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New Release Tuesday: Last year’s best film
It’s a busy week for DVD’s starting today, with the release of the best film of 2007. So first thing’s first:
There Will Be Blood: Daniel Day-Lewis’ towering performance is an immoral and amoral oil man richly deserved all the awards attention it got, and as good as No Country for Old Men is, this enthralling, hypnotic film should have won Best Picture. In a way, it may very well be this year’s best film too, because it didn’t reach the Dayton area until this year. Only disappointment: the DVD extras look awfully skimpy, especially for a two-disc set. GRADE: A+
Lions for Lambs: Robert Redford’s “anti-war” film is actually more of a “pro-get involved” movie that’s a bit too talky and didactic for its own good, but it’s at least worth a look, particularly with Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise also in the cast. Full review: GRADE: B-
Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story: Here’s a rarity - a funny movie that saved all its worst jokes for the trailer. Maybe that’s why this Judd Apatow project flopped at the box office last year. Most obviously it’s a parody of Walk the Line, but that’s the weakest material in the movie. It’s when the film parodies everything from Don’t Look Back to Yellow Submarine to Pet Sounds that it becomes manically inspired. GRADE: B
From the catalog
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen: This was the film that sealed Terry Gilliam’s reputation as a “problem” director as the budget and production spiraled out of control. Much of the chaos wasn’t Gilliam’s fault, but he has admitted he wishes he could go back and tighten the film a bit. But even in its flawed form, it’s a fabulously entertaining if occasionally messy journey. A new DVD issue features an extensive batch of extras. GRADE: A
Also out today
P2: Refers to a parking lot number. PU indicated the level of interest.
Reservation Road: Suburbanites, including Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly and Mira Sorvino, cope with the consequences when one of them commits a hit and run.
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep: The true nature of the Loch Ness Monster is revealed, and he turns out to be rather cute. From a story by the author that inspired Babe.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: On Video/DVD
Comments
By SRCputt
April 8, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
I didn’t know what to think of There Will Be Blood when I first saw it, but man, has it stayed with me. I think four of the best picture noms this year were great (if they had got Diving Bell and the Butterfly, they could have had five) but of the nominees, There Will be Blood would have had my vote.