DVD Weekly Roundup – Mon 12th October 2009
CORALINE
Based on a brilliant book by Neil Gaiman, Coraline is about a young girl that enters a parallel reality when she discovers a hidden door in her new home. In this world she encounters strange characters that help and hinder her journey back into real life.
Directed by Henry Selick of Nightmare Before Christmas fame, Coraline is another great-animated feature that has been released recently. It can sit proud alongside Pixar’s UP and Fantastic Mr Fox. Amazing visuals and a perfect script make this perfect viewing for the whole family. Highly recommended!
LOOKING FOR ERIC
One of Britain’s best directors brings us Looking For Eric. Telling the story of Eric, a postman living in Manchester desperately trying to get his life back on track after his wife leaves him. Unable to turn to anyone, it is while smoking a joint that Eric is visited by none other than a vision of football legend Eric Cantona.
Cantona coaches Eric on how to win his wife back and what follows is one of the most heart-warming films of the year.
In a career full of great films this could very well be Ken Loach’s best. It’s funny, touching and is full of genuine affection. It was officially selected at Cannes and needs to be seen by everyone, especially by Man Utd fans.
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Charlie Kaufman isn’t the most conventional screenwriter around and for his directorial debut he doesn’t break the trend at all. The amazing Phillip Seymour Hoffman stars in this complex film about a theatre director that becomes obsessed with his forthcoming project, his wife, a pretty box office clerk and pretty much everything else.
It’s a film about finding ones identity but like so much of Kaufman’s work it is a film that is pretty much open to interpretation. I loved it and I hope the poor theatrical performance that it endured is put right through DVD viewings. If you haven’t seen it give it a try, you might like it.
HEROES: SEASON 3
Round 3 for the ever-popular Sci-fi comic book extravaganza that is Heroes. Opening with the assassination attempt on Petrelli this is the most action packed season yet. Unfortunately with more action comes less drama and the series fails to be as gripping as before.
The box set however is fantastic with much more behind the scenes footage than ever before.
It is still beautifully shot and is a perfect form of escapism after a hard day at work. The cast are solid, especially Zachary Quinto who we all now know as Spock in the Star Trek reboot.
DOGHOUSE
A really dumb British horror film starring Danny Dyer and Noel Clarke about a group of lads that upon arriving at a rural village discover the women have been infected with a virus that turn them into mindless killers.
It’s complete and utter shit but bring the mates round, get drunk and stick this on and you can just laugh at it.
It’s directed by Jake West who is well known for making cheap cult cinema and no doubt his many fans will lap this up no end.
THE GAY BED AND BREAKFAST OF TERROR
Could well be the best film title of the year!
Here we meet a group of gay couples that check in to the Sahara Salvation Inn, an isolated B&B. It’s not long before they learn that they aren’t safe from the murdering, god fearing, gay bashing hoteliers. Things get worse when a mutant with a taste for homosexuals starts eating them.
Absolutely fucking mental! There really are no other words to describe it. Won’t win any Oscars but will make you laugh until it hurts.
HELL RIDE
Naked female oil wrestling!
It really doesn’t get more gratuitous than that does it? Hell Ride is essentially a tribute to 70s biker films like Easy Rider. Produced by Quentin Tarantino and starring Michael Madsen the film follows a group of bikers travelling across America to exact revenge on a gang that murdered one of their own.
Lots of drug taking and the aforementioned wrestling take place along with great cameos by David Carradine and Dennis Hopper. It’s a lot of fun to watch and has a genius soundtrack.
Also available on Blu-Ray
12 ROUNDS
Last week we had ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin starring in a no-brainer action film. This week it’s the turn of fellow WWE star John Cena. Cena stars as New Orleans police officer Danny Fisher who captures Miles Jackson, a dangerous criminal wanted by the FBI. During the chase Jackson’s girlfriend is killed.
One year later, with Jackson out of prison he vows to take his revenge on Danny Fisher by setting up a game with 12 rounds. Fisher must pass all 12 rounds or his girlfriend shares the same fate as Jackson’s. Renny Harlin knows how to direct action and 12 Rounds moves at an incredible pace. Don’t expect too much in terms of plot but other than that it is quite enjoyable.
Also available on Blu-Ray
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