Couch Time with Sheldon

Black Sheep Reviews is going through some major site changes and this feature will soon be no more. In the meantime though, with all the behind the scenes work to be done, I have to get a few capsule reviews out there so as not to fall too far behind. Here are a few of the titles you might come across on video store shelves, or more likely you will come across them online to stream or download, and whether or not they are worth it your dollar or your bandwidth.

JACK GOES BOATING

JACK GOES BOATING is the directorial debut from Academy Award winning actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is based on a 2007 play that Hoffman was in, making this a passion project which unfortunately falls prey to all of the trappings that can so easily accompany these scenarios. Jack (Hoffman) is a broken, single person - the kind you just know is never really going to find anyone. He is introduced to Connie (Amy Ryan), another lost cause, and they start preparing themselves mentally to potentially date each other. People who don't know how to be around other people are not the kind of people I want to watch on screen really. They make me uncomfortable and Hoffman does everything possible to make sure that discomfort hits home. By the time the dinner scene climax roles around and explodes into a drug-addled catastrophe, I didn't care whether Jack ever made it boating. Even if he did, he would just sink. (Alliance)

BIG LOVE SEASON 4

I had heard plenty of bad press about the fourth season of the HBO series, BIG LOVE. I have been a fan of the show since the beginning but even Chloe Sevigny was bad mouthing the writing in this particular season. I have to say I found the reports to be greatly exaggerated. Sure, it got a little outlandish by the ninth and final episode but by then, I was already deeply involved in the insane hijinks of the Henrickson clan. This season, Bill (Bill Paxton) decides he has a testament to run for public office and then come out as a polygamist to his constituents so that he and his three wives (Jeanne Trippehorn, Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin) can change the face of polygamy in America. The testament could be an extension of Bill's ever expanding ego though and everyone but Bill knows it. The fifth and final season is currently airing on HBO. (Warner Bros.)

NOWHERE BOY

Like the title character in NOWHERE BOY, this film might get lost amidst the shuffle, as it might not jump out at anyone at first glance. This would be tragic as this gem is often almost as brilliant as the man it is about. The man is John Lennon and he is played here with surprising depth by Aaron Johnson. World renowned artist, Sam Taylor- Wood has chosen to tell the story of Lennon's adolescence as her first feature film. It is a story that most will not be familiar with so Beatles fans who think they've seen it all will be delighted. That said, the family drama has universal appeal thanks to its great depth and incredibly talented cast, including Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff. Click here for the original Black Sheep review. (Maple Pictures)

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Couch Time with Sheldon

I don't want to brag but I had a lot of time off during the holidays. Clearly, I was still posting here but I was not tending to my day job. As I did not flee the country for somewhere warmer, and as the universe decided I should get sick just after the new year started, I spent a fair amount of time on my couch during my break. Fortunately, a slew of movies had arrived at my door at the time so I was never without something to watch. Here are a couple of the films I caught ...

ANIMAL KINGDOM

I love my family. Having spent an extended period of time with them during the holidays was a bit taxing at times but they are all saints compared to the Cody family in David Michod's Australian export, ANIMAL KINGDOM. Josh, played by newcomer James Frecheville, goes to stay with his grandmother (Jacki Weaver) after his mother overdoses and, before long, he falls in with his uncles and their sordid ways. Ben Mendelsohn plays the ring leader of this pack with such an intensely creepy presence that I almost had to leave the room at times when he was on screen. And it is easy to see why Weaver would be getting awards recognition for her role as the family matriarch. She has nothing but love for her family and will do anything .. and I do mean anything .. to protect them. (eOne)

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK

Joan Rivers works very hard and she wants you all to know it in the new documentary based on the later years of her career, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, directed by Ricki Stern. Back when Rivers was on "The Tonight Show" as Jonny Carson's permanent stand-in, America loved her. She had a whip-smart tongue and she was a pioneer for female comediennes. The years were not kind though and public opinion of Rivers has been reduced to a joke, most often of the plastic surgery variety. Despite her mask, Rivers cannot hide from Stern's cameras and this touching documentary, while still somewhat self serving, is also a testament to how hard it is to be a living legend. (eOne)

Both films are available to rent or own now on both Blu-ray and DVD from eOne films.

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Couch Time with Sheldon

This will be the last COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON for 2010. Next week, I am away on business so I won't have much couch time at all. When I return in December, this space will be dedicated to SHOPPING WITH SHELDON - Holiday suggestions for all the film lovers on your list. In the meantime, let's see how Sheldon has been spending his couch time.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

The indie film scene has been in love with this film since it debuted in Sundance at the beginning of the year. The buzz was that director, Lisa Cholodenko, had crafted a modern family comedy that was funny, touching and altogether human without being the least bit contrived or forced. And they were right. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT should fit in perfectly in your living room given the film's family focus. Young Laser and Joni (Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska) seek out and find their sperm donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo) without their mothers' (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) knowledge. The ensemble shines and at least the three adult leads should find their names being dropped all over awards season this year. Moore and Bening feel like they've been together for ages and their chemistry is perfect. Cholodenko redefines family with this one. (Alliance) (Click here for full Black Sheep review.)

THE PACIFIC

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks reunite as producing partners with this 10-part HBO miniseries on the American marines' involvement in the Pacific ocean during the second World War. I must admit that I am only half way through the series myself and so far, I'm not as involved as I was when Spielberg and Hanks produced their first WWII mini-series, BAND OF BROTHERS. It is getting better though as the focus shifts more towards particular soldiers instead of the companies themselves. Still, I can't imagine too many fans of BROTHERS being too disappointed with this. It still features plenty of intense war footage and many a fraternal bonding moment between soldiers. There just aren't as many standout performances this time out so there are times when its just a lot of guys in green for me. (Warner Bros.)

If you've got some couch time this week, there are plenty of options just released on DVD and Blu-ray today. Maple Pictures puts out two pictures from this past summer, one a lot of people saw and one hardly any of you did. Now's your chance to catch Gemma Arterton in THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED, a sharp and gripping kidnapping thriller. For more insight into Arterton and the project, read Black Sheep's interview with Arterton here ... The second Maple picture is the Sylvester Stallone directed blockbuster, THE EXPENDABLES. This action throwback also stars Jason Statham, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren, whom Black Sheep also interviewed this year. Click here for that ... Sony counterprograms on DVD just like they did in theatres with the Julia Roberts drama, EAT PRAY LOVE. Like in theatres, I feel THE EXPENDABLES will eat-pray-love her alive on DVD ... Lucy Walker offers her first of two 2010 documentaries through Alliance, COUNTDOWN TO ZERO (click title fore review), an intelligent and enlightening look at our current global nuclear situation ... This next one from Magnolia Pictures was a documentary to begin with but as it turns out, it is just pure insanity. If you like to watch train wrecks, don't miss Joaquin Phoenix in Casey Affleck's I'M STILL HERE (click title for review). I swear, it's a crazy trip that you've got to see to believe ... And cinephiles rejoice as Kino releases Fritz Lang's THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS for the first time on Blu-ray. Apparently the restoration is the film's most comprehensive and impressive incarnation in history.

Source: blu-ray.com

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Couch Time with Sheldon

This weekend in Toronto was one extreme to another. Saturday was gorgeous out and Sunday was anything but. I spent some of Saturday taking in the sunshine to alleviate a bad mood. I then spent Sunday in a much better mood but stuck inside with all the cold rain falling outside. Being stuck wasn't without its advantages though. I had the chance to catch up on my stack of films to review. Each film brought a new mood. The day went from confused to disgusted to downright jubilant. Here's how ...

BEING THERE

I got this movie from Zip.ca over two months ago. When I saw it still sitting at the bottom of my pile, I decided to cancel my Zip.ca account. I couldn't let the film go to waste though so I popped it in Sunday morning. Peter Sellers is Chance, a man who has lived his entire life within the confines of one home until he is forced into the real world. He knows nothing of life nor has he ever developed mentally and as he walks up and down the streets of Washington, past the other homeless people, I had no idea how to interpret his plight. I felt like this was meant to be amusing but all I felt was great fear for this individual. He has no tools to deal with society but yet somehow he not only manages but manages to convince everyone he encounters that he is practically prophetic. Sellers is sensational so subsequently I couldn't believe that no one could tell he was so special. (Warner Bros.)

ANTICHRIST

Lars von Trier is not for everyone. I am a big fan of DANCER IN THE DARK and DOGVILLE but I would never dream of recommending them to anyone who likes their movies light or easy. With ANTICHRIST, I can't think of anyone I would recommend the film to, except perhaps some of the contrarian film students I used to know. Within minutes of the film starting, you get to see the prologue of the piece. While Willem Dafoe is having passionate (and full on graphic) sex with Charlotte Gainsbourg on the bathroom floor, their young toddler gets out of his crib and falls out the window, plummeting to his death in some of the most glorious cinematography I've seen all year. I didn't want to be seeing what I was seeing but it still looked good. And thus begins the punishment of these two people for having sex. If the horrifying acts of torture the couple inflict upon each other don't make you ill, the appalling misogynist agenda will. If neither does, than perhaps you are the antichrist. (eOne)

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

I would have been happy to watch almost anything after that last disaster but boy am I glad it was Robert Wise's Best Picture Oscar winning musical, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. And do those hills ever come alive on blu-ray! This 45th anniversary edition is spectacularly transfered and completely addictive. You know the story and the songs already but they never cease to get old. I was slightly taken aback when they sang, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" as she is about to get married, seemingly answering their own question with some good old fashioned sexism, but it's 45 years old! Maria's journey to find the best channel to express her great love for the planet and all of its beauty is infectious and timeless. There is a reason this one is a classic after all. And her name is Julie Andrews. (20th Century Fox)

Here's a run down of what else hits shelves today ... The AVATAR "Collector's Edition" is now available - it's bluer now ... I believe I said Jim Carrey's A CHRISTMAS CAROL was out last week. Wrong. It's out now ... M. Knight Shaymalan's THE LAST AIRBENDER hit shelves and that is exactly where I will be leaving it ... Right next to CATS AND DOGS 2 ... And my personal rental recommendation of the week is Lisa Cholodenko's fantastic family dramedy, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, featuring one of the best ensemble's of the year, Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson. I will be watching it on my couch tonight! (Click here to read the original KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT Black Sheep review.)

Source: Blu-ray.com

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Couch Time with Sheldon

By no means is this a complaint but movies show up at my door constantly. I am rarely without something to screen when I look for something to watch. Why then did I find myself at the video store this weekend renting a bunch of movies when I already had a bunch at home? I guess I'm insatiable that way.

It isn't going to get any better either with releases like what I'm about to divulge to you coming soon. The hilarious comedy that is hip enough for teens but smart for adults, EASY A, drops right in time for Christmas on December 21. One of 2010's most celebrated adult dramas, THE TOWN, just a few days before that on December 17. James Franco plays Allen Ginsberg in the obscenity obsessed docudrama, HOWL, hitting stores on January 4. And looking a little further to the spring, Disney will be bringing BAMBI to blu-ray on March 1. (Click any film title above, save for BAMBI, for a full review.)

And now, back to the couch ...

SEX AND THE CITY 2

The girls are back where they belong, in my living room. It is so much easier to forgive writer/director, Michael Patrick King's ridiculously outlandish production and nonsensical plot when I'm lazying around in my jammies in the couch. At least watching it this way means I don't have to get dressed all pretty and trek myself over to the theatre to sit there for 2 1/2 hours. No, this way I can drink as many cosmos as I like during the film to make it even more plausible. In all honesty, the second "Sex and the City" movie has its moments. They are not particularly deep or insightful and they certainly don't hold any of the gravitas that they would have years ago when the series was running but they are amusing. If you miss the girls, check them out. You will laugh plenty and the regret will be minimal. Click here for the full Black Sheep review. (Warner Brothers)

LEAVES OF GRASS

How could a movie starring well liked thespian, Edward Norton, go straight to home video? This Tim Blake Nelson film played at TIFF in 2009 and was intended for a theatrical release this fall so what went wrong? Allow me to tell you, pretty much everything. Norton plays twin brother, one is professor of philosophy and the other is a pot dealer. The professor goes home to the middle of nowhere for the first time in ages to play a little identical twin trickery, as if this were a television sitcom or something. As competent as the players are (rounded out by Susan Sarandon and Keri Russell), something always feels off and amateurish in this film. It could have been interesting but never quite gets there. (First Look)

THE SECRET OF KELLS

I'm so happy to have finally gotten around to seeing THE SECRET OF KELLS, the surprise Oscar nominee in the Animated Feature category last year. A young lad named Brandon, who has never been outside the walls that surround Kells, must challenge himself to be the best he can be in order to bring order to a chaotic world. It plays out like a fantasy quest film where the meek must triumph over tragedy and all things evil. This will likely play better to adults fans of the fantasy genre than to attention deficient children but this fable will certainly enchant anyone with an appreciation for breathtaking and imaginative animation style. Give in to Kells and it will show you all the secrets it has to offer.

(New Video Group)

If you're stopping by the video store, there are a ton of brand new first run titles available for rental or purchase this week. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, etc. get together for the reunion comedy, GROWN UPS ... Jim Carrey's holiday leftovers from 2009, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, are now available for your consumption ... Lars Von Trier's latest, ANTICHRIST, gets the Criterion treatment ... Cutie, Zach Efron's big dramatic turn as CHARLIE ST. CLOUD is now available for slumber parties and drinking games ... It's supposed to be great family fun for RAMONA AND BEEZUS ... Or how about a supposedly dreadful prostitute drama with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci running the LOVE RANCH ... And finally, most of you missed this in theatres but you had better get out there and watch one of the most exciting and hilarious films on the year, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD. Don't make Michael Cera come after you. (Click here for the Black Sheep SCOTT PILGRIM review.)

See you on the other end of the couch ...

Source: Blu-ray.com

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Couch Time with Sheldon

It's ironic really. At least I think it is. I'm not always so sure about that though so how about you tell me? Yesterday, when I was supposed to be posting the COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON feature on its regularly scheduled day, I spent most of the day on the couch with a bad headache. Hence the reason I'm a day late. I'm pretty sure that counts as irony.

Instead of focusing on some of the big blu-ray title announcements this week, I want to highlight something altogether different instead. Barnes & Noble, an American retailer that focuses mostly on books, is having a sale. This isn't just any sale though. This is 50% off Criterion sale. Criterion, in case you don't already know, is committed to restoring and honouring some of the greatest films of all time for our consumption. They are also infamous for being a little pricey. Now you can get great titles like HUNGER and the just released THE DARJEELING LIMITED for 20 bucks! (Click either film title for the full Black Sheep review.) Titles are available in both DVD and BD format and the sale runs until November 21. Click here for more details.

And now let's take a look at what Sheldon watched in the last week ...

PSYCHO

It may seem simplistic to suggest that Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO is one of the greatest films of all time but it really is. 50 years after its initial release, this masterpiece is sure to captivate even modern audiences. There is something inherently addictive about PSYCHO for me. I've seen the film four or five times now and I can never take my eyes off the screen. The twisted Joseph Stefano screenplay, the all new remastered Bernard Hermann score and the constantly captivating camera work transcend time. Sure, it isn't as shocking to see a toilet on screen as it would have been in 1960 but when the action is this engaging, who cares. PSYCHO, released through Universal Pictures, is simply a must see for anyone who wants to call themselves even a loose fan of narrative filmmaking.

WINTER'S BONE

This 2010 title is no Hitchcock but I assure you that the plight suffered by WINTER'S BONE heroine, 17-year-old, Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), is no less captivating than what Vivian Leigh goes through in the Bates Motel. Ozark Moutain resident, Ree has a few days to find her deadbeat, crackhead dad and make sure he shows up for his court date. If she fails, she loses her family home, which essentially amounts to everything for her. At 17, she takes care of everything but herself - from her two younger siblings to her mentally unfit mother. Lawrence is absolutely brilliant in this Debra Granik film. It is a competitive year for lead actresses but Lawrence deserves to hear her name amongst the nominees come awards season. WINTER'S BONE itself, from Maple Pictures, is so compelling and engaging that it too deserves its place on many year end lists. Do not miss this original, harrowing thriller. Click here for the full Black Sheep review.

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

Sometimes I don't understand how I manage to go so long without seeing certain titles. I knew after about five minutes of this Milos Forman Best Picture winner that I was going to love it. Sometimes you can just tell. Jack Nicholson is R. P. McMurphy, a criminal who has been sent to a mental institution for observation. The question at hand is whether he is crazy and should be institutionalized or whether his defiant behaviour is just a way to get out of his work duty sentence. The question then becomes, as McMurphy shakes up the daily operations of this facility and all who inhabit it, what is crazy really? The tete-a-tete between McMurphy and head nurse, Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), is what takes this film from an insightful look at the definition of insane to the brilliant mind game it is. Warner Brothers has just released an amazing collector's edition that comes with a commemorative book and playing cards with Nicholson's face on them.

PREDATORS

I would ordinarily never see this film but my friend, Naqeeb, was coming over to watch a movie and he and I have distinctly different tastes in film. He thinks BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is unwatchable and I've seen in six times. Somehow, we both loved this sci-fi franchise thriller, from director, Nimrod Antal. A bunch of seemingly unrelated individuals are dropped in the middle of a jungle without any knowledge as to how they got there. From there, it is as much a mystery to us as it is to them as to how to get out of their predicament. I didn't fully buy Adrian Brody as an action hero and I wasn't entirely certain whether Lawrence Fishburn was acting crazy or just drunk but ultimately, I was fully into this thriller. Thanks to the folks at 20th Century Fox for sending over this screener. I may never have seen it otherwise.

The holidays are coming so plenty of high profile titles will be coming your way on Blu-ray in the weeks to come. This week sees the biggest hit of 2010 hit shelves, TOY STORY 3. The Pixar hit is the biggest animated movie of all time and with good reason. Click here for the Black Sheep review ... In other Tom Hanks news, his collaboration with Steven Spielberg, HBO miniseries, THE PACIFIC, is now available to own from Warner Brothers. WB also puts out the 25th anniversary edition of THE GOONIES, for the first time on BD. Also making its first appearance on BD is the 45th anniversary edition of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, from 20th Century Fox. The hills are alive with the sound of movies apparently.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week on the couch.

Source: blu-ray.com

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Couch Time with Sheldon

Welcome to COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON, a brand new feature on Black Sheep Reviews. Well, it's mostly brand new. Essentially, this feature will replace BLU-TUESDAY. Rather than simply focus on the releases of the day, Black Sheep will take a look at a handful of titles each week, ranging from brand new releases to catalog titles, based on what Sheldon has actually watched recently. In case you don't know it, Sheldon is that little sheep you see everywhere on the site. He would also be my alter-ego I guess but that's not something I'm ready to deal with just yet.

We will continue to highlight what has come out on DVD and Blu-ray each week, as well as continue to look at what has been announced but the focus will be more on what Sheldon has seen rather than what he intends to.

Speaking of announcements, check these out ... Warner Bros. brings out two 1970's classics, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN and NETWORK on February 15, 2011. Alliance will release the George Clooney film, THE AMERICAN, on December 28th of this year. 20th Century Fox has THE A-TEAM cashing in on the holidays on December 14th and the indie comedy, CYRUS (click for review) hits the week before. And here's the exciting news ... Disney will be releasing their superhero hit, THE INCREDIBLES, in the spring of 2011.

And now, I invite you to spend a little couch time with Sheldon ... Here's what everybody's favorite sheep saw in the last little bit.

FROZEN

I love indie films like this one, that get picked up (in this case by Anchor Bay Films) and manage to find an audience they would never have found, and actually deserve it. Horror director, Adam Green, has created a truly horrifying experience with FROZEN. Three college-aged skiers decide that they need to get one last run in before the end of their day. There is a lesson to be learned about being greedy though because the chair lift stops on their way up and before it gets going again, all the lights go out and everyone else goes home. There are no scary monsters or psycho killers with hooks for hands here. No, the only enemy here is nature itself and that level of reality is what had me freaking out for about a good hour straight. If you're looking for something offbeat to both scare and impress your Halloween guests, check out FROZEN. Be warned though, you might not go skiing for a little while afterward.

PLEASE GIVE

Don't let this atrocious cover art fool you. PLEASE GIVE is an excellent indie comedy that Sony Pictures is now just trying to push to as wide an audience as possible by capitalizing on the film's stars. This Nicole Holofcener film features Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt as a married New York City couple who run a trendy Soho furniture store. Keener's character has some issues with how they run their show though, as the majority of their pieces come from the misfortune of others. They buy pieces from people who have recently passed away and then resell them for exorbitant prices. They are also waiting for the elderly lady next door to pass away so they can take over her place and expand on their own. This fascinating exploration of white upper-class guilt is refreshingly honest and surprisingly funny. With the cast rounded out by Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall, you can't go wrong.

LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (HEARTBEATS)

There has been a lot of talk recently on Black Sheep for Xavier Dolan's second feature, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES. After having the chance to interview him at TIFF (click here for interview), I feel like I have an all new approach to his work. Just from sitting across from him for 20 minutes, you can tell that Dolan is an insightful person who feels a great deal. Those personality traits are abundant in LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES, now available to rent or own on DVD only from Alliance Films (with English subtitles). Fans of the French new wave and Wong Kar-Wai will love Dolan's latest work. Two great friends, Marie and Francis (Monia Chokri and Dolan) both fall for the same guy (Niels Schneider) and Dolan the director explores the highs and lows of falling in love, or more specifically, of falling in love with the idea of being in love. The results are honest, enlightening and will be understood by anyone who has ever chased after someone without really knowing why. (Click title in body for original review.)

Thank you for checking out the first COUCH TIME WITH SHELDON feature. The feature will run regularly on Tuesday's from here on in. In the meantime, here is a list of other titles available this week to rent or own ...

BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY (Blu-ray)

ALIEN ANTHOLOGY (Blu-ray)

SEX AND THE CITY 2

(click title for review)

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE

(click title for review)

WINTER'S BONE

(click title for review)

Source: blu-ray.com

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