Category: Movie DVD Quicktakes (Page 4 of 41)

I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

December 15, 2010 /

Can you name all the major actors from the “Godfather” movies? If you’re missing one, it’s probably John Cazale. He played the initially minor character of Fredo, the tragic runt of the gangster litter who figured so prominently in “The Godfather: Part II.” An accomplished stage actor, Cazale appeared in only five moves before his death from lung cancer in 1978 at age 42, but since they also included “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Conversation” and “The Deer Hunter” — all nominated for Best Picture Oscars — it is slightly strange he isn’t better known. It’s definitely not for lack of esteem from his peers. This short HBO documentary from director Richard Shepard (“The Matador“) proves that point with testimonials from friends, colleagues and fans including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola, Sidney Lumet, Gene Hackman, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Dreyfuss, Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, and Meryl Streep, who was Cazale’s girlfriend at his death. It seems that, aside from his ability to submerge himself into a role and raise the game of his fellow actors, the unglamorous and good-natured Cazale also had a way with beautiful women.

Though the packaging of this DVD is first-rate if overly elaborate, it also attempts to hide the fact that “I Knew It Was You” is only 40 minutes long, not counting about an hour’s worth of special features. Nevertheless, this is a sincere, well-made, and entirely laudable labor of movie love.

Click to buy “I Knew It Was You: Redisocovering John Cazale”

3.5 / 5 Stars

Actors, Documentaries, External Entertainment, External Movie DVDs, External Movies, Movie Dramas, Movie DVD Quicktakes, Movie DVDs, Movies

Exit Through the Gift Shop

December 13, 2010 /

The documentary genre is a tricky business, because it’s automatically assumed that any movie falling under that category is 100% truth, even if a lot of times you’re only getting one side of the story. So when you see a documentary that turns out to be a manufactured lie – like Casey Affleck’s “I’m Still Here” – it’s easy to feel betrayed. Since its premiere at Sundance, there’s been a lot of discussion about whether the events in “Exit Through the Gift Shop” are real or just an elaborate hoax devised by its director, renowned graffiti artist Banksy. The film certainly wants us to believe that eccentric French shop owner and amateur filmmaker, Thierry Guetta, is a real person, and it goes to extreme lengths to set up a back story in which Guetta is making a documentary about the street art movement, only to have the camera turned on him when Banksy realizes that he’s far more interesting.

So is it real or not? It’s hard to say, which is part of the brilliance of the movie. It feels genuine for the most part (although the final 20 minutes certainly have you questioning its validity), but the fact that Banksy is known for his art pranks is what led many to conclude that there was something fishy about Thierry’s story. He sure had me fooled, but it doesn’t really matter, because it’s enjoyable either way. Whereas the truth about “I’m Still Here” may have ruined the illusion, “Exit Through the Gift Shop” is only more captivating because of it. That is, if it’s even an illusion at all.

Click to buy “Exit Through the Gift Shop”

Documentaries, External Movie DVDs, Movie DVD Quicktakes, Movie DVDs, Movies

The Winning Season

December 7, 2010 /

Sam Rockwell might just be one of the most consistent actors of his generation, delivering solid work for the better part of the last decade with little recognition to show for it. But while his performance in “The Winning Season” can hardly be considered a career best, the film is a lot better because of his involvement. After all, most underdog sports movies rarely aspire to more than just crowd-pleaser status, and though the story is as predictable as they come – a washed out basketball prospect (Rockwell) is given a second chance at life when he’s offered the coaching job for a girls’ high school team – it does its best to avoid the typical genre clichés and offer something beyond those schmaltzy, inspirational moments.

That’s not to say that the film is entirely successful, but director James C. Strouse keeps those moments to a bare minimum, focusing less on the basketball team and more on the man in charge. It’s a lot like “Hoosiers” in spirit, but hardly a classic in the making. Still, Rockwell is always a joy to watch, and he’s surrounded by a great supporting cast (including Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, and the ever-reliable Margo Martindale), so unless you’re just sick of the genre as a whole, there’s no reason you won’t enjoy “The Winning Season” for the piece of feel-good entertainment that it is.

Click to buy “The Winning Season”

Actors, External Movie DVDs, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movie DVD Quicktakes, Movie DVDs, Movies

Vampires Suck

December 4, 2010 /

2009 may not have been a spectacular year in cinema, but at least Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer didn’t add to the pile of disappointment with another one of their stupid spoof movies. Unfortunately, they didn’t go away for good, and the best thing that can be said about their new film, “Vampires Suck,” is that it’s not as bad as their previous efforts. At the very least, it’s a lot more focused, using the first two “Twilight” movies as the backbone of the story, almost to the point of copyright infringement. Stephanie Meyer’s teen angst-filled universe is certainly a place that’s ripe for comedy, but Friedberg and Seltzer seem content with just throwing a bunch of lazy, half-baked jokes at the wall and praying that some of them stick.

Most of the jokes fall well short of their mark, but there are a few smirk-worthy moments thanks to stars Jenn Proske and Matt Lanter, both of whom do spot-on impressions of the actors they’re parodying. The film also has a surprisingly high production value compared to the directors’ previous work, which often looked like they were shot in someone’s backyard. But the problem with spoofing a phenomenon like “Twilight” is that only people who’ve seen the movies will understand a majority of the jokes, and they’re probably the last group that would want to watch “Vampires Suck.” It’s definitely a step forward for Friedberg and Seltzer, but it’s a small step, because the movie is still so terrible that it’s difficult to put into words. Let’s just say vampires aren’t the only thing that sucks.

Click to buy “Vampires Suck”

External Movie DVDs, Movie Comedies, Movie DVD Quicktakes, Movie DVDs, Movies

The Price of Pleasure: Pornography, Sexuality, and Relationships

December 2, 2010 /

It was only a matter of time before someone made this doc; pity it wasn’t done better. Once confined to the fringes of pop culture, pornography has exploded in the internet age, and this hour-long documentary aims to dissect the use (and misuse) of pornography and its effect on relationships. The interviewees range from porn producers and stars to academics, along with some candid interviews with porn consumers both on camera and off about how viewing porn flicks affected their sexual desires. (One man, anonymously of course, confesses to preferring rough sex after he saw it in a movie.) The best bit comes when a present-day porn star lists her price for various acts, which will have you thinking, “Really, that’s all you get for that?”

It’s pretty clear that the filmmakers do not approve of porn, and that’s fine; the problem is that they’re too passive-aggressive in their approach. They give the founder of the Burning Angel web site enough rope to hang an army (she says on camera that she has no idea what it means to objectify women), yet they never throw a single follow-up question at any of their so-called villains, just to see how deep a hole they might dig. The filmmakers clearly hold these people in contempt; why didn’t they go for the kill?

That is the least of the film’s troubles, though. The narration is flat, the production is spotty, and one bit towards the end, where they try to compare a series of “Saw”-inspired porn flicks to torture (yes, that sound you hear is the ‘torture porn’ jokes writing themselves), could have used a little more follow-through. They’re not wrong in decrying the unpleasant (read: violent) shift in tone that the industry has undergone (slapping, choking, “Say you’re a dirty whore,” etc.), but they also didn’t go out of their way to find anyone who might challenge their preconceived notions on the subject, either, nor did they discuss the possibility that the industry is a reflection of society, not the other way around.

There is a great movie to be made on this subject, because there are questions here that deserve answers. “The Price of Pleasure,” though, isn’t it. Ironic that, had they been as aggressive as the material they’re trying to eviscerate, they would have been much more successful.

Click to buy “The Price of Pleasure”

Documentaries, External Movie DVDs, Movie DVD Quicktakes, Movie DVDs

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