The movie Syrup owes more than a little to David Fincher’s adaption of the book Fight Club. Like Fincher, Syrup director Aram Rappaport had to take a literary cult favorite – in this case Max Barry’s novel – and bring the story to another medium. Both books/films involve dark, cynical, plots that flirt with humor and romance and the characters in both are pretty difficult to root for. While,…
Godfathers of the Oi! movement, the Cockney Rejects’ influence can still be heard today in everyone from Rancid to the Dropkick Murphys, so it’s only appropriate that someone finally got around to making documents on the underappreciated and often overlooked band. East End Babylon is a visual love note of sorts to a group from one of the toughest neighborhoods in England, who managed to escape jail, drug abuse and…
The Kings of Summer focuses on the exploits of a trio of teenagers – Nick Robinson, Gabiel Basso, and Moises Arias. As a swan song to their childhood years, the group strikes out on their own and attempts to build a house. The cast is rounded out by Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman, Megan Mullaly (Will & Grace), and Alison Brie (Mad Men, Community). The film looks back to…
Girl Most Likely is the type of movie that could only work as a small, independent film. The quirky love story, the outrageous characters (each more odd than the next) and the small town charm would quickly be distorted and dumbed down in the hands of a major studio in an attempt to try and guarantee broader appeal. The quirky love story would be amped up to make it the primary…
Ryan Gosling shines in this title, which focuses on the tumultuous life of Julian, an American that has set a fighting club in Thailand; while operating at the fringes of the law, Julian is able to keep things working nicely until eir brother Billy (Tom Burke) is slayed by various unsavory elements. The careful life that Julian had created for eirself falls to pieces as elements from eir family…
The Exorcist is provided to viewers through a crystal-clear print, which contains a longer film (with deleted scenes) than was viewed during its initial theatrical run. The visual quality of the Blu-Ray print is stellar, breathing new life into each scene. I feel that the crispness and clarity of the audio contained on this release makes for a more alluring overall experience. The release comes with a miniature pamphlet written…
Kindred – The Embraced: The Complete Series contains the show’s entire run of 8 episodes. Kindred – The Embrace focused on the rich White Wolf (Vampire: The Masquerade) universe, and deftly combined political intrigue with love elements. An all-star cast (Mark Frankel, Stacy Haiduk, and C. Thomas Howell) ensure that viewers will be at the edges of their seats. Five clans strive for dominance in a world in which vampires…
Morrissey fans are a devout bunch. Some might say fanatical, but I’ll go with adoring. Regardless there are bound to be some that have a problem with any DVD that comes out about Moz (“Why didn’t it include interviews with Morrissey?” “There were not enough up close shots of him singing!” and on, and on, and on). But this 25Live captures one of Morrissey’s most intimate concerts in recent memory,…
This British romantic comedy may have come from the producers behind Love Actually, but don’t expect the same earnest, saccharine sweet love story with this one. What I Give It A Year does promise is many more laughs, raunchy at times, but funny none the less. Written and directed by Dan Mazer (the same writer behind the so wrong, but so funny Borat), I Give It A Year toggles between…
Treasure Guards is a tremendously interesting film, uniting beautiful locales (the film is set in Jordan, with a cast that meshes well together. The titular treasure is the Seal of Solomon, which was provided to Solomon by God himself. Treasure Guards stars Anna Friel as Victoria, the archaeologist (Land of the Lost, Limitless) and Raoul Bova as Angelo, under employ to the Vatican (Under the Tuscan Sun, The Tourist);…
This DVD showcases a number of distinct comedians that are looking to break it big – Finesse Mitchell (SNL alumnus) shares the stage with Red Grant, Gina Yashere, Robert Powell, and Lavar Walker. No matter the sort of topics that are discussed during this DVD, viewers will be cracking up; there are takes on family life, children, dating, and a whole slew of concerns that viewers (either in the…
The latest from mocumentary king Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show) is his first foray into TV and the results are mixed. The show is slow going for the first few episodes, but is worth it for those who stick with it to the end. Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd) plays Tom Chadwick, an Englishman who inherits an old box of family heirlooms from…
The third season of Petticoat Junction was the first to be aired in color; this change made it possible for viewers of the show to gain an entirely new perspective about the show’s setting and costuming. By this 1965-1966 run, Petticoat Junction had created a solid cast of characters and new situations for Bobbie Jo (Lori Saunders), Billie Jo (Gunilla Hutton), and Betty Jo (Linda Kaye Henning) and their…
Ever run into those people who have whacky theories about the hidden meaning of cult movies? You ain’t heard nothing yet. This documentary from novice movie director Rodney Ascher compiles a number of divergent theories from fans of Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic The Shinning. Among the theories that are exhaustively argued (and allegedly supported by close ups and stills from the movie) are claims that the film is about…
Unless you lived in LA between 2002 and 2007 you’ve likely never heard of the Kiss or Kill music scene. That doesn’t make the documentary on the movement, In Heaven There Is No Beer, any less fascinating. The film, by first-time director Dave Palamaro, chronicles the music scene comprised of a mix of rock and punk-influenced bands like The Dollyrots and Bang Sugar Bang. The scene was started by…
This darkly comical Canadian TV series has yet to really catch on in the U.S., but thanks to DVDs it is finally managing to carve out a small, but loyal following here. The show originally aired on HBO Canada, but can be seen in the U.S. on Direct TV, not exactly mass exposure. Call Me Fitz stars Jason Priestly as a boorish used car salesman battling with the sudden appearance…
Despite being a documentary, the brilliant Stories We Tell unspools more like a fictional family drama. Helmed by actress (The Sweet Hereafter, Dawn of the Dead) and director (Away From Her) Sarah Polley, she turns the camera on her own family for this one. Narrated by her actor/father, the doc examines Polley’s family, specifically her mom and dad and whether or not the man who raised her was her…
Generation Iron is a tremendously powerful film. Narrated by Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), the film collects the experiences leading up the 2012 Mr. Olympia. The various personalities of world-class bodybuilders are probed; the film boasts appearances by Roelly Winklaar, Branch Warren, Dennis Wolf, Kai Greene, and Ronnie Coleman. Generation Iron provides a very intense look into the personal and training lives of each of the Olympia hopefuls. What was…
Strong Language is a nearly forgotten mockumentary, directed by Simon Rumley, that provides US viewers in 2013 a look into what was popular and hip in 1990s London. The video quality of this release is sharp and vibrant, allowing those watching to easily compare the differences, both minor and major between what is portrayed in Strong Language and their own unique context. While relying on over the top characterizations and…
Christina Ricci, Tom Beringer, and Jason Gedrick (from TV’s Dexter, Luck) star in War Flowers, a film set during the American Civil War. Despite being separated by 150 years, the emotions that are held by the movie’s characters will resound loudly to anyone that has loved their family or struggled for something better. Ricci’s love conundrum – seemingly losing her husband during the hostilities, a new figure of masculinity…