Carey Mulligan, outstanding in the central role) as she falls for an older man (Peter Sarsgaard) and the glamorous lifestyle he appears to offer her. Skilfully directed by Lone Scherfig from an intelligent and heartfelt script by Nick Hornby, it evokes the charming drabness of the period whilst accurately depicting the emotional minefield that teenage years can be. [Buy on Blu-ray / Buy on DVD]
Bright Star (20th Century Fox Home Ent.): The latest film from director Jane Campion explores the last years of John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and his relationship with Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). Beautifully filmed and acted, it is a surprise that this hasn’t got a UK Blu-ray release given the stunning Vermeer-like cinematography from Greig Fraser. [Buy on DVD]
Toy Story (Walt Disney): The first feature from Pixar finally arrives on the Blu-ray format. The 1995 film directed by John Lasseter had a brilliantly simple concept: what happens to toys when they’re not played with? The main characters it introduced us to were: Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), the favourite toy of a young boy named Andy, who tries to calm his colleagues during a difficult time of year – the birthday – when they may be replaced by newer toys. Along comes the snazzy Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), who mistakenly believes he is a real space ranger and not a toy. What could have been cheesy and overly commercial was instead a magical, innovative landmark in film history. Lasseter and his team won a richly deserved special Oscar “for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film”. [Buy on Blu-ray / Buy on DVD]
Toy Story 2 (Walt Disney): The 1999 sequel to Toy Story gets a simultaneous Blu-ray release in preparation for the third film, which is out at cinemas in June. As the only sequel Pixar have done (so far) Toy Story managed to preserve the quality of the original and in certain sequences surpass it. Toy collecting becomes the focus here, as Woody (Tom Hanks) – a rare doll from a popular 60s children’s show – gets kidnapped by a greedy collector and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) hatches a rescue mission with Andy’s other toys. A massive box office success, the second film demonstrated that Pixar were not only innovators in terms of CG animation but that they had tremendous story telling skills which have continued to delight audiences over the last decade. [Buy on Blu-ray / Buy on DVD]
Afterschool (Network Releasing): A US indie which explores the experiences of a teenage student at an elite East Coast school who accidentally captures on camera the tragic deaths of two female classmates. Their lives become memorialised as part of an audio-visual assignment intended to facilitate the campus-wide healing process, with the technophile Robert eventually overseeing the project, which creates unexpected tensions and unease. An interesting and distinctive debut film from first time director Antonio Campos which explores new and disturbing issues for a generation who have grown up in a world connected by the web. [Buy on DVD]
Fantastic Mr Fox (Fox): Wes Anderson‘s animated adaptation of the Roald Dahl children’s book was pleasingly off beat and featured an all-star voice cast in telling the tale of a fox (George Clooney) who lives underground with his wife (Meryl Streep) and family (which includes Jason Schwartzman) whilst attracting the ire of local farmers (Michael Gambon, Adrien Brody and Brian Cox). The stop motion animation is artfully realised and the witty script is complemented by some nicely deadpan voice-over work from the cast. [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
Dawn of the Dead (Arrow Films): George A Romero‘s classic 1978 horror film finally comes to Blu-ray and his follow-up to Night of the Living Dead still stands up after 32 years which have seen countless imitators, remakes and homages (most notably Shaun of the Dead). The story revolves around four people trapped inside a shopping mall after the rest of society has turned in to flesh eating zombies and the satirical jabs at Western consumerism have a new relevance in the modern era. This version is the 128 minute theatrical cut and features extras including audio commentaries, trailers, still gallery and an 85 minute documentary. [Buy it on Blu-ray]
Jacob’s Ladder (Optimum): A creepy psychological 1990 horror from director Adrian Lyne, this is the tale of a Vietnam veteran (Tim Robbins) who thinks he is going insane after his nightmares begin spilling into his waking life and he comes to think it has something to do with a powerful drug tested on him during the war. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin, it features solid supporting performances from Elizabeth Peña, Ving Rhames and Danny Aiello. It remains a powerful film even if the ending will probably prove divisive among viewers. [Buy it on Blu-ray]
After a spell making films in the U.S., director Wim Wenders returned to his native Germany for Wings of Desire (1987), a beautiful meditation on existence in a Berlin that was heading towards the end of the Cold War.
The story follows two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) as they observe and listen in on the lives of Berlin’s citizens, most notably a trapeze artist, Marion (Solveig Dommartin) and Peter Falk (playing himself) who is in the city making a film.
Co-written with frequent collaborator Peter Handke, Wenders manages to contrast the poetic ruminations of the angels with the doubts and anxieties of the humans to stunning effect: monochrome is contrasted with colour, the camera goes from the skies above to the streets below and the journey of one of the angels is a touching reversal of what usually happens in these kinds of stories.
Wenders the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival and the film spawned a decent – though inferior – sequel in 1993 with Faraway, So Close! and a Hollywood remake (City of Angels) which is best left forgotten.
An instant art house hit when it was originally released, the film has gained an extra layer of poignancy given the seismic changes the Berlin it so lovingly documents was about to undergo when the Wall fell in 1989.
This Blu-ray release is a massive improvement on existing DVDs and is a restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by Wenders and the 1080p rendering looks fantastic, with the details and black and white being rendered more faithfully than ever before.
Extra features include:
1080/23.98p 1.66:1 Widescreen (extras in SD PAL format)
German 5.1 DTS-HD MA with optional English subtitles
Feature-length commentary with Wim Wenders and Peter Falk
Wings of Desire (Axiom): One of the classic European films of the 1980s is Wim Wenders‘ classic tale of a guardian angel (Bruno Ganz) listening to the thoughts of mortals living in West Berlin only to find himself entranced by a trapeze artist (Solveig Dommartin) who makes him yearn to be human. Co-written with Peter Handke and beautifully shot in monochrome and colour by Henri Alekan, it won Wenders the Best Director prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival and remains his most celebrated film. This is the first time it has been available on Blu-ray in the UK and has a newly restored picture and sound mix supervised by the director. [Read the full review here]
M (Eureka/MOC): Fritz Lang’s classic early talkie is a crime drama set in 1930s Berlin which involves an elusive serial killer (Peter Lorre) who preys on children – based on the real life Düsseldorf killings – and the efforts of the police and the criminal underworld to catch him. Filmed in Germany, M established Fritz Lang’s reputation in America and was massively influential on other films with its innovative use of sound and visuals.
One of the key films of the French new wave, Pierrot le fou (1965) is Jean-Luc Godard‘s landmark drama about two lovers who go on the run.
Based on Lionel White‘s novel Obsession, it is the story of Ferdinand (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a young intellectual married to a rich Italian, who is utterly disillusioned with his luxurious bourgeois existence. When his new babysitter for his young daughter turns out to be his former lover, Marianne (Anna Karina) he sees a chance to escape.
When he and Marianne leave for the south of France, they confront criminals, petrol attendants, and American tourists as they discover more about themselves and become a kind of existential Bonnie & Clyde.
Godard here returned to the territory of A bout de souffle (1959), but this is arguably a more complex and challenging work which features musical numbers, as well as allusions to painting, literature and cinema itself.
The striking use of colour is just one of the many visual treats, as is the breaking of the fourth wall with characters looking into the camera and some innovative editing.
The Blu-ray comes with the following extras:
Introduction by Colin McCabe, Godard expert
Godard, Love and Poetry: Documentary on Godard (53 mins)
Documentary film analysis by Jean-Bernard Pouy (106 mins)
Trailer
German TV Advertisement
Posters (5)
BD Live
Booklet: Analysis of the movie by Roland-Francois Lack, Senior Lecturer in French and Film at University College London.
The technical specs are:
Cert: 15
Region B
Feature Running time: 105 mins approx
Blu-ray Feature Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Colour PAL
Feature Audio: DTS Master Audio Dual Mono
English language
Video: 24p 1080
Disc Type: BD50
Cat no: OPTBD0826
RRP: £24.99
Pierrot le fou is out on Blu-ray now from Optimum Home Entertainment as part of The Studio Canal Collection
One of the classic comedies produced by Ealing Studios, The Ladykillers (1955) sees a criminal mastermind (Alec Guinness) and his gang rent a London flat from a sweet old lady (Katie Johnson) only to find that things don’t go as planned.
It features an excellent supporting cast that includes Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom and Danny Green, although it is the two leads of Guinness and Johnson who really shine with pitch perfect performances.
There is a restrained classiness to Alexander Mackendrick‘s direction whilst William Rose‘s screenplay has a marvellous blend of wit and economy.
Look out too for the effective use of London locations and the sparring between Lom and Sellars, which anticipates their roles in the Pink Panther films a decade later.
The Blu-ray comes with the following extras:
Introduction by Terry Gilliam
Commentary with Phillip Kemp
Forever Ealing: Documentary (49 mins)
Interview with Allan Scott (10 mins)
Interview with Ronald Harwood (7 mins)
Interview with Terence Davies New (14 mins)
Cleaning Up The Ladykillers: featurette
Trailer
BD-Live
Booklet: Analysis by film critic David Parkinson
The technical specs are:
Cert: PG
Region B
Feature Running time: 91 mins approx
Blu-ray Feature
Aspect ratio: 16:9 PB – 1.33:1 (4×3)
Colour PAL
Feature Audio: DTS HD Master 2.0 (Mono)
English Language
Video: 24p 1080
Disc Type: BD50
Cat no: OPTBD0602
RRP: £24.99
The Ladykillers is out on Blu-ray now from Optimum Home Entertainment as part of The Studio Canal Collection
Continuing their exploration of class and desire, it explores a middle-aged man (Michael Redgrave) recalling a childhood summer at a country estate when, as a boy (Dominic Guard), he became a messenger between an aristocratic woman (Julie Christie) an a local farm worker (Alan Bates).
Beautifully filmed in the Norfolk countryside, it transcends the period setting to become a powerful meditation on human relationships and the social rules which govern them.
It is also a meditation on memory and the tricks it may or may not play on us, as the clever narrative gradually makes clear.
Christie and Bates had previously starred together in Far From the Madding Crowd, and there is a definite sense of melancholy here that can be found it the works of Thomas Hardy, alongside the sharp jabs at the cruelties of the British class system.
The period details and costumes are all excellent and the memorable, driving score by Michael LeGrand adds an extra layer of emotion to the story.
It won several BAFTAs, including one for Pinter’s screenplay, and was one of four films awarded a grand prize at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.
The Blu-ray comes with the following extras:
SD: Interviews with Joshua Losey (10 mins) / Michael Billington (8 mins) / Patricia Losey (12 mins) / Gerry Fisher (21 mins) / John Heyman (7 mins)
Horlicks Advert directed by Joseph Losey / Audio recording of Joseph Losey interviewed by Dilys Powell in 1973 (100 mins)
HD: Trailer / BD Live
Booklet: Piece by Gavrik Losey, Reprint of essays by Nick James, Editor of Sight & Sound and Dylan Cave, contributor, from Sight & Sound June 2009.
The technical specifications are as follows:
Cert: PG
Region B
Feature Running time: 116 mins approx
Blu-ray Feature Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Colour PAL
Feature Audio: DTS Master Audio Dual Mono
English Language
Video: 24p 1080
Disc Type: BD50
Cat no: OPTBD1195
The Go-Between is out on Blu-ray now from Optimum Home Entertainment as part of The Studio Canal Collection
Up(Disney): The latest animated film from Pixar continues their extraordinary run of success with a superbly crafted odd-couple adventure which deservedly reaped huge critical acclaim and box office success.
Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) is a widowed ex-balloon salesman who, at the age of 78 and threatened with eviction, decides to go on an adventure by tying hundreds of balloons to his house and flying off to South America.
When he discovers mid-flight that a persistent young Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai) is on board, they embark on a journey which takes them to the jungle, where they encounter various creatures and a mysterious explorer (Christopher Plummer) from the past.
Pixar have become so good at feature length animation that it’s easy to take their brilliance for granted: the visuals are vibrant, imaginative and beautifully rendered; the characters are wonderfully crafted – from the contrasting leads to the supporting cast of exotic birds and talking dogs – and the expert pacing makes the 89-minute running time fly by.
Directed by Pete Docter, who was also behind ‘Monsters, Inc.’ (2001) as well as co-writing ‘Toy Story’ (1995) and ‘WALL-E’ (2008), it is the second highest grossing Pixar film (after Finding Nemo).
Much of the appeal was almost certainly cross-generational, with much of the comedy coming from the clash between grumpy old Carl and the naively innocent Russell.
The use of colour, from the balloons to the creatures and plants in the jungle, is as good as any Pixar film and gave it a captivating quality well suited both to 3D in the cinema and Blu-ray in the home.
The physical comedy, especially scenes involving a bird named Kevin and a talking golden retriever called Dug, is also a real treat, providing a lot of laughs and charm.
There is also a wordless sequence near the beginning which is among the most perfect I’ve ever seen in a mainstream film: over just five minutes, a whole marriage is portrayed with incredible economy and deep reserves of emotion.
Michael Giacchino’s score is his best yet for Pixar, with the melodies and instrumentation managing to complement the energetic set pieces and quieter moments with considerable skill and class.
If I had one complaint, it would be that when the film enters into the final act, it evokes a feeling of deja vu with the action seeming a little formulaic (e.g. characters fighting, getting out of scrapes in the nick of time).
The transfer for the Blu-ray is also a marvel to behold. Animated films benefit from coming from a digital source, which means unlike some of their celluloid counterparts, there is no digital noise, grain or flaws to speak of.
Gary Tooze at DVD Beaver has posted some screen grabs here.
Disney are releasing it on DVD and Blu-ray in the following packages:
Up (Disney): Pixar’s latest animated film is the tale of a retired balloon salesman named Carl (Ed Asner) who, at age 78, decides to use his balloons to finally go on a trip down to South America along with an unexpected young stowaway named Russell (Jordan Nagai). [Read the full review here]
The Go-Between (Optimum): A Blu-ray only release for this 1970 adaptation of L.P Hartley’s novel, directed by Joseph Losey and adapted by Harold Pinter. Set over a Norfolk summer in 1900, it sees a young boy become a pawn in the illicit relationship between an aristocratic woman (Julie Christie) and a local farmer (Alan Bates). [Read the full review here]
Pierrot Le Fou (Optimum): A Blu-ray only release for one of the iconic films of the French New Wave, which is Jean-Luc Godard’s 1965 film about a couple – Ferdinand (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and Marianne (Anna Karina) – who get caught up in a mysterious gun-running scheme involving Marianne’s brother (Dirk Sanders). [Read the full review here]
The Ladykillers (Optimum): A Blu-ray only release for this classic 1955 Ealing comedy directed by Alexander Mackendrick. It stars Alec Guinness stars as criminal mastermind who leads a group of thieves about to commit the perfect crime and rents a room from sweet and harmless old lady (Katie Davies) in her crooked London house. [Read the full review here]
The Leopard (BFI): Luchino Visconti’s classic 1963 adaptation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s best-selling novel, which stars Burt Lancaster as the head of an ageing Sicilian family coming to terms with the emerging unified Italy in the 1800s. Finally released on Blu-ray – a fitting format for one of the most sumptuous epics ever made. This is the complete and uncut version released by the BFI in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc.
Adventureland (Walt Disney): Director Greg Mottola followed up Superbad (2007) with this marvellous coming-of-age comedy set in the summer of 1987 about a recent college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) who takes a nowhere job at a local amusement park, where he falls in love and learns a few life lessons.
Superbly made and acted it features some terrific performances from Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds (seriously) and Bill Hader. Although it didn’t make a huge amount of money at cinemas, it was one of the best films of last year and will almost certainly become a cult favourite in the future.
Plus, it has a memorable use of Falco’s ‘Amadeus‘ and the line “status obsessed witch” is one of the killer movie phrases in recent memory.
Extras include:
Deleted Scenes
Just My Life: The Making Of Adventureland
Feature Commentary — With Writer/Director Greg Mottola And Actor Jesse Eisenberg
A Satiric “How To” On Inflicting Unexpected Pain
* Buy Adventureland on DVD or Blu-ray from Amazon UK *
Mystic River (Warner): A release on Blu-ray for Clint Eastwood‘s 2003 adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel, which is set in Boston and deals with three childhood friends (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon) who are reunited after one of their daughters gets killed.
A powerful and well acted drama, it features fine supporting performances from Laura Linney, Marcia Gay Harden and Laurence Fishburne. Tastefully shot (by Tom Stern) and edited (by Joel Cox), it bears all the hallmarks of Eastwood’s classy dramas over the last decade and won Sean Penn and Tim Robbins Oscars for their performances.
“…contrast and colors leap ahead. …this looks very good and occasionally even impressive with some desirable depth. Dependant on your system – the superiority is moderate to heavy over the previous SD-DVDs”
This includes all the extras from the R1 DVD release that were never included on the UK R2 DVD.
Commentary by Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon
Dennis Lehane Tours the Boston Neighborhood Setting of His Novel in Mystic River: Beneath the Surface
Featurette Mystic River: From Page to Screen
The Charlie Rose Show Interviews with Clint Eastwood, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon
Paper Heart (Anchor Bay): A new film starring Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera as fictionalized versions of themselves in a “hybrid documentary” about love. Directed by Nicholas Jasenovec, it also features Yi travelling across America asking various people about their experiences of love.
Extras include:
Paper Heart Uncut
“The Making of Paper Heart”
Live musical performances by Charlyne Yi
“Heaven” music video by Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera
Broken Embraces (Pathe) is the latest film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and a ‘romantic noir’ spanning 16 years.
Set in 2008, with flashbacks to 1992 and 1994, it focuses on a film director (Lluis Homar) who’s lost the love of his life (Penelope Cruz) as well as his eyesight to a jealous lover.
The tricky structure is a dramatic device used to comment on and explain the events of the present and although this seems to have put some viewers off – judging by the mixed reaction it got at Cannes – is still handled impressively.
It also explores guilt and how it can weigh heavily on human relationships, suggesting that the director was possibly drawing on his own life and art, and this is served by some convincing performances.
Homar convey’s a director’s restless desire for his life and art, even when he can’t see, whilst Cruz is as emotionally convincing as she is physically striking.
Her performance is almost a post-modern wink to the relationship between a director and a leading lady.
As you might expect, Almodóvar fills the frame with some captivating images, using primary colours (especially red) as a counterpoint to the heavy emotional situations and characters.
If there is a flaw with the film, it is that it exists almost too neatly within it’s cinema-drenched world: not only is the protagonist a director, but it even references numerous auteurs such as Powell, Hitchcock, Malle, Fellini and even his own 1988 film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
Whilst this makes it a treat for cinephiles and an undoubtedly personal work for Almodóvar, it lacks the heart and feeling of his more recent works like Talk to Her and Volver.
The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray Disc include:
Short Film: The Anthropophagic Council Woman La Concejala Antropofaga (7 mins 32 secs)
Sin Nombre (Revolver) is a highly impressive drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga.
Seeking the promise of America, a young Honduran woman, Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), joins her father and uncle on an odyssey to cross the gauntlet of the Latin American countryside en route to the United States.
Along the way she crosses paths with a teenaged Mexican gang member, El Casper (Edgar Flores), who is manoeuvring to outrun his violent past and elude his unforgiving former associates.
A highly accomplished debut feature, it has some fine performances and has a compelling sense of realism which may have been a result of the director’s extensive research, which involved travelling with immigrants on trains in Central America.
Although the story treads a well worn path, both literally and figuratively, it manages to steer well clear of cliché and tedium thanks to the skill and attention to detail behind the camera.
Cinematographer Adriano Goldman gives the film a remarkable look, blending the rugged landscapes and harsh urban environments with considerable grace and panache, fully deserving of its awards at Sundance last January.
The exras on the DVD and Blu-ray Disc include:
Audio commentary
Deleted scenes
Sin Nombre is out now on DVD and Blu-ray from Revolver
Sin Nombre (Revolver): A deeply impressive drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga. The story explores a young Honduran woman (Paulina Gaitan) who wants to start a new life with her father and uncle in New Jersey and a Mexican gang member (Edgar Flores) and his desire to escape his violent past. [Read the full review here]
Broken Embraces (Pathe): The latest film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar is about an ill-fated love triangle lasting 16 years (set in 2008, with flashbacks to 1992 and 1994) focused on a film director (Lluis Homar) who’s lost the love of his life (Penelope Cruz), as well as his eyesight to a jealous lover. [Read the full review here]
Fish Tank (Artificial Eye) is writer-director Andrea Arnold’s second feature-length film, and another deeply impressive piece of work after her Oscar winning short Wasp (2005) and Red Road (2006).
It is the tale of a teenage girl named Mia (Katie Jarvis) who lives with her mother and younger sister on an poor Essex housing estate.
Frustrated with her life and lack of options, things begin to change when she strikes up a friendship with her mother’s new boyfriend (Michael Fassbender).
Unlike many British films which feature aristocrats in period costume or gangsters who swear a lot, this takes what seems like humdrum material and does something really special with it.
Central to the film is the debut performance of newcomer Katie Jarvis who is magnetic in the central role, conveying the emotions of a disaffected teenager with remarkable clarity and sensitivity.
The story picks up with Mia having been expelled from school and spending her time drinking and practising her dancing in a derelict flat near to her family’s council flat home.
With her life spiralling out of control, things don’t look like getting any better when her mother Joanne (Kierston Wareing) brings home a new boyfriend named Connor – but he seems like the kind of decent and encouraging person who can offer Mia hope and a way out of her life.
Part of the strength of Fish Tank is the way in which it subverts expectations of this kind of material. There are no patronising clichés of working class life and the material rested firmly on the two central characters, both of who are played with perfect pitch by Jarvis and Fassbender.
The final third of the film uncoils with a slow burning sense of unease as it is very hard to tell what is going to happen and the depiction of poverty in modern day Britain is sobering without ever being heavy handed.
Interestingly, Arnold and her cinematographer Robbie Ryan have opted to shoot the film in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio (so the frame is almost square) which is a rare sight in modern cinema.
Gus Van Sant’s Elephant (2003) is the only film in recent years that I can remember using it, but it gives this a distinctive visual feel and tone which takes it into another place.
Proof that Andrea Arnold is currently one of the most accomplished directors working in Britain today, the film could see her move on to a bigger canvas and even more acclaim sooner rather than later.
Frustratingly, there isn’t a Blu-ray release at the moment (maybe Artifcial Eye’s budget’s are stretched?) but the DVD comes with the following extras:
Andrea Arnold’s Oscar® winning short film ‘WASP’ starring Natalie Press & Danny Dyer
A classic 1999 ensemble drama written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Magnolia(EIV) was a stunning mosaic of several interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.
Even more audacious than his stunning breakthrough film Boogie Nights (1997), it explores heavyweight themes such as love, death, chance and family with supreme confidence and style.
A homage of sorts to Robert Altman‘s ensemble dramas of the 1970s, it examines the universal by focusing tightly on the personal and is notable for Anderson’s dazzling wide-screen compositions and camera movements.
Regular collaborators such as cinematographer Robert Elswit and editor Dylan Tichenor add their usual impeccable contributions and the acting across the board was first rate, with an especially eye-opening turn from Tom Cruise as a loathsome sex guru.
At just over three hours long it is a sprawling epic, but one which engages fully with its sublime mix of technical virtuosity, wit, emotion and memorable soundtrack from Aimee Mann, whose songs inspired some of the script.
It is a film that can divide viewers (some always seem to have a problem with the climax) but it got mostly positive reviews and still stands as one of the best films of a particularly outstanding year. Also look out for the numbers 8 and 2 which are liberally scattered throughout the film as visual clues to a key sequence.
DVD Beaver have posted some screen grabs compared to the DVD versions if you want to gauge the quality of the transfer.
The Blu-ray comes with roughly the same extras as the 2 disc DVD and includes a lengthy video diary detailing much of the production.
Mesrine Parts 1 & 2 (Momentum): An epic two part crime saga starring Vincent Cassel as a the real life criminal who gets involved in a series of hold-ups, prison breaks and kidnappings throughout the 1970s and 80s across several continents. [Buy it on Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs (Sony): A charming animated comedy, based on the book by Judi and Ron Barrett, about a young scientist who invents a weather machine which inadvertently starts raining food down on his town. [Buy it on Blu-ray | Buy it on DVD]
(500) Days of Summer (Fox): A smart and inventive romantic comedy that explores the failed romance of a couple (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) in a quirky and non-linear fashion.
Directed by Marc Webb and scripted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber it became a something of a minor hit back in the summer and has earned plaudits for its unconventional approach to the genre.
Although it occasionally suffers from a bit too much kooky quirkiness, the two lead performances are good value as is the sequence which makes creative use of Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams”.
The DVD and Blu-ray Disc contains the following extras:
Director’s Commentary
Lost Days of Summer: 9 Deleted and Extended Scenes
Dr Strangelove (Sony): The Blu-ray release of Stanley Kubrick’s classic Cold War satire is one of this year’s major releases on the format.
Released in 1964, it stars Peter Sellers (in a remarkable performance encompassing three roles: US president, the scientist title character and a British RAF group captain), George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden.
Loosely based on Peter George’s novel Red Alert it depicts the chaos that ensues when an unhinged US Air Force general launches a first strikenuclear attack on the Soviet Union.
With its splendid mix of intelligence, wit and technical brilliance it remains one of Kubrick’s finest works and also one of the truly great films of the 1960s.
This Blu-ray release came out last summer in the US and was based on a 4K restoration by Sony (although sadly no sign of the famously deleted cream pie fight).
There are a couple of visual issues surrounding this release worth noting as they apply to any classic work restored for Blu-ray.
The original theatrical presentation varied between 1.33 and 1.66. In recent years however, we’re told that Kubrick’s associates (who manage his estate) have become more comfortable with the 16×9/1.78:1 aspect ratio of HD displays, and they believe that Kubrick himself – if he’d really had the chance to look into it – would have preferred his full frame films to be presented on home video (in HD) at a steady 1.66 to take better advantage of the 1.78:1 frame. So that’s the reasoning for the decision.
The other issue which caused some debate was that of grain. The basic argument here revolves around how much grain should be removed in the transfer process. Purists argue that grain should be preserved as it was part of the original negative, whilst others think that if directors would have removed grain if they had access to modern digital tools.
There isn’t really a definitive answer, as it depends on the film and your viewpoint, but given the heated arguments around such releases of The French Connection and The Third Man, it is likely to remain an issue that crops up in future.
Gary Tooze of DVD Beaver thinks grain was always an important part of the film:
Grain has always been an important part of the visual texture to this film – it’s preserved here nicely without becoming a distraction. This is a great B&W, 1080p presentation. The new TrueHD 5.1 audio mix is also quite good, offering the expected improvements in clarity and resolution. For those who prefer it, however, the original mono audio is here too.
Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere felt badly let down by the grain in the image, describing it as:
…more than a visual disappointment — it’s a flat-out burn. I paid $35 bills for it yesterday afternoon and I’m seething. It’s hands down the worst grainstorm experience since Criterion’s The Third Man because Sony’s preservation and restoration guy Grover Crisp went the monk-purist route in the remastering and retained every last shard of grain in the original film elements.
Glenn Kenny of Some Came Running took a different position, arguing that Kubrick wanted grain in the film:
Of course this brings up all the old arguments as to grain and its place in a motion picture’s image, the rather absurd supposition by some that if dead filmmakers could return from the grave they’d immediately avail themselves of digital technology and erase all the film grain from their oeuvres, etc., etc. I don’t think I’m going that far on a limb to say that Kubrick in particular liked a little grain in his images.
Whatever the debate over the visual transfer it is still an essential film for any collection and the extras are plentiful, including:
Coded for all regions (A, B and C), extras are in SD. Features include:
BD Exclusive: The Cold War: Picture-in-Picture and Pop-Up Trivia Track – Embark on a journey into the very heart of the Cold War exploring, in fascinating detail, the military and political world in which Dr. Strangelove takes place. What did the film get right and where did it take liberties with established military procedures? And just how close were we in the early 1960s to a real atomic exchange? This multimedia experience includes Graphic-in-Picture pop-up trivia and Picture-in-Picture commentary that help shed some light on an era of secrets and heightened paranoia, all of which helped inspire this classic film. Picture-in-Picture interviews include:
Thomas Schelling (RAND* Corp. employee during late 1950s and early 1960s – wrote article on novel “Red Alert” that prompted Kubrick’s interest in adapting the book to a film)
Richard A. Clarke (Author of “Against All Enemies,” counter-terrorism and command and control systems expert)
Daniel Ellsberg (RAND Corp. employee during late 1950s and early 1960s; consultant to JFK admin., Dept. of Defense)
George Quester (Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland; expert on nuclear proliferation, deterrence, and nuclear diplomacy)
David Alan Rosenberg (Temple University professor; Historian of Nuclear Strategy; ex-military)
No Fighting in the War Room or: Dr. Strangelove and the Nuclear Threat
Inside: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove
Best Sellers Or: Peter Sellers and Dr. Strangelove Remembered
An Interview with Former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Dr Strangelove is out now on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
(500) Days of Summer (Fox): A smart and inventive romantic comedy that explores the failed romance of a couple (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) in a quirky and non-linear fashion. Directed by Marc Webb and scripted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber it became a something of a minor hit back in the summer and has earned plaudits for its unconventional approach to the genre. [Read the full review here]
The Taking of Pelham 123 (Sony): The remake of the much loved 1974 thriller sees Denzel Washington take on the role of a MTA dispatcher who has to deal with the head of a criminal gang (John Travolta) who have hijacked a train in New York.
Directed by Tony Scott and scripted by Brian Helgeland, it largely came about because Sony had bought MGM and had the rights to remake certain titles in their library.
Although the original film is so distinctive and of its time, this version manages to be something more than just a rehash, mainly due to the fact that Helgeland went back to the original novel and changed some key plot points.
It features solid work all round from the two leads down to a fine supporting cast, which includes John Tuturro, James Gandolfini and Luis Guzman.
Scott directs in his usual frenetic, multi-camera setup style but there is something pleasingly straightforward about the way in which it is all delivered.
Commentary with Writer Brian Helgeland and Producer Todd Black
No Time to Lose: The Making of Pelham 123
The Third Rail: New York Underground
Marketing Pelham
From the Top Down: Stylizing Character
BD-Live: cinechat
Although I wasn’t sent the Blu-ray for review purposes, I would imagine the transfer looks very good, given that it’s a Sony release.
Gary Tooze of DVD Beaver says it “looks very strong on Blu-ray” and that the transfer is “thick and heavy – balancing nicely between over-saturation and textured grain” and that overall it is a “marvellous presentation”. He has several screen shots here.
And Then There Were None (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Antichrist (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD | Buy on Blu-ray] Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat (Arrow Video) [Buy on DVD] Doctor Who Winter Specials 2009 (2 Entertain) [Buy on DVD] Doctor Who: The Complete Specials (2 Entertain) [Buy on DVD | Buy on Blu-ray] Feast II: Sloppy Seconds (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Last Action Hero (Sony) [Buy on Blu-ray] Law & Order: UK – Series 1 (Universal Playback) [Buy on DVD] Night Boat to Dublin (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Nine Men (Optimum) Painted Boats (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Shadows in the Sun (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD] Sorority Row (E1 Entertainment) [Buy on DVD | Buy on Blu-ray] Spring and Port Wine (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Street Trash (Arrow Video) [Buy on DVD] The Lost Continent (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] The Proud Valley (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] The World Ten Times Over (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Tickle Me (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead ( Fox) [Buy on DVD]
District 9 is a sci-fi drama about aliens stranded in South Africa which became one of the surprise hits of the year with its clever mix of action, politics and dazzling SFX.
After being recruited to do the aborted Halo movie by Peter Jackson, director Neill Blomkamp revived a short film of his which was a science-fiction thriller where stranded alien refugees are exiled to a slum in Johannesburg.
The story explores what happens to a South African bureaucrat (Sharlto Copley) assigned to relocate the creatures, derogatorily referred to as “prawns”, after he is infected with a strange liquid.
A combination of many alien films and TV shows from Alien Nation, V and even Independence Day, it mixes political allegory with a more conventional thriller narrative.
Copley gives a strong performance in the central role and the visual realisation of the aliens is stunning with the designs coming from WETA Workshop and effects by Image Engine.
Funded by QED, it was picked up by Sony who did a shrewd marketing campaign and achieved one of the summers genuine breakthrough hits, without any recognisable stars, a first time director and working from little known source material.
In a year of overblown and tedious sci-fi/action fare such as Transformers 2 and GI: Joe, this was a breath of fresh air.
The extras on the DVD and Blu-ray are as follows:
DVD
1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
English DD5.1 Surround
English Audio Description Track
English HOH and Hindi subtitles
Director’s Commentary
The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log Three-Part Documentary
Deleted Scenes
Blu-ray Disc
Coded for all regions (A, B and C), extras are presented in HD. The transfer on the Blu-ray looks fantastic and is one of the best presented discs I have seen all year in terms of picture quality. Features include:
1080P 1.85:1 Widescreen
English and French 5.1 DTS-HD MA
English Audio Description Track
English*, English HOH, French and Hindi subtitles (*also on extras)
Director’s Commentary
The Alien Agenda: A Filmmaker’s Log Three-Part Documentary
Deleted Scenes
BD Exclusives:
BD-Live: movieIQ & cinechat
Featurette: “Metamorphosis: The Transformation of Wikus”
Featurette: “Innovation: The Acting and Improvisation of District 9”
Featurette: “Conception and Design: Creating the World of District 9”
Featurette: “Alien Generation: The Visual Effects of District 9”
Joburg from Above: Satellite and Schematics of the World of District 9” – Interactive Map
The Hurt Locker succeeds brilliantly where many films about the Iraq War have failed by examining the tense details of life in a bomb disposal unit.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow from a script by journalist Mark Boal (based on his experiences as a reporter embedded with troops), it portrays a group of soldiers who have to disarm IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in the heat of combat.
The story begins with a new sergeant (Jeremy Renner) taking over a highly trained disposal team and the tension that arises with his two subordinates, Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) as they fear his fearless attitude is endangering their lives.
Unlike the half-hearted hand-wringing that has characterised some of the films dealing with the war on terror, this plunges us deep into the anxiety and chaos of warfare.
But the clever twist of The Hurt Locker is that it steers clear of war movie clichés: the enemy is often hidden and faceless; sequences are agonisingly teased out; death is lurking everywhere; combat is a powerful drug that affects soldiers in different ways.
Bigelow wisely recruited cinematographer Barry Ackroyd to give the film a captivating, hand-held look which is reminiscent of his work on Paul Greengrass’ United 93.
As a director it is a welcome return to form and combines the energy and thrills of her best work with an attention to detail that pays of handsomely in several memorable sequences.
Since premièring at the Venice film festival back in 2008 it has deservedly reaped rave reviews and will be a leading contender at the upcoming Oscars.
The DVD and Blu-ray Disc come with the following extras:
District 9 (Sony): A sci-fi drama about aliens landing in South Africa featuring no stars and an unknown director became one of the surprise hits of the year with a clever mix of action, politics and dazzling SFX. [Click here for the full review]
The Hurt Locker (Lionsgate/Optimum): One of the most acclaimed films of the decade was this tense drama about a bomb disposal unit in Iraq, directed by Kathryn Bigelow from a script by journalist Mark Boal. [Click here for the full review]
[ad]
ALSO OUT
1941 (Universal) [Buy on DVD] A Dangerous Man (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Darker Than Black Vols 5 & 6 (Manga) [Buy on DVD] Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Darkside (Fox) [Buy on Import DVD] Kitaro and the Millennium Curse (Manga) [Buy on DVD] Kitaro Movie (Manga) [Buy on DVD] Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 4 (Universal Playback) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 10 (Universal Playback) Life Season 2 (Universal Playback) [Buy on DVD] Misfits Series 1 (4DVD) [Buy on DVD] The Final Destination (EIV) [Buy on DVD / Buy on Blu-ray] The Gold Diggers (BFI) [Buy on DVD]
The Bela Tarr Collection (Artificial Eye) [Buy on DVD] The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (Optimum) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] The Red Riding Trilogy (Optimum) [Buy on DVD] Dean Spanley (Icon) [Buy on DVD]
Gone with the Wind – 70th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] Heat (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] Fanny and Alexander (Palisades Tartan) [Buy on DVD] For All Mankind (Eureka/Masters of Cinema) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] Moon (Sony) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] North by Northwest – 50th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on Blu-ray] The Terence Davies Collection (BFI) [Buy on DVD] Fight Club – 10th Anniversary Edition (Fox) [Buy on Blu-ray] The Wizard of Oz – 70th Anniversary Edition (Warner) [Buy on DVD or Blu-ray] The Jacques Tati Collection (BFI) [Buy on DVD]
N.B. As I’m based in the UK, all of these DVDs are UK titles but if you live in a different region of the world check out Play.com or your local Amazon site and they should have an equivalent version of the film.
One if the surprise hits of the summer was The Hangover (Warner Bros.), a comedy from director Todd Phillips about a bachelor party gone wrong in Las Vegas.
When three groomsmen (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis) lose their about-to-be-wed buddy (Justin Bartha) after a riotous night of partying, they have to retrace their steps in order to find him.
Along the way, they encounter a tiger belonging to Mike Tyson, a stripper (Heather Graham), a naked man in the trunk of their car and numerous other troubles.
Although on the surface this looks like another goofy mainstream Hollywood comedy, it rises well above the norm due to a clever central concept (the bachelor party itself is cleverly hidden from the audience) and some killer lines and scenes.
Made for a relatively small production budget of $35 million, it proved insanely profitable after grossing over $459 million worldwide.
The DVD version includes the theatrical version of the film with the following features:
2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
English and Italian DD5.1
English Audio Description
English HOH, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Italian and Italian HOH subtitles
“Map of Destruction” – Retrace each step the guys took during their fate-filled evening and see the real locations, learn about Las Vegas lore and see the filming that took place there
“Three Best Friends Song” – Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis “freestyle” their own song
Gag Reel
The Blu-ray Disc includes the theatrical and extended cuts of the film with the following features (extras are all in HD):
1080P 2.40:1 Widescreen
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
French and German DD5.1 (Theatrical Version only)
English Audio Description (Theatrical Version only)
Subtitles (Film): English HOH, French, German, German HOH, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish subtitles
Picture in Picture Commentary (Theatrical Version only, no subtitles) featuring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Todd Phillips
“Map of Destruction” (16:27mins) – Retrace each step the guys took during their fate-filled evening and see the real locations, learn about Las Vegas lore and see the filming that took place there
“The Madness of Ken Jeong” (7:56mins)– Ken Jeong’s nonstop hilarious improve
“Action Mash-Up” (35secs)– Compilation of the physical comedy from the film
“Three Best Friends Song” (1:23mins) – Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis “freestyle” their own song
“The Dan Band!” (1:08mins) – The Dan Band performs “Fame”
Gag Reel (8:16mins)
More Pictures from the Missing Camera – More photos exposing the events from the night of mayhem
Although the 60-year-old is best known to UK audiences as the screenwriter of Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone’s superb 2008 drama about organised crime), he has opted for a very different kind of film for his directorial debut.
Based on personal experiences, Di Gregorio essentially plays Gianni, a bachelor in his late 50s who is the full-time carer of his 90-year-old mother (Valeria De Franciscis).
Shot entirely on location (some of it in Di Gregorio’s old flat) with a non-professional cast, it focuses on the relationships between family members and strangers in the flat, but also explores the experience of ageing with a grat deal of charm and insight.
Gianni and his mother live in the Roman district of Trastevere and the film is set around the eve of Ferragosto, the annual celebration on August 15th of the ascension of the Virgin Mary into Heaven which empties the city.
Because he owes favours to his landlord and doctor, Giovanni is persuaded to look after their mothers as a favour, along with an aunt for good measure.
The film then is a gentle depiction of their time together as he drinks, smokes and cooks for the older women.
There is plenty of humour too, as tensions simmer over television, food, medication and night time escapades, but it is one grounded in real life experience, never feeling forced or contrived.
The observations and details are superbly evoked, but the central appeal of the film is the humanity beating at the heart of it.
All of the characters are treated with a respect and dignity that is all too rare in modern society, let alone films featuring old people.
Instead of being hectoring caricatures, they have a depth and interior life which is charmingly presented and free from cheap sentimentality.
Interview with Gianni Di Gregorio: An interesting extra in which the actor, writer and director discusses the film but also visits the older women who star in it. He deliberately selected non-professional actors and it was a wise choice – off screen they appear just as interesting.
The story involves a young Jewish woman (Melanie Laurent) who escapes the slaughter of her family by a ‘Jew hunting’ Nazi (Christophe Waltz); a group of commandos known as ‘The Basterds’ led by a Southern lieutenant (Brad Pitt); a British agent (Michael Fassbender) behind enemy lines; a Nazi war hero (Daniel Bruhl) who has become a film star; an German actress double agent (Diane Kruger) and the Nazi high command of Hitler (Martin Wuttke) and Goebbels (Sylvester Groth).
Whilst not in the same league as his first two films, it is absorbing, well crafted filmmaking laced with considerable wit and style. From the bravura opening sequence – a homage to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – involving a Nazi having a drink with a French farmer, is a master class in tension and sets up the rest of the story beautifully.
Much of the film involves characters talking for extended periods and there is a notable lack of conventional action sequences, but this is actually a strength rather than a weakness.
The main reason for this is that the pool of characters here are some of the best Tarantino has ever written and his uncanny eye for the right actor has paid rich dividends here.
It is being sold as a World War II action movie starring Brad Pitt, but this is a much more European flavoured film with a diverse and expertly cast ensemble.
Pitt does well as the head of the Jewish commandos but the real stand outs are Christophe Waltz, who is marvellous as the multi-lingual SS offficer nicknamed ‘The Jew Hunter’ and Melanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus, his Jewish nemeis who ends up owning a cinema in Paris.
One sequence between them, set in a restaurant, is superbly played with an underlying menace and tension that is tweaked quite brilliantly.
To some it will be just more ‘Tarantino speak’, but the context, the use of music and extreme close ups all give it a different texture from what you might expect.
The rest of the cast all do sterling work but special praise must go to Michael Fassbender and Mike Myers for their only scene together – a wonderfully played military briefing which is hilarious, although it could be a litmus test for those who love or hate this film.
Going in you might expect this to be mostly about the Basterds killing Nazis, but that is only one slice of the pie, with the real juice of the film being a revenge tale in which even celluloid itself is drafted into the plot.
Whilst much of the discussion about the film will inevitably centre around the director and his reputation, it is worth mentioning the wonderful technical work across the board.
The production values are first rate, with the studio based scenes (shot at Babelsberg Studio outside Berlin) mixed seamlessly with location work and the production design by David Wasco is complemented beautifully by the costumes by Anna Sheppard.
The cinematography by Robert Richardson is beautifully composed and when combined with Tarantino’s style and Sally Menke’s editing makes for some wonderfully snappy and memorable sequences.
Music has always been a strong point in Tarantino’s previous films as he has made a point of never using an original composer and instead inserting previously recorded pieces.
For longtime fans of the director, look out for the now trademark scenes involving feet, a Mexican stand off, close ups of food (think cream rather than Big Kahuna burgers) and numerous references to films throughout.
At 153 minutes maybe some of it could have been cut a little bit more (one sequence in a bar seems to have been trimmed slightly since Cannes) but the fact is that I never looked at my watch during the film – it had me absorbed and each chapter rolling into the next was a pleasure.
Mainstream audiences may get put off by the use of subtitles (attractive yellow ones as it turns out) used in much of the multi-lingual cast and the fact that Brad Pitt is in it less than the marketing is letting on.
This is a film that exists very much in its own world, as you will see when it gets to the climax, but it is such a rich and lovingly created one that avoids the pitfalls of many movies set in World War II.
It is as much about our perceptions and fantasies of that war than it is about the actual war itself. In terms of where this fits into the director’s career, I don’t think Quentin Tarantino will ever top the expectations Pulp Fiction forced on him.
Since the enormous critical and commercial success of that film he seemed to be indulged at Miramax (which, to be fair, his success helped shape) and perhaps he hasn’t had the creative tension down the years that he needed.
His last couple of films – despite undoubted qualities – seemed to be showing an artist retreating into his own self-referential head.
Grindhouse marked the point where he seemed to be chasing his own pop culture tail and this was paralleled by the commercial misfires at the newly formed Weinstein Company.
With this film they have partnered with Universal and interestingly this is the first time Tarantino has worked with a major studio as writer-director. Maybe this has given him a new sense of responsibility and helped him creatively.
Certainly Inglourious Basterds is a refreshing change of pace from the crime and exploitation influenced work he had been doing of late.
Mid-August Lunch (Artificial Eye): An Italian comedy-drama about a middle aged man (Gianni Di Gregorio, who also directed) who finds himself looking after his mother and several other older women in a small Roman flat. [Read the full review here…]
Life(2 Entertain): This ten-part series narrated by David Attenborough covers 130 stories from the natural world. Exploring the variety of life on Earth and the specialised strategies and extreme behaviour that living things have evolved in order to survive; what Charles Darwin termed “the struggle for existence”. Four years in the making, the series was shot entirely in high definition and it includes 10 minute ‘making of’ diaries for each episode. [Available on DVD and Blu-ray]
The Miners’ Campaign Tapes (BFI): Six short films about the 1984 Miners’ Strike have been collected on DVD and released for the first time by the BFI. The footage was originally shot at the time by a group of independent film and video makers on the picket lines and marches where they recorded the testimonies of striking miners, their families and supporters. Among those that appear are Arthur Scargill, Dennis Skinner and the late Paul Foot.
The episodes include:
Not Just Tea and Sandwiches
The Coal Board’s Butchery
Solidarity
Straight Speaking
The Lie Machine
Only Doing Their Job?
Also included is an illustrated 22-page booklet with essays by Chris Reeves of Platform Films – discussing the making and distribution of the Tapes; by Julian Petley (co-author of Media Hits the Pits: the Media and the Coal Dispute and Shafted: the Media, the Miners’ Strike and the Aftermath and by David Peace, author of GB84, the Red Riding thrillers and The Damned Utd. [Available on DVD]
The SopranosSeason 1gets its UK debut on Blu-ray and remains essential viewing if you don’t already own it on DVD.
One of the best and most iconic TV dramas of the last decade, it was created by David Chase and screened for six seasons on HBO from 1999 until 2007.
Set in New Jersey, where it also was shot and produced, the series revolves around mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his struggles to balance his home and working life.
A huge ratings and critical success, it became the most financially successful cable series in history and arguably one of the landmark shows in the history of television.
It garnered several awards, including twenty-one Emmys and five Golden Globes and broke through in to popular culture with the show being parodied, analysed and discussed by many viewers across the world.
Season 1 began with Tony Soprano collapsing after suffering a panic attack which led him into therapy with Dr. Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco).
As the season develops details of Tony’s life emerge: his father and mother loom large in his personal and social development; his complex relationship with his wife Carmela (Edie Falco); his children, Meadow and Anthony Jr., who both have find out more about their father’s line of work; someone in his organization snitching to the FBI; his own family plotting against him and various behind the scenes conflicts, which gradually emerge.
The technical specs are:
1.78:1
1080p
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
The box set include the following episodes:
46 Long
Denial, Anger, Acceptance
Meadowlands
College
Pax Soprano
Down Neck
Tennessee Moltisante
Boca
A Hit Is A Hit
Nobody Knows Anything
Isabella
Jeanne Cusamano
Extras appear to be appear to be a bit thin on the gound.
A Blu-ray only re-release for Fight Club (Fox) is a 10th Anniversary Edition of the the 1999 film based on the book by Chuck Palahniuk.
Directed by David Fincher it stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt as disaffected males who bond over their disgust at (what was then) modern society by creating an underground club where men beat each other up.
Although I’m not the kind of die-hard fan to name this as one of the greatest films of the 90s (they do actually exist) it remains a skilful and intriguing mainstream film dealing with such issues as consumerism and terrorism in a sly and unnerving way.
Norton and Pitt both impress in the leads whilst Fincher brings his trademark visual flair to the screen. Apparently Fox’s owner Rupert Murdoch was appalled when he saw the film and it is hard to imagine such a project even being greenlit today by a mainstream studio.
The climax, which eerily foreshadows the events of 9/11, subject matter and subversive humour led to it causing a stir when it premièred at the Venice film festival in 1999.
In time it became much more successful on DVD and now the Blu-ray release should appeal directly to its significant fanbase.
Fincher himself supervised the transfer and included some bizarre touches in the spirit of the film (e.g. the menu is not what you might expect).
This surely is the best of all editions with a vastly superior image, flawless audio and old – as well as new – extras. Like it or love it – the film is an unforgettable ride and a milestone in the careers of the director and two lead stars.
This Blu-ray surely replicates the theatrical experience better than ever before for your home theater. An impressive amount of effort has gone into this 20th Century Fox release and for anyone, even remotely, keen on the film – we are highly recommending it as the definitive way to see David Fincher’s inventive, surprising and subversive Fight Club.
He also has comparison screen shots of the DVD and Blu-ray versions here.
The technical specs are:
1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray
Disc Size: 46,278,055,124 bytes
Feature: 34,166,661,120 bytes
Video Bitrate: 23.45 Mbps
Codec: MPEG4 AVC Video
The extras have some new elements which include:
A Hit In The Ear: Ren Klyce and the Sound Design of Fight Club (New)
Welcome To Fight Club
Angel Faces Beating
The Crash
Tyler’s Goodbye
Flogging Fight ClubNew Insomniac Mode: I Am Jack’s Search Index, Commentary Log, Topic Search (New)
Guys Choice Award (New)
Work: Production, Visual Effects, On Location (New)
Edward Norton Interview (New)
Commentary by David Fincher
Commentary by David Fincher, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter
Commentary by Chuck Palahniuk and Jim Uhls
Commentary by Alex McDowell, Jeff Cronenweth, Michael Kaplan and Kevin Haug
Seven Deleted Scenes and Alternate Scenes
Theatrical Teaser, Theatrical Trailer, The Eight Rules of Fight Club
12 TV Spots
Public Service Announcements
Music Video
Five Internet Spots
Promotional Gallery
Art Gallery
Fight Club is out now on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox
Fight Club 10th Anniversary Edition (Fox): A Blu-ray only re-release for Fight Club is a 10th Anniversary Edition of the the 1999 film based on the book by Chuck Palahniuk. Directed by David Fincher it stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt as disaffected males who bond over their disgust at modern consumerism by creating an underground club where men beat each other up. [Read the full review here]
The espionage caper starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason has been newly remastered in 1080p from original VistaVision film elements.
One of Hitchcock’s finest and most purely enjoyable films, this suspenseful cross-continental chase has equal doses of tension and wit wrapped up in an insane plot.
Memorable for the chemistry between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, the famous crop-dusting sequence and the climax on Mount Rushmore, it influenced a generation of filmmakers and along with Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo stands as one of his signature works.
As usual with Hitchcock at his peak, it can be enjoyed as slick entertainment and rigorously examined for intellectual meaning – chin-stroking academics and French intellectuals will no doubt have a field day with the references to Cold War paranoia, Freud and other motifs that litter Hitchcock’s films.
Grant is perhaps the best he’s ever been as the breezy protagonist, mixing charm and unease (Mad Men fans should note that he’s a Manhattan advertising executive) whilst Saint is pitch perfect as the icy Hitchcock blonde.
The arrival of North by Northwest on Blu-ray is significant as it is the first of Hitchcock’s films to get the full HD re-release treatment.
Although originally released by MGM, Warner Bros now have the distribution rights and they have scanned the original VistaVision production elements in an 8K resolution.
The resulting presentation has a much improved depth of field and clarity which has prompted highly positive reviews from The Digital Bits and DVD Beaver (the latter has screen shot comparisons of the Blu-ray and DVD versions).
The extras on the Blu-ray are as follows:
1080P Widescreen
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese DD1.0 Mono
From 1968 to 1972 US astronauts flew in to outer space and to the moon. They were told by NASA to shoot as much footage as they could on 16mm cameras.
However, all the footage remained in the vaults until Reinert persuaded the space agency to let him make a documentary.
Along with and editor Susan Korda, Reinhart sifted through over six million feet of film footage, and 80 hours of NASA interviews to create this truly remarkable film.
Interestingly the narrative movement is like one space mission, even though it is actually a collage of all of the Apollo lunar landing missions.
The archive footage is remarkable and neatly inter cut with the voices of the astronauts themselves including Jim Lovell, Michael Collins, Charles Conrad, Jack Swigert, and Ken Mattingly, sourced from interviews and mission recordings.
The soundtrack was originally composed in 1983 by Brian Eno and released as Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks. Because of delays the film didn’t surface until 1989 and by then some of the album tracks had been replaced with pieces by Eno and other artists.
It is available on DVD (£19.99 RRP) and Blu-ray Disc (£24.99 RRP) with the following features:
A new, restored high-definition transfer, supervised and approved by director Al Reinert
Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, remastered from the original sound stems
Audio commentary featuring Reinert and Apollo 17 commander Eugene A. Cernan, the last man to set foot on the moon
An Accidental Gift: The Making of “For All Mankind,” a new documentary featuring interviews with Reinert, Apollo 12 and Skylab astronaut Alan Bean, and NASA archive specialists
A gallery of Bean’s artwork, inspired by his life as an astronaut, with commentary and a filmed introduction
NASA audio highlights and liftoff footage
Optional on-screen identification of astronauts and mission control specialists
New optional English subtitles (SDH) for the hearing impaired
A luxurious booklet, featuring essays, credits, stills, a new interview with Brian Eno, and more
For All Mankind is out now on DVD and Blu-ray Disc from Eureka/Masters of Cinema
For All Mankind (Eureka/Masters of Cinema): A re-release of the classic 1989 documentary directed by Al Reinhert, which was assembled from the NASA archives. Featuring extraordinary footage of the Apollo lunar missions from 1968 to 1972, the hypnotic score was by Brian Eno. [Read the full review here]
Moon (Sony): Another moon-themed release, this classy futuristic sci-fi thriller stars Sam Rockwell an astronaut stationed on a mining station on the moon. Directed by Duncan Jones, it received considerable critical acclaim. [Read the full review here]
North By Northwest (Warner Bros.): The 50th anniversary re-release of Alfred Hitchcock’s espionage caper starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason has been newly remastered in 1080p from original VistaVision film elements. [Read the full review here]
The re-boot of the Star Trek franchise by director J.J. Abrams featured a new cast and a twist which cleverly incorporated old characters whilst paving the way for new stories.
After the opening section, which explores how they came to be at Starfleet, they get involved in a conflict with the Romulans, led by the enigmatic Nero (Eric Bana), who is after revenge.
The production design and visual effects are excellent, but it is the script and performances which really engage, in particular the storyline which allows for the return of an old character and the beginning of a new era for the USS Enterprise.
It is available on 1-Disc and 2-Disc DVD versions and Blu-ray Disc.
The extras on each version break down like this:
1-Disc DVD
English DD5.1 Surround
Commentary by director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk
A New Vision – J.J. Abrams’ vision was not only to create a Star Trek that was a bigger, more action-packed spectacle, but also to make the spectacle feel real. Every aspect of production-from unique locations to the use of classic Hollywood camera tricks-was guided by this overall objective.
Gag Reel – Bloopers featuring the entire principal cast.
2-Disc DVD – As above, plus the following additional extras:
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
To Boldly Go – Taking on the world’s most beloved science fiction franchise was no small mission. Director J.J. Abrams, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof, and executive producer Bryan Burk talk about the many challenges they faced and their strategy for success.
Casting – The producers knew their greatest task was finding the right cast to reprise these epic roles. The cast, for their part, talk about the experience of trying to capture the essence of these mythic characters. The piece concludes with a moving tribute to Leonard Nimoy.
Aliens – Designers Neville Page and Joel Harlow talk about the hurdles they faced creating new alien species, recreating the Romulans and Vulcans, and designing the terrifying creatures on Delta Vega for the new Star Trek.
Score – As a fan of the original series, composer Michael Giacchino embraced the challenge of creating new music for Star Trek while preserving the spirit of Alexander Courage’s celebrated theme.
The Blu-ray Disc version is a three-disc set (2xBD, 1xDigital Copy) in which you get all of the DVD extras plus several exclusives:
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD
Commentary by director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk
A New Vision (HD) – See description above
Gag Reel
To Boldly Go (HD) – See description above
Casting (HD) – See description above
Aliens (HD) – See description above
Score (HD) – See description above
Starships (HD) – This chapter focuses on the unique stories behind the creation of the film’s starships.
Planets (HD) – The art department had a number of radically different planets to create. Abrams’ desire to shoot on real locations whenever possible led the production team to a number of strange and surprising locations.
Props and Costumes (HD) – Russell Bobbitt had the unique challenge of designing props that were both true to the original series and pertinent to today. Likewise, costume designer Michael Kaplan talks about how he designed costumes that paid homage to a classic.
Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek (HD) – When famed sound designer Ben Burtt was hired to create sounds for the first Star Wars film, he took his inspiration from the original “Star Trek” series.
Gene Roddenberry’s Vision (HD) – J.J. Abrams, Leonard Nimoy, previous Star Trek writers and producers, and scientific consultant Carolyn Porco describe and commend the optimistic and enduring vision of Gene Roddenberry.
Starfleet Vessel Simulator (HD) – Explore extensive data on the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Romulan ship, the Narada. Submerse yourself in breathtaking 360° views and close-ups and review detailed tech information.
Trailers
Star Trek is out now on DVD and Blu-ray from Paramount
Fanny and Alexander is widely regarded as director Ingmar Bergman‘s swansong, even though he went on to write several scripts and direct TV films.
Originally conceived as TV mini-series, it is the story of 10-year-old Alexander Ekdahl (Bertil Guve), his younger sister, Fanny (Pernilla Alwin) and and their well-to-do family in Uppsala, Sweden.
In some ways it was a love letter to Bergman’s own childhood with several set pieces paying homage to his youth: a joyous Christmas gathering of relatives and servants; the emotional wrench when their recently-widowed mother (Ewa Froling) marries an austere minister; their warm relationship with a grandmother (Gunn Wallgren) who ‘kidnaps’ Fanny and Alexander in order to show them love and affection; and many others.
It still ranks as one of his finest films (which is no mean feat given his body of work) and one of the best of the 1980s. One of the most striking aspects is the way in which it goes against the grain of his work in the 1970s with its celebration of the joys amidst the hardships of family life.
A marvellous evocation of childhood, it is still an exquisite film to watch and was deservedly rewarded with Oscars for best foreign film, cinematography (by the incomparable Sven Nykvist), costumes and art direction/set decoration.
This is the 3-hour theatrical cut, which has been digitally restored from the original negative and soundtrack.
For that reason alone it is worth buying but true Bergman fans should also get the 5 hour TV version which is available on Artificial Eye and Criterion, which have more extras.
Fanny and Alexander is out now from Palisades Tartan
Fanny and Alexander (Palisades Tartan): A re-release for Ingmar Bergman’s classic 1982 film about a young boy named Alexander, his sister Fanny, and their well-to-do family in Uppsala, Sweden. Digitally restored from the original negative and soundtrack this is the three hour theatrical cut. [Read the full review here]
Star Trek (Paramount): The re-boot of the Star Trek franchise by director J.J. Abrams was a big critical and commercial success with a new cast (Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura) and a twist which cleverly incorporated old characters whilst paving the way for new stories. [Read the full review here]
