April 28, 2009

A couple of fine choices on DVD this week!

Indeed, while none of the releases this week are absolutely fantastic, there are two very solid choices, and a number of ok ones too. All in all, it's a good week, led off by my PICK OF THE WEEK. It's:
Nothing But The Truth
This criminally underseen drama by Rod Lurie (The Contender), based somewhat off of the Valerie Plame scandal, features a terrific cast, led by an awards caliber Kate Beckinsale. If you like "ripped from the headlines" flicks, this is definitely a good one, and in fact, is one of the better ones.
-Also out and coming in second place was the crime film What Doesn't Kill You. This is a good film made better by an almost career best performance by Mark Ruffalo. If you want a gritty look at people on the wrong end of luck in Boston, this is a fine choice.
-We also have JCVD, which gave the kickboxer a great concept to work with, but only an above average film to make. There's The Uninvited, which is better than you'd think (but the original Asian version, called A Tale of Two Sisters is better), the harmless Hotel for Dogs (though it has some odd parallels to the Holocaust, but it might just be me), and the very medoicre Bride Wars, which is another bad first film after getting an Oscar nom (Anne Hathaway is the culprit here).
-My Vintage pick this week is Boogie Nights. If you've never seen the world of 70's porn through the eyes of Paul Thomas Anderson, you owe it to yourself to check this out, if for no other reason than to finally see Mark Wahlberg become "a big bright shining star".
-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

6 comments:

  1. great choice with the pick of the week...what doesn't kill you was criminally underseen as well!

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  2. Nice vintage pick. Boogie Nights was one of the best films of the 90's. Burt Reynolds should have won for that. Maybe even the screenplay.

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  3. I absolutely love Boogie Nights, but I don't agree with the Burt Reynolds nomination. The best supporting actors for Boogie Nights were Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, and Alfred Molina. In that order. I love every scene that has Hoffman in it, it's impossible for me not to watch him.

    -Robbie

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  4. Boogie Nights is a classic, that much is certain

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  5. Nothing But The Truth had the biggest gut punch ending of any film this year
    -Matt

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