dvd reviews

Out of the hundreds of thousands of movies that have been made over the last century there is a wide variety of those that some consider to be bad, horrible, or even utterly intolerable. Some films even leave such a mark that it baffles their wary audience as to how it could have possibly been made. Of course, there are those that end up just so ridiculously awful that it can even get people to do the improbable: to agree on a single thing. Ironically, as popular and lovingly heralded as masterpiece films are, sometimes their stark opposites manage to still find a loyal fanbase ready to bask in the anti-glory. “Troll 2” has managed to not only be recognized over the years as a nearly universal absolute piece of trash, but has even managed to acquire a major following of fans who appreciate just how much of an utter piece of trash it is. SynopsisBEST WORST MOVIE is an affectionate and intoxicatingly fun tribute to the single greatest bad

On November 30th Disney/Buena Vista Entertainment released a trio of documentaries that delved not only into the earliest of Disney’s years but also into the later years that were fret with tension, drama and conflict. Whether it’s Looking at the 80s-90s era Disney with Waking Sleeping Beauty, going back to 1941 with the US asking Walt Disney to be a cultural ambassador to South America in Walt & El Grupo, or moving forward into the 1960’s to see the story of the Sherman Brother’s in The Boys, there’s plenty of history to be drudged up and expounded upon in these documentaries and with each one packing in a great wealth of knowledge, any Disney fan will find themselves with a few less hours left in the day when they get their hands on these documentaries. Synopsis – Waking Sleeping BeautyWaking Sleeping Beauty is no fairy tale. It’s a true story about the renaissance that took place between 1984 and 1994 at the fabled Walt Disney Animation Studios and how Disney

In his short career, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a phenomenon. He became notorious for his graffiti art under the moniker Samo in the late 1970s on the Lower East Side scene, sold his first painting to Deborah Harry for $200 and became best friends with Andy Warhol. Appreciated by both the art cognoscenti and the public, Basquiat was launched into international stardom. However, soon his cult status began to override the art that had made him famous in the first place. SynopsisDirector Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary, but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat’s own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man. Featuring interviews with Julian Schnabel, Larry Gagosian, Bruno Bischofberger, Tony Shafrazi, Fab

Sometimes, life comes between us and our dreams. And sometimes, we are fortunate enough to be reunited. Overflowing with the talent and enthusiasm of the competitors and with the sound of their spectacular music, THEY CAME TO PLAY reminds us all of the passion that burns within us. SynopsisMulti-award winning THEY CAME TO PLAY focuses on the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs (hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation), which gathers together 75 of the world’s best amateur pianists for one week of intense competition and camaraderie. Candid interviews offer a glimpse into the lives of the competitors, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions. All have struggled to balance their music and their ordinary lives—some overcoming extraordinary challenges—and now, all hope to make years of dedication pay off in the performance of a lifetime. At first I thought this would be another documentary about boring musicians who are full of themselves but I was quickly surprised—this isn’t about those kind of musicians, this is about musicians

The Venture Bros. may be one of the most daring and original shows to ever exist. Not only does it go on extremely long breaks that make me want to punch a walrus, but it also manages to change itself up every season. Each time they make a major change you think “nah, it won’t last, it’s just a ploy.” Soon you’re into the next season and you realize it’s sticking. The boys aren’t going to be kept perpetually young. They graduate from high school and explore their own collegial careers. On top of that you change up the Brock dynamic and replace him with Sergeant Hatred and…well, lets just say that the creators were being genial when they started out slow by altering The Monarch’s lineup before they started futzing with the main cast. What it all boils down to is The Venture Bros. is not just a daring show for changing things up on a regular basis, but also changing things up for the better. Never has one

Believe it or not, but you can see the progression of this series from the first episode to the season finale. Jokers become tighter, plots a bit looser, and the series in general a little less…hands on. The Super Hero Squad Show felt like a very “by committee” series when it first kicked off. Enjoyable, yes, but a bit stiff and somewhat forced at times, both in terms of script and animation quality. However, as the show rockets toward its two-part season, The Super Hero Squad Show becomes quite the zany adventure. Not as solid or consistent as Batman: The Brave and The Bold, but still a friendly, all-ages take on Marvel’s mightiest heroes. Synopsis:When the greatest heroes on the planet unite to face the world’s greatest villains, you get the biggest, most family-friendly Super Hero team-up in TV history…Super Hero Squad. It’s no small job protecting Super Hero City from the wild, weird (& even wacky) villainy of VillainVille’s infamous baddies…but Iron Man, Wolverine, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer,

Out of the gate, Scott Pilgrim vs The World had “cult classic” written all over it. I was surprised this movie got greenlit with a $60 million (apparently) budget and was given a pretty high-profile August 2010 release date. True, August isn’t the most high-profile release date for a movie, but it’s that last summer month where studios make that final push for cash and to put Scott Pilgrim vs The World out at that time shows tremendous confidence in the movie itself, as there should be. Scott Pilgrim vs The World is a great movie, nearly flawless. It’s just a shame that it wasn’t a bigger hit, essentially crashing when hitting the big screen. Thankfully, Scott Pilgrim gets a second chance to get it together on home video. Synopsis: Game on! Scott Pilgrim has just met the girl of his dreams…literally. But in order for them to date, he must defeat her seven evil exes, a rogues’ gallery, including an infamous skateboarder, a vegan rock star and fearsome identical

From executive producers Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine (Jackass) comes a shocking and outlandish year-in-the-life documentary about the White Family of Boone County, West Virginia’s most notorious and surly family. The New York Times says that “its governing spirit, captured in the raucous music that punctuates the story… is one of outlaw celebration.” SynopsisShoot-outs, robberies, gas-huffing, drug dealing, pill popping, murders and tap dancing. Nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains, the White family lives an existence more like something from the Wild West than modern-day suburbified America. The legendary family is as known for their wild, excessive criminal ways as they are for their famous mountain dancing members, including Jesco White, the star of the cult classic documentary Dancing Outlaw. The film follows the Whites over the course of one tumultuous year, as they deal with a stabbing, criminal sentencing, attempted murder, death and birth. Never dull, The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Vrginia are “the Hatfields and McCoys all rolled into one” (New York Magazine). Wow. That’s really

A fresh and exhilarating take on one of the most important social movements in American history, Soundtrack for a Revolution explores the civil rights struggle through the powerful and stirring songs that inspired a generation. In this deeply moving documentary, legends of the fight for equal rights such as Congressman John Lewis, Julian Bond, Ambassador Andrew Young and Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow, Coretta Scott King, testify to the indispensable role that songs of rebellion and hope played in helping activists fight against brutality and injustice. In riveting studio performances, top contemporary artists including John Legend, Wyclef Jean, The Roots and Joss Stone reinvigorate and reinvent timeless songs like “We Shall Overcome” and “Wade in the Water.” SynopsisThrough a creative combination of historical footage, deeply personal interviews and heartfelt performances, Soundtrack for a Revolution makes an original, emotionally stirring contribution to the civil rights story. This stunning film is a testament to the vitality of music in the lives and times of those who strive for justice. While the overall

Meet Mahmud Nasir (Omid Djalili of Sex and the City 2), loving husband, doting father and something of a “relaxed” Muslim. He may not be the most observant, but in his heart he is a true Muslim. After his mother’s death, Mahmud finds his birth certificate, which reveals that he was adopted at birth and… he’s Jewish, with the real name of Solly Shimshillewitz! SynopsisAs Mahmud tumbles headlong into a full-scale identity crisis, the only person he can turn to is Lenny (Richard Schiff from The West Wing), a drunken Jewish cabbie. Soon Mahmud is embarking on lessons in Jewishness, starting with how to dance like Topol and the proper way to say “oy vey.” This revelation couldn’t come at a worse time, with Mahmud’s son about to marry the stepdaughter of a radical Muslim cleric. Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Matt Lucas (Little Britain) join the cast of this hilarious “English farce meets Woody Allen” (Ricky Gervais). Sometimes you look at these DVD covers and just shake your

Completely disregarding Predator 2 (or just ignoring it), the first sequel in the Predator franchise, Predators essentially takes the original (and awesome) Predator film and somewhat modifies the premise. The jungle is still there, and humans are still being hunted by these killer aliens, but now we’re on an alien planet used by the Predators as a sort of game reserve. Naturally, our human leads – a wealth of killers and murderers – are in over their heads and hopelessly outmatched. Can any of them survive being hunted…by the Predators? SynopsisRodriguez’ reboot of the classic Predator franchise redefines fear and suspense while paying homage to the original thriller. Drop into immediate nerve-racking thrills as elite killers find themselves falling out of the sky into the hostile terrain of an alien planet – the home turf of a gruesome pack of hunters. Chosen for their ruthless abilities to hunt humans, they must band together to survive against this race of merciless predators. Starring Adrien Brody (The Pianist) as Royce, Topher Grace