This is one awesome week for Blu-ray. The best film released in 2010 thus far arrives. Four other titles appear in the Queue Qualified section for films I highly recommend. And the Buzzed About section has three films I've been eagerly awaiting their arrival.
Pick of the Week
A Prophet
While this was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film last year, this French film didn’t get a release until February of this year. I haven’t seen a better film released in 2010. When I thought there can’t be a new twist on the gangster flick, this film came along and proved me wrong. Malik (Tahar Rahim) is a smart, but naïve teen that is thrown in jail seemingly because he is an Arab. The scrappy kid draws the attention of Corsican gang boss Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup), who enlists him quickly and he has to develop a killer’s spirit under fire. The film underlines how people don’t get rehabilitated in prison; they only become better criminals. Watching Malik learn is an impressive and frightening thing.
Buy "A Prophet" on Blu-ray Here!
Queue Qualified
The Breakfast Club
This is the 25th anniversary edition of John Hughes’ best film. The ‘80s classic puts five completely different high school students together in weekend detention and lets the personalities clash. Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy have all rarely been better and are most identifiable by these roles. Of course you can’t forget Paul Gleason’s Principal Richard Vernon, the arrogant bureaucrat who never wanted to leave high school himself. The film allows the audience to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Buy "The Breakfast Club" on Blu-ray!
The Ghost Writer
Roman Polanski is free and now his latest film has come to Blu-ray. Ewan McGregor plays the nameless ghost writer of the former British prime minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan). When he goes to stay with the politician, a mystery surrounds the man, as his former ghost writer wound up dead and he is being charged with war crimes. Moreover, his wife Ruth (Olivia Williams) suspects he is having an affair with his secretary Amelia (Kim Cattrall). The Ghost has an impossible task and he is driven by his integrity to be honest about the man he is writing about. Like Polanski’s great thrillers CHINATOWN and ROSEMARY’S BABY, corruption runs rampant and the truth is strange.
Buy "The Ghost Writer" on DVD Here!
Buy "The Ghost Writer" on Blu-ray Here!
James and the Giant Peach
Henry Selick’s follow-up to THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS was this musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book. Part live-action, part stop-motion animation, the film tells the tale of an orphan who is the slave of his ghoulish aunts. Then magically he enters a fantasy world where he joins a band of giant bugs inside a giant peach, which serves as their boat to NYC. Voice cast features Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, David Thewlis and Susan Sarandon. Randy Newman was nominated for an Oscar for the film’s score. Not perfect, but the animated sequences are delightful.
Buy "James and the Giant Peach" on Blu-ray Here!
Road to Perdition
This moody morality tale features one of Tom Hanks’ most unusual roles. He’s supposed to be a cold-hearted killer, but it’s hard to see Hanks as a ruthless murderer. It’s a story of fathers vs. sons and revenge. Hanks’ Sullivan is a hitman for the gangster John Rooney, played in an Oscar-nominated performance by Paul Newman. Rooney treats Sullivan more like a son than his own son Connor (Daniel Craig). When Sullivan’s son Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) witnesses a murder, Connor sends assassins to slaughter Sullivan’s family. Sullivan and Michael Jr. go on the run, hunted by the psychopathic hitman Maguire (Jude Law). Conrad Hall’s last Oscar for cinematography came with this gorgeously haunting film. Director Sam Mendes and Hall make this a unique and compelling thriller playing on archetypes of the genre.
Buy "Road to Perdition" on Blu-ray Here!
Buzzed About
After.Life
Generally the critics didn't like this one. But a few critics that I respect like James Berardinelli said the film takes risks and that is something you don't see much of these days. The story follows a woman who wakes up in a funeral home after a car accident The funeral director tells her she is dead and in transition. She does not believe him and tries to contact the outside world against his wishes. Stars include a very fetching Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson and Justin Long. I like the cast and the idea seems intriguing so I'm going to give it a shot.
Buy "After.Life" on Blu-ray Here!
Diary of Wimpy Kid
I love Jeff Kinney's illustrated books. Tween Greg Heffley is a likeably self-centered character and his perspective on the world is unique. This seems to be where critics diverged on the film. They either like him or not. Reviews were pretty straight down the middle. But the positive reviews were very praise-worthy. In addition to the kid cast, Steve Zahn and Rachael Harris play Greg's parents. Middle school was hell; I just hope this film captures a piece of that like the books do.
Buy "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" on DVD Here!
Buy "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" on Blu-ray Here!
Kick-Ass
This send-up of he superhero genre got solid reviews, but those that didn't like it hated it. The main point of contention was the bloody violence and the very young that are engaged in it. Based on a graphic novel series, the story follows high school student Dave Lizewski who decides to become a masked vigilante. It doesn't start out well for him. Then he meets other masked crusaders Red Mist (Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse), Batman-like Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his deadly daughter Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz, who also stars in WIMPY KID). I'm eager to see for myself whether it's twisted fun or morally bankrupt.
Buy "Kick-Ass" on Blu-ray Here!
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
