On DVD: Transformers

When I rented the Transformers I really didnt expect much even though it made a boat load of money at the box office, 702 Million worldwide to be exact. I know Spielberg had a hand in it and of course Michael Bay directed it. That being said I still didnt expect that much, boy was I wrong.
Shia LeBeouf ( Disturbia ) plays..well basically the same role he played in Disturbia. Hyper, quick witted teenager that gets in an overwhelming situation, this situation happens to be a good guy versus bad guy fight between celestial robots. These robots have the ability to take shape of objects like jets, motor vehicles and other heavy duty objects. The special effects are top notch and not to be missed, the transformations are seemless and very convincing. Fuse those special effects with Michael Bay action scenes and you have some pretty good imagery.
LeBeouf basically carries the movie and was in practically every scene, even when he wasnt on the screen you were wondering where he was. John Turturro shows up but his performance just makes you wonder where the hell hes been, same can be said for Jon Voight.
The issue I thought of the most was Michael Bay's quiet stranglehold on the box office. Outside of The Island ( which did well overseas like all Bay films) Bay has been racking up some major bucks, this is important because he does it with action movies which is rare. He has a certain touch in filming action scenes that makes them fun and realistic. While Transformers may not be for everyone, it is box office fun and makes for a very good escapist dvd rental.

On DVD: Skeleton Key

Kate Hudson stars as a New Orleans Hospice worker that cares for a dying man in a house with some dark secrets. While thin on premise and imagination Skeleton Key pays off in the end and manages to provide some decent creepiness.
Hudson moves into a house with an elderly couple to take care of the husband that’s dying of a stroke. Immediately Hudson fears there is something going on and becomes suspicious of everything around her. Of course her suspicions are correct (but she’s not supposed to know that) and all hell breaks loose.
Like most recent horror films there are plenty of red herring moments that include creepy characters that are apparently creepy because the Director told them to be. While this is expected, it is a little distracting when coupled with the pacing of the film.
Hudson jumps right in and starts poking around the house as soon as she arrives for no apparent reason, her instant inquisitiveness feels like someone hit the fast forward button on the DVD player. The thin back-story for why she is so determined to find the underlying cause of things barely works but it doesn’t take a lot away or keep you from enjoying the show.
While not the best horror or suspense on the shelf, Skeleton Key is enjoyable and interesting…..and a little scary.

On DVD: Sin City

Sin City is based on the popular graphic novels by Frank Miller, the novels are known to be very stylish and ultra violent. So is the film. Sin City is so striking and visually entertaining that you have to see it more than once to appreciate everything that’s going on.
The film is made up of three vignettes loosely tied together as stories happening in a non descript city that is a cross between New York and Las Vegas. Bruce Willis, Michael Madsen, Jessica Alba and Michael Clarke Duncan put in yeoman’s work as characters in Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarentino’s action packed story telling. I cannot say enough or even give you suitable examples of how great this movie looks. Shot in a silvery black and white and dashed in color at just the right time, the film really pops off the screen if you watch it on DVD. You will be mesmerized to the point the action looks like it takes place in the room.
The violence of the film was not hard for me to take, I looked at it in context. Some may find it way too violent and graphic, make no mistake Sin City is ultra violent and it more than earns it’s “R” rating. Don’t let that deter you from seeing one of the best movies of 2005, Sin City in many ways is a masterpiece.

On DVD: Bewitched

Let me say a couple of things right off the bat. Will Ferrell has always been just marginally funny in my opinion and Nicole Kidman is one of the finest actresses in Hollywood today. I was intrigued to see how these two would mesh in a remake of the very popular television series "Bewitched". The whole charm of the television show was Elizabeth Montgomery being the grounding force in a wacky world of characters, Doctor Bombay, Uncle Arthur and Endora to name a few. Montgomery's Samantha just wanted to live a normal life with a mortal that she fell in love with and the aforementioned characters wanted her to embrace her "witch" side a little more. That's the television show, the movie however misses the point.
Ferrell plays a washed up movie star that decides to remake "Bewitched", to highlight himself on the show he casts an unknown as Samantha, that unknown is a real life witch played by Kidman. This promising plot never develops into anything more than an excuse for Ferrell to display his silly over the top antics while dissing then falling in love with Kidman. Kidman for whatever reason whispers through most of the film and is frozen in an aloof childish posture that becomes annoying real fast.
Shirley McClaine as Endora and Michael Caine as Kidman's father cannot rescue the uneven script and awkward pacing that bog this film down and eventually make it a sub par remake of an adored television series.

On DVD: The Gift ( 2000)

Cate Blanchett stars as a small town poor girl that makes a living reading Tarot cards. Her talents are put to the test when she is asked to help locate the body and killer of young girl from the towns high society crowd. The movie also stars Hilary Swank and Keanu Reeves, that's right Keanu Reeves.
For those of you still reading "The Gift" is a slow paced appalachian drama that speeds up half way through and turns out to be a pretty intense and interesting movie. It was written by Billy Bob Thornton and has the pacing and dialogue of his classic " A Simple Plan". Simple Plan Director Sam Raimi also directs " The Gift". Raimi and Thornton have the small town atmosphere and interactions down pat in the film as they did in the aforementioned simple plan. J.K. Simmons ( Oz) shows up and shows off as the Sheriff and steals each scene he's in, as usual. While it's hard to believe that the same guy that directed Spider Man directed this movie but with "The Gift" Raimi must feel right at home. He eases us in to the awkward Camelot and invites us to enjoy the sinister undercurrent that lies within. Not a gem but "The Gift" will do on a cold winter night.

Note: Check out "A Simple Plan" if you haven't already done so, one of Raimi's best. ( besides Spiderman of course)

On DVD: The Island

The Island stars Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson as two people living in a domed society somewhere in the future. It appears the society is well planned and organized if not a little mundane and the only relief is a trip to “The Island”. The Island is the last place on earth that hasn’t been destroyed by the unnamed apocalyptic event that necessitated the creation of the domed society. The only way to get to the Island is to win a random lottery; we find out however that the Island isn’t all its cracked up to be. Our hero and heroine are then on the run and the mayhem begins.

Michael Bay (Bad Boys, The Rock, Pearl Harbor) directs the adventure and provides enough action and destruction for two films. This is not a bad thing though, Bay has a unique and creative way of filming action sequences and chase scenes and it works well in this film. McGregor and Johansson are little more than window dressing for Bay’s action but both do respectable and believable work. McGregor does particularly well when he has to play a dual role and basically interact with himself. Steve Buscemi shows up briefly and as usual does a great job as a secondary character.

The Island is a fun fast paced action adventure well suited for DVD. If I had seen it in the theater I would have been a little less enthused.

On DVD: Diary of A Mad Black Woman

Written and Directed by Tyler Perry Diary of A Mad Black Woman follows a high society woman and her break up with her super rich husband. The "mad" woman is played flawlessly by TV veteren Kimberly Elise and the dastardly husband is Steve Harris, Eugene from The Practice. The husband is rich and powerful and decides to dump his wife for a younger model and kicks his bride out on the street with nothing. The distraught wife goes back to her roots and discovers gifts more valuable than all the money she is detached from, she discovers not only herself but family as well.
This often told story would be just that, an often told story, if not for the humane and insightful touch added by Tyler Perry, Perry himself plays three roles in the film. He is the crusty old "Joe", he is the abandonded wife's attorney and most importantly he is "Madea"..the matriarch of the neighborhood where most of the film takes place. It is Perry's touch and performance that breaths new life into this story and makes "Diary" one of the most enjoyable films of the year. The film is funny, sad, tragic and triumphant all at the same time. Every single performance ( including the understated Cicely Tyson) is easy to watch and perfectly written and acted. Perry has created a film that the entire family can watch and enjoy together. This is movie making at its finest for me, no obnoxious soundtrack, no cheap hollywood gimmicks, just good writing and acting and a story that is true to itself through and through.
Rent the DVD and take time to view that extras that tells Perry's story, that will give you some insight into the man that has created such a wonderful film. Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a must see movie.