By Allen Gardner
KILLER JOE (Lionsgate) William Friedkin’s film of Tracy Letts’ off-Broadway hit about a family of Texas trailer park cretins (Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon) who hire a cop-cum-hitman (Matthew McConaughey) to take out their troublesome mother, then foolishly cross him, is a stinging satire, given double-barreled audacity by Friedkin’s sure, and fearless, directorial hand. Earning its NC-17 rating in spades, “Killer Joe” reminds us that daring, frank material like this is why movies exist in the first place. McConaughey gives the performance of his career, hopefully redefined after this. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by Friendkin; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (Warner Bros.) Christopher Nolan’s coda to his “Batman” trilogy finds Christian Bale returning as a brooding Bruce Wayne/Caped Crusader, this time faced with a hulking villain (Tom Hardy) with respiratory issues who threatens Gotham City with destruction if his demands aren’t met. Anne Hathaway and Marion Cotillard provide attractive love interests for our hero, along with fine supporting turns from the likes of Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Morgan Freeman. Masterful filmmaking across the board, although Nolan and company have hard act to follow after the brilliance and near-perfection of “The Dark Knight,” featuring Heath Ledger’s swan song, Oscar-winning turn. All said and done, a fine wrap up to the greatest super hero franchise committed to film. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Over three hours of featurettes; Deleted scenes; Commentary by cast and crew; Photo and storyboard galleries; Trailers and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
ARBITRAGE (Lionsgate) Richard Gere gives the performance of his career (hopefully recognized by Oscar) as an amoral hedge-fund tycoon who finds his mettle tested after a tragic car accident throws all his carefully-laid plans into disarray. A perfect metaphor for the financial crisis and the people who made it happen, Gere is ably backed by a stellar cast, including Susan Sarandon as his long-suffering wife, Tim Roth as an over-zealous cop and the incandescent Brit Marling as his savvy daughter. Fine work from writer/director Nicholas Jarecki. A knockout of a movie. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Jarecki; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
HEAVEN’S GATE (Criterion) Michael Cimino’s sprawling epic about the Johnson County, Wyoming range wars of 1892 was the biggest financial disaster of its day in 1980 and marked the end of the “auteur” era in American filmmaking. Restored here to its original 216 minute running time, the film is full of gorgeously photographed set pieces, brutal action and fine performances from an all-star cast (Kris Kristofferson, Jeff Bridges, Isabelle Huppert, John Hurt, Sam Waterston, Brad Douriff, Joseph Cotton and a young Mickey Rourke, to name a few), but remains a bloated, overlong symbol of excess. That said, the good outweighs the bad and the film is worth a view for the grandiosity it attempts, and often succeeds, in reaching. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Two-disc set. Bonuses: Illustrated audio interview with Cimino and producer Joann Carelli; Interviews with Kristofferson and crew members; Restoration demonstration; Teaser and TV spot. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
LIBERAL ARTS (IFC Films) Writer/director Josh Radnor stars as a disaffected college admissions advisor who returns to his alma mater to teach, quickly falling back in love with the college life he left behind years earlier. When he meets a bright, beautiful 19 year-old student (Elizabeth Olsen) he finds himself in a moral quandary about whether to pursue a relationship with this kindred spirit, or return to the “real world.” Terrific, honest little film never has a false note. Olsen is quickly proving to be her generation’s finest actress. Nice support from Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney and Elizabeth Reaser. Bonuses: Commentary by Radnor; Featurette; Deleted scenes; Trailer. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood stars as an aging baseball scout who reconnects with his estranged daughter (Amy Adams) ostensibly to recruit a hot batting prodigy, while trying to keep younger rivals (Justin Timberlake) at bay. John Goodman is a hoot is a small, but pivotal supporting role. Pleasant enough dramedy, helmed by Eastwood’s longtime producer Robert Lorenz, but Eastwood saves it single-handedly from what could have been TV-movie status. Worth a look, particularly for fans of Clint. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Commentary by cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Trailers. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
FOLLOWING (Criterion) Christopher Nolan made his writing/directing debut with this indie feature puzzler, shot in 16mm black & white, about an unemployed young writer who stalks strangers throughout London, hoping they’ll provide fodder for his debut novel, getting more than he bargains for when they lead him down a dark path that spirals out of control. Stunning debut which, although its meager budget cracks the seams at times, was a sign of things to come, much like the early work of Stanley Kubrick. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Nolan; Interview with Nolan; Chronological edit of the film; “Doodlebug,” a Nolan short film; Trailers. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
HOPE SPRINGS (Sony) Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep as a long-married couple who find their relationship has gone stale. When Streep signs them up for counseling sessions with legendary marriage therapist Steve Carell, Jones grumbles his curmudgeoney best the entire way. Writer Vanessa Taylor and director David Frankel have fashioned a likeable, if forgettable, light comedy, which is raised several notches by the two leads. Carell’s role is painfully underwritten. Streep is almost unrecognizable playing a matronly shrinking violet. Bonuses: Gag reel; Featurettes; Alternate takes reel; Commentary by Frankel. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
MEN IN BLACK 3 (Sony) Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) return to keep evil alien life forms from taking over the planet, only to stumble upon a crisis that sends J back in time to 1969 to prevent K’s assassination. Turns out the young K (Josh Brolin, excellent) is just as uptight as the old version. Welcome return to form for the series, which stumbled badly with its second installment. This time, the mix of humor, adventure and sci-fi is back and running. Bonuses: Featurettes; Gag reel; Music video by Pitbull. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
FAREWELL MY QUEEN (Cohen Media Group) Based on the best-selling novel by Chantal Thomas, Lea Seydoux stars as one of Marie Antoinette’s (Diane Kruger) ladies in waiting, a cunning lass who schemes her way into the queen’s inner circle, only to have history intercede with other plans. Sumptuous film of the “Upstairs, Downstairs” variety, elegantly done. Bonuses: Interviews with cast and crew; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
COSMOPOLIS (eOne) Robert Pattison plays Eric Packer, a young billionaire asset manager who works out of his stretch limo, traveling across New York City remotely wagering his company’s fortune on a bet against the Chinese Yuan and encountering a variety of the city’s denizens. Writer/director David Cronenberg, of whom I’m usually a big fan, has crafted something so esoteric this time out that it’s nearly incomprehensible, at least to yours-truly, and he just might be playing the whole thing for laughs. I was never quite sure. Able supporting cast includes Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gordon, Mathieu Amalric, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Samantha Morton and Paul Giamatti. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Cronenberg; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE POSSESSION (Lionsgate) A suburban couple (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick) find their young daughter becoming obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. As her behavior becomes more erratic, and destructive, the concerned parents fear a malevolent force has entered their midst. Solid thriller is no match for the “The Exorcist,” but is still head and shoulders above the score of imitators that classic has inspired over the years. Strong cast helps. Bonuses: Commentary by director Ole Borendal, writers Juliet Snowden and Stiles White; Featurette; Trailer. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (Criterion) Alfred Hitchcock’s 1934 hit (which he remade in 1956) about a vacationing couple in Switzerland whose daughter is kidnapped by spies plotting a political assassination. Featuring Peter Lorre’s first turn in an English-language role as one of the screen’s most despicable villains, this scaled down, much darker version of the film is preferred by most Hitchcock purists to the James Stewart/Doris Day version, which was sanitized for the American market. Bonuses: Commentary by film historian Philip Kemp; Interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro; 1972 interview with Hitchcock by Pia Lindstrom (daughter of Ingrid Bergman); Audio excerpts from Francois Truffaut’s 1962 interview with Hitchcock; Restoration demonstration. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono. Also available on Blu-ray disc.
PURPLE NOON (PLEIN SOLEIL) (Criterion) Rene Clement’s 1960 thriller, based on Patricia Highsmith’s best-selling novel, casts Alain Delon as human cypher Tom Ripley, charged with bringing carefree playboy Phillippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet) back to the U.S. after running off to Rome. A terrific tale of seduction, identity, and murder, many view this as the best turn of Delon’s storied career. Remade (brilliantly) by Anthony Minghella as “The Talented Mister Ripley,” forty years later. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Clement scholar/author Denitza Bantcheva; Archival interviews with Delon and Highsmith; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
THE QATSI TRILOGY (Criterion) Director Godfrey Reggio’s trilogy of visually hypnotic films, scored to the equally mind-bending music of Philip Glass, are some of the most immersive sensory experiences ever put on film, all mediations on the havoc mankind’s obsession with technology has wreaked on our world. Starting with 1983’s “Koyaanisqatsi,” to 1988’s “Powaqqatsi,” to 2002’s “Naqoqatsi,” Reggio takes us on a journey from the ancient to the contemporary, from nature to industry, exploring the life out of balance, in transformation, and as war, all the while keeping our eyes wide with wonder. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interviews with Glass and Reggio; Featurettes; Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
10 YEARS (Anchor Bay) Likable comedy about a group of friends (Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rosario Dawson, Chris Pratt, Ari Graynor, Justin Long, Max Minghella, Lynn Collins, Oscar Isaac) reuniting for their ten year high school reunion. Writer/director Jamie Linden wisely doesn’t try to make more out of his slight story than it is, wisely playing it for gentle laughs and genuine pathos. Bonuses: Deleted scenes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
HARD ROMANTICKER (Artsploitation Films) Writer/director Gu Su-yeon’s semi-autobiographical novel about teen gang life in a Korean ghetto located in Japan is a tough, nasty modern noir. Shota Matsuda exudes James Dean-like cool as Gu, a Korean-Japanese thug living in the slums of Tokyo. When the grandmother of a rival gangster is accidentally killed, Gu finds himself the target of a vengeful mob, with the cops hot on his tail, as well. Unsparing in its depiction of urban decay, racism and street violence, but also unflinchingly honest. A filmmaker to watch. Bonuses: Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
WHY STOP NOW (IFC Films) Jesse Eisenberg stars as a piano prodigy who must take his troubled mother (Melissa Leo) to rehab whilst en route to the most important audition of his life. Since she must test positive to enter, they make what should be a simple stop at her dealer’s (Tracy Morgan) house, only to have a comedy of errors ensue. Smart, bitter comedy full of laughs that will sting in your throat. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Interview with Morgan; Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
HERMANO (Music Box Films) Two slum kids in Caracas, Venezuela, raised as brothers, find themselves at a crossroads when a soccer scout wants to recruit them both, only to have an act of violence threaten to tear them apart. Tough, gritty picture is reminiscent of “City of God,” “Pixote,” and other harrowing stories of Latin American slum life. Bonuses: Commentary by director Marcel Rasquin; Trailer and TV spots. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
THE ASSASSINS (Well Go USA) Superstar Chow Yun-Fat stars in this sprawling period epic, set in 198 B.C., as Cao Cao, the leader of the Han Dynasty. Covering over twenty years of the dynasty’s rule, turmoil behind the scenes threatens to undo Cao’s carefully laid plans as two young lovers are trained as assassins for a secret mission to kill the emperor and overthrow the government. Dynamite mix of history, action set pieces and romance, with Chow in fine form, as always. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurette; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
SLEEPWALK WITH ME (IFC Films) Mike Birbiglia directed, co-wrote and stars in this charming indie comedy as a comedian who fails to express his true feelings about his girlfriend, only to have his anxiety released through a series of increasingly dangerous sleepwalking incidents. Co-starring Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, Cristin Milloti, plus a host of real-life stand-up comics, this is a charming romantic comedy, reminiscent of early Woody Allen. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Featurettes; Outtakes; Trailer; Commentary by Birbiglia and Ira Glass. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE WISE KIDS (Wolfe Video) Terrific coming of age picture about three kids who belong to the same Charleston, SC. Baptist church. Brea is an introspective pastor’s daughter experiencing debilitating doubt; Laura, who suffers from ADHD is a devout believer to an extreme and Tim, the son of a single father, is coming to terms with being gay. Tender-hearted, but also tough and honest in its depiction of growing pains. Bonuses: Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
DOOMSDAY BOOK (Well Go USA) Three-part anthology tale of end-of-the-world tales, helmed by Yim Pil-sung and Kim Jee-woon. Korea is ground zero for an undead pandemic, as one man’s rotten teeth bring about a zombie apocalypse. A high-tech repairman struggles as a robot finds his higher mind and challenges the idea of consciousness. And one family, one lost billiard ball and one misguided Internet order bring on the end of the world. Intoxicating mix of gross-out comedy and full-throttle horror, brought to life by two very inventive filmmakers. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
BLU BAYOU
THE TIN DRUM (Criterion) Volker Schlondorff’s visionary adaptation of the Gunter Grass novel is one of the great anti-war/anti-Fascist works of the twentieth century. Young Oskar (David Bennett) is born wise beyond his years in 1924 Germany. With the rise of the Nazis ten years later, Oskar determines to stop growing, so as not to be corrupted by the evil he sees accumulating around him. This is Schlondorff’s director’s cut of the film, adding twenty minutes of footage previously excised, making his film even more impressive in its humanity and unblinking depiction of the evil that men do and how some are able to rise above and beyond it. Bonuses: Interviews with Schlondorff, cast and crew; German audio recording of Grass reading from the novel; Interview with film scholar Timothy Corrigan; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
BRAZIL (Criterion) Terry Gilliam’s manic dystopian nightmare has lost none of its punch since debuting twenty-eight years ago. Jonathan Pryce plays an everyman who finds his spirit being slowly crushed in a futuristic, Orwellian society, finding escape through his imagination and love for an unattainable dream girl (Kim Greist). Fine support from Robert De Niro, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Holm, Jim Broadbent and Katherine Helmond. Co-written by Gilliam, Tom Stoppard and Charles McKeown. 2 disc set bonuses include: Commentary by Gilliam; Documentaries “What is Brazil?” and “The Battle of Brazil.” Widescreen. DTS-HD 2.0 surround.
TWO LANE BLACKTOP (Criterion) Monte Hellman’s 1971 indie classic is the fine wine of nihilistic ‘70s road pictures. James Taylor and Dennis Wilson are itinerant drag racers who travel the back roads of a dying United States searching for someone to take on their ’55 Chevy hotrod. Laurie Bird is the girl who hooks up with them for a spell. Warren Oates, in what might be the performance of his storied career, is a middle-aged dropout on the same empty quest with his new Pontiac G.T.O. Hellman has managed to create a piece of pure cinema with this spare, unflinching look at the dissolution of the American Dream. Bonuses: Commentaries by Hellman, Allison Anders, screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer, author David N. Meyer; Interviews with Hellman, cast and crew; Screen test outtakes; Featurettes; Photo and publicity gallery; Trailer. Widescreen. DTS-HD 5.1 surround.
THE WILD GEESE (Severin Films) Rip-snortin’ fun starring Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris and Hardy Kruger as a quartet of mercenaries hired to free a deposed African president from a maximum security prison. When they are foolishly crossed by their employer, the fun really begins. Aptly described as a Brit version of “The Expendables,” this film won’t win any awards, but remains one of the greatest pure entertainments of the ‘70s. Also starring Stewart Granger, Jeff Corey, Barry Foster and Frank Finlay. Written by the great Reginald Rose (“12 Angry Men”) and helmed by the venerable Andrew V. McLaglen. Bonuses: Interview with McLaglen, military advisor Mike Hoare; Commentary by McLaglen, Moore, producer Euan Lloyd, second unit director John Glen, moderated by Jonathan Sothcott; “The Last of the Gentlemen Producers,” documentary on Lloyd; Featurettes; Premiere newsreel footage; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
ASHANTI (Severin Films) Michael Caine stars as a doctor with the World Health Organization whose gorgeous physician wife (Beverly Johnson) is kidnapped by modern day slavers in Africa. Will he be able to rescue her before being sold to a slimy Saudi prince (Omar Sharif)? Caine has denounced this film as the nadir of his career, which has had its share of low points, and he just might be right. Stunt casting of aging stars (William Holden, Rex Harrison, Peter Ustinov) and a strong pedigree behind the camera (script by Stephen Geller, directed by Richard Fleischer) must have looked great on paper, but is a disaster in execution. Bonuses: Interview with Johnson; Trailer. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
JACKIE CHAN DOUBLE FEATURE (Shout Factory) Two of Chan’s biggest hits on both sides of the pond arrive on a single Blu-ray: “Crime Story” kicked off what might be Chan’s greatest franchise, playing a police detective on the edge who must solve a deadly kidnapping case. Possibly Chan’s finest hour, not only as a martial artist and acrobat, but as an actor, as well. Hugely influential film continues to be felt in today’s action pictures. “The Protector” isn’t in nearly the same class, but still has plenty of good fun. Chan co-stars with Danny Aiello as a pair of NYPD cops sent to Hong Kong to bring down a drug lord who has kidnapped the daughter of a former associate. Bonuses: Interviews with cast and crew; Deleted scenes; Trailers; Featurettes; Chan’s personal cut of “The Protector” (which is far superior to the theatrical release). Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 mono.
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL!
THE SIMPSONS—THE FIFTEENTH SEASON (20th Century Fox) More irreverent hilarity from the mind of Matt Groenig, who manages to still make every episode of this American institution as fresh as it was when it debuted. 22 episodes on four discs, with just a few of our favorites being: “Treehouse of Horror XIV,” “Fraudcast News,” “The Regina Monologues,” and “Smart & Smarter.” Loaded with bonus material, including: Featurettes; Commentary by exec producer Al Jean along with cast and crew; Deleted scenes with commentary; Multi-angle animation showcase; Special language feature; Commercials; Original sketch gallery, and much more. A must-have for any Simpsons fan and a good stocking-stuffer. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
ANGER MANAGEMENT: SEASON ONE (Lionsgate) Charlie Sheen proves he has more lives than a Cheshire Cat with this latest re-boot, starring as a non-traditional therapist specializing in anger management. His life is complicated by his relationships with his own therapist/best friend (Selma Blair), his ex (Shawnee Smith), and their teenage daughter (Daniela Bobadilla). Sheen is in fine form and the show takes full advantage of his bad boy past for much self-deprecating humor, as did “Two and a Half Men.” 2-disc set features ten episodes. Bonuses: Gag reel; Interview with Sheen; Featurette. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
SHAKA ZULU (A&E) Epic 10 part miniseries export from South Africa was an international smash upon its release in 1986, and remains one of the best of its kind. Telling the true story of the eponymous 19th century African king who become one of the first Africans to rise up against British colonialists, and single-handedly assembled an army that defeated what was then the most powerful military on the planet. Gorgeously restored from its original elements. Bonuses: Interview with cast and crew. Full screen. Dolby 2.0s stereo.
BEING HUMAN: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (eOne) More adventures of three twenty-something roommates: vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer), ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath) and werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington). Together they share the creature comforts of a Boston brownstone, while struggling to resist the temptations of their true natures and keep their secrets hidden from the outside world. Bonuses: Featurettes and interviews. Widescreen. Dolby 5.1 surround.
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