COLLECTIONS
“Casshern Sins: Part 1” and “Casshern Sins: Part 2.” (Blu-ray). Collects episodes from the animated show.

DVD Review: The Girl By The Lake

Posted Jul 16, 2010 by Kevin Walker

Updated Jul 16, 2010 at 02:01 PM

The Girl by the Lake
Director: Andrea Molaioli (feature film debut)
Stars: Toni Servillo, Valeria Golino, Denis Fasolo, Franco Ravera (“Worlds Apart”)
Plot: When the body of beautiful young lady is found on the shore of a lake in Italy, veteran detective Commissario Sanzio (Servillo) is called in to investigate. Why did the woman appear not to struggle? Why was she naked? Who could possibly want to kill a young, attractive woman who everyone liked? As Sanzio finds answers, he uncovers the many secrets hidden in a small village. In Italian with subtitles.
Bottom line: This one has many aspects I like:  mystery, quirky characters, an exotic location (well, exotic for a guy sitting in Tampa). Unfortunately, it never takes off, thanks to methodical pacing and some uneven performances. Not a bad way to spend an evening, but when you’re reading subtitles, you want the exceptional.
Extras: The trailer.
95 minutes. Not rated.

DVD Review: Greenberg

Posted Jul 15, 2010 by Kevin Walker

Updated Jul 15, 2010 at 01:21 PM

Greenberg
Director: Noah Baumbach (“Margot at the Wedding”)
Stars: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Plot: Roger Greenberg (Stiller) left Los Angeles in his 20s to become a carpenter in New York City. In his wake, he left behind an old girlfriend (Leigh) and the shattered dreams of the guys who played with him in a rock band — Greenberg had forced them to turn down a record contract, derailing their career before it started. Now 40, he’s returned to L.A. to sort out his life while house-sitting for his brother, who has taken his family on vacation to Vietnam. Narcissistic and equipped with a dark outlook (“Life is wasted on people”), he hangs out with old band mate Ivan (Ifans) and attempts to reconnect with ex-girlfriend Beth (Leigh). He’s also infatuated with Florence (Gerwig), his brother’s personal assistant. She becomes interested in him, but has difficulty breaking through the many defenses he’s put between himself and the world.
Bottom line: Oh, boy. Here’s the thing about angry, petulant guys who think the world revolves around their opinion and that everything sucks: they are boring. People in the real world seem to get this. But movies keep foisting these man-boy characters on us. In this case, Greenberg is so unlikeable, neurotic and whiny that he repels not only the characters in the film but also the viewer. The movie revolves around romance, but it’s difficult to imagine a dimension of reality where Florence would fall for a guy 15 years older who hates everything. Gerwig does the best she can with the material she is given.
Extras: A behind-the-scenes feature.
107 minutes (R; for some strong sexuality, drug use, and profanity)

DVD Review: Warehouse 13, Season 1

Posted Jul 9, 2010 by Kevin Walker

Updated Jul 9, 2010 at 02:19 PM

‘Warehouse 13 Season 1’
Stars: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek
Plot: After saving diplomats from a killer at a presidential event in Washington, D.C., FBI agents Pete Lattimer (McClintock) and Myka Bering (Kelly) are transferred to a new gig, searching for mysterious artifacts and taking them to a government warehouse in South Dakota. They work for the eccentric Artie Nielsen (Rubinek).
Bottom line: This actually came out last week, but it took time to watch enough episodes to get a feel for it. If you liked, say, “The Night Stalker” (the original one, not that remake abomination) or like the idea of a humorous “The X-Files,” you might find this enjoyable. All three of the lead actors are good, particularly Rubinek as the guy who runs the warehouse. Although sometimes silly, it’s fun to watch. What else do you want out of show about the government hiding paranormal artifacts? Insight into the human condition? Existential angst? Come on.

DVD Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Posted Jul 8, 2010 by Kevin Walker

Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 04:35 PM

‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’
Director: Niels Arden Opley (“Worlds Apart”)
Stars: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Ewa Froling, Sven-Bertil Taube
Plot: Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) is a disgraced journalist, having lost a high-profile defamation lawsuit brought by a wealthy industrialist. While waiting for his sentencing, Blomkvist accepts an offer from reclusive Swedish businessman Henrik Vanger (Taube) to look into a 40-year-old case involving Vanger’s niece, Harriet (Froling), who disappeared when she was 16. Blomkvist is joined in the investigation by tough, troubled computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rapace). Together, the unlikely pair unravel the mysteries and uncover the secrets surrounding the Vanger family. They also discover how far some are willing to go to keep those secrets hidden. The movie is based on the book by Stieg Larsson, the first in his Millennium Trilogy. Big-screen adaptations also are planned for the other two books.
Bottom line: Two of the best films this past year were foreign mystery/thrillers: this one and “The Secret In Their Eyes.” This movie is a must-see for fans of the genre or those who simply want to see for themselves whether Rapace really is as memorable as everyone is saying. The answer is yes, she is, and she steals the show. Expect her look to be copied by the cool kids (or maybe the look came from the cool kids in the first place). But here’s a warning: There are scenes of sexual assault that are extremely graphic and proved shocking even for people who see hundreds of movies each year.
Extras: An interview with Rapace and a sneak peak at the next film in the series, “The Girl Who Played With Fire”
152 minutes (R; disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language)