CAT RUN
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
Every now and then, a direct-to-video movie comes out that rises above the rest of the pack. “Cat Run” is not one of those movies. In fact, it fits exactly into the feel of a direct-to-video movie, only without the charm and nostalgia that comes with films from a decade or more ago.
“Cat Run” is a schizophrenic tale about a prostitute named Catarina (Paz Vega) with a heart of gold trying to make a living hooking big fish politicians. However, when one of the politicians (Christopher MacDonald) goes berserk and kills one of her own, she goes on the run. She accidentally crosses paths with a wannabe chef named Anthony (Scott Mechlowicz) working in the tropics. Together, they make an unlikely team to take out the killers coming for Catarina.
This movie is fiercely uneven, feeling like two different movies got drunk and had a sloppy love child that now no one wants. On one hand, it’s trying to be an international thriller along the lines of “Taken.” On the other hand, it feels like a failed effort at a pilot to a CW show. If only the film could decide on its direction or its audience, it might have actually stood a chance.
Mechlowicz plays the schlub too well, and he’s not-so-balanced with a painfully stereotyped best friend who’s all about girls and money. They’re bumbling at best, and even the sexiness that Paz Vega brings to the table can’t make the characters very likeable.
In fact, the only redeeming quality of this film is the cold-hearted hit man (or rather hit woman) that is sent after the main characters. Played by Oscar-nominee Janet McTeer, this character shows some actual depth and a bit of a fleshed-out character. If the entire film had been her journey, not distracted by the main characters stumbling around, it might have been a solid flick.
Sure, there are some action moments that work to a degree, and the movie is competently put together. However, I expected more from director John Stockwell, who had once shown some signs of being a good filmmaker but now languishes in direct-to-video purgatory.
The “Cat Run” Blu-ray is relatively slim on the number of special features, and there are no innovative extras in the mix. However, it has some decent basic features, including a feature commentary, deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Oh, and did I mention there’s a lot of boobs in it?
WANDERLUST
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
“Wanderlust” was one of those films that probably looked much better on paper, and that was the best it ever looked. On paper, it does have a nice cast with great comedic actors. (I’m giving a pass on Jennifer Aniston, even though she’s downright terrible in almost anything she does, simply because the people around her in this movie are so much better.) It also has a somewhat funny premise. However, when assembled and glued together, it looks like a model airplane that has been assembled by a drunk five-year-old with plenty of parts left over.
The story follows a married couple (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston) whose life in New York City has come crashing down. Both have lost their jobs, they have to sell their tiny but expensive studio apartment and move in with family to make ends meet. On the way to Atlanta, they find themselves at a commune bed and breakfast, and after getting to know the residents, they decide to make the change permanent and live at the Elysium Community.
Like a horror film directed by David S. Goyer (whose filmography includes “The Unborn” and “The Invisible”), any part of this movie is actually quite entertaining when taken as a standalone scene. There are plenty of hilarious moments in the film, in particular one involving Paul Rudd getting ramped up for sex and having the strangest conversation with himself in the mirror. However, when strung together, it loses something.
“Wanderlust” has some great lines and is overall funny. However, it’s just a terrible story with poor execution. In a strange way, it feels like the script was highly improvised (which might actually be the case when it is compared to the alternate versions available on the Blu-ray), but never given an overall vision.
I can’t say that I actually liked “Wanderlust,” but I also can’t say that I hated it. I enjoyed watching it, but it felt empty in many moments. Perhaps if I ran into it on television on a lazy Saturday afternoon, I might watch it again... but probably not.
The “Wanderlust” Blu-ray includes some neat bonus content. Standard features include a gag reel, an alternate line-o-rama and a the short “God Afton! Behind the Scenes of Wanderlust.” There’s also an episode of director avid Wain’s “Wainy Days,” which brings him to the Elysium community. Finally, the filmmakers have assembled “The Bizarro Cut!” which is the entire film re-cut with alternate takes and lines. It’s not exactly a coherent version of the film, but it’s neat to watch, nonetheless, if you’ve already seen it.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
One of the most chilling films of 2011 did not involve ghosts, traditional monsters, computer-generated creatures or aliens. It was a true-to-life sort of film that hits hard for me, as a parent and as a person. That film was “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” and it takes a brave look at the psychology behind a psychopath.
The movie tells the story, brilliantly and confusingly out of order, of Eve (Tilda Swinton) who is dealing with her first born child Kevin (Ezra Miller). A problem child from birth, Kevin fought against authority, refusing potty training and displaying signs of violence and anger with no remorse. Eve’s husband (John C. Reilly) is ever optimistic about Kevin’s plight, but Eve senses something is terribly wrong and possibly that Kevin has it in for her. When Kevin reaches adolescence, his problems become more pronounced, which eventually leads to a violent and tragic occurrence.
The most impactful part of this film is showing a daisy-chain of failures that Eve faces as a parent. While it’s easy to dismiss the subject matter of this film as too fantastic, it’s all-too-realistic in today’s world. Too many parents employ a tactic of ignoring behavior with the hopes that it works itself out. One only needs to watch the news on a regular basis to realize these things don’t always work out for the best themselves.
Tilda Swinton is the support of this film, offering a complicated look at a woman in trouble who has no idea how to deal with the problems life has dealt her. She rarely does the best thing for herself, her family and her community, but these choices are realistic. And that’s part of what’s so terrifying.
The most chilling aspect of this film is how dangerous the world can be for anyone, even in the safest environments we can imagine. Even if you do everything right, tragedy can strike and do irrefutable harm to you and your loved ones. And there’s often no one to blame for this.
It’s not an easy film to watch, but it’s a significant one. It will challenge your thoughts on family and humanity, and to keep ourselves vigilant, those thoughts should be challenged periodically.
The two-disc special edition of “We Need to Talk About Kevin” includes both the DVD and Blu-ray of the film. Special features include the “Behind the Scenes of Kevin” featurette, plus footage from the “La Tomatina” festival in Spain, an “In Conversation” interview with Tilda Swinton at Telluride, and interview with author Lionel Shriver and the original theatrical trailer.
THE STING
Blu-ray Review by Kevin Carr
MOVIE: ***** (out of 5 stars)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars)
As a movie fan, I remember a lot of the films my parents took me to when I was younger. Dismissing the kids films, cartoons and Disney features that most children see at a young age, I still remember the bigger, more grown-up films I’d seen. I remember seeing “Jaws” and “Star Wars” at an early age and loving both. Conversely, I remember being bored to tears with the musical “Camelot.”
However, it’s “The Sting” that has some of the earliest memories for me. I remember my parents owned the soundtrack and played it often. We went to see “The Sting” in a historic theater, and even though it dealt with some more complex issues than a six-year-old would really understand, I remember thoroughly enjoying it.
The story follows some hustlers (Robert Redford and Paul Newman) who hatch a plot to rip off a crime boss (Robert Shaw) in Chicago after a friend of theirs is killed.
It’s a very simple story with lots of twists and turns in it. It’s also very tightly written, keeping a strong pace over its two-hour-plus running time. Even more than “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting” exemplifies the powerhouse box office duo of Redford and Newman. More accessible than “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting” is timeless even though it’s a period piece.
One of the most iconic elements to the film is its anachronistic score, which features rags by Scott Joplin (which were mostly popular a couple decades before the film takes place). This allows the movie, which features some gritty elements of organized crime and murder, to be given a relatively light-hearted treatment.
“The Sting” is a brilliant piece of moviemaking that is extremely watchable and completely enjoyable, even almost 40 years after it was made.
The new Blu-ray/DVD combo has been released in honor of Universal’s 100th anniversary. This new package includes a collector’s book as a case. Bonus features on the Blu-ray mirror the previous releases with the three-part documentary about the creation and development of the film called “The Art of The Sting” and the theatrical trailer. Additional features include the Universal 100th anniversary featurettes “100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics,” “100 Years of Universal: The 70s” and “100 Years of Universal: The Lot.”
The new Blu-ray is also enabled for pocketBLU support and BD-Live content.
