on A
BLAST OF RECENT DVD / BLU-RAY RELEASES Part 2
IN THE
HEART OF THE SEA (2015,
122 minutes, PG-13)
The
Quick of It -
I
watched this in the 3D Blu-ray format and was pleasantly surprised. If ever there was a movie that paid
attention to the visual experience with 3D in mind, without trying too hard,
HEART has to be among the top films on the list. Director Ron Howard pumped a lot of his money into this project
and received very little in return from the box office or from the
critics. This is a crying shame and
should be punishable. At its core, the
film is simple enough and a straightforward plot, a safe play on Ron’s part,
and may have been its demise. But the
film should not be dismissed as it is full of action and plays out like a real
story rather than a piece of fiction. I
think HEART’s attempt at realism was lost on most and left people wanting
more. I found it to be exactly what was
promised from the film and a thrilling sea adventure.
Grade:
B
THE
HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 (2015, 137 minutes, PG-13)
The
Quick of It -
Here
is the final film for THE HUNGER GAMES, hoping to finish off the trilogy
properly. I have to agree with those
that said splitting Mockingjay into two parts was a bad decision. We should have accepted the idea that we
would sit through a longer film, watching it from start to finish as a
contiguous piece. This would allow us
to appreciate the full process. By
splitting, it seems Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is brooding 80% of the time
with injected dialogue and scenes from surrounding storylines to fill the gaps
until the violence starts once again, with the inevitable conclusion close
behind. The action sequences are great
and arranged in an interesting set of sequences, the acting on par but not
phenomenal, and a descent wrap-up to finish this trilogy-ish.
Grade:
B-
VICTOR
FRANKENSTEIN (2015, 110 minutes, PG-13)
The Quick of It -
Here is a film that received no respect. James McAvoy (Victor Frankenstein) and
Daniel Radcliffe (Igor) take us on a wild ride. This is not your dark adaptation, more like a VAN HELSIG or
HANSEL & GRETEL: WITH HUNTERS. The
style is fast and quirky, and it works to a certain degree, and worth a
watch. Mary Shelley maybe rolling over
in her grave but I would have hoped she found this one a refreshing change
rather than a monster. Director Paul
McGuigan, who also was responsible for 4 episodes of ‘Sherlock’, will have his
chance again for the spotlight as he is doing the first two ‘Luke Cage’
episodes.
Grade: B-
LEGEND (2015, 132 minutes, R)
The Quick of It -
Seeing Tom Hardy play as twins is a true treat. The personalities were distinct enough, and
he clever enough, to pull off the skill needed to make you forget that this is
one person playing two roles. LEGEND is
based on the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray who were successful
‘businessmen’ in London during the 1960’s, with maybe a few criminal-like
dealings sprinkled in. The story is
solid and the acting keeps the drama moving even with this long runtime. It’s the crazy brother Ronnie who has you
waiting to see what he will say or do next.
If not for him, Reggie may have been a greater success and spent less
time locked behind bars. This film may
not be for everyone, but I found myself thoroughly engaged.
Grade: B
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