Apocalypto, Little Children and Music & Lyrics - This Weeks DVD Releases in Review
June 14th 2007 04:45
This weeks DVD releases feature gut wrenching violence, brilliant drama and romantic comedy at its gooey best. That said, next to none of them were especially well received. We have a clear popcorn favourite - though as cheesy as a block of Bega. We have the action buffs delight - just as pointless a movie as has ever been made. And we have the dramatic masterpiece de jour - just no one really went to see it. With this interesting loine up in mind, lets review...
APOCALYPTO
I almost wrote "Mel Gibson's Apocalypto" as for many people that would be enough to ensure that they bought it without delay or avoided it like the plague.
Apocalypto is a somewhat bad movie. Touted as the story of the collapse of the 15th century Mayan civilisation from within as a result of religious extremism and featuring posters with Mayan pyramids and eclipses and scantily clad warriors, it had audiences flocking to the screen ready for some quality cinema. After all Braveheart surely proved that Mel can really do it from time to time.
However, the result is not so much a movie again as a vaguely narrative sequence of violence that proclaims coherence and value as a result of its subject alone rather than as a result of its content as most other directors (ALL other directors!) foolishly believe should be the case. No, Apocalypto begins with a chase sequence as some Mayan hunters from a small village capture a wild boar, and then sit around handing out its organs. A series of very bad tasted, slapstick "knob-jokes" follow - from then on its pretty much nothing but gut wrenching violence.
Admitedly the scenery is magnificent, and the one scene that involves the Mayan pyramids is breathtakingly and disturbingly unforgettable. Otherwise its just sickening jungle set violence motivated entirely by the hero's wish to get back to where his wife and child are waiting for him. Basically its a Julia Roberts movie - only the knives are out!
This single disc edition of Apocalypto was released on Wednesday June 13 and will set you back $29.83 at good DVD stores everywhere. Frankly, if you HAVE to have this, wait for the inevitable 2-disc special edition. Otherwise, you don't have to have this!
LITTLE CHILDREN
This is the movie that coulda shoulda woulda won itself some Oscars, but ended up being edged out by the bigger game (The Departed, The Queen and Babel). That does not in any way diminish its brilliance.
Little Children is a brilliant, comic, edgy drama set in suburbia and featuring all those problems that no one ever wants to no about but everybody has. Kate Winslet plays (in her sixth Best Actress Oscar nominated role) with consumate brilliance a housewife who just cannot find any warmth for her daughter and feels lacking as a result. Moreover her husband has some kind of fetish going on and so she destresses with a local stay at home Dad (played by rising star Patrick Wilson, who can be seen in July in Meryl Streep vehicle Evening) who just can't pass the bar exam and feels that his wife (Jennifer Connelly) has become distant since the birth of their son.
Their affair is set against a backdrop of bitchy neighbourhood Moms with strollers, all busy organising, lunches, pilates classes, book groups and play dates and mixed up by the presence of the neighbourhoods least favourite son, a convicted child molester (Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley) newly out on bail and the extremist father out to get him.
Based on the best selling novel by Tom Perrota (also one hell of a page turner!) you cannot go wrong with the movie Little Children. It's funny, it's dramatic, it's unexpected and it's a searing parody and inquest of middle class morality and the modern image of life with little children.
This sindle disc extra-less DVD was released today (Thursday June 14) and will set you back $29.83. So really it would be best to wait it out a month until it comes on special and in the meantime, just head to Blockbuster and rent it... just make sure your children aren't around!
MUSIC & LYRICS
Starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore this movie is a charming popcorn flick that was released by design to grab the Valentines Day crowds - so basically its not for everyone! It's the story of a washed up eighties Pop singer (Hugh Grant) who gets the chance of a comeback when he is invited to write a duet song for a reigning pop-diva.
He hasn't written a song in years and he's never written lyrics so hey presto up pops his quirky plant-watering lady (a plant watering lady?????) played by Drew Barrymore. She has a quirky and charming way with words that sparks up their chemistry at the piano and eventually under it. Of course said washed up Pop singer is a hellish ladies man afraid of commitment and said plant lady is on the re-bound and oh aren't the consequences just hilarious???
Naturally guy gets girl against all the odds and live happily ever after. If this is for you, it'll cost you... you guessed it! $29.83. So really best wait till it hits a Hugh Grant tiple pack or dives off the charts into the specials bin. Trust me. That will not take long! This single disc snort fest was released today, Thursday June 14.
Overall an interesting line-up. Stay tuned as next week we have Oscar bait Pan's Labyrinth, CIA thriller The Good Shephard and Eddie Murphy gag-fest Norbit!
APOCALYPTO
Apocalypto hit DVD Wednesday June 13
Apocalypto is a somewhat bad movie. Touted as the story of the collapse of the 15th century Mayan civilisation from within as a result of religious extremism and featuring posters with Mayan pyramids and eclipses and scantily clad warriors, it had audiences flocking to the screen ready for some quality cinema. After all Braveheart surely proved that Mel can really do it from time to time.
However, the result is not so much a movie again as a vaguely narrative sequence of violence that proclaims coherence and value as a result of its subject alone rather than as a result of its content as most other directors (ALL other directors!) foolishly believe should be the case. No, Apocalypto begins with a chase sequence as some Mayan hunters from a small village capture a wild boar, and then sit around handing out its organs. A series of very bad tasted, slapstick "knob-jokes" follow - from then on its pretty much nothing but gut wrenching violence.
With dramatic scenery such as this Apocalypto attempts importance but fails due to a flimsy storyline
This single disc edition of Apocalypto was released on Wednesday June 13 and will set you back $29.83 at good DVD stores everywhere. Frankly, if you HAVE to have this, wait for the inevitable 2-disc special edition. Otherwise, you don't have to have this!
LITTLE CHILDREN
Oscar nominated Little Children pulls no punches
This is the movie that coulda shoulda woulda won itself some Oscars, but ended up being edged out by the bigger game (The Departed, The Queen and Babel). That does not in any way diminish its brilliance.
Little Children is a brilliant, comic, edgy drama set in suburbia and featuring all those problems that no one ever wants to no about but everybody has. Kate Winslet plays (in her sixth Best Actress Oscar nominated role) with consumate brilliance a housewife who just cannot find any warmth for her daughter and feels lacking as a result. Moreover her husband has some kind of fetish going on and so she destresses with a local stay at home Dad (played by rising star Patrick Wilson, who can be seen in July in Meryl Streep vehicle Evening) who just can't pass the bar exam and feels that his wife (Jennifer Connelly) has become distant since the birth of their son.
Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson both give excellent performances
Their affair is set against a backdrop of bitchy neighbourhood Moms with strollers, all busy organising, lunches, pilates classes, book groups and play dates and mixed up by the presence of the neighbourhoods least favourite son, a convicted child molester (Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley) newly out on bail and the extremist father out to get him.
Based on the best selling novel by Tom Perrota (also one hell of a page turner!) you cannot go wrong with the movie Little Children. It's funny, it's dramatic, it's unexpected and it's a searing parody and inquest of middle class morality and the modern image of life with little children.
This sindle disc extra-less DVD was released today (Thursday June 14) and will set you back $29.83. So really it would be best to wait it out a month until it comes on special and in the meantime, just head to Blockbuster and rent it... just make sure your children aren't around!
MUSIC & LYRICS
Music and Lyrics is a schmooze fest for the ages
Starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore this movie is a charming popcorn flick that was released by design to grab the Valentines Day crowds - so basically its not for everyone! It's the story of a washed up eighties Pop singer (Hugh Grant) who gets the chance of a comeback when he is invited to write a duet song for a reigning pop-diva.
He hasn't written a song in years and he's never written lyrics so hey presto up pops his quirky plant-watering lady (a plant watering lady?????) played by Drew Barrymore. She has a quirky and charming way with words that sparks up their chemistry at the piano and eventually under it. Of course said washed up Pop singer is a hellish ladies man afraid of commitment and said plant lady is on the re-bound and oh aren't the consequences just hilarious???
Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore make an excellent on screen duo
Naturally guy gets girl against all the odds and live happily ever after. If this is for you, it'll cost you... you guessed it! $29.83. So really best wait till it hits a Hugh Grant tiple pack or dives off the charts into the specials bin. Trust me. That will not take long! This single disc snort fest was released today, Thursday June 14.
Overall an interesting line-up. Stay tuned as next week we have Oscar bait Pan's Labyrinth, CIA thriller The Good Shephard and Eddie Murphy gag-fest Norbit!
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
You can read my review HERE if your interested.