DVD and Blu-ray Releases for January 8, 2013

It was a massive week for new titles released on DVD and Blu-ray. As a result I’ll be playing a little bit of catch up over the next couple weeks as things slow down just a bit. This week’s reviews include Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie,” the Blu-ray debut for 1927’s “The Jazz Singer,” the visual feast “Samsara,” Chow Yung-Fat as Cao Cao in the Chinese epic “The Assassins,” HBO’s Sarah Palin drama “Game Change,” the third volume of “Tiny Toon Adventures” and the BBC’s “Red Dwarf X.”

Other titles released this week include the second season of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s “An Idiot Abroad,” the second series of the BBC’s excellent drama “The Hour,” the first season of NBC’s “Smash,” the first season of HBO’s “Enlightened,” the horror films “Sleep Tight” and “House at the End of the Street” and a pair of action titles from Universal in the form of “Guns, Girls and Gambling” and “Hit & Run.”  

Links to Reviews

Documentary: Samsara

Drama: The Assassins, Game Change

Family: Frankenweenie, Tiny Toon Adventures

Musical: The Jazz Singer (1927)

Television: Red Dwarf X, Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden

Briefly on Blu-ray: Red Dwarf X

Red Dwarf X
Rated: NR
Genre: Television, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Street Date: January 8, 2013
Available On: DVD and Blu-ray
The Film: The popular British television series “Red Dwarf” returns for its tenth series following a three-year break.  Where series 9 “Back To Earth” found the show embarking on a new sort of adventure, Series X returns to the confines of the “giant trashcan” spaceship Red Dwarf.
The Extras: "We're Smegged" feature-length documentary, deleted scenes and outtakes
Recommendation: Recorded in front of a live audience Series X is the sort of campy, lowbrow experience that you’d expect from the show. It’s a little too goofy for my taste redundant for my tastes, but longtime fans of the show will no doubt be pleased with the opportunity to reunite with Lister, Rimmer, the Cat and Kryten.

Briefly on Blu-ray: Seal Team Six - The Raid on Osama Bin Laden

Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden

Rated: NR

Genre: Television, Action, War

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: DVD and Blu-ray

The Film:The story of the raid on Osama Bin Laden’s is likely to be the subject of many films. “Seal Team Six” was one of the first and was broadcast on the National Geographic Channel. It’s not terrible, but its not very good either. The film is presented in a faux documentary style that could be misleading as it mixes real footage with staged reenactments.

The Extras: Making-of featurette
Recommendation: The performances are fine, but never rise above the made-for-television standard. Director John Stockwell doesn’t give the film any sort of personality; it feels more like a low-budget action film than a piece of history. You’d be better off seeing “Zero Dark Thirty,” which may not be the absolute truth, but it at least feels like it is striving for honesty without an obvious left-wing political agenda.

 

Briefly on Blu-ray: The Jazz Singer (1927)

The Jazz Singer (1927)

Rated: NR

Genre: Musical

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: Blu-ray Digibook

The Film:Released in 1927 “The Jazz Singer” was the first “talkie” (film with synchronized dialogue). The story follows Jakie Rabinowitz (Al Jolson), a young Jewish boy who would rather sing popular tunes than the traditional religious songs, which runs away from home to pursue his dreams of stardom.

The Extras: Feature-length documentary "The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk," 3 1/2 hours of vintage music shorts, an 88-page book and much more.

Recommendation: This is the first time that I’ve seen more than a few clips from the film. I’m surprised by how clean the film looks. Warner Bros. has clearly invested a lot of time and care in the restoration. The bonus features are carried over from the previously released 3-disc DVD collection that was released in 2007 (only the film is presented in high definition). 

Briefly on Blu-ray: Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie

Rated: PG

Genre: Animation, Family

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo and 3D Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo

The Film: “Frankenweenie” expands upon one of Tim Burton’s early short films and does so brilliantly. The story finds Victor, an extremely intelligent young boy, who brings his dog Sparky back to life using Dr. Frankenstein’s lightning method. Unfortunately Victor’s innocent approach to science leads to unexpected consequences.

 The Extras: "Captain Sparky vs The Flying Saucers" short, "Miniatures in Motion" featurette, original live-action short, "Frankenweenie Touring Exhibit" featurette and Plain White T's "Pet Sematary" video.

Recommendation: “Frankenweenie” was my favorite animated film of 2012. It is beautiful, smart and a tribute to old Universal horror films and classic monster films like “Godzilla.”

 

Briefly on Blu-ray: The Assassins

The Assassins

Rated: NR

Genre: Foreign, Drama, Action

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: DVD and Blu-ray

The Film: “The Assassins” is a Chinese epic set during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (220 -280 AD). The film stars Chow Yun-Fat as Han Dynasty warlord and chancellor Cao Cao. The story is built around a young woman who from birth has been raised to be an assassin to kill Cao Cao. When the opportunity to kill Cao Cao comes she finds that all her training didn’t properly prepare her for the task. Not because of Cao Cao’s talents with the sword, but because of his unexpected kindness.

The Extras: Behind the Scenes and Trailer

Recommendation: “The Assassins” is more of a drama than an action film and there are times when it leaves gaps in the story, the sort of gaps that those familiar with Chinese history would easily be able to fill in, but those unfamiliar with the events might see as plot holes. I still like the film quite a bit, particularly because of Chow Yun-Fat’s performance and the beautiful cinematography.

Briefly on Blu-ray: Game Change

Game Change

Rated: TV-MA

Genre: Tevision, Drama

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: DVD and Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy Combo

The Film: A behind-the-scenes drama based on John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and the impact of his decision to select Sarah Palin as his running mate.

The Extras: Creating a Candidate and Game Change - The Phenomenon Featurettes

Recommendation: HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign is well made, there’s no question about that. Ed Harris makes a wonderful McCain, Julianne Moore feels authentic as Sarah Palin and Woody Harrelson is perfectly cast as the over-stressed campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. But is it accurate? Schmidt, the real Schmidt, has gone on the record as saying that it is.

Briefly on Blu-ray: Samsara

Samsara 

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Documentary

Street Date: January 8, 2013

Available On: DVD and Blu-ray

The Film: In 1992 director Ron Fricke brought his non-narrative film “Baraka” to cinemas. It was the first film to be shot on 70mm in some twenty years and while the film lacked a plot it did offer audiences a breathtaking visual journey around the world as it weaved its way through darkness and light. “Samsara,” also directed by Fricke, follows a very similar course right down to featuring Lisa Gerrard (of Dead Can Dance fame) on the soundtrack.

The Extras: Filmmaker interviews, behind-the- scenes footage and trailers 

Recommendation: The visuals are stunning and while the film doesn’t quite match the majesty of “Baraka" it is still a beautiful way to show off your high-definition home theater and travel around the world in 102 minutes. 

My Favorite Films From 2012

Sometimes it is only when you take a moment to survey the past that you start to realize how enjoyable the journey has been. It’s been an incredibly good year for movies and that has made it difficult to narrow down a top ten. So I’ve cheated a bit by including an additional 15 titles (and created an entire separate list for documentary films) that could have, maybe should have, made my top 10 films.

My top ten films, in alphabetical order, are:

Argo

Ben Afflack’s third feature film is a wild ride filled with the sort of suspense that will keep you on edge until the credits roll. That’s pretty impressive considering we all know exactly how the film is going to end. Yes, Affleck is supported by a tremendous cast that includes Oscar worthy turns from Alan Arkin and John Goodman, but it’s Afflack’s relentless pacing and ability to lampoon Hollywood without disrupting the tone of the film that makes “Argo” special. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild

One of the first films I saw this year was Benh Zeitlin’s “Beats of the Southern Wild” at the Sundance Film Festival. The story mixes the fantasy of a child’s wild imagination with the gritty life that comes with living in the Bayou on the wrong side of the levees. Some films you watch and others you experience. “Beast of the Southern Wild” will take you to a place you never thought to visit and leave you all the wiser as the credits roll.

The Dark Knight Rises       

I know that I’ll raise a few eyebrows by including “The Dark Knight Rises” over “Marvel’s The Avengers” or James Bond’s return in “Skyfall,” but it’s the one action film that I’ve kept returning to and one of the few films that was better the second, third and fourth time I saw it. It’s dark, unrelenting and ultimately a fitting ending to what will be remembered as the film that changed the way audiences and critics look at movies based on comic books.

Frankenweenie

Some preferred “ParaNorman” and “Wreck-It-Ralph,” but my favorite animated film of 2012 was the one that had me the most worried. I adored Tim Burton’s original short film and feared that stretching it out into a feature would weaken the story; it didn’t. Burton expanded on the basic themes of “Frankenstein” and created a movie that not only pays tributes to the classic Universal monster films, but also delivers a wise message about how greed and ambition can turn good science into a catastrophe.

Holy Motors

This year featured two films that centered on characters who used stretch limos as their offices: David Cronenberg’s somewhat disappointing “Cosmopolis” and Leos Carax’s brilliantly bizarre “Holy Motors.” Actor Denis Lavant transforms himself in and out of a variety of characters as he travels around a city. His performance and Carax’s direction turn chaos into a film that not only dazzles, but ultimately has meaning hidden within it’s absurdity. Besides, who can say no to a film that utilizes pop starlet Kylie Minogue’s talent in a way that doesn’t feel like stunt casting?

Lincoln

Stephen Spielberg’s biopic on Abraham Lincoln features a phenomenal performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as the revered president and a supporting cast that boasts scene-stealing talent like James Spader, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tommy Lee Jones in his best role in years. Had it ended 10 minutes earlieAr that it does the film would be a five-star masterpiece.

Looper

Rian Johnson’s stunningly smart and original twist on the time travel subgenre benefited from a great script, fantastic art design and a great cast that included familiar faces like Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levit, Emily Blunt and Paul Dano as well as fresh talent like Pierce Gagnon and Summer Qing. The Utah Film Critics voted “Looper” as the second best film of 2012. It easily makes my top five. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Once or twice a year I stumble upon a film that feels like it was made specifically for me. In years past it has been films like “(500) Days of Summer,” “Beginners,” “Let the Right One In” and “Never Let Me Go” and this year no other film held a mirror up to my life like Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” If you look close enough you’ll see my dearest high school friends and me scattered between the various characters. There have been many films about adolescent outcasts and this film is one of the finest. Ezra Miller is simply fantastic. 

Silver Linings Playbook

Somehow David O. Russell (“The Fighter”) manages to make Pat and Tiffany (Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence), two completely dysfunctional people, into the sort of characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. You accept their faults and root for their success, no matter how illogical and impossible that might initially seem. It’s also nice to see Robert De Niro following up “Being Flynn” with another quality role.

Zero Dark Thirty

Yes, “Zero Dark Thirty” is destined to divide the masses and there will be those that claim that the film somehow glorifies torture or promotes a particular political agenda. For me Mark Boal’s script and Kathryn Bigelow’s direction did a remarkable job of not playing to the left or the right and torture in presented as being mostly ineffective, not the key to unlocking the mystery of Osama bin Laden’s location. Should “Zero Dark Thirty” be viewed as the absolute truth? No, of course not. Should it be considered as one of the year’s best films? Absolutely. Jessica Chastain gives a wonderful performance as Maya, a woman operating in a man’s world. She’s confident, stubborn, relentless and determined to prove herself and Jason Clarke reiterates that he’s an actor with more range than he’s often given credit for.

Films also worthy of consideration: Amour, Cabin in the Woods, Django Unchained, Headhunters, The Impossible, Les Misérables, Marvel’s The Avengers, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Prometheus, The Raid: Redemption, Rust and Bone, Safety Not Guaranteed, Skyfall, Sleepwalk with Me, Smashed

Best Blu-ray and DVD Box Sets of 2012

Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Blu-ray)This collection culls together 15 of Hitchcock’s most popular films from his Hollywood era including “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” “North By Northwest,” “Psycho,” “The Birds” and “The Rope.” The films are classics, the majority of the new transfers are pleasing (we’ll try to look past the atrocious “Family Plot”), the audio is solid and the selection of bonus features will keep you busy for weeks.

The Ancient Egypt Collection (DVD)

HISTORY’s all encompassing collection of documentaries on the Ancient Egyptian civilization. The collection includes episodes from “Planet Egypt,” “Modern Marvels,” “In Search of History,” “Engineering an Empire,” “Lost Worlds” and “Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids.” There is some overlap here and there, but because the material is being approached from so many different angles it never feels redundant. If you really want to confuse history with speculation you could also pick up the  “Ancient Aliens” box set that includes 4 seasons worth of episodes and ample theories about how the Egyptians might have actually been aliens.

The Ancient Rome Collection (DVD)

Like “The Ancient Egypt Collection,” this set pulls a variety of episodes from HISTORY’s vast catalogue of series including “In Search of History,” “Cities of the Underworld,” “Engineering an Empire,” “Ancient Mysteries,” “Decisive Battles” and “Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire.” Whereas ancient Egypt is known for its architecture and religion, Rome, which has its share of beautiful buildings, was at the heart of many wars. Consequently this collection divides its time mostly between buildings and battles.

Blade Runner: 30th Anniversary (Blu-ray)

Yes, this “30th Anniversary” set is essentially a repackage of the 5-disc collection that was released five years ago with the addition of a 72-page book, a toy Concept Spinner and a 3D lenticular image, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s still one of finest collections in terms of content and audio/video quality. Those who don’t own the previous Blu-ray release will want to pick this, or its 3-disc Digibook version that lacks the toy, lenticular image and includes only 36 pages of the book, up. Both sets include five versions of the film and a wealth of bonus features.

Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection (DVD and Blu-ray)

James Bond celebrates 50 years of films with the bestselling box set of 2012. This massive 22-film collection (9 titles appearing on Blu-ray for the first time) is the first box set to contain all the official Bond releases in one place and features a bonus disc with previously an hour of previously unreleased footage on top of the previously available bonus features. Of course complete in this case doesn’t include “Never Say Never Again,” but it does leave a space for “Skyfall.”

Casablanca: 70th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Warner Brothers originally released “Casablanca” on Blu-ray in 2008. The release was warmly received, but the studio thought they could improve upon the image quality and the results of their work can be seen in the “70th Anniversary Edition” of the film. The new transfer is a step above the previous release and has been packaged with a coffee table book, coasters and a re-print of a theatrical poster. Those who already own 2008’s “Ultimate Edition” might have a hard time justifying the upgrade, but those who don’t own the film in high definition yet shouldn’t hesitate to pick up this set.

The Dark Knight Trilogy (DVD and Blu-ray)
All three of Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed Batman films packaged together with a 64-page excerpt from the book "The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy." 

Entourage: The Complete Series (DVD and Blu-ray)

All eight seasons of HBO’s award winning series about Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), a star on the rise, and his three friends who are more than happy to bask in his fame. The Blu-ray box includes the first five seasons in high definition for the very first time.

Forever Marilyn (Blu-ray)

This Marilyn Monroe collection includes “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” “How to Marry a Millionaire,” “River of No Return,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “The Seven Year Itch,” “Some Like It Hot,” and “The Misfits.” This set might be lacking in bonus material, but the films themselves look and sound great. You’d be gravely mistaken to believe that Monroe was all looks and no talent.

Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

The award for most glamorous collection goes to HBO’s “Collector’s Edition” of the first season of “Game of Thrones.” The set includes the first season on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy as well as a finely crafted Dragon Egg paperweight. It’s overkill for casual fans, but will hold the diehard fans over until the second season comes out in February.

Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection (Blu-ray)

This mammoth set includes all eight Harry Potter films on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Copy, the bonus features from the “Ultimate Edition” box sets an exclusive disc of exclusive material, a label collection, Blueprint of Hogwarts Castle, a cloth map of Hogwarts, a Horocrux locket, all housed in a box that looks like Professor Lupin’s traveling trunk. It’s definitely not practical in any regard, but for obsessive fans it’s like owning a piece of the Holy Grail.

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures (Blu-ray)

The fact that this set includes “Raiders of the Last Ark,” “Temple of Doom” and “Last Crusade” on Blu-ray for the first time is enough to make this set a “must own.” Thankfully they’ve also done a nice job of bringing the films to high definition (oddly enough “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” despite being the newest film, ends up looking the worst of the lot).

Lawrence of Arabia: Fiftieth Anniversary Collector’s Editon (Blu-ray)

David Lean’s adaptation of T. E. Lawrence’s “Lawrence of Arabia” starring Peter O’Toole makes its way to Blu-ray after a full restoration and the results are simply breathtaking. The collector’s set includes an 88-page book, a 70mm film frame as well as a CD featuring the original score and two previously unreleased tracks. Those looking for a more streamlined package should consider the 2-disc version.

Magic School Bus: The Complete Series (DVD)

Scholastic Studio’s cartoon adaptation of the educational book series by Bruce Degen and Joanna Cole made its debut just as I was entering college. So I missed out on “The Magic School Bus.” I had always heard good things about it, but it wasn’t until this set was released that I was able to sit down and see what all the hype was all about. Fortunately the series lives up to its reputation as a fun way to learn about science and technology. If you’re kids are going to be planted in front of a television they might as well be educated as well as entertained. 

Paradise Lost Trilogy: Collector’s Edition (DVD)

The landmark documentary films from Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky about the West Memphis Three, a trio of teens that were charged and convicted in connection with the murder of three young boys despite a complete lack of evidence, make their way to DVD in this collector’s set that includes bonus materials not included on the stand-alone editions.

Singin’ in the Rain: 60th Anniversary Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Warner Bros. did a wonderful job of bringing 1952’s musical masterpiece “Singin’ in the Rain” to Blu-ray. The Technicoclor presentation really comes alive in high definition. Not only is there more detail to be seen, but there is also a hefty boost in color. The box set version comes with a 48-page book, an umbrella and a collection of theatrical posters. There’s also plenty of bonus features ranging from a PBS program on producer Arthur Freed and “What a Glorious Feeling,” a newly produced documentary on the making of “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Tarantino XX (Blu-ray)

Considering the success of his latest film, “Django Unchained,” I imagine there are quite a few people out there who would be interested in picking up this 8-film collection that culls together the director/writer’s most famous films and throws in two bonus discs of all-new bonus material.

Tim Burton Collection (Blu-ray)

This set features seven of Tim Burton’s films made for Warner Bros. and a hardcover book. The included films are: “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,” “Beetlejuice,” “Batman,” “Batman Returns,” “Mars Attacks!,” “Corpse Bride” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

Universal Studios: 100th Anniversary Collection (DVD and Blu-ray)

To celebrate their 100th anniversary Universal Pictures released a plethora of classic titles in 2012. This set contains 25 of the studios biggest releases including a bit of everything including “Jurassic Park,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Scarface,” “Despicable Me,” “The Bourne Identity” and “All Quiet on the Western Front.” It’s an eclectic mix of films, but they’re all classics in their own genres so it’s hard to fault the variety.

Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection (Blu-ray)

As a fan of classic horror films I was more than happy to add this set to my collection. It features 8 of Universal’s most celebrated horror films including “Dracula,” “Frankenstein,” “The Bride of Frankenstein,” “The Wolf Man,” “The Mummy,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Invisible Man” and “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.” The packaging is excellent, the bonus features are extensive and the films look marvelous.