Blu-rays of the Week
Cleopatra
(Fox)
Despite its reputation as one of
the biggest bombs in movie history—tens of millions spent with very little bang
for those bucks—Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s four-plus hour ancient Egyptian epic (with
Liz Taylor and Richard Burton sleepwalking through their roles as the beautiful
queen and her lover Marc Antony) at least shows all of its money onscreen. This
widescreen spectacular has eye-opening sets and costumes but is dragged down by
molasses-slow onscreen dramatics. On Blu-ray, the movie looks fantastic; extras
comprise a commentary and several featurettes.
(Anchor Bay)
Routine would be too kind a word
for this lazy thriller about a terrorist who, after planting several bombs, forces
local authorities to accede to his demands. Despite the presence of both Ben Kingsley
and Ben Cross, neither of whom seems to believe in what he’s saying or doing—the
movie never approaches anything remotely resembling thrills or edge-of-the-seat
suspense. The movie does look good in hi-def; no extras.
Dark Skies
(Anchor Bay)
This combo of Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity shows less originality, a tall order since Paranormal was lame already. A mom and
dad, after strange happenings in and around their home—like hundreds of birds committing
suicide against their windows—visit a crazed loner who tells them gobbledygook
about “the greys.” It takes a lot for Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton (parents)
to not laugh out loud at such silliness; otherwise, this horror contraption is
no more (or less) risible than other recent entries. The Blu-ray image looks
fine; extras are deleted scenes, alternate ending and commentary.
(Mill Creek)
Eight half-hour documentary
shorts make up this interesting overview of the political career of John F. Kennedy,
from his Congressional beginnings to that fatal 1963 day in Dallas. Historian
talking heads give context, while archival footage—much seen elsewhere, but
some less familiar, including speeches—rounds out this decent presidential portrait.
On Blu-ray, the age of the vintage footage is obvious, but it’s an upgrade over
the standard DVD. There’s another DVD with bonus JFK footage.
Medium Cool
(Criterion)
During the 1968 Democratic
Convention riots in Chicago, gifted cinematographer Haskell Wexler cannily shot
footage which he then attached to a fictional story of a photographer’s busy
personal and professional life in disarray: the result is one of the most
fascinating, smart and adroit American political movies ever made. Robert
Forster, Peter Bonerz and Verna Bloom’s acting melds seamlessly with amateurs,
giving even greater authenticity. The Blu-ray image looks satisfyingly of-the-moment;
extras are Wexler’s own commentary, reminiscences and look at the Occupy Wall
Street movement, along with excerpts from a documentary about Wexler.
(New Yorker)
This touching tale of an elderly
man and the dog for whom he grudgingly develops affection—becoming a trusted,
indispensable companion—is so beautifully done that it’s a rare animated
feature of real emotions. The lovely illustrations of directors Paul and Sandra
Fierlinger notwithstanding, the heart of the movie is the depth of the voice
work by Christopher Plummer, Lynn Redgrave and Isabella Rossellini. The movie’s
visuals look wonderful on Blu-ray; extras include a production featurette and
other featurettes.
My Neighbor Totoro
(Disney)
Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki’s
early effort, this 1988 feature has a rough-hewn charm that distinguishes it
from later, expansive fables like Howl’s
Moving Castle and Ponyo. Animation
that transforms cartoons into art is at the heart of Miyazaki’s success, as is
the title character: a sort of giant cat (with a Cheshire grin) that can morph
into various shapes to protect the children who befriended it. The Japanese
audio is preferable to the English one, but the latter is obviously more
kid-friendly. The Blu-ray image is amazing; extras include storyboards and short
featurettes.
(Eagle Rock)
There’s no way director Brett
Morgen can cram 50 years of Stones history into a 110-minute documentary, but
it’s to his credit that he doesn’t even try. He goes up to the mid-70s, then
skips to the present day to show that the “boys” are still going strong: his
other coup is that he interviews all surviving Stones, who speak openly and
humorously about events in their career—off-camera. This helps keep the focus
on the voluminous archival footage shown, which is a half-century of
rock’n’roll legend. The hi-def image is OK, considering the old footage; extras
include vintage performances and Morgen interview.
DVDs of the Week
Detective De Luca
(MHZ Networks)
In Mussolini’s fascist Italy, a
lone detective solves cases revolving around Il Duce’s inner circle, putting
his reputation and own neck on the line again and again. Alessandro Preziosi’s detective
has matinee-idol looks—he reminds me of Giancarlo Giannini in Lina Wertmuller’s
classic Seven Beauties—so it’s no
surprise he beds willing high society women who wouldn’t otherwise glance at
him (like the beautiful Polish actress Kasia Smutniak in episode 1).
Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
(Microcinema)
Based on the illuminating exhibition
at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, this intelligent summary of Russian
music impresario’s Serge Diaghilev’s brilliant career and his famed Ballet
Russes troupe examines his relationships with the artists who made their names
through working with him: composers like Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Satie,
choreographers like Nijinsky and Balanchine and painters like Picasso and
Matisse. Tilda Swinton narrates a concise hour-long portrait that introduces
one of the 20th century’s most innovative artistic collaborators.
(Icarus)
In this frightening documentary by
Gianfranco Rosi, a Mexican hitman—on payroll of a drug cartel and member of the
police who murdered, tortured and kidnaped hundreds—is interviewed in his hotel
room with a hood covering his head to conceal his identity. This morbidly
fascinating movie shows the man crudely drawing on a pad to accentuate specific
points; although after 45 minutes, it starts repeating itself, it only lasts
another 35 so it’s not a fatal flaw.
Queen Victoria’s Children
(BBC Home Entertainment)
Three one-hour programs shed
light on a complicated, dysfunctional family dynamic: that of Queen Victoria,
her German husband, King Albert, and their nine children, whom they tried to mold
in their image. Episode 1, Best Laid
Plans, concentrates on the marriage of the king and queen; Episode 2, A Domestic Tyrant, covers their five
daughters—whom the queen, following her beloved’s death at age 42, wanted to
keep under her thumb; and Episode 3, Princes
Will Be Princes, covers the four sons. Although drily presented, the shows
delve into relationships among Victoria’s family in a new way.
(ABC)
Radha Mitchell’s plucky portrayal
of a small-time mobster’s wife—absolutely clueless as to his dealings when he’s
first killed—who takes over for him to protect her children highlights a
familiar drama that probably won’t keep the pace of its abbreviated first
season (this mid-season replacement televised eight one-hour episodes). Extras
include interviews, deleted scenes and bloopers.
CD of the Week
Laura Osnes—If I Tell You: The
Songs of Maury Yeston
(PS Classics)
Tony nominee Laura Osnes, one of musical
theater’s brightest new lights, has already shown her fondness for Rodgers
& Hammerstein (she’s already done South
Pacific, The Sound of Music, Pipe Dream and Cinderella, which is now on Broadway), and this entrancing disc of
17 songs by Maury Yeston—best known for his musical Nine—shows that that she can also make other composers’ work her
own. Osnes’ bright, high soprano is beautifully showcased throughout: and when
she shows off her technical prowess on the stunningly long note held at the end
of the delightful “Shimmy Like They Do in Paree/I Want to Go to Hollywood,” it’s
not the self-satisfied over-singing of today’s pop divas but a perfect-sounding
expression of unbridled joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment