Wednesday, September 7, 2011

DVD Tuesday-09-13 Thor, "Outsourced", "Grey's Anatomy S7" & more

The DVD releases for this week are:
<span class=Thor (2011)<span class=Outsourced [TV Series] (2010)Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking (2010)
Grey's Anatomy: Season 07 (2010)Citizen Kane (1941)The Silent House (2010)Leading Ladies (2010)Scared <span class=
Love Wedding Marriage (2011)American Breakdown (2008)


Meek's Cutoff (2010)- Western- Starring: 2X Oscar nominee Michelle Williams(Blue Valentine), Indie Spirit winner Bruce Greenwood (I'm Not There), Will Patton ("Falling Skies"), Zoe Kazan ("Bored to Death"), Indie Spirit winner Paul Dano (L.I.E.), & Shirley Henderson (The Nutcracker in 3D). Directed by: 3X Indie Spirit nominee Kelly Reichardt (Old Joy), Written by: Emmy nominee Jonathan Raymond ("Mildred Pierce").

Plot: Set in 1845, this drama follows a group of settlers as they embark on a punishing journey along the Oregon Trail. When their guide leads them astray, the expedition is forced to contend with the unforgiving conditions of the high plain desert. Inspired by a true story, this effort illustrates the harsh difficulties, monotony and desperation endured by covered-wagon travelers. Trailer: http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movie/trailer/496701
DVD features: behind-the-scenes featurette, Review: I haven't seen this yet. It's on Long Wait on my queue. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD


Thor (2011) Comic Book Superhero Fantasy Starring: Chris Hemsworth (Ca$h), Oscar winner Natalie Portman (Black Swan),
Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs), Stellan Skarsgård (Melancholia), Kat Dennings ("American Dad!")
Indie Spirit nominee Clark Gregg (The Adventures of Sebastian Cole), 2X Emmy nominee Idris Elba ("The Big C"),
Jaimie Alexander ("Covert Affairs"), & Rene Russo (The Thomas Crown Affair). Directed by: 4X Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh (Henry V). Written by: Ashley Miller (X-men First Class), Zach Stentz ("Fringe"),
& 4X Emmy winner Don Payne ("The Simpsons") based on the Marvel comic by Stan Lee.
Plot: flick about the thunder god Thor (Hemsworth), a powerful warrior whose father, Odin (Hopkins) -- the king of Asgard -- forces him to live among humans on Earth and learn humility. Once there, he finds a friend (Portman), along with unexpected enemies sent from his world. Wait til the end of the credits for an extra scene.
Trailer: http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/366719 Review:Funny in parts with absolutely gorgeous cinematography, art direction, & visual effects. This film suffers from 2 many hands in the cookie jar in terms of writers & studio pressure for The Avengers franchise to be included. The focus of the story seemed jarring, as if each writer took a part of the story and tried to force it together. The fact that this movie was made with the sole purpose of being part of The Avengers franchise film doesn't help it either. Helmsworth looks the part but that's it. He cannot act. Portman is better than this film. It gave her nothing to do. Pretty to watch, but ultimately forgettable with awful Norcostco regect costumes. Here are the other movies along with this one that you "have" to watch before The Avengers film which is pulling characters & the actors who played them from other recent comic films: Iron Man 1 & 2, Captain America, & The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo is replacing Edward Norton). Rating: Not the brightest crayon in the box but sure is pretty. Watch instead: Hellboy II: The Golden Army & Captain America.

Incendies (2010) Oscar nominated (Best Foreign Film) Independent Military Drama Starring: Lubna Azabal. Directed by: Oscar nominee
Denis Villeneuve. Written by: the director based on the play by Wajdi Mouawad. Plot: When their mother's will implores them to
deliver letters to the father they thought was dead and a brother they never knew about, twins Jeanne and Simon journey to the
Middle East and attempt to reconstruct their family's hidden history. This drama flashes back to intense scenes set during the
Lebanese civil war in the 1970s. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDf-XuYid1A. DVD features: behind-the-scenes featurette.
Review: Haven't seen it yet, but the trailer gave me chills. It's on long wait on my queue. Will update when I see it. Rating: TBD
Watch with: TBD.

"Outsourced" S1 (2010) TV Comedy Starring: Diedrich Bader (Miss Congeniality 2). Plot: Inspired by the 2006 feature film of the same
name, this sitcom follows the cross-cultural adventures of Todd Dempsey, an American toy company exec sent to India to train
a group of rookie reps at the firm's new overseas call center. As he tries to teach his recruits how to think and sound like their
American customers, Dempsey himself gets an eye-opening education in Indian customs. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRGxPD-kXzM.
Review: Funny but somewhat racist. I found myself laughing and then feeling bad that I laughed quite often. The intention of the
show is there, with a very funny premise, but the true flaw lies in the lack of heart in the story. They often went for the jokes
targeted at Indian customs & stereotypes rather than going for the fish out of water story that the original film apparently was. These
are good Indian actors that were wasted and forced to play out their own cultures stereotypes. I will definitely watch the original film
as I heard that it is far better than the TV show. No wonder it got cancelled after only 1 season. Rating: Stamped out so why bother.
Watch instead: "Parks and Recreation".

Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking (TV) (2010) 2X Emmy nominated Comedy special Starring: 2X Emmy nominee Carrie Fisher ("30 Rock").
Written by: Carrie Fisher. Plot: Most know Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia from the Star Wars films, but in this one-woman stage
performance, she reveals a more personal story. Raised in a family of movie stars, Fisher went on to battle drugs, alcohol, depression
and more. Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2458949657/. Review: Haven't seen it yet. Looks damn funny. It's in my queue.
I will update the review when I watch it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD.

Grey's Anatomy: S7 (2010) Medical TV Drama Starring: Ellen Pompeo ("Friends"), 5X Emmy nominee Sandra Oh ("American Dad!"),
Emmy nominee Patrick Dempsey ("Once and Again"), Justin Chambers ("Private Practice"), 5X Emmy nom Chandra Wilson (Accidental Friendship (TV)),
James Pickens Jr. ("Seattle Grace: Message of Hope" (web)), Tony winner Sara Ramirez (Spamalot), Chyler Leigh (The 19th Wife (TV))
& Eric Dane (Burlesque). Created by: 3X Emmy nom Shonda Rhimes ("Private Practice"). Plot: As the doctors of Seattle Grace
Hospital struggle to recover from the shooting rampage that ended S6 and left Derek (Dempsey) near death, they find solace
in moving forward with the joyous celebration of Cristina's (Oh) marriage to Owen (Kevin McKidd). Meanwhile, Derek resigns as
chief of surgery, Meredith (Pompeo) mourns her miscarriage, and Callie (Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) move in together.r.. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKliAYMKVVY. Review: This season had it's ups and downs. The beginning was very strong after that amazing S6 finale. The middle muddled a bit, especially with issues between Christina & Owen. The end of the season was amazing, including an unforgettable musical episode that should've gotten Ramirez an Emmy nod. I'll wait for the Golden Globes to decide if I'm truly offended. All in all a pretty great season. Rating: Noteworthy. Watch with: "Mercy" & "Private Practice".

The Silent House (2010) Spanish language horror film Directed by: Gustavo Hernández. Written by: Director & Oscar Estevez.
Plot: This intense and unique thriller uses a continuous 78-minute shot to tell the story of Laura, who goes with her father to a
remote cabin to repair it for sale. When she hears a strange noise, Laura's horrifying odyssey into the unknown begins.
Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2832112921/ DVD features: Trailer. Review: The idea of the one continuous shot is the
hook for me for this film. Haven't seen it yet. On my queue. Will update when I see it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD

Leading Ladies (2010) Musical Starring: Melanie LaPatin (So You Think You Can Dance), So You Think You Can Dance S2 winner Benji Schwimmer (Love N Dancing),
former So You Think You Can Dance contestant Courtney Galiano ("Glee"), & So You Think You Can Dance former contestant
Kherington Payne ("The Dance Scene"). Directed by: Daniel Beahm (Hoodwinked!) & Erika Randall Beahm. Written by: Erika Randall
Beahm & Jennifer Bechtel. Plot: After taking cues from their overbearing mother (LaPatin) for years, a pair of sisters -- one, an amateur
ballroom champion, and the other, her reluctant practice partner -- come into their own and learn how to take the lead in their
own lives. Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3630957593/ Review: Really excited to see this movie since it has so many
So You Think You Can Dance alum, including Melanie LaPatin, one of the choreographers on the show. On my queue. Will update
after I see it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD.

Love Wedding Marriage (2011) Romantic Comedy Starring: Mandy Moore (Tangled), Alyson Hannigan (Date Movie), Indie Spirit
award winner Christopher Lloyd (Twenty Bucks), Kellan Lutz (Eclipse), Jessica Szohr ("Gossip Girl"), Emmy winner Jane Seymour
(Onassis: The Richest Man in the World (TV)), Emmy winner James Brolin ("Marcus Welby, M.D."), & Oscar winner Julia Roberts
(Erin Brockovich). Directed by: Dermot Mulroney (Inhale). Written by: Anouska Chydzik (The Wedding Date) & Caprice Crane ("90210").
Plot: When a newly wedded marriage counselor learns that her seemingly happy parents are serious candidates for divorce, she
throws all the rules out the window to repair their fractured relationship. Trailer: http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movie/trailer/506665
DVD features: Trailer. Review: I've been wanting to see this film. I thought it was coming to theaters, but I think it got limited release.
It's on my queue under long wait #6. I will update this when I see it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD.


American Breakdown 2008 Independent Anthology Drama Starring: Steve Carell (Crazy Stupid Love), James Gandolfini (Where the Wild Things Are), Josh Hartnett (30 Days of Night), Paul Walker (Running Scared), Paris Hilton (Repo! The Genetic Opera), & Scott Caan (Friends With Money). Directed by: David Brooks , Paul Carafotes, M. Eastling, Tyrone Finch, Jeremy Hall, Gary Hawes, & Erik MacArthur (We Were Soldiers). Plot: This collection of short films focuses on an array of modern characters as they struggle to overcome oppressive circumstances of tragedy, betrayal or simply bad luck. Trailer: http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movie/trailer/525053 Review: I love anthology films. Haven't seen this one yet. It's on my queue. I will update after I see it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD.

Scared Shrekless (TV)-2010 animated short Voiced by: Emmy winner Mike Myers ("SNL"), Emmy nominee Antonio Banderas (And
Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (TV)), & Kristen Schaal (American Dad!). Directed by: Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast) &
Raman Hui (Shrek the Third). Written by: Sean Bishop (Over the Hedge) & Gary Trousdale (The Lion King) based on the book by William Steig. Plot: Shrek gets in the Halloween spirit by challenging his fairytale friends to come
up with scary stories for a contest. But the gang learn that they'll have to spend the night in Lord Farquaad's haunted castle before
the winner is named. Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9tUI_S6Cjg Review: Looking forward to this. I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday so I love anything related to it. I haven't seen Shrek Forever After yet so I'm going to watch that before I watch this. Then I
will update this review. Rating: TBD. Watch with: TBD.

Citizen Kane (1941) Classic Political Drama Directed by: Oscar winner Orson Welles. Written by: Oscar winner Herman J. Mankiewicz,
& Orson Welles (Touch of Evil). Plot: Biography of newspaper baron Charles Foster Kane, which, in essence, was a thinly veiled portrait of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. Welles's complex and technically stunning film chronicles Kane's rise from poverty to become one of America's most influential men -- and it's considered one of the best movies ever made. Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi568630553/ DVD Features: Original 1941 movie premiere newsreel; storyboard gallery; original theatrical trailer. Review: I am ashamed to say that as an actor & person who studied film in college, I have not seen this film. I've seen the HBO TV movie RKO 281 which is about the making of this film, but I haven't seen Citizen Kane. It's finally on DVD & is on my queue. Will update when I see it. Rating: TBD. Watch with: RKO 281.

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