The Curious Case of Benjamin Button out on DVD now

Based on the 1921 short story by F Scott Fitzgerald The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opens with Daisy (Blanchette) dying in New Orleans as hurricane Katrina comes to town. She asks her daughter to read from Benjamin’s diary, and so the begins the tale of his unusual and incredible life.

Born an old man, abandoned by his family but found by Queenie a carer at a home for the elderly Benjamin (Pitt) grows younger daily while the residents arrive age and die around him. Daisy comes to visit her grandmother and so begins a lifelong friendship and love.

It was a real pleasure to watch this film, I had thought that it was either just a vehicle for Pitt or was going to be too romantic and soppy but it wasn’t it was great. Firstly I wondered at the amazing subtle effects and sight of a child sized old man protected and accepted in the home for the elderly Its fascinating to watch the years drop off, while the love of his life, Daisy ages. The film draws you in with a mixture of humour and curiosity and before you know it your hooked!

The film is funny amusing, and also very moving. By presenting a life in reverse the audience is made to think about love, loss and the happiness that can be found in life. Watch it, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Director: David Fincher

Cast:
Benjamin Button – Brad Pitt
Cate Blanchette – Daisy
Julia Ormond – Caroline
Taraji P. Henson – Queenie

Click here for the offical website

Get Smart out on DVD now

Based on the 1960’s television series of the same name, Get Smart follows newly promoted Agent 86 (Carell) and his partner Agent 99 (Hathaway) as they attempt to foil KAOS and their plans to assassinate the US President.

I’ve not seen any of the original television series and maybe if I had I wouldn’t have been left feeling that I watched the wrong film. I expected the film to be on par with Austin Powers or even Inspector Clouseau with Peter Sellers (I haven’t seen the Steve Martin remakes) where a clumsy misguided agent wins through in spite of himself but this film wasn’t like this at all. Carrells Agent 86 is intelligent but inexperienced which although this is a different angle it is one that, for me, didn’t really work. He is teamed with Hathaways Agent 99, who is reluctant to work with the rookie – it’s a formula that has been overused in films and nothing new is added to it here.

I know comedy is subjective but I didn’t laugh enough, and I also didn’t care enough either. Its well acted, it looks good but it just didn’t do anything for me, I think I will forget I ever watched it very quickly.

Director: Peter Segal

Cast:
Steve Carell – Maxwell Smart / Agent 86
Anne Hathaway – Agent 99
Dwayne Johnson – Agent 23
Alan Arkin – The Chief
Terrance Stamp – Siegfried
Terry Crews – Agent 91

For the official website click here

The Wrestler out on DVD now

The story of an ageing, once successful wrestler Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson (Rourke), a man trapped by his headlining past trying to come to terms with a very uncertain future.

When you only know how to do one thing what happens when you can no longer do it? A tale of one mans attempt to rebuild and change his life when a heart attack means he can no longer continue in the ‘sport’ where he was once great.

BAFTA winner Rourke is totally fantastic, it’s impossible to contemplate anyone else in the role of the battered, broken Randy. A man trying to forge a relationship with his estranged daughter and a blossoming romance with a stripper (Tomei) while trying to deal with physical trauma and ill health. He only knows the ring, the crowd, the lights, and the fans – what is his alternative? Its almost heart breaking watching this guys attempts to work in a grocery store when ill health forces him into retirement.

Aronofsky directs this tale brilliantly, in one particular scene Randy is going to work in the supermarket and it is filmed like he is entering the wrestling ring it’s superbly done. It’s a film that made me think again about a profession that I had thought was almost a joke. What these men put themselves through in the ring while preparing themselves like models for the small crowd they draw is really something to consider. What do they do when the spotlight moves on and they haven’t ever reached the heights of being truly successful? Do they end up like Randy, trapped in an old image of themselves, living on dreams?

It’s a great film, moving, powerful, sad and thought provoking – something I never thought I would ever say about wrestling!

Director: Daren Aronofsky

Cast:

Mickey Rourke – Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson
Marisa Tomei – Cassidy / Pam
Evan Rachel Wood – Stephanie

Click here for the official website

The Day The Earth Stood Still out on DVD now

This is the remake of the 1951 Si-Fi movie in which an alien sphere lands in Central Park New York and from this emerges Klaatu (Keanu Reeves), an alien with a message about the human race. A group of scientists are assembled one of which is Dr Helen Benson (Connelly) a widow with a step child (Smith).

Klaatu aided by an enormous robot brings a message that the human race is destroying the earth and this can not be allowed to continue, he is in fact the herald sent to reclaim the earth back from destructive mankind. Dr Benson becomes convinced the only way of saving the human race is to free Klaatu so he can deliver his message.

It’s a very good looking movie; great effects and the actors are well cast. Reeves is great as the distant emotionless Klaatu, it’s a part that is similar in many ways to Neo from the Matrix, blank and detached.

Unfortunately though, like Klaatu I felt detached and distant from the whole film. The world wide phenomenon of spheres appearing is only seen through TV screens – it’s a story very based in the USA, their reaction to Klaatu’s arrival and the decisions that are made about attacking the invaders are solely from a US view – as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist. I wasn’t convinced that humans had learnt their lesson and also ultimately why Klaatu makes the final decision he does – I’m not sure on the evidence of the film that I would.

Director Scott Derrickson

Cast:
Keanu Reeves – Klaatu
Jennifer Connelly – Dr Helen Benson
Kathy Bates – SecDef Regina Jackson
Jaden Smith – Jacob Benson

For the official web site click here







Ive also included the original 1951 poster for you to see - as I think its a classic!

Frost / Nixon out on DVD now

The film based on the play of the epic 1977 interview between the disgraced ex president Richard Nixon and the young celebrity interviewer David Frost. Both parties are sure the interview will work in their favour and that they will easily be able to gain the upper hand in this televised battle of wits and intellect.

In the blue corner you have Richard Nixon, three years after he resigned from the Presidency in disgrace over the Watergate affair. He is seen pedalling himself around the after dinner speech circuit, bored and in need of money, desperate to clear his name and move on from the whole incident that saw him removed from the Whitehouse.

In the red corner David Frost the young British arrogant and cocky talk show host trying to get the scoop of the century by securing a no holds barred set of interviews with Nixon. So sure is he of the success of this endeavour he bankrolls the project himself at a time when no one wanted to even speak to Nixon.

It’s a great film providing a snapshot of a landmark event in television history. The lead actors (who originally played their parts on the stage) are incredible, Langella transforms into Nixon and the chameleon like Sheen yet again ‘becomes’ the real person he is portraying. I found it fascinating to see the work and preparation behind these long gone head to head epic interviews – I wish the format was still used today.

The film is presented in an almost flat style; the subject matter doesn’t need any embellishments and Ron Howard is confident that his actors can easily hold the subject matter, which they do - from the leads to the supporting cast.
It’s a great subject matter and a fascinating film – well worth watching.

Director Ron Howard

Cast:
Frank Langella – Richard Nixon
Michael Sheen – David Frost
Sam Rockwell – James Reston Jr
Kevin Bacon – Jack Brennan
Matthew Macfadyen – John Birt
Oliver Platt – Bob Zelnick

Click here to go to the website

Role Models – Out on DVD now

Think of two guys (Rudd and Scott) pedalling ‘have energy drinks instead of drugs’ messages around schools. Think of these guys having a particularly bad day when they end up having to undertake 150 hours of community service rather than go to jail. Think of these two guys who can barely look after themselves being put in a position of responsibility of mentoring kids. So begins the predictable but enjoyable film Role Models.

The film will be very familiar to people who have watched the latest wave of comedies like 40 Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Knocked Up etc, it’s humour is crass, unsubtle and slightly juvenile. If you can deal with adults acting really inappropriately in front of kids then this film is fine, although if your likely to be offended then I would suggest you stay away from this film.

The kids who are being mentored are great – there is Mintz-Plasse who stood out as Mclovin in Superbad and the new scene stealing Thompson, who’s rude and shocking remarks may offend some viewers but I personally found him both shocking and funny.
This film made me laugh and although it is crass at times taken in the right way its light-hearted fun. If you liked the movies I have listed above then add this to your viewing list. It may not be as good as Superbad but its still fun.

Directed by David Wain

Starring:

Seann William Scott – Wheeler
Paul Rudd – Danny Donahue
Christopher Mintz-Plasse – Augie Farks
Bobb’e J Thompson – Ronnie Shields
Elizabeth Banks – Beth
For the official website click here

The Road trailer now on line

Release date in the US is listed as October 2009.

For some time now (since I read the book) I have been talking about the upcoming movie The Road, based on the Cormac McCarthy movie of the same name starring Viggo Mortensen.

Today a first trailer has been released and although its wetted my appetite a bit more I’m confused as it seems to have taken every piece of action in the film and placed it in the trailer. If the film stays true to the book the simplicity and stillness is what makes it so powerful. I am also a little confused at the amount of screen time in the trailer Charlize Theron’s character is given as I feel it will be disproportionate to what is actually in the film. Maybe I just feel that this is being somewhat miss-sold although I still can’t wait for its release.

Click here for the trailer