DVD Outlook: December 2013

While November brought very little in the form of worthwhile newly released DVDs, it's a typical expectation as the calm before the Christmas storm. However, as it stands now, December isn't shaping up to be a particularly great month of releases itself. While I was less than impressed with big-named titles like Prisoners (12/17), Elysium (12/17), and the critically-loved indies Drinking Buddies (12/3) and Ain't Them Bodies Saints (12/17), all of these films will be reaching the shelves just in time for the holiday season. But outside of those offerings, here are my DVD selections for the month of December.

Shameless: The Complete Third Season - The Best Show Currently on Television

Last month I had no other choice but to praise the completion of my favorite television drama of all-time, Breaking Bad. Now this month, due to a week offering by the DVD-release gods, I'm sticking with what works and recommending my new favorite show on TV, Showtime's Shameless. This holiday season is as good a time as any to start from the beginning and catch up on an extremely underrated series. Admittedly, the first season is a little strange and peculiar, but stay strong, because season two and three offer some of the best laughs and drama you'll see anywhere on television. The Gallagher family is both lovable and despicable all at the same time. There's no shortage of fantastic character development and you'll be hooked, guaranteed! (December 17th)




Despicable Me 2 - Not Rated - (No review available)

I'm going out on a limb here and giving a blind recommendation for Despicable Me 2. If you're sitting around this Christmas and looking for the type of movie the entire family can enjoy, why not take a chance with Despicable Me 2? It's first installment offered plenty of laugh-out-loud hilarity, and I've heard that the sequel keeps up with a healthy dose of comedy itself. (December 10th)




Don Jon - 2 stars out of 4 - (Read my full review here)

Although I ultimately gave it a completely mediocre review, a lackluster crop to choose from is forcing me to throw Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Don Jon into the ring. He delivers the triple threat as the writer, director and star of his own passion project about a porn-addict who's been discovered by his new girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson). Despite being a heart-warming tale of self discovery and maturation, Don Jon suffers from a cyclic (albeit intended) approach that repeats itself over and over again, to the point of ad nauseam. I was extremely conflicted on this indie, which was fresh out of the Sundance Film Festival, and saw it twice before I could make a final decision. Perhaps you'll find a little more enjoyment in Don Jon than I did. (December 31st)


Honorable Mention: Despite missing out on all of them myself, action fans may want to take a chance on any of The Wolverine (12/3), Fast & Furious 6 (12/10), The Lone Ranger (12/17) or Kick-Ass 2 (12/17). As a huge horror buff I plan to catch the sequel Insidious: Chapter 2 (12/24), even though I was underwhelmed with the ending of the original. And finally, one of the most raved about foreign films of the year is The Hunt (12/10), I hear it's a must see. Until next month, have a wonderful holiday season!

Out of the Furnace

Film: Out of the Furnace

Starring: Christian Bale (The Fighter), Casey Affleck (Ain't Them Bodies Saints) and Woody Harrelson (Seven Psychopaths)

Director: Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart)

U.S. Release: December 6th, 2013 (Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 106 minutes


For a large portion of 2013, Scott Cooper's Out of the Furnace was one of the year's most anticipated releases. It's taken 4 years for Cooper to return from his successful writing/directing debut, Crazy Heart, one that earned Jeff Bridges an Academy Award for Best Actor. This time around he brings an army of reinforcements with an all-star cast of past Oscar Winners and Nominees including Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Forest Whitaker, Sam Shepard and Willem Dafoe. And although early reviews have been extremely mixed with many critics openly speaking out against Cooper's sophomore effort, I'm here to stand up and say that Out of the Furnace is by no means a bad movie. However, it fails to mask many of its sub-par elements.

Christian Bale stars as Russell Baze, a blue collar mill worker who's struggling to make ends meet in the economically depressed steel town of Braddock, PA. His brother Rodney (Affleck) is a troubled soldier who bears the psychological scars from multiple tours in Iraq. But as Rodney refuses to give in to the steel-worker lifestyle, he finds himself caught up in a dangerous underworld of organized bare-knuckle fighting run by a ruthless criminal named Harlan DeGroat (Harrelson). When Rodney leaves one day and never returns, Russell must desperately take matters into his own hands and confront the ring-leader, DeGroat.

The backbone of Scott Cooper's Out of the Furnace is the director's remarkable capacity to develop strong central characters. It was evident in his first film, where Jeff Bridges stole the show. But here, Cooper has more pieces to work with and, for the most part, he does an excellent job of giving each character a purpose and a voice throughout the movie. Another productive aspect is the manner in which the feature begins. Out of the Furnace is an unmistakably dark and saddening film, a tone that Cooper embraces from the opening scene and never looks back. And as the feature progresses, its story is both captivating and deep, impressively developing in a rather unforeseeable fashion that helps hook the audience. With Bale, Affleck and Harrelson all in premier form, Out of the Furnace is a supremely acted and gripping tale of despair.

Despite an alluring appeal, Cooper's second effort is tainted by many shortcomings. The Baze brothers are both wonderfully developed characters that resonate with the audience, it's Cooper's specialty. Yet, the writer/director leaves plenty to be desired with Willem Dafoe's massively unfulfilled sleazy character, John Petty. Furthermore, the feature is haunted by second rate dialogue, unnecessary inclusions (i.e. Rodney's letter to his brother) and unrealistic sequences that become impossible to overlook (what a convenient butt-dial). Moreover, the scene where Russell searches out DeGroat by organizing a drug deal is so off the mark, it's unforgivable. Clearly, Out of the Furnace is bogged down by blatant errors. However, its intriguing subject matter and strong performances are enough to sustain the film.

While many hoped that Cooper's follow-up to Crazy Heart would shape the awards season outlook, the truth is it won't. In fact, Out of the Furnace will ultimately stand as nothing more than an entertaining film with a fair share of miscues. There are elements to enjoy and reasons to watch, but keep your expectations in check.


Stars: 2 and a half stars out of 4.

Grade: B-

Her (NEW) and The Monuments Men (NEW) Trailers

Spike Jonze delivers a late-year release with some major Oscar potential this year. Her stars Joaquin Phoenix as a lonely writer who develops a puzzling relationship with his newly purchased operating system. It sounds bizarre, but Spike Jonze has a unique way of molding the strangest of concepts into groundbreaking and eye-opening ideas. Her will receive a limited release at the year's end and opens up in wide release this January. Check out its latest trailer below.





Although George Clooney's seemingly fun-filled historical feature, The Monuments Men, had to bail out of the Oscar race due to post-production issues, it plans to begin the 2014 cinematic year in grand fashion. The film boasts a cast of Clooney himself, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin and others as a unique unit of over-aged soldiers with special skills in the arts who are sent into Nazi Germany during World War II to retrieve stolen work. Here's the newest look at The Monuments Men.

Industry News - 12/03/13

Hollywood has been buzzing lately with tons of huge stories sweeping across the country, but none is bigger than the tragic news of Paul Walker's unexpected passing. The 40 year-old actor lost his life on Saturday in a fiery car wreck. Walker was most famous for his role in the money-making blockbuster franchise The Fast and the Furious, but I'll always remember Walker for his superb performances in films like Running Scared and Flags of Our Fathers. It's a true shame for Hollywood to lose an always smiling face.

December is notoriously loaded with many of the finest films throughout any given calendar year, and this month appears no different. With Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street and David O. Russell's American Hustle having finally screened for New York and Los Angeles critics, early word is they're both primed for some serious Oscar runs. In fact, American Hustle has already been named the New York Film Critics Circle 2013 Best Picture winner. David O. Russell's latest feature also nabbed wins for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence). For a full list of winners, click here (courtesy of Indiewire.com).

In other awards season news, the Gotham Awards (full list of winners here - courtesy of EW.com) announced their yearly selections and, in another surprising stunner, the big prize went to Joel & Ethan Coen's Inside Llewyn Davis. Many had predicted an Oscar-slugfest between Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity and Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave, yet both have failed to secure a major win in the early going. It's always important to remember that these early precursors have a very small (if any) impact on the final Oscar decisions.

Speaking of awards season, director J.C. Chandor may be well on his way to anchoring a Best Actor winner in Robert Redford for the duo's survival tale, All Is Lost. The up-and-comer has officially signed on to pen (and possibly direct) a Vince Lombardi biopic that's reportedly in the works. But Chandor is no stranger to writing, as he was nominated for his 2011 Margin Call screenplay. More can be found on the Lombardi announcement here (courtesy of Variety.com).

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Film: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Starring: Ben Stiller (The Watch) and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

Director: Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder)

U.S. Release: December 25th, 2013 (Rated PG)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 114 minutes


It's easy to label Ben Stiller as a typecast actor who's perfect in any awkward and nerdy shy-guy role. But truth be told, that's simply a cop out. Stiller has played a major part in the writing, directing and acting prevalent in well-regarded films such as Reality Bites, Zoolander and Tropic Thunder. And when The Secret Life of Walter Mitty finally reaches theatres this Christmas Day, we'll get to add his finest work to the top of that last.

Walter Mitty (Stiller) is a boring and unsociable day-dreamer who constantly uses his imagination to escape reality. Throughout all of these fantasies, Walter partakes in unfathomable acts of heroism in order to win the affection of his co-worker Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). But when reality sets in at the office and he can't find the vital print of Life magazine's final cover, Walter must live his ultimate fantasy in order recover the image and impress the woman he desires.

 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is one of those movies that you can't help but enjoy. With reserved expectations, Ben Stiller's latest project is a surprisingly strong effort. The film blends together beautiful cinematography with a well-acted and meaningful story. Stiller deserves all the credit as both the leading actor and the visionary director behind this whimsical adventure. He creates an affable character that commands the audience's adoration. Walter becomes someone worth rooting for, and that makes all the difference in the success of the feature. As a result, his journey ends up more marvelous and salient than you ever dreamed possible.

Despite its greatest of intentions, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is occasionally off-the-mark. Stiller's hard-headed desire to create such a perfect and delightful little story leads to a weak conclusion, one that panders to the unnecessary fairy-tale ending that feels oddly misplaced. Walter's expedition and transformation are purposeful enough, the rest is just fluff and overkill. Give me a pair of scissors and five minutes in the editing room, and I'd take about 10 minutes or so right off the end. However, Stiller has the final say and he misses badly by tying a pretty bow on everything.

Although it has its flaws, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is completely entertaining and definitely worth a watch. The imagery is phenomenal and the soundtrack is definitely on point. You'll be swept away by its characters and there are plenty of elements to enjoy with Ben Stiller's most recent addition.


Stars: 3 stars out of 4

Grade: B

A Special "Black" Friday Movie List

In honor of all you crazy shoppers who either woke up before the crack of dawn on Black Friday, or even worse, cut your family-time short on Thanksgiving, November's Movie-List-of-the-Month takes a look at the greatest films with the work "Black" in their title. But before you get to this month's list, feel free to visit October's List and follow the monthly series as far back as you'd like. Now, on to November's list we go.


Honorable Mention: The Woman in Black and Meet Joe Black

#5. Black Hawk Down

People who know me well understand that I'm not a huge fan of "war" movies. That being the case, Black Hawk Down may seem a little further down my list than you might expect. But Ridley Scott's epic tale about a mission-gone-wrong in Somalia is both candid and intense, enough so it captures the 5th spot on my list.

#4. Black Sheep

While it's clearly no Tommy Boy, Black Sheep is still an iconic comedy from my younger years starring David Spade and the late-great Chris Farley. The laughs are endless and the absurdity is through the roof. And as the added cherry on top, who doesn't love a little Gary Busey now and again?

#3. Men in Black

I'm going to keep it in the 90s with my third selection, the sci-fi comedy Men in Black. I remember a time way before After Earth, when Will Smith ruled the box-office. Although those times has seemingly come and gone, I'll always look back on films from that era, like Men in Black, with nothing but the fondest of memories. And who can deny how catchy that song was?

#2. Black Swan

A much more recent selection comes in the form of Darren Aronofsky's Best Picture Nominee, Black Swan. Natalie Portman took home the Best Actress Oscar for her gut-wrenching turn as a shy and precise ballet dancer who's desperate to convince her director that she can handle the role of the unpredictable and daring Black Swan. This dark psychological thriller toes the line of reality and insanity in such a provocative and tantalizing way.

#1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

You may call it a "reach", but I'll use the word "clever". While scouring the history of cinema for my favorite film with the word "black" in its title, I came across none other than Gore Verbinski's action-adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. This first installment is immensely superior to its band of sequels and even found itself nominated for five Oscars including Best Actor. Johnny Depp introduced us all to an abnormal, yet still lovable, Captain Jack Sparrow. A man that made the word "savvy" socially acceptable again. 

*** That concludes my list but, as always, feel free to leave a comment pointing out movies that I may have overlooked.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations

It's official, the 2013 movie awards season is finally under way following yesterday's 29th annual Independent Spirit Award Nominations. Walking the grayest of lines, the supposed "indie" representation constantly receives scrutiny for its not-so-indie inclusions every year. While the committee declares that eligible films must have a budget of less than $20 million (does that REALLY feel like an independent dollar amount?), this year's big-shot, 12 Years a Slave, and last year's Silver Linings Playbook reportedly had budgets just north of that line. But rather than nit-picking these rather insignificant nominations, let's relish in the fact that the 2013 awards season has begun!

The Spirit Awards have confirmed that Steve McQueen's squeamish drama, 12 Years a Slave, is a serious contender this year. The film lead the way with 7 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and acting nominations for all three pictured above. Following close behind with 6 nominations of its own is Alexander Payne's Nebraska, who also hopes to me a major player at the Oscars.

Every year the Spirit Awards delivers some head-scratching inclusions and omissions. While James Franco has pushed hard for a Supporting Actor nomination for his thuggish turn in Spring Breakers, he was (perhaps surprisingly?) left out of the conversation. Furthermore, in a more unbelievable turn of events, the extremely buzzed about drama, Dallas Buyers Club, missed out on everything but acting nominations for McConaughey and Jared Leto who are pictured below (and both of which are more than deserving).

Below is a full list of nominations:

BEST PICTURE
"12 Years A Slave"
"All is Lost"
"Frances Ha"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Nebraska"

BEST DIRECTOR
Shane Carruth, "Upstream Color"
J.C. Chandor, "All Is Lost"
Steve McQueen, "12 Years A Slave"
Jeff Nichols, "Mud"
Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"

BEST ACTOR
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave"
Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Michael B Jordan, "Fruitvale Station"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford, "All Is Lost"

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Julie Delpy, "Before Midnight"
Gaby Hoffmann, "Crystal Fairy"
Brie Larson, "Short Term 12"
Shailene Woodley, "The Spectacular Now"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
Will Forte, "Nebraska"
James Gandolfini, "Enough Said"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Keith Stanfield, "Short Term 12"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melonie Diaz, "Fruitvale Station"
Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
Lupita Nyongo, "12 Years a Slave"
Yolonda Ross, "Go For Sisters"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen, "Blue Jasmine"
Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater, "Before Midnight"
Nicole Holofcener, "Enough Said"
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, "The Spectacular Now"
John Ridley, "12 Years A Slave"

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Lake Bell, "In A World"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Don Jon"
Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
Jill Soloway, "Afternoon Delight"
Mike Starrbury, "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sean Bobbitt, "12 Years A Slave"
Benoit Debie, "Spring Breakers"
Bruno Delbonnel, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Frank G. Demarco, "All Is Lost"
Matthias Grunsky, "Computer Chess"

BEST EDITING
Shane Carruth & David Lowery, "Upstream Color"
Jem Cohen & Marc Vives, "Museum Hours"
Frank G. Demarco, "All Is Lost"
Matthias Grunsky, "Computer Chess"

BEST DOCUMENTARY
"20 Feet From Stardom"
"After Tiller"
"Gideon’s Army"
"The Act of Killing"
"Cynn"
"The Square"

BEST INTERNATIONAL PICTURE
"A Touch of Sin (China)
"Blue is the Warmest Color" (France)
"Gloria" (Chile)
"The Great Beauty" (Italy)
"The Hunt" (Denmark)

BEST FIRST FEATURE
"Blue Caprice"
"Concussion"
"Fruitvale Station"
"Una Noche"
"Wadjda"

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (best feature made for under $500,000)
"Computer Chess"
"Crystal Fairy"
"Museum Hours"
"Pit Stop"
"This is Martin Bonner"

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD
Toby Halbrooks & James M. Johnston
Jacob Jaffke
Andrea Roa
Frederick Thornton

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Aaron Douglas Johnston, "My Sisters Quinceañera"
Shaka King, "Newlyweeds"
Madeline Olnek, "The Foxy Merkins"

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
Kalyanee Mam, "A River Changes Course"
Jason Osder, "Let the Fire Burn"
Stephanie Spray & Pacho Valez, "Manakamana"