Page 38 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Observer Showbiz What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs
● Oscar winner Helen Mirren is outstanding in the superb historical biographical drama Woman in Gold. FILM: WOMAN IN GOLD: Genre: Historical/Drama. Cast: Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl, Charles Dance. Year: 2015. Rating: M. Length: 109 Minutes. Stars: **** Verdict: Superb drama based on a true story starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren as Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee who was forced to flee Vienna during World War II, and decades later, has taken on a mission to reclaim a painting the Nazis stole from her family: the famous Lady In Gold, a portrait of her beloved Aunt Adele. Helen Mirren is right at the top of her game and Ryan Reynolds is an equal standout as the young lawyer who is compelled by her extraordinary case. Intelligent screenplay, outstanding cinematography, most notably the Viennese locales past and present, as well as production design and period detail, all excel under the sensitive and respectful guidance of director Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn). "Woman in Gold" is a haunting, poignant and entertaining portrait of yet another of the many brutal injustice's at the hands of the Nazi's during WWII, the arrogance of Government, the power of redemption and an extraordinary woman. FILM: TOMORROWLAND: Genre: Action/Adventure/Family/Fantasy. Cast: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy. Year: 2015. Rating: PG. Length: 130 Minutes. Stars: ** Verdict: A teenage girl bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor join forces to embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a Utopia somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory. Walt Disney "Tomorrowland" theme park inspired big screen fantasy adventure is a hugely muddled, confusing, preachy, bland and uninspiring odyssey. A disappointing effort from the usually reliable co-writer and director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). "Tomorrowland" is genuinely an ambitious effort filled with futuristic eye-candy, heartfelt optimism and hope, but it stumbles almost immediately into a soulless and emotionless "children are our future" monotony due to a seriously convoluted plot and unconvincing execution. George Clooney and cast give it their best, but overall, it fails completely in lifting us to the heights it ultimately promises. FILM: THE GAZEBO: Genre: Comedy/Crime. Cast: Glenn Ford, Debbie Reynolds, Carl Reiner. Year: 1959. Rating: G. Length: 100 Minutes. Stars: ***½ Verdict: Delightful and hilariously engaging dark comedy of a TV writer who end up all sorts unexpected strife and ends up having to bury a blackmailer under the new gazebo in his suburban backyard, but due to a series of further mishaps, the nervous writer can't let the body rest there. Brimming with plot twists and one comic gem after another, especially as everything goes wrong so he queries Alfred Hitchcock on the phone for some what do I do with a dead body advice. Screen veterans Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds are in top form, as are John McGiver and comic great Carl Reiner adding to the macabre merriment. This botched perfect crime mystery is a joy, a corpus delicti of laughs from beginning to end!
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Movies, DVDs With Jim Sherlock and Aaron Rourke
Warriors, come out to play
Top 10 Lists THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. THE MARTIAN. 2. THE INTERN. 3. ODDBALL. 4. PIXELS. 5. PAN. 6. MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS. 7. EVEREST. 8. SICARIO. 9. THE VISIT. 10. BLINKY BILL THE MOVIE. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: OCTOBER 8: BLACK MASS, LEARNING TO DRIVE, MISS YOU ALREADY. OCTOBER 15: CRIMSON PEAK, LEGEND, THE WALK, UNINDIAN.
● The influential 70s action film, The Warriors, screening soon at the Astor Theatre. ■ The Astor Theatre is screening (48 Hrs / Dexter TV series), Hill regutwo superb cult favourites on Mon- lar David Patrick Kelly (48 Hrs / Last day (Oct. 19). Man Standing / Commando), and The main feature is the 1979 hit Deborah Van Valkenburgh (Streets The Warriors, and will be followed Of Fire). by The Monster Squad, the 1987 fanThough The Warriors shows a tasy adventure which despite being particular world that has changed conunfairly ignored by movie-goers at the siderably over 36 years, what hasn't time, now has a strong, dedicated changed is its ability to entertain, in fanbase. For more information, please an individualistic way a lot of films call 9510 1414. just don't do anymore. The Warriors (R) (1979). 92 minutes. *****. The Monster Squad (M) (1987). Controversial in its day, this 82 minutes. ****½. colourful, extremely well-crafted acA gorgeous love letter to the fation flick may now lack the graphic mous creatures at Universal Pictures, edge demanded by youthful audi- The Monster Squad is one of those ences today, but it most definitely de- wonderfully memorable viewing exserves its place in cinema history. periences that unfortunately a lot of Set over one exhausting night, the people are unaware of. story centres on The Warriors, a gang The story is a classic film fan's dewho, like many others, have been light. The world is under threat when summoned to New York's Central Dracula, The Wolf Man, Park to hear a speech from the al- Frankenstein's Monster, The mighty Cyrus (Roger Hill), who heads Mummy and the Creature From The the most powerful gang in the city. Black Lagoon team up to destroy The turn-out is enormous, and mankind. Cyrus calls out to them to join forces, But the Count didn't expect resisover-power the police, and take over tance from a group of young kids, the Big Apple. Chaos takes hold when whose obssession with comic books Cyrus is shot by the psychotic Luther and legendary monsters makes them (David Patrick Kelly), who subse- the only ones who can defeat these quently blames The Warriors for the infamous villains. assassination. There is so much fun to be had Now on the run, The Warriors have with The Monster Squad. to try and make it back to their home Lavishly mounted, with impressive turf (Coney Island), but will have to make-up effects by the late Stan Wintake on a slew of enraged gangs along ston (Aliens), and visual effects by the way, all convinced that this un- Richard Edlund (Ghostbusters), this known group were the ones that pulled spares no expense in bringing its fanthe trigger. ciful tale to the big screen. The Warriors is a brilliant example But what makes this really work is of taut, focused film-making. With co-writer/director Fred Dekker's genumany modern action movies need- ine love of the material, keeping a lessly bloated to an ungodly length nostalgic smile on the viewer's face (Michael Bay, are you listening?), this while smartly working those classic is beautifully paced and edited to per- elements into a modern setting. fection. This makes a terrific companion Co-writer/director Walter Hill piece with Dekker's horror/comedy (Hard Times / Southern Comfort / 48 homage Night Of The Creeps (1986). Hrs), who is a huge fan of the leaner If you have never seen The Monnoir films of the 1940s and 50s, em- ster Squad, now is the perfect time to ploys a similar approach, and man- do so, as you get to experience the ages to tell an epic tale within a com- film as it was always intended to be; pact running time. on the big screen. Hill, in collaboration with cinemaIf you have seen it, then the same tographer Andrew Laszlo, captures deal applies, as you've most likely the various New York locations with only viewed it on video or DVD (I skill and style, giving its set-up an im- remember seeing this in a huge Hoyts mediate sense of tension and danger. cinema with around five other As is expected from Hill, the plen- people). tiful fight scenes are tough and exIn any case, just go along and enpertly choreographed. joy a satisfying night of high advenThe cast acquit themselves well, ture and classic thrills. with standout turns from James Remar - Aaron Rourke
THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. SAN ANDREAS [Action/ Dwayne Johnson, Paul Giamatti]. 2. WOMAN IN GOLD [Historical/ Drama/Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Bruhl]. 3. SPY [Comedy/Adventure/Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne]. 4. ALOHA [Comedy/Drama/Romance/Bradley Cooper/Rachel McAdams]. 5. THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON [Action/Sci-Fi/Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth]. 6. DANNY COLLINS [Drama/Comedy/Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Christopher Plummer]. 7. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD [Action/Tom Hardy, Charleze Theron]. 8. FAST & FURIOUS 7 [Action/Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson]. 9. TOMORROWLAND [Sci-Fi/Adventure/George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie]. 10. ENTOURAGE [Comedy/Drama/ K evin Connolly, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon]. Also: PITCH PERFECT 2, SHAUN OF THE SHEEP, INSURGENT, EX MACHINA, A ROYAL NIGHT OUT, CHILD 44, RUN ALL NIGHT, AGAINST THE SUN, AGE OF ADALINE, KUMIKO: THE TREASURE HUNTER. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: JURASSIC WORLD [Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard]. COP CAR [Thriller/Kevin Bacon]. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON BLURAY THIS WEEK: JURASSIC WORLD [Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard]. JURASSIC WORLD 3D + 2D [Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard]. COP CAR [Thriller/Kevin Bacon]. GILDA [Film Noir/Classic/Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford]. THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI [Film Noir/Classic/Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth]. JESUS OF NAZARETH [Drama/ Mini-Series/Robert Powell, Laurence Olivier]. WENTWORTH: Season 3. NEW RELEASE AND RE-RELEASE CLASSICS ON DVD THIS WEEK: GILDA [Film Noir/Classic/Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford]. Turn To Page 45