Welcome back to This Week In Discs where we check out tomorrow’s new releases today!
Straight Outta Compton
Five young men share the struggle of growing up on the rough and tumble streets of ’80s Los Angeles, and as they dodge the effects of violence, poverty, and institutionalized racism they discover one more thing they have in common. Music. The five — Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Yella — form N.W.A. and soon take the nation by storm with rap lyrics that speak to the truth, both real and perceived, of their situations. Their rise to power finds fans and detractors, but it also finds conflict within their ranks that turns friends into combatants. Through the ups and downs N.W.A.’s influence remains.
I made the mistake of missing F.Gary Gray’s latest in theaters due to an aversion to rap music — I do the same when country music biopics open — but it really does transcend genre constraints. Starting with an electrifying action sequence involving a drug bust, the film moves forward with energy and style as the five friends grow into legends and deal with all that comes with it. The music performances are exciting and alive, and the film finds drama in both the characters and their story.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Featurettes, commentary, deleted scenes]
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Minnie (Bel Powley) is a teenager living in ’70s San Francisco, and while she dreams of becoming a comic book artist it’s a different ambition of hers that comes to fruition first — she loses her virginity. It’s complicated though, as the man (Alexander Skarsgard) who shares this experience with her is currently dating her mother (Kristen Wiig). That relationship, already starting on rocky ground, is not one destined for longevity.
Writer/director Marielle Heller’s film is both familiar and unique — it’s a coming of age tale involving teen sex and bad decisions, but it’s entirely from a girl’s perspective. It’s an honest film too that’s unafraid to view a girl as a sexual being, and that brings both laughs and drama. Powley is a true talent finding Minnie’s spunky wit, ambition, and fragility on a journey that’s at turns amusing, heartfelt, and cringe-worthy.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Deleted scenes, making of, Q&A]
Inside Llewyn Davis (Criterion)
It’s NYC in the early ’60s, and Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is trying to make his mark on the folk music scene. His efforts seem to be continually in vain though as pretty much nothing works out they way he wants. Is it fate? Or is it simply because he’s a bastard who fouls every relationship he has with his attitude?
From Isaac’s brilliantly nuanced performance to those of the supporting cast (including John Goodman, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, F. Murray Abraham), from the fantastic score to the gorgeous cinematography, this is a tremendously affecting look at one man’s struggles against the world and himself. The Coens’ script is a work of art from which more beauty is born, and Criterion’s new Blu-ray magnifies it even more with a new 4k transfer and some spectacular special features. The Guillermo del Toro interview with the Coens is fascinating (and occasionally awkward), and the documentary covering the Llewyn Davis-inspired concert is just an audible delight. The film is one of 2013’s best (we put it at #2 that year), and this Blu-ray is an early contender for one of 2016’s best home video releases.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Commentary, interviews, featurettes, short film]
12 Monkeys: Season One
Cole (Aaron Stanford) has been sent back in time to the present (and the past) to prevent the future, but it’s not quite going according to plan. The man he’s been tasked with killing — the man who causes the future disaster — might not be the man who’s actually responsible. It seems that guilt rests at the feet of a mysterious group called the Army of the 12 Monkeys, and with the help of his handlers in the future (his present) and his new allies in the present (his past) he’s the only hope for a future that hasn’t happened yet. If it sounds convoluted, that’s because time travel always is, but the bonus here is that there’s a whole season to explore the story, details, and ramifications. Interestingly, even though the show has more time it deals with the many of the film’s revelations and turns in the first episode. That’s cool with one exception — the show never gives any time to the possibility that Cole is simply nuts. It’s a small thing though and far from a deal-breaker. There are still plenty of threads to this narrative, and while the small screen cast doesn’t shine as bright as the one in Terry Gilliam’s feature they do a great job of engaging and drawing viewers into the tale. A second season is coming, but season one satisfies across its thirteen episodes.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, cast auditions, webisodes, featurettes]
Adventure Time: Stakes!
Marceline is sick and tired of never being sick nor tired, and the solution might just be Princess Bubblegum’s experimental cure for vampirism. It seems to work, but her loss of supernatural powers comes just as five deadly foes from her past return with a vengeance. Together with her friends — including the princess, Finn, and Jake — she’s forced to reconcile the pros and cons of her abilities in the face of a threat to all she holds dear. This eight-episode mini-series (essentially) is a delight for Adventure Time fans and newbies alike as we get Marceline’s fascinating and fun origin story alongside all of the crazy imagery and zany story turns the series is known for. The added benefit here is a story line that feels a bit weightier than the norm as issues of life and death, friendship, and personal responsibility come into play.
[DVD extras: Animatics, song demos, art gallery]
Christmas Eve (Olive Films)
Eccentric and nutty Aunt Matilda has been spending her fortune on odd things, activities, and strangers, and her nephew (Reginald Denny) has decided she should pass control of her estate over to him. His intentions are less than honorable, but unless she can find someone else to step in her hand may be forced. She suggests her three foster sons — boys she raised only to see them leave her behind as they went off to make their way in the world — would be better suited, but the men have some baggage of their own. This is a sweet little comedy/drama about family, and while the Christmas-time setting isn’t overplayed it works to add some warmth to the tale.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: None]
The Condemned 2
Will Tanner (Randy Orton) is a bounty hunter tasked with bringing in the head of an illegal gambling/fighting organization, but when the mission goes south he ends up behind bars. Years later he’s working a more traditional job when a former teammate appears out of the blue and attempts to kill him. Worse, he’s only the first. WWE action films are a mixed bag with the majority falling on the side of less than stellar affairs, and this sequel to Steve Austin’s original — a more traditional “most dangerous game” story — is no different. The high point is a supporting turn by the ubiquitous Eric Roberts as Tanner’s dad, so, that’s something at least.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Featurettes]
The Cut
Nazareth (Tahar Rahim) loses his family and his freedom in the Armenian genocide of 1915 and is forced into slave labor before being left for dead. He discovers that his young daughters may actually have survived the onslaught as well, and with a renewed focus he sets out to find them on a trip that will take him around the globe and across nearly a decade. Fatih Akin’s latest is an intimate epic pairing beautiful landscapes from the Middle East to America’s Midwest with the worst ugliness of mankind. That cruelty is as grand as genocide and as small-scale as an individual assault, and it follows Nazareth wherever he goes. It threatens to smother the film with its oppressiveness, but Rahim’s performance — even after he loses his ability to speak early on — keeps the light of hope burning just bright enough.
[DVD extras: None]
Everest
Climbing the world’s tallest mountain has become something of a money-maker thanks to the creation of guided tours that promise to get you up to the summit and back down again safely, but the small window of agreeable weather atop Everest means a crowded mountainside. Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) heads up Adventure Consultants and is known for his prioritizing of safety first, and Mountain Madness, led by the far more carefree Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal), is one of his main competitors. Both groups, along with several others, aim for the same ascent date, but congestion, confusion, and bad weather combine resulting in the deadliest day the mountain had seen up to that point. The film exists simply as a beautiful tragedy. Gorgeous visuals, an immensely talented cast, and a handful of truly harrowing moments combine to create an at times compelling feature guaranteed to leave you utterly disinterested in ever climbing Mt. Everest. It has no interest in examining the actions and inactions that created this tragedy though, and instead, like climbers trudging past the frozen dead at their feet, it wants only to reach the top and get back down again.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Making of, featurettes, commentary]
The Guardian (Scream Factory)
Phil (Dwier Brown) and Kate (Carey Lowell) are new parents looking for a nanny to aid in taking care of their home and child, but the woman who answers their prayers severely misunderstands the job description. Camilla (Jenny Seagrove) is more interested in sacrificing the infant to an ancient tree fueled by evil and baby blood. William Friedkin’s first horror film after The Exorcist is a nightmare of a completely different kind — namely an uninteresting one devoid of scares or engaging characters. The idea is frightening, but the execution is a curiously flat experience made watchable mostly by some terrific practical gore effects and production design. The lead trio interacts well, but the dialogue and actions fail to carry the dramatic weight necessary to make any of this actually scary or unsettling. Scream Factory’s new Blu does feature a fun and informative interview with Brown though.
[Blu-ray extras: New & old interviews]
Hana-Dama: The Origin
Mizuki was forced to leave her last school after an inappropriate relationship with a teacher, but her new one sees her suffering from all together different problems. A quartet of bullies is making her life hell, and it’s only a pair of oddball friends who keep her going. Even that grace soon comes to an end though when tragedy strikes, and Mizuki does the only thing she can — she grows a giant flower from the top of head and seeks revenge. I only mention the flower because it’s spoiled on the dvd case, but it doesn’t actually happen until the third act. It’s a long haul getting there too filled with lots of bullying antics, self abuse, nudity, and a rape, so while that finale offers some cathartic fun the journey to revenge may not be worth it. The prolonged abuse serves to lessen viewer empathy rather than increase it, and the sexual violence feels like filler. The surreal nature of Mizuki’s vengeance is visually creative in the nightmare that follows, but it’s still, you know, a flower growing out of her head.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Featurette, interviews]
The Intern
Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is a retired widower in need of something to keep his days busy and interesting, and a nearby internet startup looking for senior-aged interns appears to be just the ticket. He gets the job and is assigned to the company’s CEO (Anne Hathaway), a woman with struggles of her own both home and at work. The bottom line of Nancy Meyers’ latest is that old people are people too, and it’s a lesson learned by all of the “youngsters” at the company who discover the value of wisdom and a life lived well. I know, it sounds terrible, and you have no reason to expect anything all that good from De Niro or Meyers these days, but this is actually a pretty solid little film about confidence and knowing your strengths/weaknesses. There are some laughs along the way — thanks in large part to a fun supporting cast — and it’s worth a watch for viewers looking for amusing-enough entertainment.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Featurettes]
Jem and the Holograms
The improbably-named Jerrica (Aubrey Peeples) has a secret — she’s actually a YouTube sensation known as Jem. Social media propels her one mediocre song into the zeitgeist, and soon she and her three sisters (one by blood, two by a shared foster parent) are a band on the rise. As with every film on this topic though they quickly find themselves dealing with the label’s desire to ditch the girls and turn Jem into a solo act. Worse, their mom (Molly Ringwald) is being evicted! Can these girls sing a song in the key of success to save not only their childhood home but also their sisterly love for each other? If you’re looking for a more literal adaptation of the series — hologram disguises, super computers, rival bands, corporate intrigue, and adventures involving all of the above — you’ll need to temper those expectations. There’s a little robot here, and the names are mostly the same, but the film’s focus is more on being an inspirational tale about staying true to yourself and your interests. It’s harmless fare that might be a positive influence on some pre-teens, but most viewers will struggle to find real engagement.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, music video, featurette, commentary]
Learning to Drive
Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) has just been dumped by her husband 21 years, and Darwan (Ben Kingsley) has just entered an arranged marriage with a woman unfamiliar with America, NYC, and married life. The two come together when Wendy hires Darwan to teach her to drive, and the pair quickly realize they have a lot more to learn from each other. Isabele Coixet’s delightful dramedy explores what it takes to move from self-isolation to the happiness that comes when you understand your own needs and desires. Clarkson and Kingsley are terrific, and it’s a joy seeing an honest film about characters whose age usually relocates them to lead characters’ parents.
[DVD extras: Photo gallery]
Little House on the Prairie: Season Eight
The Ingalls family continues to grow up and out as new generations discover their own adventures in a world that’s looking less and less like a frontier every day. This season’s episodes are a mix of youngsters dealing with their own issues and frustrations and the adults finding drama in the arrival of visitors old and new. The series was well past its prime by season eight, and many of the story lines were getting recycled with slight modifications, but there are still moments worth remembering. This was also the final season before Michael Landon moved permanently behind the scenes (as writer and/or director). The bigger negative here is that, just like season seven, Lionsgate is only putting it out on DVD. It’s a minor issue to be sure, but releasing six seasons to Blu-ray and then dropping the ball on the remaining is an irresponsible move.
[DVD extras: Movie specials]
Of Mice and Men (Olive Films)
George (Gary Sinise, who also directs) and Lennie (John Malkovich) are migrant workers wandering the Midwest in search of work during the Great Depression. The former is strong but slow in the head, and his habit of loving things too hard has gotten the pair in trouble in the past. They share a dream for the future, but even as it appears within reach the reality of their situation and of Lennie’s proclivities catches up with them yet again. John Steinbeck’s classic story of the hardships of life in early 20th century America paints a painfully nostalgic portrait of a friendship set against one of the nation’s darker chapters, and it is a bleak affair. Sinise’s adaptation is a faithful and attractive one with strong performances, and fans of the book will enjoy it. The story has never been one of my favorites — I appreciate downers as much as anyone, but the outcome we know is coming hangs over the entire tale draining it of real enjoyment. But hey, decades of required reading lists can’t be wrong.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: Commentary, interview, making of, deleted scenes, makeup tests, screen test]
Serial (Olive Films)
Harvey (Martin Mull) just wants to live a happy, normal, suburban life in Marin County, but as the ’70s come to a close so does the guarantee that normal is anything more than an adjective. His wife is discovering her womanhood, his daughter has fallen into the arms of a cult, and his friends are all experiencing their own bouts with new ideas and modern living. Hippies, alternative lifestyles, drugs, sexuality — it’s the dawning of a new America. There are definite laughs here as the film skewers liberals at their most extreme from the perspective of a tie-wearing white guy caught in the middle of a revolution. It’s not for those who prefer their comedy politically correct though as the dialogue and attitudes don’t go easy on anyone. One area where the film shows its age though is with the myriad of jokes about gays. They’re lazily derogatory to no end aside from cheap laughs. Thankfully they’re just a small part of the humor here, and the addition of Christopher Lee playing against type is a bonus too.
[Blu-ray/DVD extras: None]
Stonewall
The fight for gay rights has been an ongoing battle across the years, but for many the modern movement for equality began in New York City in 1969 in and around the Stonewall Inn. Locals fed up with ignorant, hateful laws and mistreatment rose up, and the disturbance was enough to get a real conversation started. Roland Emmerich’s film focuses on Danny, a small-town teenager banished from home by his father and forced to survive in the city. Along the way he not only witnesses history but becomes a driving force behind it. Some viewers took issue with the film’s creation of this young white boy as the protagonist while moving the real-life characters — more ethnic, more flamboyant — into supporting roles, but the bigger issue is that the film simply fails to find the drama in a very dramatic situation. The focus on one outsider, well-intentioned or not, makes it more of a personal story than a universal, historical one. At over two hours, the film relegates the Stonewall riots to just a small percentage of the run time before jumping ahead a year. We don’t feel the power or importance of the event as much as we do the small emotional beats of Danny’s journey.
[DVD extras: Featurettes]
All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records, Continuum: Season Four, Eden, Gilda (Citerion), I Am Thor, I Believe in Unicorns, Love, Peekarama: Robin’s Nest / Bella, The Pretty Peaches Trilogy, The Undesirable, Woodlawn
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