Upcoming Blu-ray releases July 11-16

US Blu-ray releases

July 11

Vexille 2077

July 12

2012: Ice Age

Baka & Test: Summon the Beasts Season One

Battle Beyond the Stars

B.B. King: Live

Brazil

Brother’s Justice

Buster Keaton Short Films Collection

Damnation Alley

Dinocroc vs. Supergator

Donizetti: Don Pasquale

The Egyptian

Entourage: The Complete Seventh Season

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth

Foreigner: Live

Franco de Vita: En Primera Fila

Insidious

The Lincoln Lawyer

Megadeth: That One Night – Live in Buenos Aires

Miracles of Nature – Extreme Habitats

Miracles of Nature – Unique Island Destinations

Miracles of Nature – Unique Travel Destinations

Miral

Naked (Criterion Collection)

Poirot: Movie Collection Set 6

Ring of Fire

Robot Chicken: Star Wars III

Tropical Rainforest

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Verdi: Rigoletto

White Irish Drinkers

July 15

Arthur

Rango

Canadian Blu-ray releases

July 12

Battle Beyond the Stars

B.B. King: Live

Brazil

Buster Keaton Short Films Collection

Damnation Alley

Dinocroc vs. Supergator

Entourage: The Complete Seventh Season

Entourage: The Complete Seventh Season (French Edition)

Foreigner: Live

French Kiss

The Greatest Places

Infested

Insidious

Judgement In Berlin

Killer Weekend

The Lincoln Lawyer

Megadeth: That One Night – Live in Buenos Aires

Poirot: Classic Collection Set 6

[REC] / [REC] 2

[REC] 2

Search for the Great Sharks

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

July 15

Arthur

Rango

UK Blu-ray releases

July 11

Animal Kingdom

Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: Los Angeles (HMV Exclusive Steelbook)

Black Sheep

Conan the Barbarian

Doctor Who: Series 6 Part 1

Essential Killing

Fair Game

Ironclad

Legendary Warriors Box Set

Troy / 10,000 B.C. / Clash of the Titans / 300

Obsession

Patagonia

That’s What I Am

The Twilight Saga Triple

Twilight / New Moon / Eclipse

July 12

Donizetti: Don Pasquale

Australian Blu-ray releases

July 13

Blades of Blood

The Company Men

The Firm

Hall Pass

Love Birds

July 14

Wasted on the Young

French Blu-ray releases

July 11

Battle of Los Angeles

Bimbo 3D

The Death and Life of Bobby Z

Due Date

Pinup 3D

July 12

Festival Interceltique de Lorient - 40 ans

Kennedys

L’assaut

July 13

The Rite

July 16

Battle: Los Angeles

Children of Men: A disturbing look at a possible future

Children of Men (sci-fi, drama)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Chiwetel Ejiofor

Universal Studios | 2006 | 110 min | Rated R | Released May 26, 2009

Video:

Video codec: VC-1

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, German, Italian, Spanish: DTS 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Mandarin (Traditional), Portuguese, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

If you have ever seen The Road, or 28 Days Later, you’ll recognize the look of Children of Men. It’s set in the future in a world that looks familiar, but it’s dirtier, grittier and less safe than the world you’re used to seeing.

The movie is set in Britain in 2027 and Theo Faron (Owen) learns through a newscast that the world’s youngest person has died at the age of 18. Doesn’t that sound odd? Have you ever heard a report that sounds anything like that? It immediately alerts us to the fact that something is wrong. We find out that all humans are infertile and no child has been produced for more than 18 years.

If people are no longer born, how long would it take for the world’s existing population to die? What would happen to those already here, knowing that they will be among the last of their species?

Theo visits his friend, Jasper (Michael Caine), who hides away in a house in the woods. Illegal immigrants are everywhere and government messages urge people to report them. Theo is abducted early in the story by Julian (Moore) who is his former lover. Movement within the country is restricted and she wants Theo to obtain transfer papers so that her group can take a young woman, Kee, to the coast and safety.

It’s a brutal existence and Theo eventually finds himself as Kee’s only hope. She’s one of the most important people on the planet, but only a small group of people know why. Theo guards her to the best of his ability and attempts to get her to safety using a contact of Jasper’s to help them. He accepts help whenever it’s offered.

Some of the street scenes would be more at home in a war movie. It seems that the military regularly clashes with civilians and every group has an agenda. It’s a crazy existence where law and order is virtually non-existent, and it would be frightening to experience. Do the people have any goals at all that don’t involve killing and stealing what they can from others? The military prefers to shoot first and ask questions later. 

It impresses me that even though the world is a chaotic place and full of danger, the plot remains coherent. The audience is never in doubt about Theo’s intentions; just his ability to succeed. The resolution won’t make everyone happy. It’s not clear what will happen in the future. This is a snapshot showing one key event in a seemingly hopeless situation. When it’s all over, we are left with hope, and that’s enough.

Video Quality 4.5/5

Although the setting is grimy, the presentation is clean and detailed. The desolate world is often presented in shades of gray, but that’s no fault of the transfer. Blacks are clearly defined and colors are accurate. Scenes shot in the forest look vivid and full of detail. I didn’t detect any noise or print damage and the overall look is very pleasing.

Audio Quality 4/5

There aren’t many scenes in which the action dominates, but the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix rises to the occasion when it has to. An early explosion is startling, while the sound of bullets zipping past in the final act is effective. The mix is a little front-heavy, but everything works and it sounds effective. There are quite a few songs included in the mix and that’s where the presentation really shines.

Special Features 3/5

The additional features all appear in standard definition:

Deleted Scenes (2:22) – Three additional scenes that add very little to the story.

The Possibility of Hope (27:16) – Philosophers talking about the future and what will happen if we pursue our present course.

Children of Men Comments by Slavoj Zizek (5:44) – Explaining the background scenes and themes in greater depth.

Under Attack (7:36) – Director Alfonso Cuarón and some of the cast and crew talk about how one of the best action scenes was shot using a single take.

Theo & Julian (4:40) – Owen and Moore talk about their characters. Julian was the reason Theo got involved and we learn how he’s considered an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances.

Futuristic Design (8:38) – Describing the differences between the decay of existing infrastructure and new technology such as car styles.

Visual Effects: Creating the Baby (3:06) – Deconstructing a scene to show how special effects are used.

U Control

BD-Live

Alfonso Cuarón directed arguably the best of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and he’s created a thought-provoking movie. One of the things that struck me is the level of detail involved in predicting the future world without children. His world is believable and I found myself nodding at some of the details. It’s a brutal place to visit, but a rewarding experience. The Blu-ray presentation is very good and fans of the movie or Clive Owen shouldn’t hesitate to pick it up.

Overall score 4/5

Click here to see where Children of Men ranks among my Top 20 science fiction movies.

Return to index of every review on the site. 

My Top 20 science fiction movies: Part 2, #11-15

My Top 20 science fiction movies (continued)

15. Children of Men (2006)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Chiwetel Ejiofor

Clive Owen impresses me every time I see him. He’s convincing when he plays in a drama, has good comic timing and doesn’t look out of place in action roles. Children of Men is set in the year 2027 and we quickly learn that the world’s youngest person has died. Think about that for a moment. What a strange thing to report. It’s unusual enough to grab your attention and make you realize that something is wrong in this version of the future. The problem is gradually revealed and we see that the world’s population is infertile and there hasn’t been a birth in 18 years. When Theo (Owen) is introduced to Kee, she shows him that she’s pregnant. The setting is Britain and it’s not a very safe place. Society has started to break down and it’s common to hear gunfire on the streets. Theo is charged with taking Kee to safety, and that means finding a boat to leave England. He’s helped by Jasper (Michael Caine) who is great in the role. It’s a gritty movie and reminds me of 28 Days Later and The Road. Director Alfonso Cuarón was responsible for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; arguably the strongest release in that franchise. He’s made another good movie here. 

Click here for my full review.

14. Source Code (2011)

Directed by Duncan Jones

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga

I’ll be writing a full review of Source Code when I receive my review copy in a couple of weeks. If you didn’t see it in theaters, there are spoilers ahead:

Source Code plays like a mystery, but there’s no shortage of action. Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) is a soldier who wakes up in a chamber and doesn’t remember how he got there. A woman named Goodwin (Farmiga) appears on a screen and asks him what he remembers. He doesn’t remember much. Then we start to see what kind of ride we’re in for. Stevens suddenly inhabits the body of another man and he’s on a train. After eight minutes, the train explodes and he’s back in the chamber. This time he remembers more. We eventually find out that his task is to find out who was responsible for planting the bomb. He can keep going back, but only for eight minutes at a time. There’s also another deadline which I won’t mention here. The story is like a cross between Groundhog Day and Quantum Leap and it’s a great ride.

Click here for my full review.

13. Alien (1979)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt and John Hurt

I included Alien in my Top 10 horror movies, but I can’t leave it off this list. Here are my previous comments:

Ridley Scott’s Alien was a sensation on its release in 1979. The setup looks like that of a traditional science fiction movie, but it evolves into a battle for survival. The crew of a mining ship encounters an abandoned ship and decides to investigate. Its origin clearly isn’t human. Those investigating are allowed back onto the ship without undergoing proper quarantine procedures and a life-form is inadvertently brought on board. The creature evolves fast, increasing in size and adapting to its situation quickly. It starts to pick off the crew. Who will survive and what will happen to the creature? The first hour is the strongest half of the story due to the air of mystery surrounding the derelict ship, but the second half is far from weak and contains most of the action. It’s a movie with a lot of replay value and was popular enough to spawn three more films in the series.

12. Dune (1984)

Directed by David Lynch

Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, Francesca Annis and Max von Sydow

This is a controversial selection. Dune was the first science fiction novel I ever read and it’s a wonderful story. It’s also complex and far too long to comfortably fit into a two-hour movie. It really deserves the Lord of the Rings treatment and would have been better as a series of two or three movies. The special effects look pretty bad, especially during the concluding battle. But I’m a Lynch fan and there are a lot of things I enjoy. It’s enough for me to forgive the weaker aspects of the movie. Paul Atreides (MacLachlan) is forced to leave his home and live on a desert planet, Dune. The vast deserts are populated by the Fremen, who have adapted to the extreme climate. The deserts also contain worms which can be hundreds of yards long. It’s a harsh world. The story is a mix of politics and action, and is carried by an excellent cast. Maybe my mind fills in the gaps in the story because I have read the book, but I don’t think that the criticism is justified. There is an extended edition which Lynch disowned, but the regular version is the better movie.

11. The Abyss (1989)

Directed by James Cameron

Starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Biehn

If you watch The Abyss, it’s worth seeing the 171-minute special edition which is more than 30 minutes longer than the theatrical release. It takes the story further and makes it a lot more interesting. The movie won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects and was nominated in three other technical categories. Whatever you say about James Cameron, the man knows how to deliver movies with mass appeal. The acting usually isn’t the best, but The Abyss contains two very strong performances from Virgil (Harris) and Lindsey (Mastrantonio) who play the leads. Their mission is to investigate the crash of a nuclear submarine. What they find is totally new to science and doesn’t look like it could have originated on Earth. The special effects were ahead of their time and the Oscar was deserved. The story is gripping and Harris is at his best. The restored conclusion is satisfying and plausible, given the circumstances. I once watched the movie without sound and it still held my interest throughout. Just writing about it makes me want to watch it again, but I’ll try and hold out for a Blu-ray release.

Click here to see numbers 16-20 on the list.

Click here to see numbers 6-10 on the list.
Click here to see numbers 1-5 on the list. 

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War of the Worlds (1953): Dated now, but well ahead of its time

War of the Worlds (1953) (Action, Horror, Sci-Fi)

Directed by Byron Haskin

Starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne

Paramount Pictures | 1953 | 85 min | Rated G | Released Apr. 20, 1999

The Film 4/5

War of the Worlds won an Oscar for Best Special Effects and was nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. That’s somewhat hard to believe now, but I imagine that the effects did look advanced in 1953. Looking at the movie now, it’s obvious that the backdrop is fake. Martian machines are clearly held up by wires and the acting is terrible by modern standards, but that doesn’t mean that the movie doesn’t work.

The story begins with what’s thought to be a meteor strike in California, but it turns out to be nothing of the sort. The opening monologue tells us that beings from Mars covet Earth for its mild climate and abundance of water. Three locals see a hatch in the “meteor” unscrew and a snake-like head emerges. The music in this scene is overly dramatic, but it somehow works. As it’s the 1950s, the three men can’t call the police on their phones, so they decide to investigate on their own and are killed by a burst of fire from the strange machine.

Meanwhile, the lights and phones in town all stop working and everyone’s watch stops at the same time. It’s clear that something unusual is happening. Although I have pointed out how bad the effects look now, there’s still plenty of tension. I always find myself wanting to see what will happen next. The original radio broadcast of the story (by Orson Welles in 1938) had many Americans thinking that the attack was real. So, remember that the story was original when the movie was first shown. Audiences weren’t conditioned to believe that any visiting aliens were automatically malevolent.

A local professor, Dr. Clayton Forrester (Barry) happens to be on hand. He advises the police to call in the military. One of the better scenes involves speculation about what a Martian might look like. It takes into account everything we know about Mars. How would Earth’s gravity affect a Martian? What about the composition of the air or the temperature? Unfortunately, few of the scenes contain that level of authenticity.

Sylvia (Robinson), a young woman who is familiar with Forrester’s work, meets him at the crash site. This eventually develops into a romantic interest. Her uncle is a priest and all three are allowed to contribute as the military try to devise a plan of action. I can’t imagine that happening today. The priest ignores everyone’s wishes and decides that diplomacy is the best course of action. He speculates that as a more advanced species, Martians would naturally be closer to the creator. I can’t imagine a more controversial topic than that one. Would God favor one planet’s inhabitants over another? Did He create everything, or just us? I’m not touching that one.

In any event, the priest doesn’t get the reaction he’s hoping for.

As the plot develops, the military assumes a bigger role. Various methods are tried, but the Martian machines seem unharmed. Nuclear weapons fail to stop the machines and it’s clear that some kind of invasion is taking place. If the Martians want the Earth, why do they attempt to destroy everything? Why don’t any of the humans attempt to take over the machines and use them to fight back?

Dr. Forrester proves to be suitable hero material. He’s not only quick-witted, he’s able to fly a plane. The story develops into what looks like a hopeless struggle for humanity, and we’re shown what happens to Forrester and Sylvia.

The H. G. Wells novel was written in 1898 and was considerably ahead of its time, just like the movie. The idea that impresses me the most is revealed in the conclusion of the story. How would such a potent force, seemingly impervious to any weapons Earth has to offer, ever be defeated? Wells’ resolution was brilliantly conceived. It doesn’t play out well as a movie, because the end is so abrupt, but the idea itself is the most interesting idea in the entire story.

War of the Worlds looks dated. Would you expect anything else from a movie made in 1953? But, despite the cheesy story, there’s enough originality to make it an important movie. I still enjoy it and completely understand why Steven Spielberg chose to make an updated version in 2005. Try to overlook its obvious faults and think about how you might have reacted if you had been around when it was released.

Click here to see where War of the Worlds ranks among my Top 20 science fiction movies. 

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My Top 20 science fiction movies: Part 1, #16-20

My Top 20 science fiction movies

The good thing about science fiction is that nothing is off limits. You can change history, visit other worlds, have characters that live as long as you like, and change almost any rule you can think of. Some of my favorite movies fall into this genre because they spark my imagination. Like any genre, there's good and bad, but the best science fiction movies can rank alongside more serious films.

I'm still waiting to see an adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game on the big screen, but I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever happen.

So let's focus on what has been released. The remaining 15 movies on my list will be revealed over the coming week, but here are the first five:

20. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe and Brad Pitt

Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys is 130 minutes of confusion and action, but it all makes sense in the end. We are shown a glimpse of the future and it’s not a very nice place. A plague wiped out most of the world’s population in 1996 and the surviving humans are forced to cower underground due to the inhospitable conditions above. Although the setting seems primitive, the technology available is not. Cole (Willis) is chosen to travel back in time in order to stop the plague from happening. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of accurate information available. To make things worse, he initially arrives in 1990 rather than 1996. His ravings about the impending disaster are ignored and he’s considered mentally ill and dangerous. Gilliam’s world is interesting and the plot is intelligent. Willis is great as Cole and I consider this Gilliam’s best movie. He’ll keep you guessing, but you’re always rooting for Cole. It’s a captivating tale.

19. Deep Impact (1998)

Directed by Mimi Leder

Starring Téa Leoni, Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood and Morgan Freeman

If you followed my Top 10 Horror series, you will know that I’m fascinated by how society breaks down when it’s threatened by something serious. Jenny Lerner (Leoni) is a reporter who is hoping to advance her career. She gets her chance when she inadvertently discovers that a comet is threatening life on Earth. The president (Freeman) confirms her discovery and addresses the nation to talk about the threat. A mission, led by veteran Spurgeon Tanner (Duvall), is planned to intercept the comet and blow it apart before it gets close to Earth. The reason that Deep Impact works is the human stories involved. Some involve family, some romance, and others survival. There’s enough to make you care whether these characters live or die. Special effects are good when needed, but this is more about the characters than the effects. Duvall is superb in his role and the story is mostly believable.

18. War of the Worlds (1953)

Directed by Byron Haskin

Starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne

War of the Worlds hasn’t aged well. The special effects look terrible when compared to those produced by modern technology. The scenery is obviously fake; the alien machines are clearly held up by wires; the acting is weak, and the music is overly dramatic. I think it deserves this ranking because it’s an imaginative story which was ahead of its time. The initial sense of mystery and discovery surrounding the first “meteor” landing was handled well. I always find myself wanting to see how everything unfolds. I don’t believe for a minute that today’s military would consult a priest, a professor and his niece, but that doesn’t matter. This was made in a different time. The novel by H.G. Wells has an interesting ending which is entirely possible should an invasion occur, but it doesn’t work particularly well on film. The ending feels rushed and too abrupt. Overall, War of the Worlds was effective and holds an important place in cinema history. How many things have you seen that were influenced by it?

Click here to see a full review for War of the Worlds.

17. I, Robot (2004)

Directed by Alex Proyas

Starring Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan and Bruce Greenwood

I strongly considered three Alex Proyas titles when compiling this list, but Knowing and Dark City narrowly missed out. I, Robot is loosely based on an Isaac Asimov novel. Detective Spooner (Smith) is not entirely convinced that the robots will obey the three laws, and fears that they could eventually become a threat to humans. The year is 2035 and the view of the future is quite convincing. Smith proved that he’s more than a comedian or an action star in such dramas as The Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Pounds, and he shows some of that range here. One of the robots, Sonny (Alan Tudyk), is suspected of committing a crime. Spooner’s hatred of robots initially clouds his opinion, but he shows that he’s capable of change. The story is an action-packed thriller in which Smith tries to solve the crime and discover whether Sonny is innocent or guilty. The movie is a perfect choice if you want to show off your home theater, boasting one of the best live action images available on Blu-ray. The sound isn’t too shabby either.

16. Star Trek (2009)

Directed by J. J. Abrams

Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Leonard Nimoy

I grew up watching the original Star Trek crew and feared that this reboot would ruin the franchise, but after watching it, I had a smile on my face. There are just enough references to the original crew, but the movie doesn’t make the mistake of trying to impersonate the old characters. Kirk (Pine) is sure of himself and not afraid to express his opinion, and I could easily see Shatner’s Kirk doing the same thing in his youth. Some of the details that we do learn add something to the original movies. It’s good to know how McCoy got his nickname and why Kirk and Sulu have always been friends. Uhura (Saldana) was another good casting choice. In fact, I was pretty happy with all the casting decisions. Spock (Quinto) has an important role to play in the story, especially when Nimoy shows up. The plot was fairly basic and isn’t the reason I rank the movie in my Top 20. It works because it establishes the new actors in a believable way. It looks better than any Star Trek movie ever has because technology has moved on since the original series. The repeated use of lens flares might annoy some, but I liked the overall presentation. The plot left the future of the franchise completely open and it’s no longer necessary to worry about matching every event that happened to the original crew. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

Click here to see numbers 11-15 on the list.
Click here to see numbers 6-10 on the list. 
Click here to see numbers 1-5 on the list. 

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Midnight in Paris: A magical story that will make you laugh and think

Midnight in Paris (comedy, fantasy, romance)

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody

2011 | 94 min | PG-13 | 1.85:1 | Theatrical Release Date June 10, 2011

The Film 5/5

Woody Allen has directed more than 40 movies and Midnight in Paris is one of his best. It’s a gentle comedy with a strong fantasy element. Like most of Allen’s movies, it relies on good writing and clever dialogue.

The fantasy element changes the entire feel of the movie, and although it’s revealed early in the story, I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. However, this would be a very short review if I didn't mention it at all. So please be warned that the remainder of the review contains spoilers. If you don’t want to know, it’s time to stop reading.

The story is built around Gil Pender (Wilson), who arrives in Paris with his fiancée, Inez (McAdams). He’s a writer hoping to find inspiration and she wants to see some of the local sights. The two explore the city with friends Paul (Sheen) and Carol. Paul claims to be an authority on everything and Gil is annoyed by him, but Inez used to have a crush on Paul and enjoys his company.

One evening, Gil decides that he will take a walk alone to get away from Paul. He’s a little drunk and manages to get lost, and eventually finds himself sitting on some steps at midnight. It’s here that the entire movie changes. A vintage car stops and the people inside urge Gil to get in. They take him to a party and he discovers that Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald are among the guests. He’s surprised at their names, and even more baffled when he’s introduced to Ernest Hemingway.

Gil has traveled back into the 1920s.

What would you say to Fitzgerald and Hemingway if you were an aspiring writer? Gil is both astonished and thrilled to be in their presence and mentions that he’s also a writer. The trip to the past isn’t permanent and he wakes up in the present the next morning. Was it just a dream, or was it real? Allen never explains how Gil returns from the past.

He tries to reenact the event, taking Inez with him, but she leaves before midnight. When the clock strikes, the car appears again and he’s back in the past. He’s introduced to other famous artists, singers and writers, and Gertrude Stein (Bates) critiques his manuscript. Gil seems at home in the 1920s and happier than when he is with Inez in the present. The people seem to understand him better and he fits right in. 

The story is filled with interesting encounters. The characters spend a lot of time talking, and Allen’s imagination keeps things more than interesting. I found it quite gripping. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Hemingway and was reminded of Dan Simmons’ fictional book about him, The Crook Factory. Every encounter with people from 1920s Paris was both charming and intriguing. I found myself imagining how they must have lived, and what it would be like to exist in such a creative environment.

The audience in my theater laughed often and everyone left with a smile on their face. It was a magical experience seeing people such as Dali (Brody) and Picasso before they were famous. The setting was perfect, showing the contrast between modern Paris and the city as it was almost a century ago.

Wilson was as good as I have ever seen him in the role that Allen presumably would have played in his youth. I like Wilson’s quirky delivery and his character wasn’t too far removed from the one he played in The Darjeeling Limited. Gil enjoys defying expectations and isn’t understood by his friends and potential in-laws.

All of the acting impressed me and Sheen was just about perfect as the insufferable Paul. The story was imaginative and different, and not at all what I expected. I left the theater grinning and charmed by the whole story. Allen’s last Oscar came in 1987 when he won for Best Screenplay (Hannah and Her Sisters). I wouldn’t be surprised if Midnight in Paris received a couple of nominations, and he might just win a fourth Oscar.

If you enjoy Woody Allen at all, Midnight in Paris is well worth a trip to the theater. Its charm will draw you in and the dialogue will make you laugh.

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Four Weddings and a Funeral: Good observational humor

Four Weddings and a Funeral (comedy, romance, drama)

Directed by Mike Newell

Starring Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Simon Callow and James Fleet

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | 1994 | 117 min | Rated R | Released Jan 11, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Italian, Spanish: DTS 5.1

Polish, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Discs:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 3.5/5

Four Weddings and a Funeral was released in 1994 and was a breakout role for Hugh Grant. If you have seen Notting Hill, Love Actually or the Bridget Jones movies, you’ll know that Grant plays similar characters in every movie. Writer Richard Curtis wrote all of those screenplays and understands what Grant can do. He typically plays eloquent characters who are a bit confused about what they want in life. He has great comic timing and plays his roles with a lot of charm.

The movie opens with Charles (Grant) late for a wedding. We see him dash around with his flatmate, Scarlett, and drive like a maniac to reach the church on time. He’s the best man, but he’s forgotten to bring the rings. This opening sequence is pretty funny and sets the scene well.

Almost all of the action takes place at the four weddings and the funeral mentioned in the title. We are introduced to Charles and his friends, and they appear at every wedding. Tom (Fleet) is one of the richest men in Britain, but is clueless about women and doesn’t have a girlfriend. He’s amusing and harmless and reminds me of Colin Firth’s character in Love Actually. Gareth embraces life and throws himself into any situation without stopping to worry whether he’s making a fool of himself, while Matthew is his lover.

The story is full of good observations about human behavior. If you have ever been to a wedding, you’ll recognize the types of character portrayed in the movie. Some are there because they genuinely want to be, but others tag along as an excuse to get drunk or to seek romantic partners of their own. Some are touching and others are embarrassing or annoying.

At the first wedding, Charles encounters Carrie (MacDowell). He likes her instantly and changes his plans so that he stays at the same inn. They have a romantic moment, but it quickly ends when Carrie announces that she has to return to America.

The rest of the movie shows meetings between Charles and Carrie at each of the weddings. Their situations change each time, but it’s clear that they like each other. Charles runs into previous girlfriends continually, but considers marriage as something to be avoided for the most part. In contrast, Gareth thinks marriage is a good way to get out of a boring conversation.

Charles has a brother, David, who is deaf and communicates through sign language. That sets up a few of the funnier scenes when Charles lies about what David is saying. Another interesting character is Father Gerald; a young priest played by Rowan Atkinson. Most American viewers will know him as Mr. Bean, but he’s appeared in numerous movies of this type as well as Blackadder, which was a TV series also written by Curtis. Father Gerald isn’t a very good priest, but he’ll probably make you laugh.

The movie succeeds because the characters are believable and similar to people we have encountered in our own lives. It’s easy to identify with the main characters because the story rings true. It’s above average in terms of romantic comedies and also works as pure comedy. Even if you don’t care about Charles and Carrie, there’s plenty to smile at. I wouldn’t rate Four Weddings and a Funeral up there with Love Actually, but it’s worth seeing.

Video Quality 3.5/5

Unless you bought Target’s exclusive version in January, this is the first time you’ll have had the chance to see Four Weddings and a Funeral on Blu-ray. The result is a clear upgrade, as you would expect, but it’s not a stellar transfer by any means. The movie is plagued with minor scratches and dirt throughout the 118 minutes. The image is soft at times and clarity never threatens to dazzle the viewer. Colors are accurate, but a little subdued. I briefly considered a 3/5 rating, but I think most of the presentation deserves the extra half point. Fans of the movie should buy it, but temper expectations.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is more than adequate, but this isn’t the kind of movie that makes full use of sound. It consists of dialogue-driven scenes for the most part, although the surrounds do add depth in the wedding reception scenes. I thought I detected minor sync issues in a couple of places, but they were brief.

Special Features 3/5

The special features are all presented in standard definition and were included on the DVD version of the movie.

Commentary with Director Mike Newell, Producer Duncan Kenworthy and Writer Richard Curtis.

In the Making (7:45)

The Wedding Planners (29:48) – A longer look at how the movie was made.

Two Actors and a Director (5:41) – Explaining how Grant and MacDowell were chosen for the lead roles.

Deleted Scenes (4:02) – Six brief scenes.

Promotional Spots (3:26)

Theatrical Trailer (2:08)

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a lot of fun, and works well for fans of British humor. Grant and MacDowell play their roles well. The Blu-ray offers a reasonable upgrade and is worth adding to your collection if you’re a fan of the movie or if you like romantic comedies. The price is very attractive at the moment and is readily available for under $12. The best price at the time of writing is $8.49 at Barnes & Noble. 

Overall score 3.5/5 

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