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"THE LOSERS" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) Rated PG-13 Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack on July 20 Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
After being framed for a horrible crime in Bolivia, an elite team of special ops soldiers have a chance to clear their name. A mysterious woman with connections to the American government offers to get them back to their home country if they help her take down the rogue CIA agent code-named Max.
WHAT I LIKED
Earlier this year, I said that a film like “The Losers” is something for guys like me, who like explosive action flicks. It whetted my appetite for “The A-Team,” which came out later in the summer, and I found this adaptation of the DC comic to be a hell of a lot of fun.
“The Losers” isn’t to be taken too seriously. The characters are extreme in their silliness and machismo. It’s really a place for certain actors to shine. Jeffrey Dean Morgan continues to build his credibility as a comic book anti-hero after “The Watchmen” in the lead. But it was Chris Evans as the dorky tech guy who really showed off the charm and proved that he has the chops to be Captain America.
In some ways, “The Losers” reminds me of a big, fat episode of “Burn Notice” with the explosive military strikes and the tongue-in-cheek humor of its characters. And it doesn’t hurt to have Zoë Saldana adding a little bit of feminine wiles to the group.
Sadly, this film did not do well at the box office, and it’s not perfect, but it’s still an enjoyable romp through gasoline and gunpowder.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Both when I watched this movie in the theaters and when I revisited it on Blu-ray, I couldn’t decide whether I liked Jason Patric’s goofy version of the villain. While I enjoyed his one-liners and some of his antics, I found him to be a little tedious. It’s a love-it or hate-it sort of character.
The other problem is that the movie leaves too many loose ends, hoping for a sequel that now seems unlikely (at least on the big screen) considering the film’s poor box office.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
In addition to being packaged with the DVD that includes digital copy, the Blu-ray includes a handful of featurettes that run five to ten minutes each. These include a spot about the military advisors, a look at the action, a look at shooting in Puerto Rico, interviews with the authors of the graphic novel and a spotlight on the lovely Miss Saldana.
There’s also a deleted scene which is somewhat insightful, as well as a 13-minute look at the upcoming Batman animated feature “Under the Red Hood.”
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who just couldn’t wait to see “The A-Team.”
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"WHITE COLLAR: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Neal Caffrey is the best counterfeiter on the planet, and he’s serving a four-year sentence in federal prison. When FBI agent Peter Burke comes to him for help on a case, they form an unlikely partnership. Caffrey is released on probation with a tracking anklet, allowing him to consult with the FBI on white collar cases. During his release, Caffrey uses his connections to the underground to track several key relationships to his past, all with a slightly comic edge.
WHAT I LIKED
As of late, I have become a big fan of the USA Network original programming. From “Psych” to “Burn Notice,“ that network really has it’s shit together when it comes to making snappy and fun shows. (We’ll give the network a temporary pass on “Royal Pains,” which is irritating to watch but forgivable.)
“White Collar” is another charming show that has some great characters who play infinitely well off each other. Matt Bomer is both charming and affable as Caffrey, and he provides an excellent foil for the stuffy and by-the-book Caffrey, well constructed by Tim DeKay.
Originally, I wasn’t sure that I’d like “White Collar,” but it quickly clicked with me. The stories are neat little mysteries that aren’t always covered in your average police procedural. Ideas like counterfeiting a bottle of wine or stealing an ancient Bible aren’t exactly on the case load for other shows.
The other thing that really works with “White Collar,” as we have seen with other shows, is the use of secondary characters. While Tiffani Thiessen isn’t great in the role of Burke’s wife (though she is mighty purdy), Willie Garson is brilliant as Caffrey’s literal ex-partner in crime. He’s come a long way from the “Sex and the City” days.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There really anything that bothers me too much on “White Collar.” Sure, it falls into the trap of being too cool or having its thieves able to commit even the most impossible of crimes, but that all works to make the show move forward.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The three-disc Blu-ray comes with audio commentary on more than half of the episodes, several deleted scenes and a pretty hilarious gag reel, which you don’t see all that often. There’s also the featurettes “Pro and Con,” “A Cool Cat in the Hat” and “Nothing But the Truth,” which examine everything from real-life criminals to the casting process for the series.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who like the punchy and clever USA Network original programming.
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"INSOMNIA" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) Rated R Available on Blu-ray on July 13 Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Before he made the wildly popular Batman movies, Christopher Nolan followed up his brilliant film “Memento” with this remake of a Norwegian thriller. In “Insomnia,” Al Pacino stars as a hot-shot police detective who is called to the Alaskan town of Nightmute, where a teenage girl has been murdered. Because Nightmute has sunlight 24-hours a day during this time of year, Pacino’s character suffers from insomnia and feels himself going crazy, especially after a tragic accident that leaves him weighed down with guilt.
WHAT I LIKED
In some ways, I enjoyed watching this early Nolan film even more than watching “Inception,” which has just hit the theater screens. I like seeing great directors do their work unburdened by their own fame.
The performances in this movie are what holds it together. Sure, Pacino just phones it in like he has ever since “Godfather: Part II,” but it’s the deliciously diabolical Robin Williams as the twisted yet oddly settling killer that really shines. And it doesn’t hurt to have Hilary Swank in the supporting cast.
“Insomnia” is a slow burn, and the European influences are very obvious in both pacing and tone. But even more beautiful than some of the performances and the story construction are the gorgeous locations in Alaska and British Columbia. “Insomnia” is a bit of a smaller film, especially for Christopher Nolan of today, but it’s still worth a look, and that look is pretty slick on Blu-ray.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I’ve never been a big fan of Al Pacino, as evidence by my comments earlier. The real powerhouse acting in this film comes from Robin Williams, who at the time was testing out darker roles. If there were a more appealing actor to me in the lead, the one-on-one confrontation scenes between the two main characters would have been so much more compelling to me.
Finally, from a technical perspective, the bonus features imported from the previously released DVD are woefully off level. I’m not one to nit-pick sound quality even on a Blu-ray, but the sound levels on these features range from slightly softer than the film to almost silent.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
All of the bonus material is brought over from the DVD release, which normally would get a sour note from me, but considering how many Blu-rays are released with no bonus material at all from the DVD, at the very least we haven’t lost anything.
There’s additional scenes, a stills gallery and the theatrical trailer. There’s also four featurettes: “Day for Night: Making the Movie,” “In the Fog” (a look at production design and cinematography) and “Eyes Wide Open” (a look at real insomnia). The fourth featurette is a 17-minute interview with Nolan and Pacino which is actually a little depressing considering how much they stroke each other’s already inflated egos.
There are also several commentary features. The director’s commentary takes a note from “Memento” and takes the viewer through the film in the shooting order, which is a unique look. There are also assembled partial commentaries from Hilary Swank, Production Designer Nathan Crowley, Editor Dody Dorn, Cinematographer Wally Pfister and Screenwriter Hillary Seitz.
Finally, exclusive to the Blu-ray is a coupon to use for “Inception” in the theater, which is a great way to save money and literally see two movies for the price of one.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of Christopher Nolan and European-style thrillers.
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"OUR FAMILY WEDDING" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) Rated PG-13 Studio: Fox Searchlight Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Marcus and Lucia are in love, and they are planning to get married. However, the biggest challenge will be not only telling their families of their plans, but to bridge the racial gap between Marcus’s African American family and Lucia’s Mexican one. The fathers (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and Academy Award watcher Carlos Mencia) are at each other’s throats, and their feud threatens to tear the families apart before they get together.
WHAT I LIKED
I will admit there are some funny moments to “Our Family Wedding.” And Forest Whitaker is a fine actor, though he definitely seems to be slumming it a bit in this movie. All in all, it’s a decent cast without a whole lot to do.
With all that said, from a technical side, the movie looks really great. And getting a chance to watch it on Blu-ray helped me appreciate the production value that went into it.
Finally, my wife is a fan of romantic comedies, and she loves the Steve Martin “Father of the Bride” movies. She’s a better judge than me for the target market. She thought it was decent, and I heard her laugh quite a few times in it.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I am neither African American nor Mexican, so I have no idea whether “Our Family Wedding” is an accurate representation of ethnic wedding traditions, or if it’s just loaded with awful racial stereotypes that are considered okay because of the minorities that made the movie. Either way, they really lay this stuff on really thick. And the apparent racial divide between the fathers is really forced.
Normally, I can’t stand Carlos Mencia, but he’s not terrible in this movie. Unfortunately, he’s not great in the movie either. And while it has a fine cast, the writing isn’t there for them. Too many scenes (involving bad slapstick with Mencia in a gadgety bathroom and a horny goat that takes too much Viagra) are forced and seem out of place.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The package includes a digital copy disc and some decent Blu-ray special features. There’s a huge slate of deleted and extended scenes, including a slightly different ending. There’s also a gag reel and a featurette about several aspects of the film, “Til Dads Do Use Part.”
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Carlos Mencia fans and those who don’t mind awkward racial humor.
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"DARKMAN" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) Rated R Studio: Universal Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Before Sam Raimi directed the “Spider-Man” movies, he launched his own superhero franchise with “Darkman,” the tale of a scientist who is horribly disfigured in a robbery. After escaping from the hospital, he works to perfect his artificial skin and uses it to infiltrate the group of gangsters that almost killed him.
WHAT I LIKED
Coming out on the heels of Tim Burton’s “Batman” at the turn of the decade from the 80s to the 90s, “Darkman” was just a hell of a lot of fun. In retrospect, it’s a better film all around than “Batman,” partly because Prince has nothing to do with it, but more because it follows a very typical superhero story. Ten years before Raimi slung a web, he was showing the anointed Hollywood directors that a superhero movie with a real comic book feel could work on the big screen.
Everything about “Darkman” makes it a classic for me. From Danny Elfman’s powerful score to Raimi’s frenetic POV shooting. It’s an intense film that isn’t afraid of getting ugly. People get shot. People die. People get their damned fingers chopped off. Bridging the gap between action and science fiction, “Darkman” was groundbreaking and ahead of its time.
And no discussion of “Darkman” is complete without a nod to a then-lesser-known Liam Neeson in the title role and the now-odd choice of Frances McDormand as the love interest. But it was really Larry Drake who stole the show as the crime boss Durant. That’ll be just fine!
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Okay, I’ll admit this movie is cheesy as hell by today’s standards. It was cheesy as hell by the standards of its day. But that’s part of the fun. It still embodies the corny comic book dialogue, meter and motivations that really touched me when I saw it in my teens.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
Sadly, there’s nothing but the film on the Blu-ray. But since it’s the only way to see it in hi-def without a retro HD-DVD player, it’s a good buy in my book.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Sam Raimi fans and comic book aficionados.
