Was Shakespeare a fraud?

Opening Statement

William Shakespeare died in Stratford in 1616. Seven years later, two of his colleagues published the First Folio, containing 36 plays. Much wackiness ensued in England over the next several decades, but the end of the seventeenth century saw two notable developments: 1) Shakespeare became hailed as a national treasure, and 2) Biography became a popular literary form. A biography of Shakespeare should have been the inevitable result, but the hoard of biographers who set themselves the task found...well, next to nothing. Shakespeare didn't leave a much of a paper trail beyond a couple of legal documents, including a lawsuit in which he sued a neighbor to recover a debt. That last sat poorly with those who had placed Shakespeare on a very high pedestal; how could the man who penned "The quality of mercy is not strained" In The Merchant of Venice behave like such a Shylock? After having matters further confused by a series of fake biographies, fake correspondence, and even some fake "newly discovered works", someone opined that since there was so little direct evidence linking Shakespeare to his work, perhaps someone else wrote them.

That person is, without question, the greatest troll in the annals of western civilization.

These days, there are two major camps in the anti-Stratfordian movement. The Marlovians contend that Christopher Marlowe faked his own death -- he was killed in a bar fight in 1593 -- and re-emerged as Shakespeare (He may also even now be on a tropical island with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe). The Oxfordians believe that the man behind the curtain was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. Columbia Pictures now brings before the court Anonymous, a movie based on the premise that Shakespeare was not who he seemed to be.

Facts of the Case

It is the twilight of the reign of Queen Elizabeth (Vanessa Redgrave, Mission: Impossible; in flashbacks, the younger Elizabeth is played by her daughter Joely Richardson, The Patriot). Having no legitimate heirs, Elizabeth has at length decided to name as her successor King James VI of Scotland -- the son of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Some of the more established nobility isn't thrilled with the idea of a Scotsman on the throne of England, particularly since his mother Mary was a Catholic. At the same time, with the War of the Roses still a fairly recent memory, everyone wants to avoid another dynastic civil war. In this tense time, the Earl of Essex (Sebastian Reid), whom some suspect is the illegitimate son of Elizabeth, is angling for the crown, supported by the young Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton (Xavier Samuel).

One afternoon, Edward deVere, Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans, Notting Hill; the younger Oxford is played by Jaimie Campbell Bower, Camelot) and the Wriothesley attend a play, at which de Vere is struck by the power that the drama has over the audience. He realizes that he can use plays to shape public opinion in such a way that Essex can ascend to the throne without bloodshed. The only problem is that no one can know he had anything to do with it. He enlists struggling poet Ben Johnson (Sebastian Armesto, Marie Antoinette) to present the plays as his own, but at the first public performance of Henry V, Johnson is a little slow in stepping forward to claim authorship, and one of the actors seizes the moment and claims authorship for himself -- a particularly annoying lout named Will Shakespeare (Rafe Spall). As de Vere's plays become more and more popular, he must contend with Shakespeare's greed, as well as the machinations of William and Robert Cecil (David Thewlis, DragonHeart, and Edward Hogg, Isle of Dogs, respectively), Elizabeth's spymasters, who are intent to see James on the throne.

As events play out over several years, de Vere finds out that political drama is a high stakes business -- and that he has a lot more to lose than just his life.

The Evidence

With Anonymous director Roland Emmerich (Godzilla) and writer John Orloff don't try to make a case for Oxford. Instead, they ask: If Oxford did write the plays, how did they end up attributed to this Shakespeare guy? That's not splitting hairs -- it's a key distinction, and it's one of several reasons that Anonymous is both an engaging political thriller and a celebration of William Shakespeare (the actual Shakespeare, not Edward de Vere). It lets them play fast and loose with the facts for dramatic effect (for instance, they have de Vere writing A Midsummer Night's Dream in his youth, around 1560-65, when the play, based on references to other works, was likely written ~1595). In fact, the movie plays out much like a Shakespearean play, with twists, turns, plot, counterplots, and revelations galore -- they even go so far as to have a prologue/epilogue for the play, performed in the present by famed Shakespearean (and noted Oxfordian) Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius). Setting history aside, the story works.

The performances are, for the most part, good. Ifans does a good enough job, but the shifting timelines force him to play things close to the vest lest he inadvertently reveal some last minute secrets. Others aren't as restricted though. Vanessa Redgrave flings herself into the role of Elizabeth -- near death, uncertain, and with faculties failing in one timeline, more assured and willful in an earlier one. But the one who stands out most is Sebastian Armesto's Ben Johnson. A man with no small talent, not only must he help another poet's work to eclipse his own, but he must also watch a less talented (in this move, at least) artist get the credit. His is the character we sympathize with the most.

While the question of historical accuracy is problematic (see the rebuttal), it doesn't diminish the movie's technical accomplishments; because of the limited budget, much of Tudor England was created using CGI -- including some of the interiors; the movie has a great look, particularly the interiors, which are frequently shot by candlelight. That look is captured well on the disc; while there are times when the background has a two-dimensional look, that is likely a function of the CGI rather than the video mastering. The audio is good as well; the movie doesn't require an aggressive sound mix, but crowd noises are particularly well imaged, whether in a theater or in a crowded tavern. The extras are a mixed bag. There is a featurette examining the authorship question -- it's a wee bit slanted towards Oxford, but that's to be expected. There are three deleted scenes that don't really add anything -- interestingly, there are snippets of other deleted scenes in the authorship featurette that look far more interesting. Finally, Emmerich and Orloff provide a commentary track that is good, but not great -- they spend a little too much time patting each other on the back. It's astounding that there was no making-of featurette -- there were very few physical sets, almost all of Tudor England was created with CGI, and it's always interesting to hear how actors approach playing historical figures.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Anonymous goes a little over the top in its characterizations -- de Vere is too idealized, the Cecil's are too scheming and villainous, and Shakespeare himself too buffoonish. The relatively large number of characters prevents much in the way of development, and the plot and the shifting time frames get needlessly convoluted at times, to the point where one suspects that the movie's a narrative shell game designed to keep viewers from thinking too hard on the authorship question itself, or on the historical inaccuracies. And by "inaccuracies", I don't mean authorship-related issues, I mean things that are flat out wrong, such as suggesting that Shakespeare slit Christopher Marlowe's throat in a dark alley when it is a documented fact that he was killed in a tavern in front of multiple witnesses. The easy answer is to simply say, well, it's just a movie, but that approach is more than just a little disingenuous. As de Vere notes, "all art is politics", and if that's true, it's as true about movies as it is about drama, particularly a movie presenting such a highly fictionalized version of history.

Closing Statement

Anonymous aspires to be the Shakespearean equivalent of JFK, and if Emmerich and Orloff had hewn a little closer to the actual facts, they might have pulled it off. However, the license taken with historical events transforms the story of Edward de Vere into more of an alternate history; put it another way, at some point, "dramatic license" becomes "pulling shit out of your ass". For all the movie's narrative prowess, the fact is that it is so committed to presenting Edward de Vere as the unquestioned author of Shakespeare's plays that it ultimately becomes little more than slickly-produced propaganda.

The Verdict

I don't for a minute believe that de Vere actually wrote the plays; this film presents a romantic fantasy in which that is the truth, but it is just that -- a fantasy, hopelessly at odds with the facts. Despite that, I couldn't help but feel sorry for de Vere as he watches his greatest creations torn away from him. To that end, Anonymous is an effective enough movie; unfortunately, it's effective enough that it might get people to accept the premise that de Vere wrote Shakespeare's plays even though it doesn't offer much evidence to that effect.

Guilty of intellectual dishonesty.

Hoop dreams.

Opening Statement

From ESPN films, a unique and emotionally rewarding sports documentary that will appeal in a big way to hoop heads but holds plenty of value for those looking for a different spin on the American Dream -- the Senegalese Dream.

Facts of the Case

For basketball hopefuls in Senegal, Dakar's SEEDS Academy represents the best opportunity to realize their greatest desire: it is a gateway to America, a place where visiting coaches from overseas scout the most skilled players, with prep school invitations at the ready.

Elevate follows four sixteen-year-olds as they (attempt to) transition from SEEDS to the United States, bringing with them a hope and prayer for a shot at college scholarship -- and perhaps the NBA?

The Evidence

I'm basketball guy, so this film is straight up my alley, but don't let the hoops-centric focus dissuade you. Director Anne Buford has crafted a wonderful documentary that keeps thing personal and small and Elevate is all the better for it. She doesn't get into geopolitics, the corruption of the NCAA, or any other world-beating topics. The lens stays focused on these four boys, as they scratch, claw, and assimilate; a journey which is hugely rewarding.

The road to semi-pro and pro basketball is compelling on its own. The amount of work up-and-coming players have to invest, the grades they have to maintain, the time that is demanded of them, all for merely a sliver of a molecule of a chance at the NBA. Now add the dimension of these kids coming from Senegal and you've truly got something.

For these kids, an invite to a prep school is a world-changer. The basketball potential lies beyond, but right in front of them is a chance to score a quality education and return home with a degree. As state in the documentary, there are cultural repercussions for this success as well: the graduates come back and show other kids from their home the path to success.

This pressure is evident on their faces and in their actions. Whether they're struck speechless when given the news they've been offered a prep school scholarship or emotionally devastated when their visa is rejected, Buford's cameras show us that what is at stake is far more than a four year party at the U.

Unfortunately, the DVD is a featherweight: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 2.0 stereo, and no extras. That last one is a huge bummer.

Closing Statement

Four kids, four dreams, and a windmill dunk of inspiration. Watch this movie!

The Verdict

Not Guilty, playa!

This sister is one bad mother!

Opening Statement

After the Quentin Tarantino-Robert Rodriguez double-bill effort Grindhouse disappointed at the box office, fans lamented that talented filmmakers would be less likely to flex their creative muscles in the arena of exploitation movies. Nevertheless, feature length versions of Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun were made for the audiences that appreciate them. Cheaply-made schlock shouldn't be an excuse for lowering standards, however, and Nude Nuns with Big Guns is an example of tasteless filmmaking disguised as cult genre entertainment.

Facts of the Case

Sister Sarah (Asun Ortego) devoted herself to serving God, but her life is a living hell. The convent is a front for drug traffickers and her priests are in cahoots with a biker gang. After Sarah is drugged and put into service at a brothel, she receives a message from God to seek bloody vengeance. Rescued and equipped by a sympathetic old man, she wages a one-woman battle against her former captors.

The Evidence

The makers of Nude Nuns with Big Guns imply enough of an association with Robert Rodriguez that they might have to pay royalties to the maverick filmmaker. The music for this movie is oh-so-similar to Planet Terror and the Freak Show Entertainment logo with the fireball in the background reminds me a lot of the logo for Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios. However, director Joseph Guzman's movie lacks the joy and go-for-broke exuberance that can make a low-rent effort entertaining despite its limitations. This movie banks on its gimmicky title and does little more than pander to low tastes.

Nudity is plentiful but almost none of it is photographed in an attractive manner. The nuns are forced to work in the cocaine packing facility naked. Maybe this is because the priests fear they might steal some of the product but that level of explanation would be too complex for this movie. The bikers hang out in brothels, strip clubs and bars where naked women are passed out over the counter. Strung-out or enslaved are the main reasons for female nudity but the movie also throws in a lesbian sex scene and a pair of rapes for good measure.

Violence consists mainly of gunfights that are staged in a lazy manner. The editing is straightforward and the camera soaks up the bullet wounds and splatter effects with relish. Considering how slowly Sister Sarah moves, it's a miracle she isn't made into Swiss cheese. Perhaps she really is doing the will of God? Certainly, nothing happens on screen to explain her invulnerability to bullets or her sudden expert marksmanship. The main bad guy, Chavo (David Castro, The Lincoln Lawyer), receives a pretty horrendous death. Disappointingly, his henchman and go-to rapist Kickstand (Xango Henry, Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star) bites the dust too easily.

The barest of scripts links the nude scenes with the violent scenes, and sometimes they're the same scenes. The plot can be summarized simply: Sister Sarah is abused, and then she gets revenge. The script takes delight implicating the church in the wrongdoings but for all the depth that is afforded to the villains, they could just as well have been dairy farmers. Chavo, the leader of the bike gang, is the only character with any dimension and I'm being generous when I say that. He has a dark sense of humor, like when he warns the gang of a vigilante gunning for bad guys and then reminds them, "We are the bad guys." Chavo has moments where he's smoothly menacing and others where he's bonkers. It feels like these moments were crafted for each individual scene rather than working toward a complete picture of the character. Castro's performance, like the rest of the movie, grabs your attention in short, noisy moments but it doesn't add up to anything memorable.

Nude Nuns with Big Guns (Blu-ray) disappoints on the technical level as well. The 1.78:1/1080p high definition picture quality is moderately better than a DVD transfer in terms of color saturation and overall sharpness. The color palette is rather earthy and there is good richness of texture in a few interior scenes showing that at least the art direction and set design were given proper attention. The high contrast image makes the shadows murky and the highlights overblown. At random times, the picture adopts a deep color cast, which is definitely an intentional, stylistic effect, but it's just covering up a crummy looking picture.

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 but it's thoroughly unimpressive. During the first ten minutes of the movie, the dialogue was mixed way too low in comparison to the music. Cranking up the volume only marginally improved audibility but did nothing for clarity. A few times, when characters are shouting, the dialogue recording is distorted. I didn't remember if the surround mix was used to any effect and only notice that it was mixed in 5.1 when I looked at the back cover. The music is presented quite loud and clear. Did I mention how it reminds me of the music from Planet Terror?

The original short film, running four minutes, is included on the disc. It looks like a practice effort for one scene that is actually written and staged better in the feature. Whether deliberate or not, it's in very rough shape visually showing discoloration and physical damage. Also included on the disc is the trailer reminding you this is from the people that brought you Run! Bitch! Run!

The Rebuttal Witnesses

If you really don't care about story and character development (and haven't used the word misogyny in a sentence before) and just want to see lots of boobs and lesbian sex and bloody violence, then perhaps you'll find some value in this movie. The novelty of seeing a nun with a massive arsenal wasting bad guys might be amusing enough for some. Plus, Sister Sarah's Catholic-laced quips such as "Forgive me, Lord, for I am about to sin" might elicit some chuckles if you're suitably wasted.

Closing Statement

The movie delivers what its title promises, but to accept that as a measure of accomplishment requires setting the bar very low. Guzman has surely delivered the cheap thrills of nudity and violence but cheapening out on story and characters is where viewers will feel short-changed. Even if you skip ahead to the "good parts" (I use that term liberally here) it's hard to recommend this one.

The Verdict

Guilty.

In this film, for the first time, it is the band that tells their story.

The Case

I was lucky enough to grow up with two older brothers who were in their teens when I was still just a kid. As a result, I was privy to the best possible classical education: Bugs Bunny, Monty Python and, of course, Queen. I remember closely studying the amazing artwork on my brother's "News of the World" album time and time again, while I soaked in the amazing sounds of one of the greatest stadium rock bands of all time. I was just eight years old, but my love for Queen was planted deep back then and over time, those roots have become very strong.

As a long-time fan of the band, I jumped at the opportunity to review the Blu-ray release of Queen: Days of Our Lives and I wasn't disappointed. Originally airing in May 2011 in two separate parts on BBC and reaching an impressive three million viewers, this documentary really stands out as a near-complete chronicle of Queen. From the early years when guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor first played together in a band called "Smile," through to Freddie Mercury's declining health and eventual death, the film hits both the highs and the lows, finally wrapping up with a solid feeling that Queen's enduring legacy seems to be stronger than ever. There is some fantastic content on this release that should more than satisfy even die-hard fans, including Queen's appearance on Britain's Top of the Pops music show in February 1974, footage from various studio recording sessions, bits and pieces of American tour footage and much more. As much as I thought I knew about Queen, it was fascinating to learn among other things that it took them almost eight years to really strike a chord in America and despite huge successes with record sales and live performances in their early career, the band nearly went bankrupt and almost had to fold, all due to a band management deal.

As thorough as the content is overall, there are some rather large gaps which would have made Queen: Days of Our Lives even that much stronger. The absence of any current interview from bass player John Deacon is a real head-scratcher. Deacon has participated in biographical content on the band in the past, but for whatever reason he is completely absent from this presentation, aside from historical interview footage, which is fortunately quite strong. Even May and Taylor seem to steer clear of any real references to John, as though they have been directed to leave him out of their comments on the band's history. It's unfortunate, as with Mercury gone, Deacon would no doubt have offered a unique and valuable additional perspective on Queen, their history and their legacy. Another topic completely left out is Queen's contributions to the cult films Flash Gordon and Highlander. This is a missed opportunity, as their songs and musical compositions contributed significantly to the success of both films and provide some of the moments that fans love most. Finally, there is no mention of the significant impact Queen had or continues to have on pop culture. From sports teams chanting "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You" to the hilarious sequence from the 1992 film Wayne's World where the main characters and their friends belt out the words to "Bohemian Rhapsody," the band and their music have left a deep impression on world culture.

For Queen fans that haven't seen this documentary, the primary question becomes whether to purchase it in SD or HD format. If you have Blu-ray capability, definitely take that direction, as for just a few dollars more you'll at least be getting the contemporary interview footage in sharp, vivid 1080i HD. Granted, the majority of the other content is of mixed quality, coming from historical footage and interviews, but the few extra bucks will be well spent. Even though much of the content is from SD sources, the audio and video presentations on this release are solid. This is not a concert release, so abandon any expectations of consistent picture quality, but the producers have gone to great lengths to weave the content together in a logical flow. While much of the original audio will have come from analog sources, the 2.0 mix is well balanced and relatively clean throughout. The extra features include seven new videos of some of Queen's most famous songs, and additional content and interviews that were not included in the main documentary.

Easily one of the most popular, prolific, and memorable bands of all time, Queen made their mark on the world early in their music career and even once the core foursome dissolved, Brian May and Roger Taylor have continued on with other singers making guest appearances with the band. The true test of staying power lies in the way every new generation embraces the music of four lads from London. It's a kind of magic indeed.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

That's one small step...

The Case

The Race to Space: America's Greatest Journey bills itself as a "ten-part documentary series." It's not. It's actually three David L. Wolper-made news specials from the early days of the space race, plus a 2009 documentary about Apollo 11, plus several NASA-made documentaries from the public domain. It's a mixed bag, to say the least. If you're looking for an authoritative history of the space program, move along. If, on the other hand, you're a die-hard space fanatic (like, say, myself), there are some interesting tidbits here and there in this two-disc package, making it arguably worth adding to your collection.

For space-heads, the three Wolper specials -- 1958's The Race for Space, 1959's Project: Man in Space, and 1964's Race for the Moon -- are the main attraction. While there is an enormous amount of archival film and television material from the time of the moon landings (1969-1972) out there (indeed, some of it is included in this "ten-part documentary series"), there is actually very little documentary-style material available from the earliest days of the space race. The films themselves -- the first two hosted by a young-looking Mike Wallace (60 Minutes), the latter narrated by Wallace's CBS co-worker Bill Stout -- are actually quite well made, but they are heavily pitched towards addressing the interests of American viewers of their times. The Race for Space, to pick one example, seems mainly concerned with reassuring the American public that we (the USA) are taking this whole space thing seriously, while also making sure they know that Congress is definitely looking into who dropped the ball on the whole making-sure-the-Soviets-didn't-orbit-a-satellite-first thing. That's not of much interest to someone looking to learn about the basic history of the space race -- but it's a fascinating look into contemporaneous attitudes towards space and the space program for people already well-versed in space history. For the latter, there's a wealth of rarely-seen footage of early Mercury and Apollo tests, as well as an interesting example of Russian disinformation: the Wolper documentaries tout their "exclusive" footage of the launches of Sputniks 1 and 2, provided by the Ministry of Culture of the USSR itself. However, both are shots of other launches of a much smaller rocket (apparently the R-2A sounding rocket) than the ICBM-based launcher that actually launched the two satellites.

The fourth documentary, Journey to the Moon, is a 2008 film about the Apollo 11 mission. Unlike the Wolper films, this program is perfectly appropriate for space newbies. It's a good, solid summary of the mission, full of interviews and high-quality (given its age) film footage of the Apollo 11 flight. If you can't get enough Neil and Buzz, the set also includes Time of Apollo, the "official" Apollo 11 film produced by NASA in 1969, which is also included in this set. The official NASA films for Apollos 12, 13, and 17 are also included, plus a NASA film entitled Fly Me To The Moon and Back about the mission planners behind the scenes of the moonshots. These NASA films are all about half an hour long, and are in the public domain, so they're fairly easy to find both online and in other DVD compilation. Unfortunately, they all are in fairly rough shape from an image and sound standpoint, although these are probably the best copies (relatively speaking) that I've seen. Finally, an Apollo 11 slideshow and the complete footage of John F. Kennedy's famous Rice University speech of September 12, 1962, where he committed the US to landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, round out the set.

Other than Journey to the Moon, which is only a couple of years old, these films are over 50 years old, and do look it. The public domain NASA films are the worst of the lot, as discussed above. The three Wolper films, which are all black and white, fare better. There's some occasional damage present, and the film's grain is fairly coarse, but overall they're not significantly different in visual quality from, say, an early Twilight Zone episode. The sound is, of course, all mono, but it's serviceable (and much better on the Wolper films than on the NASA films, which suffer from the softness and muting typical of your average 16mm grade school biology film).

While it's far from being the perfect history of the space program, there's actually quite a bit of content in The Race for Space: America's Greatest Journey, given the set's list price of $9.99 -- which equates to $5.99 on Amazon. If you're a space fan, and if you don't already own the NASA public domain films in another format, this would be a decent addition to your space library. If you're a space novice looking for the drama and intrigue of America's greatest journey, I'd recommend going with From the Earth to the Moon and The Right Stuff (the excellent book, not the merely good movie).

The Verdict

Guilty of being a sub-par introduction for novices, but sentenced to time served for being a good value for hardcore space nuts.

Serve. Protect. Lie.

Opening Statement

On paper, The Son of No One sounds picture perfect. Combining a tale of police corruption in just post-9/11 New York with a tale of a cop from the wrong side of town attempting to live with the ghosts of the past sounds like a surefire winner. Add to that a cast that includes cop-drama stalwarts like Al Pacino and Ray Liotta and otherwise excellent performers like Tracy Morgan and Juliette Binoche. The Son of No One should have cleaned up at the box office and the awards shows. Instead, it never opened in more than ten theaters and barely did a new car's worth of business. Though The Son of No One (Blu-ray) is a fine way to view the film, it's not a case of an unjustly ignored flick coming to light after studio mismanagement.

Facts of the Case

It's just a few months after the attacks of September 11th, and new cop Jonathan White (Channing Tatum, The Eagle) has been transferred to the 118th precinct in Queens, the same rundown neighborhood he grew up in. He's keeping his life on track, but someone is sending letters to the local paper claiming the police covered up a pair of murders in 1986. These murders were committed by a young Jonathan and covered up by his dead father's partner (Al Pacino, Heat). As the other members of the precinct work to keep these secrets buried, Jonathan wrestles with his conscience.

The Evidence

In the hands of a master writer, the basic ideas that The Son of No One puts into play are compelling. The idea of a young guy from the projects who was pushed to murder, an act which the cops covered up, is a solid one. The fact that the young guy grows up to be a cop just like his dead father adds another layer to the story. The anonymous source sending letters about the murders to a journalist adds a level of intrigue and generates forward movement. Setting the whole thing just after 9/11 generates even more tension. Why then, does the film fail to be great, or even very good?

The Son of No One makes a strategic mistake in trying to be a 90-minute police thriller. Cop Land didn't really work until the 116-minute director's cut, and the film that The Son of No One should be looking to is Mystic River, which took almost two and a half hours to spin its tale of how much adults can be haunted by their childhood experiences. That's the issue with The Son of No One: it brings into play all the weight and pathos of a film like Mystic River and tries to dispense with it all in a 90-minute blast of quick cuts and sketchy character motivation.

The decision leads the film to other mistakes as well. The flashback structure doesn't work; we get interspersed flashbacks that interrupt the film's forward momentum. Pushing all those scenes to the beginning would have been a much more solid storytelling move. The ending is also shortchanged by the film's attempt at breakneck speed. If the film had taken the time to really dwell in the story's emotional weight, the revelation once everything unraveled in the end might have felt appropriate. As it is, the explanation for who and why the letters are sent feels capricious and seems like a cheat by the filmmakers.

Finally, this might be a bit shallow, but Channing Tatum's moustache in this film is distracting. I understand he's a sex symbol and all that, but the facial hair doesn't seem to fit his character, the setting, or anything else. Maybe it looks cool on the poster, but I genuinely found it distracting in the film.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

The film doesn't fail because of the acting. Channing Tatum is fine as Officer White. It's not a great performance, but I don't get the sense that he was given a lot to work with. Ray Liotta is his usual dependable self, while James Ransone shows us what would have happened if his character from The Wire became a cop. The real standouts to me are Tracy Morgan and Al Pacino. Neither have many scenes, but they're perfect. Morgan has to play the mentally ill witness to White's earlier misdeeds, and his tortured and confused looks are heartbreaking. Pacino, on the other hand, plays a confident older cop. This is his best work in years. He has a scene with the young White (in a 1986 flashback), and it's a master class in acting. Pacino completely tones down his "I'm doing Pacino" persona to give the kind of affecting, commanding performance he hasn't tried to give in a while.

This Blu-ray is also better than the film deserves. The 2.35:1 AVC encoded image is generally good, with a few great moments. The look of the film is definitely gritty, but detail stays strong (even when the important details are out of focus). Black levels are the most important aspect of the transfer, and here the disc excels. Shadow detail is strong, and the black are consistent and deep. The DTS-HD track isn't quite as strong, with clean dialogue but unimpressive stereo imaging and use of surrounds. It's not awful, but the sound design just isn't that great.

Extras start with a so-so commentary track featuring writer/director Dito Montiel and executive producer Jake Pushinsky. When they speak they have a few interesting things to say about the film, but there's too much silence to make this track consistently interesting. We also get 6 minutes of extended scenes that were very justifiably dropped from the final film, and the film's trailer.

Closing Statement

There are some really interesting ideas at play in The Son of No One, but the film squanders every opportunity to exploit them by aiming for thriller territory instead of being the drama that the material demands. Worth a rental for fans of Tatum, who gets a lot of screen time, or for those who want to fast forward until either Tracy Morgan or Al Pacino are on the screen. Otherwise, there's nothing to recommend this flick.

The Verdict

Guilty.

"It was easy, folks. It was easy." -- Roger Sagner, just after taking a legally prescribed fatal dose of drugs

Opening Statement

Roger Sagner's recorded death that begins this documentary may have been easy -- as he assures those present and those watching, using up some of his last breaths to do so. However, the rights that allowed him to legally choose the time and manner of his death were not easily obtained. Director Peter Richardson's How to Die in Oregon examines the human implications of that state's controversial law allowing physician-assisted suicide, primarily through the story of one woman with terminal cancer. It's a documentary about a crucially important issue that a lot of people don't want to think about. Like the death it depicts, the film is emotionally harrowing and unexpectedly, heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

Facts of the Case

How to Die in Oregon gives us snippets of several people's dying processes and the work of volunteers who shepherd them through the personal decisions and legal hurdles involved in pursuing an assisted suicide. The bulk of the film, though, tracks that journey as undertaken by one woman, Cody Curtis, who is dying of colon cancer in her mid-fifties. Chronicling her family's feelings about Cody's choice of assisted suicide, her relationship with her physician, and her evolving attitudes toward death during a long dying process, the documentary provides a comprehensive and intimate look at a single death.

The Evidence

"It's a very human thing to die," Cody says, as she contemplates her own impending death. She's right, in the sense that death unites all humanity, representing a truly universal experience. And yet, humans -- at least American humans -- haven't been very good at dying for some time now. Cody's statement gives death connotations of ease and naturalness, but it rarely seems to feel that way in our hyper-medicalized culture. Treatments and technologies that can extend life also tend to extend the suffering associated with our top causes of death, the vast majority of which are withering diseases like cancer or heart failure. Though How to Die in Oregon's title may seem flippant, the challenges these long and painful modern deaths create really do raise the need for "how to" manuals -- and, in the opinion of right-to-die advocates, for better alternatives. As Cody puts it, "If I had an option, I would prefer not to die, thank you very much. But given that I know I'm going to die, does an extra three months of fluid leaking through my pores sound that great? No. I'd rather go when I'm still feeling okay and when I can still communicate with my family."

While the film is certainly an advocacy documentary -- endeavoring not only to educate viewers about right-to-die issues, but also to suggest a favorable outlook upon them -- the political aspect of Cody's death is only one section of a much larger portrait. Even for the audience member who doesn't care much about the political aspect or positions herself on the other side of this debate, How to Die in Oregon offers profound lessons about dying that are too little acknowledged in our culture. One that Cody learns is that death's timing is hard to predict, and that its unpredictability can be psychologically difficult. After outliving a prognosis of six more months and still feeling good, Cody isn't quite sure how to process her continuing vitality, what (if anything) to plan for the future, or how to time the rituals of farewell she's been planning. Another difficult lesson is that successfully navigating the psychology of dying doesn't make the physical aspects of dying easier or more moldable. When Cody feels like she has accepted her death and is ready to go, her body won't cooperate with her mind: "I thought I would just drift away, but my body's so strong. It was clear that I wasn't going to drift away, that it was going to be excruciating and long." Difficult as it is to accept, the fact is that very few of us will be lucky enough to "drift away" quickly and peacefully when our lives end. For Cody and the hundreds of other Oregonians who have exercised their right to physician-assisted suicide, what mattered was the ability to have that quick, peaceful exit when pain makes life no longer worth living.

In addition to its demystification of the death, How to Die in Oregon makes another all-too-rare offering to its audience: one model of dying well. Cody is conscious of wanting to make that offering, not to the film's audience but to her family: "I feel like I want to model for my children a kind of grace and acceptance." Indeed it is difficult to conceive of a someone dying much more gracefully than Cody, who retains so much of her warmth, humor, and joyfulness throughout her struggle. Cody's story illustrates how one can continue to live meaningfully even under the shadow of a terminal diagnosis. In that time, we see Cody hiking with her family, visiting old friends, tending her garden, and teaching her son family recipes that only she knows. Cody keeps living even as she is dying, she retains what control she reasonably can in her medical decisions and in her choice of physician-assisted suicide, and she accepts what she cannot control or predict in this tumultuous process. Hearing her reflections on this journey throughout the film and getting a little glimpse of her death when it does come felt like great privileges.

While Cody's story forms the core of the film, the others in How to Die in Oregon can be equally moving, if brief. One dying man who prided himself on his singing and speaking voice goes to a recording studio to do a eulogy for himself to play at his funeral. Another describes finally understanding why his parents "wanted out" when they were dying. He says with the lethal drugs he is prescribed, he'll lay down and go to sleep: "That's the decent thing to do. For once in my life, I'll be decent." The film devotes a bit more attention to the widow of a man who died an extremely painful death in Washington and made a last request of his wife: to fight for a Death with Dignity law in Washington, so that others can avoid the suffering he endured. This story works very well in the film, both emotionally and practically, because it provides a spokesperson for the right to die movement whose personal experience illuminates a lot of what's at stake in the debate.

Having read about How to Die in Oregon back when it played at Sundance, I was thrilled to hear that it would be distributed on DVD by Docurama. As usual, they offer a great documentary and present it well. The image quality is quite good for this scale of production, especially the rich color that crops up here and there (though some compression artifacts are visible). Speech is clear throughout. The main extra is a generous helping of deleted scenes, totaling 43 minutes. About half of these follow one man with cancer who collects signatures for getting Washington's Death with Dignity law on the ballot. There are also three that follow up with Nancy, the woman who fought for that law after her husband's painful death.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

The documentary at one point makes a what appears to be a gesture toward showing the other point of view in the right-to-die debate by interviewing a man who could get an assisted suicide financially covered but not life-extending treatments. While there are certainly important points to be made about the social inequalities that persist in the "universal" experience of death -- and about how these affect right-to-die issues -- it feels like How to Die in Oregon should either have devoted more attention to this matter or omitted it. What we do get in the film feels so brief and superficially covered that it's a bit disorienting.

Closing Statement

When you take a step back from the right to die debate, it becomes clear that part of the problem with figuring out what's moral and what should be legal in dying is that no one trying to sort through those issues has ever gone through the experience in question. None of us can truly know what dying is like until we do it, but that doesn't change our need to make decisions -- as individuals and as a society -- about end-of-life care. Documentaries such as How to Die in Oregon (or Silverlake Life: The View from Here, The End, or The Suicide Tourist) can be such a help here, allowing us to grasp some understanding -- however partial, however distant -- of one of life's most important and enigmatic events.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

"Is anyone seeing this?" -- Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon)

Opening Statement

If you have the stomach to follow the news, you're aware of the depressing fact that the average American family is lucky to have enough money in savings to cover a month or two of their bills. That means that even a small accident can mean the difference between comfort and catastrophe. In recent years, filmmakers have delighted in giving us films that show us just how close the average person lives to catastrophe, whether it's realistic economic woes or more fanciful sci-fi dangers. They are all surpassed by Take Shelter, a quiet, harrowing film that includes a magnificent performance from Michael Shannon and does a perfect job capturing what it felt like to live in America in 2011.

Facts of the Case

Curtis (Michael Shannon, Cecil B. Demented) is a hardworking family man who is largely living the American dream. He has a beautiful wife (Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life) and a loving daughter, and can provide for them with a job that he doesn't hate. They're even saving up to take a vacation at Myrtle Beach. Even his health insurance is good, so the fact that his daughter is deaf and needs cochlear implants isn't a huge problem. However, he's been having dreams, dreams of storms coming, and the storm shelter in the backyard starts to obsess him.

The Evidence

The average American does not live in total squalor. Most people live a day-to-day existence that is downright comfortable compared to similar situations even a hundred years ago. Indoor plumbing, electricity, a roof, and a decent amount of food (though a criminally large percentage of our population goes hungry) all have generally improved things over the last two centuries. In some ways it sounds like the good life. It sounds like the good life until we realize that many (if not most) people lead a life of crushing anxiety about keeping these comforts. Fears about job loss, mortgages, and health insurance plague many people, making it difficult to enjoy even the modest comforts that the average person can afford.

What Take Shelter does brilliantly is dramatize those anxieties. Rather than making a (boring) film about a guy worrying about his mortgage, Take Shelter gives its protagonist visions of storms and impending violence. As the audience, we are put in Curtis' place. We worry that this gentle, likeable man may be mentally ill (like his schizophrenic mother) and how that might affect his loving family. Even worse, we may worry that his visions are fundamentally correct, and he's not mentally ill, which would indicate some kind of apocalyptic horror on the horizon. Taken the first way, the film becomes a drama where our everyday anxieties are externalized for a likeable stand-in. Taken the second, and the film is an apocalyptic drama that verges on the surreal.

The film's chief strength is that it doesn't make the audience choose. The most diehard atheist can watch Take Shelter and find some common ground between the fears experienced by Curtis and examples from their own life. In the same way, the most florid born-again Christian will latch on to the Noah's ark parallels and find a tale about prophecy and faith. The fact that the film doesn't come down on one side or the other is what makes it a compelling film.

The film's second strength is Michael Shannon. I first saw him in Cecil B. Demented, and like most of the actors in that fantastic film, he didn't do much high-profile work following it. Then 2010 happened, and he was cast in Boardwalk Empire to excellent reviews. I enjoy his performances on that show, but in Take Shelter his art moves to a whole different level. He runs the gamut of emotions from love for his daughter to fear for her safety, and the anxiety produced by his own impending madness. There's not a false note or unbelievable instant in the whole film, and the fact that he wasn't tipped for a gold statue is one of the worst oversights in awards history. Although she's given much less to do, Jessica Chastain holds her own against such a strong performance. Much like Shannon, she's been around a while, and 2011 was her year as well. She keeps her character from being a one-note harpy who just pooh-poohs her husband's fears about a coming storm.

The film is also aided by this DVD release. The film's 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is clean and bright, perfectly serving the film's excellent cinematography. Detail is impressive throughout, and digital artefacts aren't a problem. Considering this was a fairly low-budget film, it looks amazing. The 5.1 audio fares equally well. The dialogue is clean and well-balanced with the excellent score, and the low end rumbles appropriately when Curtis imagines he hears thunder.

Extras start with a commentary by writer/director Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon. The track isn't as revealing as fans of a film like Take Shelter would appreciate, but it gives some solid details on the film's low-budget origins and production stories. There are also some deleted scenes that that are a bit unnecessary, and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Finally, we get a Q&A with Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Oh, but people are going to be arguing about the ending of this film for years. Personally, I'm not a fan. Rather than feeling ambiguous, it feels like a "have your cake and eat it too" kind of move. To be fair, though, this film constructs a narrative noose so tight that I can't figure out a better way to end things either.

Thinking about many viewers, Take Shelter is probably a bit too long at two hours. Though Shannon is never less than riveting, by the 90-minute mark it can get to be overwhelming. I'm sure of that is intentional, but that doesn't always make it a pleasure to sit through.

Closing Statement

Take Shelter is a beautiful, well-acted drama that reads like an apocalyptic take on the new economic climate following the 2008 recession. Whether read as a tale of faith or madness, Take Shelter includes some amazing performances and assured directing. This DVD edition is solid, and worth at least a rental for adventurous film fans.

The Verdict

I won't be looking for storms on the horizon, but Take Shelter is not guilty.

"Urban legends from the Ceaucescu era, also called 'The Golden Age' in communist propaganda."

Opening Statement

Urban legends sprout up everywhere, but a state where the media is controlled, such as Romania during Nicolai Ceaucescu's era, apparently makes the most fertile breeding ground. In Tales from the Golden Age (or Amintiri din epoca de aur, if you speak Romanian), director Cristian Mungou (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) puts some of those (probably untrue) stories on film, preserving both the harsh reality of communism and the stories people told each other to get through it.

Facts of the Case

Preparations for a state visit, photo retouching at a state newspaper, efforts to fight illiteracy, attempts to slaughter a pig in an apartment, a scheme to collect bottles, and the quest for eggs before Easter all go very, very wrong.

The Evidence

Tales from the Golden Age has a deliberate pacing that may put off some viewers. In the first tale, for example, a village is making preparations for a state visit that lean toward the ridiculous. You might smile occasionally during the preparations, which take up about 15 minutes of screen time. However, it's not until the obvious first twist -- the visit is actually going to happen somewhere else -- that things start to spin out of control, in this case, literally, on a carousel. At this point, the bleak humor is likely to have you laughing, albeit involuntarily, while you also start to have an admiration for the spirit of the Romanians who told the tale.

That's the pattern Tales from the Golden Age roughly follows for more than two hours. The two funniest stories -- the pig slaughtering fiasco and the pair who pose as air testers to steal bottles to collect the deposits -- play out more conventionally, but otherwise, the movie doesn't shoot for belly laughs. The last story, about a chicken truck driver who decides to share the eggs laid en route, will leave you feeling more sad than amused.

Each of the stories starts with some grain of truth about an area of Romanian life. For the most part, the performances are realistic and subdued, so that the dialogue, even when someone's explaining how champagne bottles fit into an air testing system, seems like something normal and everyday. The stories spend a lot of time showing viewers life in Romania just a few years back, a background foreigners and young Romanians need to get the big punchlines when they come. Scenes of singing patriotic songs in class, people crowding around the one video player on the block, workers lined up for a bonus paid in much-desired eggs, or a town crier in a rural village constantly show just how bad things were. On film, these reminders are more potent than anything you'll read in a history book.

The stories are set against the cramped, drab city apartments and primitive village conditions that you'd expect in a story of communist-era Romania (or anywhere in the Soviet Bloc). The picture isn't fancy, but it gets the job done.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

For some viewers, the natural feel of Tales from the Golden Age may be a liability. At times, it's just slow. Patient viewers with an interest in how people lived through an extreme situation will be fascinated with the small details unearthed by the setups as well as the eventual punchlines.

There are no extras. It would have been interesting to have some background on life in communist Romania.

Closing Statement

Tales from the Golden Age isn't the movie you'd want if you were choosing for the one video player on the block. While there are laughs, director Cristian Mungiu always leans toward dramatizing history over punchlines. However, if you're intrigued at this point, you'll want to see it.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

"This game is the most dynamic game in the world. It changes with every roll of the dice."

The Case

The first change in what became Monopoly was a complete reversal: the game was inspired by The Landlord's Game, which was designed to illustrate the evils of capitalism in a fun way. If, like me, you've never upgraded your Monopoly board, you could be surprised to learn there's something called a speed die, which makes the game faster. Of course, the idea of Monopoly-themed bathrooms could be the most surprising aspect of the board game.

Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story frames its examination of the game's appeal around national and world tournaments. The documentary goes into the history of Monopoly, its place in pop culture, strategy, the international appeal of the game, and other miscellaneous trivia. It even covers the Monopoly romance that sprung up between a national champion and a Las Vegas showgirl (all the better to get a clip of her show in); they're no longer together, as noted in the commentary, but she's now quite good at Monopoly.

Under the Boardwalk is heavy on quotes from people involved in the tournaments. Since it is a popular game, I'd have liked to have heard more from average players. However, there wouldn't be as much material on strategy (When should you pay to get out of jail quickly?). The amount of strategy involved in tournament Monopoly surprised me almost as much as those bathrooms.

The documentary includes lots of vintage clips and footage, dating back to an early movie appearance by Monopoly in 1936's Meet Nero Wolfe. Thus, the picture quality is variable; there are no problems with it, though.

The DVD includes quite a few extras. There's a commentary with director Kevin Tostado and producer Craig Bentley, in which you'll learn about the making of the film. There's also a three-part short course in the game from expert Tim Vandenberg, a teacher who uses Monopoly in his classes. He'll explain why the iron is the favorite token, show probability charts used in his class, and clarify some myths about the rules. His presentation also includes some pointers on the psychology of the game. Extended scenes from the Canadian and Australian tournaments and a complete world championship game are featured. There's a short outtakes bit, with narrator Zachary Levi (Chuck) trying to get the pronunciation of "Reading" right. If that weren't enough, you can take a past Monopoly tournament qualifying quiz (I got less than half right; I'm not "ready for the big leagues," as they put it). All told, there's more than three hours of extra material. While the tournament clips are for the hardcore Monopoly buff, anyone who has ever played the game will appreciate Vandenberg's strategy course.

Regular Monopoly players will probably want to buy Under the Boardwalk, and it's interesting enough to rate a rental or Netflix for the occasional player.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

Make it Wain.

The Case

David Wain, known primarily for his time with MTV's The State, the brief Comedy Central series Stella, and the fine directorial efforts of Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models, pumps a high concentration of absurdity into this web series. Each episode clocks in at just a few minutes and all four seasons total less than three hours.

What you lose in runtime you gain in deliriously ridiculous comedy. I suppose Wain's type of shenanigans could be considered an acquired taste, but unless Chuck Lorre sitcoms are all you would think is funny in this world, I have a hard time seeing how anyone could suppress befuddled laughter at the sight of Wain putting on lipstick and women's clothing and turning into Rashida Jones.

Look, this is absurd stuff, but it's so out there and ridiculous it works. If you're familiar with The State and Wet Hot American Summer, you know what you're in for (though part of me would have appreciated going into Wainy Days completely befuddled): surreal humor, non-sequiturs, and what feels like stream-of-conscious comedy.

For example...Inside David Wain's head as he writes an episode -- "I should just push this woman down on the sidewalk as I walk past her. And then give her baby stroller a nudge."

The series essentially revolves around "David Wain" searching for love in New York City, so episodes tend be focused on dating and failed sexual encounters. This leads to plenty of impromptu tongue baths, terrible relationship advice, and an unfortunate surprise close-up of a prosthetic wiener cradling a martini. This theme benefits Wainy Days by offering at least an atom of consistency to ground Wain's feverish lunacy.

Lastly, we get guest stars. Wain has delved deep into his address book to stockpile the show with one of the most impressive cameo rosters web television has ever seen: Paul Rudd, Michael Ian Black, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Julie Bowen, Amanda Peet, Lake Bell, Jason Sedeikis, Rashida Jones, Elizabeth Banks, and a steady stream of The State alumni.

Wait, was this web series thing just a ploy to make out with all these beautiful famous women? Diabolical!

The DVD is extras-rich but mediocre in the technical department. Episodes receive mediocre full-frame transfers and 2.0 stereo mixes. Bonus features include episode commentaries; a "makeout megamix"; outtakes; a live show with Wain, Rudd, and guests; Garfunkel and Oates singing "David Wain is sexy"; and four early David Wain short films.

The Verdict

This is weird and funny. Watch it. Not Guilty.

Comedy is easy. Dying is hard.

Opening Statement

Woody Allen is a lot of things: one of film's great auteurs, a legendary comedian, and a prolific yet polarizing figure in the pop culture landscape. If there's one thing he isn't, it's comfortable talking about his movies. After over a decade of writing letters asking permission, director Robert Weide finally talked Allen into sitting down in front of a camera for a documentary about his life and films.

Facts of the Case

Woody Allen: A Documentary is an exhaustive two-part chronicle of Allen's career. After getting kicked out of NYU, Allen began writing jokes for the paper, and then for television comedians. Pretty soon Allen, himself, was a celebrity, showing up on game shows and doing stand-up in nightclubs. His transition into filmmaking, and then becoming an Oscar-winning art house hero, is half hard work and half dumb luck. Yet despite making a film a year for over 40 years, Allen is still unsatisfied; he yearns to make a "great" film before he dies.

Weide's documentary features a chronological look at Allen's filmography, and includes interviews with many of the actors, producers, and collaborators involved (as well as some of Allen's colleagues). The doc, which premiered on PBS, features appearances by Josh Brolin, Dick Cavett, Sean Penn, Martin Scorsese, Chris Rock, Diane Keaton, and more.

The Evidence

I started watching Woody Allen films when I was in middle school. I think my first one was Deconstructing Harry, and from there moved on to Small Time Crooks and Annie Hall. While my classmates were obsessing over American Pie, I was busy trying to understand the references Allen was dropping in Love and Death. His lightning-fast jokes, his pretentious references, and his occasionally artistic sensibilities as a filmmaker appealed to me. It can be frustrating, then, to watch him be so nonchalant about his body of work -- something that's been an inspiration to me and many other writers.

Woody Allen is not just an aloof artist, or some humble moviemaker, he's a self-deprecating pessimist on a quixotic hunt for the elusive "great" film. Despite that lofty goal, the way he talks about his working habits leads me to believe he's in no big rush: he works quickly, doing single takes and checking-out on time to go to a basketball game; he doesn't look at his script after he revises it; he produces a film a year in the hopes that the quantity-over-quality theory will lead him to greatness. On the one hand, he sounds like a true artist, unsatisfied with his work and always striving for perfection. On the other hand, he comes off almost too indifferent to ever get there. In the meantime, his fans are the ones that win as Allen churns out movie after movie. Some, like Anything Else or Celebrity, are stinkers. Others, like Annie Hall or Manhattan are masterpieces.

Woody Allen: A Documentary is more than just a list of the director's movies. The first part of the film spends considerable time talking about Allen's early career as a stand-up comic and television celebrity. Weide has dug up plenty of old footage and balances it nicely with interviews and flashbacks to Woody's childhood. After growing in popularity through game show and late night appearances on television, Allen eased into the film business. He appeared in Casino Royale and wrote What's New Pussycat, and quickly learned that if he was going to keep this up he would need total control. The second half, which picks up well into Allen's career, has a little bit more drama to it: a good deal of time on Woody's relationship with Mia Farrow.

Woody's quirky, routine-filled personal life is featured prominently throughout the two-part biography. While the scandal involving Soon-Yi is certainly Allen's low point, little is said about it from a first-hand perspective. The director doesn't try to explain himself, and most of the story comes out through various news footage -- which is handled with a nifty split-screen effect. The rest of his anecdotes, about growing up in New York or working the night club circuit, are charming and average.

Robert Weide (who has also directed episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm) spent over a year and a half following Woody Allen around. His time paid off. The sheer amount of footage, celebrity interviews, and analysis from film critics, elevates this beyond the usual A&E biography. This is by far the best look at Allen's career I've seen. It's also the most personal, which, given Woody's secrecy, is quite a feat.

The standard definition release comes in a two-disc set. The transfer looks great, and the 5.1 surround sound mix is more than necessary. The release even comes with a slew of deleted scenes, a Q&A session with Allen, and an interview with Weide.

Closing Statement

Woody Allen: A Documentary is a must see for fans of the prolific filmmaker. It not only touches on most of Allen's films, but adds insight into his character, his philosophy, and his personal life. Few filmmakers get this kind of treatment, but then again, few deserve it.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

"You're not Toad of Toad Hall!"

The Case

Midway through the second season of Downton Abbey, there's a scene in which a disfigured war veteran arrives at the titular estate, declares that he survived the sinking of the Titanic, went off to fight in World War I, had his face blown off and is actually the supposedly long-deceased heir to Lord and Lady Grantham's fortune. Dum-dum-dum! It was at precisely this moment that I realized that I had been taking Downton Abbey far more seriously than it was ever meant to be taken. The first season of the show certainly had its share of soapy developments, but there was also a good deal of thoughtfulness regarding the shifting social climate of early 20th Century Great Britain. Season Two swiftly goes about the business of reminding us that Downton Abbey will not permit insightful social commentary to get in the way of deliciously melodramatic entertainment. Considering the show's slightly eyebrow-raising point-of-view on certain issues ("Wasn't it nice when everyone in society knew their place?"), perhaps that's for the best.

We're re-introduced to the show's sprawling cast of characters in the midst of the first World War. Noble heir Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens, Hilde) and former Evil Gay Footman Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier, Coronation Street) are off fighting the war (though the latter is attempting to find a way out of it). Back at Downton Abbey, Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville, Iris) dons his old uniform and supports the war effort at home, while Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern, Once Upon a Time in America) squabbles with Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton, Shaun of the Dead) over whether parts of the mansion should be used as hospital rooms. Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery, Hanna) has started a relationship with wealthy newspaper magnate Sir Richard Carlisle (Iain Glen, Game of Thrones), though she still holds feelings for Matthew. Lady Edith Crawley (Laura Carmichael, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) begins to develop a much warmer personality in the midst of the war, while Lady Sybil Crawley (Jessica Brown Findley, Albatross) attempts to ingratiate herself with the kitchen staff.

Meanwhile, in the lower portion of the house, John Bates (Brendan Coyle, The Jacket) finds his tender romance with young Anna (Joanne Froggatt, Robin Hood) interrupted by the wicked machinations of his villainous estranged wife (Maria Doyle Kennedy, Miss Julie). Miss Patmore (Lesley Nicol, East is East) continues serving as a mentor to the conflicted young Daisy (Sophie McShera, Waterloo Road), who is uncertain of her feelings for the sweet-natured William (Thomas Howes, United). In the midst of all these happenings, Mr. Carson (Jim Carter, Shakespeare in Love) and Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan, Wallander) attempt to keep the house running smoothly.

As you've undoubtedly gathered, Downton Abbey: Season Two is just as packed with busy subplots as the first season, but somehow the show feels a little more relaxed this time around. Not slower, mind you: the endless stream of romantic entanglements, unexpected deaths and loopy revelations certainly do a good job of keeping viewers hooked, but it feels like there's more time for the characters to just hang out and be themselves. For the most part, that's a good thing, particularly when it comes to characters like Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess (whose frequent pithy remarks are so much fun that I could probably sell you on the show just by giving you a list of them), though it does feel that the show is playing to the crowd a little more this season. You liked the melodrama and the occasional humor of the first season? How about a second season with even more of both?

I think part of what we're seeing in the second season is a show realizing that it's a massive hit, and doing everything it can to maintain the ratings without losing too much of the critical acclaim. Many of its basic qualities are still in place: Downton Abbey is well-acted, beautifully-produced, absorbing, entertaining and strangely addictive. Still, I'll confess a small amount of disappointment to witnessing the show curbing its ambitions in favor of maintaining its audience. The first season felt wildly ambitious (part of what made it so thrilling was how smoothly it juggled so many varied elements), but this season feels like more of an overstuffed hangout show that occasionally fires a lightning bolt of a plot development into the mix to give everyone something exciting to do (indeed, World War I is treated less as a significant historical event than as a catalyst for all sorts of new shenanigans).

From a purely critical perspective, I feel Downton Abbey: Season Two is a step down from season one. Even so, I have to confess that I enjoyed watching this season just as much as I did the first. Even as I rolled my eyes at the daytime soap silliness of the "dead heir who survived the Titanic" development, I was eager to move on to the next episode. I like these characters, I enjoy the playful wit of Julian Fellowes' writing and I've rarely found the plot less than absorbing. Odds are that a show like Downton Abbey isn't going to rewatch as well as something like Mad Men (which is so much more nuanced in its portrait of a major societal shift), but it's splendid water cooler television which serves as a terrific argument against the idea that sweeping Masterpiece Classic dramas are stuffy and dull. When was the last time PBS aired a show that lot of people got really excited about?

Anyway, Downton Abbey: Season Two arrives on DVD sporting a tremendous 1.78:1 Anamorphic transfer. At times, I was almost convinced I was watching a 1080i transfer. The level of detail is tremendous, blacks are deep and shading is impressive. You probably want to go with the Blu-ray set if you have the option, but it's nice to see such a terrific standard-def transfer. The Dolby 2.0 Stereo track gets the job done nicely, blending John Lunn's effective score with the busy dialogue satisfactorily. Supplements are limited to three behind-the-scene featurettes: "Fashion and Uniforms," "Romance in a Time of War" and "House to Hospital."

Note: The episodes included in this set are thankfully the unedited U.K. presentations, not the slightly leaner variations which aired on TV here in the states.

Season two of Downton Abbey may be a step down from the first, but it's still a rather entertaining way to pass nine hours. Carry on!

The Verdict

Not guilty.

"What do you?"
"I drive."

Opening Statement

It's easy to see why director Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive confused mainstream audiences. Released in the U.S. just after summer blockbuster season, many theatergoers went in expecting an action flick like Fast Five. Instead, they were treated to an indie crime drama with few car chases, long stretches of silence, and a protagonist so enigmatic he doesn't even have a name.

Those who were upset by the film might say it was falsely advertised -- one woman even filed a lawsuit -- but I liken their reaction to the phenomenon that makes a starving person gag when they are finally able to eat real food. Drive isn't what a lot of people expected. It's not an action blockbuster. It's not a crime thriller. It's not a conventional Hollywood movie. It's something better.

Facts of the Case

Based on the James Sallis novel of the same name, Drive is about a movie stunt driver (Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March) who works for a mechanic (Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad) by day and hires himself out as getaway driver by night. Not long after Driver befriends a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan, Shame) and her young son (Kaden Leos), her husband (Oscar Isaac, Sucker Punch) is released from prison, bringing with him a debt owed to dangerous men who threaten his family. To save them, Driver offers to help pull off one last robbery. What is supposed to be an easy job takes a deadly turn, however, pitting Driver against local gangsters to protect Irene and her son.

The Evidence

Drive can be confusing even if you aren't expecting an action blockbuster. It feels familiar, with heists, romance, and violence, but Refn defies expectations at every turn. Even when it resembles the real world, there is an undercurrent of unreality, like blinking awake from a vivid dream. Part of it is Refn's distinctive style. Drive is slick, evoking the Ô80s with synth music and a hot pink cursive title font, but it has very little in common with action movies of that decade. It moves at a much slower pace than most thrillers, especially the first half of the film. There are long pauses in the dialogue and quiet scenes that counterbalance explosive violence. Refn films his action with purpose, using slow motion instead of jittery edits to capture the rhythm of practiced bloodshed.

This is a world divided into predators and prey, with a protagonist who rides the line between the two. Those predators include gangsters, played by heavyweights Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) and Albert Brooks (Real Life). Both men elevate the material, but Brooks has gotten extra, well-deserved, praise for playing against type. The innocents in this film, meanwhile, aren't always innocent. While Irene and Benicio have done nothing wrong and don't deserve to be in danger, it's harder to sympathize with Driver's mechanic pal, Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston), Irene's husband, and Christina Hendricks' mob moll Blanche. These would-be criminals know what they are getting into; they just don't realize how low they are on the food chain until it's too late.

Like Timothy Olyphant in Justified, or Clint Eastwood in the Man With No Name trilogy, it's impossible to imagine Drive without Ryan Gosling. His quiet, arresting performance is conveyed mostly through body language. He stays silent when another movie's hero would run his mouth. He listens. He watches. He waits. He asks a single question, and then meets the answer with a nod or a slight smile. When he talks, it's with an accent -- reminiscent, like the character itself, of Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver -- that says he will always be an outsider.

Gosling's character, known only as "Driver," is a modern day cowboy. He rides, not on a horse, but in a souped up Chevelle. His scorpion jacket and driving gloves replace the standard hat and spurs, but Refn doesn't tell us enough about the character to classify him as "good" or "bad." He consorts with criminals and can hold his own in a fight, but to him it's all about driving. He's in complete control behind the wheel. His car is an extension of his body, a tough outer shell. The only time we see Driver completely at ease away from a car is with Irene and her son. We aren't given enough information to know for sure whether Driver sees a future with them but as soon as he knows they're in danger, he sacrifices everything to protect them.

Refn and screenwriter Hossein Amini leave the film open-ended, giving us a glimpse into characters' lives without providing much back story or closure. Driver is a mysterious figure who seems tied by fate to his symbol: the scorpion. In Aesop's fable "The Scorpion and the Frog," a scorpion convinces a frog to take him across a river on his back. Partway across, he stings the frog, dooming them both to drown. In Driver's case, he's both the dangerous scorpion and the frog, literally wearing the scorpion on his back. In a cycle of violence that is hinted at, but never explained, he seems destined for tragedy. His only hope is to face the danger alone without dragging down the people he cares about.

Drive is a stunner on DVD. Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel matches Refn's immaculate direction, painting L.A. in bold strokes of light and shadow. The 2.40:1 standard-def presentation doesn't allow for as much detail in the deep shadows as on Blu-ray, but it's an impressive presentation nonetheless. The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track is a powerful mix, delivering quiet dialogue, Cliff Martinez's haunting electronic score, and booming sound effects with punch and clarity.

The bonus features are an odd mix of featurettes and a Refn interview that combine for an in-depth exploration of the ideas, characters, and challenges of making the film:

• "I Drive" (5:25): This first featurette focuses on the Driver character, the mythology of the movie, and the director's vision.

• "Under the Hood" (11:49): A collection of actor profiles that delve deeper than the standard production fluff. It includes the story of how Carey Mulligan fought to be in the film, inspiring Refn to rewrite the character.

• "Driver and Irene" (6:12): A discussion of the stages and themes behind the story's central relationship.

• "Cut to the Chase" (4:35): A look at the unconventional chase sequences and stunt driving used in the film.

• "Drive Without a Driver: Entretien Avec Nicolas Winding Refn" (25:40): This interview is the highlight of the extras. In it, the director gives an honest assessment of the film's inception, production, and reception. Highlights include a story about how the film's inspiration (a potent mix of Ryan Gosling, flu medicine, and REO Speedwagon) and the evolution of the shocking elevator scene.

Closing Statement

It would be easy to dismiss Drive as shallow, but that would be a mistake. There's more under the hood than appears on its stylish surface. Nicolas Winding Refn directs with precision and purpose, crafting the newest genre masterpiece. It is filled with great actors, but Drive belongs to Ryan Gosling. His nameless Driver is iconic, a welcome change from the usual catchphrase-spouting action hero. If you haven't yet seen Refn's latest, go in with no expectations and enjoy the ride.

The Verdict

Hammer time. Not guilty!

Makeovers that really matter.

The Case

The most popular girl in school is Dylan (Sarah Hyland, Modern Family), someone who has to grapple with a) having a boy's name, and b) looking like a 12 year-old. Yet she perseveres and carves out a perfectly acceptable caricature of a vapid high school diva.

On the other end of the social spectrum is Josh (Matt Prokop), an alleged "geek" who combines a love of filmmaking with a healthy skepticism of combs. He and Dylan collide, when he convinces her to be the subject of his documentary on popularity.

For some reason she agrees to this, even though it will no doubt lead to crushing public humiliation. Thus a journey of mutual self-discovery and stereotype-busting is embarked upon.

What we have here in Geek Charming is a perfectly bland, cookie-cutter teen fairy tale that is as predictable as it is unrealistic. I understand that some high school popular girls could be oblivious, but they're at least self-aware. They have to be! But Dylan taking part in this documentary -- the bedrock on which the entire plot rests -- makes zero sense. She knows Josh has little use for her and her popular brethren, and yet she allows herself to be followed around with a camera?

Bah. I'm dwelling way too long on something the writers obviously didn't think much about. Geek Charming is designed to be a breezy, empty-calorie confection for the Disney Channel crowd. Nothing surprising happens (if you think there's a question these two polar opposites will end up together, the disc case designers squash that suspense with a nice photo of the duo posing for a prom shot) and plot points unfurl pretty much how you'd expect. Also, I thought Sarah Hyland looked way too young for the role, but apparently she's 21 in real life!

The DVD: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, Dolby 2.0 stereo, and 10 episodes of Shake It Up (spread over two discs), the latest Disney cash-cow about precocious adolescents singing bubblegum pop songs.

The Verdict

The movie is dull and creatively bankrupt, but the moral is good enough and there are no F-bombs. Slap on the wrist.

In the whole history of the world, there is but one thing that money cannot buy...to wit -- the wag of a dog's tail.

Opening Statement

Another Disney masterpiece gets the first-rate "Diamond Edition" treatment.

Facts of the Case

Lovely Lady (Barbara Luddy) is the pampered cocker spaniel companion of "Jim Dear" and his wife, "Darling." Life is good for Lady until Jim Dear and Darling expand the family -- with a baby.

When her people decide to take a trip, they leave the baby and Lady in the care of crusty Aunt Sarah. A series of mishaps leaves Lady out in the cold -- literally. She is saved from the jaws of doom -- again, literally -- by streetwise stray Tramp (Larry Roberts).

Both pups are smitten, but just as with humans, the course of true love doesn't run smoothly: Lady is still attached to her family and accustomed to the comforts of home, while Tramp isn't ready to settle down and become part of the "leash and collar" crowd.

The Evidence

Lady and the Tramp was Disney's first full-length animated feature that had domesticated animals as its stars. Most pet owners -- myself included -- anthropomorphize companion critters, so after giving us the woods (Bambi) and the circus (Dumbo), the backyard was a logical place for Walt Disney to set this tale of passion, betrayal, and bravery.

Yes, passion, betrayal, and bravery. While some might consider Lady and the Tramp to be a charming but safe entertainment, it's really far more complex and moving than most standard "family fare."

Disney films are cherished not only for their craftsmanship, but because they never "talk down" to us; they work as allegories for adults as much as they work as entertainment for children. In Lady and the Tramp, Disney offers a deceptively simple story -- a beloved pet is displaced by a baby and ends up having an adventure with a street mutt -- but layers it with sophistication and a decidedly dark undercurrent.

The theme of abandonment is prominent here. Lady is emotionally abandoned by her family when the baby comes; Tramp and the other street dogs have been abandoned by owners and society, in general. Early in the film, before the baby is born, Tramp offers up a surprisingly clear -- and chilling -- prediction about how Lady's life will change when the baby comes, reminding us that people's love for animals is often transient and suggesting that he might have been dumped from a more comfortable situation.

Lady, in fact, does find herself on her own, though on account of Aunt Sarah and not her own people. In a harrowing sequence, she's chased and nearly mauled by a pack of vicious dogs, only to be saved by Tramp, who puts his life on the line to save her. Much of this dogfight is depicted in shadows, a technique Disney animators would use later in The Lion King. That gentle dogs like Lady are sometimes prey to vicious animals makes this sequence genuinely tense and upsetting.

Then there's the scene at the dog pound, where Lady finds herself after getting picked up while running with Tramp. Much of it's played for dark humor -- I wonder how many children actually got the references to old prison flicks or noticed that the shadows of the bars on the cages making the dogs look like they're wearing stripes -- but it's really a pretty sobering sequence. Close-ups of dogs in cages with tears running down their faces effectively communicate the horror of abandonment; one dog (again, in shadow) even walks "the last mile." It's also a very witty scene that includes a Russian breed who quotes Gorky and an English bulldog with a heavy accent. We also get Peggy Lee as a dog named Peg (who used to be in the "Dog and Pony Follies") singing what might be the sexiest song ever included in a Disney film, "He's a Tramp."

In lesser hands, this all might have been too much, too sad or too facile, exploitative or obvious. But Disney and company knew just how far to take things, how to push the emotional envelope without losing the audience.

Of course, the romance between the title characters is what most people remember, and it remains delightful. The scene of the two dogs sharing a spaghetti dinner while being serenaded with the lovely "Bella Notte" is an icon of romantic cinema.

For its Blu debut, Disney gives Lady and the Tramp (Blu-ray) its "Diamond Edition" treatment; like the other Diamond releases, the studio hits this one out of the park. Much as I love this film, I'd never been bowled over by the animation -- until now. At the risk of tossing out a cliché, frankly, watching this edition was like seeing the film for the first time. The stunning image -- Disney's first in widescreen Cinemascope -- is presented in its original aspect ratio. Detail is remarkable, and the colors are vivid. The image is simply breathtaking -- exactly the kind of great work we've come to expect from Disney Blu.

Audio is equally fine. There are two English language tracks, a rich DTS-HD 7.1, as well as a DTS-HD representation of the film's original 3.0 track.

The disc comes fully loaded with supplements old and new, with enough goodies to keep the disc in play long after the film has ended.

Here's the new stuff:

• "Disney's Second Screen" -- If you're viewing this with an Internet-ready device, you'll get storyboards, drawings, photos, and other graphics while watching the film, along with an interesting alternate audio option. Rather than a commentary, Disney has re-created meetings Walt Disney had about the story and production (based on transcripts). If you don't have an Internet-ready device, you'll still get the audio. This is a fascinating listen that offers insight on the film and the man behind it.

• "Remembering Dad" -- Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter, offers up recollections of her father in this featurette that showcases archival footage of Walt and Disneyland. Miller also provides a short introduction to the film.

• "I'm Free as a Breeze" -- This is a song that had been planned for Tramp (explaining his philosophy of life) that was dropped when it was decided that he shouldn't be a singing character.

• "Deleted Scenes" -- There are three, presented with storyboards and illustrations.

Ported from the 2006 standard def release, we get:

• "Lady's Pedigree" -- Almost an hour long, this is a fun and comprehensive "making of."

• "Finding Lady: The Art of the Storyboard"

• "Original 1943 Storyboard Version of the Film"

• "The Siamese Cat Song: Finding a Voice for the Cats" -- Aunt Sarah's Siamese cats almost prove to be Lady's undoing, and their hilariously nasty song (voiced by Peggy Lee) is a highlight of the film. Excerpts from various approaches to the song, featuring artwork.

• "PuppyPedia" -- Fred Willard on dogs.

• "Bella Notte" -- A music video with Steve Tyrell performing the song.

• "Excerpts from Disneyland TV Series" -- These excerpts from two segments of Disneyland, as the show was called in the '50s, were created to help promote Lady and the Tramp. "The Story of Dogs" and "Cavalcade of Songs" are charming and quaint, and a comforting reminder of how affable and enthusiastic Walt Disney was as a TV host. Catch the introduction for some intriguing backstory on how these segments were restored.

In addition, there are some more deleted scenes as well as a selection of trailers for the film's original release and theatrical re-releases.

There's also a DVD version of the film that includes "Remembering Dad" and "PuppyPediac" as extras.

Closing Statement

Heartfelt, funny, moving, and more than a little subversive, Lady and the Tramp is a great film getting a great Blu-ray release. Unqualified recommendation.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

Do you know how I'm living here?

The Case

Seong-nam (Sung-in Han) flees his home in South Korea after being implicated for smoking pot with some American exchange students, leaving behind his wife and painting career. He mopes around Paris for awhile before befriending fellow South Korean art students Hyun-ju (Min-jung Seo) and Yu-jung (Eun-hye Park). Setting aside his feelings for his wife, he goes whole-hog after the much younger Yu-jung, who eventually succumbs to his persistent begging.

And that's pretty much the entirety of the story of Night and Day, which is a problem because the film takes 144 plodding minutes to tell it. Each very short segment begins with the date, then shows a bit of the story, except for the multitude of segments that show what seem to be random Parisian moments that have nothing at all to do with the story. Presumably they're meant to increase the sense of time passing, and of the isolation that Seong-nam feels, but all they do is drag the thin plot along like a carcass behind a lion.

The performances are strong; there is not a time when anyone feels out of character, and nothing feels forced. Unfortunately the performances are wasted on extraordinarily unlikable characters. Nearly everyone is completely self-absorbed, none more than Seong-nam, who refuses to take no for an answer, no matter the cost to anyone else. When he meets an old girlfriend, she mentions that she had six abortions while they were together, simply because he refused to wear a condom. He uses everyone he meets and never gives a thing of himself. Even after he has a breakdown, wherein he confesses his selfishness and promises to do better, he shows no signs of changing; his first act is to prove to himself that he is better than a North Korean man, and he has no qualms about lying and running from his self-made problems.

The story also suffers from logical difficulties and a poor sense of closure. Why didn't a supposedly great painter do any actual paining? Wouldn't that have solved his money problems? Speaking of which, how was he able to afford all those oyster meals if he's supposedly so broke? This problem extends to the other characters, too. What was the true story behind the art school plagiarism? Is Yu-jung really in school anymore, and if not, where does she go during the day? Seong-nam doesn't really care as long as he's getting laid, so the audience never finds out, which makes the entire storyline irrelevant. The main story is more of a living diary of Seong-nam's life during those few months, so it doesn't follow the traditional build-up/climax/denouement storyline, and the ending feels empty. He clearly didn't learn anything from his time in Paris; in fact, his selfish worldview was basically validated and reinforced from it.

The 1.78:1 anamorphic picture is fine. There is a bit of pixilation and grain in darker scenes, but it is minimal and not distracting. Colors are balanced but a tad blanched. There is not much in the way of music or ambient sound, so the Dolby 2.0 stereo sound only has to worry about speech. Most of the film is in Korean, with a little bit of contextual French and a couple moments of English, which is used as a sort of go-between language when a Korean and French person need to speak to each other. Interestingly, only the Korean is subtitled. There are no extras, but the scene selection menu gets a star for its unique style; it looks like a calendar, with marks corresponding to the days depicted in the film.

I suppose Night and Day should be considered a character study...unfortunately it's not studying someone the audience would want to care about. The film is filled with really good acting, but its lack of empathetic characters or a firm editing hand drags the meager story on far too long.

The Verdict

Guilty of selfishness, condemned to wear lime green spandex until it learns humility.

It's not just a robbery. It's payback.

Opening Statement

The Bernie Madoff scandal was not good news for anyone, except perhaps for Hollywood, where director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) has taken the basic concept, and devised a tale in which the working-class folks scheme a way to get back at their corrupt boss. With economic disparity a huge topic these days, and Ratner's Tower Heist serves it up for laughs.

Facts of the Case

The Tower is an apartment building in Manhattan, described as the hottest real estate in the U.S. This is not just because of the location, but because of the concierge-like staff, led by Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder), meeting the needs of the residents.

When the Josh's boss, Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda, MASH), the building's owner, is arrested for fraud. Twenty million dollars, representing the staff's pensions, is missing. Thanks to his knowledge of the building, Josh deduces where the money is stashed. He devises a plan to get it back, with the help of his brother-in-law (Casey Affleck, Ocean's Eleven), an elevator operator (Michael Pena, The Lincoln Lawyer), a laid off stockbroker (Matthew Broderick, Ferris Bueller's Day Off), and a cleaning lady turned safecracker (Gabourey Sidibe, The Big C).

Josh and his crew need someone to turn them into hardcore criminals, so he turns to Slide (Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave) a childhood friend turned petty crook, to teach them how to be thieves. What could possibly go wrong?

The Evidence

The movie begins with an image of what appears to be a $100 bill filling the entire screen. Then, Shaw is seen swimming "over" it, as the camera pulls back to reveal that the bill is actually a giant painting at the bottom of Shaw's rooftop swimming pool. This shows that the guy is swimming in money, not unlike Scrooge McDuck. This sets the tone of the film, establishing Shaw as the "have" that all the "have nots" will soon rally against.

For the most part, the characters are stock types. Stiller is the loyal employee who is outraged to learn his perfect boss is far from perfect. Broderick is the down-on-his-luck formerly successful guy, played mostly for "fish out of water" style jokes. Affleck's character has a pregnant wife at home, giving him some personal stakes toward getting the money back. Pena has some of the funniest lines as a fast food employee hoping to gain more respectable work at the Tower. Sidibe performs with a comedy Jamaican accent (Jamaican me crazy!) for a few extra chuckles. Filling out the ensemble is Tea Leoni (Jurassic Park 3) as an FBI agent and Judd Hirsch (Independence Day) as another Tower staffer.

The star, though, is Eddie Murphy, who in many scenes goes a long way in recapturing that old Eddie Murphy style of his better performances from years ago. The best parts of the movie have Murphy's street-smart character trying to turn these schlubs into criminals. His rapid-fire jokes bouncing off of their cluelessness are the funniest scenes, and I wish the rest of the movie had that same energy. Once the heist begins, long stretches of the movie go by without any laughs. There are the requisite insane plot twists and last-minute scrapes we expect from the heist genre, but viewers are coming to this movie expecting comedy, and getting very little of it during the big finale.

A lot of movie fans consider Brett Ratner to be the filmmaking equivalent of a flesh-eating virus, but I merely find his work uneven. His better movies have been straightforward comedies. It's when he's strayed from comedy into other genres, such as action or horror, that his work becomes horribly bland. This argument can be seen in Tower Heist. When the movie emphasizes the comedy, it's spot on. When it emphasizes action over comedy, it falters.

What doesn't falter is the audio and video on this Blu-ray, both of which are razor sharp, no surprise for a recently-made studio film. The colors are bright and vibrant, and the skin tones are clean and natural. The speakers get a workout whenever the score by Christophe Beck (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) kicks in, and all other dialogue and sound effects come through nicely as well.

On of the bonus features, Ratner says directors should not surround themselves with people who do nothing but kiss their asses, which is odd because the commentary and featurette are all about heaping vast amounts of praise onto Ratner. On the commentary, Ratner and the writers discuss the film's origin and Ratner's overall career. The featurette is also self-congratulatory, but contains some interesting looks at how some of the big set pieces were filmed. From there, we get Ratner's video diary from the production, some very funny deleted and alternate scenes, and two alternate endings that tie up some loose ends. A second disc is a DVD of the movie, along with a digital copy. The set is also equipped with "Second Screen" technology, which allows you to view the movie on a networked tablet or computer.

Closing Statement

Tower Heist is perfect...as in perfectly middle-of-the-road. The funny scenes are riotously funny, but the actual heist is lacking in laughs.

The Verdict

For not being as good as it could have been, guilty.

"This story is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it."

The Case

I always assumed American movies about the horrors of war were only made starting with the Vietnam era. Prior to that, most war films were flag waving patriotic action adventure sagas. They got the blood pumping, the patriotism soaring and made you feel good that the bad guys got what they deserved in the end. And why not? Prior to the 1970s most war films were about World War II, a conflict that had very clear lines drawn between "good guys" and "bad guys."

So, I was very surprised to hear the 1930 version of All Quiet on the Western Front was filled with a grim reality -- showing that warfare can be less than honorable. It's not a tale of heroes besting a vicious enemy. It's about men staring death in the face and finding no good reason to do what they have to. It gets to the very essence of the combat experience in World War I and the horrors that entails.

Based on a German novel by Erich Maria Remarque published in 1929, All Quiet on the Western Front follows the military career of Paul (Lew Ayres, Johnny Belinda), a young man who listened to his high school teacher deliver an inspiring speech, encouraging the boys to fight for the Fatherland and win glory for the whole country. Paul and his peers are filled with nationalistic pride and naive optimism. They'll join up, trounce the French and head home with medals glistening on their uniforms and women swarming them.

But basic training shows them the first bit of tarnish on that brilliant daydream. The drill sergeant is a vindictive jerk who uses every opportunity to torment the boys. When they finally reach the Western front, they find not a glorious battlefield filled with opportunities for honor and glory, but a muddy hell hole, filled with famine, disease and death. Night after night they endure a constant barrage of shells, and when it goes still, they face the unmatched agony of trench warfare. Men and horses are mown down by machine gun fire. Hundreds die as they battle for trenches dug only a few yards apart. And when the chaos ends, Paul ends up just where he started, in the same blood filled trench.

The only saving grace is the rugged veteran Kat (Louis Wolheim, Two Arabian Knights) who goes out of his way to get the new recruits a fighting chance. As the war drags on Paul watches his friends die meaningless deaths, feels his soul ebbing away from the contestant nightmares around him. He begins to wonder if the war will ever end, and even if it does, what kind of life can he hope for?

No this isn't the feel good movie of 1930. But it's not as relentlessly grim as it could be either. Ayres brings a relatable quality to Paul, we like the kid even as we watch him become more and more disillusioned. The constant struggle that Paul endures clearly shows in Ayres performance. The valiant youth we see at the beginning is a million miles away from cold eyed man staring out of the trenches at the end.

Also worth noting is a top notch performance by Wolheim. He's a good natured mug, whose tough exterior hides a heart of gold. We like him almost immediately, even as he steals a whole pig! But he's doing it to feed his men who are starving at the front. He's practical, tells it as he sees it, and provides a great mixture of humor and wisdom in the film.

Now don't get me wrong, the performances here are par the course for the early '30s. There's plenty of over the top, silent style acting on display, but you get a good mix of naturalistic performances as well. It can create a bit of a surreal experience at times, but when it comes down to it, I connected with the characters and the film delivered the punch it did because of that.

The other item worth mentioning is the production value. This was a big budget film for Universal, and it shows. The sets have depth with tons of extras marching down the streets, or full size horses and carriages wandering past a destroyed farmhouse the boys are squatting in. But most amazing were the battle scenes. Filmed with a relentless energy that spreads from the camerawork to the editing -- these are visceral nightmares. It is easy to see that Spielberg was influenced by the work of director Lewis Milestone (Mutiny on the Bounty) in this film when he tackled the D-Day landing in Saving Private Ryan. I was also reminded how violent and bloody a film could be pre-Hays Code.

Universal has delivered a appealing release of All Quiet on the Western Front as part of their 100th Anniversary Collector's Series. What you see here is the digitally remastered and fully restored version of the film, using the original film elements. The restoration is impressive making the film look amazing. There are a few moments where it does show its age, but the print is very clean and detailed. To see it in 1080p on Blu-ray is a real treat. The soundtrack was also cleaned up quite a bit, removing hiss and improving overall clarity. There were still a few moments where the dialogue was fairly quiet, but it sounds like it may have been a problem with the microphones used at the time.

In addition you also get the silent movie edit of the film. This version was released the same year for theaters that hadn't converted over to sound. It runs a little bit longer because of title cards used instead of dialogue, and provides a different view of the movie. Along for the ride is Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movie fame providing an introduction for the film/ (And still trapped in that little room. Will he never escape?) You also get two featurettes. One covers Universal's restoration project covering many of their most famous films. Some discussion is included on All Quiet on the Western Front but you get to see reservation elements for other films like Dracula and Jaws. There is also a featurette that talks about Universal's Academy Award winning films.

The last Digibook I reviewed was the nearly useless release of The Usual Suspects. This is a huge improvement. Yes it contains still images from the film, but you also get an essay by Leonard Maltin, biographies of the cast and crew, vintage poster art and lobby cards, as well as studio memos providing interesting details about the making of the film. I'm still puzzled as to why this material wasn't included on the actual Blu-ray disc. You also get a standard def copy of the film.

All Quiet on the Western Front is often referred to as a film that manages to impress and affect, when many of its contemporaries feel dated and overblown. This is easy to recommend to anyone who is looking for a powerful war drama and an excellent example of filmmaking from this period in American cinema. This collector's edition is the best way to add it to your library.

The Verdict

Not guilty in the least.

They're watching the border. Who's watching them?

The Case

The Coast Guard is the Korean equivalent of Redacted. Director Kim Ki-Duk obviously doesn't think a whole lot of Korean military personnel. Similarly, the disc cover designers for the Blu-ray release don't think much about your time, because they put this thing together so it looks like it's an action movie. Dudes are running through the water with their guns, planes are flying in the air and a battleship is exploding. On the flipside of the case are another plane and another battleship, both exploding.

Garbage. The Coast Guard is not an action movie. Not even close. What it is, is a character study of traumatized victims and the douchebags who victimize them.

Private Kang (Jang Doung-Kun) is a livewire, tasked with patrolling the barbed wire fence along the coastline of the Korean peninsula. Maybe it's the paranoia of fearing North Korean spies sneaking onto the mainland, but Kang is wound way too tight, and snaps when some local youths make fun of him. Later that night, when Kang stumbles on the same kids fooling around on the beach, he takes revenge on his hurt feelings and murders one of them, spattering his brains on the poor girl. From that point on, everyone unravels until the end, when the U.S. Congress votes to completely cut off all foreign aid to South Korea.

I'm making up that last part, but these characters come off as such reprehensible a-holes, I think I just might have to go and petition my senator tomorrow morning.

This is an examination of how a) someone suffering a traumatic experience can deteriorate emotionally and mentally and b) some people, specifically Korean coast guard soldiers, are terrible. If that's enough for you, then The Coast Guard will deliver. I had no use for it.

Tartan's Blu-ray is extras-laden, but only so-so as far as the technical achievements. The 1.85:1/1080p transfer is mediocre, often times looking just a few degrees nicer than an upconverted DVD, and the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track (Korean), frankly, doesn't have a whole lot to do. Extras: commentary, a director's interview, photos, a music video and a 30-minute making-of documentary.

The Verdict

There might be an audience for this film, but it's going to be small and not made up of anyone who enjoys exploding battleships. Guilty.

"If I hadn't put my face in her crotch, then her panties wouldn't have exploded." Yes, that is a line of dialogue from this masterpiece of animated fiction.

The Case

Looking at the cover of Heaven's Lost Property you can pretty much tell what you're getting. You've got a sad eyed anime girl with a huge chest and a metal collar and chain. But heck, I'll give you a quick synopsis anyway. Tomoki Sakurai (Greg Ayres, Guin Saga) is a bit of a pervert, but other than that, he just wants to live a life of peace and quiet. His neighbor Sohara Mitsuki (Trina Nishimura, Birdy the Mighty) is a busty babe who secretly has the hots for him and likes giving him karate chops to the noggin when he's perving out.

One night, a girl literally falls from the sky and Tomoki is barely able to save her from falling rubble. She's dressed in next to nothing, has huge angel wings and a long chain attached to a metal collar. Her name is Ikaros (Brittney Karbowski, Summer Wars) and she claims to be a pet class angeloid. I know, I know, just roll with me here. Ikaros has the power to grant any wish Tomoki may have. Most of Tomoki's wishes revolve around seeing panties and naked boobs, so you can pretty much figure out the rest of the show from there. A few other characters are thrown into the mix, most importantly Nymph (Kara Edwards, The Sacred Blacksmith), a little pale skinned angeloid with tiny wings and a big attitude. She's been sent back to collect Ikaros and knows a deadly secret: that Ikaros may not be the "pet class" device she says she is.

Look, I'm fine with a solid dose of naughtiness in anime; it's one of the genre's charming quirks. I figured I was going to get a whole mess of panty shots, bouncing cleavage, and nosebleeds. And yes the show delivered on all counts. But the real problem here is the complete lack of compelling narrative and characters. I know this isn't supposed to be the least bit serious, but there are plot holes in this show that defy all basic rules of storytelling. The main reason I was focusing on the plot holes was because I was bored.

We've seen these characters before, many, many times. Tomoki is your basic loser pervert who gets all his wishes granted. But unlike other losers in the magical girl genre, he just isn't very likable. He's not clever, or funny, he's got a bit of a mean streak in him -- unless the script needs him to be a nice guy so one of the girls can get all squishy around him. Ikaros is your typical robot girl, no emotion, no clue, but plenty of fan service. Nymph starts out as a raving bitch, but actually gets a character arc and ends up being almost likable by the end. The most appealing character is Sohara, but she's your basic Akane from Ranma 1/2 clone, so it's not too surprising. I will give the English voice cast a shout out. They were doing their best, bringing a lot of life and fun to the cardboard roles. Most of the times I did end up chuckling was because of the line delivery. Well done, ladies and gents.

Each episode is basically a set up to tell lame jokes and provide maximum fan service. Yeah there are some laughs to be found. The exploding panty incident was slightly amusing. The image of a flock of women's underwear flying in V formation around the world was a perverted image I'd never considered. But all the basic stories are the same old stuff. You've got the episode where the clueless angels go to school. You've got the episode where the clueless angels go to a water park. You've got the episode where the clueless angels participate in the school fair. See a pattern here? Then there's the whole troubling idea of having chained women around to do your every bidding. Its never delved into, but it leaves a distasteful aftertaste in each episode.

Funimation provides a good release for a less than worthy show. You get 13 episodes and a bonus episode spread over two discs. The 1.78:1/1080p high definition image was nice and clear, allowing the viewer to catch every detail of the women's underwear unveiled in each episode. The TrueHD 5.1 sound is well balanced, with the music never overpowering the English dub. The subtitles are well timed and easy to read. All the extras are loaded onto one disc. These consist solely of clean opening and ending credits. But Heaven's Lost Property features a unique set of end credits for each episode.

Maybe if you've never seen a uber-ecchi magical girl anime before, you'll find something to enjoy. But I found it so mediocre it was a chore to watch.

The Verdict

Guilty of being boobtacular but banal.

Up the creek...and without a paddle!

The Case

Overly confident Bob McGraw (Tim Matheson, National Lampoon's Van Wilder), food addict Gonzer (Stephen Furst, Animal House), incompetent womanizer Max (Dan Monahan, Porky's), and geeky Irwin (Sandy Helberg, School for Scoundrels) are four of the worst students in America at one of the worst colleges in the country. When the school's dean (John Hillerman, Magnum P.I.) bribes the young men into partaking in an intercollegiate rafting race with other local colleges to win the college some pride, Bob and his friends find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime. Attempting to out maneuver jealous boyfriends, crazy militants and the raging rapids, our intrepid heroes valiantly try to win the race before their college days become history.

Up The Creek is exactly how you'll feel if you spend your hard earned cash on this monumentally unfunny dud. Languishing in out-of-print limbo for the better part of what seems like forever, this mid-80s teen screwball sex comedy is finally available to those who don't have the bandwidth to download Hardbodies 2.

Subpar doesn't begin to describe Up The Creek. The movie's editing, acting, pacing, and characters are all weaker than Dustin Diamond trying to hold up a ten pound paperweight. There wasn't a single moment when I was invested in these characters or their plight; the film feels like it was cobbled together from about two dozen other, far better teenage sex comedies. It's as if the filmmakers took Revenge of the Nerds, Animal House, and Porky's, stripped them of their humor and titillation, and added some rafting sequences.

Tim Matheson spends most of the movie acting smug and narrating the film. Also, by "narrating the film" I mean his character literally talks to himself narrating his actions like he's in a private detective movie. It's one of the oddest character quirks in recent memory, and not a very good one at that. Stephen Furst plays the fat character who likes to eat, and little else. Dan Monahan tries to get laid. Sandy Helberg is the nerd who spends most of the movie acting like a nerd. If I'm making this movie sound stock and clichéd, that's the point. It's just a flaccid collection of scenes you expect from movies like this -- requisite female breasts, snobby elitists vs. underdogs -- wrapped around the backdrop of whitewater rafting.

Up The Creek feels like a made-for-TV movie that goes nowhere fast. The rafting scenes hold all the excitement of watching your kid brother go down a waterslide. Director Robert Butler (whose The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes should tell you all you need to know about his background) constructs this film without any eye for detail; it's flat, lifeless and boring. When the film should just go bugnuts crazy, it backs off. When there are opportunities for real comedy, they're missed by a mile. It feels like nobody was actually trying and just going through the motions for a paycheck. Faint praise goes to the soundtrack, featuring a fun title track by rockers Cheap Trick. It's not much, but it's something positive.

I've seen a lot worse movies than Up The Creek, but none quite so disappointingly boring. I'm ending this review with a short story. When I was a kid I remember seeing the video box (remember those?) for Up The Creek each time I went into our local Hollywood Video. It looked like so much fun; kids partying and drinking on top of a raft shaped like a naked woman on a river in the summertime...how could that be bad? Well, I'm here to tell my ten year old self not to get your hopes up. In 2012 you'll finally get to see Up The Creek, and the saddest part is the video box was the highlight.

Up The Creek is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Fans of this film will be both happy and disappointed with this transfer; while it's probably a miracle that this movie has even seen the light of day, the picture quality is hardly anything to write home about. The transfer sports a lot of grain and isn't as clear as most catalog DVD titles. For the material it's appropriate but as a general DVD release it's not very good. The soundtrack is presented in what appears to be Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (no mention is made on the package). The mix is very front heavy without much dynamic range. There are no alternate soundtracks or subtitles.

The only extra feature included on this disc is a theatrical trailer for the film.

The Verdict

Up The Creek isn't worth your time...unless you feel the need to see every single '80s movie ever made. And even then, keep this one on the bottom of your list.

Featuring "One Zillion Valentines" and...

The Case

...not really any other stories about valentines.

But, whatever, if you have a little kid that isn't addicted to The Fresh Beat Band (like my daughter) and enjoys the lower-key, pan-and-scan old school charm of these Scholastic read-alongs, he or she won't care.

"One Zillion Valentines"
Written and illustrated by Frank Modell
Two boys without girlfriends fight their debilitating loneliness by sending valentines to everyone.

"A Letter to Amy"
Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
A young boy mails a letter to his friend. The end.

"Goggles!"
Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
Now we're really drifting away from the valentines theme. Two kids team up with a dog to fight off bullies that want to steal a pair of goggles.

"Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge"
By Mem Fox
A young boy tells stories to an old lady and everyone's day is made.

"Will I Have a Friend?"
By Miriam Cohen
(shakes magic 8-ball) All signs point to no.

The Valentine's Collection in standard definition full frame, with Dolby 2.0 stereo, and a read-along option.

The Verdict

Not Guilty.

Stops you...like a slug in the chest! Shocks you...like a kick in the face! Holds you...like a gold digging woman!

Opening Statement

For a plot description on the back of the Vice Squad box, MGM wrote this single sentence: "The life of a captain of detectives during the course of an ordinary day in the 1950s." If this is an ordinary day at a '50s police station, the world was a lot more messed up back then than I realized and they really deserved a whole lot more pay.

Facts of the Case

Late one night, a police officer is shot and killed during a botched car theft, but the single witness is unwilling to speak up because he doesn't want his wife to find out where he had been. As Captain Barnaby (Edward G. Robinson, Key Largo) tries to work the information out of him, he must orchestrate an operation to stop a bank robbery being planned by the very same people who killed the cop.

The Evidence

Edward G. Robinson was one of the finest genre actors of his generation and Vice Squad is a perfect example why. An otherwise tedious police procedural, Robinson takes it to another level with his charm and believability as the captain of the squad. Few would regard him as handsome leading man material and he was normally relegated to gangster and killer roles. Here, taking the character he had built in those characters, he's given full authority of the vice division and becomes a hero and leader that we can believe in. He cares about his squad, he cares about his duty to protect the citizens, and he expects the citizens to perform their own duty in the name of justice. He brings all three of these aspects together here with a completeness that makes the story work.

Without his presence, there's little doubt that this rote plot would have fallen apart completely. Once we learn a few minutes into the picture that the cop killers are plotting the bank robbery, everything comes together all too conveniently. It's a world where every informant gives up all the right information, where the police keep close connection to a brothel that gets the exact tip at the perfect time to crack the case, and where a crook who gets picked up is perfectly happy to rat out his cohorts. All these things happen quickly enough that, within about twelve hours of the shooting of the police officer, the force is at the bank waiting patiently to thwart the heist.

The final act redeems the plot a little, but just a little. In it, the two surviving bank robbers take a young girl hostage and run back to their hideout. It's not completely unexpected, but it helps the story to feel a little more substantial than it otherwise would be by adding a few characters and a little bit of suspense to the end of the film. It's not a lot, but it's enough to make me feel somewhat happier about the finish, even if the finale will come as no surprise to anybody. After all, this is a movie from 1953 and, of course, crime does not pay.

Director Arnold Laven (The Rack) only directed a few features before turning to television, where he had a pretty successful career, and the direction feels very much like a small screen drama. There are essentially only three sets in the movie and only a couple of scenes outdoors, revealing its low budget and narrow plotting. That's not always a bad thing, but the pedestrian storyline and general lack of tension sink it a little too much. Still, some of the performances are pretty good. Robinson, obviously, but Paulette Goddard (Modern Times) does a pretty solid job as the madam of the "legitimate" escort service that gives the force some information. Some of it, too, is that it was surprising to see this angle used in a production code-era film, which tended to eschew such prurient businesses, but Goddard is charming in her role. Also, watch for the great Lee Van Cleef (For a Few Dollars More) before his star turns in the Italian westerns, who plays one of the gangsters. He's low in the credits, but gets more substantial things going on than most of the rest of the cast. These three really help bring Vice Squad above the level of its story and make it basically worth a watch.

From MGM's Limited Edition collection, the DVD for Vice Squad is bare bones, but technically sound, surprisingly so given my experience with this division of the label. There has been no restoration done to the image, but there's only minimal damage to the print. There are some problems with dirt and a few lines here and there, but the black and white contrast is pretty good and the transfer itself doesn't have any real issues. The mono sound is as I expected, with a little bit of noise but perfectly audible dialog and music.

Closing Statement

Fairly, Vice Squad is a little better than I thought it would be. I love Robinson and Van Cleef, but the story is about as predictable as one could expect. That said, the performances worked on me and the overall effect was positive. As a low budget procedural, if you don't come into it with too high of expectations, it works okay.

The Verdict

Case dismissed.

Bring a strong stomach or a barf bag.

The Case

Culinary daredevil Andrew Zimmern takes on the (edible) world as he flies across the globe to find the strangest, most awesomely weird foods ever eaten by mankind. In Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: Collection 5, Part 2, he samples all kinds of odd delicacies, including water buffalo, piranha, and everything in between. Along the way Zimmern makes new friends, discovers new and different ways to cook old favorites, and realizes that what is bizarre to one culture is par for the course in another.

The episodes included on this collection:
• "Suriname"
• "Morocco"
• "Sardinia"
• "Montréal"
• "Jamaica"
• "Indonesia"
• "Embassy Row"
• "Finland"
• "New York"
• "Rio de Janeiro"

The intrepid host travels across the globe to try things most of wouldn't put in our trash can. From Indonesia to Morocco, New York to Montreal, Zimmern gulps down the worst of the worst (which sometimes ends up being pretty good, in his opinion). The Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern is sort of like Fear Factor without the competition. Andrew Zimmern -- looking like the much more agreeable cousin of King Kong Bundy -- is the perfect host for this kind of show. He's got a gregarious personality and the desire to eat anything that's put in front of him. In other words, Zimmern is a brave, brave soul.

Each episode finds Zimmern meeting up with locals and popping things down his gullet. There isn't much more to the show than that. I was sufficiently disgusted by some of things he had to eat, including a lamprey eel (the sucker-like mouth had the consistency of a rubber band) and a bowl of freshly prepared snake blood. Speaking of blood, Norway's schools still serve kids blood pudding and brownies made with animal blood. Keep that in mind next time you remember how bad your high school's cafeteria pizza was.

I'd come across Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern a few times on television and each time I was enthralled with all the horrible things the host attempted to digest. What I like about the show is that it's not just about the gross out factor; the writers, producers and Zimmern are all interested in sharing with viewers the history of various cultures and countries. Yes, Zimmern does swallow a lot of things that look wholly unappetizing (spiders, snakes and underdeveloped chicken fetuses are par for the course). Yet these 'bizarre entrees' are not without cultural or historical context; explanations are given for why a culture eats specific foods. This is a great show for parents to watch with their kids because A.) the kids will learn how other people live and eat and B.) they will realize that having to eat spinach or lima beans could be oh-so-much worse.

I'm not sure how much repeat value a show like this has. It's definitely an interesting series for the freak show lover in all of us; it's sort of like that kid who would sit at the school lunch table and put anything you gave him on his sandwich, then bite down. Except instead of cookies, potato chips and carrots it's sheep eyes and yak intestines. If that sounds like a fascinating evening in, then Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern might just be your cup of owl intestines.

Each episode is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The show looks good considering it often feels shot on the fly; the colors are vibrant and the black levels sufficient. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and is sufficient -- it's an almost completely front heavy sound mix without much dynamic range (not that it needed it). No alternate soundtracks or subtitles are available.

The extra features are basically four bonus episodes ("Alaska," "Trinidad and Tobago," "Taiwan," and "Vietnam") that were never aired on broadcast TV.

The Verdict

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: Collection 5, Part 2 is a fun set that's both gross and educational. In other words, nine year old boys who love toads and boogers will rejoice.

War Is Hell.

The Case

June 5, 1944. Sent to destroy Nazi gun emplacements in the Channel Islands, two New Zealand commandos, Captain Ben Grogan (Craig Hall) and Sergeant Joe Tane (Karlos Drinkwater) stumble upon a secret base, which they promptly investigate. Initially the building appears deserted, that is until a hellish scream rips through the dark corridors. As the two men enter the bowels of the hideout, they discover Col Klaus Meyer (Matthew Sunderland), one of the Nazi's leading occultists, who is attempting to harness the power of a captured demon, in an audacious plan that could change the outcome of the entire war.

The Devil's Rock does itself a great disservice by promoting itself as a blood-drenched horror, when in fact -- despite containing some prize gore -- visual effects supremo Paul Campion's directorial debut is actually a slow-burning shocker, absolutely dripping with tension.

Right from the off, writer-director Paul Campion reveals a great understanding of how to build a sense of foreboding. Even before the film introduces the more traditional horror elements, the tension levels are ramped up as our heroes search the dark, and deathly quiet corridors of the Nazi base they stumble upon. It's also nice to note how, even so early on, very little is given away, meaning even more seasoned horror fans will find themselves unsure of just where the film's narrative will take them, adding a real sense of threat to each and every confrontation between the heroic Ben and sinister Klaus. When Campion finally unveils the demon, The Devil's Rock is given a whole new level of menace. Thanks to a suitably underplayed performance from Gina Varela, there's a wonderfully creepy air about the demon. Rather than being overtly evil, the creature instead toys with her intended victims, preferring to break down their defenses before striking. What is also notable is how the introduction of the demon massively changes the dynamic between Captain Grogan and Colonel Meyer. Whereas before the two shared a classic good-versus-evil relationship, the two now find themselves with a mutual enemy, which in turn allows for the role of Klaus to be fleshed out more than it otherwise might. The final moments of the movie are especially tense, as the situation quickly deteriorates and the outcome is far from certain.

With visual effects powerhouse WETA onboard, The Devil's Rock really delivers on the SFX front. Though nothing too ambitious is attempted, the demon's appearance is hard to fault, both in terms of its design and execution. Although the film rarely calls for gore, when the time comes to spill the claret The Devil's Rock passes muster with some excellent prosthetics employed.

The film does drag on occasion, with the second act in particular being guilty of treading water. There are also a few issues with regard to how momentum is built up, only to be lost moments later, as the film sputters rather than flows. Even at a mere 86 minutes, the film could have done with a little light trimming to get rid of some of the excess flab that will likely lead some viewers to hold a negative view of it.

The central trio of Craig Hall, Matthew Sunderland, and Gina Varela really impress, with each delivering performances way above the level one would expect of a low-budget horror. Sunderland brings extra dimensions to the role of Col Klaus Meyer, ensuring we aren't given just another one-dimensional Nazi. Sure, Meyer is evil, but Sunderland's performance really plays on the deviousness of the character whilst also adding touches of humanity.

The single-disc DVD release comes with an excellent behind-the-scenes featurette. Broken down into five sections (viewable separately or as one whole), each deals with a different aspect of the production, and offers an honest account of low-budget filmmaking. "VFX Breakdown" may clock in at less than four minutes, but is still a worthy addition as it reveals the technical wizardry employed to really bring the film to life. A selection of deleted/extended/alternative scenes are included, and complemented by a series of outtakes. Last, but by no means least, director Paul Campion delivers a highly informative commentary track.

Presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer, The Devil's Rock looks excellent on DVD. The picture is razor sharp, with black levels that add a remarkable amount of depth to the image. Detail levels are high, while colors are strong and vibrant, even in lower lighting. The 5.1 soundtrack features crisp dialogue, and makes excellent use of the rear speakers.

An effective horror that shows both imagination and brains, The Devil's Rock is a genuine surprise, which sees Campion mark himself out as a talent to keep an eye on.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

The History Channel presents a collection of shows which will make you wonder how humans ever managed to make it this far while leaving a bleak outlook for our collective future.

The Case

Frozen World is a grouping of four documentaries which aired on History Channel anywhere between 2006-2008, and they're gathered here because of their shared subject matter: the Ice Age.

• "Clash of the Cavemen" -- This 2008 show is a blend of documentary and historical re-enactment, and it's actually pretty interesting stuff. The crux of it is a re-imagining of Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals, and what may have led to the eradication of Neanderthals.

• "Volcanic Winter" -- This 2008 offering is a terrifying program. Not for its imagery but rather for the facts presented. A super volcano could erupt at any time. And it's not if it's when. When it happens the likelihood of survival is not optimistic, to say the least. There's no planning for it and I was left reeling with the knowledge I have one more thing to be irrationally paranoid about.

• "Journey to 10,000 B.C." -- This 2008 program discusses the extinction of several large mammals at the same time during earth's history and posits not only the reasons but also how humans were able to escape the same fate.

• "Mega Freeze" -- The 2006 story deals with climate change, and is thus the special that the broadest audience can relate to. Details of how just a few degrees of temperature difference impacts the ecosphere are related, as well as worst case scenarios based on what's actually happening in the world right now. Again, another terrifying show.

The visual effects are decent quality CGI and the reenactment footage is serious if not a little hokey now and then. Sure there is some recycling of footage here and there but it's hardly so prevalent as to be insulting. The video levels are in keeping with a show broadcast in the past few years with no discernible grain or blow outs on either end of the color spectrum. The 2.0 Dolby stereo is pretty outstanding, actually, although the soundtrack and narration hardly put it through its paces. There are no special features.

The Verdict

Not Guilty.

A comedy about the greatest love story almost never told.

Opening Statement

"A broad river divides my lovers: family, duty, fate. As unchangeable as nature."

Facts of the Case

Talented but underappreciated playwright William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes, Enemy at the Gates) has been commissioned to write a new comedy (the proposed title: "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter"). However, he's suffering from a severe case of writer's block, and is forced to fake knowledge of the details as he attempts to answer the insistent queries of the two separate theatre owners he's sold the play to (how he plans to resolve that bit of poor decision-making is a mystery). In the midst of this chaos, Shakespeare finds his muse: the beautiful, wealthy Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow, Country Strong). Viola is currently engaged to be married to the sinister Lord Wessex (Colin Firth, The King's Speech), but that won't stop the lovestruck playwright from pursuing her heart.

Fortunately for Shakespeare, Viola just so happens to be a huge fan. In fact, she's such a lover of Shakespeare's work that she has plotted to dress up like a man and audition for the lead role in his latest play (during the era, men played both the male and female roles onstage). It doesn't take long before Shakespeare discovers her secret, and shortly thereafter the two begin conducting a passionate love affair. But how long can such a complicated romance last, and how will the evolution of that romance shape Shakespeare's development of his latest play?

The Evidence

We've had more than a few questionable Best Picture winners over the years, and 1998's Shakespeare in Love certainly gets mentioned quite frequently when that particular subject arises. Was Shakespeare in Love really the best film of 1998? Of course not. When you consider that 1998 gave us Saving Private Ryan, Babe: Pig in the City, Dark City, The Truman Show, A Bug's Life, Antz, Primary Colors, Gods and Monsters, Affliction, Out of Sight, American History X, Rushmore, The Big Lebowski, A Simple Plan, The Thin Red Line and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (I could go on), it becomes clear that Shakespeare in Love was an undeserving winner. Even so, there's an unfortunate tendency to loathe certain movies simply because they're overpraised. Set aside the hype and just look at the film itself, and you'll discover that Shakespeare in Love is a witty, entertaining way to pass two hours.

Simply by placing Shakespeare and his work at the center of their story, the filmmakers have set themselves up for an easy critical potshot: this stuff falls short in contrast to real Shakespeare. That's certainly true on the surface (there's a notable adjustment in quality whenever we jump from dialogue written by Marc Noonan and Tom Stoppard to words penned by The Bard), but the mechanics of the plot actually are worthy of Shakespeare. The increasingly complicated events that occur are reminiscent of works like Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night, and hit upon many of the playwright's signature moves. One of the things Shakespeare in Love gets just right is Shakespeare's willingness to make startling tonal shifts (truly, he was the Tyler Perry of his day); his comedies contain an awful lot of drama. Likewise, the movie flits with ease between playful comedy (there aren't many belly laughs, though there are plenty of giggles) and stormy angst, all the while slipping in impressively subtle allusions to Shakespeare's body of work.

That being said, it should be noted that Shakespeare in Love works better below the surface than above. Shakespeare enthusiasts will be delighted with spotting the many clever references littered throughout the film, but the actual story being told is little more than a slight, pleasant romance. It's best regarded as a playful work of historical fiction inspired by Shakespeare's works rather than a biopic of Shakespeare himself, as the film plays fast and loose with historical detail and simply focuses on entertainment (probably for the best, honestly). The movie does a nice job of emulating Shakespeare's style for a modern audience, but the final product lacks any real weight or resonance. That wouldn't be a problem if Shakespeare in Love's only goal was to entertain, but the film's final sequence is clearly intended to tug on our heartstrings and it just falls flat. For all of its promotion of weighty drama over disposable comedy, the movie fares best when it's just trying to make us chuckle.

While director John Madden occasionally fumbles the pacing, he has an exceptional cast at his disposal, which helps keep us involved during the weaker patches. Geoffrey Rush (Quills) is having a good time as a down-on-his-luck theatre owner, while Colin Firth gets a rare chance to indulge his nasty side as the almost cartoonishly arrogant Lord Wessex. Judi Dench impresses in a handful of scenes as the towering Elizabeth I (and won an Oscar for her efforts), while Gwyneth Paltrow brings warmth and playfulness to Viola (and won an Oscar for her efforts). Ben Affleck (The Sum of All Fears) is actually quite entertaining as a vain actor, while old pros like Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton), Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) and Simon Callow (Four Weddings and a Funeral) offer memorable work in smaller roles. Honestly, the only real weak point is Joseph Fiennes, whose moody performance never really engages us like it should. Unfortunately, that's pretty much par for the course for the actor, who generally manages to be the least interesting cast member of any film he's involved in. He's at least a little more involved than usual this time around, but there's a reason that he's pretty much the only major cast or crew member who wasn't a serious awards contender.

Given that Shakespeare in Love (Blu-ray) is a budget release (a startlingly low retail price of only $14.99, with many online retailers slashing that price in half), I fully expected a lazy, upconverted HD transfer, but the film actually looks quite strong in hi-def. The ornate production design really sparkles, as the transfer delivers superb detail, vibrant colors and impressive depth. It's really a sumptuous-looking flick, and this disc accentuates that fact nicely. The DTS HD 5.1 Master Audio track is another pleasant surprise, as the film offers rather detailed, immersive sound design that really does a nice job of transporting the viewer to another place and time. Dialogue is clean and clear while Stephen Warbeck's singsong score sounds lush and enveloping. Supplements are ported over from the DVD release: two commentaries (a solo track with Madden and a jam-packed cast and crew track featuring actors Ben Affleck, Dame Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush and Gwyneth Paltrow, producers Donna Gigliotti and David Parfitt, screenwriters Marc Noonan and Tom Stoppard, costume designer Sandy Powell, production designer Martin Childs and cinematographer Richard Greatrex), a standard twenty-minute making-of featurette ("Shakespeare in Love and on Film"), a 2-minute featurette spotlighting Sandy Powell, some deleted scenes, a trailer and a TV spot.

Closing Statement

It's no masterpiece, but Shakespeare in Love remains a handsomely produced charmer that benefits from a clever screenplay and a talented cast. Considering the strong transfer, immersive audio and low price, this one is easy to recommend.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

Sold!

The Case

A&E's hit reality series Storage Wars returns for a second season of aggressive bidding and intense treasure hunting, as Barry Weiss, Darrell Sheets, Dave Hester, and Jarrod and Brandi take over Southern California's biggest storage centers in hopes of scoring precious items that could instantly earn them a fortune. Now that the show's fan base keeps growing and the ratings are on the rise as well, it's the perfect time for this group of eccentric "celebrity" bidders to take the action to the next level. Luckily for them, stepping it up comes with an exciting payoff: Storage Wars: Volume Two is just as exciting and addictive as the series' fast-paced, engaging first season.

The rules of the game remain the same: Dan and Laura Dotson of American Auctioneers kick off each auction, reminding everyone that they have about five minutes to peek into the unit without touching anything. What follows is the traditional, mostly amusing bidding war led by the show's stars. Before you know it, viewers get to feed their curiosity as the camera follows our bidders while they carefully examine their unit's contents. While some of the stuff they just bought will bring them easy cash, other items will just cause them a painful loss. Truth be told, if there's one thing this business has taught them, it's that paying big bucks for a seemingly promising storage unit doesn't always pay off.

The appeal of Storage Wars springs from several structural elements of the show. First, there is the big curiosity factor, causing both bidders and viewers to wonder just what the heck they will find inside these usually overloaded units the past owners failed to claim or pay for. The large amount of items these guys stumble across from time to time range from trashy to outright bizarre. If they get lucky, they'll actually discover some really compelling objects that seem to be worth the trouble. That said, they also gain possession of a horde of trash, usually leading to disappointing faces and empty pockets.

Secondly, there's the bidding, which in the second season of the show, is headed into a more hostile direction. You won't get to see any fistfights on the screen just yet, but the joy of some of the show's stars to simply mess with their competitors by deliberately running them up a few hundred bucks dramatically boosts the entertainment value of many episodes. Attitudes collide as the egos of the bidders reach a boiling point, resulting in quite a few verbal disputes. Jarrod and Dave especially get into it, and the result is nothing but a solid dose of utterly brainless yet ridiculously hilarious reality television.

After the bidding comes the digging, which serves as an adequate way of ending each episode. This is not the most intelligent form of TV entertainment, but there's just something very appealing about watching Barry and Co. as they either get excited or really bummed out about the crap they just scored. Did I mention the constant bickering between the show's stars? As ridiculous and childish as they may be, the little feuds here and there just add the some extra spice to the mix.

One rather important note about this DVD set. Although it may suggest otherwise, Storage Wars: Volume Two only includes around half of the Season Two episodes. It's a little odd the packaging doesn't mention any of this, consequently leading buyers to believe they're buying a set with thirty-one episodes. This is not the case; you're only treated to fourteen of them. Yes, that is rather disappointing.

On a slightly better note, Storage Wars looks good in standard definition, and the show is presented in widescreen format with clear picture and sound. No special features on either of the two discs, but subtitles are included.

Storage Wars: Volume Two may be more of the same, but it's good. Although this isn't the most entertaining reality TV show out there right now, it provides light, harmless entertainment for those finding some joy in watching a group of aggressive bidders take chances and drop a bunch of cash on stuff locked up in small storage unit. Who ever thought that could make for compelling television?

The Verdict

Yuuup! Not guilty.

Tough as nails, armed to the teeth, pissed-off, and looking for a fight.

Opening Statement

More Japanese insanity courtesy of Sushi Typhoon, a studio that somehow manages to release films that make less sense than their name.

Facts of the Case

Shozo Iwaki (Tak Sakaguchi) is a former Yakuza hitman who declares war on a big criminal boss after his father is murdered. Though our hero makes some solid progress in wiping out the big guy's empire, his task is cut short by an unfortunate encounter with giant bullets. Down a pair of limbs, Shozo returns to battle, now sporting a minigun attached to his right arm and a rocket launcher in lieu of a left leg. Violence ensues.

The Evidence

That's a riveting synopsis, huh? Guns for arms, bazookas for legs, and an ill-tempered ex-Yakuza embarking on a bloody revenge quest? And I didn't even mention the cybernetic penile implant. Unfortunately, Yakuza Weapon fails to live up to the over-the-top insanity it promises.

Make no mistake, there's craziness to be found here. Blood splatters (most is CGI) and a crazy guy with a robot wiener hanging out of his pants...that's about all I remember from this experience. These days, with so many insane Japanese imports making their way to U.S. shores, if you want to differentiate from the masses, you need to bring the wacky. It was just a month ago I saw a Japanese movie featuring a car made of zombies and a woman attacking people with her umbilical-attached-infant.

That said, I am happy to offer a shout-out to Tak Sakaguchi. The guy cuts a solid badass, but the material doesn't serve him well. What else doesn't serve him: the whole guns-for-arms gag. These accessories don't show up until about two-thirds the way through the film and the result is a cop out; when the situation calls for it, Shozo's arm transforms into the gun using iffy CGI. Most of the time, he's just running around with normal limbs. Evil Dead II this is not.

The Blu-ray: a clean 1.78:1/1080p transfer that transmits the lunacy well, a loud and active 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, and a spinoff short film called Takuzo Weapon.

Closing Statement

There was some potential, but Yakuza Weapon has already fled my sub-conscious.

The Verdict

Guilty. Next time, spring for some props.

King of the monsters!

Opening Statement

Sure, he's inspired countless cheap, tacky sequels and at least two terrible remakes, but once upon a time, Godzilla was once the star of a respectable horror classic. For proof, look no further than the new Blu-ray of the 1954 Godzilla from Criterion, the first and last name in classic film.

Facts of the Case

Something is destroying fishing boats off the Japanese island of Odo, and one of the village elders suspects it's a mythical "sea god" known as "Godzilla. As the country's best scientists investigate, they discover that the old man was right after all: the country is under siege by an enormous destructive lizard monster, set free by a nuclear explosion. Can the monster be stopped before all of Japan is laid to waste?

The Evidence

From its opening frames, as ominous drums beat over stark black and white title cards, it's obvious that Godzilla is not your average giant monster movie. Though its reputation has been tarnished over the years by endless sequels and imitators, the original film (released as Gojira in Japan) remains a classic, not just of the giant monster movie genre but of Japanese cinema, too.

The film is much slower and talkier than you might recall. Our collective memory of the movie is simply of the giant monster stomping his way through Tokyo, breathing fire and laying waste to everything in his path. And, yes, there are at least two major set pieces in which Godzilla damages to several Japanese cities. But the movie is less concerned with the monster's attacks than with the consequences; it's about addressing the threat, dealing with what created it and preparing for more devastation. It is, essentially, about a country coming to terms with the A-bomb in the wake of Hiroshima, and it's as culturally personal a giant monster movie as one could ever hope to see. It's for that reason that while Godzilla was imitated a seemingly endless number of times, it was never matched -- there's simply too much of Japan's national identity at the time wrapped up in the movie, and that's what makes it so compelling. A film about a giant monster wreaking havoc can be fun, sure, but "fun" isn't a word that really applies to Godzilla. It's sad at times, positively grim at others (though much of that requires a reading beyond what is presented on screen). It is even moving in certain scenes, such as when a reporter faces certain death bravely not just because he is determined to provide information to the citizens of Japan, but because it is his time. It's so rare that a monster movie address how the victims face death; even more so in the 1950s. It's touches like this that make Godzilla so special.

And, of course, there is the monster. Time hasn't necessarily been kind to the original Godzilla, which was and always shall be a guy in a rubber suit. But there's something about the way that director Ishirô Honda shoots the monster that goes a long way towards disguising the limitations of the special effects. The first time Godzilla's revealed, we see nothing more than a head popping up from behind a hill or a mountain, but what makes it unique is that the scene takes place in bright daylight. The disconnect between the two is jarring at first, then becomes scarier and scarier the more one thinks about it -- we've become so accustomed to movie monsters being filmed and revealed in specific ways thanks to years of programming that it's thrilling to see a film disregard the rules, particularly when that film dates all the way back to the early 1950s. Throughout the remainder of the movie, the monster is shot mostly at night and underlit to mask many of the flaws. It's an effective approach and affords Godzilla a good deal of menace, though it's important to remember that, more than anything, the monster remains a metaphor in this version. Whether or not he's actually scary on screen (and he is, at times) is beside the point. It's what he represents that is scary.

God bless the Criterion Collection, a studio not only responsible for releasing the best quality versions of classic films like The Third Man and The 400 Blows, but for also taking a B-monster movie and elevating it to the status of "art" simply by virtue of the fact that they've put their label on it. Though it still looks its age and more than a little beat up in spots, this HD presentation is definitely the best Godzilla has ever looked. The AVC-encoded, 1080p transfer presents the movie in its original full frame aspect ratio, and the black and white image is very good even when it's rough in spots. Contrast is good and detail is strong throughout, even if some of the really dark scenes are nearly overpowered by grain. Several of the processed effects shots show a lot of scratches, but nothing that ruins the presentation -- in fact, it's many of those touches that add to the overall aesthetic. The LCPM mono audio track is both faithful to the source and satisfyingly clear, assisted by English subtitles for the Japanese film (the alternate American cut of the movie also features English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing).

The best bonus feature on the disc is an entire alternate cut of the movie, the U.S.-released Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The American version adds in new scenes of Raymond Burr as a reporter following the monster attacks, but cuts out a lot of material from the Japanese film; even with the new footage, King of the Monsters runs only 81 minutes. The American cut moves much more quickly and certainly has its champions, but loses so much of the Japanese identity that makes the '54 film so fascinating. If nothing else, it provides an interesting counterpoint to the Japanese movie, and demonstrates that even in the mid-1950s, American studios were less interested in substance than in entertainment value.

Godzilla scholar David Kalat has recorded a new commentary track for the movie, which provides some valuable insights into the movie (and the Godzilla series as a whole) and places it in the political context of post-war Japan. Kalat also provides commentary for the American version of the film, which, again, makes for an interesting point of comparison between the two movies. Four interviews with cast and crew, all recorded in 2011, have also been included: actors Akira Takarada and Haruo Nakajima, effects technicians Eizo Kaimai and Yoshio Irie and composer Akira Ifukube all comment on their experiences working on the landmark film. Japanese critic and scholar Tadao Sato is also interviewed on the film, offering several insights from a different cultural perspective that are unique from those found on the two Kalat commentaries. A short featurette, "Photographic Effects," covers some of the movie's visual effects and the various tricks that were used to show the giant monster stomping its way through Tokyo. Two trailers, one for each version of the movie, are also included, as is an illustrated booklet with an essay by critic J. Hoberman. Perhaps the most curious bonus feature is an audio essay by Gregory Pflugfelder chronicling the real-life fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryu Maru, which at least partially inspired Godzilla.

Closing Statement

Monster movie fans who remember Godzilla by its legacy and who are expecting campy, rubber-suited fun will be surprised to revisit the original and discover what a thoughtful, haunting movie it can be. With its technical accomplishments and an impressive selection of bonus features, Criterion's Blu-ray of Godzilla goes a long way towards placing the movie in the proper historical context and restoring its reputation as a true classic. Well done.

The Verdict

Hail to the king, baby.

Live forever or die trying.

Opening Statement

2011 was the year of movies obsessed with time. Source Code showed us a relentless return to a single moment, while The Adjustment Bureau toyed with the idea that the future is ordained. Last in the pack is In Time, which uses time to tell a story of economic disparity in the future. It didn't have the indie cred of Source Code (which was directed by Duncan Jones of Moon fame) nor the star power of The Adjustment Bureau (since Matt Damon can more reliably open a film than Justin Timberlake), and looking at the domestic grosses it would appear that In Time lost out by being last to the party. But that's not the whole story. In the foreign market, In Time made the most of all three movies, almost triple its domestic box office. I'll discuss the significance of this fact a bit later, but suffice it to say that the disparity between foreign and domestic box office means the film warrants another look. This Blu-ray release is the perfect way to do that. the two depart for a Bonnie and Clyde style adventure.

Facts of the Case

Sometime in the future, humans are engineered so that at 25 they stop aging. Theoretically, they can live forever, but at 25 people are only given a year...anything beyond that they have to earn. Time becomes a currency, and in the poorest "time zones" people are literally living day to day. One such inhabitant is Will Salas (Justin Timberlake, The Social Network), a working-class guy who rarely has as much as a day left on his clock. When a rich guy shows up in his tough neighborhood and gives Will a century before committing suicide, the Timekeepers (lead by Cillian Murphy, Batman Begins) suspect Will of murder. When things start to go south, Will heads to the richest time zone, New Greenwich, where he meets heiress Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried, Mamma Mia!). She's as tired of the economic disparity between those with time and those without as Will is, and the two depart for a Bonnie and Clyde style adventure.

The Evidence

According to Time Magazine, 2011's Person of the Year was The Protester. Across the world various protests led to regime changes and other material changes. It even touched the U.S. with the Occupy protests across the country. I think the reason that In Time resonated much more overseas than it did in America is that it feels plugged into the protest zeitgeist in a way designed to make viewers uncomfortable.

In just about every way, In Time is a straight-up Robin Hood / Bonnie and Clyde story. The only exception is that the stakes have been raised. Now it's not just a poor man robbing from a rich man, but a man robbing to get the time he needs to live. The metaphor (time=money) is a logical one, and it ensures that the film's argument hits all the stronger. It's possible to view films like Bonnie and Clyde and say (as many people did to Occupy protesters) "they should just get a job." In Time exposes that fallacy by pointing out the way that systemic disparities keep even those with a job from ever really getting ahead. And even though time is a currency, it's really hard to accuse someone with hours to live of being selfish for "stealing" time.

So, the film is a pretty good diagnosis of the world financial picture and effectively dramatizes the split between the 99 and 1% -- but is it a good movie? That's a little harder to judge. I like Timberlake and Seyfried as actors, and I wasn't excepting much from the movie. Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised. The film does a good job of creating a consistent world for the characters to inhabit, and the plot/character motivations are well done. The film moves along at a brisk clip with plenty of action and a few steamy scenes between the leads. Although it will never join the ranks of classic sci-fi (either of futurist or social critique varieties), as a popcorn action/sci-fi adventure film I found it compelling.

This Blu-ray also helps the film's case. The 2.35:1/1080p AVC-encoded high definition transfer is rock solid. Detail is strong throughout, even during some of the darker scenes (like when our co-stars taken a naked dip in the ocean), and black levels are consistent and deep. Colors are perfectly saturated, and no digital artifacts mar the image. There's really nothing to complain about with this transfer. The 5.1 DTS-HD track is similarly strong. The dialogue is clean and clear from the center channel, while the surrounds get a lot of use during chase sequences and action scenes. There's a good bit of low end thump, and the film's score sounds especially clear. Extras start with a 16 minute featurette on the conceit of time in the film, and a few deleted scenes that don't add too much. There's also a second disc that plays as a DVD of the film and doubles as a Digital Copy.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

In Time's chief misstep is that it doesn't have an answer to solving the financial crisis, either in our world or the world of the film. Thus, when our heroes go all Bonnie and Clyde with the full knowledge they'll irrevocably destroy the time economy, they and the film seem okay with that. So, after being so smart in setting up the metaphor of time, money, and economic disparity, the film can't find a way out of its problems other than trite bank robbing montages. That feels a little hollow after the film's effective setup.

I could also quibble about the casting of Timberlake and Seyfried, who don't have nearly the chemistry they need to make this movie really sing. Timberlake is very much going for the "lone wolf" sci-fi stereotype in some ways, but his attachment to Seyfried's character should complicate things. It never really does that to a satisfying degree. On the flip side, Seyfried is called upon to completely abandon her entire way of life in the course of an evening, and she seems remarkably cool with it. Also, her hairstyle may be intended to be futuristic, but it's much closer to silly.

Finally, some more politically-oriented supplements would be a nice addition.

Closing Statement

Approached as a popcorn sci-fi actioner, In Time delivers on a visceral level, even if its characters' confusion ultimately leaves the film a bit confused as well. Whatever the film's problems, this Blu-ray release is technically above reproach and worth a rental for fans of the actors or of sci-f action films.

The Verdict

It's not perfect, but In Time is not guilty.

Fear the Unknown.

Opening Statement

With the horror genre showing few signs of originality in recent years, it's frustrating to see those few films that do attempt something different so often end up getting buried amongst an avalanche of direct-to-video dross. Having first premiered in 2010, writer-director Colm McCarthy's Outcast is now out on DVD under the "Bloody Disgusting Selects" label.

Facts of the Case

Mary (Kate Dickie, Somers Town) lives with her teenage son, Fergal (Niall Bruton), in a rundown council estate in Edinburgh. Mary is extremely protective of her son, and so urges extreme caution when Fergal meets and falls in love with Petronella (Hanna Stanbridge), a young girl of Romany descent who lives on their estate.

Mary's fears for her son go beyond mere concerns over his choice in girlfriend, for Mary and Fergal harbor a dark secret that threatens everyone around them when Cathal (James Nesbitt, Coriolanus) -- a dangerous hunter in possession of a black magic that imbues him with supernatural powers -- arrives in town determined on killing them both. Not unfamiliar with the art of black magic herself, Mary takes increasingly desperate measures to protect her son, but faces an even greater threat when a feral beast begins slaughtering local residents.

The Evidence

There's something immediately unsettling about Outcast that stems from its blending of a kitchen sink aesthetic with the paranormal. Much like Ben Wheatley's Kill List, Colm McCarthy's indie horror strips away the mundanity of everyday life -- this time on a tough Scottish council estate -- to reveal the terrifying world that lives just below the surface; a world that goes much deeper and darker than the gangs of disaffected youth who prowl the streets, a world where magic (particularly the black kind) is very real. Throw in a forbidden romance that acts as the film's linchpin, and Outcast is revealed as something of a modern-day fairy tale well worth your time.

It would have been very easy for Outcast to slip up as it attempts to blend an old school monster movie (think The Wolf Man) with old Celtic rituals, not to mention the aforementioned love story. Although cracks do occasionally appear, writer-director McCarthy manages to find just the right balance to keep his movie ticking along at a quick pace, whilst ensuring his audience remains fully invested in his story. Initially appearing to be a fairly routine tale of life on a council estate, the shift towards a more fantastical premise is a surprisingly smooth one. The juxtaposition of a rundown estate with a world of magic, curses, and monsters proves extremely effective, as the realism granted by the setting heightens the impact of the supernatural element.

There are problems with Outcast, but nothing that proves fatal. The second act drags a little, as it occasionally struggles to maintain the momentum of the opening act whilst holding off the big revelations until the finale. Speaking of which, the film's climax isn't without fault. Having spent most of the film lurking in the shadows, with only the briefest glimpses of the creature being afforded to the viewer, the final reveal of the beast is disappointing, to say the least. An unconvincing blend of prosthetics and CGI, the creature resembles an anorexic Hulk mixed with a werewolf smothered in KY Jelly.

The cast, which features a number of newcomers in prominent roles, impresses on the whole, with one or two standouts. Newcomer Hanna Stanbridge delivers a confident performance as Petronella, infusing the role with a real feistiness whilst ensuring the character's softer side is still evident. James Cosmo (Braveheart) and Karen Gillan (Doctor Who) appear in small roles that reveal the depth of talent amongst the cast. Leads James Nesbitt and Kate Dickie bring real menace to the film. Dickie in particular makes an impression due to the way she ensures both aspects of her character -- those being the protective mother and the powerful witch -- are so well realized. When she curses a nosy social worker, it's hard not to be a little frightened by Dickie's terrifying glare. The only slight blip is Niall Bruton as Fergal. In truth, Bruton delivers a solid performance. The problems stem from the fact that Fergal is the catalyst around whom everyone else revolves, but is given very little to do himself.

Director Colm McCarthy, best known for his work on UK TV shows Murphy's Law and The Tudors, should be commended for how understated his film is. McCarthy shows a great deal of restraint with regard to how the supernatural elements of the film are handled, and puts a great deal of effort into keeping his film grounded. It's just a shame then that McCarthy should fumble the ending so badly, which sees much of that restraint go out the window as the film devolves into a poorly executed monster movie.

Vivendi's DVD sports an excellent 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. Black levels immediately impress, while the muted color palette adds to the film's morbid tone. The picture is sharp, with only a light layer of grain, and contains high levels of detail. The 5.1 soundtrack offers a spacious mix, with crisp dialogue complemented by some excellent effects work. The DVD is let down slightly by a poor offering of extras. Although the behind-the-scenes featurette offers up a few interesting insights into the film, thanks to the cast and crew interview, it frequently feels like an afterthought. The only other special features are a stills gallery and trailer.

Closing Statement

Despite the odd stumble, Outcast proves to be an interesting and frequently effective horror movie for those looking for something a little different than the average werewolf movie.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

Dino-rama!

Opening Statement

One of BBC's biggest hits returns for another dose of dinosaur punching.

Facts of the Case

This is my first experience with Primeval, so allow me some catch-up: Breaches in the space-time continuum called "anomalies" have been opening portals that often lead to prehistoric eras. Through these balls of CGI, terrifying dinosaurs and monsters often traipse, forcing a group of containment professionals to restrain the beasts and control the gatweways.

When we last left these lizard-antagonists, two of their team members found themselves trapped in time during their attempt to save the world from a woman trying to retroactively halt the process of human evolution. Meanwhile, back in the present, a whole new threat emerges, and once again the consequences are civilization-ending...

The Evidence

Fun show. I recall seeing the Primeval ads regularly on BBC America and found myself resisting its allure pretty vigorously. I'd say to myself, "Wow that looks cheesy..." and move on.

It is a risky proposition, building a TV series around the successful generation of dinosaur visual effects, but thanks to both the surprising adeptness of the animators and a tone that balances B-movie plotting with an atmosphere of playing it straight, the show succeeds.

The latter element is what particularly stands out. How easy it would have been to just go full-on goofy, considering the hook of the show? Wisely, the writers opted to stay away from the tongue-in-cheek stuff and play it straight. Granted, there are moments that could have benefitted from some comic relief, but overall it was the right call. The result is a sci-fi action show that doesn't insult your intelligence and the season-long storyline tosses in plenty of entertaining twists.

Primeval's biggest surprise is the quality of its CGI. While it won't be passed off as the fraternal twin of Avatar anytime soon, the visual fx work could have been a lot worse. Actually, that's not fair. Considering the challenge of rendering new and sexy prehistoric monstrosities for every show and utilizing a doubtlessly limited budget, the tech wizards deserve more credit than "it's not terrible." I'd place the quality of the CGI as a few notches below a feature film and worlds better than anything coming out of the Syfy movie factory. I can basically buy these creatures are running amok, so the suspension of disbelief stands.

Two things that irk me...

1) These dinosaur incursions are apparently supposed to be kept under wraps and one of the agents goes so far to commandeer some kid's cell phone, but really we're supposed to believe that no one sees a gigantic T-Rex running through the streets of Slough?!

2) Everyone freaks out when a dino bites it and there's such a focus on non-lethal methods of incapacitating them, but if I were a taxpayer I would make damn sure my government is murdering animals that can devour me alive.

BBC Video's Blu-ray set is okay, starting with the 1.78:1/1080i high-definition transfer. Despite the lack of "p" after the "1080," this is a fine-looking presentation and delivers the action and effects with punch and clarity. Audio is more basic, a 2.0 Dolby Stereo mix that can get noisy, but I'm not ready to let this missed surround sound opportunity slide. Extras: a two-part making-of featurette (in HD) and the complete set of prequel webisodes.

Closing Statement

Fast-moving and sporadically ferocious, Primeval serves up an enjoyable sci-fi action romp.

The Verdict

Not Guilty. T-Rex still has funny arms.

The military has captured and imprisoned a supernatural entity, and now it wants to play.

The Case

Hayley (Katie Flynn) is a ghost whisperer, who has just arrived at a top secret military instillation. The soldiers have captured what they call a "supernatural entity," and they want Hayley to communicate with it. She finds the creature to be childlike, but volatile. Hayley finds herself in the middle of a conflict, with power-hungry soldiers on one side and a malevolent spirit on the other.

What we're dealing with here is a haunted house movie, only set in an underground military base (they can't all be gothic mansions). A key element of any haunted house story is the manifestations. How will the filmmakers make the presence of an unseen spirit visible? In this movie, we get some disembodied voices, a couple of otherwise inanimate objects floating around, and few scenes where the ghost possesses someone else. Mostly, though, Stormhouse disappoints when it come to the manifestations. The ghost is kept inside a large cage made of chain link fence, located inside a huge room deep underground. There are occasional orange CGI flashes around the cage -- which we're told is not the ghost but an electromagnetic field keeping the ghost trapped -- but other than that, we're supposed to be all scared while looking at a big chain link fence. This big immobile fence is essentially the movie's "monster." Disbelief, not suspended.

Another disappointment is the back story. Author Stephen King has famously said that any haunted house story is really a history story, in that the heroes must explore the history of the house in order to deal with ghost and find out what it wants. Frustratingly, we never get this in Stormhouse. We never learn what the entity is, where it came from, or what it wants -- other than it wants out of its cage. At times, the ghost is monstrous, attacking and killing hapless soldiers, but at other times, it's childlike, wanting to play games and making people it possesses sing nursery rhymes. The problem is that we've all seen stuff like this in dozens (hundreds?) of other ghost stories. If you were to ask me what makes this ghost different from other movie ghosts, the answer would be a big ol' shrug. I'm sure the filmmakers already have an elaborate back story for the ghost, which they hope to reveal piece by piece in future sequels, but that's not enough for this movie.

Katie Lynch does a good job as Hayley, taking the character on a journey from excited-to-be-there to terrified-out-of-her-head and then finally to determined-heroine-willing-to-do-whatever-it-takes-to-survive. The soldier actors fill their tough guy roles easily, although everyone's accents are all over the place, so that I'm not clear on where this movie takes place (U.S. troops stationed in England, I'm guessing?). Some scenes are beautifully filmed, with the screen almost entirely black except for a few of the characters' features lit, providing a sense of how isolated and doomed they are. The DVD captures this nicely, with a clean, sharp picture, and equally clean 5.1 audio. We also get a short featurette and the movie's trailer.

I hate to be such a downer. I was really pumped to see this movie. A bunch of soldiers confronted by a ghost? How would they fight it, since their guns and other weapons can't hurt it? It seemed like such a cool idea. Instead, we get...a chain link fence.

The Verdict

Guilty.

One body, two heads, and 6,000 teeth.

The Case

The talented artisans over at The Asylum have cooked up another masterpiece. Starring such luminaries as Carmen Electra, Brooke Hogan, and Charlie O'Connell, 2-Headed Shark Attack combines incisive social commentary with overflowing bikini tops to produce an experience that is half as memorable as it is coherent.

Here's the play-by-play: a college class full of yahoos follow their moronic teacher (O'Connell) out onto the ocean for some kind of class at sea. But instead of learning and developing critical thinking skills, the students mainly lounge on the deck with their boobs hanging out and go jet-skiing. Little do they know their four easy credit hours are about to be threatened by a new kind of terrifying predator: a shark with two heads, which means double the smiling power!

Would it come as any shock to hear that a movie called 2-Headed Shark Attack is a steaming pile? This coming from someone with an abnormally elastic tolerance for contrived, corny creature features. But that elasticity can only stretch so far, and when a movie tries too hard to be schlocky and hip -- while also retaining all the deficiencies of the genre -- it's time to move on and do some quilting.

There's nothing here you haven't witnessed before in a multitude of similar low-budget monster ilk. Some attractive young twenty-somethings, systematically munched on by a poorly rendered attacker, eventually meets its end courtesy of a handy gas canister. Oh, the writers do toss in an earthquake as well, just to spice things up.

You won't care who lives or dies, but it will be obvious who's going to survive (hint: she's tall, untalented, and the daughter of a geriatric pugilist). Sadly, you won't even siphon enjoyment from these death scenes, thanks to some hectic editing and off-screen bloodletting. The filmmakers are faced with an unsavory dilemma: focus on the awful CGI shark or turn the camera toward the laughable stationary prop? It's an impossible choice, so they opted for option "C," which is "shake the camera around violently without purpose."

Standard-issue DVD: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, 5.1 Dolby Digital, bloopers, and a making-of featurette.

The Verdict

Seek this out only if you're committed to keep Brooke Hogan gainfully employed. Guilty.

"Why do people have to love people anyway?"

Opening Statement

After his hit Some Like It Hot, Billy Wilder decided to throw fans a curve ball with the 1960 Best Picture winner The Apartment, a movie that broke many taboos including mixing comedy and drama around the controversial subject matter (for its time) of adultery. Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, The Apartment finally hits Blu-ray care of Fox Home Entertainment.

Facts of the Case

C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon, Days of Wine and Roses) is an up-and-coming young executive climbing the corporate ladder in a very odd way: by lending out his small New York apartment to fellow high ranking execs for extra-marital trysts. One of C.C.'s bosses, personal manager Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray, Double Indemnity), has been carrying on an affair with one of the elevator operators, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine, Terms of Endearment), whom C.C. also has a crush on. As Baxter continues to lend out his apartment, Fran experiences her own romantic ups and downs until finally settling on a stunning decision that sets into motion a romantic love triangle that will test the moral character of all involved.

The Evidence

Instead of a rehashing the three previous DVD Verdict reviews, I want to tell you a few specific things I love about The Apartment...

Jack Lemmon
A good friend of mine is a big Jack Lemmon fan. I never knew why. Then I saw The Apartment. Now I know why. How do you not love this guy? He's not just an everyman, he's THE everyman. The moments where Lemmon shines here are many: slinging spaghetti with a tennis racket; spurting nasal spray all over his boss's office; taking his own temperature with a thermometer, while sitting in a crowded workspace; trying to explain to his doctor neighbor why he has so many women in his house; and the phrase "that's the way it crumbles, cookie-wise." It's a great performance deserving of its Oscar nomination.

The Time Period
The Apartment is a movie made for a late night viewing. For my umpteenth time, I cozied up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. There is just something about the movie that works on this level. Baxter's '60s apartment is disheveled but comfy, his workspace cavernous and spacious. There is an intangible quality in the film that makes you warm to everyone on screen, even when they are doing the most despicable things behind their spouses' backs. And don't get me started on Shirley Maclaine's pixie-like Fran, an irresistible concoction of innocence, cuteness, and sexual desire.

The Holiday Office Party Sequence
Seriously, has anyone ever throw an office party like this in their lives? I so, want to have lived in 1960. People standing on desks pouring booze into giant punchbowls, folks making out in every corner, dancing like there's no tomorrow. It's the closest thing the '60s got to putting on a rave. Except everyone is dressed up in suits and ties.

The Music
The film's music is mellow jazz for a rainy day, accentuating the loneliness and isolation you know these characters feel. It also helps with the aforementioned cozy feeling you get watching the film. Composer Adolph Deutsch's score is at times overly dramatic (as when C.C. Baxter pops a champagne cork and Fran thinks it's a gunshot), but it's also emotionally fulfilling; I so need to find this soundtrack album.

Hope Holiday
Margie MacDougall, played by Ms. Holiday (Irma la Douce), is the floozy, philandering barfly whom C.C. Baxter latches onto in a moment of drunken desperation. Her line reads are just priceless: "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring. Not nothing. Dullsville." One of my favorite, silliest performances in the film.

"Shut Up And Deal"
The Apartment's famous final line summarizes the movie perfectly: nothing gets tied up in a pretty white bow. Things are messy. There's hope for two of the characters, but it's tentative at best. Sweet and sour in the same moment. It's truly quintessential Wilder.

I have a hard time finding any real flaws with The Apartment. It started as a film I respected, became a film I liked, and is now a film I am passionately in love with. It's hard to separate the dance from the dancer, so you'll just have to take my word for it: The Apartment is worth seeking out. It's for fans of comedy, drama, love, loss, and (above all) the movies.

Highly recommended.

The Apartment (Blu-ray) is presented in black and white, 2.34:1/1080p high definition widescreen and looks beautiful. My initial reaction to this transfer was slight disappointment, but it was my own issue of just having to get past its fine layer of filmic grain. The picture quality is a gorgeous black and white image, filled with crevices and spaces you never noticed on the mediocre DVD edition from a few years back. Fans of this classic film will be more than happy with the way that this high def transfer turned out.

The soundtrack is presented in a newly created 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio that sounds great. Purists will be happy to know the studio hasn't screwed up this mix with any out-of-place sounds or cues; the bulk of the track is front heavy with an almost Mono feel. Also included are Spanish and French language tracks in Dolby Mono, as well as English, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Better than expected, but not as good as it could have been, The Apartment sports a few meaty extra features including a commentary track with film historian Bruce Block; a half hour retrospective "Inside The Apartment" that features interviews with Chris Lemmon (Jack's son), Shirley MacLaine, host/historian Robert Osborne, and others involved with the film's production; a short featurette titled "Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon"; and a theatrical trailer for the film.

Closing Statement

I'm ecstatic to have Billy Wilder's The Apartment on Blu-ray, especially since Fox has done a nice job on this release.

The Verdict

The Apartment is just great, old fashioned movie making.

"No prize money, but the birdseed endorsements are huge."

Opening Statement

Somehow, I opted to review a sports movie on Super Bowl Weekend. I'm writing this review around two college basketball games and, of course, the Giants and the Patriots, thus making my sports immersion complete. It's not Moneyball -- the award nominee that everyone's talking about -- but the less-noticed The Big Year. A comic film inspired by Mark Obmascik's nonfiction book, The Big Year follows birders as they vie to complete a Big Year, a year devoted to spotting rare birds and, perhaps, setting records. Perhaps I've started a new personal tradition...

Facts of the Case

Computer programmer and bird spotter Brad Harris (Jack Black, Kung Fu Panda) has made his mind up: he's going for his Big Year, despite the disadvantage of having a full-time job and not so much money. He's going to be traveling around the country, seeking out birds -- and running into competitors, who include Stu Preissler (Steve Martin, Roxanne), a CEO who's trying hard to retire, and Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson, Shanghai Noon), who set the record for spotting the most birds in a year and wants to keep it.

The Evidence

The Big Year first introduces viewers to Jack Black's Brad Harris, who guides us through the competitive birding with his genial voiceovers. Harris is the underdog, a divorced working stiff living with his parents. He's maxing out his credit cards to go for his Big Year, and his father (Brian Dennehy, Tommy Boy) doesn't understand his interest in birds. His favorite bird is an underdog, too: the American golden plover ("That's the bird that everyone underestimates" during a lifetime of great journeys, as he explains). Harris does have one advantage, though: a Golden Ear. That means he can recognize just about any bird by its call. Harris and Stu Preissler strike up a friendship quickly and start working together, sort of, even if they don't consider it such in so many words until well after the film's halfway mark. They're united to beat Kenny Bostick, who bickers with a boat captain who stops to look at whales on a birding run and isn't above head games, such as trying to talk Stu into a case of seasickness ("Pitching and tossing. Pitching and tossing. Pitching and tossing.").

There's always a crowd around when there's a bird spotting or a storm that's likely to bring a variety of birds down to Earth, but The Big Year mostly passes on these situations as a source of frenetic comedy. That's because the movie turns out to be more about how the characters react to situations in their personal lives that jeopardize their bird counts. The movie runs tallies on the screen all the way through, but you probably won't care by the end of the movie. The actual emphasis is hit home a tad too bluntly in Brad's speech at the end of the movie, but the performances are credible enough to make the characters' evolutions -- or lack thereof -- seem natural.

The expressions on Black's and Martin's faces as they spot a rare bird show their characters' sheer pleasure in birding, and the actors seem to have a genuine rapport. There's a little bit of shtick, but they become the characters well, giving the movie warmth instead of belly laughs. As the heel, Wilson stays closest to his comic persona, playing Bostick as cocky, sneaky, and singleminded. However, even Bostick gets emotional when he sees bald eagles mating in mid-air.

And yes, there is a reference to The Birds, as a woman heads outside on Attu Island with a scarf covered with bird bait. One character even calls the scene "Hitchcockian" to make sure viewers get the connection.

As near as I could tell from the credits, the locations all seemed to be around Vancouver or in the Yukon. However, the production manages to convey a sense of scope well, and it really feels like you're traveling around the country with the birders. The settings are genuinely beautiful and well-shot.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

The Big Year DVD includes an "extended version" which seems to be an earlier cut. The big difference is the narration. The version that made it to theaters has Jack Black doing a first-person narration, while the extended version has John Cleese (Fawlty Towers) doing it in a sort of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy style. A short bit of Cleese's work was kept in the final product, over a montage that explains what a Big Year is. The change turns out to be a big improvement, helping to give viewers more of a rooting interest. There are a few other bits -- including a brief appearance by Brad's ex-wife -- that didn't really fit, adding another four minutes or so to the length of the film. It's "unrated," but still a mild PG in nature.

Closing Statement

The Big Year, with its emphasis on the character's choices rather than on the birding competition, turns out to be of different plumage than The Big Year. It has a script that tends to go for easy sentiment, but puts that script in the hands of three actors who lift it up a notch or two. The Big Year's aims may be modest, but it meets its goal of providing a comfortable, amiable movie. I doubt you'll want to run out and add it to your collection, but it's definitely a worthwhile rental.

The Verdict

Not guilty. Let's hope the cast lands that birdseed endorsement.

"They say that everybody in the world has somebody, somewhere who looks just like they do."

The Case

In one of those movie coincidences, criminals Sidney (Michael Caine, Deathtrap) and Garald (Roger Moore, Live and Let Die) look just like Doctor Hicklar (also Caine) and Sir John Bevistock (also Moore), two scientists working on a fusion project. In another of those movie coincidences, the lowlifes have a friend (Sally Kirkland, Private Benjamin) who just happens to know the scientists have a secret stash of diamonds in a safe deposit box. Naturally, Sidney and Garald set about impersonating their more fortunate doppelgangers to scoop up the diamonds for themselves.

Today, biometrics could foil a scheme like this, but in 1990 (when Bullseye! hit screens) it was still at least slightly plausible that the underworld pair could pull off a heist by posing as their twins. Even so, it seems like an unlikely caper film. Sidney very obviously hates the healthy tofu lifestyle that Hickler lives by, and he and his partner have a tendency to argue and brawl at just about every occasion. In the worst instance, Sidney and Garald get into a brawl at a scientific conference and wind up in the headlines -- as Hicklar and Bevistock. Eventually, government agencies ask the two imposters to keep up the guise -- or else.

All this, of course, is played for laughs. Early on, there are a few funny bits, Caine's hapless Sidney is released from prison only to be left in the wake of the first bus he tries to catch outside and gets to his old home just in time to see it torn down. His misadventures are accompanied by a self-deprecating narration that's occasionally amusing. The movie quickly wears thin, though.

Bullseye! looks good on paper. The idea of two buddies -- one suave and one rough -- getting involved in a caper isn't new to Roger Moore; that's the basic premise of The Persuaders!, his last TV series before becoming James Bond. True, it might have been better to reunite Moore with Tony Curtis, but in his absence Michael Caine's a good choice. Moore and Caine work together well, and the movie has the requisite improbable twists and turns of a good comic thriller. However, the script is just weak, with too much of the comedy coming from things like humping dogs and the mystery of which of the lowlife duo fathered a lovely CIA agent, who just happens to have the last name of Fleming (Moore's daughter, here called Deborah Barrymore, who made her screen debut in The Persuaders!). The actors nail any good line or bit they get, and there are some good moments, but Bullseye! could have been a lot better.

MGM's full frame standard definition image quality is good but not exceptional. Modern viewers will be put off by the realization that this is a television print and not the original theatrical version.

Bullseye! is a small-batch release, with even the DVD cover looking slapdash. This also means the DVD won't work in all players. Amazon.com apparently didn't have enough confidence in Bullseye! to give it a "rent" option on Instant Video. Even in barebones form, I can't fault MGM for releasing it, but the movie just turns out disappointing.

The Verdict

Guilty.

"This time, I'm cast as the lead." -- Hiroshi

The Case

Writer-director Atsushi Ogata's first feature film owes much to the style and reputation of Woody Allen. Cast Me If You Can doesn't so much mimicking the tireless American director as it demonstrates what the novice filmmaker has learned from observing the veteran. This Japanese romantic comedy has enough charm of its own, even though it is a little unpolished.

Hiroshi (Toru Masuoka, My Neighbors the Yamadas) has a modest acting career playing supporting parts. The epitome of a "that guy" actor, people often remark how familiar he looks but they can't quite place where they've seen him exactly. Hiroshi has a knack for looking the part whether he's mistaken for a shop clerk or a suspected kidnapper pictured in the papers. Just when he's due for a big break -- the lead in a Japanese remake of a Woody Allen movie -- Hiroshi is implicated in a tabloid scandal that costs him the role.

While minding his ailing father, Kenta (Masahiko Tsugawa, Crazed Fruit), and trying to clear his name, Hiroshi meets Aya (Hiromi Nagasaku, Doppelganger, an aspiring actress whose bubbly, sweet personality unsettles his routine. When Aya recognizes Kenta is a famous playwright, she hopes to get cast in his new work. This puts a strain on Hiroshi's blossoming romance with Aya because he's tired of living in his father's shadow.

Ogata's movie draws inspiration from Woody Allen but he's not trying to make a Woody Allen movie. There are formal touches that tip his hand such as extended single-take scenes or tracking with characters as they walk and talk about philosophy and art. Ogata also uses locations that make Tokyo appear very grounded -- this is the rare movie where I can picture ordinary people living in that exotic metropolis. If the principle actors are meant to evoke hyper-articulate, neurotic New Yorkers, then something has been lost in translation. Tall and reserved, Hiroshi is more of a straight-man type. At times, it's hard to know what he is thinking. In a scene when he is asked to enter his number into Aya's cell phone, Hiroshi is suddenly distracted and walks away. Yet, I found it unclear if he was unaware of his actions or if he was deliberately being antisocial. A little more dialogue or broader expression from Hiroshi would have made him an easier character to sympathize with but he's such a hapless and kind person that we like him enough anyway. Aya adds a ray of sunshine to the proceedings with her energy and optimism. But she's not the magical pixie who exists merely to guide Hiroshi. In contrast to his near acceptance of his perpetual supporting role status, Aya is the perfect foil with her pent up star potential.

While the movie is handsomely made, there are a handful of directorial choices that work against it. Ogata tends to hold individual shots just a little too long. When the actors are frozen with the same expression for an extended time, it feels like calling "cut" is overdue. A few detours into slapstick humor aren't always successful. It is hard to believe the heist and modification of a cell phone can occur in plain view of its owner. Whether on account of shortcuts in the staging or editing shortfalls, these minor troubles don't ruin the movie but they leave room for improvement.

The image is presented in a respectable 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. The image is clean and colors are rendered quite naturally. There is a deliberate drabness to the color choices which works all the better for allowing Aya to stand out in her colorful costumes. The stereo audio is fine, though nothing to really excite the ears.

There is a nice selection of extras included but some are not translated for English-speaking audiences. Ogata's 2006 short film "Eternally Yours" (14:30) also stars Toru Masuoka. He plays a con man targeting an elderly woman in this dark comedy. It's in Japanese with English subtitles. The making-of featurette (6:00) and the Q&A sessions (24:00) following two screenings are presented in Japanese only and without subtitles. The Japanese and English trailers for the movie are also included.

The audio commentaries by Atsushi Ogata, recorded separately in Japanese and English, are the best bonuses. The director is very articulate about film and he talks openly about what he was trying to achieve in each scene. Hearing him explain all the small details of the production, his enthusiasm for the film is obvious. He also points out the culturally specific elements that would be lost on North American audiences such as Internet cafes being used as a low-rent housing option. Ogata's commentary actually made me appreciate the movie more than I did initially.

Cast Me If You Can isn't perfect, but it is very charming. Overlook the occasionally rough direction and you'll enjoy the light romance between two showbiz dreamers. This cute romantic comedy is a recommended rental.

The Verdict

Expecting further good-natured, charming work from the filmmakers, the court suspends sentencing against this movie.

Absolutely Nothing in Moderation

Opening Statement

Before he was a do-anything gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson lived an interesting life. After some juvenile delinquency he was forced into the Air Force, where he eventually moonlighted as a sports writer while nursing dreams of being a novelist (along with the occasional bottle) . When he was discharged (honorably!), Thompson took up a nomad's existence, travelling America and working at a number of smaller papers to pay the bills while he worked on his creative writing. He was fired from a number of posts for various disagreeable actions (including assaulting a vending machine) and eventually he needed a place to hole up where the rent was cheap and the day job at the newspaper wasn't too taxing. He landed in Puerto Rico working for a sports paper and fell in with a group of likeminded, hard-drinking individuals (including future prizewinning novelist William J. Kennedy). Thompson would go on to write a semi-autobiographical novel about his experiences there. When he couldn't sell it (or the other things he'd written), he increasingly turned to journalism, which culminated in his fame for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The novel, however, didn't go away. When it was discovered amongst Thompson's collection of carbons (they man apparently kept everything), he was urged to publish it. Johnny Depp decided to play a Thompson surrogate again in the film and convinced British director Bruce Robinson to helm the feature. Under their watchful eye, The Rum Diary turns out to be a fitting tribute to the late writer, though it's not always a satisfying motion picture.

Facts of the Case

Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp, Fear in Loathing in Las Vegas) is a hard-drinking novelist who needs to pay his bills. He takes a job at a failing newspaper in Puerto Rico, where the rum flows freely and you never have to drink alone. Puzzled by the contrast between the opulence of the tourists' beaches and the squalor of the island's natives, Kemp begins to investigate with his trusty sidekick, the photographer Sala (Michael Rispoli, Rounders). The trail puts them in touch with a shady PR guy (Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight) with plans to turn another tropical island into a tourist trap, and his girlfriend Chenault (Amber Heard, Zombieland). Kemp promptly fails in love with the girl and gets hopelessly entangled in the real estate deal, all while consuming heroic quantities of rum.

The Evidence

I loved The Rum Diary, but then again I have all of Thompson's books as well as the biographies published about him so take that with a grain of salt (and a shot of rum). However, even my fanboy adoration of Thompson' s work allow me to admit that his novel is more of a curiosity than an integral part of a body of work that includes classic texts like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Since I think the novel is a bit light, why then does the movie get high marks? There are several reasons:

Bruce Robison knows his stuff. He wrote the screenplay from Thompson's novel, and he gives it a shape that the book lacks. Much of contemporary fiction isn't plot driven, and Thompson's novel is no exception. Robinson thus had to figure out how to extract an essential plot out of the novel, and he succeeds pretty well. It's still not an action-packed drama, but The Rum Diary has both an arc and enough interesting incidents along the way to hold the audience's interest. Robinson also has an ear for dialogue; he wrote one of the most quotable movies of all time with Withnail and I after all. Here he melds his own ear for dialogue with Thompson's pre-gonzo sensibilities.

That dialogue would be nothing without Johnny Depp's reading. He's one of the few people who really gets Hunter S. Thompson. This is pre-gonzo Hunter, before he'd experimented with acid and been beaten up by the cops in Chicago. Though Thompson was angry and demoralized by his lack of novelistic success and excessive alcohol consumption, he wasn't yet the raging beast of vitriol that he would become. So Depp's performance here is more subdued, but full of the tics and mannerisms that would eventually overtake Thompson's public persona.

However, as much as I love Depp, this is not his movie. Nope, The Rum Diary really belongs to Michael Rispoli as Sala and Giovanni Ribisi as the over-the-top alcoholic Moberg. Rispoli is the cynical, streetwise partner that would follow Thompson all his life, his early Dr. Gonzo. Rispoli is excellent in the role, not aping Benicio Del Toro from Fear and Loathing but giving his own spin on the sidekick role. Ribisi is like the ghost of Christmas future for Kemp: figuratively in the movie and literally in real life. He's the kind of raving, paranoid writer that Thompson would be criticized as being for most of his life, and Ribisi is transformed in the role.

The technical presentation of this Blu-ray doesn't hurt anything either. The 1.85:1/1080p AVC-encoded high definition transfer is as pristine as the beaches of Puerto Rico in the film. Colors are especially impressive, including all the cool blues and lush greens of the tropical environment. Detail is strong throughout, especially in the darker night scenes, and digital artifacts aren't a problem. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is also impressive; all of the dialogue is clean and clear, and the surrounds get a decent amount of use during key scenes. Extras include a pair of featurettes about the film's production and everything that led up to the adaptation.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Though I really enjoyed The Rum Diary, it's not a great film. It's a little too gonzo to please those looking for a regular drama, and not gonzo enough for those looking for another Fear and Loathing. Though its neither-here-nor-there status makes sense in the context of Thompson's biography and the novel's history, it's unlikely to please either casual moviegoers or fanatic gonzo fans completely.

Also, the lack of extras is seriously disappointing. Bruce Robinson has demonstrated over his numerous Withnail releases that he's articulate and loves to share a story or two. A commentary track featuring Robinson and Depp would put this disc into the "must buy" category without a doubt. What's here is fine, but I can't help wishing for more from people so passionate about the material.

Closing Statement

The Rum Diary is a film with many merits. Those who like Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Depp, Michael Rispoli, or Giovanni Ribisi should at least give this film a rental. If expectations are kept in check, there is plenty in these two hours to enjoy, and the solid Blu-ray presentation only helps the film.

The Verdict

Drunk, but not guilty.

Can 19 wrongs make Mr. Right?

The Case

Sometimes it's the singer, not the song.

Take the case of What's Your Number?, a deliberately crass, potty-mouthed cinematic romp based on a witless premise: Girl-in-her-thirties Ally Darling (Anna Faris, The House Bunny) reads a magazine article which informs her that, due to nothing more than the number of sexual partners she's had, she is in fact a giant hoo-er, destined to remain single and loveless.

"I see it in my practice all the time," confirms a gal pal. "When you're too sexually available, it messes with your self-esteem. Next thing you know, you're 45 with no self-respect, no husband, and no muscle-tone in your pelvic floor."

Heady stuff, eh? But ever resourceful, our girl-in-her-thirties espies an exploitable loophole. According to the almighty article, 96% of women who have been with 20 or more lovers are doomed, but Ally is still one shy. Aha! Naturally, she concludes the best way to ensure she won't fall into the abyss is by keeping her "tally" at a manageable 19 and re-evaluating all of her ex-boyfriends. With so many men, you'd figure at least one might have improved with age, right?

Not really. Her exes make up a rogues' gallery of sitcomic characters like Gerry Perry (Andy Samberg, Saturday Night Live), the puppeteer; Dr. Barrett (Thomas Lennon, Reno 911!), the absent-minded gynecologist; and "Disgusting Donald," (Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation) who was so fat (but so sexually satisfying) that Ally was ashamed to be seen in public with him.

This trio was relatively easy to find, but some of the more promising candidates have slipped into the mists of time and Ally needs a way to track them down, which is where next door neighbor Colin (Chris Evans, The Perfect Score) comes in. Colin's an aspiring musician with lots of time on his hands. In constant need of beer/sandwich/takeout money, he's more than prepared to accept a fee for his considerable sleuthing skills. The extremely handsome Colin is conveniently located, has a magnificent body (he frequently wears nothing but a bath towel), and though he shares Ally's proclivity towards short-lived, sexually-based relationships, and he's the one person who truly "gets" the trollish little chachkis she makes in her spare time, there's no way she's gonna get wit him. Nada chance. Never gonna happen. Right.

What's Your Number? was pilloried by critics, when it committed the apparently unpardonable sin of following the release of Bridesmaids, another deliberately crass, potty-mouthed, cinematic romp based on a witless premise. To be sure, Bridesmaids is an infinitely superior film, populated by fully fleshed-out characters and dirty humor that consistently delivers. But What's Your Number doesn't aspire to much more than being a female gross-out comedy. And even there, it fails.

As sometimes happens, many critics went positively hyperbolic, charging this sophomoric rom-com with ridiculous crimes, like sending "the modern feminist movement back to the dark ages," (Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com) and that the "lighting, camerawork, and editing are all a slapdash mess." (Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly) Oh, come on! It's not as if this movie got Roe v. Wade or the 19th Amendment overturned. What's Your Number? was commissioned by a major studio with enough money to hire people smart enough to know about removing the lens caps and turning on the lights.

For a lucid, detailed, and sensible accounting of this film's structural weaknesses, I heartily recommend reading DVD Verdict's own Judge Patrick Bromley, who previously reviewed the Blu-ray version. There is nothing I can dispute or add to Judge Bromley's account, except that I seemed to enjoy What's Your Number? more than he did, primarily due to valorous efforts by Faris and Evans in the leading roles.

As I've said: Sometimes it's the singer, not the song.

I don't know that you can put it down to anything more concrete than the charisma of this talented pair, but this movie shouldn't be discounted, as both actors have carved out career niches for themselves by making magic with roles that would deem mere mortal thespians to obscurity -- Lost In Translation and Observe And Report for Faris, and Not Another Teen Comedy and Captain America: The First Avenger for Evans. Furthermore, without the comic clout of co-writers Gabrielle Allen (Scrubs), Jennifer Crittenden (Seinfeld), and director Mark Mylod (Entourage), this paper-thin "high concept" comedy would be entirely laughless, as opposed to being merely tasteless.

Fox has done a fine job with its 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen presentation and 5.1 Dolby Surround, delivering every R-Rated sight and syllable with perfect clarity. We also get a French language 2.0 stereo track and an Descriptive English option. Spanish and English SDH subtitles have also been provided, giving a good many linguists around the world a chance to get in on the smutty jokes.

Extras here have to do with just how much of this movie you're in the mood for, by offering a choice between the 106 minute theatrical release and the unrated extended cut of the film, which clocks in at 117 minutes. There are also a handful of deleted scenes, which make the film...even longer.

I'm constantly hearing moviegoers defensively argue that they prefer watching movies they don't have to think about. Moviegoers, your prayers have been answered.

The Verdict

Sure, What's Your Number? could have and should have aimed higher, but by deliberately aiming low, it hits its mark.

"La-di-da"

Opening Statement

As I type this review, Woody Allen's latest film, Midnight in Paris, has been nominated for four Academy Awards. Depending on when you read this he might already have won, or been shut out by a surprise Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked sweep. You never can tell with the Oscars.

Thirty-four years ago, Allen won four awards for Annie Hall, his first big hit and the film that introduced his brand of bespectacled neurosis to a mainstream audience. It beat out Star Wars for Best Picture, which seems to bother some people on the Internet who should probably watch more movies. The fact that anyone thinks a better movie than Annie Hall was made in 1977, or most years, means the film's Blu-ray release couldn't have come at a better time.

Facts of the Case

Annie Hall chronicles the ups and downs in the relationship between comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen, Manhattan) and small town girl Annie Hall (Diane Keaton, The Godfather). As they fall in and out of love, they deal with sex, death, drugs, guilt and their romantic pasts.

The Evidence

Annie Hall is a romantic comedy as written on a therapist's couch. The comedy comes mostly in the form of Woody Allen one-liners that aren't just sprinkled but poured onto Alvy's conversations with his friends and lovers. Funny is funny, and Allen is a master; but it's the romance that makes the movie. Annie Hall presents the lifespan of a relationship, running the emotional gamut from excitement to apathy, from contentment to anger.

Annie Hall is set in a world of analysis, both the self and professional kinds. Alvy over-examines his life. He obsesses about whether a colleague said "did you" or "Jew." He lets lingering questions about the JFK assassination drive a wedge between him and his first wife. He has been seeing a therapist for 15 years and looks to solve his problems with Annie by offering to pay for her therapy. Alvy Singer lives as much in his head as in the real world.

In its original cut, Annie Hall was a murder mystery with a romantic subplot. Allen wisely cut it down to focus on Alvy and Annie's relationship. Even so, it retains some of the feel of the film that never was. The story is a series of loosely connected scenes. Good memories collide with bad; and the present bleeds into the past. We accept Annie Hall's bizarre moments because it is a comedy, but there's more to it than that. Allen's non-linear narrative represents the way a person makes sense of a failed relationship.

Allen doesn't just break the fourth wall, he smashes it with a hammer, puts it back in the box and returns it to the store expecting a full refund. Characters speak directly to the camera. They walk in and out of each other's pasts, or become a ghostly form looking at themselves from across the room. Pseudo-intellectual conversations come with internal monologue subtitles. Characters talk back and forth across both sides of a split screen. There's even an animated sequence. Annie Hall wasn't just wildly ambitious for the '70s. After thirty-plus years, it's still more impressive than most of the films it inspired.

It's also very funny. Woody Allen one-liners mix with physical gags and mini-sketches. There are lots of famous faces in the film, including Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall, Carol Kane, Colleen Dewhurst, and Jeff Goldblum -- but the funniest is Christopher Walken's turn as Annie's Chippewa Falls brother. He gets a monologue that's every bit as good as the one he delivers in Pulp Fiction, and which sets up one of the film's best visual jokes.

Allen pokes fun at New York life, but saves his sharpest satire for Alvy and Annie's trip to the West Coast. The spectre of California hangs over much of the film, with Alvy's childhood friend Rob urging him to abandon Manhattan for sunnier climes. Allen's surreal version of L.A. is a plastic land of laugh tracks, radiation suits, and mashed yeast. It's populated by vacant people who take meetings, give out awards, and make emergency calls to spiritual advisors when they forget their mantras.

The visual style and humor provide a strong foundation for a memorable film, but what makes Annie Hall a classic are the lead performances. Played by one-time real life couple Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, Alvy and Annie may not be the most conventional movie couple, but they are by far the most believable. It goes beyond chemistry. They fall into and out of love, split up, reconcile, fight, make love -- and it never rings false. Even with all of the visual trickery and jokes, Alvy and Annie feel like people, not characters. It's astounding, and a credit to the actors, especially Keaton. She has the unenviable task of making us believe Annie would fall for nervous Alvy, and by golly she does.

Of course, the only happy ending for Alvy and Annie is the one he writes for them in off-Broadway play form. That's the difference, Alvy says, between art and life. It's also the difference between Annie Hall and most romantic comedies. Most of the movies Hollywood churns out are predictable, pat versions of the same improbable premise. Boy meets girl. Girl hates boy. Boy and girl fall in love too quickly, and live happily ever after. It's a frustrating cycle that suggest either filmgoers prefer the fantasy of love to the reality of relationships, or it's too difficult for most screenwriters to compress the complexities of adult relationships into two hours. I'm not sure why. Woody Allen did it in 93 minutes.

Annie Hall arrives on Blu-ray with a pleasing 1.85:1 1080p transfer. It's not the sharpest hi-def image, but it provides a noticeable step up from old DVD versions of the film. Detail is mostly good, with accurate color and a fine grain. Only a general softness keeps the transfer from being as impressive as the film itself. The audio is presented as lossless DTS-HD Mono. It's nothing special, but more than handles the dialogue-heavy soundtrack.

Woody Allen doesn't care about bonus features, so don't expect any here. No commentary, no featurettes, no deleted footage. All you get when on the Blu-ray -- besides a beautiful hi-def version of one of the best modern films -- is a theatrical trailer. Disappointing, sure. But don't let that keep you from buying this disc.

Closing Statement

Woody Allen's detractors complain that he keeps making the same movie over and over again. If that's true, at least that movie is Annie Hall. It marked a turning point in modern film, and not only because it was one of the last times the Best Picture award actually went to the right movie.

The film begins and ends with Allen talking directly to the audience, not only about Alvy and Annie's relationship, but his general views on love. It would be easy to dismiss those views as cynical, but only in comparison to the fantasy relationships we usually see on screen. Annie Hall is honest about dating in a way very few movies are. Although the mirror Allen holds up to romance is clear enough to show every blemish and scratch, the image isn't warped. He might compare the search for love with a joke about a man whose brother thinks he's a chicken, but he never questions the search. He understands how badly we all "need the eggs."

The Verdict

Not guilty, Max.

Madame Anais: "I have an idea. Would you like to be called 'Belle de Jour' (Beauty by day)?"
Severine Serizy: "Belle de Jour?"
Madame Anais: "Since you only come in the afternoons."
Severine Serizy: "If you wish."

Opening Statement

Belle de Jour is a 1967 masterpiece from surrealist artist Luis Buñuel that looms large in film history as a sexy, off-kilter, iconic work. It stars a very young Catherine Deneuve (The Hunger) embodying a frigid housewife who becomes a prostitute only during the day. She's the picture perfect dutiful wife by night, and a scandalous woman of ill repute in the broad daylight. The basis for the story came from a popular 1928 novel by French author Joseph Kessel, but Buñuel found a way to insert his own stamp on the proceedings by creating erotic fantasy sequences that explain the housewife's inner life. Buñuel took a linear narrative and spruced it up with vivid dreams that turned the lead character's world inside out. It is the director's most celebrated work, and one of the best roles for one of France's most recognizable stars.

Facts of the Case

Deneuve plays Severine, a porcelain perfect young wife of a celebrated Parisian doctor (Jean Sorel, The Day of the Jackal). They appear to be the perfect couple, yet there is a wall between them preventing both sexual and emotional intimacy. Severine hears talk about an infamous bordello near their well-appointed home, and she becomes curious. Something about the place stirs her, and she takes a job as one of the girls. Her only stipulation is that she will work in the daylight hours exclusively while her husband is at work. She finds it is a place where she can be free and explore her darkest fantasies. Soon one of her husband's friends (Michel Piccoli, Atlantic City) finds out about her new profession, and a dangerous gangster (Pierre Clementi,Hideous Kinky) falls for her hard. These two things risk her happiness, and threaten to make her two very different worlds collide in the worst way imaginable.

The Evidence

Belle de Jour has long been one of my favorite films, quite often topping my short list of the best of the best. It has a lot of what I love about cinema, and it advances the idea of movies as stylish waking dreams remarkably. The story is dark and emotionally rich, the acting is good, but in the end the visuals are what stick with you. Catherine Deneuve never looked better, and the narrative is the perfect vehicle for her icy blonde appeal. She was foisted on Buñuel by the studio, yet she is the only actress who could have pulled this off. She plays a woman who revels in masochistic surrenders, but her inner strength keeps that from becoming offensive or exploitative. It is an erotically thrilling movie with hardly any graphic nudity or traditional sex scenes. Most of the tantalizing parts are left to the imagination of the viewer, as are the horrifying sequences of sexual violence. Instead we are given the moments between the two extremes and the fantasies that fuel them.

Criterion's latest release of Belle de Jour comes loaded with an improved transfer, clearer subtitles, and plenty of extras to satisfy fans. The aspect ratio remains true to the theatrical presentation that was standard in Europe at the time (1.66:1). The print is pristine and color levels are greatly improved from previous DVD releases. Colors used to be too bright and almost washed out without much clarity, but this new Blu-ray edition looks reference quality. The sound is an uncompressed monaural in French, and there are none of the dubs offered. Instead viewers can only choose the newly improved English subtitles, which offer nice translations that clarify some of the more confusing exchanges. This must be what it was like to see the film when it was newly shown in France back in 1967. It is gorgeous, which helps the film immensely.

Extras include a nice audio commentary from author Michael Wood, who wrote the book on Belle de Jour for BFI Film Classics. There is a video segment in which we get takes on the film from feminist icons Susie Bright and Linda Williams. They analyze the feature from a woman's point of view quite nicely, and discuss the sexual politics of what a stylish ode to a female submissive means today. There is a nice new interview with screen writer Jean-Claude Carriere who penned the script with Buñuel. There is a vintage black and white interview with Deneuve and Carriere from a television program aired in France when the film was released. All the various theatrical trailers are gathered together including the original release versions as well as the 1995 rerelease trailers that were shown in America. There is also a nice booklet featuring an essay by Melissa Anderson as well as an interview from the '70s with the director.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

There have been many releases over the years of this film, and although the Criterion version is the most well-produced there are plenty of great extras the other editions offer. I wish they could have grabbed at least the Julie Jones commentary from the Miramax DVD release, but I am sure studios often retain the rights to their supplements. If you want an exhaustive collection of essays and commentaries on the film you will have to invest in all the previous incarnations of Belle de Jour.

Closing Statement

Criterion gives Belle de Jour an amazingly clear transfer along with strong supplements that enhance the experience. It's certainly not a film for everyone, but remains a classic of surrealistic cinema. It is a project that could not be made today because it is an erotic essay on a woman who revels in her role as a masochist without any apology or explanation. The current political climate would find this hooker rape fantasy revolting, but in Catherine Deneuve and Luis Buñuel's hands it all makes stylish sense. They both give the character a certain strength that makes it tolerable for her to explore these dark and degrading fantasies. It is these two forces of nature that make Belle de Jour work far above what could easily have been a salacious b-movie or piece of exploitation. Instead we have a masterpiece of storytelling through surrealistic sequences and small moments in the untidy life of a woman who longs to live in two wildly different worlds. This is easily one of my favorite films ever made.

The Verdict

Guilty of being an erotic classic of surreal cinema, which means it is free to go.

"Any reason not to be?"

Opening Statement

Happy, Happy is right in my wheelhouse. I'm a huge fan of Swedish cinema.

"They're not Swedish, Mac. They're Norwegian."

Oh yes, Norway! I love Norwegian cinema too!

Facts of the Case

Kaja (Agnes Kittelsen, Max Manus: Man of War) may be in a sexless relationship with her husband Eirik (Joachim Rafaelsen, Elling), and her job as a school teacher isn't exactly exciting, but Kaja is still overjoyed to meet her new neighbors, Elisabeth (Maibritt Saerens, Take The Trash) and Sigve (Henrik Rafaelsen, Elina: As If I Wasn't There). Elisabeth and Sigve are the perfect couple in Kaja's eyes; everything she wants her and Eirik to be. They're sophisticated and exciting. Elisabeth is a lawyer, they both sing choir, and they're worldly enough to have adopted an African baby.

But underneath their perfect middle class exterior lies the obvious fracture of infidelity and unhappiness. As the two couples are thrust together in an attempt at friendship, Kaja begins to wonder if Sigve holds the key to her happiness or whether life truly is as bleak and flawed as her marriage makes her feel.

The Evidence

Whether it's Erik Skjoldbjærg's darkly cerebral ode to the film noir genre, Insomnia, or André Øvredal's much more recent and much more playful The Troll Hunter...Norway is a country which consistently exports off-beat cinema that combines elements of highbrow artistry and aesthetic with a much more down-to-earth playfulness. I'm sure the duality of Scandinavia's people and its wildly variant landscape helps to flesh out these characteristics. Beauty in isolation and humor in the face of bleak despair.

And I think that Happy, Happy inhabits this sense of parity between poles. It's essentially a drama about married life and that sense that begins to creep in around middle age where you look around and realize that all you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be, as Roger Waters once put it. It's a sobering perspective to realize that your life is in stasis, that you're not really sure if you actually love the person standing next to you, and that you've wasted every single opportunity that's come your way.

And then we meet Kaja, the optimist in a world of shit whose bright smile, sunny disposition, and lethal levels of tweeness makes it impossible to succumb to the cynically bland world around both her and us. It's a quirky little character that we've seen a thousand times before but Agnes Kittelsen's performance is so rich and nuanced that any hint of familiarity is quickly squashed. Her unique beauty lights up the frame at every turn as she tries to balance between bubbly and despondent. It helps that the cinematography is sumptuous in its ability to bring warmth out of the frigid blue collar environment and that director Anne Sewitsky's (Totally True Love) style is both inviting and distancing in its focus of her subjects; it beautifully matches her source material.

When it comes down to it, Happy, Happy is not a film for everyone. On the outside, it seems like boring art house cinema from a foreign land concerning middle class neurosis. It's seemingly a little too cutesy and tries a little too hard to be better than it has any right to be. And maybe all of these things are true, because they certainly are in some part, but I found myself being won over by the themes of the film, the performance by Kittelsen and some of the tweeness. One example being that there's an a cappella quartet that continually ruptures the narrative space of the film to transition us between chapters. It seems contrived and out of place and yet it works as a device to endear the audience to the story and its vision.

Warmth and beauty in the face of real world malaise...It says something about the effectiveness of a film to win over a cynic like me. Though I've seen better (Oh, there's the cynic again).

The 1080p transfer housed on this Blu-ray disc is effective yet not stunning. There's no real clarity or definition in the image outside of exterior shots of the countryside. Black levels are muddled and much of the interior light is too diffuse, though that's more of an artistic choice. All in all though, you can't really ask much more of a film of this ilk. Similarly, the lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master audio track is very serviceable. There's not much play in the back channels besides ambient noises, but the dialogue is crisp and the score bounces with vibrancy in the front channels.

The special features, however, are almost non-existent. Outside of a few trailers for some interesting looking upcoming releases by Magnolia, there isn't a single thing.

Closing Statement

Give Happy, Happy a shot if you're looking for something a little off-beat and subdued in the comedy department and with a decently strong emotional core. Just don't expect it to be a masterpiece of its form.

The Verdict

Not Guilty.

"This is the story of a man marked by an image from his childhood." -- La Jetée

Opening Statement

The French New Wave gets all the press, but France had a thriving cinema community that was neither mainstream nor New Wave. Growing out of the long intellectual tradition of the so-called Left Bank, filmmakers like Alain Resnais, Agnès Varda, and Chris Marker were self-consciously pushing the bounds of cinema. Of course, there was collaboration and communication between the Left Bank and New Wave groups, but on the whole the Left Bank crowd tended to be a bit older and had more in common with the literary arts than the upstart New Wavers. It's no surprise, then, that Chris Marker is most famous as a maker of essay films (or, as the credits of La Jetée put it, a photo-novel). For decades he has minded the combination of voiceover musings and contrasting footage (some of it found, some of it shot by Marker) to achieve what the best essayists can achieve: providing the audience with a window into their personal world. Criterion has seen fit to update their excellent Marker release of La Jetée/Sans Soleil with hi-def sound and video. It's a delight for Marker fans, and a great way for the director to earn some new ones.

Facts of the Case

Both Marker films are included on a single Blu-ray disc. The first is La Jetée (The Jetty), a science-fiction short comprised almost entirely of still photographs supplements with narration. It tells the story of a man (Davos Hanich) sent back in time after World War III to aid survivors. He's obsessed with an image of a man dying in front of him on the platform (or "jetty") of an airport, but it might be too late when he realizes its significance.

Sans Soleil (literally Without Sun, translated on the title card as Sunless) is the story of a roving cameraman who travels the world, sending footage back to an offscreen female narrator.

The Evidence

What is cinema? It seems like a very simple question, one that can be adequately answered by a trip to the local movie theater, or video store, or by flipping channels on TV. For most people most of the time it means a roughly 90-minute film that focuses on a single (usually male) protagonist as he tries to accomplish some financial or personal goal while winning the love of a beautiful woman. None of that, however, is natural. It took the movies several decades to get to the feature length, and while young men have been the subject of cinema from its first days, the techniques used to tell their stories weren't always fixed. Things like closeups and flashbacks had to be invented. Some of that invention is done by directors working in the trenches who just happen to do something new, while many of our most cherished cinematic techniques have grown out of experimental directors like Chris Marker. To understand La Jetée and Sans Soleil we have to understand them as experimental, as trying new things to see what cinema can do. The fact that 12 Monkeys was influenced by La Jetée shows that it was at least a successful experiment.

Many experiments begin with a question, and La Jetée is no exception. In this case Marker wants to interrogate the relationship between movement and the image in cinema. After all, even the name cinema derives from the fact that it's a moving image. Marker, however, wants to challenge our expectations. His film (with a single exception) is composed of still images. The succession of those images, combined with a voiceover, provides us with a narrative about the future, time travel, and memory. At 27 minutes, the film whizzes by despite the challenging material. As individual photographs the images are compelling, and combined with the voiceover they have a feeling of potential dread that is entrancing. I found myself so engrossed with the world created by the still images that when the film's one moment of movement occurred I was surprised, almost shocked. La Jetée is by far Marker's most accessible film, both because of the familiar sci-fi tropes and its shorter running time. It has justifiably earned its place in the canon of both experimental and sci-fi cinema. If you only see one experimental film in your life, make it La Jetée.

Sans Soleil is the yin to La Jetée's yang. Where La Jetée is tightly controlled and over quickly, Sans Soleil sprawls over 100 minutes. Where La Jetée is creates its own futuristic world in black-and-white, Sans Soleil makes a bright, colorful film out of the world we all live in. Both films share, however, the use of voiceover and Marker's continuing obsession with memory. Sans Soleil fits much more neatly into the so-called "essay film" genre, where Marker uses the tools of cinema (voiceover, stock footage, the juxtaposition of images) to present a kind of "state of the union" of his thoughts on memory in 1982. Because of its length and roving subject matter, it's less likely to appeal to the average filmgoer, but for those who love Marker this film is another example of his unique talents.

Criterion appears to have ported over everything from their excellent DVD release of these films, with upgrade audio and video. The 1.66:1 AVC-encoded transfers look gorgeous. It should be stressed that Marker is a filmmaker, which is to say that in a perfect world we would all have a local cinema where we could see his films projected regularly on the cheap, and Marker insists on the unique properties of light shown through celluloid strips. With that said, this Blu-ray is as close as you're going to get to perfection without renting your own print of the films. La Jetée has an amazing amount of detail, and grain is simply perfect. The film is meant to look a bit gritty, and that intention is preserved here. Black levels are consistent and deep, with no digital artifacts to mar the presentation. Sans Soleil was shot on 16mm on the go, and it looks a bit less polished, something this transfer captures well. Colors are bold and well-saturated, and detail is appropriately strong. Both films feature uncompressed mono soundtracks in both French and English. They're clean tracks, though Marker seems more interested in the images for these films than their soundtracks. Don't expect much dynamic range or frequencies outside those of the human voice. English subtitles are included for both films.

Extras are the same extensive supplements from the previous DVD (with one additional exception). Thing start off with a pair of interviews with Marker's compatriot Jean-Pierre Gorin (who Criterion fans might note was the subject of a box set, Three Popular Films by Jean-Pierre Gorin). Together they total about 40 minutes of material. Marker is famously reclusive, and as Gorin points out the legends surrounding him are at least as important as his films. Much of Gorin's work, then, is providing context for the films rather than giving us the dish on Marker. Then we get a short film, "Chris on Chris," where critic Chris Darke looks at the life and work of Marker during an exhibit of the filmmaker's work in London. There are also two short excerpts from a French television show that look at the influence of Vertigo on Marker, and Marker's influence on David Bowie, especially his video for "Jump They Say." Finally, new to this Blu-ray is a short, "Junktopia," that Marker made during the filming of Sans Soleil about junk sculptures in California. Criterion includes their usual booklet, which features an essay on the films, along with short pieces by Marker that are remarkable both as short essays and as insights into his films.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

These films are obviously not for everybody. Those who like an obvious narrative and easy-to-follow story will want to avoid these films. They're meant to challenge, and while I don't think they're inaccessibly to the average viewer, they require a certain amount of preparation.

Now, I'm going to look a gift horse in the mouth: I love that these films have been given the deluxe Blu-ray treatment, but for my money I'd rather see some of Marker's other films get the basic Criterion DVD treatment before this upgrade. His A Grin without a Cat could use the kind of supplements Criterion usually provides. Really, it's a mark of how superb this release is that my only real complaint is that it only whets my appetite for more.

Closing Statement

Chris Marker is an important filmmaker, and Criterion has done film fans the favor of releasing two of his most important films on DVD, and now on Blu-ray. With an excellent audiovisual presentation and a new Marker short, fans are going to want to upgrade, while those who've been tempted to give Marker's unique brand of cinema a try will find this an excellent Blu-ray to rent.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

"New York was his town, and it always would be."
-- Woody Allen, as Isaac Davis

The Case

Few films have captured the essence of New York City like Manhattan. As soon as you hear the first notes of "Rhapsody in Blue" you're transported to a version of New York that doesn't actually exist. It's romanticized, as Allen (or his character, Isaac Davis) explains in the opening narration, and you have no choice but to fall in love with it.

Manhattan is one of Woody Allen's finest moments. The story, about a fortysomething New Yorker trying to find love in a sea of immaturity and selfishness, has all the tropes and twists you've come to expect from the director. Isaac is dating a 17-year-old named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway, Deconstructing Harry), but feels that the relationship is inherently temporary. When Isaac's friend (Michael Murphy, Magnolia) breaks up with his mistress, Mary (Diane Keaton, Annie Hall), Isaac's drawn to her instead. But this isn't the Allen and Keaton you saw a few years earlier; things are different.

If Annie Hall is a quintessential romantic comedy, Manhattan is its antithesis. Keaton's Mary is a similar sort of "manic pixie dream girl," like Annie, except she's more pretentious and immature. She's not a lovable riddle, she's a foolish gal who can't plan ahead four weeks in advance, let alone keep a steady relationship. Keaton plays the role wonderfully, subverting expectations and remaining likable. Allen's teen lover, Tracy, is on the other end of the spectrum. While Isaac may dismiss her as a child (quick to remind everyone he is dating a girl that still does homework), Tracy is the one with maturity to spare. Hemingway plays her with precocious innocence and alarming subtly (best exhibited when she and Isaac break up). She's rarely naive, and is constantly asking Isaac to treat their relationship more seriously.

Allen's character is somewhere between the two women. He's nebbish and awkward, of course, but Isaac is also growing into a more mature person. With the usual dash of autobiography, Allen's character quits the broad comedy scene and searches for something with more substance (surprise: he's writing a novel). He yearns to be taken seriously, and to be with someone as mature and romantic as him.

Manhattan puts its characters through a lot of angst and uncertainty, but it never loses sight of the comedy. Devoid of Annie Hall-esque gags or "fourth-wall-moments," the film relies almost solely on Allen's one-liners and character choices. Whether itÕs dropping a Noel Coward reference or mingling with erudite jerks at a gallery opening, Allen knows how to play to an intellectual crowd and jab them at the same time.

Enhancing all of this is the film's incredible cinematography and soundtrack. There was a point in Allen's career where he really started to care about the aesthetics of his movies, and Manhattan is without a doubt his most impressive. Cinematographer Gordon Willis (The Godfather) doesn't just capture New York's landscape in gorgeous black and white, he also lights interior scenes with bold minimalism. Every scene could be framed and hung in a gallery. The look of the film is matched by the booming, charismatic music of George Gershwin. While none of the music was actually scored for the film, using Gershwin throughout gives Manhattan a consistent, timeless feel. If there is a Woody Allen movie that deserves a Blu-ray release, it's this one.

The Manhattan Blu-ray features a remastered 1080p transfer that showcases the film's aesthetic in a way I've never seen. The film's high contrast photography is sharp and adequately grainy. The black levels are exceptional, especially during the numerous "interior, apartment, night" scenes. The audio only comes in a DTS Master Mono track, but that proves to be more than enough. Manhattan isn't the kind of film that requires a full-featured surround sound mix -- it's all talking and jazz music. The mono track is solid, especially during the film's musical montages. It's not surprising, considering Allen's DVD track record, that this release is devoid of supplements or special features. It doesn't even have a nice menu.

Manhattan is a classic film. It would have been nice to see it, and Annie Hall, given a more robust treatment on Blu-ray, but just having a transfer in high definition is worth it. Allen's vision of the city he loves has never looked this good.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

A guy like you won't sleep long in a bed like this.

Opening Statement

The Moment of Truth is a rare case of a movie whose subject matter and content is more controversial today than it was upon its release. People's feelings about bullfighting just aren't as positive today as they were in 1965; somehow, the idea of taunting and then killing a bull to satisfy a crowd doesn't really seem as attractive as it once did. That makes Francesco Rosi's (Salvatore Giuliano) beautiful but brutal near-documentary a seriously conflicting piece of work.

Facts of the Case

Tired of his life of boredom on the farm, Miguel Mateo (real life matador Miguel Romero) leaves his rural village for Barcelona, hoping to find a better world in the big city. Upon arrival, though, he finds little work and a boarding house with a numbered bed. As dissatisfying as it is, he still has his guts and good looks to work with. One day at a bullfight, he jumps into the ring and takes on the bull as well as the toreros trying to stop him. He lights up the crowd with his antics and so begins life as one of Spain's premiere bullfighters. But even with all his charm and skill, it can't last forever.

The Evidence

By Francesco Rosi's own admission, after he finished his first few films -- all realistic portrayals of the rough streets of his native Italy -- he had run out of ideas. Taking a nod from Ernest Hemmingway, he travelled to Spain with his long time cinematographer Gianni Di Venanzo and no screenplay to make a film about the running of the bulls in Pamplona. This is the footage that opens the film, but the project and the story morphed into something larger. With the inclusion of Miguelin, who had never acted before, Rosi takes us on a rags-to-riches journey through Barcelona and into the bullring with the toreadors who enchant the crowds and the rich men who promote them.

That sounds a lot like the plotting of every second-rate sports movie I've ever seen, and that's the one big issue with The Moment of Truth. The story is ridden with all the clichés that populate these films. Poor kid from the farm? Check. Lure of money? Check. Dirty exploitative promoters? Naturally. Were this the first sporting drama one had seen, it might seem novel and effective. With the baggage of so many of them, both before and after this was released, the plot comes with neither surprise nor drama. The ending is as predictable as they come, as is every step behind it.

Luckily, the soul of the film doesn't lie in its bare plot; it happens within the ring. The problem with this, of course, is the in-ring subject matter is abhorrent to many (myself included), but the drama here is undeniable. Make no mistake, The Moment of Truth is very nearly a documentary and all the bullfighting footage is absolutely real. While that includes the fearless grace of the toreador, it mostly involves the absolute brutality of bullfighting and honest bovine death. The carnage was so severe that Di Venanzo couldn't take it and Rosi had to replace him with the less squeamish Pasquale De Santis to continue the shoot. He gets right in on the action, showing us every sweep of the cape and every swish of the hips, but also every slash on the bull and gallons upon gallons of blood. It's genuinely disturbing and nasty to watch.

Still, Rosi presents a lovely film in spite of all that violence. It's an elegant look at the life of the toreador, beautifully filmed, and well put together. With no acting experience, Miguel Romero is supremely believable as the matador, both inside the ring doing what he knows and in the plot scenes that are completely outside his element. He's convincing in every aspect, including the brief love scene where he looks more believable than most leading actors out there. Rosi's direction is elegant and efficient, getting the story out with a lot of suspense and drama, filled with cliches though it may be. That fact diminishes the entire thing, as there really are much better executions of this story, but the overall effect is really strong, gruesome as it may be.

Criterion presents the gory details of The Moment of Truth in vivid detail with this bare bones but technically brilliant Blu-ray release. The 2.35:1/1080p transfer is absolutely fantastic. All the colors are full and bright, but the reds are the most impressive. They are very, very red, from the softer hues of the toreador's muleta to the deep, dark tones of the bull's blood, which become sickening from the frequency and sheer quantity of it. The detail is phenomenal, as well. This is especially clear in the scene when Miguelin returns to his hometown for a bullfight. As he travels around, the farmers work with the grain, tossing it in the air. You can see every single piece of it floating in the air and, behind it, all the detail is clear to the very back of the frame, even through the thick, accurate grain structure. This is a lovely transfer and the restoration work is impeccable. The sound is not as striking as the image, but it's still quite good. The lossless PCM mono mix is noise-free, with strong music and perfectly clear dialog. The only extras are an archival interview with the director and a very good essay included in the standard Criterion booklet by critic Peter Matthews. I would have loved more in the extras, but the video and audio are good enough to make up for it.

Closing Statement

I can't blame somebody for not wanting to see The Moment of Truth based on a lack of tolerance for the terrible violence on display. Truthfully, it can be pretty hard to watch, but it's a very well made piece of cinema. The performances are great given the lack of experience amongst the performers and Rosi builds a huge level of tension through the drama and brutality of the bullfighting ring. Tough as it is sometimes, this is a film that deserves to be seen.

The Verdict

Olé!