Gosford Park is a strong and finely acted ensemble drama from the king of the ensemble, Robert Altman and even though I don’t consider this his best film, it’s still well done.
The Lincoln Lawyer isn’t breaking any new ground in the legal thriller genre. The plot itself is less mystery and more character so those expecting some twist might be disappointed. That being said, as somebody who has never been enamored with Matthew McConaughey, here he’s near pitch perfect for the part.
I enjoy Playing by Heart for what it is, a fun, if not overly dramatic, ensemble with some good performances as well as clichéd storytelling, especially in one of the storylines. That being said, this is the poorest excuse of a Blu-ray release I’ve ever come across. The video has interlacing issues not to mention dirt and scratch marks while the audio is, at best, average and that’s being generous. The only way I’d recommend picking up this release is if it’s cheap (i.e. <$5) and you don’t already own either of the DVD releases.