DVD. You Choose. I Watch. We Talk.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at 8:01AM Last year or a bit further back (?) I tried to give you the choice of which DVDs I would review from the weekly crop released but we didn't get very far on account of Netflix's month-long delays with some studios and my policies of mandatory procrastination. So irritating! Given that the bulk of readers and, indeed, the bulk of everyone watches their movies at home now (sigh), let's try again! I'll figure it out on my end. We'll skip the newish releases we've already discussed like 21 Jump Street (review) and Mirror Mirror (review) and the one's I have no interest in.
Let's start simple with 2012 movies fairly fresh on DVD that I haven't seen. though perhaps I'll speak out if there's a great commentary. If there is I trust someone will let me know.
- THE FLOWERS OF WAR Zhang Yimou's historical epic starring Christian Bale that was submitted for foreign film last year but didn't make it.
- THIS MEANS WAR Reese Witherspoon's terribly reviewed slutty* action comedy in which she can't choose between Chris Pine & Tom Hardy. Her friend suggests a sex off (*I'm guessing? hoping?)
- JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME An indie from the Duplass brothers co-starring the always welcome Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon.
- THE PERFECT FAMILY Kathleen Turner returns to the screen as the mother of a dysfunctional Catholic family.
You choose for me and I'll cover it somehow next week.
Make your case in the comments if you'd like other people to vote your way.
DVD, reader requests
Reader Comments (21)
Don't listen to that poll! Go with THIS MEANS WAR. It's good candy-colored garbage, and its stars are shot to look edible. You can't call yourself a Tom Hardy fan until you've seen the way McG brings out every shade of pink in his lips.
Id wager anything with kathleen turner is worth a shot!!
"The perfect family" because, I mean, f'realz!
Pefect+family=good vibes, duh!
Kathleen, duh!
It might have some, you know, food for thought instead of hollow entertainment value.
Plus, I'll give sexual favors.
Come on people-this cannot even be close. Nathaniel writing about Kathleen is always a joy, and this is her first new film since 2008!
Nat, I know this might be difficult, but try to look for Ann Hui's A Simple Life. In fact, as an actressexual, shouldn't you be all over Hui's work already? :)
If you want to do a Chinese film, I vote for A Simple Life too. Or anything besides The Flowers of War, which is just too creaky and cardboard-y to even be interesting to write about, unfortunately.
I voted for This Means War because I'm pretty sure you would loathe it, and I always enjoy it when you get rant-y.
I totally agree with BeRightBack in that there's virtually nothing worth discussing about The Flowers of War (even in a negative way), and I also don't think there's anything particularly interesting about Jeff Who Lives at Home, either.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home is my vote.
Rae Dawn Chong has an entire subplot with Susan Sarandon in Jeff, Who Lives At Home—then there's your unwavering love for Kathleen Turner—these are your options.
Spoon and Bale don't deserve your affections in lesser projects.
This Means War is less funny than The Flowers of War...
Nathaniel, do NOT watch The Perfect Family. It's such a joke of a movie. K Turner deserves better (and your time deserves better).
Nicholas - ouch on both movies.
everyone -- i just realized i forgot to include MARGARET. lol.
"This Means War"- Because people actually think Chris Pine is more attractive than Tom Hardy.
How is this possible?
You haven't seen Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Nathaniel? Oh, you must. It's pretty terrific. It's right there with Take This Waltz for my favorite movies of the year. And the scenes between Susan Sarandon and Rae Don Chong are really, really exceptional.
Margaret FTW.
P.S. Reese Witherspoon needs to fire her agent. (Oops, she's married to him.)
Nathaniel--
Just FYI, Margaret isn't available on Netflix until August 7 anyway. Or at least that's how it's showing up on my queue.
Voted for The Perfect Family just because I really miss Kathleen Turner and want you to talk about her. However, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, sounds pretty terrific (and I'm in love with Mark Duplass) , so it's my second choice. Plus, it has Susan Sarandon, who I also miss, but thankfully, she has a number of movies on the way according to IMDb.
I voted for Jeff, since it's the only one of the four I've seen and I think you'd find it interesting.
Ouch - if these are the four best options, you're better off reading a book!
I should have voted for This Means War just so you (and all of us) can point out its ridiculousness. And I mean that in a guilty pleasure kind of way.
I wouldn't inflict "This Means War" on my worst enemy.