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.
On Chesil Beach was admittedly disappointing; it might offer great performances by both Ronan and Howle, but had editing that, while perhaps true to the novel, hindered the character development.
Punch-Drunk Love isn’t one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s greatest work, yet it’s still a lovely film nevertheless, what was most impressive then and now is seeing that Adam Sandler can turn in a well done, dramatic performance and paired with the exquisite Emily Watson makes for a poignant little romance-drama.
Needless to say, Everest isn’t exactly a lighthearted adventure flick but in spite of that, and some so-so writing, the performances from the ensemble cast, Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin especially, makes it worthwhile, though for myself, I’m not sure if I’d ever revisit it. The Blu-ray released by Universal offers excellent video and audio transfers and a fine selection of bonus material.
Anna Karenina is yet another film with plenty of potential but failed thanks to a lifeless script and oft stilted acting from what is normally a respectable cast. This is the epitome of style over substance as Wright attempts to give his portrayal a different flavor than those that have come before.
This “High-Powered Action Pack” might not have the greatest movies – Equilibrium and The Lookout are the best – but at a low SRP of $30, it comes to $5 per movie and maybe less depending on which store you go to (i.e. Best Buy had it for $10), so if you’ve enjoyed any of these and don’t care about features or average audio/video transfers, then by all means check it out.
Check out our reviews of the May 2011 Echo Bridge Home Entertainment Blu-ray catalouge titles. Movies include: The Crow: City of Angels, Equilibrium starring Christian Bale and Emily Watson; Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers; Hellraiser: Bloodline; Texas Rangers with James Van Der Beek, Dylan McDermott and Ashton Kutcher; Duplex/My Boss’s Daughter Double Feature with Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, Kutcher and Tara Reid and The Yards/The Lookout Double Feature starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels.