12 Questions: DVD & BluRay Releases
Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 4:30PM Twelve questions for you to answer (comment party!) inspired by this week's new DVD releases. Ready?
7 Minutes Heist movie starring Jason Ritter, Kris Kristofferson and more
Q1: Do you follow Jason Ritter on Twitter, Instagram, and Vine? You should.
About Elly Asghar Farhadi's pre-A Separation breakthrough, is finally out
Q2: Did you hear that Penélope Cruz is going to star in his next feature?
Boulevard (reviewed) starring the late Robin Williams as a closeted gay man. With Kathy Baker as his depressed wife and Roberto Aguire as his favorite rentboy.
Q3: What's your favorite Robin Williams performance?
The D Train (reviewed) button-pushing comedy. Jack Black, who can't let high school go, obsesses over classmate James Marsden, who made it to Hollywood. Geographically.
Q4: Have you ever obsessed over James Marsden? If so, when?
Face of An Angel Daniel Brühl and Kate Beckinsale and a murder investigation
Q5: How many movies does Daniel Brühl make a year anyway?
Gemma Bovery a "reimagining" of Flauberts classic with Gemma Arterton
Q6: Did you think Mia Wasikowska and Gemma are aware of each other?
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me a documentary on the music icon
Q7: Don't you think "I'm Not Going to Miss You" (Oscar nominated) is a pretty song?
Good Kill (reviewed) Director Andrew Niccol and star Ethan Hawke reunite for this military drama
Q8: Remember Gattaca?
The Harvest Horror movie starring Michael Shannon, Charlie Tahan, and Samantha Morton, the latter reportedly in scenery devouring evil mode
Q9: When's the last time you saw Samantha Morton work her magic?
I'll See You In My Dreams (Performances of 2015) A retired widow considers dating
10: Would you go out for karaoke with Blythe Danner?
Mad Max: Fury Road (Podcasted, Reviewed, Obsessed Over) Director George Miller returns to his name-making franchise and humiliates his earlier self and most working directors with his Mad Skillz at age 70 (!!!). With committed work from: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicholas Hoult
Q11: Are you joining us for Hit Me With Your Best Shot on Monday September 7th? PRETTY PLEASE!
The Turning
An Australian omnibus film with 17 directors doing little vignettes starring Aussie screen icons like Blanchett, Byrne, Weaving, Otto, and Roxburgh
Q12: Have you ever been to Australia?
TV Seasons
Castle (7th), Nashville (3rd), Scorpion (1st), Vampire Diaries (6th)
Reader Comments (17)
A: Not as many as Michael Winterbottom.
I can vouch for that Australian portmanteau, The Turning. Several good vignettes in there, including a strong Blanchett miniature, Wasikowska's directing debut, and two or three others that really gripped me.
Robin Williams gives a beautiful performance in "Boulevard." The film is a rather by-the-book in terms of its coming out narrative, but Williams is great and Kathy Baker does as much as she can with the supporter/supportive role.
San Fran -- i wish i thought so but i even found the performances rather lifeless aside from the hooker. It's like someone covered the entire movie in a damp rag.
Nick -- ooh good to hear. who directs Blanchett there?
The Harvest is TERRRRRRRRRRRRRIBLE, I couldn't even enjoy it in a camp way even though Samantha Morton's trying so hard to make the movie be that by sheer force of will. She has her moments (especially in the last few minutes) but the thing is just lifeless and ugly, god I hated it.
And Nat I hadn't heard that Penelope's in Farhadi's next movie - HOLY SHIT YES. About Elly is so so so good, not to mention everything else he's touched of course.
Regarding James Marsden, I've been obsessed since having the cinematic pleasure of seeing him gaze seductively at both Scott Speedman, and Jesse Bradford.
Jason: Totally agreed about Elly. (That wasn't even on purpose.)
Nathaniel: The director of that one is Simon Stone, one of the fishermen in Jindabyne. He directed a feature that's playing TIFF, too. The Rose Byrne/Miranda Otto vignette is also super, and the Justin Kurzel is predictably disturbing, and there's one built around a montage of still photos that I loved.
Omg. I dont usually say this about films that I didn't care for
But THE D TRAIN was a total piece of shit movie. Saw it at sundance and it was by far the worst thing I've seen there. Gay panic in 2015? Really?
I'm actually excited for "The Harvest" - it got some good reviews saying it was a gonzo camp-fest, like an overqualified Lifetime movie.
I started crushing on James Marsden when he was on the short-lived show "Second Noah."
As for Jason Ritter, I don't follow him on the social networks, but he is hilarious in his appearances in "Drunk History" and his role in "Another Period." Takes after his dad.
THE TURNING is based on a Tim Winton book (not sure how famous Winton is internationally, but he's one of our national treasures at home). The Cate Blanchett section is actually written by her husband, Andrew Upton. And the film contains a near career-best performance from Rose Byrne (I think only her role in the little-seen THE GODDESS OF 1967 would challenge) - international fans who mainly know her for her comedic performances should see it.
Travis C, you had me so interested in The Goddess of 1967, so many possibilities, a dream era, but inflated to see the title character is a car.
All I can say is About Elly is a fantastic film, masterfully written, acted and directed. I also love Fireworks Wednesday, another earlier Farhadi's movie.
Travis - i shall have to check it out. that's enough of a recommendation (Rose's near-best)
Raul -- i don't think i've ever heard of that?
Mr Goodbar -i'm feeling the guilt that i haven't seen it due to my massive love for A Separation
I'm getting The Good Kill and Dior and I (a new release for Netflix) this week. I haven't obsessed over James Marsden, but I was obsessed with Ethan Hawke when I was younger, and he's still one of my favorite actors.
Nat, I'm going to rent I'll See You in My Dreams based on your recommendation, but it's another release that's delayed on Netflix a few weeks. I don't think they're getting it until late September.
By the way, I watched October Gale, that Ruba Nadda movie with Patricia Clarkson. It's on Instant now. It's actually a pretty engaging thriller! It's nice to see Clarkson in a leading role (and Scott Speedman at all).
@Nathaniel: Isn't it interesting we do that? A Separation is such a masterpiece I understand the fear and the protective attitude towards it. All I can say is that upon watching 3 other movies of his, it made me appreciate his style as a writer even more (even though I was left very cold by The Past).
James Marsden was so dreamy that I watched Second Noah as a kid. And that show was shit. Also, he hasn't aged a day since then, either. Yet my feelings for him never truly went carnal until he posed for "Entertainment Weekly" (not a magazine necessarily known for beefcake pictures) in a wet T-shirt.
I would love to karaoke with Blythe, even though I can only rap.
I have never been to Australia. I want to go but only if I go to a major city because I am terrified of finding a spider the size of my head.
i know kathy baker won't get any nominations for her performance in boulevard but she has a dynamite scene near the end with robin.