A lot of Chinese cinema is a pretty limited in terms of plot and originality. Martial arts and fight sequences tend to dominate the screen. It’s not necessarily bad but then again, it’s not necessarily good. Dragon is one of China’s latest cinematic exports and the results are sadly, kind of dull and unoriginal. Action seems to be on many a Chinese filmmaker’s brain and if done properly, would produce fun and interesting storytelling. Unfortunately, Dragon feels formulaic and downright lame.
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A Burning Hot Summer
Love is a tricky thing. Everyday, people fall in and out of love. Films document this emotion quite effectively, French films in particular. One such piece of cinema is A Burning Hot Summer, a movie about relationships that thrive and others that suffer. It is a film with heart, harsh realism and layered performances. Premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival and now out on DVD, this is the perfect movie to watch when you’re in the mood for a cinematic experience which mirrors reality.
California Solo
Film is one of the most effective ways to address human issues. California Solo is an engaging drama which follows a character by name of Lachlan who has just a few problems. Like all people in the world, Lachlan is flawed. He is trying to survive and faces roadblocks along the way. California Solo is a genuine film. The characters and the plot are as real as it gets. Few films these days match the emotional intensity of this one and that’s really unfortunate.
The Watch
In recent years, The Frat Pack has sort of run out of steam. The raw energy and true comic originality of members such as Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn has basically been on the decline since about 2005. Films like Anchorman and Wedding Crashershighlighted these two actors’ comedic talents and it was a golden age for The Frat Pack. Unfortunately, Stiller and Vaughn have not been able to recreate the greatness that existed in recent times. Their latest team up is in the violent and profane The Watch, a film which combines male bonding (bromance) and the threat of an impending alien invasion.
Triad Wars
Martial arts movies can go one of two ways. It can be an intelligent action/adventure with colorful characters and powerful themes of good versus evil or it can be a 2-hour bloodbath with hollow characters, terrible acting and zero plot. The Chinese actioner Triad Wars falls under the latter sad and pathetic category and the results are truly painful to watch. Now out on DVD, this terrible “film” is yours to own so you can relive the pain over and over.
Storage Wars: Texas
For some reason, shows which involve auctions and appraising seem to be very popular. Antiques Roadshow started things off in England in 1979 and since then, the United States has taken a hint and started a similar program: Storage Wars on A&E. A spin-off called Storage Wars: Texas premiered in 2011 and the show is highly entertaining because of its reality television nature. Audiences gobble this type of programming up and season one of Storage Wars: Texas is now out on DVD.
Rescue 3D
In recent times, heroes have shone very brightly. With the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, brave men and women have stepped up to save those you need saving and to help those who need helping. The fascinating documentary Rescue 3D takes viewers on a harrowing journey via plane, helicopter and ship to assist those in danger and also, to give hope.
The Amazing Spider-Man
In 2012, Marvel cemented its name as the leader of superhero film franchises. Sure, Batman has done well on film but DC doesn’t hold a candle to Marvel when it comes to consistent quality and a variety of characters and storylines. Fifty years ago Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created one of pop culture’s most recognizable characters: Spider-Man, a nerdy kid from Queens who gets bitten by a genetically-engineered arachnid. He then transforms into web-swinging crime-fighter, the subject of the latest reboot by Director Marc Webb, The Amazing Spider-Man (with Andrew Garfield as the webslinger). This is the fourth time Spidey has graced the screen with his presence in a major film series all his own, with the first three starting back in 2002 with Sam Raimi’s vivid and somewhat campy trilogy (with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst) which ended in 2007.
Love and Valor
The American Civil War was a time of social and political unrest. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost and untold amounts of property was damaged. The war between the states was a nasty time for many including those in love. Married couples were torn apart when husbands were sent to the front lines to risk their lives for the unfortunate purpose that is war. The PBS documentary Love and Valordetails the relationship between a Union captain and his wife through the written letters they would send one another.
The Campaign
The Frat Pack used to be an entertainment entity of hugely talented proportions. Its members were comedy legends, actors who could do no wrong when it came to tickling audiences’ funny bones. Will Ferrell is probably the unofficial leader of this once highly coveted group of funnymen. The Frat Pack got a lot of mileage in the early to mid 2000‘s. Old School, Anchorman and Wedding Crashers were just a few of the Frat Pack’s successful entries in cinema. Unfortunately, Will Ferrell’s humor started to get stale as he tried recreating his previous success. This sad way of trying to relive the glory days was ever present in his latest cinematic bomb The Campaign. Filmmaker Adam McKay (Anchorman) is also partly to blame for this comedic misfire.
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