Home Again is hardly terrible but also hardly as charming as the filmmakers thought it was in spite of Reese Witherspoon whose talents are hardly taxed. This is at best a rental otherwise it’s a story that should’ve aired on the Hallmark Channel.
The Man in the Moon is a well made coming-of-age story that’s probably most memorable for being Reese Witherspoon’s introduction but also features a nice supporting cast.
S.F.W. is certainly an odd ball of a crime-drama with frenetic editing and direction to go along with the story while the performances are mostly good headlined by Stephen Dorff with special mention going to Jake Busey channeling his crazy father. As for the Blu-ray, there’s only a trailer while the video and audio transfers are decent enough.
Hot Pursuit has to be one of the more ill-conceived comedies to come down the pike in a while but even more perplexing are the two leads who aren’t in the least bit untalented actually signed on not only to star but served as producers. Granted, I’m sure the cast and crew had a blast while making it but for the audience, it’s an absolute chore to sit through. This is the type of crap that will end up airing on TBS in no time.
The Good Lie is perhaps one of the more overlooked films of 2014 and unfortunately the studio for whatever reason dumped it for a limited release in less than 500 screens in early October. The Blu-ray released by Warner doesn’t have much to offer in the bonus features department but the audio and video transfers are generally well done.
Rendition is an OK film shining light on a controversial practice but the drama is overwrought with over-the-top acting especially from Reese Witherspoon who seemed to have taken the role aiming for another Academy Award. But Meryl Streep and Alan Arkin are quite good in their limited roles.
Best Laid Plans isn’t a great film but I suppose one could call it a gem of a crime-thriller. The movie is held up thanks in large part due to the performances from Alessandro Nivola and Reese Witherspoon as well as some slick writing by Ted Griffin. Its debut on Blu-ray is less than stellar, unfortunately with subpar audio/video transfers and none of the special features being ported over.
Sweet Home Alabama is a fine romantic comedy that at least at times breaks the genre mold. Reese Witherspoon plays her usual role as a sassy character but she’s still charming and for his part, Josh Lucas serves as a suitable love interest. The Blu-ray is average fare for a catalogue title with some basic features and adequate audio and video transfers.
The DreamWorks Spooky Stories has a nice collection of shorts that the entire family will enjoy. The Blu-ray offers up excellent audio and video transfers but the features have much to be desired. While most of these were previously available on DVD, it’s still nice to have them all on one disc.
This Means War is by no means… err… no way a very good movie but because of the cast and at least an interesting premise, makes for an enjoyable, if not forgettable, action romantic comedy. Reese Witherspoon is as charming as ever and the rising stars of Chris Pine and Tom Hardy both show they can be leading men. The Blu-ray offers up excellent audio and video transfers and an OK selection of features that don’t amount to a whole lot.
This “Halloween Party DVD Pack” containing Scared Shrekless and Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space are both fun animated shorts for all ages. Not sure if they’ll become some sort of a yearly ritual viewing but both are worth checking out if you haven’t already. While the combined running time is under an hour, the set is prices around $15 and might be worth picking up especially if you’re a fan of either films.
There’s no doubt How Do You Know is a mess of a film yet there is some charm to it and if not for the spastic screenplay it might’ve made for an acceptable, if not forgettable, romantic comedy. Instead despite the efforts of the three leads – not to mention a heavy dose of overacting by Nicholson – the film never really takes off.
Outside of the features and the fact Fox failed to put the extended cut on the disc, this is a good Blu-ray for anyone to have in their collection. It may not have the outstanding visuals as others that have come before, but it’s still very good and the audio is fantastic.
I just don’t get Vince Vaughn. He’s one of those actors that somehow manage to be in a bunch of movies, yet they are all pretty much the same dang movie. He’s somehow hopelessly in love with a girl but it takes the entire movie for some chick to realize how much she loves him, or some sort of combination of love and not loving someone. Four Christmases doesn’t stray too much from his comedy genre, so if you’ve seen one Vaughn or Witherspoon flick, odds are you’ve seen them all.
Four Christmases, though at times funny, is filled with mostly unlikeable characters that you really could care less about, and that includes the two leads with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. And I like both of them even if they don’t exactly give stellar performances even in a romantic comedy genre that rarely produces anything of note (and of late). Read More…