DVD Outlook: March 2013

While February saw the DVD release of Best Picture Winner Argo, March follows suit with many other Oscar contenders being released for your home-viewing pleasure. Although I was less in love with nominees like Life of Pi (3/12), Les Miserables (3/22) and Hitchcock (3/12), they are still big-named releases this month that will surely catch your eye. Now, on to the films I suggest renting for the month of March.




Zero Dark Thirty - 4 stars out of 4 (Read my full review here)

There was a moment in recent history when every prognosticator believed that Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty would win Best Picture. However, in the midst of controversy, the film only walked away with the Best Sound Editing trophy at the Oscars. Controversy aside, Zero Dark Thirty tells the unbelievable true story of a determined CIA operative (played by Jessica Chastain) who embarks on a decade long manhunt to find the Most Wanted fugitive in the world, Osama Bin Laden. Unrelenting, gripping and full of suspense, Zero Dark Thirty is a fantastic and well-rounded film that deserves every bit of your attention during its entire fast-moving two and a half hour running time. (MARCH 19TH)




Lincoln - 2 and a half stars out of 4 (Read my full review here)

Immediately following my initial viewing of Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, I never quite felt "blown away" by the film. Despite being somewhat let down by the heavy dose of dialogue that spans close to three hours, Lincoln has kept crawling back into my brain of late. Perhaps like a fine wine, Lincoln sits better with age. Therefore, I'm very eager to catch a second viewing of Spielberg's Best Picture Nominee later this month, The film mainly focuses on the 16th president's commitment to passing a law that would abolish slavery. Throughout the movie we see the inner workings of political posturing and some of the dirty deeds that float around our nation's capital. Brilliantly acted (including a game-changing turn by Best Actor Winner Daniel Day-Lewis) and phenomenally written, Lincoln is yet another wonderful piece of filmmaking by Steven Spielberg. (MARCH 26th)





This is 40 - 2 and a half stars out of 4 (Read my full review here)

Let me preface by saying that This is 40 is by no means a fantastic film. Overly long and bloated with an abundance of side characters and subplots, there's plenty of blemishes with Judd Apatow's latest work. On the other hand, This is 40 offers continual laugh out loud comedy from start to finish. No one can deny Apatow's unique sense of humor, but the director's obsession with creating a comedy-drama blend has proved problematic in the past (i.e. Funny People). This time around Apatow pushes the envelope a little too far, but enough to ruin the final product. The jokes are regular enough and funny enough to salvage the film. If you're looking for a light and hilarious piece of entertainment this month, look no further than This is 40. (MARCH 22ND)


Honorable Mention: The Oscar-Nominated children's film Wreck-It Ralph (3/5) is now available and horror fans may be interested in checking out Barry Levinson's The Bay (3/5) or The Collection (3/26). Until next month!

Kick-Ass 2 (Red Band) and American Mary Trailers

Back in 2010, I was one of many moviegoers completely shocked by the unexpectedly hilarious R-Rated comedy Kick-Ass. As 2013 continues to unravel as "The Year of the Sequel", it's only fitting that the super hero and his sidekick, Hit Girl, return for another go around. Along with newcomer Jim Carrey, Aaron Johnson, Chloe Grace-Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are back in action with Kick-Ass 2 (scheduled to hit theatres in August). Check out its Red Band Trailer below.

Boasting an extremely creepy and skin-crawling trailer, the Soska sisters' horror/thriller American Mary looks quite intriguing. The film follows a student named Mary who becomes increasingly broke and decides to drop out of medical school after losing interest in the surgical world she used to love. Suddenly, an opportunity for a rich pay-day sends Mary into an underworld of freakish cosmetic surgeries that begin leaving her psyche with scars of her own. Check out the quietly disturbing trailer for American Mary below.

Oz the Great and Powerful

Film: Oz the Great and Powerful

Starring: James Franco (127 Hours), Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) and Mila Kunis (Black Swan)

Director: Sam Raimi (Spider-Man)

U.S. Release: March 8th, 2013 (Rated PG)

Genre: Family/Adventure

Runtime: 130 minutes


It's safe to say that famed director Sam Raimi likes to "dabble". He burst onto the scene in 1981 with his cult-classic horror film The Evil Dead. Continuing down a similar circuit for over the next 15 years, Raimi tweaked his strictly horror approach with 1998's well-received crime thriller A Simple Plan starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton. From there, the director tried his hand at a sports film (For Love of the Game) and a superhero franchise (Spider-Man). But now, in 2013, Raimi has ventured somewhere very few people have ever gone ... somewhere over the rainbow.

Oz the Great and Powerful follows Oscar Diggs (played by Franco), a small-time circus magician with extremely questionable morals. But when his one true love is proposed to by another man, Oscar is whisked away from Kansas to the Land of Oz where he meets three witches (played by Williams, Kunis and Rachel Weisz), a monkey named Finley, a "China Doll" and a whole bunch of munchkins who help turn him into a great wizard and an even greater man.

With all due respect to the Late-Great King of Pop, Michael Jackson, director Sam Raimi's journey to the Land of Oz serves as the most memorable addition since 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Raimi's repeated and systematic approach offers moviegoers a friendly reminder of childhood nostalgia without ever breaking much new ground. An over-pouring of visual effects and vibrant imagery make for embellished technological achievements and diluted substance. Hence, Oz the Great and Powerful plays out like a living conundrum. For each of the film's various glowing aspects, there lurks revisited ideas and flashy visuals. Much like the original journey to Oz that we're all so familiar with, Raimi pays attention (and homage) to its distant predecessor by molding the entire experience around a wholesome and well-intended "moral to the story". In doing so, Raimi's Oz the Great and Powerful makes for a rather fun and affectionate film.

Although Oz the Great and Powerful can be chalked up as an acceptable prequel, many of the feature's shortcomings keep the movie straddling the line of mediocrity. While many will and should expect a visual extravaganza, the special effects aren't all fantastic. The audience's introduction to "the wicked witch" is a rather big letdown. Visually unappealing and completely unrealistic-looking, the big "reveal" becomes one of the picture's most notable disappointments. In addition to some faulty visual aspects, Oz the Great and Powerful suffers from an almost unforgivable amount of poorly-acted scenes. Even relatively well regarded cast members such as James Franco and Rachel Weisz deserve an occasional "shame on you". However, neither of the two disappoint as a much as an immensely miscast Mila Kunis. Despite many blatant flaws, Oz the Great and Powerful utilizes a simple brand of innocent humor and a kind-hearted nature to almost force the audience into a thumbs-up submission.

Sam Raimi's broad perspective on filmmaking helps make for an enjoyable return to the Land of Oz. Even though Oz the Great and Powerful will never come close to standing up to the towering effect of the original, Raimi wins over the moviegoer by serving up a reminiscent and similar enough story. While I would normally suggest waiting for DVD for a film of this standing, most of its visual mastery warrants a trip to the big screen. If you're up for the prolonged 130 minute journey, then take a chance with Oz the Great and Powerful.


Stars: 2 and a half out of 4.

Grade: B-

The Hangover Part III Trailer

While little is known about the plot to Todd Phillips' third go around with "the wolfpack", the debut of The Hangover Part III's trailer shows the trio venturing back to Las Vegas for one reason or another. With the second installment being an undisputed box office smash (but a laughing stock among critics), many fans of the franchise hope that the Memorial Day Weekend release can pick up where the original left off. What is being sold as the final chapter of Phil, Alan and Stu's wild shenanigans, The Hangover Part III is sure to sell out movie theatres all across the country. Check out the film's first official trailer below.

Iron Man 3 and Disconnect Trailers

Fresh off the heels of a box office gross north of $1.5 billion with Marvel's The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr returns, once again, in this summer's blockbuster Iron Man 3. Along with Guy Pearce, Academy Award Winner Ben Kingsley also joins the franchise as Tony Starks' newest rival, The Mandarin. Check out the newest trailer for Iron Man 3 below.





On a more serious note, a trailer has arrived for the Henry Alex Rubin drama Disconnect. Multiple stories and characters collide after modern technology ends up shattering each of their worlds. Starring Jason Bateman, Alexander Skarsgard and Paula Patton, Disconnect is an eye-opening thriller about the dangers of an inter-connected world in which we currently live. Due to hit theatres in April, check out the trailer for Disconnect below.

The Sapphires

Film: The Sapphires

Starring: Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids) and Deborah Mailman (Rabbit-Proof Fence)

Director: Wayne Blair

U.S. Release: March 22, 2013 (Limited - Rated PG-13)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 103 minutes


Back in October, I managed to view over 20 films during the Philadelphia Film Festival. But despite seeing many big-named releases such as Silver Linings Playbook, Flight and Cloud Atlas, I kept hearing rumblings about an Australian independent film called The Sapphires. Scheduling conflicts forced me to miss the movie, however, The Sapphires still managed to boast a pair of impressive sellout shows. Therefore, when the indie film made another trip back to Philadelphia last night, I refused to miss out on the experience.

The Sapphires tells the true story of four female Australian aboriginal singers who join forces with an outgoing talent scout (played by Chris O'Dowd) and journey to Vietnam to entertain U.S. troops in 1968. Throughout the danger-filled tour all over hostile parts of Vietnam, the girls and their manager must carefully learn how to balance ambition, love and deep-rooted family issues all while increasing morale for the American troops that they're entertaining.

Filled with a fantastic soundtrack, talented acting and a genuine story, The Sapphires serves as a rich and delightful piece of family entertainment. The Australian indie film made its world premier at the Cannes Festival in May, 2012. The credits rolled to a monstrous standing ovation and, at that exact moment, The Sapphires became much larger than anyone could have ever imagined. What mainly sets the movie apart is its semi-animated characters that the cast and script so brilliantly elaborate. The unbreakable bond formed between the audience and the story is slowly built on the shoulders of the film's leading star, Chris O'Dowd. Many will recognize O'Dowd as the lovable police officer who wins the heart of Kristen Wiig in the comedy hit Bridesmaids. However, the long time actor's career has finally begun to blossom and The Sapphires reminds us all that his talents are awfully impressive. This may be O'Dowd's finest work yet, as his on-screen romance with co-star Deborah Mailman becomes the make-or-break cornerstone of the feature. In addition to the fine performances from O'Dowd, Mailman and the rest of the cast, The Sapphires also incorporates stellar cinematography and outstanding direction from the man behind the curtain, Wayne Blair. Their economical approach and stunning perspective bring life to the film and help elevate The Sapphires to stardom.

Although the film is clearly a success, The Sapphires is far from perfection. The movie begins in a patchy and brow-raising manner in which many of the stories are pieced together ineffectively. The first act suffers from a messy concoction of back-story overload and meandering ideas. But thanks in large part to Chris O'Dowd's character, The Sapphires manages to correct its course by delivering a toe-tapping and rhythmic flow that sway-fully carries the audience all the way through the film's emotionally charged mid-section and conclusion. By surviving a sputtering beginning, Blair and company's remarkable true story comes to life in an unforgettable fashion.

The Sapphires is an entertaining blend of comedy and drama. Its light-hearted moments are complemented by intense war scenes and dramatic flair, perfectly illustrating the well-rounded nature of the film. If you can find enjoyment in a quasi-musical (there are numerous singing sequences throughout), then there's plenty to love about Wayne Blair's The Sapphires. Due out in limited release on March 22nd, The Sapphires is worth taking a flyer on.


Stars: 3 stars out of 4

Grade: B

Nolan and Bale in on Justice League?

Throughout the months leading up to the much anticipated release of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, the director and his leading star, Christian Bale, continually claimed that they'd "never" return to the Batman saga. After soaring over a billion dollars in world-wide box office gross, the pair, time and time again, reiterated the end of their reign in Gotham. Now, for the biggest "however" you could ever imagine, rumors surfaced last night that Nolan has "completely taken over" and everything involving the Justice League "goes through him". While it's expected that Nolan will only hold the semi-meaningless title of "producer" on Warner Bros. response to Marvel's The Avengers, these new rumors have also claimed that Christian Bale may sign on to play the caped crusader one more time (perhaps because of Nolan's growing presence on the film?). Either way, we can only hope that both will "officially" sign on and give their blood, sweat and tears to the project in order to help propel Justice League to the level of grandeur that we're all hoping for. Fingers crossed.


For additional info on the topic of Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale joining Justice League, click either of the links below.

BATMAN-NEWS.COM

CRAVEONLINE.COM