Page 44 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Observer Showbiz DVD & Blu-Ray Recommendations FILM: THE TOWN: Genre: Crime/Drama. Cast: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Pete Postlethwaite, Rebecca Hall. Year: 2010. Rating: MA15+. Running Time: 120 Minutes & 153 Minutes. Format: DVD & BLU-RAY. Stars: **** Verdict: Compelling action-thriller set in Boston of a long-time thief tries to balance his feelings for a bank worker connected to one of his earlier heists as he plans his new job, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down, there is not a dull moment in this tense, exciting and explosive edge-of-your-seat nail-biter, director and star, Ben Affleck, excels on both sides of the camera, and aided by outstanding performances from a top notch supporting cast, try to catch Ben Affleck's personally preferred and superior version on Blu-Ray which runs over 30 minutes longer. FILM: THE AMERICAN: Genre: Crime/Drama. Cast: George Clooney, Bruce Altman, Thekla Reuten. Year: 2010. Rating: MA15+. Running Time: 105 Minutes. Format: DVD & BLU-RAY. Stars: ***1/2 Verdict: George Clooney gives a restrained and enthralling performance as an assassin who hides out in Italy for one last assignment, but things don't quite go to plan, not your full throttle, big budget hit-man action thriller in the Leon: The Professional or Charles Bronson mould, relying more on mood, methodically deliberate pacing, atmosphere and tension to pull it off, with rewarding results, stunning European location bring it all together nicely. FILM: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SMARTER BROTHER: Genre: Comedy. Cast: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman. Year: 1975. Rating: PG. Running Time: 91 Minutes. Format: DVD. Stars: **1/2 Verdict: Mildly entertaining Gene Wilder comedy of the younger brother of the famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, who tries to steal Sherlock's glory by solving an important case assisted by an eccentric Scotland Yard detective and a lovely but suspicious actress, it's definitely no Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein, but a bit of good innocent fun to be had by all, if you are looking for a hilariously funny Sherlock Holmes spoof then check out the riotous Without a Clue starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley. FILM: TO BE OR NOT TO BE: Genre: Comedy/War. Cast: Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft. Years: 1983. Rating: PG. Running Time: 105 Minutes. Format: DVD & BLU-RAY. Stars: *** Verdict: Above average remake of the original 1942 classic from Mel Brooks of a Polish actor who is just trying to make a living when what should intrude but World War II in the form of an invasion, and to top it off, his wife has the habit of entertaining young polish officers while he's on stage, but when one of her officers comes back on a Secret Mission, the actor takes charge and comes up with a plan for them to escape, almost word for word of the far superior original starring Jack Benny, but keeps it sense of fun well within its grasp and is far from disappointing. FILM: TUNES OF GLORY: Genre: Drama. Cast: Alec Guinness, John Mills. Year: 1960. Rating: PG. Running Time: 106 Minutes. Format: DVD. Stars: ****1/2 Verdict: Thrilling and absorbing tale of a battle of military men and minds between an outgoing officer and his replacement of a Highland regiment in peacetime Scotland following WWII, with tragic results for both, gripping tour-de-force performances from both Alec Guinness and John Mills as they go head-to-head in this powerful social and psychological campaign of waring ideologies, engrossing from beginning to end, an absolute must-see! Turn To Page ##
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Movies, DVDs
With James Sherlock
Reviews by Aaron Rourke
SUMMER WARS
â– (PG) (Japan). 114 minutes. Available to rent on DVD and Blu-Ray now. Full of energy, humour, and most of all heart, the tremendously entertaining 'Summer Wars' shows us why Japanese animators are still producing some of the best animation in the world. After a dazzling opening sequence in which we are shown a virtual reality world called OZ, where people can interact with others on-line disguised in custom-made avatars, the story focuses on High School students Kenji and Natsuki. Natsuki has asked Kenji to pretend to be her fiance at her family reunion, where they will be celebrating Natsuki's great-grandmother's 90th birthday. Kenji is honoured but also incredibly nervous, as he has a huge crush on Natsuki. The two travel to the small town of Ueda, and Kenji is overwhelmed as he meets Natsuki's large and very lively family, who laugh and argue in about equal measure. The first night there Kenji receives a mysterious e-mail that contains a bizarre mathmatical question. Managing to crack the code within the question, Kenji finds out that it has been used to hack into OZ's security,
and that someone or something wants to destroy both the virtual and the real world. Kenji, Natsuki, and her family must band together to defeat this formidable enemy. As with the best Japanese anime, 'Summer Wars' doesn't condescend to its audience, showing that the animation genre doesn't just have to be for kids. Screenwriter Satoko Okudera and director Mamoru Hosoda (who directed the 2007 version of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time', available on DVD and also highly recommended) carefully create their characters, making them feel like the kind of family one could encounter in real life. They also make sure that Kenji and Natsuki are credible, natural youngsters whose coming-of-age journey and growing relationship is both warm and believable. The strong character detail and sophisticated story structure are a few reasons why Japanese anime has remained so popular over the years. Another reason is the vivid location flavour, and that country, smalltown feeling is perfectly captured here. Finally, the animation itself is first-rate, with an eye-popping blend of traditional and computer animation. RATING - ****1/2
THE TOWN
â– (MA) (USA). 125 minutes. Available to rent on DVD and Blu-Ray now. After making an outstanding directorial debut with 'Gone Baby Gone', Ben Affleck returns to the director's chair with 'The Town', which confirms his ability and talent as a film-maker. Once again set in Boston, this story is set in the tough neighbourhood of Charlestown, which is infamous for the record amount of bank robberies that take place there. We follow one group of bank robbers, headed by Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), They are a close-knit, family-style outfit (think Robert De Niro's crew in Michael Mann's brilliant 1995 film 'Heat') who plan each robbery down to the finest detail. During their latest robbery however, the volatile James Coughlin (Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner from 'The Hurt Locker') decides to take a hostage, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Dumped once the crew are safe, Claire attracts the attention of the FBI agent on the case (John Hamm), as well as Coughlin, who feels she may be able to recognise them. What proves unexpected is the relationship that develops between Claire and Doug. Like 'Gone Baby Gone', Affleck creates incredible local detail and flavour, immersing us in a world that is both close-knit and intensely dangerous. It is a world that seems hard to break free from, and one that is passed down from one generation to the next. As a director Affleck approaches both story and character with great skill and patience, an approach that is not that dissimilar to Clint Eastwood. Affleck could have easily filled the film with car chases, shoot-outs, and explosions, but he is much more interested in the characters and the
world in which they live. Performances are outstanding right down the line, which also includes Chris Cooper ('Matewan' / 'Lone Star' / 'American Beauty' / 'Silver City') and the late Pete Postlethwaite ('In The Name Of The Father' / 'The Usual Suspects'). There is also tremendous work done by cinematographer Robert Elswit, who captures Charlestown with amazing clarity. The only downside is that this is a truncated version of Affleck's original cut (which reportedly ran around three-and-a-half hours), so a number of the supporting characters and subplots feel somewhat trimmed and incomplete. The Blu-Ray has a longer version, running 155 minutes, so some of these areas will feel fully fleshed out. Hopefully someday we'll see the full director's cut. Despite this, 'The Town' is still strong, absorbing entertainment made for adults, and now proves conclusively that Ben Affleck is a filmmaker to watch and respect. RATING - ***1/2 - Aaron Rourke
Melbourne
Observer
Top 10 Lists THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. BATTLE: LOS ANGELES. 2. RANGO. 3. LIMITLESS. 4. HALL PASS. 5. THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. 6. THE KING'S SPEECH. 7. GNOMEO AND JULIET. 8. I AM NUMBER FOUR. 9. THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST. 10. THE RITE. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: MARCH 24: BARNEY'S VERSION, BIUTIFUL, RED RIDING HOOD, THE MECHANIC, WAITING FOR SUPERMAN. MARCH 31: HEARTBEATS, IN A BETTER WORLD, JUST GO WITH IT, LINCOLN LAWYER, NEVER LET ME GO, THE LIGHTHORSEMEN. THE DVD TOP SELLERS: 1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK [Drama/Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justine Timberlake]. 2. DUE DATE [Comedy/Robert Downey Jr, Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan]. 3. THE EXPENDABLES [Action/ Thriller/Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis]. 4. MACHETE [Action/Thriller/ Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez]. 5. THE TOWN [Crime/Mystery/ Thriller/Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Pete Postlethwaite]. 6. SKYLINE [Science Fiction/ Thriller/Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson]. 7. SAW: THE FINAL CHAPTER [Horror/Thriller/Tobin Bell, Betsy Russell, Cary Elwes]. 8. TOY STORY 3 [Animated/Family/Comedy/Tom Hanks, Michael Keaton, Don Rickles]. 9. JACKASS 3 - Uncut [Comedy/ Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera]. 10. THE GHOST WRITER [Mystery/ Thriller/Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor, Kim Cattrall]. Also: UNTHINKABLE, THE SWITCH, EAT PRAY LOVE, RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE, LEGEND OF THE GARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE, THE AMERICAN, CHLOE, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2, INCEPTION, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [Fantasy/Adventure]. RED [Action/Comedy/Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine]. BAMBI: Diamond Edition [1942/ Animated/Family/Classic/Hardie Albright, Thelma Boardman]. BAMBI 2: Special Edition [2006/ Animated/Family/Patrick Stewart, Alexander Gould]. WILD TARGET [Action/Comedy/ Crime/Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt]. DEVIL [Horror/Thriller/Geoffrey Arend, Bojana Novakovic, Logan Marshall-Green]. NEW & RE-RELEASE CLASSICS ON DVD HIGHLIGHTS: ARABESQUE [1966/Action/Adventure/Gregory Peck, Sophia Loren]. THE CAR [1977/Horror/Thriller/ Mystery/James Brolin]. Turn To Page ##