Highbrow Magazine - new on video https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/new-video en ‘The Loft,’ ‘Seventh Son’ Arrive on Home Video https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5028-loft-seventh-son-arrive-home-video <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 05/26/2015 - 13:37</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/theloft.jpg?itok=Tc2anaV8"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/theloft.jpg?itok=Tc2anaV8" width="480" height="337" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p> </p> <p>A fantasy film starring Jeff Bridges and a morality tale about philandering men anchor this week’s home video releases.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>The Loft</strong></p> <p><strong>2 stars (out of four)<br /> Rated R for sexual content, nudity, bloody violence, language and some drug use<br /> Universal Studios<br /> Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and on demand</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Director Eric Van Looy’s remake of the Danish film “Loft” is an off-kilter morality play marked by unseemly characters, unlikely actions and a multitude of twists. The plot centers on five men – Vincent (Karl Urban), Chris (James Marsden), Luke (Wentworth Miller), Marty (Eric Stonestreet) and Philip (Matthias Schoenaerts) – who agree to rent a secret loft where they can take women without their wives’ knowledge.</p> <p> </p> <p>The fact that the men are willing to engage in this activity says a lot about their character, but Van Looy goes out of his way to make at least some of them seem like decent human beings. He is only moderately successful because the men are even further besmirched when they discover a woman’s body in the loft and decide to talk the situation out rather than call the police.</p> <p> </p> <p>“The Loft,” of course, wants viewers thinking about the lengths people go to in order to protect their deepest secrets. That’s an interesting start point, but the setup is better than the execution.</p> <p> </p> <p>The cast is filled with likable players, particularly Marsden and Urban, but they are less agreeable when inhabiting such dark roles. That said, it’s not the gritty subject matter that unravels “The Loft.” People do ugly things all the time, and explorations of such deeds can be enlightening. The biggest problem is that “The Loft” is more interested in becoming a twist-filled thriller than in indicting its players for their immoral behavior. To this order, the movie has a fractured timeline, and it often switches gears, frequently asking viewers to reassess what they’ve seen before.</p> <p> </p> <p>Unexpected plot twists can be fun, but they work best when focused on characters that everyone cares about. With “The Loft,” all the major players are pretty nasty, so it’s difficult to develop empathy for their situations or interest in their fates.   </p> <p> </p> <p>The Blu-ray and DVD editions contain no extra features.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/Seventh%20Son%20-%20Horizontal.jpg" style="height:261px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Seventh Son</strong></p> <p><strong>2½ stars<br /> Rated PG-13 for intense fantasy violence and action throughout, frightening images and brief strong language<br /> Universal Studios<br /> Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and on demand</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>“Seventh Son” endured problems during and after production, and that led to multiple delays in the film’s theatrical release. When it finally reached U.S. theaters in February, it earned only $17.2 million, a significant letdown considering a production budget of nearly $100 million. Most critics also panned the film, which was predictable but not entirely fair.</p> <p> </p> <p>Anyone who cares to pay attention will notice that most of the critical community seems to possess unbridled love for darlings like Joss Whedon and Brad Bird, meaning they can crank out mediocre efforts – think “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Tomorrowland” – while earning largely favorable reviews. In the meantime, the claws come out when less-adored directors, like “Seventh Son’s” Sergey Bodrov, turn in similarly flawed efforts.</p> <p> </p> <p>It’s difficult to say what drives this phenomenon and exactly what a director must do to enter “untouchable” territory because the boundaries are always shifting. But there are certain artists who – at least for a time – seem mostly immune to critical backlash. </p> <p> </p> <p>None of this is to say “Seventh Son” is brilliant. The movie, based on novelist Joseph Delaney’s “The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch,” is never more than good Saturday-morning fun, and there is plenty to critique. </p> <p> </p> <p>The plot is simplistic, and it centers on a powerful knight named Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges). Gregory is known as a Spook because he specializes in dispatching supernatural baddies. Gregory is good at his work, but he suffers a setback when his apprentice is killed by a witch called Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore). Gregory then seeks out Tom Ward (Ben Barnes), the seventh son of a seventh son. This birth status is supposed to give Tom particular strength, and the young man agrees to help the Spook despite the fact that battling supernatural forces is notoriously dangerous.</p> <p> </p> <p>For Tom, the assignment is particularly treacherous because Gregory says they must confront Malkin soon, and she is one of the most powerful witches he’s met. This means Tom must train quickly, and the movie follows his rapid transformation from farm hand to supernatural warrior. The movie also has a perfunctory romantic subplot, plenty of action and special effects sequences highlighted by witches transforming into dragons and other frightening creatures.  </p> <p> </p> <p>Fans of the fantasy genre have seen films like this before, and Bodrov adds nothing new. Still, he moves the story at a brisk pace and uses the surprisingly strong cast effectively.</p> <p> </p> <p>Bridges is good at playing an eccentric-yet-sage mentor, a role he has taken in other movies, including “The Giver.” The fact that Bridges has walked similar territory before is a negative, but it’s difficult to complain about his performance. Moore is likewise strong as the main villain and Barnes is a handsome and pleasing leading man.</p> <p> </p> <p>With all of these pieces in place, the “The Seventh Son” is an entertaining fantasy effort. It does not defy expectations, nor does it break cinematic ground. Neither is it recommended for people who hate the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings franchises. But, for those who enjoy a fantasy lark, it’s a fine diversion. </p> <p> </p> <p>Blu-ray and DVD extras include several behind-the-scenes features and a visual effects gallery.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>ALSO OUT THIS WEEK</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Sons of Liberty”:</strong> All five hours of the History miniseries dramatizing the American Revolution and ensuing events. Ben Barnes, Ryan Eggold, Marton Csokas, Rafe Spall, Michael Raymond-James, Henry Thomas, Jason O’Mara and Dean Norris star.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Major Crimes” – The Complete Third Season:</strong> The fourth season of this police drama debuts on TNT in June. In the meantime, fans can check out the 19 recent episodes on this set. The focus is on Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) who leads a team of investigators dedicated to solving Los Angeles’ highest-profile crimes. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Ray Donovan” – Season Two: </strong>The 12 most-recent episodes of the Showtime series about a Los Angeles law firm employee (Liev Schreiber) who specializes in payoffs. Jon Voight, Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall and Steven Bauer also star.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“The Nanny” – The Complete Series:</strong> All 145 episodes of the 1990s sitcom about a Queens woman (Fran Drescher) who becomes an integral part of the upper-crust New York family that she works for.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Let us Prey”:</strong> Horror-thriller about a rookie police officer (Pollyanna McIntosh) who must fight for her life when a strange man (Liam Cunningham) arrives at her precinct and seems to spur supernatural events. Directed by Brian O’Malley. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Looney Tunes – Musical Masterpieces”:</strong> Warner Brothers releases 18 of the company’s music-heavy cartoons. Highlights include “Three Little Bops,” “Rabbit of Seville” and “What’s Opera, Doc?”</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Forrest Hartman, a contributing writer at</em></strong><strong> Highbrow Magazine<em>, is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation's largest publications. For more of his work visit <a href="http://www.ForrestHartman.com">www.ForrestHartman.com</a>. </em></strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/loft" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the loft</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/seventh-son" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">seventh son</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-dvd-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new on dvd</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-video" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new on video</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new films</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 26 May 2015 17:37:11 +0000 tara 6033 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5028-loft-seventh-son-arrive-home-video#comments ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ ‘Godzilla’ Arrive on Home Video https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/4296-fault-our-stars-godzilla-arrive-home-video <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 09/16/2014 - 13:33</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/stars.jpg?itok=4EI1YHCM"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/stars.jpg?itok=4EI1YHCM" width="480" height="259" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>After several slow weeks we have a number of high-profile theatrical releases transitioning to the small screen. These include a big-budget monster movie and an intimate drama about kids struggling with cancer.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>The Fault in Our Stars</strong></p> <p><strong>3½ stars (out of four)<br /> Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some sexuality and brief strong language<br /> 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox<br /> Available on: Blu-ray, DVD and digital download</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Adapting a book to the screen is a dicey affair, and the task is particularly daunting with a bestseller like John Green’s 2012 novel, “The Fault in Our Stars.” Fortunately for fans, director Josh Boone skillfully dodges the pitfalls that have caused so many literary works to fail in theaters. Boone’s “Fault in Our Stars” is, like the book, a tearjerker, but it is also thoughtful, sweet and often funny. This seems appropriate for a story that, above all else, reminds viewers that the sick are not merely waiting to die. Rather, they are living, and often doing a better job of it than those of us caught up in the minutiae that dominates our daily lives.</p> <p> </p> <p>Boone’s movie, like Green’s novel, focuses on Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old girl who has been battling terminal thyroid cancer for three years. Hazel tells viewers, in voiceover, that it is death, not cancer, that leads to depression in patients. Although it’s difficult to argue with her rationale, Hazel’s mother (Laura Dern) is determined to cheer her daughter up. So, she insists that Hazel attend a cancer-support group.</p> <p> </p> <p>Although she is reluctant, Hazel’s second outing introduces her to Augustus “Gus” Waters (Ansel Elgort). He is a handsome, cheerful, former basketball star who lost a leg to bone cancer, and his effervescent personality draws Hazel in. Since he is also attracted to her, they form a tight friendship that blossoms during the movie.</p> <p> </p> <p>At its most basic, “The Fault in Our Stars” is a romance, but this isn’t a simple film. The love story at the center of the plotting is underscored by a complex meditation on mortality, a commentary on the way survivors deal with loss and a constant reminder that the terminally ill are every bit as alive as the “healthy” people surrounding them.</p> <p> </p> <p>Boone deserves credit for threading these ideas through the film while maintaining a brisk pace.  Although the picture is talky, Boone uses the dialogue wisely, allowing Woodley, Elgort and Nat Wolff (who plays another cancer patient) to build deep relationships with each other and the audience. Because of this, it hurts to see the characters suffer, and it feels wonderful when they are happy.</p> <p> </p> <p>“The Fault in Our Stars” is meant to be an emotional experience and – for viewers who let their guard down – it will be. Illness is something all human beings face, but we rarely talk about it. Boone and company force the conversation, and viewers reap the benefits.</p> <p> </p> <p>Blu-ray and DVD extras include a variety of promotional featurettes and an audio commentary by Boone and Green.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/godzilla.jpg" style="height:399px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Godzilla</strong></p> <p><strong>2½ stars<br /> Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of destruction, mayhem and creature violence<br /> Warner Brothers<br /> Available on: Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, digital download and on demand</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Warner Brothers’ reboot of the long-running Godzilla franchise was a hit in theaters, grossing more than $200 million in the U.S. alone. It will make even more on video, but newcomers may be disappointed by the relatively small role the title character plays. </p> <p> </p> <p>Although Godzilla’s huge, dinosaur-like frame graces the cover of the Blu-ray, the screenplay is more interested in a couple additional monsters that the human characters call MUTOs, as in Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms.</p> <p> </p> <p>The picture starts when a Japanese nuclear power plant is destroyed in the wake of strange seismic activity. Plant supervisor Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) escapes but only after watching his wife die. Fifteen years later, Joe’s son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), is forced to fly to Japan when his old man is arrested for trespassing. When they meet, Joe tells his boy there was something fishy about the power plant’s destruction and his mother’s death. Although Ford wants to move on, his father convinces him to revisit their old, Japanese home, which is located next to the ruins of the power plant. During their visit, the first MUTO goes on a rampage.</p> <p> </p> <p>Along with killing a bunch of humans, the MUTO inexplicably awakens Godzilla, who pops out of the ocean intent on a massive-monster smackdown. Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe), an expert on the creatures, utters some nonsense about their motivation to fight, but the only real explanation is that director Gareth Edwards wanted Godzilla to face something bigger than fighter jets.</p> <p> </p> <p>Once the creatures surface, they begin a chase across the Pacific Ocean and, conveniently, land in the population center of Honolulu. Because Ford is a military man, he joins the desperate human effort to prevent them from trashing the island. </p> <p> </p> <p>Since the biggest selling point of a monster film is mayhem, Ford is only moderately successful. The MUTOs ultimately terrify the populations of two U.S. cities, destroying millions of dollars of property in the process. All of this leads to an epic showdown between the three monsters.</p> <p> </p> <p>Folks who like this sort of thing should enjoy the special effects, and Edwards moves the plot briskly enough to allow charitable viewers to forgive its stupidity. Whether they’ll forgive the fact that Godzilla gets less screen time than the MUTOs is another story.</p> <p> </p> <p>With a smarter plot, it might have made sense to relegate the title character to a supporting role. But, in a feature that so clearly values spectacle over intellect, Godzilla’s presence is missed.</p> <p> </p> <p>Blu-ray and DVD extras include a number of behind-the-scenes features, including several dedicated to the creation of the monsters.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/likeamanfilm.jpg" style="height:417px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Think Like a Man Too</strong></p> <p><strong>1½ stars<br /> Rated PG-13 for crude sexual content including references, partial nudity, language and drug material<br /> Sony<br /> Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and on demand</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Director Tim Story’s original “Think Like a Man” is a simple-minded battle-of-the-sexes comedy that has cute moments but little originality. This sequel reunites the cast and sends its characters on another derivative adventure.</p> <p> </p> <p>These days, any comedy set in Las Vegas recalls “The Hangover,” and “Think Like a Man Too” is too similar for a favorable comparison. Cedric (Kevin Hart) narrates, explaining that the characters from the first film are gathering in Vegas for the wedding of Michael (Terrence J) and Candace (Regina Hall). Before the nuptials, both the women and men plan a wild night on the town, and they get more than expected. </p> <p> </p> <p>“Think Like a Man Too” has a lot of great players, including Michael Ealy, Meagan Good, Taraji P. Henson, Jerry Ferrara, Gabrielle Union and Wendi McLendon-Covey. This crew does its best to milk laughs from the bland screenplay, but it’s tough because Story does little more than follow his characters through typical Vegas party scenes. There’s drinking. There’s gambling. There are strip clubs. And there’s the moment when everything gets out of hand.</p> <p> </p> <p>The plot would have been generic before “The Hangover,” but that adjective seems too kind today. One can easily imagine this cast making a great film, but not within this franchise.</p> <p> </p> <p>Blu-ray and DVD extras include deleted scenes and two featurettes on the making of the movie.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/aboutaboy.jpg" style="height:416px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>ALSO OUT THIS WEEK</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“About a Boy” – Season One:</strong> This NBC TV series is the second screen adaptation of Nick Hornby’s like-titled novel. David Walton stars as Will Freeman, a freewheeling bachelor whose life changes when a single mom (Minnie Driver) and her 11-year-old son move in next door.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Sleepy Hollow” – The Complete First Season:</strong> First 13 episodes in Fox’s supernatural series about Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison), an 18<sup>th</sup> century soldier who is mysteriously reborn in the present day. Although flustered, Crane spends his time helping a police lieutenant (Nicole Beharie) battle supernatural forces.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“The Big Bang Theory” – The Complete Seventh Season:</strong> This sitcom, about two geeks who live next door to a beautiful blonde, is one of CBS’ biggest successes, and the eighth season debuts at the end of September. That gives fans a handful of days to digest the 24 episodes presented here.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Eraserhead”:</strong> Fresh, digital restoration of writer-director David Lynch’s 1977 surrealist movie about a man (Jack Nance) living in an industrialized wasteland.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Hawaii Five-O” – The Fourth Season:</strong> The continuing adventures of an elite law enforcement unit operating in the state of Hawaii. Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park star.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Grimm” – Season Three:</strong> This supernatural drama’s fourth season will kick off just before Halloween. In the meantime, fans can revisit the 22 episodes on this set.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Arrow” – The Complete Second Season:</strong> Twenty-three episodes of the CW hit focused on Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), a tortured billionaire who fights crime as the masked superhero Green Arrow.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“CSI – Crime Scene Investigation” – The Fourteenth Season:</strong> CBS’ long-running drama about Las Vegas criminalists just keeps chugging. Ted Danson, Elisabeth Shue and George Eads star.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>“Mustang – The First 50 Years”:</strong> Two-DVD set focused on the evolution of the Ford Mustang, a car that generations of Americans love.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Forrest Hartman. a contributing writer at </em></strong><strong>Highbrow Magazine<em>, is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation's largest publications. For more of his work visit <a href="http://www.ForrestHartman.com">www.ForrestHartman.com</a>. </em></strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/fault-our-stars" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the fault in our stars</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/godzilla" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">godzilla</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/think-man-too" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">think like a man too</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/about-boy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">about a boy</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sleepy-hollow" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sleepy hollow</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dvds" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">DVDs</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-video" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new on video</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:33:30 +0000 tara 5193 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/4296-fault-our-stars-godzilla-arrive-home-video#comments