On DVD November 10th…
Thursday, November 6th, 2008
DVDs to look out for in the shops from November 10th…
(Click on the DVD covers to see more info about the release at Amazon.co.uk)
Family Guy – Season 7
The Lowdown: The Griffins are back with 13 more episodes of madcap insanity. Episodes range from the family buying their own restaurant, only to end up being attacked by a robot made of disabled people, to Peter deciding he actually does like daughter, Meg. Plus, after eight years of trying, Stewie finally manages to kill Lois, or does he?
What We Say: “The five US Season 5 episodes are still very entertaining, including a couple of inspired moments, such as the Griffins coming under attack from a giant transforming robot made up of people in wheelchairs. It may not be PC, but it is funny. However something seems to go very wrong with the seven Season 6 episodes. While Family Guy has always been somewhat random, it got away with it by being funny and having an odd internal logic. However here the jokes fall flat and the logic evaporates, making many of the episodes frustrating rather than entertaining.”
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
The Lowdown: A young man called Mutt Williams brings a coded message to aging archaeologist/adventurer Indiana Jones. Although initially reluctant to get involved, Indy is thrust into the fray when it becomes clear the Soviets, led by Irina Spalko, are involved, leading him to South America and crystal skulls that hold immense power.
What We Say: “While maybe not as good as Raiders or The Last Crusade, Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is still a fine blockbuster and a step ahead of Temple Of Doom. It may have moments that dip so far into silliness that it nearly throws you out of the 1950s fun, but for the most part it keeps the spirit established in the first three films. Likewise, for a guy in his mid 60s, Harrison Ford does extremely well. There are moments where he looks a little bit doddery, but he can still sell the character extremely well.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY
OR AS PART OF A DVD COLLECTION WITH THE OTHER INDY MOVIES
Gavin & Stacey - Series 2
The Lowdown: Gavin and Stacey return from their honeymoon only to discover that Nessa is pregnant with Smiffy’s child. As everybody rallies around the unprepared future parents, no one seems to notice that Stacey is having a little difficulty adapting to married life. Can the newlyweds survive the strain on their relationship?
What We Say: “With a brilliant first series that followed the misadventures of Barry born Stacey and Essex boy Gavin as they begin a relationship, the show has been deservedly praised for standout performances, sidesplitting dialogue and some fantastically eccentric characters. While some comedies go off the boil after that hit fledgling series, it’s safe to say that Gavin & Stacey - Series 2 manages to remain fresh with some hilarious new storylines and even more culture-clash nuttiness.”
Speed Racer
The Lowdown: Haunted by the death of his brother in a rally, Speed’s main goal in life is to win the cross-country championship, The Crucible. Realising his talent, a rival team makes Speed an offer, but after turning it down he realises some of the races are being fixed and that his rivals now want him out of the picture permanently.
What We Say: “Part of Speed Racer’s problem was that the trailers revealed nothing expect some very bright colours, leaving us with the selling point that it was by Matrix’s Wachowski Brothers. However knowing it was from the makers of The Matrix isn’t particularly useful info, as you’re bound to expect something very different from what Speed Racer is. It’s essentially a kid’s flick, with its main problem being that it’s so intently aimed as 6-12 year old boys that it’s a difficult sell for the studio, who need a far wider audience.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY.
The Mist
The Lowdown: A small town in Maine comes under attack from a strange mist. With no foreseeable means of escape, David Drayton and his son find themselves trapped in the local supermarket along with a large group of other townspeople, until that is, the mist unleashes the horrors from within!
What We Say: “The plot is pure Stephen King, throwing a small town into disarray thanks to some otherworldly atrocities. All of the clichéd townsfolk are present and accounted for, from the everyman husband/father to the religious nut, and Darabont manages to wring pretty bad performances out of most of them. However, the director knows how to build up tension and despite the film’s many flaws, The Mist delivers the chills and showcases the odd remarkable set piece.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY.
Donkey Punch
The Lowdown: Three fun-loving Northern girls are on holiday in Mallorca and find themselves being charmed by four British boys who invite them onboard their luxury yacht. Drink and drugs are the order of the day, but when a sex game gets out of hand, the debauchery spirals dangerously out of control…
What We Say: “Despite a compelling premise, the characters feel sketchy and the script sometimes seems positively threadbare. That said, Donkey Punch is undeniably effective, even if it does sometimes feel like an episode of ‘Hollyoaks’ on crack! Extras include an array of brisk press junket-style snippets with the likable cast and crew, and a few other behind-the-scenes offerings, but nothing wildly exciting.”
ALSO ON BLU-RAY.
Prisoner Cell Block H - Volume 1
The Lowdown: Welcome to Australia’s Wentworth Detention Centre, home to the criminal ladies of Cell Block H. While the screws make the woman’s life hell, prison Top Dog Bea Smith looks after those she likes and threatens those she doesn’t. However Bea’s about to get paroled, which could dramatically alter life at Wentworth, assuming Bea can stay out of Wentworth…
What We Say: “While the like of ‘Bag Girls’ has tried, nothing has ever managed to beat Prisoner Cell Block H in the women in prison stakes. It is admittedly immensely silly, with cardboard sets, hammy dialogue and dodgy acting, plus it’s so camp that it even got turned into a musical starring Lily Savage, yet it is without a doubt incredibly entertaining… The only possible problem if that this is only the first 32 of 692 episodes, so if they all end up getting released, you may have to give up your job and family just to have time to watch them all.”
ON BLU-RAY:
Band Of Brothers
The Lowdown: Based on the book by Stephen Ambrose, Band Of Brothers tells the story of ‘Easy Company’, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne division during WWII, and follows the troops from their first landing at Utah Beach to the final days of the war.
What We Say: “With a desaturated visual style (much like its big screen brother, Saving Private Ryan), the picture quality was never going to blind with its vibrancy, and sure enough, the colours don’t exactly pop and astound. Some of the grain has been cleaned up, though the sporadic grittiness results in a fairly inconsistent picture, and there’s not really a great deal of depth on offer either. Still, the picture provides a cleaner and sharper presentation than the standard DVD, and the DTS Master Audio beefs up the surround sound experience considerably.”
Baraka
The Lowdown: Ron Fricke’s non-narrative documentary explores and juxtaposes cultures and events from around the world. Shot in 152 locations in 24 countries, Baraka (a phrase from Sufi origin, meaning ‘blessing’) takes us on a journey from Argentina and Nepal to Cambodia and Tanzania.
What We Say: “This mesmerising and rhythmic masterpiece is definitely the kind of film that needs to be experienced in hi-def, and the picture more than does the film’s stunning photography justice. The detail is remarkable, from single strands of scraggly hair to water droplets on an animal’s fur. While the likes of the excellent Planet Earth Blu-ray revealed a heavy grain during interior shots, Baraka appears to be flawless throughout, easily surpassing its documentary cousin in terms of visuals. Indeed, picture-wise, this may be Blu-ray’s finest hour so far.”
For full reviews of many of these titles and over 100 more, don’t forget to buy your copy of Issue 110 of DVD Monthly, available now from all good newsagents or by clicking here.
