[DVD] Tuesdays with Mell 9/24/2013 Fill the Void, Iron Man 3, & more

This week: We have faith based dramas, horror sequels, one of the best Summer blockbusters of the year, the millionth Jason Statham movie of the year. Does this guy live on a movie set?, an indie darling who made an indie darling, inspirational old ppl that can sing, & a French film starring Kristen Scott Thomas?


Fill the Void Indie Spirit nominated Drama Directors: Rama Burshtein, Igal Bursztyn. Writer: Burshtein Plot: After losing her sister Esther (Renana Raz) due to child-birth complications,  Shira (Hadas Yaron) must decide whether to follow her own desires or to follow her family's desires for her to marry her brother-in-law so the baby has a mother. Fill the Void received its American premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.  Trailer  Review: I always appreciate films of faith even if they are not my own, but given my misgivings on arranged marriage I'm not sure I will enjoy this. Rating: TBD. Watch with: New York I Love You

Iron Man 3 2013 Adventure. Director: Shane Black. Writers: Black & Drew Pearce. Starring: Oscar nom Robert Downey, Jr.,  O.W. Gwyneth Paltrow, O.W. Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, O.N. Don Cheadle, & Rebecca Hall. Plot: The story in Iron Man 3 picks up shortly after the events of The Avengers. Having previously entered another dimension in order to save New York City, Tony remains deeply haunted by the experience. Unable to sleep, he throws himself into his work with such intensity that it begins to take a heavy toll on both his mental health and his relationship with Pepper Potts (Paltrow). Tony has only started to appreciate the gravity of his problems when an enigmatic terrorist named the Mandarin (Kingsley) hijacks the airwaves and threatens to bring America to its knees.  Trailer Review: I saw this movie having only seen Iron Man. I missed Iron Man 2 & The Avengers so I'm going to wait to do a review of this until I watch the other 2. I will say quickly that I enjoyed it, and it was top 3 of the blockbuster summer movies this year. Great acting, effects, interesting plot & terrific villains. Rating: Noteworthy. Watch with Iron Man, Iron Man 2 & The Avengers

Redemption Drama. Director & Writer: Steven Knight Starring : Jason Statham. Plot: British Special Forces veteran Smith (Statham) has fallen on very hard times. He's an alcoholic homeless man huddling inside a box on a dingy London alley with a fellow homeless woman. When the woman turns up dead, Smith decides to hunt down the man responsible. Trailer Review:  This is definitely a movie for my hubby cuz of Statham, but it seems to have a multi layered plot which I like. I always like when Statham uses his British accent. Rating: TBD. Watch with: Taken & Death Sentence

Anything Is Possible Faith-based Drama. 

Director:

 Demetrius Navarro. 

Writers:

Carlos R. Bermúdez & Navarro. 

Stars: 

Ethan Bortnick, Jonathan Bennett, &  Lacey Chabert  Plot: Nathan (Bortnick), a young boy, gets separated from his mother (Chabert) when she goes missing during a trip to Japan to help after the tsunami.  Trailer  Review: I appreciate the fact that all these stars are in faith-based films. It helps get them the audience they deserve & the money to really produce a high quality product without as many financial constraints. Looking forward to this because it's faith-based which I'm always interested in critiquing, I love Chabert (I hope she sings in this), it's about veterans, & the young boy actually plays/sings & co-wrote the music for the film. Rating: TBD. Watch with: August Rush 

V/H/S/ 2 Horror.  Directors: Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Jason Eisener, Edúardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, & Gareth Evans. Writers: Barrett, John Davies, Evans. Plot: The search for a missing teen leads two private investigators into a derelict house littered with mysterious VHS tapes in this sequel to the hit horror anthology V/H/S. Trailer Review: I love anthology films, but the found-footage genre has really been done to death. Considering the success of the first one, though I haven't seen it yet, I'm optimistic. Rating: TBD. Watch with: V/H/S 

He's Way More Famous Than You 2013 Comedy. Director: Michael Urie. Writers: Halley Feiffer, Ryan Spahn. Starring: Halley Feiffer,  Ralph Macchio, Natasha Lyonne, & Mamie Gummer. Plot: A one-time indie darling (Feiffer) attempts to resuscitate her failing film career by stealing a screenplay, and casting herself in the starring role. Meanwhile, she enlists the aid of her brother, his boyfriend, and an unlikely cast of A-listers in getting the film produced. Trailer Review: Being an actress who's in mainly indie films, I can relate; tho I have yet be in an Oscar nominated film like Feiffer. Fingers crossed that changes in February with 42. I digress. This film looks funny, & it's about film-making. Sold. Rating: TBD. Watch with: America's Sweethearts. 

 Unfinished Song Musical Drama Starring: Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton, & Christopher Eccleston. Director & Writer: Paul Andrew Williams. Plot: A cantankerous retiree (Stamp) discovers an untapped gift while wrestling with the impending death of his beloved wife (Redgrave) in this inspirational musical drama. Trailer Review: A musical based film with old people? Sold! This seems sweet, & Stamp can sing. Rating: TBD. Watch with: Love Actually & August Rush

 In the House 2012 Thriller Starring: Kristen Scott Thomas. Director & Writer: François Ozon, adapted from Spanish playwright Juan Mayorga's The Boy in the Last Row. Plot: A disillusioned French teacher's (Fabrice Luchini) passions for literature are reawakened by a shy-yet-talented student (Ernst Umhauer) who insinuates himself into the family life of an unsuspecting classmate (Bastien Ughetto) in order to pen a series of voyeuristic essays. Trailer Review: Thomas is doing a lot of French films lately. The plot & her are the reason I'm watching this. Rating: TBD. Watch with: The Business of Strangers & Wicker Park