DVD’s I Bought This Week: February 24th
Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 24, 2009
A wise man once said “It’s not just about seeing Star Wars two weeks before everyone else. You’ve gotta plow through crap like Marie Antoinette and Catwoman as well.” I have the fortune of being able to see all of the films that I want, and find out that they are only worth one viewing (or less) before I would willingly pay for the DVD…and subsequently end up hating myself later. But for every The Whoopee Boys there has to be an Indiana Jones, and because of the great films I am able to put myself further in debt every week.
Akira
The Pitch: Anime before anime was cool…well, not cool, but at least popular.
Why Buy It?: Akira started something new and exciting. Animation didn’t have to be mice, bunny rabbits and smile anymore. While Disney had still not yet implemented computer animation into their films, Katsuhiro Otomo created a film that trampled across the globe and gave the studios something to talk about. Often mimicked, this is one of the more influential films of the last 30 years. Now on Blu-ray, it’s a must own again.
Blu-ray Available: Yes
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
The Pitch: One of the most emotionally moving films you will ever see.
Why Buy It?: I was lucky enough to catch this one at SXSW last year. I was really happy to see that it found a distributor. This is a story that needs to be told. Albeit an extremely unfortunate and saddening documentary, it is still very special and very important. There is always a silver lining, and this one makes you appreciate life and all of its silver linings along the way.
Blu-ray Available: No
Super Speedway
The Pitch: The coolest car movie ever made.
Why Buy It?: I can’t say it enough, if you own a home theater system…this is a must own. If you want to experience what your television and speakers really have to offer, then buy this now. Paul Newman narrates this documentary about high performance cars. From the opening scene, you will keep your eyes and ears glued to this one.
Blu-ray Available: Yes
Sex Drive
The Pitch: A boy steals a car and drives cross country for sex.
Why Rent It?: I was surprised at how much I actually liked this one. I mean, I still don’t buy Clark Duke as a womanizer…but the rest of the movie works. I still can’t decide who steals the show though. James Marsden is a hell of a comedic actor. It makes me wonder why he hasn’t gone for more funny roles in the past. And then you have Seth Green as an Amish mechanic. Yeah you heard me, and he is awesome. So I might end up buying this one once it drops down below $10 or something, so for now it is just a rental.
Blu-ray Available: Yes
Summer Heights High
The Pitch: High school sitcom.
Why Rent It?: While I liked the series on HBO, I didn’t love it. It was funny, but not amazing. It’s just one of those situations where something really doesn’t take over you, it just makes you pay notice. The show was contained to one season, and I think that is a good thing. Shows typically outstretch their creative capacity. I’d rather a show end on a good note, than end up canceled.
Blu-ray Available: No
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
Synopsis: A librarian does something with a curse of a chalice. Yep.
Why Avoid It?: Noah Wyle is one of those actors that always find a way of depressing me. By no stretch of the imagination is Wyle a hot commodity or a superstar, but he was a heart-throb on ER for a bit. It seemed like anyone on ER could write their own ticket, except poor Noah. Sure, he was in Donnie Darko…but did anyone in Hollywood really notice? Now he is a librarian rip-off of Indiana Jones. Poor Noah Wyle.
Blu-ray Available: No
The Haunting of Molly Hartley
The Pitch: A horror movie with a twist: It’s not scary.
Why Rent It?: If there is an overabundance of anything in Hollywood, it’s bad horror movies. Horror movies have it the toughest. They never attract high profile talent…actors, directors or screenwriters. So they have to work extra hard to be good. This one may have worked extra hard, but showed up for work on ketamine. I won’t watch this one ever again, it might as well never existed.
Blu-ray Available: No
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