This week in DVD - October 16th

As with previous weeks, this week in DVD is brought to you by Amazon!  Please click on the link and buy something from Amazon like you normally would.  It would be nice to get something back from my reviews other than satisfaction.  Or buy me something off my wish list...haha...I'm a whore!

Anyway, here we go...

Horrible Bosses

This is a review I'm not particulry proud of. I was kind of drunk when I saw the movie and a little distracted. I do maintain that the movie was funny and I did miss a lot of the jokes because of how hard everyone was laughing.

Here's the original review:

http://angryvader.blogspot.com/2011/07/horrible-bosses-movie-review.html

The DVD is an extended cut, so I'm interested in watching it again.

It's a definite rental if you haven't seen it. I'm probably going to buy it.  I laughed enough I really liked the cast to feel like it's worth owning.


Green Lantern

I wasn't a big fan of this movie. It just didn't work for me. Again, it's an extended cut, so I'm hoping all of the missing character development I heard that ended up on the cutting room floor is back in the extended cut. I've already heard from one person that the deleted scenes included should have been in the original movie, but I don't know if they meant if they were in the extended cut or not.

My original Green Lantern review.

If you haven't seen it yet and have been looking forward to it, then it's worth a rental.  If superhero movies aren't your thing, then Green Lantern isn't going to do anything to make it your thing.  Again, I'll probably be buying it, but that's only because I collect superhero movies and I'm a sucker for the exclusive packing that some stores will have for the movie.


Tree of Life

Here's one I've actually been really looking forward to seeing again since my review. It's a long film and I think might be better suited to watching at home when you can take breaks. I do think it's one of the better films of the year (but not one of my favorites), but understand what you're getting into.  It's a long, art film, without a conventional story.  If you don't have patience for something like that, you probably won't like it. I also think the last 10 minutes might lose you a little bit. It was kind of weird and ambiguous.  I read somewhere that even Sean Penn said he felt a little lost when making the movie.

My Tree of Life review.

I do recommend renting it, but again, be prepared for a long, but beautiful, art film.


The Zookeeper

Kevin James, why do you do this to me?  I know you're better than this.  I want to like you; hell, I do like you, but you need to start picking better films.  I see your name on a movie now and just don't see it as a mark of quality.

The thing is about The Zookeeper, is that it feels like it's a kids film or the target audience was meant to be for kids, as it features talking animals.  However, the plot isn't really something that kids would care about or identify with.  Do kids care about a schlubby guy trying to get his hot girlfriend back?

It's harmless and I hate to admit this, but there were a few times I actually laughed.  Sitting in my living room and laughing out loud at a bad Kevin James movie, is this what my life has been reduced to?  Joe Rogan had a few lines that I thought were funny and there's a point in the movie were Kevin James plays against type and that gave me a chuckle.

If your a huge Kevin James fan, then you'll probably like it, otherwise, I just can't recommend this in good conscience.


The Trip

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon go on a road trip for a restaurant tour.  "Who are they?", I'm sure many of your are saying.  Coogan you'll likely recognize from various roles (Tropic Thunder, Night at the Museum), but Brydon is more of an unknown.  "Two Brits I've never heard of on road trip.  That sounds boring!"  Well, it isn't.  This is one of the funnier films I've seen this year.

Coogan is hired by a newspaper/magazing to go on a restaurant tour and write about it.  Initially, he had planned on going with his girlfriend, but they've taken a break from the relationship.  He reluctanctly invites his friend  Brydon, to go with him, but only after he finds out that none of his other friends can go first.

This has kid of a mockumentary feel to the movie, as the actors are basically playing exaggerated versions of themselves.

Their conversations are hilaroius!  They quote lines from movies and do many (sometimes awful) impressions.   I wish I could have been in the car with them participating in the conversation.  The movie felt like a lot of improv to me, but I laughed throughout the movie.  When they do stop and eat at the varying restaruants they've been scheduled to go to, even those places looked interesting and the food looked delicious!  This is a vacation I would like to take.

There seems to be a rivalry between the two and Coogan almost seems to be annoyed by Brydon.  I don't think they dislike each other, but it's like that friend you have that you only like hang out with from time to time, but you wouldn't put this guy as one of your top friends.

My only complaint is that it could have been a little shorter. All of the scenes where Coogan calls his girlfriend could have been removed and probably cut ten minutes off the movie.

I highly recommend renting this!


I watched a few Lars von Trier movies this week in anticipation of Melancholia.  This is the Lars von Trier section:

Dogville

Basically a three hour stage play.  It's filled with actors I normally like, but this one is only for the super patient.  At first I was into it and it requires you to use your imagination a bit, but as it went on, I just wanted it to be over.  It's just too damn long!

I'm not even going to go into it.  Nicole Kidman's character gets raped and you see Stellan Skarsgard's balls.  Now I know you want to see it, right?

I can't recommend it as a rental, but if you're really into stage plays, you might like this.


Dancer in the Dark

Bjork plays a immigrant factory worker that is going blind.  The blindness is due to a hereditary defect that her son also suffers from.  She's saving up money for a surgery that will save his sight.  When she's bored or stressed, she daydreams in musical numbers that you see on screen.  It's an interesting concept and Bjork performs all the songs and I believe wrote all of them as well.

Bjork is actually very good in the role.  As with many Lars von Trier films, stuff happens in the movie and it goes to the darkest places.  I can't spoil it, but it was heartbreaking to watch in parts.  The end practically had me in tears.

I think it's a good movie, but it's a little different and might be a little too our there or emotionally dark for most.  Again, it's only for the most patient of movie watchers.

That's it for this week.  Thanks for reading!