Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
Sentinel is an uneven yet still creepy supernatural-horror flick with some good performances from a respectable ensemble cast that includes Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach and Christopher Walken. The Blu-ray released by Shout Factory has above average video and audio transfers and a fine selection of bonus material.
At Close Range is a bit uneven but still effective character drama headlined by a few great performances especially by Sean Penn and Christopher Walken. Despite some flaws, it’s a compelling story and worth checking out at least once. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time is nice and all with good video/audio transfers yet again comes at a high price.
Jersey Boys is clearly a passion project for producer/director Clint Eastwood and although the cast perform admirably enough, I never quite found the feature that engrossing but admittedly, I also don’t have much of a connection with the music or the group, so those who do (older crowd) might get more out of the movie than others.
The Dogs of War is one of the more pleasant surprises to come out of the Twilight Time pike with a great performance from Christopher Walken and a unique storyline that distinguishes it from other war films.
A Late Quartet is the surprise gem of 2012 featuring four great performances, one of which from Walken deserving of more recognition, and a story which is rich with great drama, even when certain scenes get on the melodramatic side.
Not without its flaws, Seven Psychopaths is still a funny, endearing and charming movie with well-rounded characters and a unique story making for a surprisingly enjoyable and memorable experience. Colin Farrell continues to show that when working on smaller budgeted pictures, he’s a good actor and with Christopher Walken, you’ve got a winner.
Catch Me If You Can is a cool and energetic crime-drama featuring great performances, a fascinating main character, an amazing score and excellent direction that holds up quite well today.
Brainstorm might not be a perfect sci-fi flick but it’s easy to see why this has garnered a following since the DVD release in 2000 (and subsequent 2009 remaster) with great performances from Christopher Walken and the late Natalie Wood.
While Pulp Fiction isn’t a masterpiece of filmmaking as some might contend, it’s still a very well made picture with the sharp writing we expect from Tarantino and one of the better ensemble casts put together.