Category: Movies (Page 420 of 498)

I took a pass on reviewing “The Queen” after my first viewing of the film because, well, it sucked. It was also boring as hell, but with the DVD hitting stores on April 24th, it seemed as good of time as any to revisit my thoughts on the Stephen Fears-directed drama.

Now, I tend to believe that I have quite the mental stamina when it comes to watching movies, but there’s not a single thing that happens in “The Queen” that even pretends to hold your interest. The Queen walks around her bazillion-yard estate, takes her dogs out for some fresh air, and does a whole lot of talking about things like British politics and such, but none of it really matters to the average moviegoer. The film is set around the Princess Diana tragedy (and how the country responds), but I would have much rather just watched a movie about Diana.

Based on the shakedown of every major (and minor) awards show of the year, it seems Helen Mirren was unbeatable. The performance definitely has its merits, but did every other actress in that category deserve such a thrashing? Not in the slightest. Plus, Michael Sheen’s turn as newly-elected British Prime Minister Tony Blair is far more remarkable than that of Mirren, so why didn’t he recieve even half as much acclaim?

Maybe it’s all part of some secret conspiracy by the Queen herself, but I’m more apt to believe that the film simply had a little luck on its side. You see, when a handful of respected film critics praise a particular film, the rest of the film critic community commonly follows suit, whether the movie deserves it or not. Unfortunately, “The Queen” doesn’t. It’s a well-made film in the tradition of BBC-produced dramas, but it would have been better off competing for an Emmy than an Oscar.

New on DVD this week:

1) The Good Shepherd – RENT: Much like “Babel,” Robert De Niro’s second directorial effort didn’t exactly dazzle me as much as I would have liked, but there’s definitely a good film to be had on the cutting room floor. In this case, it might have actually worked better as a longer feature. Go figure.

2) Charlotte’s Web – BUY: I’ve yet to actually see this version of the classic E.B. White tale, but if all of my fellow critic brethern are to be believed, it’s one heck of a film. Plus, the single-disc DVD is jam-packed with special features.

3) Volver – RENT: Penelope Cruz’s best performance to date, and one of the best foreign language films of the year. Why this wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award is beyond me, but it’s nice to see that Almodovar only gets better with age.

4) Black Christmas – PASS: Go rent the original. You’ll have more fun.

Also out this week is “Entourage: Season Three, Part One,” reissues of “The Natural” and “All That Jazz,” new season sets for “Twin Peaks,” “Murder, She Wrote” and “Roseanne,” and “The Brady Bunch: The Complete Series.”