BELLFLOWER
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: zero (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars)
When I read the basic blurb about “Bellflower,” I was kind of excited to see it. After all, I could get into a movie about “Mad Max” fans trying to build their own post-apocalyptic weapons and car. However, when I saw the film, it was a massive, uber-disappointment. “Bellflower” skips away from the “Mad Max” motif quickly and tells the story of a whiney, anxious and pathetic loser as he falls into a relationship with a free-spirited girl in a bar.
What we end up with is an angst-filled relationship drama about people in the 20s who can’t keep their emotions in check. Told in a slightly disjointed fashion with some fantasy and dream elements, “Bellflower” lost my interest long before it threw anything interesting at me. I’m all for a good love story, but this sort of emotional menstruation from a filmmaker trying to make sense of his own failed relationship is lost on me.
Oh, and the filmmakers don’t even get their facts straight. Lord Humungous (whom the main characters idolize) is from “The Road Warrior,” not “Mad Max.” This disappoints me.
The Blu-ray from Oscilloscope comes with a DVD and Blu-ray disc, and it includes a lengthy behind-the-scenes featurette, outtakes, theatrical trailer and the concept art for the post-apocalyptic Medusa car.
CAPE FEAR
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars)
Along with “Goodfellas,” “Cape Fear” represents my introduction to Martin Scorsese. It was only years later that I got around to watching his earlier films like “Raging Bull” and “The King of Comedy.” And while Scorsese has had his fair share of lame movies (like “Bringing Out the Dead”), these early 90s gems represent some of his best work.
A remake, “Cape Fear” tells the story of a defense lawyer (Nick Nolte) who is confronted by one of his former clients (Robert DeNiro), who was sent away to prison for rape after the lawyer buried key evidence. This is one of Robert DeNiro’s finest roles, playing a chilling and dangerous villain. The film also introduces us to a Juliette Lewis before she dove into her own white trash image and emerged looking like a meth-head.
“Cape Fear” shows brilliant work with suspense, sound, matte paintings and violence. It’s a tense movie that doesn’t always go where you think it will. Forget Brian DePalma’s claim to being the next Hitchcock. This is Scorsese’s most Hitchcockian piece, and it’s still thrilling 20 years after it was made.
The Blu-ray comes with BD-Live and PocketBlu access. There’s all the vintage features from the previously-released DVD, including “The Making of Cape Fear,” deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes look at the 4th of July parade, “On the Set of the Houseboat” and a photo montage.
FAST FIVE
Blu-ray Review
by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars)
While I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the “Fast and Furious” movies, I can admit the action is pretty good. The best, at least until this fifth one was released, was the original. The series took a slump with parts two and three (both substandard to what was established by the first film). A little bit of excitement came back for the fourth film, and we get another boost with this fifth movie.
Skipping much of the street racing motif that propelled the first couple films, “Fast Five” dives right into a heist film. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker return to team up for another heist, this time in Rio de Janeiro. Facing off against a U.S. strike force, led by an alarmingly oily Dwayne Johnson, they try to hit a drug kingpin right in the pocketbook.
The reason to see “Fast Five” isn’t for the plot (though someone should have told that to director Justin Lin who spends way too much time with weak-ass character development). Instead, this movie was made for the action buff. It’s got some great car chases. Ignore the property damage and likely death of dozens of bystanders. “Fast Five” is fun to watch. Just don’t try to think too much or your brain will break.
The Blu-ray is loaded with some neat features, including Universal’s “Second Screen,” which works with pocketBlu. The DVD features of deleted scenes, a gag reel, “Dom’s Journey,” “Brian O’Conner: From Fed to Con,” “Enter Federal Agent Hobbs” and the feature commentary are also included on the Blu-ray. Exclusive Blu-ray features include the features “The Big Train Heist,’ “Reuniting the Team,” “A New Set of Wheels,” “Dom vs. Hobbs,” “Tyrese TV,” “Inside the Vault Chase” and “On Set with Director Justin Lin.”
