I Love You, Man on Saturday night.
Duplicity on Sunday afternoon.
Also, just got In the Electric Mist with Tommy Lee Jones from Netflix. I'll get to that over the weekend at some point as well.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
CRITERION BUTTON
DISC FEATURESAVAILABLE IN BOTH DOUBLE-DVD AND BLU-RAY DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITIONS:
Interviews with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett
Audio commentary featuring Academy Award-nominated director David Fincher
Never-before-seen footage revealing the innovative techniques behind the Academy Award–winning visual effects and makeup
Step-by-step examination of the motion-capture process aging Brad Pitt
In-depth exploration of David Fincher’s creative process on the set
Interview with acclaimed composer Alexandre Desplat about the score
Featurettes on the film’s storyboards, costumes, and Academy Award–winning art direction
Stills galleries, including costume design and candid behind-the-scenes production photos
Optional French- and Spanish-dubbed soundtracks
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, and optional French and Spanish subtitles
PLUS: An essay by film critic Kent Jones
Pretty fuckin' spiffy, no?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
THREE SENTENCE DVD REVIEW: ELEGY (***)
Isabel Coixet's somberly themed yet gorgeously photographed drama Elegy (***) is a thoughtful (if sometimes boring), occasionally darkly humorous May-December romance between two very different people (Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz) who were never likely to find happiness. Cruz, who is partially or fully naked throughout much of the film, gives her richest and best English language performance yet, and Kingsley, as always, exudes class and distinction (Dennis Hopper also turns in a juicy supporting performance). Coixet's film, working from a smooth but slightly meandering screenplay by Nicholas Meyer, goes for the tear ducts towards its conclusion, and even if I wasn't blown away by the movie, it's certainly worth renting if you're in the mood for a serious, slightly depressing, artsy-fartsy type night of entertainment.Monday, March 23, 2009
PUBLIC ENEMIES -- EARLY REACTION
My buddy out in Hell-A got a chance to attend a test screening of Michael Mann's Public Enemies, which hits theaters on July 1st. Here are the choice nuggets from the review he sent me:
"Michael Mann goes retro Heat with Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies. Depp once again conquers the screen with another great performance in his acting arsenal as the legendary bank robber trying to make a buck the dangerous way with a special FBI task force on his tail...to be clear, this is a movie about John Dillinger. Those wondering why Johnny Depp's name is much bigger than co-star Christian Bale's on the poster: this is Depp's film, not Bale's. His FBI agent Melvin Purvis is a surprisingly small role that shows up in chunks, then vanishes for vast amounts of screen time. Same goes for Cotillard...those familiar with director Mann's far superior Heat will recognize several parallels within the story. There is the main good guy FBI agent (Bale) taking on the main bad guy bank robber (Depp) in a sort of cat and mouse chase across the midwest...under mounds of makeup and a thick accent, Crudup seems to be having as much fun in his role as J. Edgar Hoover as Depp. If only he had more screen time...action fanatics needn't be worried as Mann is no stranger to staging action sequences. They are detailed, well-shot and loud. There is no shortage in the budget for how many rounds a Tommy Gun can fire. There aren't many visible gunshot wounds, but a few to the gut and a handful to some heads will satisfy those needing a little red juice on their plate...then there is the cinematography. Dante Spinotti reteams with Mann to provide some striking images, but this film is more controlled than what Mann has been putting out lately. If you're looking for Miami Vice or Collateral style angles or shots, you best look elsewhere. Cinematography is detailed and defined, with some great hand held sequences but once again resembles something closer to Heat, not too surprising since he shot that too...this was a work print and after seeing the film it will easily take another viewing or two to fully absorb all the different characters. Some people will be confused as to who everyone is, but in defense there are a lot of characters. Detail to every scene is top notch and the detail in the phone operator rooms is especially impressive. Mann purists should be extremely happy. Reviews will most likely be mixed. Box Office should be respectable for the 80 million budgeted film...I found it tremendously entertaining."
Sounds awesome to me.
"Michael Mann goes retro Heat with Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies. Depp once again conquers the screen with another great performance in his acting arsenal as the legendary bank robber trying to make a buck the dangerous way with a special FBI task force on his tail...to be clear, this is a movie about John Dillinger. Those wondering why Johnny Depp's name is much bigger than co-star Christian Bale's on the poster: this is Depp's film, not Bale's. His FBI agent Melvin Purvis is a surprisingly small role that shows up in chunks, then vanishes for vast amounts of screen time. Same goes for Cotillard...those familiar with director Mann's far superior Heat will recognize several parallels within the story. There is the main good guy FBI agent (Bale) taking on the main bad guy bank robber (Depp) in a sort of cat and mouse chase across the midwest...under mounds of makeup and a thick accent, Crudup seems to be having as much fun in his role as J. Edgar Hoover as Depp. If only he had more screen time...action fanatics needn't be worried as Mann is no stranger to staging action sequences. They are detailed, well-shot and loud. There is no shortage in the budget for how many rounds a Tommy Gun can fire. There aren't many visible gunshot wounds, but a few to the gut and a handful to some heads will satisfy those needing a little red juice on their plate...then there is the cinematography. Dante Spinotti reteams with Mann to provide some striking images, but this film is more controlled than what Mann has been putting out lately. If you're looking for Miami Vice or Collateral style angles or shots, you best look elsewhere. Cinematography is detailed and defined, with some great hand held sequences but once again resembles something closer to Heat, not too surprising since he shot that too...this was a work print and after seeing the film it will easily take another viewing or two to fully absorb all the different characters. Some people will be confused as to who everyone is, but in defense there are a lot of characters. Detail to every scene is top notch and the detail in the phone operator rooms is especially impressive. Mann purists should be extremely happy. Reviews will most likely be mixed. Box Office should be respectable for the 80 million budgeted film...I found it tremendously entertaining."
Sounds awesome to me.
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