DVD Releases for Week of 1/08/2013
Well, as awards season begins to ramp up (The Golden Globes and People's Choice are coming up), this is a perfect time to catch some of the nominees on DVD or BluRay! Unfortunately, none of the nominees are available this week! But there are a few good ones!
'Dredd' - Usually remakes of bad 80's films are just as bad as bad as the original (see 'Red Dawn'); but this remake actually works! Stylistic, inventive, full of self-satire and humor as well as bombastic B-movie violence help make 'Dredd' a very watchable film. The original theater 3D was pretty impressive, but it will translate well to the 2D version; the inventive shots will play much better on BluRay, so spend the extra $1.50 on the Redbox rental!
'Frankenweenie' - Director Tim Burton once again returns to his animation roots in the very inventive and creative 'Frankenweenie' - the story of 'Frankenstien' told as if the monster were a much loved dog. Full of heart and humor, this is a tale that will please young and old alike! Another rental that would be justified of the extra rental fee for a BluRay!
'House at the End of the Street' - Ok, everything good I have had to say about Jennifer Lawrence goes out the window with this poorly written, poorly directed, poorly edited....and on and on. It even had a talented cast that should have done this justice, the source material was just too rotten. Leave this mess to the late night freebie on WGN, where I am sure it will land soon!
'Hit & Run' - Dax Shepard wrote, directed and starred in this action comedy, that while a little short on believable action, was full of pretty good dialogue and grand performances by Kristen Bell and Bradley Cooper. This is one you will either really like or really hate, not much in-between here. The rental alone is worth Cooper's performance as a recently released convict seeking revenge on former partner Shepard.
'Stolen' - Nicolas Cage as finally lost all credibility as an actor and has finally proven that he will make any movie for a paycheck. Ugh.
'Compliance' - Craig Zobel's second feature film is an outstanding character study of human nature that is often brutal to sit through. A stunning look at just how far someone will go to push the boundaries of their power and just how far someone can be pushed when pressured by authority. While this did not make wide release, it is a film that deserves a voice and most certainly will cause some heated discussions!
'Touchback' - What is you took 'Friday Night Light' and combined it with 'It's A Wonderful Life', gave a starring role to Kurt Russell and added a Christian message? You would get two hours of warmed over life lessons leaving you begging for the exit. I long for the days of 'Snake Plissken'.