DVD Outlook: August 2013

Although July included my favorite film of the year so far, August offers a much stronger selection of DVD and Video-On-Demand rentals. With a wide array of choices spanning all different types of genres, let's take a closer look at what August is offering.




Mud - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

I was first introduced to the great young American filmmaker, Jeff Nichols, with his 2011 under-recognized work, Take Shelter. And although Nichols' most recent effort is a small step down from the aforementioned, Mud is still strong enough to have a strange-hold over my #2 spot on the top films of 2013. The film follows two teenage friends who try to restore an old boat only to find that it's being inhabited by a fugitive named Mud (played by Matthew McConaughey). The escaped criminal convinces the boys to help him fix up the boat so that he can run away with his one true love. Mud is a gripping coming-of-age tale that only suffers from a bloated running time. Otherwise, it's an exceptional piece of modern American filmmaking. (AUGUST 6TH)




The Sapphires - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

One of the funnest movie experiences of 2013 comes in the form of the unlikely indie hit, The Sapphires. Chris O'Dowd, who's most memorable for his turns in Bridesmaids and Pirate Radio, absolutely steals the show as the manager of an aboriginal group from Australia who travel to Vietnam to perform for U.S. soldiers in the late 1960s. Soulful, moving and downright hilarious, The Sapphires tells an uplifting true story about a family of outcasts who starve for something more out of life. The music is wonderful and the movie's even better. The Sapphires is one indie comedy definitely worth checking out. (AUGUST 6TH)




The Great Gatsby - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

A very long time in the making, May finally marked the release of Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the title character. While Luhrmann's rendition of the often-told F. Scott Fitzgerald novel is certainly flawed, Leo and company truly bring the extravagant nature of the book to life. The feature centers around a former soldier named Jay Gatsby who comes into a great fortune and moves across the bay from his former and now-married love interest, Daisy (played by Carey Mulligan). Can Gatsby will her away from her struggling marriage and reclaim past desire, or will Daisy flatly surrender to her adulterous husband Tom Buchanan (played by Joel Edgerton)? If you're familiar with the story, then you already know. But either way, Luhrmann's vision is one to be savored all on its own. (AUGUST 27TH)


Honorable Mention: There are quite a few other options that you may want to consider taking a chance with this month. First and foremost, there's the Acadamy Award Best Picture Nominee Amour. The foreign film is an extremely slow-paced, yet eye-opening, look into the inevitable truths around growing old with a loved one. Next, there's the ambitious drama The Place Beyond the Pines. While I thoroughly enjoyed the undeniable over-extended feature, there's certainly a fair share of pros and cons to the film. Finally, there's the new Tom Cruise sci-fi adventure Oblivion that had many audiences buzzing. Despite having not seen the film myself, I've heard a decent amount of positive feedback regarding the feature. It may be worth looking into if you enjoy the genre.

Elysium

Film: Elysium

Starring: Matt Damon (Contagion), Jodie Foster (Carnage), Sharlto Copley (District 9)

Director: Neill Blomkamp (District 9)

U.S. Release: August 9th, 2013 (Rated R)

Genre: Action

Runtime: 109 minutes


It's widely accepted that 2009 was a "down year" for movies. However, one remarkably surprising diamond in the rough came from a then first-time director, Neill Blomkamp. Blomkamp's debut feature, District 9, fused together riveting sci-fi and action with dramatic elements concerning social warfare. Blomkamp dazzled audiences and delivered one of the year's biggest highlights. In 2013, the director returns with his followup blockbuster, Elysium. Being of a similar mold as its predecessor, Elysium marks a dissatisfying regression for the young filmmaker.

In 2154 Earth has become so overpopulated that the rich and privileged have abandoned their former planet and moved to a high-class and luxurious man-made space station called Elysium. Free of crime and disease, Elysium is merely a dream for the downtrodden and lowly citizens of Earth such as Max Da Costa (played by Matt Damon). But when a terrible accident leaves Da Costa with only five days to live, he'll stop at nothing to venture to the forbidden space station and rid his body of the deadly effects.

Four years in the making, it's shameful to find that Neill Blomkamp's Elysium is merely a hollow shell that attempts to recapture the poetic beauty of the director's first feature, but misses entirely. Everything about Blomkamp's sophomore effort holds tightly to District 9. The look, the feel and even the great social divide. In fact, committed performances from A-List stars such as Matt Damon and Jodie Foster still fail to keep Elysium afloat. Where District 9 felt realistic and believable, the director's new release feels overblown and tacky. In addition to its mildly compelling story, Elysium suffers from a complete action overdose. Trading crafty dialogue and genuine drama for gunfire and more gunfire, this summer blockbuster culminates as nothing more than a cheap imitation of Blomkamp's earlier work.

If there's any noteworthy silver lining in Elysium, it comes in the form of Sharlto Copley's unforgettable villainous role. Copley, who starred as the meek main man Wikus in District 9, gives a transcending 180-degree turn as one of the film's prominent antagonists, Kruger. The truly talented actor demonstrates his immense versatility and ultimately steals the show. But outside of Copley, Elysium is otherwise filled with mediocrity and countless disappointing aspects. Everything from a thoughtless and far-fetched story (only ONE person has access to the computer coding that controls ALL of the law enforcement robots ... seriously?) to an unoriginal mood and tone. Instead of breaking out from the norm like he did with his debut effort, Blomkamp lazily attempts to draw from his own work and the lack of creativity proves vital.

For as groundbreaking as District 9 managed to be, I was completely let down by the director's latest feature. Infused with an abundance of action and mind-numbing special effects, Elysium offers nothing more than a bland and mediocre movie experience. While those elements can sometimes make for a crowd-pleaser that many will enjoy, I'd rather get lost in a thought-provoking story with a unique vibe. Unfortunately, Elysium delivers none of the above.


Stars: 2 stars out of 4

Grade: C

The Monuments Men and Thor: The Dark World Trailers

One of this year's expected Best Picture contenders has finally released an official trailer. George Clooney directs and stars in The Monuments Men, the real life story about a group of art historians and museum curators who band together to recover pieces of art from the Nazi's during World War II. Also starring Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett, check out the first trailer for The Monuments Men below.





Spike Jonze returns as the writer/director of the November release, simply titled, Her. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Theodore, a lonely writer who begins an awkward relationship with his new, hi-tech operating system, a female artificial intelligence named Samantha (voice of Scarlett Johansson). Captivating to say the least, check out the trailer for Her by clicking below.

Blue Jasmine

Film: Blue Jasmine

Starring: Cate Blanchett (Hanna), Sally Hawkins (Made in Dagenham) and Bobby Cannavale (Win Win)

Director: Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)

U.S. Release: July 26th, 2013 (Limited Release - Rated PG-13)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 98 minutes


After the ballooned success from writer/director Woody Allen's imaginative indie comedy, Midnight in Paris, the legend of Hollywood continues to please audiences in the twilight of his career with Blue Jasmine. Allen's latest release not only marks the theatrical return of Andrew Dice Clay, it also has the writer/director matching talents with Academy Award Winner Cate Blanchett. With all of its parts perfectly in place, Blue Jasmine is another winning effort filmed in typical Woody Allen fashion.

Cate Blanchett stars as Jasmine, an over-the-top socialite who is forced to move in with her adopted sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) in the wake of her crumbling marriage to a crooked financial investor (Alec Baldwin). Completely self-obsessed and undeniably shallow, Jasmine can't seem to escape the trail of destruction that follows her into the next phase of her life.

Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine deserves to be both lauded and bashed for a multitude of interconnected reasons. While scratching and clawing your way through the film's sluggish 98 minute running time, you can't help but revel in the onscreen brilliance of Oscar Winner Cate Blanchett. It's extremely challenging to center a movie around such a despicable and unlikable character, however, the skilled actress delivers a seemingly effortless performance. Blanchett's onscreen work definitely stands out as one of the finest Lead Actress performances that I've seen all year. So impressive, in fact, that even with highly anticipated roles such as Princess Diana (Naomi Watts) and Grace Kelly (Nicole Kidman) patiently waiting to make an awards-season strike, I still wouldn't count her out of Oscar contention just yet. In addition to Blanchett, Allen maximizes the talent from his cast by sculpting secondary characters that demonstrate an enormous amount of depth. Extraordinary turns from Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale and Andrew Dice Clay simply reinforce the fact that Blue Jasmine is a superbly acted feature.

For as wonderful as its cast is, Blue Jasmine struggles to achieve in many other areas. For example, the film's cyclic approach and repetitive nature help generate an interesting thought ... not much really happens in the movie. We're given a completely inexplicable title character who constantly drowns in her own self pity. She tells the same stories, lives by the same mantra and expects her life to change somehow. It's an irritating facet that's hard to ignore and even more difficult to overcome. In many ways I found solace in Allen's work by convincing myself that Jasmine is simply the glue that ties together a collection of more engaging sub-stories concerning its secondary characters. Although Jasmine may never learn from her mistakes, perhaps those affected by her nonsense can improve for the better. Thanks to Allen's universe of notable supporting characters, Blue Jasmine conquers its faults and makes for a worthwhile feature.

I've always enjoyed the carefully calculated blend of drama and comedy that's prevalent in any Woody Allen film. The writer/director has his own style of telling what often feels like a fable, and Blue Jasmine is no exception. Allen's latest effort has heart and meaning, even if you have to jump over some hurdles to get there. If you've found yourself enjoying other Woody Allen films of the past, then it's worth it to take a chance on Blue Jasmine.


Stars: 3 stars out of 4

Grade: B

Hollywood Headlines 8/6/13

Nothing too grand has been circulating around Hollywood this week other than the first theatrical trailer releases for notable Oscar Contenders like 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, The Counselor and American Hustle.


In other news, it appears that Tom Cruise and Jack Reacher director, Christopher McQuarrie, will be teaming up once again in the 5th installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. McQuarrie took to the twitter-sphere to confirm the reports by saying "Mission: Accepted". Mission: Impossible 5 is expected to reach theatres some time in 2015.


Something rare happened this week, actor Johnny Depp and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have lashed out at critics and are almost screaming conspiracy. Depp and Bruckheimer formally accuse some critics of having their reviews written for the summer flop, The Lone Ranger, seven to eight months before the film's theatrical release. Depp's co-star, Armie Hammer, echoed their statements and blamed harsh critical reviews on Disney's anticipated $150 million loss.

After initial reports a few weeks ago that confirmed the Man of Steel sequel will, in fact, be a Superman vs Batman movie, rumors have been swirling over who will take the reins from previous caped crusader, Christian Bale. Early indicators claim that Warner Bros. "really likes" actor Josh Brolin for the part. Other names being thrown into the mix are Brolin's Gangster Squad co-star, Ryan Gosling (although he's the longest of long-shots) and Matthew Goode. It's interesting to note that the project's director, Zack Snyder, also worked with Goode on the superhero flick Watchmen.


I've grown to have a soft spot for the lovable comedy-actor Josh Gad. As it turns out, Gad has been lined up to star as the late-great comedian Sam Kinison in the upcoming film about the comedy legend. With Borat director Larry Charles at the helm, many insiders think it could be a perfect collaboration for everyone involved. I always loved Sam Kinison's vulgar and enthusiastic History Professor role in the Rodney Dangerfield comedy, Back to School.

In recent years, Sam Rockwell has skyrocketed up my personal list of favorite actors with memorable turns in films like Moon, Conviction, Seven Psychopaths and The Way Way Back. The versatile performer has proved he can handle just about anything, so why not tackle horror? Although it's still early in the process, Rockwell has been linked to the MGM and Fox 2000 reboot of Poltergeist. With Rosemarie Dewitt (Insidious & Bridesmaids) already attached to the project, it could make for an interesting twist in Rockwell's under-appreciated career.

Lone Survivor and All Is Lost Trailers

Director Peter Berg has won audiences over with films like Friday Night Lights, Hancock and The Kingdom. Next year he returns with the war drama Lone Survivor starring Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Ludwig as four members of SEAL Team 10 who were tasked with the failed mission to kill a Taliban leader. Infusing heavy doses of drama, action and camaraderie, Berg's latest effort looks to make an early-year impact in 2014. Check out the trailer for the real life story, Lone Survivor, by clicking below.





J.C. Chandor's All Is Lost premiered at the Cannes Film Festival back in May to extremely positive reviews. The films stars the legendary Robert Redford as a resourceful sailor who finds his vessel colliding with a shipping container in the middle of the ocean. The sailor must struggle to survive being completely alone and lost at sea. Described as a tense adventure drama, check out the trailer for the October release, All Is Lost, by clicking below.

Only God Forgives

Film: Only God Forgives

Starring: Ryan Gosling (Drive), Kristin Scott Thomas (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) and Vithaya Pansringarm

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

U.S. Release: July 19th, 2013 (Limited Release - Rated R)

Genre: Thriller

Runtime: 89 minutes


Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn watched his career skyrocket after the critical success of his 2011 breakout film, Drive. While a small niche of fans have always been familiar with his unique style that's present in earlier works such as the Pusher trilogy, Valhalla Rising and Bronson, Refn's brand was placed front and center of the general public after his Best Director crown at the Cannes Film Festival. But love him or hate him, the filmmaker returns with another highly controversial and immensely polarizing piece of cinema in his latest work, Only God Forgives.

Julian (played by Ryan Gosling) and Billy are American-born drug-smuggling siblings living in the criminal underworld of Bangkok. But when Billy is brutally murdered through the oversight of a local police officer, their mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) arrives in town and demands that Julian seek vengeance for the death of his older brother.

Writer/director Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives is a perverse and depraved feature, one that alienates a large portion of any viewing audience. But despite the film's ultra-violent approach and despicably uncomfortable sexual undertones, the Danish filmmaker's most recent effort is both stylish and compelling. For all of its brutality and uncontrollable downward spiraling, Only God Forgives is exactly like the accident that unfolds before your eyes, but you can't look away. There's something dark and animalistic deep within humanity and Refn not only tries to capture that essence, he actually savors it. I applaud the director's keen sense of wonder and the reckless ambition that drives him to make such a gritty and daring film. Because without filmmakers pushing the envelope and crossing boundaries, we're left with nothing but summer blockbusters and mundane stories. If not for any other reason, Nicolas Winding Refn deserves a gratuitous amount of respect.

Truth be told, Only God Forgives is messy feature with a slew of shortcomings. For anyone who felt that Drive was too sluggish of a film with minimal dialogue and drawn-out sequences, Refn's newest release takes those aspects to a whole other level. Doing so merely for dramatic effect, the end result is a poorly paced and unfulfilled viewing experience. Rather than dialing up the adrenaline and keeping the movie up-tempo, Refn resorts to long sustained shots that force Only God Forgives to unwind at a crawling pace. And while I'm usually not the type of person to harp on about excessive violence, Winding leaves nothing to the imagination with his show-all approach. Clearly the type of film meant for a select audience, Only God Forgives is certainly an acquired taste.

Highly regarded stars Ryan Gosling and Kristin Scott Thomas find themselves in the forefront of Nicolas Winding Refn's latest piece of work. Although many will question their decisions to jump on board this revenge-filled tale of murder and sexual deviance, it's these gifted performers who truly make Refn's unconventional story come to life. While I emphatically suggest staying away from this film for a multitude of reasons, any avid fan of Refn's previous stylish work may find a silver lining just like I did. But only if you can stomach it.


Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4

Grade: B-