New to Blu-Ray/DVD this week (April 19, 2011)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (April 15, 2011)

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint

Director: David Yates

Synopsis from IMDB: As Harry races against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, he uncovers the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  The release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 to home video will probably be the ramp up to the marketing campaign for the release of …Part 2 to release this summer.  The first installment of this two part chapter was a well made, engaging film for franchise die-hards and casual fans alike.  Those who want to watch or re-watch part 1 before heading to theaters for the finale of the Harry Potter saga will make up most of this DVD/Blu-Ray’s buyers, but is likely to do pretty well.  For those of you die-hard fans who can wait, however, you may be better served waiting for the 2nd part to release on Blu-Ray, as you’ll probably be able to get a collector’s set with both films.  You can read our Take Two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 by clicking here.

Add Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 to your Netflix Queue.

The King’s Speech

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter 

Director: Tom Hooper

Synopsis from IMDB: The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  The King’s Speech was one of the best films of 2010 as indicated by its multiple Academy Award nominations and wins.  Everything about this film is noteworthy when discussing cinematic achievement, and it is extremely entertaining to boot.  There’s not much else needed to say about this film except that it is a must watch.  Though there isn’t much else needed to say, we still managed to think of a few things in our Take Two of The King’s Speech.

Add The King’s Speech to your Netflix Queue.

Somewhere

Rated: R

Starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning and Chris Pontius 

Director: Sofia Coppola

Synopsis from IMDB: A hard-living Hollywood actor re-examines his life after his 11-year-old daughter surprises him with a visit.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  I didn’t think I had heard of this film until I re-watched the trailer and was reminiscent of seeing it once.  Though the trailer doesn’t tell you much, except that the film is written and directed by Sophia Coppola, it does have a certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the description of the film does minimally peak my interest.  This film will probably make its way to the lower half of my Netflix queue.  However, being written and directed by Sophia Coppola and featuring a song by The Strokes in the trailer will probably grab the attention of some viewers more than it did my own.

Add Somewhere to your Netflix Queue.

Rabbit Hole

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest 

Director: John Cameron Mitchell

Synopsis from IMDB: Life for a happy couple is turned upside down after their young son dies in an accident. Based on a play by David Lindsay-Abaire.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  I feel obligated to mention when a film is nominated for an Academy Award because it is a prestigious honor and does provide the film (and my take) credibility.  I am starting to feel like a broken record though as every week at least one Oscar nominated film is released to home video.  This week seems like every film, including Rabbit Hole, as Nicole Kidman was nominated for best actress.  I know Rabbit Hole will be a great film but I often have a hard time putting these types of films high on my Netflix queue simply due to their often melancholy themes and tone. 

Add Rabbit Hole to your Netflix Queue.

Gulliver’s Travels

Rated: PG

Starring: Jack Black, Emily Blunt and Jason Segel

Director: Rob Letterman

Synopsis from IMDB: Travel writer Lemuel Gulliver takes an assignment in Bermuda, but ends up on the island of Liliput, where he towers over its tiny citizens.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take:  I have not had the (dis)pleasure of seeing Gulliver’s Travels so I’m going to try hard not to pass too much judgment, though every inclination tells me this movie is terrible.  Jack Black once was able to carry a movie as a lead (that one time being School of Rock), now I can only handle him in supporting roles or animated features.  Judging by the trailer it seems they took a lot of creative liberties with Jonathan Swift’s book as well, which typically isn’t a good thing.

Add Gulliver’s Travels to your Netflix Queue.

The Way Back

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell

Director: Peter Weir

Synopsis from IMDB: Siberian gulag escapees walk 4000 miles overland to freedom in India.

Trailer:

Pac’s Take: Though I have seen Harry Potter and The King’s Speech, of all the films releasing this week, The Way Back interests me most.  Peter Weir is a very good director, as indicated by the abridged filmography in the trailer, and Ed Harris has a very strong screen presence and rarely chooses bad roles.  Colin Farrell even seems to be moving past his Miami Vice days and is choosing his roles more wisely (though back to back remakes of Fright Night and Total Recall may prove otherwise).  Despite its limited release in theaters this should prove to be worthy of at least a rental.

Add The Way Back to your Netflix Queue.

TAKE TWO: The King’s Speech (2010)

The King’s Speech

Rated: R

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce

Director: Tom Hooper

Chris’ Take: The King’s Speech is a film I kept trying to see before I wrote my Top Ten of 2010 list. The preview was engaging and there was so much buzz about it, but it didn’t come to a theater near me until I was out of town. Upon viewing, this would definitely make the Top Ten, if not the Top Five of the best films of last year.

In the years leading up to World War II, Prince Albert (Colin Firth), the second son of King George V, is constantly in the public spotlight, which proves even more daunting due to his incessant stammer. At the urging of his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), he sees a speech defect specialist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Lionel’s eccentric methods are too much for Albert at first, but after his father’s death and his brother’s defection from the throne, he is thrust into the kingship and must rely on Lionel’s tutelage to instill confidence in him, so that he in turn can inspire and reassure his people, who are on the brink of war with Germany.

The King’s Speech easily had one of the best scripts of 2010, and director Tom Hooper used that to his advantage in setting the perfect pace of the film. It balanced between Lionel and Albert’s sessions and the drama ensuing in Albert’s personal life. While the film could have easily gotten bogged down with the amount of dialogue, it managed to keep the timing and delivery snappy, witty, intriguing and sincere. One of the parts of the story that I really liked, was how the film hinted as to why Elizabeth grew to love Albert, who was almost completely lacking in self-confidence, showing moments of touching humor between them, and his general warmth toward those that he loved.

The cinematography was subtle, but strong, many times focusing on Colin Firth’s face, then the intimidating microphone, while blurring out the background, so that the pressure he was under could really be felt.

But, it did not keep the cinematography close at all times, usually only when he was speaking, allowing the viewer a reprieve from the stress. This allowed for a more enjoyable experience overall, compared to other films that have attempted the same technique this year, such as Black Swan and Let Me In, which were more intended to create dread, paranoia and claustrophobia for extended periods of time.

Now, we come to the acting. The King’s Speech contained so many great performances, especially from its lead, Colin Firth, who managed the stammer, peppered with fits of rage, extremely well. Geoffrey Rush, a great character actor to begin with, was able to masterfully work in playful eccentricities with Lionel and balance that out with moments of perceptive insight. Helena Bonham Carter returns to her earlier acting days by playing the most normal character she has been in the last 10 – 15 years and she played the part of loving and supportive wife very well.

Just a sampling of Helena Bonham Carter's more recent roles.

The interactions between the characters were so delightful and engaging, further proving all the buzz about the film.

Did this film need to be seen in the theater? Probably not, but it was still very enjoyable and worth the money spent on seeing it. I am sure we will be hearing more about this one as we get closer to the Golden Globe Awards, and a little later at the Oscars. I sincerely hope that Firth and Rush come away with some wins somewhere down the line, and that the superb script also gets the high recognition that it deserves.

• Characters: A
• Cinematography: A-
• Directing: A
• Plot: A
• Performances: A+
• Overall: A

Pac’s Take: 

With the Academy Awards nominations pool for best picture expanding to a daunting list of ten nominees, there is a lot of competition for the Best Picture award.  Inception will serve as this year’s Avatar and be the blockbuster hit the majority of the viewing public expects to win, mostly because it was one of the few films on the list they saw.  However, if my vote counted I would undoubtably vote for The King’s Speech to take home the award (granted I have yet to see a few of these films as well).  It is a rare gem in cinema these days to see a film that strips itself of everything shiny that attracts a passerby audience and relies solely on a captivating story and in-depth characterization.  The King’s Speech did just that and executed it to flawless perfection.  A single miscue in pacing, casting, or cinematography could have cracked the porcelain finish of this film, but director Tom Hooper handled everything with care and delivered a great film.

Chris touched on this briefly in his review, but an important aspect of the film to note was the cinematography.  Two other films I saw this year, Black Swan and Let Me In, relied heavily on close-ups and tight shots throughout the film to deliver a sense anxiety and/or claustrophobia.  The King’s Speech could have very easily continued this trend as very much of the film depended on the audience connecting with the anxiety Prince Albert (Colin Firth) had about public speaking and how he directed that anxiety intrinsically.  This concept was not only a major part of the Prince’s characterization but also a driving plot device as pensiveness was holding him back from recovery.  Despite that,  Hooper limited the close-ups and tight shots to sporadic use allowing the audience reprieve from Albert’s tightly wound emotions.  After exiting the theater I still felt completely connected to the character and his story but wasn’t grasping for air because I finally left a theater that felt three feet wide.

Mr. Reynolds, please refrain from cell phone use while in the independent theater. Thank You

 The acting in this film was superb, especially Colin Firth who undertook what appeared to be a very complex character with physical complications.  As a viewer, to recognize the depth and difficulty in the role but also acknowledge the ease in which it seemed Firth executed it speaks volumes to the performance.  Geoffrey Rush’s performance was brilliant in its own right and the chemistry between the two actors maintained the pace and pleasantry of a dialogue driven film.  Helena Bonham Carter delivered a subtle performance, likely to not garner an oscar, but it was pleasant to see her tone it down a bit.

I wish I could amend my favorite films of 2010 list to include The King’s Speech as it would have landed somewhere in the top 3.  Here are my grades (sorry for the lack of disparity between Chris and I):

• Characters: A
• Cinematography: A-
• Directing: A
• Plot: A
• Performances: A+
• Overall: A

**TRAILER TIME**: The King’s Speech, Battle: Los Angeles, The Way Back, and Cowboys & Aliens

Here are some trailers for upcoming films. Some you might have heard of, but others have probably fallen by the wayside since they aren’t shrouded in special effects and shiny objects.

                              The King’s Speech

Starring: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter, Geoffrey Rush

Director: Tom Hooper

Synopsis from IMDB:  The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Most likely another Oscar-worthy performance by Firth and a Supporting Actor nod for Rush. This film looks like an intriguing blend of comedy, drama and inspiration.

Battle: Los Angeles

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Synopsis from IMDB: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I am usually quick to write off an alien invasion film as cheesy effects-driven films, but the trailer for this one surprised me with its morose soundtrack and intense battle sequences. With Aaron Eckhart starring, it looks promising. The only thing that bothered me was the presence of Michelle Rodriguez, playing her stereotypical woman-in-uniform role.

The Way Back

Starring: Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess

Director: Peter Weir

Synopsis from IMDB:  A fact-based story centered on soldiers who escaped from a Siberian gulag in 1940.

Trailer:



Chris’ Take: This looks like a very promising film, featuring great actors and an amazing director. Weir definitely has a great directorial eye and the Himalayas as seen in the film Himalaya are a perfect place for beautiful filmmaking.

Cowboys & Aliens

Starring: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford

Director: Jon Favreau

Synopsis from IMDB:In Silver City, Arizona, Apache Indians and Western settlers must lay their differences aside when an alien spaceship crash lands in their city.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I have no idea what just happened in that trailer. I get the gist and I like Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde provides some great eye candy, but….what? I get that it is based on a graphic novel, but the premise seems kind of lame. I do think that Jon Favreau would be the right director for this, but I just think it will be a ridiculous movie that I will have a hard time enjoying.

Opening This Week (Nov 15 – 21, 2010)

Despite what you may think, there are other films coming out this weekend besides Harry Potter. Will they pose any box office threat? Nope. Will they be any good? We’ll see. Here are the wide releases for this weekend:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Helena Bonham-Carter

Director: David Yates

Synopsis from IMDB: Voldemort’s power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: I started out, despising the Harry Potter series. Especially, when the first film came out and I thought it was pretty lame. Overcoming my prejudice took the help of my brother, Jerome, who told me to give the second film a chance and I was very surprised at the increase in quality and the series keeps getting better. I look forward to the final installments and hope that when I see this film on opening weekend, I won’t be surrounded by a throng of people, from middle school to adults who peaked in middle school, with lightning scars and coke bottle glasses.

The Next Three Days

Rated: PG-13

Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson

Director: Paul Haggis

Synopsis from IMDB: A married couple’s life is turned upside down when the wife is accused of a murder.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: Russell Crowe, at one point he was one of the best actors around and seeing his name on the marquee was something worth noting, but in the last five years, it seems like while the movies he is in are decent, his performances are rather boring. I think I would enjoy this film a lot more if Liam Neeson was playing the lead since he has proven he has a knack for kicking people’s asses to get his family back. Plus, Neeson is  a better actor in general. Even with Paul Haggis (Crash, Casino Royale) as writer and director, I think this will be a film that will be exciting to watch, but easy to forget.

Heartless

Rated: R

Starring: Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, Noel Clark

Director: Phillip Ridley

Synopsis from IMDB:  Jamie Morgan, a young man with a large heart-shaped birthmark on his face, discovers that there are demons on the streets of East London.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: This is a film I didn’t know about until about 20 minutes ago, which is odd considering it is a wide release. This was released in the UK last year to moderate critical acclaim and has pretty good reviews in the U.S. so far. If you are not into Harry Potter and Russell Crowe’s increasingly haggard looking jowls are not enough to entice you to the theater, this might be something for you to see.

Limited Releases

White Material

Rated: Unrated

Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Isaach De Bankole, Christopher Lambert

Director: Claire Denis

Synopsis from IMDB: Denis revisits Africa, this time exploring a place rife with civil and racial conflict. A white French family outlawed in its home and attempting to save its coffee plantation connects with a black hero also embroiled in the tumult. All try to survive as their world rapidly crumbles around them.

Trailer:

Chris’ Take: French film is some of the most beautiful out there, at least the stuff that makes it to the States and this film looks like no exception. It received great reviews and critical acclaim at several festivals. Obviously, this isn’t one that really needs to be seen in the theater and will probably be just as good if seen on DVD.