THE DVDS, TV-ON-DVD, AND BLU RAYS FOR 11/22/2011

 

SUPER 8

Check out this week’s Pop Filter podcast to see what the guys thought of Super 8.

https://popfilter.co/2011/11/popfilter-ep-19-in-which-the-friends-say-welcome-with-open-arms-and-open-butts/

 

SARAH’S KEY

 

It’s hard to write about World War II movies, and even harder with Holocaust movies, not just because it’s a little weird to be such a smart ass about them, but also because we feel like we have seen and done it all. Every year, especially towards this time, we are handed a glut of movies that we have to see, partly because of guilt, and partly because they are going to sweep all of the awards and we won’t know what anybody is talking about. I mean, is there any worse feeling than rooting for the Sandra Bullock movie to win just because it’s the only one you’ve seen? Is there any worse feeling than watching a Sandra Bullock movie? Yes there is, and Sarah’s Key, out today on DVD, knows what that feeling is: being in the holocaust. The difference here, however, the difference between this and all of the other WWII movies you have seen, is this time the Nazis are French.

 

 

 

Aside from Communists, aliens, and radical Muslims, the two movie badguys America hates the most are Nazis and the French. If only there was a time when French soldiers dragged Jewish families out of their homes, separated the parents from the children, and drove them off to camps. Sarah’s Key shows us just that moment. Before Sarah and her parents get taken away, Sarah locks her little brother up in a small closet in the house, telling him that she will be right back for him. Once at the camps, Sarah and her family do everything, from escape attempts to just telling the soldiers where the boy is, to rescue this little kid. In the meantime, Kristin Scott Thomas is rebuilding her apartment. Both of these equally engrossing and devastating stories are told at the same time, cutting from story to story when they are the most thematically similar.

 

 

 

OK, maybe that’s short selling the Kristin Scott Thomas half of the movie a little bit. She is also trying to get pregnant, which just sheds a little more light on how identical the lives of these two girls was. Also, the apartment she is rebuilding belongs to her husband, who’s father moved into it just after Sarah’s family is evicted. The point I was sarcastically trying to make earlier still stands: we’ve already been programmed to devour every WWII film in our paths, and empathize with every victim in these films, so who is going to possibly expect any of us to give two fat flying shits about the trials and tribulations of one Kristin Scott Thomas? I don’t know, but what happens is for the first time in a WWII movie, we get to watch the WWII movie AND watch us watching it, and the results are a mixed bowl of fruit, with the majority of the fruit in the bowl being lameons and boreberries.

 

 

 

 

Kristin Scott Thomas has discovered a mystery, and she wants to know the ending, just like us! She is racked with guilt because of what has happened to these people, just like us! She surrounds herself with all of the information she can to know more about the time and the people, just like us! Well…maybe not so much that last one, unless you count the countless films we sit through, trying to learn more, forcing ourselves to experience one millionth of a percent of what these people went through. We watch as she experiences all of the same things we do, with all of the same emotions we do, and, more importantly, with all of the motives we do. It’s exactly the same as our lives, complete with all of the melodrama and cheesy dialogue we experience every day. Wait…

 

It might just be because of how the story is split, or because of how different the stories are, but it feels like this director is making two different movies. One is a pretty hardcore tale of a mostly forgotten time during World War II. The other is a hammy movie that almost feels like a TV Movie of the Week. Sarah’s Key, in crossing over it’s two genres, has become the first Holomark movie. Eventually it all goes on for far too long, and everything becomes so melodramatic, it almost becomes laughable. And when you laugh, you’re so relieved that it’s not in the Holocaust sections of the movie, you laugh even harder. The modern day sections (it actually takes place two years ago, probably to keep it line with some stupid book it’s based on) have one saving grace, Kristin Scott Thomas, who at this point can do this kind of movie in her sleep. Just as good as Binoche or Delpy, but with none of the street cred, Thomas has secretly become that actor that when you see her name in the credits, you know you’re getting at least one great performance. She has the same dialogue to work with that everyone else does, so it’s a credit to her to watch her build her character Julia into somebody so lonely and fragile and curious. Julia’s motivations are usually pretty dumb, but with Thomas, you buy them all the way.

 

ALSO RELEASED:

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

 

NEW TO BLU RAY

 

THE THREE AMIGOS: 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

This prequel to the 2011 film The Big Year explains how, in the wild west, Martin Short and Chevy Chase drank some potion and became birdwatchers Owen Wilson and Jack Black, disrespectively. I think. I don’t know. This Blu Ray comes with deleted scenes, many of which were in director John Landis’ original cut, a cut he couldn’t fight for because he was on trial…for MURDER. The sick bastard used a helicopter to chop a dude’s head off, and then filmed it. God damn, John Landis. God damn.

 

12 ANGRY MEN

What’s one of the most boring things people are forced to do? We surveyed 100 people and the top five answers are on the bored. Survey says…. Jury Duty! Number one answer!

Okay, so we didn’t actually survey anyone, but you pretty much get the point. Jury duty is one of the last things anyone wants to do. So the idea of a film about Jury duty sound fairly off putting, especially when you try to describe it.

“Yeah, it’s a film which essentially all takes place in one room, with a ton of long takes, with only twelve unnamed men, and it’s in black and white.” Yes, I agree this sounds like a boring film from an outside perspective. However, somehow, with all these elements, recently deceased director Sidney Lument is able to make a wonderful film.

Lument is a strong director who has made two of my favorite films, Dog Day Afternoon and Network.12 Angry Men was Lument’s kick-start film, and great first film at that.

Most people without seeing the film already know the story. Be it from King of the Hill, Veronica Mars, Monk, or (my personal fav) Hey Arnold!, this plot has been re-told time and time again.

 

The film starts with 12 jurors (men) entering a private room to start deliberating on the case of a young teen from the inner city accused of the murder of his own father. After a quick vote 11 of the men find the teen guilty of the murder, but one juror (Henry Fonda, Juror #8) refuses to write off the kid before all of the facts have been reviewed again. The rest of the film consists of Juror #8 trying to convince the rest of the jurors of the teen’s innocence.

The film’s recognizably unique style involves many long takes without cuts, all of which (besides two quick scenes at the beginning and end) take place in the same room. Lument’s choice of long takes allows the viewer to feel like they’re right there in the room experiencing each scene along side all 12 men.

 

Fonda gives a great performance (as always), giving a grounded spine to the film. However, the antagonist of the film, Lee J. Cobb, is the one who gives the most memorable performance. Cobb’s break down in the latter part of the film is the most memorable scene in the movie.

I realize a film from 1957 may scare some people off. Although, if you’re a fan of strong story telling, superb acting, and overall entertainment, I urge you to check out this new Blu-Ray DVD release of an all time classic.

 

 

TV ON DVD

THE ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN: SEASON 1

In one of those weird kwinky-dink moments that only pop culture can provide for us, the first season of Tin Tin is coming to DVD just in time for Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson’s new holiday action blockbuster spectacular. I’ve never watched this, because it might be French or something, but maybe you’re one of those people that likes to get prepared before you get disappointed. Apparently this is the first time that has been on DVD, so I don’t know who that movie is for, unless it’s for people who read comics. Gross.

THE OFFICE: 10TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION

Thanks to an entire cast and writing staff giving up years ago, the debate regarding which version of the Office is clearly over: long live Sir David of Brent. If you’ve been putting off watching this for some reason, this is the shit you need to get, as everything ever affiliated with The Office UK is neatly placed on this DVD, which is easier to do than you think when an entire series only has 12 episodes and a special. If the picture on the cover doesn’t make you immediately cringe in fear and disgust, and force you to never dance in public again, order this now.

THE SUPER HERO SQUAD SHOW: THE INFINITY GAUNTLET, VOLUME 2

Do you hate superhero movies because the heroes don’t look like kinky midgets who are constantly spouting out terrible jokes? Well sir, have I got the cure for what ails you. Can I recommend this to every adult who needs to something to watch for this weekend’s date night? Almost, but not quite. I can, however, recommend it to anyone who is going to bludgeon their eyes out if their kid puts on that fucking Spongebob DVD one more fucking time. Don’t worry about getting the first volume of The Infinity Gauntlet, Volume 1. They don’t care, you don’t care.