Brian Orndorf's DVD Talk DVD Reviews https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/list/DVD Video DVD Talk DVD Review RSS Feed en-us The Bang Bang Club (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50091 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:42:43 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

Extensive and unreal violent encounters are safely folded and shared in "The Bang Bang Club," a potentially mesmerizing look at the work of combat photojournalists ruined by ham-fisted screenwriting and ill-equipped performances. A substantial discussion of mental strain and moral flexibility is thrown out of the nearest window to play with irksome television movie clichés, taking the sting out of an alarming vocation.

South Africa in the early 1990s is a country torn apart by tribal warfare, permitting various photojournalists an opportunity to cover daily eruptions of violence. For freelancer Greg (Ryan Phillippe), his introduction into the conflict between vicious opposing forces leads him to a squad of charming shooters, including Kevin (Taylor Kitsch). Capturing death and destruction on film, Greg soon builds a name for himself, while the journalists are ...Read the entire review

]]>
The Conspirator (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51903 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:52:02 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

"The Conspirator" is a sumptuously shot depiction of a lesser-known moment in history. Taking place after President Lincoln's assassination in 1865, the picture seeks to recreate hysteria and shady political dealings during a time of nationwide turbulence. Unfortunately, instead of mounting a crushing procedural picture filled with facts and figures, director Robert Redford elects for a more melodramatic route, turning all the accusations and disgust into a wobbly drama of limited emotional impact.

After the death of Abraham Lincoln and his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, America was searching for a scapegoat to absorb the blame for such a significant tragedy. Enter Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), a meek southern landlord whose son played a key role in Booth's plan, though she refuses to substantiate the accusation. Placed on trial along with several other suspects i...Read the entire review

]]>
Muppets From Space (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50075 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:52:02 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

Out of all the Muppet features produced since 1979, I would rank "Muppets from Space" as the least effective of the bunch. It's not an easy decision, since the picture features numerous gut-busting one-liners and a general Muppet anarchy that's satisfying. It's a fine motion picture, yet in terms of Jim Henson-style wonderment and overall cleverness, "Muppets from Space" comes up short. It's entertaining enough, but lacks the magic the Muppets are so skilled at summoning.

Gonzo (performed by Dave Goelz) has found himself struggling with his identity, taking time to fret over his origins, fearful he'll always be labeled a "whatever." When an alien civilization attempts to communicate with the depressed blue daredevil, Gonzo is puzzled, driven to comprehend this mysterious development. Also taking interest is K. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor), a member of a covert...Read the entire review

]]>
Priest (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50906 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:49:45 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

In 2010, director Scott Stewart brought a dopey apocalyptic action film titled "Legion" to the big screen, which starred Paul Bettany as an agent of God caught in the middle of an unearthly war. For 2011, Stewart throws a curveball with "Priest," a dopey apocalyptic action film that stars Paul Bettany as an agent of God caught in the middle of an unearthly war. And people say there's no originality in Hollywood anymore. Well, instead of combative angels in a desert setting, the new feature offers a plague of vampires in a desert setting. Progress?

War has waged for centuries between humans and vampires, leaving the Catholic Church to train its own guard of beastly assassins, sent to fend off the bloodsucking hordes, restoring peace to the land. Now stripped of purpose, Priest (Paul Bettany) has lost himself in the bowels of a Church-managed megacity, ruled by fe...Read the entire review

]]>
The Last Godfather DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49954 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:28:02 UTC Skip It

THE FILM

"The Last Godfather" is "The Godfather" after eating a bucket of paint chips and huffing a can of gasoline. A slapstick send-up of mafia movies from the man who gave the world "Dragon Wars," the picture is an unfunny, spectacularly tedious collection of dreadful ideas meant to pass as a wild good time. Instead of laughs, the feature will have viewers scrambling for the eject button and reconsidering the competency of the Korean film industry.

Don Carini (Harvey Keitel) is ready to step down as head of his criminal empire, passing over trusted enforcers such as Tony (Michael Rispoli) and Macho (John Pinette) to hand the reins to his Korean son, Younggu (Hyung-rae Shim), a mentally impaired man abandoned long ago. A bumbling idiot, Younggu is educated in the ways of criminal life, making a mess wherever he goes. Piquing the interest of Nancy (Jocelin Donahue), Yo...Read the entire review

]]>
Stake Land (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51854 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:31:02 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

"Stake Land" is ambitious, but only vaguely successful as a bleak horror concoction. Spare, mournful, and often inert, this vampire-flavored take on "The Road" is more admirable than fulfilling, expelling more effort with atmosphere than story, wasting time with stares when legitimate tension is desperately needed.

A vampire plague has ravaged America, leaving desolation and terrified survivors behind, who do their best to sustain the social order they once knew. Martin (Connor Paolo) is an orphan picked up by Mister (Nick Damici, who co-wrote the script), a seasoned hunter who looks to train his charge in the ways of vampire slaughter. Crossing the land in search of a mysterious "New Eden," Martin and Mister encounter a few weary souls along the way, including a nun (Kelly McGillis) and a pregnant woman (Danielle Harris), creating emotional bonds tested by this...Read the entire review

]]>
Mars Needs Moms (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51853 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:31:02 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

"Mars Needs Moms" is a peculiar viewing experience where its least effective element boils down to a single obnoxious performance. Lively, richly animated with intriguing motion capture fluidity, and pleasingly designed with special attention to sprawling Martian environments, the feature is nearly sunk by the efforts of co-star Dan Fogler, who's biologically incapable of delivering funny business, squirting his spastic funk all over this nifty CG-animated chase film.

A young boy tired of his domestic duties, Milo (performed by Seth Green, voiced by Seth Dusky) has grown to resent his mother (Joan Cusack). When Martians bent on finding human mothers to help raise their newborns come to Earth and kidnap his parent, Milo is accidentally whisked away on the ship, taken to a subterranean alien kingdom where he meets Gribble (Dan Fogler), a daffy Earthling who found ...Read the entire review

]]>
Rio (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51113 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:17:36 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

"Rio" doesn't break new ground in terms of animated entertainment for families, but what it does it does very well. A musical romp boasting an explosion of colors and an energetic range of voice actors, "Rio" keeps to a minimal plan of villains and personal triumph, summoning a charming, booty-shaking carnival ambiance where a bunch of crazy birds (as opposed to the angry kind) participate in some slapstick, adding to the riotous party atmosphere.

A thoroughly domesticated Spix's Macaw living in rural Minnesota, Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) hasn't learned how to fly, preferring an easy life on the ground with loving owner Linda (Leslie Mann, nailing a Midwestern accent). When ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) discovers Blu, he urges Linda to join him down in Rio de Janeiro, looking to pair the neurotic bird with Jewel (Anne Hathaway) and potentially save...Read the entire review

]]>
The Perfect Game (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49366 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:12:41 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

As much as I wanted "The Perfect Game" to be a fearless Mexican version of "The Bad News Bears," the picture just wasn't in a wish-granting mood. More of an inspirational tale compounded with a true story, "Game" is a feature of sheer earnestness, which tends to grate and persuade with equal determination. However, it's easy to praise the film's gushing heart, which might be enough to satisfy less demanding viewer in the mood for a few smiles and cheers; a sparkling tale of baseball triumph ideally issued during the heart of the season.

In 1957, Cesar (Clifton Collins, Jr.) was a former employee of the St. Louis Cardinals who returned to his Monterrey, Mexico home to bury his shame in the steel mills of the city. Finding the game of baseball alluring and domestically fulfilling, the local boys pester Cesar to become their coach, eager to master the sport despit...Read the entire review

]]>
Something Borrowed (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50437 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:12:04 UTC Skip It

THE FILM

"Something Borrowed" is a romantic comedy, thus immediately placing its contents outside the border of reality. That whimsy established, this movie is still a total crock. Even by the low standards set by the occasionally nauseating genre, the feature doesn't play fair, electing to strip a complex situation of romance and friendship free of any human qualities. With all the crude good vs. evil scenarios passed around in this unbearable motion picture, it might as well be a western.

Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) is turning 30 and life is starting to lose its luster. Single and childless, Rachel has to contend with her BFF Darcy (Kate Hudson), a swinging gal engaged to Dex (Colin Egglesfield), a responsible young man and Rachel's former crush in law school. When true intentions are revealed after a night of drinking, Rachel and Dex commence a secret affair, looking t...Read the entire review

]]>
Jane Eyre (2011) DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50792 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:12:04 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

Charlotte Bronte's immortal tale of love and separation has seen its fair share of adaptations over the last century of filmed entertainment. Regurgitated time and again for both television and the big screen, "Jane Eyre" has been bled dry, with filmmakers of diverse backgrounds hungry to make their mark on a most celebrated story. Now, director Cary Joji Fukunaga steps up to courageously guide another look at the novel, unearthing something that's eluded many creative forces throughout the years: A fresh approach.

Orphaned, abused, and disregarded by her elders, Jane Eyre (Amelia Clarkson as a child, Mia Wasikowska as an adult) has endured a frightening life of hardship, finding her sense of individuality stifled as she attempts to shape some type of existence for herself. Taking a job as a governess for the estate of Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender), Jane...Read the entire review

]]>
The Help Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51799 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:57:08 UTC Rent It

While watching "The Help," there was never a moment where I felt a secure, deeply felt story was being told. Instead, the film is a highlight reel of exaggerated emotions and social concern, struggling to find its voice while incomplete scripting and overly emphatic performances keep the feature's bloated intentions blurred. Spending more time tugging on heartstrings than exhaustively studying the characters, "The Help" can't avoid feeling wholly insincere.

In Jackson, Mississippi during the Jim Crow South era, the divide between the black "help" and the white elite is growing wider, a fact that frustrates budding journalist Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone). Coming up with an idea to interview local black maids and compile their stories of woe and rage into a book, Skeete...Read the entire review

]]>
30 Minutes or Less Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51803 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:57:08 UTC Rent It

Brevity is a good friend to the mediocre comedy "30 Minutes or Less." Running roughly 75 minutes long, the film is tidily arranged by director Rueben Fleischer, who has enough sense to hit his slapstick bullet points and bail. I just wish he had better material, at least something substantial that would prevent the picture from becoming yet another R-rated comedy cursed with crummy improvisation-addicted actors and their distracting potty mouths.

Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) is a pot-smoking slacker suffering through a pizza delivery gig, unable to motivate himself while he watches his best friend Chet (Aziz Ansari) and ladylove Katie (Dilshad Vadsaria) better their lives through professional opportunities. Nick finds himself in deep trouble when he's cornered by Dwayne (Danny McBri...Read the entire review

]]>
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51802 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:57:08 UTC Highly Recommended

The hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest has been lauded for decades now, blessed with encouraging record sales and a consistent vibration of love emanating from the rap community. However, they've rarely been explored in full, leaving actor Michael Rapaport to step behind the camera and investigate the inner workings of this musical union with his thumpy, riveting documentary, "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest."

Formed in 1985, A Tribe Called Quest kicked off in New York City, where Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White (who left the team in 1991, returning in 2006) joined together to ride the coattails of the citywide explosion of rap, learning from burgeoning masters, including their idol, DJ Red Alert. Endowed with a smooth so...Read the entire review

]]>
Final Destination 5 (3D) Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51801 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:57:08 UTC Rent It

The last sequel was titled "The Final Destination," but clearly New Line Cinema is run by a bunch of sneaky little liars. Thanks to a 3D boost at the box office and renewed interest in the slaughter of no-name actors, the franchise has been pulled out of retirement, revving up again with an all-new multi-dimensional gore show. While the thrill was officially snuffed out once the end credits rolled on the first "Final Destination," that hasn't stopped the producers from mounting a surprisingly snoozy fourth sequel.

On a tour bus heading to a corporate retreat with his co-workers, including friend Peter (Miles Fisher) and girlfriend Molly (Emma Bell), Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto) has a premonition about a terrible bridge collapse that kills most of the department. Freaking out, Sam c...Read the entire review

]]>
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51800 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:57:08 UTC Recommended

Full disclosure: I've never seen a single episode of the Fox television smash "Glee." I know frighteningly little about the series; however, after viewing "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie," I'm now extremely curious about the program. At the very least, I'd like to see how the show continues on now that Charlie Sheen has been fired.

Captured this very summer in New Jersey, the performance film surveys the grand staging of the "Glee Live! In Concert!" tour that took the world by storm over the last year. Reuniting most of the cast on stage, the picture provides a loose approximation of the arena show, deploying 3D and generous close-ups from director Kevin Tancharoen to bring the party into the multiplex, where these "Gleeks" can go crazy watching beloved actors remain in-character ...Read the entire review

]]>
Jumping the Broom DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50744 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:46:08 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

With Tyler Perry spending his precious time driving his most popular character into the ground to sustain a hold on African-American entertainment dollars, burgeoning movie mogul T.D. Jakes ("Not Easily Broken") has selected a softer approach for entertainment dominance, taking on the trials of family and marriage with the charming feature, "Jumping the Broom."

Hurriedly working into a stable union, Jason (Laz Alonso) is ready to marry Sabrina (Paula Patton, frantic but endearing), an eager bride-to-be tickled to finally find a functional relationship. Taking the event to Martha's Vineyard and the home of Sabrina's affluent family, Jason reveals some reluctance introducing his postal worker mother, Mrs. Taylor (Loretta Devine), and vocal Brooklyn clan (including Mike Epps and Tasha Smith) to his judgmental, sophisticated in-laws, Mrs. (Angela Bassett) and Mr. W...Read the entire review

]]>
The Change-Up Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51715 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 21:01:51 UTC Skip It

Thanks to various works from Judd Apatow and the smash success of "The Hangover," the summer of 2011 has played host to a resurgence of hard R-rated comedies, each sharing the same improvisational DNA while declining a cheery spirit of punchline imagination, more content to primitively shock than organize surprises. While the bar was set low by the intolerable June belch, "Bad Teacher," the body-swap extravaganza "The Change-Up" stumbles into August to claim its prize as the worst feature of the new batch.

A stressed out lawyer with three kids and a troubled wife (Leslie Mann), David (Jason Bateman) is losing his sense of sanity, looking forward to a game night outing with his stoner, deadbeat pal Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) to clear his head. As the two share stories from their mis...Read the entire review

]]>
Rise of the Planet of the Apes Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51716 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 21:01:51 UTC Highly Recommended

After five motion pictures, two television series, and a 2001 Tim Burton remake, it seems a prequel is the only logical place to go in the exhausted "Planet of the Apes" saga. The origin tale of apes and their early stages of domination is surprisingly fertile ground for the producers, who loosely rework 1972's "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" into "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," a frequently thrilling, emotionally resonate reboot that takes advantage of today's vibrant motion capture technology to help articulate the complexity burning within these damn dirty apes.

An ambitious San Francisco scientist, Will (James Franco) is looking to cure Alzheimer's Disease with a special virus tested extensively on apes. When his star experiment is killed, the baby chimpanzee left b...Read the entire review

]]>
Mother's Day (2011) Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51095 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:33:29 UTC Rent It

A remake of a 1980 Troma exploitation film, "Mother's Day" at least makes an attempt to stand on its own two feet. Instead of direct imitation, director Darren Lynn Bousman endeavors to rework the central idea of maternal domination, fleshing out the story to fit a broader range of characters and a different style of violence. It's an interesting failure, but the picture enjoys several grisly highlights, indulging itself to a point of exhaustion.

Couple Beth (Jamie King) and Daniel (Frank Grillo) are hosting a party inside their newly acquired home, inviting dear friends to help them celebrate the new digs. Storming into the house is a family of bank-robbing crooks, led by their mother, Natalie (Rebecca De Mornay), who recently lost the property due to financial mismanagement....Read the entire review

]]>
The Devil's Double Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51097 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:33:29 UTC Rent It

I want a varied landscape of cinema as much as the next person, but did the world truly need a movie based on the depravity of Uday Hussein, son of Saddam? It's difficult to ascertain exactly why the story behind "The Devil's Double" required a feature film treatment, a quibble inflated to flat-out disgust by the end of the picture. Unsophisticated and unnecessarily ugly, the movie seems to favor Uday's sadism instead of condemning it, making its ultimate purpose too fogged for comfort.

An Iraqi soldier, Latif (Dominic Cooper) is pulled into Saddam Hussein's web of power when Uday Hussein (also Dominic Cooper) forces him to commit to life as his double. Undergoing rigorous training and plastic surgery, Latif is introduced to the violent realm of Uday, a disturbed man delighti...Read the entire review

]]>
Project Nim Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51080 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:33:29 UTC Recommended

It's difficult to ascertain exactly what story director James Marsh is attempting to tell with his latest documentary, "Project Nim." Part bio-pic, part animal cruelty call to arms, and part scientific study, the feature is an engaging, horrifying look at the life and times of a special chimpanzee, but doesn't quite bundle the reveals and the revulsion in a tight cinematic package.

Removed from the care of his mother after only two weeks of life, chimpanzee Nim Chimpsky was selected to take part in an extraordinary study where the young animal would be raised as a human baby and taught sign language as a method of communication. The goal, as arranged by Columbia University scientist Herbert S. Terrace, was to find a connection between humans and chimps through the miracle of l...Read the entire review

]]>
Meet Monica Velour (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49997 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:54:46 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

Blessed with a promising concept for a dark comedy, "Meet Monica Velour" would rather tug at heartstrings or script repetitive behavior from derivative characters. It's a wasteful effort, yet a few highlights manage to distract, namely Kim Cattrall in a bravely unglamorous performance, putting in an impressive effort to embody a once omnipresent porn queen facing the unrelenting trials of life after youth.

17 years of age and infatuated with '70's adult film star Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), Tobe (Dustin Ingram) is a snobby, dorky kid unable to grow up and take responsibility for his life. Gifted a hot dog vending truck for his high school graduation, Tobe hopes to sell the small business, contacting Claude (Keith David), a pop artist looking for the ultimate prize of Americana. Also triggering Tobe's interest is a personal appearance by Velour at an Indiana s...Read the entire review

]]>
Cowboys & Aliens Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51096 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:22:38 UTC Recommended

Director Jon Favreau has quite a playground with "Cowboys & Aliens," permitting the filmmaker a big-budget opportunity to stage classic western encounters while banging away with large-scale sci-fi elements. Although it lacks an extraordinary pace that would normally accompany the collision of two disparate genres, the picture is a comfortably entertaining slice of summer escapism, blasting away with a blissful discharge of six-guns and lasers.

Waking up in the middle of nowhere, Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) finds himself wounded, without his memory, and in possession of a metal laser gun strapped to his wrist. Making his way to the nearest town, Jake mixes it up with the locals, incurring the wrath of cattle baron Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). Before the two can successfully...Read the entire review

]]>
Good Neighbors Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51094 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:22:35 UTC Rent It

"Good Neighbors" is suspenseful, but oddly unfulfilling. A distinctly Canadian production taking place during the 1995 Quebec referendum, this serial killer/psychological thriller relies on mood and stylistics to conjure a critical feeling of dread. However, writer/director Jacob Tierney is spun dizzy by the complex narrative of deceptions and confessions, laboring over moody particulars while the tension gradually dries up.

Moving into a 4th floor apartment in Quebec, Victor (Jay Baruchel) is eager to meet his new neighbors, spooky cat lady Louise (Emily Hampshire) and wheelchair-bound Spencer (Scott Speedman). While the trio figures out a comfortable middle ground, a serial killer stalks the local streets, making Louise feel uneasy, reaching out to Victor for company. Elated...Read the entire review

]]>
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51077 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:22:35 UTC Skip It

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" features a sensitive story of bittersweet separation, reportedly altered quite a bit from author Lisa See's original 2005 novel. A tale of patchy sisterhood and the circular patterns of betrayals and mistakes, director Wayne Wang has his hands full with melodrama and historical reflection, exploring China's foot-binding past while returning to the intricacies of Asian culture, which served him well in the 1993 hit, "The Joy Luck Club." Wang's also made perhaps the most flavorless, outright boring picture of 2011, breaking down the plot into tiny, inert pieces of meaninglessness.

When damaged soul Sophia (Gianna Jun) is badly hurt in a bike accident, word reaches old friend Nina (Li Bingbing), who rushes to the side of the unconscious woman, dis...Read the entire review

]]>
Another Earth Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51079 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:22:35 UTC Rent It

If "The Tree of Life" is a full-course dinner of philosophy and emotional reflection, the sci-fi snoozer "Another Earth" is a particularly chewy intellectual amuse-bouche. A plodding melodrama concerning the effects of loss and the potential for soulful rebirth, "Another Earth" doesn't pursue its provocative ideas with any sort of narrative momentum. Instead, it's all dreary navel-gazing and cinematographic posturing hoping to wade into a profound philosophical bath, using the mysteries of the universe as a way to hypnotize an audience more likely to be annoyed by this story than entranced.

Bound by guilt after killing three people during a drunk driving accident as a teen, Rhoda (Brit Marling) has been released from prison, finding herself depressed and directionless. In the ...Read the entire review

]]>
Crazy, Stupid, Love. Theatrical https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51078 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:18:50 UTC Highly Recommended

The best compliment I can pay the comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is that it works extremely hard to maintain a vital oxygen blast of vulnerability to an otherwise stiflingly sitcom plot. Actually, there are numerous compliments I can pay this hilarious, poignant motion picture, which mounts a tremendous effort to keep the audience guessing, undermining as much formula as it can. It's a sharp movie, layered with impressive performances and a generous heart, yet it's the sensation of surprise that truly matters.

Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) are a married couple facing divorce after Emily cheats with a co-worker (Kevin Bacon). Drowning his sorrows at the local bar, Cal happens upon fast-taking lothario Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a hotshot having trouble landing the girl...Read the entire review

]]>
Overboard (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51093 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:55:04 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

The 1987 comedy "Overboard" is an incredible study of star power, displaying how a few seasoned professionals can take a limp script and turn it into something unremarkable, yet completely palatable. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are truly the only reasons to keep watching this otherwise flaccid comedy, which feels static when it should zing and oppressive when it should soar.

Trapped in Elk Cove, Oregon while her yacht is docked for repairs, spoiled heiress Joanna (Goldie Hawn) hires strapping carpenter Dean (Kurt Russell) to construct a new closet for her shoe collection. Onboard, Dean bears witness to Joanna's bully behavior, a shrill routine of snobbery soon turned on him. When Joanna is knocked off the boat late one night, she awakens in a local hospital, unable to recall the details of her life due to trauma. Dean, sensing an opportunity to take back what'...Read the entire review

]]>
Paul - Unrated Edition (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51083 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:42:18 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

"Paul" should be a simple wacky sci-fi comedy filled with pot humor, unrelenting profanity, gay panic, and dry Brit humor. Instead, the film is primarily constructed as a valentine to the fantasy genre, showing more interest dreaming up inside movie references than spewing one-liners. "Paul" is pure geek bait, an oasis of unadulterated affection for all things sci-fi. The movie bleeds green. Thankfully, in the care of screenwriters/stars Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, the picture casts an amusing intergalactic spell, borrowing a Spielbergian concept and filling it with all sorts of enjoyable absurdity and R-rated mischief.

Two English buddies still reeling from their otherworldly adventures at Comic-Con, Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) have embarked on an RV tour of American alien encounter landmarks, hoping to soak up some extraterrestrial history to fe...Read the entire review

]]>
Jumping the Broom (Blu-ray) Blu-ray https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/50745 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:41:26 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

With Tyler Perry spending his precious time driving his most popular character into the ground to sustain a hold on African-American entertainment dollars, burgeoning movie mogul T.D. Jakes ("Not Easily Broken") has selected a softer approach for entertainment dominance, taking on the trials of family and marriage with the charming feature, "Jumping the Broom."

Hurriedly working into a stable union, Jason (Laz Alonso) is ready to marry Sabrina (Paula Patton, frantic but endearing), an eager bride-to-be tickled to finally find a functional relationship. Taking the event to Martha's Vineyard and the home of Sabrina's affluent family, Jason reveals some reluctance introducing his postal worker mother, Mrs. Taylor (Loretta Devine), and vocal Brooklyn clan (including Mike Epps and Tasha Smith) to his judgmental, sophisticated in-laws, Mrs. (Angela Bassett) and Mr. W...Read the entire review

]]>
You Got Served: Beat the World DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49871 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:41:26 UTC Skip It

THE FILM

"You Got Served: Beat the World" is a terrible motion picture, but you probably already knew that. The original "You Got Served," released in 2004, was also a terrible motion picture, but at least it made the attempt to tell something of a story between blasts of street dance and hip-hop humiliation. "Beat the World" is a lazy movie, with only a faint hint of conflict dusted over repetitive and illogical dance sequences. It's a bore from start to finish. Again, you probably already knew that.

The "Beat the World" dance competition has landed in Detroit, branding the champions as the kings and queens of street dance for the calendar year. On the hunt for the prize are dance crews from America, led by Yuson (Tyrone Brown), Berlin, and Brazil, who've come armed with their finest, freshest moves. As the tension rises in Detroit clubs and rooftops, the gangs have to ...Read the entire review

]]>
American Grindhouse DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49460 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:03:16 UTC Highly Recommended

THE FILM

I suppose the classic image of a grindhouse film is something along the lines of a bug-eyed man splattered with blood holding a knife over a half-naked woman. It's an honest summation of the cinematic culture, but there's an entire history here worth an examination. Elijah Drenner's "American Grindhouse" traces the history, excesses, and glory of unsavory cinema, providing a magnificent education in the process, communicating the nuances and traditions of a brand often disregarded as forgettable schlock.

Lightning paced and overflowing with information, "American Grindhouse" (narrated by Robert Forster) seems primarily interested in drawing exploitation connections throughout the history of motion pictures. Drenner establishes the lineage o...Read the entire review

]]>
Streetwalkin' DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/49802 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:03:48 UTC Rent It

THE FILM

I'd like to think that when Melissa Leo won the Academy Award this year for her supporting work in "The Fighter," she was thinking, "Gee, the only thing that could make 2011 sweeter would be the hasty DVD release of a 1984 exploitation film I did for Roger Corman when I was brand new to the business." Melissa Leo, I have wonderful news for you.

Fresh out of an abusive home with little brother Tim (Randall Batinkoff, in his film debut), Cookie (Melissa Leo) is a frightened teen girl with nowhere to go. Offering her a new life is pimp Duke (Dale Midkiff, also making his debut), a vicious man who Cookie attaches herself to, taking to the streets as instructed, turning tricks for money. When Duke's wrath kills a fellow prostitute, Cookie is rea...Read the entire review

]]>
Jackboots on Whitehall DVD Video https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/51076 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:03:48 UTC Recommended

THE FILM

A blazing WWII farce, "Jackboots on Whitehall" is acted out entirely by a group of puppets, which has to be every film director's dream. Blending the alternate history rhythms of "Inglourious Basterds" with the freewheeling cartoon impulses of "Team America," the picture is a refreshing offering of comedic insanity. The movie tuckers out quickly, but when its mix of chaos and slapstick comes together, it makes for a highly enjoyable curiosity.

Desperate to seize London and imprison Winston Churchill (voiced by Timothy Spall), Adolph Hitler (Alan Cumming) and his troops storm the city, destroying everything as they search for their prize. Coming to Churchill's rescue is farm boy Chris (Ewan McGregor), a local outcast with enormous hands, rea...Read the entire review

]]>