Category Archives: DVD

Mar 24 2012

Midnight In Paris

Viewed – 24 March 2012  DVD

It’s been a long time since I have sat down to watch a movie by directing legend Woody Allen.  I’m not sure why but my love of his brand of whimsical, angst-ridden relationship comedies, has waned over the years, and have found myself less and less interested in his output, which continues to be one of the most prolific outputs of any director currently working.  Yet post-Oscar season, this latest effort sparked my interest.

Owen Wilson plays a screenwriter who takes a holiday in Paris to work on his novel with fiance Rachel McAdams and her upper-class friends.  Yet he finds their company disenchanting, and although adoring Paris and its inspirational mystique, finds himself taking solitary midnight walks to gather his thoughts.  That’s when he is transported back into the 1920′s and starts mingling with the famous names of the era, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Pacasso and Salvador Dali etc.   This is a great concept and a perfect fit for Woody Allen’s often over-used nervy navel gazing lead characters and relationship woes.  The Paris locales are shot beautifully, clearly offering a love letter to the city like he did with New York in his classic Manhattan, and the writing is as sharp as he’s ever been.  Owen as expected is playing the ‘Woody Allen’ role but it works wonderfully for one of the most likable Hollywood stars around, and the various actors playing the famous faces, deliver perfectly fascinating caricatures.  McAdams is gorgeous, but doesn’t offer up anything various pretty actresses couldn’t have done just as well.  Inception’s Marion Cotillard instead delivers a far more enjoyable performance, exuding French sexiness and mystery.  Also for an Allen movie the comedy is played a touch too gentle and charming for my taste.

As a long time fan however, I feel so glad to be back in the director’s company, and although I’m sure he could have delivered just as good a movie if he had starred himself, his casting and choice of location won me over, leaving me with a really nice feeling as the credits rolled.

Verdict:  4 /5

Mar 21 2012

The Devils

Viewed – 21 March 2012  DVD

Occasionally here at The Movie Report, I come across movies that for a moment, I hesitate slipping into my DVD player.  Yet movies that court controversy and have had a torrid history with the censors have often intrigued me … call it the forbidden fruit.  One such movie is this, the late Ken Russell’s politically themed religious drama, starring the late, great Oliver Reed and also Vanessa Redgrave.  Reed plays a priest who manipulates women into his bed by using his religious beliefs and standing, and attracts the jealousy and hatred of a conflicted nun (Redgrave) who cursed with deformity, has never been able to capture the priest’s eye, and therefore accuses him of the devil’s work.

This brash, in-yer-face movie seems hell-bent on shocking and offending the viewer from the beginning.  Perhaps in the seventies, this would have been outrageous viewing, but these days with movies dripping with violence, sex, bad language and pretty much anything you can think of … it’s very difficult to be moved by much of what this movie is trying to hit you with.  Acting-wise Oliver Reed is excellent as the priest, as is a hysterical Redgrave in possibly her most controversial role.  The avant-garde set designs by Derek Jarman are also something to behold and is one of the reasons that over 40 years later, this movie still looks fantastic.  Some of the more censor-bating moments, like an orgy and religious imagery (such as a Christ-immitating Oliver Reed) have mostly been toned down in this ‘x’ certificate cut, which post battle-with-the-censors, has less of the shock  moments intact than the director originally intended.

As an example of British cinema at it’s more daring and of a famed director, this certainly remains worth your time.  Although if you’re expecting to be shocked to your core, then sorry – this was just to pantomime at times to be taken seriously.  I am glad I have finally seen it all the way through, but despite good performances and technically good direction, it failed to effect me in the way its controversial legacy lead me to believe.

This newly released Special Edition DVD from BFI, has a packed booklet exploring the movie and it’s censorship issues, and on the movie itself we get an introduction from Brit film critic Mark Kermode, and a commentary from Ken Russell amongst others.  Then on a second DVD we get several in-depth documentaries exploring the history and the making of the movie as well as its standing in British cinema history, with lots of previously thought to be lost footage, including glimpses of the infamous ‘rape of christ’ sequence.   A very impressive package.

Verdict:  3 /5

Mar 15 2012

Upcoming reviews

Over the next few weeks, here at The Movie Report, you can look forward to my humble opinions on the following…

The late Ken Russell’s shocking 1971 drama The Devils, re-released on DVD in a deluxe special edition, which I will be picking apart bit by bit.  Also we have a Woody Allen double bill, namely the recently Oscar nominated Midnight In Paris, as well as the all time classic Annie Hall, which is new to Blu-ray.  Then you will also be reading my opinion on the acclaimed Marilyn Monroe biopic, My Week With Marilyn.  Other than these titles, there will possibly be a few other yet unknown movies that may crop up, depending on what I come into possession of.

Check back here soon for all the above, and more!!

Mar 1 2012

Colombiana

Viewed – 01 March 2012  DVD

Sometimes, It’s worth going on instinct and not listening to reviews when it comes to a movie.  That may be a strange thing to say as a reviewer myself, but we don’t always get it right.  Or we expect too much.  This can be said for this stylish thriller written by French filmmaker / producer Luc Besson and starring the very beautiful Zoe Saldana (Avatar).

Zoe plays a Colombian girl named Cataleya (yes, not Colombiana) who witnesses her parents get killed by gangsters, and vows revenge.  Travelling to Chicago and being brought up by her uncle, she soon becomes a professional assassin and plies her trade in hope that one day, she’ll find her father’s killer.  This is nothing new, and for Luc Besson, he trod very similar ground in the cult favourite La Femme Nikita.  Yet Zoe Saldana makes for a great ice-cool killer and the various hits are executed with panache (including a very cool Police Station sequence).  Supporting cast are mostly bland, no-name bit part actors who fit the Colombia-heavy stereotype and don’t do much more than look bad-ass and fire lots of guns.  Besson’s chosen director Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3), name sounding like a Transformer aside, delivers a slick-looking experience and is obviously in love with his leading lady (who can blame him?).  The plot does rely on a few too many conveniences though, and some stuff  is very sloppily written, like the frankly bonkers way Cataleya’s identity gets discovered … yet overall this was fast, fun and satisfying – just switch off that brain, and you’ll have a ball.

Verdict:  3 /5

Feb 11 2012

RIO

Viewed – 10 February 2012  DVD

It would be easy to pass off many animated movies these days as simply more of the same, and although this likable entry has the same old themes, such as believing in yourself, fish out of water etc, it has enough comedy, lush visuals and all round ‘fun’ to make it worth your while.  Blu is a rare breed Macaw, who having been captured by poachers as a baby, soon becomes the pet of a young girl.  Over fifteen years they become inseparable.  Then one day a wildlife expert spots Blu and offers to take him and his owner to Brazil where he knows about a female Macaw, and if they hit it off, it could mean the saving of the species.  That is until a band of ruthless smugglers intervene.

From the guys behind the Ice Age movies, this is a vibrant and instantly enjoyable movie.  The voice acting, whilst nothing special adds personality, with Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway delivering the goods as the two Macaws.  The relationship between Blu and his owner is pretty much the same as that seen in other movies such as Bolt, and as a story, it’s fairly predictable.  Thankfully the gag factor is more hit than miss and the increasingly entertaining situations (with a memorable carnival chase) mean it never gets tiresome, and support characters like a rapping bird voiced brilliantly by The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.AM. and a salivating bulldog, brought more than a few giggles my way.  The Rio de Janeiro setting is also gorgeous and enhances the whole movie, meaning that all in all – this is one to see.

Verdict:  4 /5