Sean Kelly on Movies

DVD Picks - July 27, 2010 - Repo Men, Clash of the Titans, and More

2010-07-27T11:24:00.000-04:00

Out of the two major releases this week, I am going to lean towards Repo Men as being my main pick for this week. I have to say that the film's over-the-top violence is, in the long run, much more satisfying than the remake of Clash of the Titans (even though that film is worth at least a viewing). On to the picks.

Repo Men
Blu-Ray - $32.49 (CAN), $24.99 (US)
Standard - $24.99 (CAN), $17.99 (US)
My Thoughts: Despite losing its footing a bit in the second act, and featuring poorly hidden Toronto locations, a fun hyper-violent film.
My Recommendation: Rent It

Clash of the Titans
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $26.99 (CAN), $24.99 (US)
Standard - $16.99 (CAN), $16.99 (US)
My Thoughts: The original 1981 film is more worth watching, but this is still an entertaining film.
My Recommendation: Rent It

Blu-Ray Re-Releases

Rambo (Extended Cut) - $12.99 (CAN), $14.99 (US)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - $21.49 (CAN), $16.99 (US)

And that's my DVD Picks for this week.

My Thoughts on The Sorcerer's Apprentice

2010-07-24T23:04:00.002-04:00

You would never expect Disney to make a live action film based on a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, but then again you could probably say the same thing about films based on their theme park rides.

Other than scene that pays homage, this film is really related to the cartoon in name only. It instead turned out to be a pretty decent action/adventure film.

If only Nicolas Cage had a better choice of hair style.

8/10 (rating scale)

TIFF10: Splitting My Time

2010-07-23T15:30:00.000-04:00

This is my fifth year volunteering for the Toronto International Film Festival and I had a very hard choice deciding where to volunteer this year. My automatic choice has always been the Varsity theatre, however I was disappointed to find out that it was not being utilized much this year.

After a lot of pondering, I decided that since I have more time available to myself this year than in previous years (due to me being a recent graduate), that I will split my time this year. I will still go to Varsity for my four required shifts (since I am so used to the place), however I will do two additional shifts at the Scotiabank theatre. Despite all theses shifts I should still have time to see plenty of films throughout the week.

Should be a fun festival.

DVD Thoughts: Cop Out - Rock Out with your Glock Out Edition

2010-07-22T18:49:00.001-04:00

I made the switch to Blu-Ray a couple months ago, however all the discs I purchased so far only had standard DVD features (except in high definition). However, with the Cop Out Blu-Ray, I finally get a special feature that is truly special with the Maximum ~~Movie~~ Comedy Mode. This mode has already been on previous Warner Bros Blu-Rays (notably Watchman), and I have to say that it is quite spectacular.

Essentially the mode combines all the special features into one. The mode is built around Kevin Smith doing his director's commentary for the movie, which includes him (and Seann William Scott) appearing on screen at some parts of the film. The mode also includes deleted scenes and alternate takes inserted where they were cut from, as well as on-screen trivia and the occasional option to pause the film to watch behind-the-scenes features.

I have to say that I was amazed by this mode and it even resulted in the first time I watched the entire film with a commentary track turned on. I will definitely look forward to experiencing this again.

DVD Picks - July 20, 2010 - Cop Out, The Losers, The Runaways

2010-07-20T11:42:00.000-04:00

Before I move on to my picks for this week, I have to make an observation that I have noticed that Blu-Ray/DVD Combo packs are becoming much more common, with no less than two of this week's releases having them. I suppose this is meant to further ease the transition as they continue to phase out standard definition DVDs (glad I bought a Blu-Ray player when I did).

Anyways, my top pick for this week is the Kevin Smith directed action/comedy Cop Out. I will also give a mild recommendation for The Losers. On to the picks.

Cop Out
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $27.99 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $22.49 (CAN), $16.99 (US)
My Thoughts: A fun film, though far from Kevin Smith's best.
My Recommendation: Rent It

The Losers
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $30.49 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $23.99 (CAN), $16.99 (US)
My Thoughts: An entertaining action/comedy
My Recommendation: Rent It

The Runaways
Blu-Ray - $19.99 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $18.99 (CAN), $16.99 (US)

And that's my DVD Picks for this week

My Thoughts on Inception

2010-07-17T22:16:00.000-04:00

Christopher Nolan has developed into one of my favourite directors and while his work on the Batman films have made him popular, I always like the other projects he does on the side.

Inception is a very interesting science fiction/action film about the world of dreams and the difference between fantasy and reality. It's a bit of a cerebral film that will definitely benefit from multiple viewing, but I thought that it was a quite enjoyable film, made more inspiring by the fact that I saw the film in IMAX.

It was definitely a fun time at the movies.

9/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Despicable Me

2010-07-16T21:31:00.000-04:00

It may not be Pixar, but I thought that Despicable Me was a very decent animated film. It's also the first of two animated films this year to feature a villain in the lead role (the other being Megamind).

The villainous aspect is part of what makes this film fun to watch, since the character of Gru is such a mean character and part of the plot of the film involves how becomes....not so mean.

Also, even though most animated films are done in 3D theses days, I do have to say that this was one of the better ones (stay during the credits for some 3D-based humour).

8/10 (rating scale)

DVD Picks - July 13, 2010 - Greenberg, Chloe, The Bounty Hunter, and More

2010-07-13T13:26:00.000-04:00

For my main pick this week, I will chose the Ben Stiller-starring comedy/drama Greenberg. Another notable release this week is Atom Egoyan's Chloe. On to the picks.

Greenberg
Blu-Ray - $29.49 (CAN), $28.99 (US)
Standard - $28.49 (CAN), $17.99 (US)
My Thoughts: An interesting film with a breakthrough performance by Greta Gerwig.
My Recommendation: Rent It

Chloe
Blu-Ray - $25.62 (CAN), $24.99 (US)
Standard - $19.99 (CAN), $15.49 (US)
My Thoughts: A Toronto-set Fatal Attraction
My Recommendation: Rent It

The Bounty Hunter
Blu-Ray - $26.99 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $29.99 (CAN), $17.99 (US)

Blu-Ray Re-Releases

Insomnia - $20.99 (CAN), $17.49 (US)

In Bruges - $17.99 (CAN), $18.99 (US)

And that's my DVD Picks for this week.

My Thoughts on The Girl who Played with Fire

2010-07-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

I thought The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was an exceptionally well-made thriller that was on par with similar types of films released in North America. Its sequel The Girl who Played with Fire was also a quite good film, even if the story wasn't quite on par to the last one.

The last film had a benefit of being a stand-alone story, while this film features a two part story arc that will be concluded in the final film The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. That said, I thought the film still ended on a fairly conclusive note, even though the story was not entirely resolved.

Overall, while I thought this film didn't match the bar raised by the previous, it was still a very good thriller and I will look forward to the conclusion to the trilogy when it's released in North America later this year.

8/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Predators

2010-07-10T19:50:00.000-04:00

After twenty years (and two Alien vs. Predator films), the Predator series finally returns with a stand-alone installment. While film critics are quick to add the "reboot" buzzword to most new films from classic franchises, it is obvious that this film is meant to be a modern day sequel to the original 1987 film (and there's even a scene that references it).

While Adrian Brody may have seemed odd at first to play the lead, but in the end I found that he more then held his own, especially with a great supporting cast that included Topher Grace and Laurence Fishburne.

The film plays homage to the original's jungle setting, even though this time the setting is an alien "game preserve," where the most dangerous people on Earth are brought to be hunted.

Overall, it was an enjoyable film that brings the Predator series back to focus after a pair of uneven crossover films.

8/10 (rating scale)

This Weekend in Movies - July 9, 2010 - Predators, The Girl Who Played with Fire, Despicable Me

2010-07-09T13:09:00.000-04:00

The week sees the release of two movies that I am looking forward. The first is Predators, the Robert Rodriguez-produced sequel/reboot that brings the franchise back to its jungle roots. The film is doing quite well in the reviews with a rating of 69% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The other film I am quite excited about is The Girl Who Played with Fire, the follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That film currently has a 61% Fresh rating. I will likely see both films before the week is through.

Other releases this week include the Steve Carell-starring animated film Despicable Me, which has a pretty recent 81% Fresh rating. The best reviews of the week go to The Kids Are Alright, which has a 95% Fresh rating.

And that's this weekend in movies.

TIFF10: Contemplating the Changes

2010-07-08T10:30:00.001-04:00

It is really starting to seem that my fifth year as a TIFF volunteer will be marked by many changes. First, there is an uncertainty over if and when I'd be able to volunteer, since I have applied for an internship that takes place during the festival (however, I should probably have a better idea on that by next week).

The other big change is that the opening of the Bell Lightbox is resulting in the festival to be more centralized downtown. As such, the Varsity Theatre, which has been my venue of choice (and the easiest for me to reach via subway) will only be using two screens for public screenings this year. The press and industry screenings that dominated the theatre will now be moving south to the Scotiabank Theatre. I ended up signing up for both theatres and I'll decide which one to go to when I am more certain of my availability.

It will definitely be an interesting festival.

DVD Picks - July 6, 2010 - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, A Single Man, Brooklyn's Finest and More

2010-07-06T11:32:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of the few times that I have made a foreign-language film my top pick of the week, but I have to say that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is well worth the recommendation. This releases comes just in time for the release of The Girl Who Plays with Fire, which comes out on Friday. On to the picks.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo - $24.99 (CAN)
Blu-Ray - $19.99 (US)
Standard - $15.49 (US)
My Thoughts: A very good film that's on par with North American thrillers.
My Recommendation: Buy It

A Single Man
Blu-Ray - $27.99 (CAN), $23.99 (US)
Standard - $19.99 (CAN), $17.99 (US)
My Thoughts: Great performance by Colin Firth in an otherwise standard drama.
My Recommendation: Rent It

Brooklyn's Finest
Blu-Ray - $27.49 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $27.99 (CAN), $14.99 (US)

Blu-Ray Re-Releases

Jason and the Argonauts - $19.99 (CAN), $20.49 (US)

And those are my DVD Picks for this week.

My Thoughts on Cyrus

2010-07-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

Cyrus is the first somewhat mainstream from the "mumblecore" duo of Jay and Mark Duplass.

The film deals with a divorced man (John C. Reilly), who begins a relationship with a woman (Marisa Tomei) and has to deal with her overprotective (and somewhat sociopathic) son (Jonah Hill).

Jonah Hill is mostly known for his loudmouth roles in Judd Apatow-produced comedies, so it is a refreshing change to see him in this dark comedy, where is able to show off more of his dramatic chops.

The film is solely a character peace with the bulk for the film focusing solely on the three main character (as well as Catherine Keener, who plays Reilly's ex-wife).

It was a definitely an interesting film that makes me want to see Jonah Hill take on more dramatic roles.

8/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on The Last Airbender

2010-07-04T19:20:00.000-04:00

I'm usually one of the first people to find ways to defend M. Night Shyamalan's films, since I have unapologetically been a fan of his ever since The Sixth Sense hit it big over a decade ago.

However, even I can't really think of a defense for this film, which will probably end up ranking as my least favourite of the director's films.

The primary reason for this is that the film has absolutely atrocious dialogue throughout. I don't know if this was because of Shyamalan's writing or because the source material or child actors weren't up to par (it's probably both). The film was jammed packed with over-simplified concepts and mystical mumbo jumbo that the film was painful to watch during dialogue scenes (which was the bulk of the film). In fact, I think the only character in the film to receive a decent characterization was for Dev Patel as the villainous Prince Zuko.

The film is redeemed somewhat towards the end with a somewhat decent final battle sequence. In fact, it was also the only sequence within the film that made decent use of 3D. The 3D effects were so non-existent through most of the film, I somewhat wish that I saw the 2D version instead.

The film is obviously meant to be the first part of a trilogy (and it even features a cliffhanger in the ending). That's a bit of gamble, since there is no guarantee that the trilogy will be completed.

In conclusion, I might have reacted more favourably to the film if it wasn't for the cringe-worthy dialogue in the film. However, as it stands, I've seen the film once and I am unlikely to do so again.

6/10 (rating scale)

This Weekend in Movies - July 2, 2010 - The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Last Airbender

2010-07-02T18:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who have been living under a rock, there is this little vampire movie based on a novel came out last Wednesday. It's actually the third in the series, currently has a 50% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and is even being released in IMAX. That said, I have no real interest in seeing The Twilight Saga: Eclipse this weekend.

That said, I am going to see M Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, which is based on the popular Nickelodeon animated series. As has been the cast Shyamalan's last few films, the critics have not been kind and the film currently only has a 9% Fresh rating. However, as you may know, I don't really pay that much attention to what critics say.

And that's This Weekend in Movies.

Trailer Thoughts: Paranormal Activity 2 - Teaser

2010-06-30T14:10:00.001-04:00

The teaser trailer was just released for the inevitable sequel to last year's breakthrough horror hit Paranormal Activity. I should make a warning that people who have not seen the original should probably try not to watch the trailer, since it does give away the end of the film (I hate when trailers do that).

As much as it can be admitted that creating a sequel to Paranormal Activity is about as obvious a cash grab as there can be, at the very least it seems that the producers are not trying to fix what is not broken. However, like all sequels, this film looks like it is attempting to be "bigger" by now showing the hauntings in multiple rooms.

By the looks of this trailer, it seems that the film looks like it might actually be decent. However, I am still a little pessimistic that it will be able to match the level of fright that was present in the first film.

Paranormal Activity 2 opens on October 22.

DVD Picks - June 29, 2010 - Hot Tub Time Machine, The White Ribbon, The Crazies, and More

2010-06-29T11:31:00.000-04:00

It has been over one and a half months since my last DVD column, so I thought that it was about time I get back into the swing of things. My main pick for this week is the hilarious comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. Let move on to the picks.

Hot Tub Time Machine
Blu-Ray - $34.99 (CAN), $24.99 (US)
Standard - $23.99 (CAN), $16.99 (US)
My Thoughts: While the premise is a bit ridiculous, the film is absolutely hilarious
My Recommendation: Buy It

The White Ribbon
Blu-Ray - $28.99 (CAN), $36.99 (US)
Standard - $24.99 (CAN), $20.49 (US)
My Thoughts: An intriguing film about the loss of innocence that requires multiple viewings to fully understand.
My Recommendation: Rent It

The Crazies
Blu-Ray - $26.99 (CAN), $19.99 (US)
Standard - $29.99 (CAN), $15.99 (US)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Blu-Ray - $29.99 (CAN), $24.99 (US)
Standard - $18.99 (CAN), $16.99 (US)

Blu-Ray Re-Releases

Predator (Ultimate Hunter Edition) - $19.99 (CAN), $21.99 (US)

And that's my DVD Picks for this week.

My Thoughts on Knight and Day

2010-06-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

It has been a rough few years for Tom Cruise, however this film was truly a return to form. The fact that the film is partially a comedy lets Cruise poke a little fun at his star personal. As for Cameron Diaz, I thought she was okay enough and she had an alright chemistry with Cruise.

I have to say that this was definitely one of the most entertaining films I have seen this summer so far.

8/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Jonah Hex

2010-06-18T22:16:00.000-04:00

A good way I would describe Johan Hex is that the film came off as Ghost Rider without any of Nicolas Cage's charisma. I was quite bored for the bulk of the film, which featured a formulaic plot that was over before you know it.

There are the fact that Megan Fox was in the film and that's never a good thing (though it was a good thing that she wasn't in the film much).

I probably should have saw Toy Story 3 instead.

6/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Shrek Forever After

2010-06-15T21:11:00.000-04:00

I have to say that this film is a pretty good example of a studio making one too many films in a series. The first film was pretty good and it was followed by an excellent sequel. By the third film it was becoming obvious that the studio was running short on ideas and this film can be seen as a pure cash-in.

This is not a bad film, its just that the story is not that up to par. This film is nearly devoid of the fun pop culture references that made the series so far and it is now features a fairly generic plot with a slightly mediocre villain (who doesn't even have a celebrity voice).

As a result, I have to say that the Shrek series ends with a bit of a whimper rather than a bang.

7/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on The A-Team

2010-06-12T22:20:00.000-04:00

I was pretty much a toddler when the original television series was popular, however I still remember watching it. As you can guess, I don't really remember anything about the show other than Mr T.

As such, I can't really compare the new film version to the show. However, I can say that this was a very entertaining action film. The film features a lot of over the top action, but it also retains a tongue-in-cheek quality to it.

In the end I can say that The A-Team will probably end up being known as one of the most successful TV adaptations.

8/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Get Him to the Greek

2010-06-08T19:27:00.000-04:00

You get many movie sequels, but you don't often get spin-offs. In this case it is Russell Brand returning to his Aldous Snow character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It can be a bit risky featuring too much of a funny character, however I thought that the this film was quite funny.

The also marks Jonah Hill's first leading role since Superbad three years ago. He plays more of a "straight man" role in this one, however there is still enough familiar elements to make his performance still quite funny.

Overall, I feel that Get Him to the Greek ends up being a successful spin-off that stands well on its own.

8/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Splice

2010-06-05T15:39:00.000-04:00

Well, I am back in Canada and for my first film back I decided to see what can already be considered a Canadian success story (by the fact that it is a rare example of a Canadian film with an American distributor).

Splice is a film by Vincenzo Natali, who is probably best known for Cube. It is a science fiction film about a couple, who create a genetically engineered creature using human DNA.

The trailer marketed the film as a horror film. However, even though there are elements of the genre within the film (mostly towards the end), the film is more a sci-fi drama about the repercussions of playing God.

I have to say that it was quite an intriguing film that sci-fi fans would love.

9/10 (rating scale)

My Thoughts on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

2010-05-30T12:51:00.000-04:00

I am currently on a trip in Scotland, so I don't have easy access to films (especially since the release schedule is different). However, I manage to see one film that had a worldwide release: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Video game adaptations have a bit of a bad reputation and despite being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, I doubt this film will change any of those opinions. The film is not bad, however it came off as just a formulaic action/adventure that stays quite a bit from the game it is based on.

Despite all that, it was at the very least entertaining.

7/10 (rating scale)