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.
This “Complete Series” box set has a great amount of features and while it only has the standard Dolby Digital audio track, to me the picture is good enough to warrant a purchase especially if you don’t already own the DVDs.
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 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.