DVD Releases for Week of 7/16/2012
Bit of a busy week for new DVDs! Some very good - all worth at least the $1.20 Redbox rental! It's a hot week across the nation - so what better way to stay cool than watch a movie?
'The Three Stooges' - The Farrelly brothers have promised for years to make a Three Stooges movie, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't bad either. Personally, I would have preferred something a little more fresh and original; instead the brothers opted to simply try and redo many of the Stooges oldest bits. Still funny today, the original bits were much more than slaps and pokes; they were the interactions and reactions of the original Stooges. In this remake, the chemistry is just not there. Sean Hayes as Larry, Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe and Will Sasso as Curly are all passable, but they fail to bring the spark as well as originality that was The Stooges. I think a better movie would have been in black and white with the Stooges in their proper time setting - they really don't work in the 21st century. Still, not a bad rental and it should bring a laugh or two to the kids.
'Lockout' - Ok, sure it is cliche, it's illogical and at best, it is a B action flick. But you know what? It's fun! Guy Pearce (probably one of the best bad asses around right now) and Maggie Grace (every action movie should have Maggie Grace in it) take a laughable, predictable plot and make it entertaining. Throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them, writer/directors James Mather & Stephen St Leger really try too hard to out do every last scene. Were it not for Pearce and Grace, this would be a bargain bin rental at best.
'Friends With Kids' - With a cast including Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, Adam Scott and Chris O'Dowd, one would hope for another 'Bridesmaids' flash of brilliance. Instead we are treated to a cutesy concept (think 'Friends With Benefits' have a baby together) that is not even close to being real. With jokes that are forced and rather obvious, 'Friends With Kids' was a major disappointment, which I suspect is the reason it practically went straight to DVD.
'Casa di mi padre' - Every other film or so, Will Ferrell makes a movie just for himself (I think) - 'Casa di mi padre' is just that film. While I found it very funny, Ferrell's tale of a ranchers son quest for vengeance, with all Spanish dialogue and English subtitles, is a bit too tongue and cheek for a feature length film. It would have been a better short on Ferrell's website www.funnyordie.com. As a rental on Redbox, it might be a good way to get a chuckle or two on a hot summer's night.
'Salmon Fishing in the Yeman' - Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor are fantastic in this quirky indie romantic comedy/drama. McGregor is a fisheries expert bought to the Yeman by a consultant, Blunt, to help a rich sheikh bring fly fishing to the desert and possibly bring a better life to the war torn area. Charming, refreshing and well acted. 'Salmon Fishing in the Yeman' is one of the more original romantic tales told in some time, wrapping together the romantic thoughts of dreams, faith, and the possibility that love will prevail in the end without becoming corny or unbelievable. A movie well worth the effort!
'Intruders' - The only thing intruding here is this waste of a movie in my review column. The story of parallel families experiencing similar horrors is boring, bland and not at all scary. A complete waste of time, even for Clive Owen fans. Don't waste a dime on this one.