Selma (Blu-ray)
Though the events depicted in Ava DuVernay’s Selma occurred fifty years ago, the message resonates even more in light of the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. Selma begins with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway in 1964, then quickly cuts to the bombing of […]
The Grand Budapest Hotel (Blu-ray)
Wes Anderson is rarely accused of being boring or dull. The dollhouse aesthetic, hypersytilization, and droll humor are uniquely Anderson. You either get it, or you don’t; critics be damned. Anderson’s films often have an aura of timelessness about them, even if set in the present day. The dialogue may be updated, but the shot […]
The Lone Ranger (Blu-ray) (2013)
Since first appearing in 1933, The Lone Ranger has seen numerous incarnations across radio, film, and television. Lone Ranger is an enduring symbol of justice and honor, so it’s not surprising that super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer would approach the character with intentions of creating his latest big screen franchise. Armed with a budget of $225-$250 million […]
DVD Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel does what movies are supposed to do: Show us something different; show us something new. The different is in Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and Tom Wilkinson appearing together, along with Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Dev Patel, and other fine Indian actors who add to the movie […]
Blu-ray Review: The Conspirator
Set just after the April 15, 1865, assassination of Abraham Lincoln, The Conspirator attempts to recreate the hysteria and shady political dealings that took place in order to hold someone, anyone responsible for the hideous crime. Nearly everyone knows Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, a disgruntled Confederate actor. What many of us didn’t […]
DVD Review: RocknRolla – Two Disc Digital Copy Special Edition
In all honesty, considering the title, I had no idea what to think of RocknRolla. I thought maybe it was some sort of gangsta-rap flick. The director, writer producer, Guy Ritchie (Two Smoking Barrels) was married to Madonna, so it seemed like a pretty good guess. The film had come and gone from theaters in […]
DVD Review: Michael Clayton
Films that center on greed are hardly new. Hollywood has long been fascinated by man’s thirst for money and power. Often in these films, the spotlight shines on someone with one last shot at redemption. Sometimes the struggle is played out in the courtroom, sans Paul Newman’s portrayal of Frank Galvin in 1982’s The Verdict. […]