Wednesday
Jun082011
Newish on DVD. Reader's Choice?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 11:45PM Last time we did this you chose The Other Woman -- curse you!!! -- but we'll do this bi-weekly because I aim to please. The following films debuted on DVD yesterday or last week. Which are you planning to watch? Which would you have me watch/write up?
- BIUTIFUL -in which Javier Bardem gives Job a run for his money in the personal misery department. Sounds like a laugh riot.
- BLUE CRUSH 2 -in which... well, surfer girls! Three of them.
- THE COMPANY MEN - in which rich famous-looking guys lose their jobs and must rebuild their lives. It's hard being super rich and then not quite as rich, okay !?!
- DRIVE ANGRY - in which Nicolas Cage and Amber Heard put medal to the pedal and chase after a cult leader in some sort of exploitation movie. 3D only obviously not now that it's for home viewing.
- JUST GO WITH IT -in which Jennifer Aniston pretends to be Adam Sandler's wife for reasons we can't comprehend and Nicole Kidman cameos for reasons currently unknown to us.
- PASSION PLAY -in which musician Mickey Rourke falls for "bird woman" Megan Fox at a travelling circus. Bird women do have their appeal.
- RUBBER - in which a tire menaces people.
- SANCTUM - in which... no, I don't know what happens. I think it's about a watery cave? Produced by James Cameron but not directed by him.
- TRUE GRIT - in which Hailee Steinfeld looks for people who have True Grit, even though she already possesses it. Very Wizard of Oz, that. Also: Pigtails.
I'm not including True Grit in the poll because it got plentiful attention from December through March. (I even interviewed the great cinematographer Roger Deakins.) And I'm not including The Company Men because I tried to sit through it once already and just could not deal.
If you want to sway undecided votes your way, make a case in the comments.
tagged DVD, reader requests
DVD, reader requests
Reader Comments (36)
You wrote "Newish" so I think we need to discuss The Stunt Man, which was finally just put back into print. Peter O'Toole is among the most talented actors in cinema history and perhaps the most interesting human being yet seen on earth. Just sayin'... think it over
I voted for Drive Angry. I saw it during its theatrical run, and much to my surprise, I found it to be a really entertaining flick that didn't take itself too seriously. I also really enjoyed Amber Heard's performance. Curious to hear your thoughts on that one.
I put my vote for Biutiful, since I just got the today in the mail today from Netflix and have been really looking forward to seeing it =D
who the hell are the 18.48 people who voted for 'just go with it'? what did nathaniel ever do to you?
Hey, I voted for Just Go With It! I was going to vote for Biutiful, but I'd rather find out what's up with Nicole Kidman in that movie.
I voted for Biutiful, but it was an useless vote, since it was nominated for Best Oscar and you were going to see it sooner or later. Don't like the movie, but Bardem is astonishing.
Ah ah, while it would be fun to see you expell bile with 'Just Go With It', I voted for 'Biutiful' because from what I remember, you hadn't seen it for your Film Bitch Awards. Plus, I think you'll like it. Extremely bleak and depressing - as Innaritu always is - but you'll like it.
My second choice would be 'The Company Men' - what the hell happened to the distribution of that movie is still a mystery to me: a famous cast + John Wells + topical subject + air of prestige (that didn't translate) = seemed right up Oscar alley.
About 'The Company Men'... I share your pain and understand you not picking it.
I feel asleep twice - at the cinema, no less! - watching that movie. 10 euros ruined with that crap. Snooooooooooze.
Jorge -- it's one of many reasons i worry about "August: Osage County" -- that film needs to crackle with energy. And didn't they give it to The company Men director? strange.
//...Nicole Kidman cameos for reasons currently unknown to us.//
Money, honey. That one's easy to figure out.
I actually voted for Passion Play, it sounds weird enough to either be interesting - or a total snoozer. Plus - bonus points for Mickey Roarke! Even if the "ugly guy gets hot chick" theme is so, so, so old. (Wait, why did I vote for that one, again?)
Does it make me a terrible person if I voted for "Passion Play," considering what you just went through with "The Other Woman"?
Gonna vote for Just Go With It. Thought it would be fun reading what there is to be written about it. By the way, I just saw Super 8 today. I don't think it will stand a chance of claiming the Best Picture nod. Kinda nice though, old-school nice. I love Abrams, he always does a good job making a movie feel kinda better than it what it really is.
Liz -- yes? i kid. i kid. I'm not sure the people voting for Biutiful are any nicer, to be honest as i don't cotton to Innaritu's miserabilism almost ever. but i like the democracy with dvds as it'll force me to watch movies i wouldn't necessarily watch otherwise and i believe that a very diverse movie diet is good for you.
No one else is down with the homicidal tire? Really?
With you on the tire, wade. Maybe the only film I know of that I would say has a "Pynchonian concept."
"who the hell are the 18.48 people who voted for 'just go with it'? what did nathaniel ever do to you?"
I ask the same question to the 67 people that voted Biutiful, LMAO. Great performances from Bardem and Ana Wagener, awful film.
I voted for Passion Play too because I sat through it at the premiere in Toronto and it's not fair to be the only one to suffer. ;-)
nathaniel, why would you subject yourself to any of these films?!? when i saw the poll i thought, this will be fun. but each one brought new horrors with each title. so, for your sanity, i have decided to vote for none of these. your well-being will thank me...
abstew -- the idea is that i never actually write about DVD releases but that's when most people see films. so why not have readers choose? it's motivation for me and as i've said before i rarely actually "regret" seeing a film ... even the terrible ones. Unless they're OFFENSIVE and terrible. like, oh, Braveheart ;)
Oh I didn't know you feel that way about Innaritu. I feel the same way. Oh well, I would have picked Rubber if I knew better. I would love to see how the tire menace people.
Drive Angry is one of the most hilarious B-Movies to come out in years. It's campy, it's schlocky, and the performances are all consistently over the top and good. It would totally be worth seeing it in 2D for the laughs alone.
Oh my gawd! This selection is just AWFUL! (I'm sorry, i can't get through Biutiful. I've tried. That movie makes me feel so miserable!)
Go Rubber! I saw the trailer and thought it was a really well-made youtubian joke, but realizing it is actually a film, I'm dying to read what you make of it. It must be weird, but is it wonderfully so?
I voted for Biutiful since its coming in the mail this weekend...
I totally agree with you about The Company Men...I just saw it and I couldn't help but think most of the actors in the film are very famous and quite wealthy...I understand sometimes you need names to get your project financed, but based on its subject matter, the economic crisis and rising unemployment levels, John Wells could've made a statement by casting unemployed, unknown actors in the lead roles. You know, the ones that are talented, po', and need a leg up in their careers.
All in all it was good...acting was solid, although it felt a little TV-ish...and Tommy Lee Jones makes it a habit to pause right before he says the last word of every line.
I didn't vote last time, since none of the choices were movies I'd want to see. This time, I voted for "Sanctum". I got the impression that this one is experimenting with newer technologies, loosely tied together with a standard adventure plot. I think that would be interesting to see, and muse on how the tech could be applied to a more complicated story. (Plus, I always like Ioan Gruffudd).
I think "Sanctum" and Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" might make a good double feature.
ugh, of course, people are gonna vote for the oscar-nominated Biutiful when this is a oscar/movie site. it's just kinda obvious, but I think the point is to get you to see and write about movies you wouldn't usually that are recent but that one is just to obvious in comparison to the other ones. I hope Passion Play or Just Go With It just for the sake of the review you could create from those two. lol.
I would have voted for True Grit if given the chance (didn't give the film a fair shake the first go round I think, so maybe it's time for a re-watch). So I picked Biutiful instead. Muah ha haha! Prepare to slash your wrists afterwards. But Javier Bardem is sooo good though.
I guess I'm the only one who wasn't all that blown away by Bardem in Biutiful. Don't get me wrong, he was quite good, way better than the film as a whole, but given all the oscar and online praise for him coupled with his being one of the only all in Spanish acting noms recieved, I just didn't see him give anything all that spectacular. Looks like it's gonna win this poll so I'll be interested to see what you think Nate, though I'm sorry you have to sit through the movie, as it feels 4 hours long.
OK, so apparently, à la Diane Keaton in 'Something's Gotta Give,' I'm like "the dumb girl who doesn't get it," because I actually Redboxed 'Just Go With It'...BY CHOICE (and only because of the Nicole Kidman-cameo curiosity factor). It was, of course, terrible—Jennifer Aniston must have a career death wish—but at least Kidman seemed to be enjoying herself (even if nobody else was).
Can I place a negative vote for "Biutiful"? I honestly wouldn't care to read more about that movie.
Voted for "Biutiful." The film's excellent, and Javier Bardem is amazing.
You didn't see Biutiful when it came out? I thought you said you watched all of the Oscar nominees. Anyway, that's what I votedfor.
XT -- i do try to see all the nominees each year but Biutiful did one of those one week and then pulled moves... and then the screener they sent me was broken. So i requested another and they didn't respond. ah well.
but they got the nomination so that's what they cared about!
I voted for Biutiful because I was surprised that you hadn't seen it already. I'm also surprised about your "one week and then pulled" comment; Biutiful played for a couple of months here...in fact, it's still playing at a schlocky Dollar Cinéma out in the near-burbs.
It's depressing as hell, but Bardem is good...and you get a cameo from the cute guy who played Ray X in "Broken Embraces."
Biutiful was good but incredibly depressing. Drive Angry was fun but not as fun as I expected. Just Go With It was okay (I have no idea why I watched this). I'm actually stoked to watch Passion Play but haven't gotten around to it yet. I voted for Passion Play.
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