Page 44 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Observer Showbiz What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs
● Fast & Furious 7 cast Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson take you on a wild and crazy ride, to say the least. FILM: FAST & FURIOUS 7: Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller. Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Kurt Russell. Year: 2015. Rating: M . Length: 140 Minutes. Stars: ***½ Verdict: Fast & Furious 7 follows Dominic (Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Walker) and the rest of the team, who have returned to the United States to live normal lives after securing amnesty for their past crimes in "Fast & Furious 6" (2013), that is until Deckard Shaw (Statham), a rogue special forces assassin who is seeking to avenge his younger brother, puts them in danger once again. That's as far as a plot is concerned in this wildly entertaining and outrageously over the top action romp that starts at full throttle and just goes completely off the planet from there. Nothing is safe or sacred, the dynamic action sequences are simply jawdropping and get more and more ferocious as the film goes along, as L.A. and other parts of the world become a demolition derby. The entire cast take it seriously, with a few sprinkles of humour, and screen veteran Kurt Russell is a most welcome addition to the team. Don't look for any logic, because you won't find it, just sit down, buckle up and enjoy the ride. Concludes with a very respectful and heartfelt tribute to series star Paul Walker who died during production. FILM: AGAINST THE SUN: Genre: War/Adventure. Cast: Tom Felton, Jake Abel, Garret Dillahunt. Year: 2014. Rating: PG. Length: 100 Minutes. Stars: **Ñ Verdict: A WWII adventure inspired by a true story of a pilot, a bombardier and a radioman who find themselves adrift on a lifeboat without food or water after being forced to ditch their plane off course during a mission, and the difficulties the endure against all odds as they try to sail to safety. Generally effective small budget survival story following the similarly themed All is Lost with Robert Redford and Angelina Jolie's Unbroken over the past year keeps you compelled throughout, but only just. The performances are solid, however, the direction by first time feature director and co-screenwriter Brian Falk, along with first time screenwriter Mark Davis Keegan, severely lacks emotional grip, stark realism and dramatic tension. Unlike All is Lost, the Oscar winning Life of Pi, Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 Oscar nominated Lifeboat and Noel Coward and David Lean's 1942 Oscar nominated In Which We Serve before it, true of false, the basic principles are all the same, and Against The Sun remains emotionally adrift no matter what the outcome. FILM: THE SEARCH. Genre: Drama/War. Cast: Montgomery Clift, Ivan Jandl, Wendell Corey. Year: 1948. Rating: G. Length: 104 Minutes. Stars: **** Verdict: Moving and engrossing drama set in the post-World-War-Two Berlin of an American G.I. helps a lost "silent" boy, a survivor of Auschwitz, to find his mother in the chaos and confusion of the Berlin clean up. Beautifully handled with great care by director Fred Zinnemann (The Day of The Jackal) with a stand-out performance by Montgomery Clift in his big screen debut, and most notably, Ivan Jandl as the boy. This poignant and touching tale of a boy and innocence lost is excelled even more by the authentic location filming in the city itself and the shattering and haunting images of the ruins of Berlin, and once seen, never forgotten.
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Movies, DVDs With Jim Sherlock and Aaron Rourke
Wes Craven August 2, 1939 - August 30, 2015
■ Famous horror auteur Wes Craven, who created such iconic films as The Last House On The Left and A Nightmare On Elm Street, sadly passed away on August 30 from brain cancer, aged 76. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 2, 1939, Mr Craven would ironically be denied the simple act of going to the movies by his strict, overlyreligious mother, and it wasn't until he moved out of home that he finally experienced the joy of cinema. A major influence was Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, lighting the creative spark within Mr Craven, and his 1960 film The Virgin Spring would serve as a foundation for Craven's 1972 feature film debut, The Last House On The Left. Incredibly controversial in its depiction of on-screen violence, this was a brutal beginning to a body of work that would span over 40 years. Mr Craven's final film as director was the unnecessary Scream 4 (2011), but his last job was as an actor in the crime/comedy TV series Castle (2013 - Episode : Scared To Death), where he played himself. Mr Craven was part of an elite group of film-makers which includes John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, George A. Romero, Tobe Hooper, Joe Dante and Brian DePalma, and his passing is a shock to not only the film world but to film fans as well. Mr Craven has, however, left an indelible mark on cinema, with a plentiful amount of frightening images to keep millions of people from getting a good night's sleep. With modern horror proving extremely hit-and-miss, Mr Craven's imaginative, intelligent mind and filmmaking prowess will be sorely missed. Recommendations. The Last House On The Left (R)(1972). ****½. Made on a noticeably miniscule budget, this angry, violent film packs a punch, and its rough-around-theedges look makes its distressing tale seem all the more believable. Banned in Australia for many years (I first saw this on bootleg VHS in the mid-90s), this was finally released on DVD in 2003. The 2009 remake (co-produced by Craven) is one of the few decent reduxes, only spoilt by a completely wrongheaded final scene. The original, despite being 43 years old, is still not for the squeamish. The Hills Have Eyes (R)(1977). ****½. Unsettling nuclear-family-vsnuclear-family-mutants story is a highly effective horror outing, with Craven using the harsh, open landscape to maximum effect.
Was first released on Australian video in a ludicrously butchered version, but is now available uncut. The 2006 remake wasn't bad, but was too over-the-top to really hit the target. Deadly Blessing (M)(1981). ***. Though not a complete success, this is still atmospheric viewing, with a couple of memorable moments. A Nightmare On Elm Street (MA)(1984). ****½. The first Wes Craven film I saw on the big screen (Cinema 7 at Hoyts Midcity), this is truly classic horror, with a genuinely scary villain (Freddy Krueger) that is now a movie legend. The Serpent And The Rainbow (M)(1988). ***½. Vivid voodoo chiller, with a good use of locales and subject matter. Features a good cast (Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Paul Winfield), and it's all stylishly presented by Craven. The People Under The Stairs (M)(1991). ***½. A sometimes jarring blend of humour and horror, this is generally intense viewing, with Craven in good form, handling the nasty story with a deft hand. New Nightmare(MA)(1994). ****. Craven breathed new life into the seriously faultering Elm Street series, cleverly incorporating the franchise with an incisive look at how horror movies affect us. As well as their worth as a necessary safety valve, Craven views the horror genre as the modern equivalent of a bedtime Grimms Tale. Scream (MA)(1996). ****½. After New Nightmare, Craven was the perfect choice to direct this wonderful love letter to the horror genre. Kevin Williamson's smart, postmodern script is brought to exciting, hilarious life by Craven, and this huge hit would influence horror and Hollywood for years to come. The director also has a funny cameo. Other films by Wes Craven: Stranger In Our House (1978); Swamp Thing (1982); Invitation To Hell (1984); The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1984); Chiller (1985); Deadly Friend (1986); Shocker (1989); Night Visions (1990); Vampire In Brooklyn (1995); Scream 2 (1997); Music Of The Heart (1999); Scream 3 (2000); Cursed (2005); Red Eye (2005); Paris, je t'aime (2006); My Soul To Take (2010); Scream 4 (2011). - Aaron Rourke DVDs and Blu-Rays kindly supplied by Video Vision, 177-179 Carlisle Street, Balaclava. Most of Wes Craven's films are available on DVD. For information or bookings on these titles please call 9531 2544, or check online at videovisiondvd.com.au
Top 10 Lists THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. VACATION. 2. SOUTHPAW. 3. TRAINWRECK. 4. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE NATION. 5. HITMAN: AGENT 47. 6. THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. 7. LAST CAB TO DARWIN. 8. THE FANTASTIC FOUR. 9. ANT-MAN. 10. IRRATIONAL MAN. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: AUGUST 27: ATTCAK ON TITAN: PART 1, HOLDING THE MAN, RICKI AND THE FLASH, SHE'S FUNNY THAT WAY, STALKHER, THE GIFT, THE WOLFPACK, WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS. SEPTEMBER 3: A WALK IN THE WOODS, AMERICAN ULTRA, GLOBE ON SCREEN: THE TEMPEST, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, THE GUEST, THE TRANSPORTER REFUELED. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. FAST & FURIOUS 7 [Action/Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson]. 2. PITCH PERFECT 2 [Comedy/ Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Kendrick]. 3. INSURGENT [Action/Adventure/ Shailene Woodley, Jai Courtney, Ansel Elgort, Theo James]. 4. BOYCHOIR [Drama/Dustin Hoffman, Josh Lucas, Kevin McHale]. 5. THE GUNMAN [Action/Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone]. 6. TESTAMENT OF YOUTH [Biography/Drama/Kit Harrington, Alicia Vikander, Emily Watson]. 7. RUN ALL NIGHT [Action/Thriller/ Liam Neeson, Ed Harris]. 8. BLACK SEA [Drama/Adventure/ Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn]. 9. CINDERELLA (Live-Action/Family/Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden). 10. THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL [Comedy/ Drama/Romance/Judi Dench]. Also: KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE, PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH, INHERENT VICE, TOP FIVE, '71, TINKERBELL: LEGEND OF THE NEVERBEAST, SELMA, BIG EYES. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: KUMIKO: THE TREASURE HUNTER [Drama/Rinko Kikuchi]. RUDDERLESS [Drama/Billy Crudup, Miles Heizer]. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON BLURAY THIS WEEK: RUDDERLESS [Drama/Billy Crudup, Miles Heizer]. CINEMA CULT: THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH [Horror/Vincent Price]. CINEMA CULT: THE LAST MAN ON EARTH [Horror/Vincent Price]. BETTER CALL SAUL: Season 1. THE WALKING DEAD: Season 5. NEW RELEASE AND RE-RELEASE CLASSICS ON DVD THIS WEEK: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Turn To Page 51