Tag: new release

Blu Monday: April 12th, 2011

Your Weekly Source for the Newest Releases to Blu-Ray

Blu-Ray for Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

  • Roger Corman’s Cult Classics: BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (1980)
  • Disney/Pixar’s CARS; 2-Disc Combo (2006)
  • Willem Dafoe stars in FAREWELL (2009)
  • From the makers of STEP INTO LIQUID comes HIGHWATER (2009)
  • Disney/Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES; 4-Disc Combo (2004)
  • Keith David & Golden Brooks star in THE INHERITENCE (2010)
  • Documentary Double Feature: THE LAST CONTINENT/ANTARCTIC MISSION (2008)
  • Alain Delon’s LE CERCLE ROUGE: Criterion Collection (1970)
  • Jeff Malmberg’s Fascinating Documentary MARWENCOL (2010)
  • Claire Denis’ WHITE MATERIAL Criterion Collection (2009)

Blu-Ray for Tuesday, April 15th, 2011

  • HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1; 3-Disc Combo (2010)

Review: MY DOG TULIP

( The following review was first posted as part of our SLIFF coverage on November 12, 2010)

Long, long ago in 1994 the release of an animated film using computer technology was a unique event. Since the success of that first TOY STORY film, the hand drawn animated feature has become almost forgotten. It’s a pleasure to revisit those 2D day with the new animated film from Sandra and Paul Fierlinger MY DOG TULIP based on the novel from J.R. Ackerley. but, as I discovered during the end credits, things are not always as they seem.

I should warn parents out there that although this is a film involving a cartoon dog, Tulip is quite unlike Lady, Tramp, or any of those Dalmatians. She behaves like a real dog. When she’s not eating, sleeping, or barking Tulip is relieving herself and later goes through the canine mating ritual. Although this her master (voiced wonderfully by Christopher Plummer) is completely smitten with his Alation bitch. He trudges through his dull job in an office at the BBC till he can be reunited with his ideal friend.

In a way the film is a love story between the two. His fantasy life with Tulip is shown by simple animated pen line drawings on lined yellow note paper. At times he is scientifically analytical concerning the dog’s bodily functions. During the film he (based on the author Ackerley) deals with intolerant neighbors and a visiting sister(voiced by the late Lynn Redgrave to whom the film is dedicated) who tries to steal away the dog’s affections. J. R. has to deal with several indifferent and hostile veterinarians until meeting one full of wisdom and compassion (voiced by Isabella Rossellini). She offers advice when J.R. decides it’s time to Tulip to “marry.”

We’re then treated to several episodes of him dealing with other dog owners who believe they have Tulip’s perfect husband. And of course they must deal with the onslaught of frenzied neighborhood dogs when Tulip is in heat. All in all a charming look at a real relationship between human and animal. The story is animated with bright colors and minimal backgrounds. The characters are drawn in a “scratchy” pen and ink style. So here’s what surprised me in the end credits: No paper was used in the making of this film. It’s amazing how these computers can fool you. A great film for animation fans and fans of faithful dogs

Overall Rating: Four and a Half Out of Five Stars

Review: THE DILEMMA

During Hollywood’s “golden age” directors had to be able to jump from genre to genre. Someone like Howard Hawks could go from screwball comedy to western to mystery. These days most directors like to work in one genre. Ron Howard is the rare exception. He started out with comedies like NIGHT SHIFT and SPLASH then tried fantasy ( WILLOW ), thrillers ( RANSOM and Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon stories), and had great success with historical docudramas ( APOLLO 13, FROST/NIXON). Now Howard has returned to comedy after more than a decade with THE DILEMMA. This time the film’s  laughs have a serious theme at it’s center.

At the heart of THE DILEMMA is the friendship of two old college buddies Ronny ( Vince Vaughn ) and Nick ( Kevin James ) who are business partners at an auto design firm in Chicago. Ronny’s the fast talking salesman while Nick is the tech wizard. After landing an interview with one of the big auto makers, the guys go out celebrating with their gals. Nick has been married for several years to Geneva ( Winona Ryder ), while confirmed bachelor Ronny has been dating Beth ( Jennifer Connelly ), a chef at a popular restaurant. After the meeting with the auto big wigs in Detroit goes well ( they’re going to make electric cars sound like classic hot rod engines?! ), Ronny decides that it’s time to propose to Beth. While scoping out the Botanical Gardens as a possible engagement site, Ronny spots Nick’s wife Geneva making out with a young tattooed stud ( Channing Tatum ). This is the dilemma that the film’s tile refers. Should he just tell his pal and plunge him into misery ( and possibly derail their business venture )? Maybe Ronny should confront Geneva and convince her to end the affair. Or perhaps Ronny should just keep quiet and say nothing. What should he do? Many film goers may ask, “What would I do?”.

Howard does his best trying to balance the dramatic elements with the broad comic scenes, but he’s thwarted by a script that has the characters acting improbably-to use a phrase coined by Siskel and Ebert, ” the idiot plot”. Why does Ronny refuse to share his plight with Beth? Does he think he can spy on Geneva while driving around in his classic 1960’s muscle car? After a disturbingly bloody and violent confrontation with Zip (?!), Geneva’s boy-toy, why does Ronny stick around to taunt him? And why does Ronny return to Zip’s pad to retrieve his camera? The actors are giving it heir best effort to make this material work. Vaughn is doing his motor-mouth wiseacre , but usually his characters are a lot smarter, as in DODGEBALL and WEDDING CRASHERS. You just wants to grab him by the shoulders, shake him, and yell, “C’mon!! You’re smarter than this!!”. James doesn’t get to utilize his great comic timing and superb skills in physical comedy ( beside an awkward dance scene with Vaughn ). In many scenes he’s Vaughn’s schlubby straight man. The lovely Connelly is underused in basically the exasperated, but understanding girlfriend role. Ryder has the more complex part. She almost gets some sympathy going as she explains her marital frustrations, but suddenly turns into a vindictive blackmailing harpy. She’d not helped by the decision to give her some severe, unflattering make-up, perhaps to emphasize her as the bad girl in comparison to Connelly’s good girl. Channing fulfills his duty as eye candy, but is not allowed to bring any humanity or humor to his role. Queen Latifah tries to brings some energy to the poorly written character of the lady auto exec who’s cheering the boys on. I was embarrassed by some of the dialogue she’s saddled with ( “lady-wood”?! Twice?!).Chicago looks great and there are some big laughs in the film, but they’re derailed by too many scenes that drag on far too long and don’t make much sense. The tacked-on upbeat ending doesn’t help things.  Ron Howard’s one of our most talented  and versatile directors. I hope that the next time he ventures into the comedy genre he can find a more worthy project.

Overall Rating: Three Stars out of Five