I'm still giddy over last week's Django Unchained release, and I'm not quite done with the multiple exclusives I ridiculously purchased. And I haven't even cracked open my Criterion Repo Man! So, it's just a-okay, that this week offers very little in the way of Must-Buys. We can use a break until the Summer starts cranking out the essential purchases. However, there are still a couple of gems to take a look at this week. A look into the Black & White past is your best bet, the newer releases are just fine but not necessarily demanded by your DVD shelf.
BUY!
Champion: I'm a sucker for a good boxing movie. And I'm as equally a sucker for these Olive Film blu ray releases. China Gate, Johnny Guitar, Ramrod. Classics & not-so-classics have never looked better. I cannot attest to the genius of this film but Kirk Douglas bashing it out with various dopes in the ring while fending off the whims of Marilyn Maxwell - sounds like a good enough time to me. The problem will come in how does one consume this picture? The On Demand options aren't there yet, nor the Netflix route. If you wanna see it you might find it on some Internet backchannels, but since I don't do that kinda thing, looks like I'm stuck with the Buy route. See my future Weeks in Dork for the inevitable opinion.
RENT!
Gangster Squad: All the way up to its release I had high hopes for Gangster Squad. I love the period. I loved Josh Brolin, the law enforcer. I loved Ryan Gosling's squeaky voice. And I loved Sean Penn's big block Dick Tracy head. But the film never gels. It's....ok. The film starts off as Sin City mean, but loses its way with Emma Stone's moll, and Josh Brolin is never as beastily as he should be. Not to mention, the digital photography looks like genuine ass. Sure, you could do worse (see The Black Dahlia), but you're better off with flicks like LA Confidential and even Mulholland Falls.
Jurassic Park 3D: Just weeks after the theatrical release, Jurassic Park hits your 3D tvs and maybe you care and maybe you don't. My television is of the lowly 2D variety, so there is no sense in me picking up this disc. However, I really enjoyed seeing Steven Speilberg's dino romp on the big screen despite its awkward barrage of floating lens flares, and I can see the appeal of darting from T-Rex's on the couch. One of these days I'll make the plunge and Jurassic Park 3D will probably be one of my first purchases.
The Impossible: No film made me cry harder last year than The Impossible. An absolutely punishing film that grabs at all the right heartstrings. It's not the type of movie that you watch over and over again, so I see no point to adding it to the collection. But if you haven't seen it and you're in the mood for a good, life-affirming cry than pop it on your queue. Not to mention it contains some of the best gore makeup I've seen in recent years. Lots of hanging flesh bits. Sounds fun, right?
Richard III: This is one of my favorite works of Shakespeare, but I have never seen the Laurence Olivier version. Ian McKellen has always been my favorite psycho king. Now we get a fancy new blu ray upgrade from Criterion and purply new cover. No more excuses, gotta check it out. However, I don't like the new purply cover. I like the Kingdom for a Horse and the mustard yellow background of the original disc.
--Brad
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