DVD Talk: February 2012 Archives

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Unforgiven - HD encoding brings out new beauty in landscapes and additional grit in the grizzled face of William Munney, a reformed outlaw who turns hit man to feed his impoverished family; Scarlet Street - Fritz Lang's most drastic film noir sees the meek Sunday painter Edward G. Robinson victimized by lowlife chisler Dan Duryea and femme fatale Joan Bennett, in an unforgettably bleak traged; and Pal Joey - Frank Sinatra croons, jokes and simultaneously woos both Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak in Columbia's Technicolor musical. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: Puss in Boots [Blu-ray review] - a fun adventure romp with a hint of humor; Hugo [Blu-ray review] - Martin Scorsese's film took home an impressive 5 Academy Awards last Sunday, and you can see why when this film hits store shelves today; and Midsomer Murders - Set 19 [Blu-ray review] - Inspector Barnaby returns for a quartet of charming mysteries set in the English countryside. Other reviews of note include Vanya on 42nd Street [Blu-ray review], King of Triads [DVD review], and The Buccaneer [DVD review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Our reviewers have been busy this week, filling the DVD Talk Review Database more great entries. Some new reviews of note include: Dangerous Liaisons - a rich film, yielding up further layers each time you experience it... it is actually even better than you remember; The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 - fans should be incredibly pleased with this release, which doesn't disappoint on a technical level; and You Can't Get Away With Murder - a soulful, well-acted gangster/prison combo from the mean streets of the Warner Bros.' lot. Other recent reviews include: Double Exposure; The Devil's Rock, and Age of Heroes. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week in theaters, Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston fall on hard times and join a commune Marino and David Wain's comedy Wanderlust. Read reviews by Jason Bailey and Jamie S. Rich. And Joshua Marston's second feature The Forgiveness of Blood a powerful film, and a challenging one as well, that revolves around a rural Albanian family and what happens when a cart path is closed off. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Secret World of Arrietty, Thin Ice, Undefeated, Bullhead, Rampart, Chronicle, The Woman in Black, The Inkeepers, Perfect Sense, A Separation, and The Grey.

The Oscars are quickly approaching this Sunday, February 26, but the movie madness doesn't have to stop once they're over. Tjoos.com, an online coupon site, is giving away an Oscar-winning DVD bundle of the last ten Best Picture winners, plus a year's worth of popcorn. Simply enter on their Facebook contest page and you'll be eligible to win. DVDs include: The King's Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, No Country for Old Men, The Departed, Crash, Million Dollar Baby, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Chicago, and A Beautiful Mind.

More TV shows have made their way on to DVD, and DVD Talk has got them covered. Check out our reviews of the newest TV releases including: Rocko's Modern Life - it's just as funny as you didn't remember it; Bill Moyers: Amazing Grace - offering a basic history of the famous Christian hymn to instigate an exploration of a larger theme - the way that music can stir your soul; and The Comic Strip Presents: The Complete Collection - fans of the bizarre side of British comedy really ought to enjoy this one. Other shows recently reviewed include: Mannix: The Sixth Season, Father Dowling Mysteries: The First Season, and The Centurions: The Original Miniseries. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: All Quiet on the Western Front - The Best Picture winner and all-time classic pacifist epic gets a new lease on life thanks to a dazzling restoration; Notorious - Hitchcock's romantic, suspenseful and pointedly perverse espionage thriller sees Ingrid Bergman getting information from Nazi industrialist Claude Rains by sleeping with him, while agent Cary Grant stands on the sidelines, bitter and resentful; and Day of the Evil Gun - Mystery gunfighter Glenn Ford sets off to rescue his wife from Apache kidnappers accompanied by Arthur Kennedy, who says she's now his woman. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: Tower Heist [Blu-ray review] - a film that ended up, thanks to the talented cast, being really funny and entertaining; Blank City [Blu-ray review, DVD review] - an intelligent and well put together documentary that sheds some welcome light on one of the more interesting American underground film movements; and Weeds: Season Seven [Blu-ray review] - in this seventh season there are still big laughs to be found, and strong performances to be enjoyed. Other reviews of note include Track 29 [DVD review], Retreat [DVD review], and On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 [Blu-ray review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including a few discs you may have overlooked. Recent DVD reviews include: Lady and the Tramp - this Blu-ray release delivers only the best for one of Disney's best, giving a whole new generation a chance to fall in love alongside the two dogs from opposite sides of the tracks; Rebecca - Hitchcock's first American film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won two, and looks excellent in high definition; and There Be Dragons - a tour-de-force of a film that will keep history and war buffs entertained along with those who just want a nice dramatic tale. Other recent reviews include: Tales From the Golden Age; Karen Cries On The Bus, and The Geisha Boy. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

It's a well known fact that the DVDTalk review panel spends way too much time watching, and critiquing, movies, so it should come as no surprise that they have opinions as to which films, actors, and creators should win Hollywood's most coveted honor, the Oscar. Several of our writers offered their takes on who will win, and more importantly, who should win in our annual pre-Academy Awards column. Will little seen but critically acclaimed film The Artist sweep the prizes? Do we think Meryl Streep needs to clear off some room on her mantle for another gold statue? Find out all this and more in DVD Talk's 2012 Oscar Predictions.

This week in theaters, Greg Kinnear and Billy Crudup are drawn into a snowy tale of intrigue in the black comedy/thriller Thin Ice. A high school football team pursues its first championship season in the Oscar-nominated documentary Undefeated. Studio Ghibli has released it's latest offering the highly recommended The Secret World of Arrietty read reviews by Tyler Foster and Neil Lumbard. And a damaged young farmer is pulled into the Flemmish underworld in the Best Foreign Film nominee Bullhead. Also this week: Director Markus Schleinzer crafts a cold but fascinating portrait of true evil in Michael, and Rampart, featuring a stunning performance by Woody Harrelson, goes into wider release. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Chronicle, The Woman in Black, The Inkeepers, Perfect Sense, A Separation, The Grey, Man on a Ledge, Haywire, Coriolanus, Underworld: Awakening, The Divide, and The Iron Lady.

TV on DVD remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include: Police Woman: Season Two - solid police actioner from the too-cool 70s... with plenty of sexist eye candy thrown in courtesy of the devastating Angie Dickinson; Battlefield Detectives - quite entertaining and intriguing - giving the casual history buff some new theories to chew over; and Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe - about as perfect a Christmas special as one could ever hope to see. Other shows recently reviewed include: Fairy Tail: Part 3, Beavis & Butthead: Volume 4, and Weeds: Season Seven. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Godzilla - Criterion throws a new light on the atomic lizard that rises from the sea to ravage Japan -- this fully remastered and restored transfer also includes a new transfer of the American version with Raymond Burr, an entertaining commentary from David Kalat and a number of intriguing featurettes; Vice Squad - Police Captain Edward G. Robinson makes deals with madame Paulette Goddard and harasses poor crime witness Porter Hall, but he learns what he needs to corner a gang of vicious bank robbers; and La Jetee / Sans Soleil - Chris Marker's pair of intellectual masterpieces return in beautiful HD transfers. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

Some pretty cool discs are being released this week. Check out these new titles: The Dead [Blu-ray review] - an entrancingly atmospheric zombie movie, one that's often quiet and contemplative, and yet it still delivers the visceral thrills that genre completists demand; All Quiet on the Western Front [Blu-ray review] - this classic must-see picture gets a new lease on life thanks to a dazzling restoration; and Human Centipede II: Full Sequence [Blu-ray review] - for those who appreciated the first film's mix of extreme horror and black humor, it comes recommended. Other reviews of note include Take Shelter [Blu-ray review], Woody Allen: A Documentary [DVD review], and The Perfect Weapon [DVD review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Some great DVD and Blu-ray reviews have been added to the the DVD Talk Review Database recently including: Spellbound - this Ingrid Bergman/Gregory Peck Hitchcock film is one that we fall in love with it in spite of ourselves; On The Bowery - The Films of Lionel Rogosin, Vol. 1 - two of Rogosin's groundbreaking documentary movies and a nice selection of bonus material make for a truly special overall package; and Tall Story - sweet and charming and always funny. Other recent reviews include: Shakespeare in Love; Blank City, and Resurrect Dead - The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto DVD this week including: Father Dowling Mysteries: The First Season - a nice show with a subdued tone, assured performances, and solid mysteries; The BrontÃ«s of Haworth - the sharp dialogue and consistent performances make it a delight to experience for fans of the BrontÃ«s as well as the uninitiated; and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Grave Danger - a feature-length episode of the popular show directed by Quentin Tarantino. Other shows recently reviewed include: Hey Dude: Season Two, Swamp People: Season 2, and Northern Lights: The Complete Collection. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: Spellbound - David O. Selznick and Alfred Hitchcock's glamorous Ingrid Bergman / Gregory Peck thriller is also the most outlandish pastiche of silly psychiatry ever; GOG - An entertaining Sci Fi treat from the Cold War years, this color espionage thriller sees America's secret underground weapons lab threatened by futuristic robots; and Tokyo Drifter - In Seijun Suzuki's ode to alienated Yakuza, a handsome young gunman is betrayed by a father figure, hunted by eccentric assassins and protected by a less gullible "drifter" with a cynical philosophy. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

La Jetee/Sans Soleil: Criterion Collection

There are some new titles coming out that might make it worth a trip to the video store this week. Check out these recent releases: La Jetee/Sans Soleil: Criterion Collection [Blu-ray review] - The two films presented here are arguably Chris Marker's most famous features and come highly recommended; The Sunset Limited [Blu-ray review] - a vehicle for big themes and powerful words, masterfully delivered by towering actors; and Project Nim [DVD review] - tremendously absorbing, and not without its hard-won glimmers of hope. Other reviews of note include 5 Star Day, Jerry Lewis as The Jazz Singer [DVD review], and 3 [DVD review]. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Check out the latest DVD reviews that have been entered into the DVD Talk Review Database including: Woody Allen: A Documentary - a jaunty documentary portrait of the talented director; The Shiver of the Vampires - surprisingly accessible, well-made, and bursting with all sorts of memorable visuals and characters; and The Other F Word - that rare breed of documentary that manages to approach its subject in a manner that is both sincerely touching and genuinely interesting. Other recent reviews include: Reel Injun; The Confession, and The Magnetic Monster. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week in theaters, found footage merges with the superhero origin story in Chronicle; read reviews by Tyler Foster and Jamie S. Rich. Daniel Radcliffe helps reanimate the iconic Hammer studios in the gothic horror film The Woman in Black. And House of the Devil director Ti West returns with another slow-burn horror tale, The Inkeepers. Also this week: Ewan McGregor and Eva Green find love in the midst of a sensory-deprivation outbreak in Perfect Sense, and one of 2011's best films, the Oscar-nominated A Separation, widens its release. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: The Grey, Man on a Ledge, Haywire, Coriolanus, Declaration of War, The Man Nobody Knew, Crazy Horse, The Divide, The Iron Lady, Albert Nobbs, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Interested in the latest TV on DVD reviews? DVD Talk has you covered! This week's notable entries include: Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Next Level - these three episodes in HD certainly deliver the goods; Mannix: The Sixth Season - human punching bag Joe Mannix, back in form; and I'm Dickens... He's Fenster - a funny sitcom from 1962 whose admirers included no less an authority on such things than the great Stan Laurel. Other shows recently reviewed include: Jerry Lewis as The Jazz Singer, Delocated: The Complete Seasons One & Two, and Spin City: The Complete Sixth Season. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVDTalk database.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews and articles including: No Blade of Grass - This gritty, exploitative, unpleasant and at least 50% fully justified post-apocalyptic thriller rubs our noses in the eco-disaster predicted to result from our pollution of the planet -- in 1970; The Tin Drum - This import disc will be a must-see for fans of the film: it's 21-minutes longer than anything we've seen, and the added material really fills out the story; and Picnic - An Americana classic with Kim Novak and William Holden generating some powerful chemistry in William Inge's dissection of lust and pain in the Midwest. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.