Joey's DVD Picks of the week (8/30/2011)

This week there's a somewhat decent variety on DVD, though after the high level of last week's releases, this seems rather average by comparison (more in terms of quality than quantity). I can't say that I'm crazy about anything that's new this week, though I won't deny the quality of the top pick. There's also a few that I haven't seen, so that also keeps me from being too excited about the selections. That being said, my PICK OF THE WEEK is definitely highly regarded and worthy of the top spot. It's also this week's resident Academy Award winner, as well as perhaps the first foreign language film to ever get this honor from me (though don't get excited, it's more due to circumstance than anything else). It's:

In a Better World

Last year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Feature Oscar, it's Susanne Bier's latest drama and it hits almost all of the right notes. For me, it's a little too melodramatic, but it's definitely an affecting work, with a moving story that does more right than it does wrong. I probably don't like it as much as most do, but it's easily the best of the week in terms of DVD releases. As it stands, it's worth checking out, especially if you like to have seen all of the Oscar winners in a given year. For those not with that particular predilection, it's still worth your time and money, though perhaps not quite as strongly so...

-The other recommendation worthy flicks this week include the acting showcase/suspense film Wrecked (Adrien Brody does fine work), the 80's coming of age drama Skateland, and the health documentary Forks Over Knives. None of these 3 are amazing, but each are just good enough to be worth giving a look to, in my humble opinion at least.

-The rest of the releases include the harmless but bland Disney flick Prom, the religious sports drama The 5th Quarter (which I haven't seen), as well as Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family (which I managed to miss as well). I have no interest in either of the ones I didn't see, but the other one is nothing special and probably not worth your time, outside of an opportunity to see an underrated actor in Nicholas Braun.

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Apollo 18, is another found footage fright flick. It's The Blair Witch Project, and despite the mocking it gets these days, it still remains a deeply unsettling film for me. I really do find it one of the scarier movies ever made. It's well worth revisiting this week, at least in my eyes.

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 08/28

* Last week, Joey Magidson and I closed the book on the summer of ’11. How did you feel about the last three months?

* I previewed the final summer films almost certainly destined to fail in the wake of Irene’s destruction.

* Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week was one of his most joyous installments yet, with his two of his favorite films of the year so far hitting shelves.

*Finally, Mike Ward reported on The Help’s box office dominance and ponders how far it'll go at the multiplex.

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (8/23/2011)

This week, we have one of the best groups of films hitting shelves in quite some time. Literally two of my top ten films of 2011 so far are coming out today, and that very rarely happens. For me, it's pretty exciting, as there's no dearth of things to write about. In fact, there's nothing but good releases this week. Even the worst of the group is still a very passably entertaining endeavor. It may in fact be the best DVD week of the year. Week's like this are why I do the column. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I didn't have a hard time choosing which movie to feature. Up until very recently, it was my #1 film of the year. The flick is all but perfect. It's:

The Beaver

Until I saw Bellflower, this was my favorite film of 2011. Director/co-star Jodie Foster does her best work behind the camera, while Mel Gibson and Anton Yelchin do their best work in front of the camera and gave nomination worthy performances. Factor in a brilliant screenplay by Kyle Killen and a subtly heartbreaking supporting turn by Jennifer Lawrence, and I absolutely adored this flick. It has emotional peaks and doesn't skimp on the comedy, making it the rare movie that manages to balance out the melodrama with the humor. It had a depressingly quick death in theaters after Gibson's antics, but I urge everyone to see this movie regardless of how they view the leading man (in my mind, if you avoid it because you have an issue with him on a personal level, how can you enjoy sports as well, since that's full of far worse people...but that's not for here), as it's truly something special. Anyone who complains about not having enough original works to choose from would do well to pick this up. It's all but assured of a high spot on my year end top 10 list. It's just that good!

-Coming in a somewhat close second place is Mark Ruffalo's directorial debut, the satirical drama Sympathy for Delicious. It deals with some very interesting topics, and while not everything works in it, Ruffalo has a very clear vision of what he wants his film to be, and shows some strong aptitude behind the camera. He also turns in a nice supporting role, while writer Christopher Thornton captures your attention in the lead. The cast also includes Orlando Bloom, Juliette Lewis, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, and John Carroll Lynch. It's another flick that made almost no money at the box office, so this is where you can finally support an original work (notice a pattern this week?) that deserves to be seen...

-Also out this week is the satisfying Morgan Spurlock documentary POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, the calm dramedy Win Win, the decently entertaining romantic comedy Henry's Crime, and the foreign fantasy flick Troll Hunter. I haven't seen the latter yet, so expect a review soon on that one, but the other 3 are worth your time. The doc is normal Spurlock, the dramedy is not as good to me as it is to most, though still definitely good, and the rom com does more right than it does wrong. Like I said earlier, it's a real strong week, and there's something for everyone.

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Our Idiot Brother, is an underrated Paul Rudd film. It's The Shape of Things, and it shows Rudd in a very different light than you're likely used to seeing him in. It's also a gut punch of a movie, one of Neil LaBute's best. If you haven't seen it, make it your business to do so. It's well worth it.

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 08/21

* Last week, Michael Ward reviewed Soul Surfer, 30 Minutes or Less and The Help, while Joey Magidson shared his thoughts on Peep World, Another Earth, The Change-Up, and Fright Night. He also declared Bellflower the best film of the year so far.

* Joey showcased a decent variety of releases for his DVD Picks of the Week.

* Mike reported on Rise of the Planet of the Apes holding on to #1 last weekend.

* I gave a somewhat bleak preview of the new releases.

* Finally, I decided to lend my thoughts to the controversy surrounding The Help and its accusations of invoking White Savior and Mammy stereotypes.

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (8/16/2011)

This week, we have a decent assortment of things on DVD, though it's another week when very little stands out from the pack. Two of the releases are quality titles, and the rest are a mixed bag of decent mediocre flicks, but it's a week lacking in real high quality (that's next week, FYI). Still, we press on as usual, and for my PICK OF THE WEEK I had to choose between two classy films, but ones that didn't do as much for me as they might have for others. In the end, it was almost a coin flick for top honors this week, but after some careful thought I went with the more ambitious movie. It's:

The Conspirator

I was expecting something different than what Robert Redford gave here with this trial film about the killing of Lincoln. It boasts strong acting and the expected political ax to grind, but it's not as pointed or angry as I was expecting from Redford. It was more subdued and maybe even a little bland. I did like the movie, don't get me wrong, but there was a great flick to be found in this material. Redford settled for a good one, instead. It didn't break any records at the box office, so it's likely that most will be seeing it for the first time on DVD. It's worth checking out (though perhaps lower your expectations just a bit), in my opinion at least...

-The other recommended title this week is the new incarnation of Jane Eyre. As I said in my initial review, I'm not huge on the story itself, but this was a good version of it, with excellent acting and some interesting directorial decisions. Most claim this isn't the definitive version of the tale, but for my money, it's easily one of the better ones out there. Pick it up and decide for yourself!

-The rest of the releases this week include the effective but low rent (for the filmmaker at least) John Carpenter's The Ward, the surprisingly decent (but still not good enough) action/horror/thriller Priest, the very mediocre romantic comedy Something Borrowed, the quirky indie that didn't do too much for me Meet Monica Velour, and the drama The Bang Bang Club, which I found interesting but not effective enough for my taste. There's also Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs Evil, but I didn't see that. Sort through this group and pick out what you think you may like, as none of them are terrible choices.

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Fright Night, is an underrated Anton Yelchin film. It's Charlie Bartlett, and that coming off age dramedy charmed the pants off of me when I first saw it. It's a warped John Hughes movie at its core, and I loved every second of it. Give it a first or second shot now before his new film opens and enjoy!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 08/14

* Last week, our esteemed Editor published his highly anticipated predictions for Best Lead Actor, Lead Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.

* Joey Magidson’s DVD Pick of the Week was a divisive superhero indie, and promised a very good release in a few weeks.

* Mike Ward reported on the surprising success of Rise of the Planet of the Apes for his Box Office Actuals.

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (8/9/2011)

This week, we have a respectable collection of films to choose from on DVD, with a few being more noteworthy than the last week or so has featured. We still don't have any amazing releases (that changes in 2 weeks though, so stay tuned), but film lovers won't have trouble finding things to watch right now. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I went with a rather odd little film, but one with a good sense of humor and charm to spare. It's one of the more underrated releases of 2011 (and one that received an Honorary Mention in my Best of the First Half of the Year article). It's:

Super

James Gunn's super hero satire isn't quite as incendiary as it thinks it is (nor did I fall in love with it like I did with last year's Kick-Ass), but it's a bit on the unique side and has some strong acting from Rainn Wilson (slightly surprising to me) and Ellen Page (not surprising at all, but her role is a big change of pace for her). This is an action comedy with a much larger focus on the comedy than on the action (or on the satire, for that matter), but it's got some loveably weird characters and should charm a smile on to your face. I recommend picking this up now that it's available on DVD. It got a small-ish theatrical release, and it's another indie that deserved a better fate than it received.

-Also out this week getting a thumbs up from me is the comedy Paul. Seth Rogen does some amusing voice work as a stoner type extra-terrestrial, and it's just always fun to see Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in a movie together. It isn't on the level of their Edgar Wright collaborations, but I chuckled a lot during this flick and director Greg Mottola knows how to make a quality movie. It's worth grabbing on home video and checking out if you haven't already.

-The rest of the releases this week include the decent but disappointing stoner comedy Your Highness (which isn't nearly as bad as most made it out to be, but it's not nearly as funny as it should have been. I expect more from a filmmaker as good as David Gordon Green), the average motion capture family movie Mars Needs Moms, and the romantic comedy Jumping the Broom, which I haven't seen. I can't recommend any of these to you, but I'm sure they have their supporters...

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of 30 Minutes of Less, is a collection of Jesse Eisenberg's finest works. They are, in alphabetical order: Adventureland, The Emperor's Club, Roger Dodger, The Social Network, Solitary Man, The Squid and the Whale, and Zombieland. He's good to great in each of them, and I happen to dig all of these films as well. Take this opportunity to catch up with the ones you like/haven't seen before his latest comedy comes out this Friday.

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (8/2/2011)

This week is one of the larger ones in a while in terms of DVD release quantity, but is it also one in terms of quality? Well, the honest assessment is that it really isn't, though there's more than a few interesting selections out there for the discerning buyer. This is the kind of week where most of the films are specialty indies, so there are some that I haven't seen, making it a little tougher of a rundown than usual. Still, there's enough that I have seen, and I do have a PICK OF THE WEEK all set to go. It's one of the smaller movies this week, but it played decently well at Sundance earlier this year. It's:

The Music Never Stopped

Is it a shamelessly manipulative family drama in the same vein as Awakenings? Yes, but it's still effective enough to get my recommendation. Featuring an excellent lead performance by J.K. Simmons (who all too rarely gets big roles like this) and a strong rock soundtrack, this is flick that lets its strengths outweigh its weaknesses. It's not exactly an amazing film, but it's a nice little movie that is hard to pick on. In a better week (or perhaps if I had seen more), it might have had a stronger challenge, but for now, it's a sufficient top pick that I have no trouble recommending to you.

-Also out are a pair of well liked indie films that I didn't get a chance to see but will be checking out on DVD. First is the mumblecore film noir (yes, that type of film exists) Cold Weather, which some critics raved about. The other flick is the indie horror tale Stake Land. Both have solid reviews to their credit, and I know I'll be seeing them soon, so perhaps you should too...we can compare notes!

-The rest of the releases this week include the disappointing relationship drama Last Night, the mediocre animated flick Rio, the bland looking (since I haven't seen it) family sports tale The Perfect Game, the inspirational surfing movie brought down by religious obsession Soul Surfer, and the direct to DVD sequel Quarantine 2: Terminal (ironic that the sequel to the remake of [REC] comes out right after the sequel to [REC], right?). None of these do much for me, but if they do for you, feel free to check them out and enjoy...

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, is a collection of prequels (and reboots, since this could count as both) that I feel are worth their salt. They are, in alphabetical order: Batman Begins, Casino Royale, Red Dragon, and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I know some have their issues with some of these picks, but I feel that they achieve their goals. Just avoid Tim Burton's dreadful remake of Planet of the Apes and you're good in my book.

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 07/31

* Last week, I previewed some rather interesting films opening on the last weekend of July.

* Joey Magidson recommended yet another acclaimed sci-fi thriller for his DVD Picks of the Week, and gives us his favorite Ryan Gosling performances.

* Mike Ward reported a surprising drop in the attendance for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for last weekend.

* Joey also argued that – as a director – Ben Affleck’s star may shine brighter over time than Clint Eastwood’s.

* John H. Foote listed films from the Aughts that he feels are under-appreciated.

* Finally, the results of the ACCA 2001 are in, and I’m proud to say that the Awards Circuit community made some unexpected and delightfully idiosyncratic choices. Well done!

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (7/16/2011)

First of all, sorry for the delay in posting this, but I was dealing with a few things today, and then technical difficulties got in my way. All is good now, and we can focus on the DVD offerings that the current week has. This week, the top 2 releases are very strong, and the rest is just enough to boost the week into a rather notable category of being "better than usual". On their own, either of the top 2 flicks would be easy selections for top honors this week, but since they're together, a bit more thinking is needed. I thought long and hard about it, but I ultimately went with the one that managed to crack my mid-year top 10 list for my PICK OF THE WEEK. It's a supremely entertaining and surprisingly high quality hollywood offering. It's:

Source Code

I was already a huge fan of Duncan Jones from Moon a few years back, but this solidified him as one of the top young directors working today. It does feature a script that somewhat falls apart upon close inspection, but during the initial viewing it's an incredibly entertaining thrill ride that expertly directed by Jones and strongly acted by Jake Gyllenhaal in a lead role well suited for him, as well as strong supporting turns from Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, and Jeffrey Wright. It was easily one of the 10 best things I saw during the first half of 2011, and now that it's available on DVD, I highly recommend picking it up!

-Also out getting a big thumbs up from me is David Schwimmer's well made melodrama Trust. It's a well acted cautionary tale about internet predators that's notable for two reasons. One is the breakout performance of young Liana Liberato (to go along with good supporting work from Clive Owen and Catherine Keener), and the other is the absolute gut punch of an ending that Schwimmer allows the film to conclude on. It's perhaps the most haunting final minutes of any film this year. It didn't do much in theaters, but now that it's out on DVD, I do recommend giving it a shot...

-The rest of the releases this week include the flawed but decent Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, the pseudo-sequel to Happiness that I missed called Life During Wartime, the biographic drama Mao's Last Dancer, and the nearly direct to video action flick Ironclad. I can only speak for the first film, but none of these movies seem that bad to me (or that amazing, for that matter), so it comes down to a matter of taste. Go with your gut on this one...

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Crazy Stupid Love, is a collection of Ryan Gosling's 5 best performances (to me at least). They are, in quality of performance order: Blue Valentine, Half Nelson, The Slaughter Rule, Lars and the Real Girl, and The Believer. All are strong films, and Gosling is incredible in each of them, so if you haven't seen them, correct that now!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Sorry for the DVD column delay...

..but I'll have it up soon, as I'm putting the finishing touches on it now. Blame technical difficulties!

Joey's DVD Picks of the week (7/19/2011)

Greetings to everyone from sunny Las Vegas! My apologies for not chiming in the last few days, but...you know...Vegas (also a refusal to pay for Wi-Fi on my part). I'll be leaving for a family wedding in North Carolina tomorrow (you may have seen my cousin on the news, she's the bride who was paralyzed before she was supposed to get married last year), and then a few days in Virginia, so Anna, Mike, and Robert will be continuing to hold the fort down until next week (as they've done so far to great effect), though I'll definitely be more likely to chime in from time to time down south in the coming days. I'm making time today to sit in a McDonald's with free internet to bring you this week's column, and on the DVD front, it's a decent yet unspectacular week. There's at least some variety and it's mostly made up of independent fare, so that's a bit of a plus. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I went with a good natured flick from earlier this year that deserved a better fate than it received theatrically. It's:

Take Me Home Tonight

This 80's set party comedy had an incredibly good natured attitude and its heart in the right place. It ultimately wasn't able to reach the quality levels of the films it loves and wants to emulate, but Topher Grace does a nice job in the lead role and it's hard to complain much about the flick. This is a movie that wouldn't normally get my top slot, but it's not bad at all and honestly could use the attention, as it absolutely bombed when it came out in theaters. Call me a softie, but I wish it had done better, so give it a shot on DVD and see what you think of it.

-Also out of note this week are the comedies Peep World and Potiche, along with the suspense flick Limitless and the drama Cracks. I've only seen Bradley Cooper's star vehicle among these releases, and didn't care too much for it, but I'm going to be seeing all of the other releases in the next week or two, and will try to review one or two of them in an upcoming site update (along with the Hobo with a Shotgun review I promised). If any of these appeal to you, pick them up and enjoy.

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Captain America: The First Avenger, is the best of the Marvel Studios superhero flicks so far. It's Iron Man, and you can't go wrong with Robert Downey Jr.'s performance here. I found it awards worthy in an incredibly well made and entertaining film. I doubt anyone hasn't seen the movie yet, but with The Avengers coming next year, it can't hurt to re-watch it.

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 07/17

* Last week saw a ton of new reviews, including Hesher, Submarine, Larry Crowne, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Monte Carlo, Ceremony, Cars 2, Bad Teacher, and of course, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

* Joey’s DVD Pick of the Week was a film from James Wan and Leigh Whannell that’s actually…good?!?

* I previewed the, well, only weekend release that mattered…as well as some other films.

* Finally, Anna Belickis wrote up the “Oscarettes” for the 81st Academy Awards.

Joey's DVD Picks of the Week (7/12/2011)

This week on DVD there's a whole bunch of variety to choose from, with a few titles managing to be good films as well. It's kind of interesting to me that often it seems that weeks with a dearth of volume are followed up by more crammed weeks like this one. Is it that studios want more films all coming out together to get consumers to purchase them in one bunch, or is it that they don't think their film being the lone high profile release will entice people to head to stores to pick it up? It's likely a combination of things, but that's a conversation (or potentially an article) for another time. A lot of the movies this week are slight let-downs, but one stood head and shoulders above the rest. It's an easy choice for my PICK OF THE WEEK and came within a hair of making my mid-year Top 10 list. It's:

Insidious

A clever and surprising take on the haunted house/Poltergeist type of fright flicks, this managed to actually scare me on a few occasions. That's almost impossible to do, so that's high praise for this film. It's also just a lot of fun, finding ways to terrorize you that you don't expect (and not relying on gore either, if that's a concern to you). It's a thrill ride of a movie, and for the first act or two is nearly perfect. The third act isn't as strong, but it's still a very good film with strong acting (especially by Rose Byrne) that I highly recommend. As I mentioned above, it very nearly made my Top 10 list for the first half of 2011. Check the flick out and enjoy!

-Also out getting a recommendation from me are two very different films. One is the animated flick Rango and the other is the Spanish horror sequel [Rec] 2. The former is an original cartoon that I didn't quite dig as much as most, but still found pretty entertaining. The latter is a step down from the very good original, but still does its job well enough to get the thumbs up from me. Both are worth your time this week if you're so inclined...

-The rest of the releases include the decent legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer, the average coming of age drama White Irish Drinkers, the supremely disappointing Oscar hopeful (more like wannabe) Miral, and the stunningly bland remake Arthur. None are overtly terrible films, and the first two are definitely stronger than the last two, but they all let me down in one regard or another. I realize that each has their fan base, so if you're among their defenders, now's the time to go pick them up on DVD.

-Special note is the release of the 2010 Palme d'Or winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. I've yet to see it, but I've heard mostly great things about it, so if you're looking for a more esoteric selection this week, this could be the one for you!

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Winnie the Pooh, is another animated film that makes me nostalgic for childhood. It's Toy Story 3, and on top of being one of the 10 best animated flicks of all time to me, it made me remember the joy of first seeing the movie as a kid. Take the opportunity to hang out with Woody and Buzz once more this week!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 07/10

* Last week, Joey’s DVD Picks of the Week centers on a diverse selection of three new DVD releases.

* In honor of America’s 235^th birthday, I published my list of the ten most patriotic films ever made.

* I also mused about the bizarre dichotomy between Michael Bay’s poor reputation and his financial success.

* Typical. The one time I didn’t want to be correct in my box office predictions was the one that ended up dead-on in Mike’s Box Office Actuals for the Independence Day weekend.

* On the bright side, that should make my preview of the weekend openings less of a joke…

* Finally, Joey Magidson published his Mid-Year report card.

Joey's DVD Picks of the Week (7/5/2011)

This week, we have a trio of specialty titles making up the entirety of the DVD choices available. It's not a bad thing per say, but it does make for a lighter week than normal, especially considering I haven't seen all 3 of the films in question...but this happens from time to time, so it's not really a big deal. All of the flicks are considered quality cinema though, so it's hard to make a bad choice today. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I ended up going with the one film I did see, so it's kind of a win by default (but not really, since it's a good movie in general). It's certainly the least serious of the group, but I'm confident that it's more than good enough for the honor. It's:

Hobo with a Shotgun

A literal Grindhouse film that sprung to cinematic life from just a fake trailer, this movie doesn't bury the lead. It's a tongue in cheek action yarn about, yes, a hobo who's cleaning up the town with...wait for it...a shotgun! It's far from high art, but it is a lot of fun and Rutger Hauer gives it his all. Director Jason Eisner has quite the calling card now, and one expects him to have a future. I didn't get around to reviewing this one outright, but I'll try to send one in soon for everyone who gets on me for forgetting the smaller flicks on occasion. If you like Grindhouse-style cinema, this is a good one for you!

-The other films out this week include the Takashi Miike samurai epic 13 Assassins and the drama Of Gods and Men. The word on both speaks to quality viewing experiences, but they escaped me when they were in theaters, so I can't vouch firsthand. If you're interested in either or both, give them a shot and report back...

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Project Nim, is a collection of some recent (or recent-ish) documentaries I enjoyed. They are American Movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, The Cove, The Tillman Story, and When the Levees Broke. Each are quality docs that deserve to be seen (or seen again) and come with my stamp of approval. Check a few out!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 07/03

* Last week, Joey Magidson closed the book on the first half of 2011. Let us know what you thought were the best (and worst) films of the year so far in the comments.

* Joey also chose one of his favorite films of 2010 for his DVD Pick of the Week.

* I previewed the new releases of the weekend...well, Transformers: Dark of the Moon was technically a Wednesday release…

* John H. Foote celebrated the upcoming return of Warren Beatty.

* Joey listed some of his favorite trailers of all time. What are some of your favorites?

* Our esteemed Editor Clayton Davis continued to update his Oscar predictions, this time for Best Director.

* Finally, time is running out to vote for ACCA 2001. Today is your last chance!

Joey's DVD Picks of the Week (6/28/2011)

This week, one of the most underrated films of last year hits DVD, alongside some other flicks, although those are less than stellar. The underrated film in question is so good that, had I seen it before completing my Top 10 of 2010 list, it would have very likely cracked the list (perhaps going as high as #7 or 8) and pushed some films down a level. As it stands, it will have to settle for being my PICK OF THE WEEK now that it's available for home viewing. Curious what it is? Well, it's:

Barney's Version

A Canadian dramedy with a Golden Globe winning performance by Paul Giamatti (doing career best work in my eyes), the film follows 30 years in the life of the title character, as he lives and loves. It's very clever, and the entire cast is terrific (including Minni Driver and Scott Speedman), but Rosamund Pike is phenomenal as the most substantial love of Barney's life and Dustin Hoffman steals the show as Barney's randy father. Pike and Hoffman deserved Oscar nods, and in a less competitive Best Actor field, Giamatti would have been in play too. As it stands, this is an excellent film that very much deserves to be seen. It's a funny, touching movie that's really something special. I can't recommend it enough, so go out and get it!

-Also out this week of note is a well regarded indie called Lebanon, Pa. The drama has occasionally been called the "anti-Juno", but since I haven't seen it, I can't comment. That being said, I think it could be a strong little flick, and if anyone ends up seeing it, let me know what you think. If I check it out, I'll throw up a belated review for you all...

-The rest of the releases this week is the decent action fantasy Sucker Punch, the mediocre flick The Warrior's Way (also an action fantasy of sorts, but less overt), the terrible adventure film Season of the Witch, and the terrible looking (since I didn't see it) remake of Beauty and the Beast, known as Beastly. If any of those appeal to you, as always...don't let me get in the way. Pick them up and enjoy them.

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week's release of Larry Crowne, is another Capra-like Tom Hanks film. It's The Terminal, and I consider it not only one of Hanks' most underrated movies, but one of director Steven Spielberg's as well. I found it incredibly charming and hope that his new film is as well. If you didn't see this when it came out, or didn't like it, give it a shot this week...it should make you smile!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?

Circuit Round-Up, 06/26

* Last week, Mike Ward gave less than enthusiastic reviews of both Green Lantern and Mr. Popper’s Penguins.

* Luckily, Joey Magidson had a DVD Pick of the Week that he could really get behind.

* Anna Belickis spotlights Emma Hamer-whoops, I mean Emma Stone for this week’s Women in Cinema.

* Coinciding with Green Lantern is an Under the Circuit for Peter Sarsgaard, who I still maintain gave one of the most unjustly snubbed performances of the last ten years in Shattered Glass.

* I also previewed the Weekend Openings, and gave a surprisingly accurate prediction for Cars 2.

* Finally, Joey expresses his disagreement with the recent changes to the Academy’s rules regarding Best Picture nominations. Let us know your take on the news!

Joey's DVD Picks of the Week (6/21/2011)

This week is a welcome return to the DVD release weeks that we all used to take for granted. This is the type of week where you know that you're going to be buying more than one thing, just because of how much is out and how much variety there is. Today's releases includes one of the best films of the year so far, along with a few of the more underrated selections of the first part of 2011, plus more! Even the worst release is far from an awful film, and that's always a good sign. Let's jump right in though, as my PICK OF THE WEEK is a flick worth talking about. It's:

The Adjustment Bureau

A romantic thriller that mixed sci-fi and fantasy with the aforementioned romance in such a way that the love story never felt shortchanged, I loved this movie. So many films like this focus on the action and not on the romance, and this was the exact opposite. The imbalance was a turn-off to some, but I was a big fan. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are excellent, and writer/director George Nolfi is able to give us one of the better Philip K. Dick adaptations to date (yes, I said it). Plus, if you're into politics, Damon's character is an up and coming Democratic star, and it's a well done portrait of a candidate. I know that it didn't work for everyone, but in my eyes it's just an overall well done flick that I recommend extremely highly.

-Also out getting high marks from me and distinguishing themselves, we have the indie romantic comedies Ceremony and HappyThankYouMorePlease, as well as the comedy Cedar Rapids. The first film is a promising debut from filmmaker Max Winkler and features strong performances from Michael Angarano and Uma Thurman, not to mention a scene stealing role for Lee Pace. It only got a token release earlier this year, but look for my official review soon! As for the second film, it's a Woody Allen-esque New York flick that makes good use of its ensemble and charms you into liking it. The final comedy mentioned is a good, but not great Ed Helms vehicle that is funny enough to get my recommendation. All three of these movies are worth picking up and giving a shot to...

-The rest of the week's release include the decent but not good enough sex farce sequel Elektra Luxx, the stunningly average thriller Unknown, and the disappointing action flick The Eagle. There's also the kids sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, but I haven't seen it and can't vouch for it. None of these are anything special, but honestly...you could do a lot worse, as we've seen in previous weeks.

-My Vintage pick this week, in honor of the release of Bad Teacher, is a satirical comedy from the same director as the aforementioned release. It's The TV Set, and Jake Kasdan teamed up with Judd Apatow to deliver a scathing portrait of television executives ruining a show. It's painfully funny, and speaks from knowledge. It's well worth checking out, so give it a look!

-What will you be watching on DVD this week?