Film & TV

‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘Kon-Tiki’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

Luhrmann, in typical fashion, has crafted a film that is visually fascinating and thematically powerful. His “Great Gatsby” is a towering affair that uses melodrama, high-octane music and an impressive cast to present a vivid picture of the roaring ’20s and a compelling tale of obsessive love and class oppression. The story is narrated by Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), an alcoholic and failed writer who examines his past while receiving treatment in a sanatorium. 

‘Duch’: An In-Depth Look at the Atrocities of the Khmer Rouge

Snapper S. Ploen

Through the 1970s, a dark tide of blood and memory washed over their nation and has stained every generation that followed. While the name most associated with this massacre is Pol Pot, the truth is that many collaborated to exterminate the population. One such man, Kaing Guek Eav (known as Duch), was a central force behind the Khmer Rouge prisons M13 and S21, where thousands of Cambodian citizens lost their lives to a government gone mad. 

Escapades of Infamous, International Jewel Thieves Are Exposed in ‘Smash and Grab’

William Eley

A documentary’s success should be gauged by its ability to reveal previously invisible layers within our cultures, and, most importantly, to translate regionally exotic anecdotes into a common human language.  Coincidentally, Smash and Grab: The Story of The Pink Panthers, does just this. Havana Marking, this film's director, continues beating at the iron heart of her obsession with another story about compromised codes of morality that arise from the rubble of what international relations experts refer to as "failed" states.  

‘On the Hudson’ Explores the Historic Significance of the Majestic River

Annie Castellani

These days, the Hudson River Valley is once again a destination for restless urbanites in search of bucolic getaways. Its storied history is chronicled in the recent DVD release of "On the Hudson - America’s First River," an introspective documentary by veteran journalist Bill Moyers. Over the course of two episodes, Moyers enlivens the iconic river’s four-century transformation with tales of military heroes, literary characters, nature seekers, industrialists, corporate polluters and environmentalists. 

‘Amour,’ ‘Epic’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

The adoration heaped on writer-director Michael Haneke's "Amour" is one of the great mysteries of the 2012 movie awards season. The intimate drama, which is presented in French with English subtitles, won best foreign language film at the Oscars, Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. It was also named best overall film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and National Society of Film Critics. 

‘Look of Love’ Studies the Life of Nude Revue Producer Paul Raymond

Gabriella Tutino

The Look of Love is a period piece with the swinging '60s as its background, and all the expected cultural notes are there—the free sexual attitudes of the decade, the music, the fashions and cars. It is easy to see how Paul Raymond’s pornographic businesses flourished. And although The Look of Love hits the right notes visually, it doesn’t save the film from being unfocused and lacking depth. The film tries to balance the success of Raymond’s empire with the entrepreneur’s unsuccessful relationships.

‘The Big Wedding,’ ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

The best of the two is “White House Down,” a picture that balances wild action sequences with a healthy sense of humor. “Olympus Has Fallen,” on the other hand, takes things deadly serious. It centers on Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), a U.S. Secret Service agent who loses favor by failing to save the first lady (Ashley Judd) in the aftermath of an automobile accident. Mike gets an opportunity to redeem himself when the White House is taken over by well-organized attackers. 

‘Oblivion,’ ‘Mud,’ ‘Place Beyond the Pines’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

End-of-the-world movies have long been a popular genre, but Hollywood seems particularly taken by them in 2013. “After Earth,” “Pacific Rim,” “World War Z” and “Elysium” all operate on the premise that human control of Earth is a privilege, and that we may someday become outcasts on our own planet. Writer-director Joseph Kosinski (“Tron: Legacy”) offers his own post-apocalyptic vision with “Oblivion,” a science-fiction adventure set about 60 years in the future. 

‘11 Flowers’ Deftly Portrays a Poignant Coming-of-Age Story in Rural China

Nancy Lackey Shaffer

Set in China in 1975 and told through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy, 11 Flowers is many things at once: a coming-of-age story; a thriller; a slice of life from a remote village in the Guizhou province; and a glimpse of the social tension caused by China’s Cultural Revolution. Thoughtful and quietly poignant, the film manages all these elements beautifully, without allowing its young central character to be eclipsed by the events surrounding him.

‘Devil’s Backbone,’ ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

With “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” – a sequel to 2010’s “The Rise of Cobra” –Reese, Wernick and director Jon M. Chu seem to resign themselves to the fact that the project is so over-the-top that a truly great movie would be impossible. So, they do the best with what they have. The result is a smash-bang action film that shoots first and thinks later. This doesn’t make “Retaliation” good, but it does make it moderately entertaining.

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