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"MACHETE" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) Rated R Studio: 20th Century Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Based on the popular fake trailer in the film “Grindhouse,” “Machete” tells the story of an ex-Federali who gets caught up in an assassination attempt on a Texas Senator running for reelection. When he goes on the run, he taps into the Network, and underground organization that helps illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexican border. This ode to Mexican exploitation cinema is loaded with violence, blood, boobs, guns and explosions.
WHAT I LIKED
Like the rest of the geek crowd, I cheered when the original “Machete” fake trailer ran in the middle of “Grindhouse.” It looked like such fun, but that’s the result of all grindhouse cinema. The trailers look great. The 90-minute movies aren’t nearly as entertaining.
Taking this into account, “Machete” is a brilliant movie simply because it does keep its level of energy up throughout most of the show. It doesn’t come to a screeching halt after the first action scene, like many of the low-budget action films of the 70s and 80s did. It’s not perfect, but with low expectations, it’s a fun ride.
I liked this film a lot more on Blu-ray than I did when I saw it in the theaters. I think this was because my expectations were just too high. The action is fun and over-the-top. The violence is brutal and bloody. There’s sexy women, including Jessica Alba in digitally airbrushed nudeness, Michelle Rodriguez looking badass in leather and an eye patch and director Robert Rodriguez’s nieces-in-law as sexy nurses (which, I’ll admit, is a little creepy).
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
When I saw “Machete” in the theater, I got a bit annoyed with the pervasive preaching about the immigration issue. It still bothers me a bit, but I have gotten over it because I know it’s coming. Robert Rodriguez has said that he put this in because it fits in the mold of exploitation cinema. For the most part, this is forgivable, though he still has two or three moments where it’s not an homage to exploitation cinema but rather just preaching.
I do with this movie would have played out more true to its humble beginnings in the “Grindhouse” feature. I liked the intentionally aged look from the original trailer, which is abandoned after the first reel. I understand this was done because most of the audience wouldn’t get it, but I wish it were still there.
That, and the CGI blood, which is just shameful. Rodriguez should have used red paint like every other exploitation movie did in the 70s and 80s.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The Blu-ray is disappointingly bare, especially for a Robert Rodriguez film. All we get is the audience reaction soundtrack, which is really just a novelty, as well as a nice assortment of deleted scenes. There is BD-Live access, which purports exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, but I can’t understand why they couldn’t fit that on the Blu-ray.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of exploitation cinema.
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"RAGING BULL: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: ***** (out of 5 stars) Rated R Studio: MGM Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The story of boxer Jake La Motta, known as the Raging Bull, is told in a raw, visceral fashion by Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro stars as La Motta, who had the energy and charisma in the ring but found his life in shambles. Constantly in violent spats with his brother and later his wife, La Motta sees plenty of success as a boxer but deals with the punches that life also throws at him.
WHAT I LIKED
As a fan of Martin Scorsese’s work, I hadn’t seen “Raging Bull,” and it is awesome that I have been able to rectify that. Short of seeing “Raging Bull” projected on the big screen, watching this film on Blu-ray was a fantastic way to first experience. Not a traditional film, “Raging Bull” presents the story of La Motta without judgement or sympathy. Instead, we are given a portrait of a terribly flawed individual who saw success in a very limited piece of his life.
There are few films that I wish I could have seen in its original release because of the impact it had on its era. “Alien” is one of those movies, which caused such a splash because of the introduction of the alien and how innovative it was. Similarly, “Raging Bull” was such a powerful film in 1980 because of its visceral brutality in the boxing sequences. In the age of torture porn and unrated DVDs, we’ve become desensitized to the violence. But even by today’s standards, “Raging Bull” is a hard-hitting look at boxing, if you’ll pardon the pun. Even today, it does the best job putting the viewer in the ring with the punches flying.
While it doesn’t follow a traditional story, it’s endlessly compelling to watch. La Motta has such potential, but he’s so simple minded and reactionary that I could only sit back in awe at how much of a problem he was in his own life. It’s a raw look at a professional boxer, fantastically and artistically directed by Scorsese.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The only complaints I have about this Blu-ray is with some minor transfer issues. The image looks good, retaining the grain and contrast of the black-and-white print. Sometimes we lose darker images against the background, but it’s not too noticeable. The only real big problem is the sound mix, which tends to be too soft during dialogue and too loud during the boxing sequences. Still, this should not deter anyone from watching the film.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The newly released Blu-ray has plenty of bonus features, totaling many hours of content. First, there are three commentary tracks, featuring Scorsese, editor Thelma Schoonmaker, the cast and crew as well as the writers.
Previous features include Cathy Moriarty as the guest on “The Tonight Show” on March 27, 1981, a behind-the-scenes featurette called “The Bronx Bull,” a shot-by-shot comparison of De Niro and La Motta and vintage newsreel footage of La Motta defending his title. Also from older releases is the feature-length documentary “Raging Bull: Fight Night” about the development of the film.
Finally, there are four new featurettes reflecting on the impact the movie has had on American cinema, how it came to be and the initial reactions it got from audiences and critics. These include “Marty & Bobby,” “Raging Bull: Reflections on a Classic,” “Remembering Jake” and “Marty on Film.”
The Blu-ray also comes bundled with the DVD of the film.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.
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"DEATH RACE 2" Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) Rated R and Unrated Studio: Universal Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The 2008 Paul W.S. Anderson action film “Death Race” gets a direct-to-video sequel, or prequel actually. Telling the story of the original of the racer Frankenstein and the origin of the Death Race itself, “Death Race 2” follows convict Carl Lucas (Luke Goss) as he gets thrown into jail and is being targeted for assassination by the crime boss who originally hired him. As he tries to survive in the jail, he’s tapped by a production executive to lead the new “Death Race” contest that pits inmates against each other on a lethal track, all for bigger ratings and more profit.
WHAT I LIKED
While I’m a fan of Paul W.S. Anderson, I don’t think “Death Race” was his best piece of work. It was fun enough for violent, high-octane action, but it really just became “The Road Warrior” on a closed track. It wasn’t a waste of time, but it was a step down from the ridiculous media satire that was the original “Death Race 2000.”
This film is a prequel to a prequel, which already puts it into ludicrous territory. Still, the reason to see a “Death Race” movie isn’t for the plot, character or acting. It’s to see cars crash into each other and into people. It’s to see explosions made with gallons of gasoline. And it’s to see some hot chicks as well as the navigators.
For the most part, “Death Race 2” delivers on this, though the hot chicks could have used less clothes to make it a true modern direct-to-DVD exploitation flick. Director Roel Reiné, who most recently gave us the other direct-to-DVD sequel “The Marine 2,” is at the top of the curve for these non-theatrical franchises. I’d like to see what he’d do with a better script, though.
Still, for the few buttons that “Death Race 2” needs to push, it’s fun and looks as good as its predecessor did.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There’s a huge “been there, done that” feel to this movie. Luke Goss is no Jason Statham, so his performance is a step down. And consider the fact that “Death Race 2000” was such a silly and fantastic film, its prequel was a let-down. This prequel of a prequel is an equal let-down.
“Death Race 2” is perfectly acceptable, perfectly mediocre. It doesn’t go above and beyond what it needs to, but it also doesn’t fail at what you’d expect.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The Blu-ray comes with the DVD and digital copy of the film, along with deleted scenes, feature commentary by Reiné and the featurettes “The Race Begins: The Evolution of the Death Race,” “Cheating Death: The Stunts of Death Race 2” and “Fast Cars and Firearms: The Cars of Death Race 2.” As he did with his previous direct-to-DVD sequel “The Marine 2,” Reiné puts in a montage of unused footage from the production, which is actually kind of sweet.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who like fast cars and explosions but aren’t expecting anything more.
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"JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) Rated R Studio: IFC Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
If you thought Joan Rivers was done, you’re wrong. She’s alive and kicking, and she’s working her ass off to continue to be a compelling media figure. “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” tells the story of this legendary comedienne, from her humble beginnings to her fall from “The Tonight Show” to her rise as an icon and caricature and to her comeback on “Celebrity Apprentice.”
WHAT I LIKED
It would probably piss off Joan Rivers for me to say this, but I can’t help but acknowledge that a documentary like this is most entertaining because it gives us a window into the life of a freak show. The woman is amazing, but like any stand-up comic, she’s wrestling with her own demons every day. And that’s what makes this glimpse into her life so fascinating.
Most people have either dismissed Rivers as a has-been or have never heard of her before. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, I remember when she was the biggest female comedian on the planet. Now, as I’ve grown to a mature adult, it’s amazing to look into her world and see the chaos in which she inhabits.
This movie tugs deliberately at your heart-strings for her, sometimes too deliberately, but it doesn’t come off as non-genuine. You can’t help but root for this bitch because she sure as hell does.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Like any documentary (except for completely manufactured and scripted ones from Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock), there are plenty of narrative problems in the feature, but they’re forgivable. The hardest part of this film is to watch it without being judgmental because Rivers is such a mess. But like her copious amounts of plastic surgery, she manages her life like the late Michael Jackson... just barely keeping afloat of sanity.
DVD FEATURES
The DVD comes with the original trailer, deleted scenes, a commentary track, TV spots and a Q&A from the Sundance Film Festival.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Anyone who thought Joan Rivers was gone from the limelight.
