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Top 5/Bottom 5: Aaron Eckhartby Aaron Peck [teaser]One of my favorite films from last year is hitting the Blu-ray shelves this week. It's a pretty sparse week for big releases, so hopefully quite a few people will pick up 'Rabbit Hole' and find the greatness therein. To celebrate the release of 'Rabbit Hole' we've put together another one of our Top 5 / Bottom 5 lists. This time 'Rabbit Hole's star Aaron Eckhart goes under the microscope. Which movies are his best, and which ones could have been better?[/teaser] Eckhart caught his big acting break when director Neil LaBute met him and began casting him in his plays and movies. He graduated from BYU as a film major and even served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Since being discovered by LaBute, Eckhart has gone on to build up his acting career in Hollywood. In the past couple of years he's become a recognizable Hollywood face. He's headlined a few big blockbusters, but hasn't forgotten his indie roots. Such a career is bound to produce some highs and some lows. Lets go through them, shall we? The Best 'The Dark Knight' Like many, when I first heard that Aaron Eckhart was going to be playing Two Face in Nolan's new Batman movie I was a bit skeptical. Sure, Eckhart can pull off a smarmy lawyer, but would he be able to dive into the complete insanity that is Two Face's signature? I just didn't see it happening, but it did. Kudos to Christopher Nolan for working Two Face into the movie like he did. He didn't start out as Two Face, but as Harvey Dent. A good man trying his hardest to make his city safe. With Dent's ambitions laid out, it was even tougher to watch the man spiral downward so quickly with the Joker's help. Eckhart's few scenes as Two Face are brilliant. They could have easily gone way cheesy, but they didn't. 'Possession' "A pair of literary sleuths unearth the amorous secret of two Victorian poets, only to find themselves falling under a passionate spell." If I gave you that synopsis, straight from IMDb, truthfully what would you think about this movie? Corny right? Something straight from the Lifetime channel. A movie that sounds so silly that you wouldn't even want to sit down and spend your time heckling it. What's surprising is how good Neil LaBute's 'Possession' really is. A movie premise that's so close to teetering on the edge of ridiculousness, instead winds up being an engaging and exciting movie. Eckhart's performance here only helps the movie work. Now we need it on Blu-ray. 'Rabbit Hole' Grief dramas are a dime a dozen, so, what makes 'Rabbit Hole' stand apart from the rest? Its stars' virtuoso work. The acting performances from Nicole Kidman and Eckhart are devastatingly real. This is one of Eckhart's very best. He suffers in almost absolute silence. One poignant scene really sticks out to me in that movie. That's when Howie (Eckhart) stares into his smart phone watching a movie he recorded of his son before his tragic death. It's a beautiful scene. No talking, but the look on his face is heart-breaking. 'Suspect Zero' Yes, I know about 'Suspect Zero's whopping 18 percent rating on the TomatoMeter. I know that most people thought it was a wannabe 'Seven'. I know I'm going to get skewered for putting this one in Eckhart's top five best movies, but it's my list and you can count me in as part of the 18 percent that actually enjoyed this movie. Yes Sir Ben Kingsley steals the show, but I love how straightforward Eckhart is in playing the role of FBI investigator Thomas Mackelway. I don't care what anyone says, I'll always enjoy this movie and Eckhart's performance. 'Thank You for Smoking' Looking back over Eckhart's filmography it's pretty obvious that his role in 'Thank You for Smoking' solidified his status as a leading man in Hollywood. Even though the movie only made a paltry $24 million domestically, it still was able to showcase Eckhart's broad range of acting skill. It showed that not only could he carry a movie effectively, but he had deft, deadpan comedic timing. Also, another Eckhart performance that we sorely need on Blu-ray. The Worst 'Battle: Los Angeles' I thought I was in a first person shooter game for most of the movie. Even though there are some decent scenes o alien destruction, and it was an okay enough distraction at the cinema, this was still a pretty bad movie. Especially when it came to its human characters. Eckhart's character Sgt. Michael Nantz is given this complete backstory about how he got his men killed in combat and now the men he's leading don't trust him. Let's be real here. Aliens are attacking the Earth and these soldiers are still holding onto something that petty? Aliens, guys. ALIENS! 'The Black Dahlia' Brian De Palma's 'The Black Dahlia' just didn't have it. It came across like it was trying way too hard. "Look this movie is so noir!" Not many people bought into it. Perhaps the worst part is that Eckhart's performance just isn't that good. Definitely not up to his 'Thank You for Smoking' or 'Rabbit Hole' standards. 'The Core' I do owe the cheesy disaster movie 'The Core' something. It started a movie night with my college roommates which we called Super Seismic Sunday. Every Sunday we'd pick a new, ridiculous disaster movie to watch and riff on. 'The Core' started it all. That said, there's nothing redeemable about the terrible film. It's another disaster movie where apparently a nuclear bomb is going to fix everything if detonated in just the right spot. This time they've got to drill to the center of the earth and set it off. Hilarity ensues. 'Love Happens' Shouldn't there be some kind of unwritten rule amongst lead actors that if you hear Jennifer Aniston is going to be playing opposite you in your upcoming romantic comedy that you immediately turn tail and run? I'm sorry, that seemed a little harsh, but Aniston has yet to show that she can actually be a romantic force in the movies. Eckhart kind of gets lost in another Aniston vehicle and never finds his way out. 'Paycheck' There was a brief time in Hollywood where people actually thought that Ben Affleck could be a true action star. After 'Daredevil' and 'Paycheck' people pretty much wised up. Now before I get a ton of angry emails saying that Affleck was great in 'The Town,' I'd argue that 'The Town' wasn't an action flick. It was a drama that just happened to involve guns. The hilarious thing about 'Paycheck' was that it thought it was so smart, but instead of keeping the same spirit of Phillip K. Dick's short story, Jon Woo turned 'Paycheck' into just another tepid thriller with a few average chase scenes. Eckhart's career took a huge leap after 'Thank You for Smoking' and has never looked back. He's continuously starred in some of the biggest blockbusters to hit cinemas, and even held his own alongside Heath Ledger's historic performance in 'The Dark Knight'. Now feel free to chastise me in the forums for leaving out your favorite Eckhart movie, or (as I know will most likely happen) ridicule me for putting 'Suspect Zero' in his top five.Posted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 12:35 PM PDT by: -
Sony Ships 37 New Models of 2011 Bravias[teaser]Among them are 23 Full HD 3D sets. [/teaser] The wait is over for Sony's new line of Bravia sets. A total of 37 new models are shipping to retailers now. A significant number of those are Full HD 3D sets and even more are capable of streaming from online sources. At the top of the line is Sony's XBR-HX929 series, which comes in 46 inch ($2,999), 55 inch ($3,799) and 65 inch screen sizes. They boast Full HD 3D, LED backlighting, Corning Gorilla Glass and Wi-Fi that lets you access Bravia Internet Video. Price is yet to be announced on the 65 inch set. The cheapest of Sony's 3D sets is the KDL-EX720, which starts at $999 for the 32 inch model and goes up to $2,399 for 55 inches. It offers Wi-Fi, Motionflow XR240, and come Skype ready. Sony's EX520 starts at $699 for the 32 inch model and packs a Full HD display, Wi-Fi, a presence sensor and the ability to access Bravia Internet Video. Source: SourcePosted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'Bloodrayne: The Third Reich' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Nazis will be facing off against vampires on Blu-ray this July.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Phase 4 Films will be bringing 'Bloodrayne: The Third Reich' to Blu-ray on July 12. The movie is directed by Uwe Boll... and on that note nothing else really needs to be said. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Making of featurette; Commentary track with director Uwe Boll and screenwriter Michael Nachoff; Interview with writer Nachoff; Official and alternate trailers; and a digital download. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Bloodrayne: The Third Reich' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under July 12.Posted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
3net is Working on a 3D Civil War Documentary[teaser]The four hour miniseries will explore the lives of both Union and Confederate soldiers and take a look at major battles from a strategy standpoint. [/teaser] When you think 3D, you probably think about sports, action movies and concerts. What you probably don't think about is a Civil War documentary. On April 18th, principal photography began on the documentary, which 3net hopes will be a strong incentive for viewers to make the jump to 3D. "Shooting in native 3D gives us the unique ability to bring an entirely new level of depth and emotion to this epic time in history with groundbreaking storytelling that simply hasn’t been possible until now," says Tom Cosgrove, CEO of 3net. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'happythankyoumoreplease' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The film nominated for the Grand Jury Prize and winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival is coming to high-definition in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Starz/Anchor Bay will release 'happythankyoumoreplease' on Blu-ray on June 21. Josh Radnor (CBS' Emmy-nominated 'How I Met Your Mother') wrote, directed and stars in 'happythankyoumoreplease,' a sharp comedy centered on a group of 20-something New Yorkers struggling to figure out themselves, their lives and their loves. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include an audio commentary, a featurette, deleted scenes, and theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'happythankyoumoreplease' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 21.Posted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Philips Sells its HDTV Business to TPV Technology[teaser]Philips will retain a 30 percent stake in the TV division and will receive royalty payments of $70 million a year. [/teaser] On April 1st of this year - less than three weeks ago - a guy named Frans van Houten was made CEO of Philips. He promised that the continuously unprofitable TV business would be first on his list for things to fix and he didn't disappoint. Van Houten has a solution. That solution is to sell off a majority of the Philips TV business to a Hong Kong based manufacturer called TPV Technology. All 4,000 Philips employees will be moving to TPV, so at this time there will be no layoffs from that division. Philips will retain a 30 percent share of their HDTV division and will be getting a bit of cash for each set sold as well as around $70 million a year in royalty payments. Not a bad start for Mr. van Houten. Source: EndgadgetPosted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Jumanji,' 'Stuart Little' (1 &2), and 'Zathura' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]A bunch of catalog family adventures are slated for Blu-ray at the end of June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony has indicated that 'Jumanji,' 'Stuart Little,' 'Stuart Little 2,' and 'Zathura: A Space Adventure' are planned for Blu-ray on June 28. Humorous sidenote: For some strange reason, a Blu-ray search for "Stuart Little" on Amazon brings up 'Stuart Little' and 'Fatal Attraction.' Stuart must be thankful that he isn't a rabbit!!! Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but each release will be a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $19.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Jumanji,' 'Stuart Little,' 'Stuart Little 2,' and 'Zathura: A Space Adventure' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under June 28.Posted Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
'The Music Room' and 'Beauty and the Beast (1946)' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Classic Ray and Cocteau are planned for high-definition this July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion says Satyajit Ray's 1958 dramatic comedy 'The Music Room' is coming to Blu-ray on July 19. An incandescent depiction of the clash between tradition and modernity, and a showcase for some of India’s most popular musicians of the day, 'The Music Room' is a defining work by the great Bengali filmmaker. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements include: Satyajit Ray (1984), a feature documentary by Shyam Benegal that chronicles Ray's career and includes interviews with the filmmaker, family photographs, and extensive clips; from his films; New interview with filmmaker Mira Nair; New interview in which Ray biographer Andrew Robinson discusses the making of The Music Room and the film's cultural significance; Excerpt from a 1981 French roundtable discussion with Ray, film critic Michel Ciment, and filmmaker Claude Sautet; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Philip Kemp as well as reprints of a 1963 essay by Ray and a 1986 interview with the director about the film's music. On the same day, Criterion will also be bringing Jean Cocteau's 'Beauty and the Beast (1946)' to Blu-ray. The spectacular visions of enchantment, desire, and death in 'Beauty and the Beast' ('La Belle et la Bête') have become timeless icons of cinematic wonder. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Composer Philip Glass's opera La Belle et la Bête, presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio as an alternate soundtrack; Two commentaries: one by film historian Arthur Knight and one by writer and cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling; Screening at the Majestic, a 1995 documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew; Interview with cinematographer Henri Alekan; Rare behind-the-scenes photos and publicity stills; Film restoration demonstration; Original trailer, directed and narrated by director Jean Cocteau, plus restoration trailer from 1995; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey O'Brien, a piece on the film by Cocteau, excerpts from Francis Steegmuller's 1970 book Cocteau: A Biography, and an introduction to Glass's opera by the composer. Suggested list price for each of the Blu-rays is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'The Music Room' and 'Beauty and the Beast (1946)' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under July 19.Posted Mon Apr 18, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'High and Low,' 'Léon Morin, Priest,' & 'Life During Wartime' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The ever-expanding Criterion Blu-ray library adds Solondz and more Kurosawa and Melville at the end of July. [/teaser] The first of three Criterion releases debuting on Blu-ray on July 26 is Akira Kurosawa’s 'High and Low' starring the legendary Toshiro Mifune. Mifune is unforgettable as Kingo Gondo, a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a cold-blooded kidnapper in Akira Kurosawa’s highly influential 'High and Low,' a compelling race-against-time thriller and a penetrating portrait of contemporary Japanese society. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, an DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary by Akira Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince; Documentary on the making of High and Low, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create; Rare video interview with actor Toshiro Mifune; Video interview with actor Tsutomu Yamazaki, who plays the kidnapper; Theatrical trailers from Japan and the U.S.; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey O'Brien and a reprinted on- set account by Japanese film scholar Donald Richie. Criterion will also bring the 1963 drama 'Léon Morin, Priest' on the same day. Jean-Paul Belmondo dons clerical robes and delivers a subtly sensual performance for the hot-under-the-collar Léon Morin, Priest, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, about a devoted man of the cloth who is the crush object of all the women of a small village in Nazi-occupied France. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Archival interview with director Jean-Pierre Melville and actor Jean-Paul Belmondo; Visual essay by French film scholar Ginette Vincendeau; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by critic and novelist Gary Indiana. And lastly we have the 2010 drama 'Life During Wartime' starring Shirley Henderson, Allison Janney, and Ally Sheedy. In 'Life During Wartime,' independent filmmaker Todd Solondz explores contemporary American existence and the nature of forgiveness with his customary dry humor and queasy precision. The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p transfer, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Making "Life During Wartime," a new documentary featuring interviews with actors Shirley Henderson, Allison Janney, Michael Lerner, Paul Reubens, Ally Sheedy, and Michael Kenneth Williams, and on-set footage of the actors and crew; New video piece in which Lachman discusses his work on the film; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'High and Low,' 'Léon Morin, Priest' & 'Life During Wartime' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under July 26.Posted Mon Apr 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray Finally Gets 'Naked' in July![teaser]The 1993 dark comedy gets the Criterion treatment this July. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, the Criterion Collection has just revealed 'Naked' for a Blu-ray release on July 12. The brilliant and controversial 'Naked,' from director Mike Leigh, stars David Thewlis as Johnny, a charming and eloquent but relentlessly vicious drifter. Rejecting anyone who might care for him, the volcanic Johnny hurls himself through a nocturnal odyssey around London, colliding with a succession of other desperate and dispossessed people, and scorching everyone in his path. With a virtuoso script and raw performances from Thewlis and costars Katrin Cartlidge and Lesley Sharp, Leigh’s picture of England’s underbelly is an amalgam of black comedy and doomsday prophecy that took the best director and best actor prizes at the 1993 Cannes International Film Festival. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, and supplements include: Audio commentary by Leigh and actors David Thewlis and Katrin Cartlidge; Exclusive video interview with director Neil LaBute; An episode of the BBC program The Art Zone in which author Will Self interviews Leigh; The Short and Curlies, a short comedy from 1982 directed by Leigh and starring Thewlis, with audio commentary by Leigh; Original theatrical trailer; and a booklet featuring essays by film critics Derek Malcolm and Amy Taubin. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Naked' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under July 12.Posted Mon Apr 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
