Punch Drunk DVDs!

District 9

Neil Blomkamp's realistic sci-fi masterpiece was one of 2009's biggest surprises. Boasting a budget hovering around $30M, it features photo-realistic special effects that make it nearly impossible to distinguish what is real and what isn't. As much as I love James Cameron, I'd like to see him produce a film that looks this good on so tiny a budget. While the apartheid allegory gets a little muddy, the message is clear and the action in the final sequences is amazing.







(500) Days of Summer
My favorite film of 2009 heading into December, 500 Days of Summer is a fresh and spirited take on love and destiny. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt serves up another outstanding performance, and Zooey Deschanel is her usual quirky but irresistable self. More like a series of music videos than a coherent narrative structure, which only adds to the poignancy of the film's final moments.








Family Guy Presents: Something something something dark side

I've never watched a full episode of Family Guy, so forgive me my ignorance. Apparently this is the follow-up to Blue Harvest, which I remember hearing quite a lot about. Only this time Seth McFarlane is giving Empire Strikes Back the Family Guy treatment. I've heard mixed things about this, and I think if I watch it I'll be coming in as the show is nearing it's breaking point.








It Might Get Loud

Jimmy Page. The Edge. Jack White. Three of the world's greatest guitar players. When the three get together, there's bound to be fireworks. This documentary, which I was dying to see but never quite made it, shows the unique bond forged between these three amazing artists. On my Netflix queue for sure.









All About Steve

So it wasn't all peaches 'n cream for either Bradley Cooper or Sandra Bullock this year, as All About Steve, their latest tomato can romantic comedy, breezed out of theaters faster than a Roland Emmerich windgust. There's little I want to remember about this turd, but for the life of me I'll never forget that damn poster, with an extremely annoying looking Ken Jeong shoe-horned in at the last second(he wasn't there initially) hoping to cash in on his recent notoriety. It didn't work.







Extract

The creator of Office Space goes back to work! That's what the taglines used to say about Mike Judge's latest comedy. Little did they know that making such a bold comparison would lead to such negative blowback. Extract lacks any of Office Space's insight or wit, and doesn't have a single memorable character in it. Ok, I take that back. Ben Affleck is pretty damn good here.  Probably for hardcore Judge fans only.







American Pie Presents: The Book of Love

Why are these still being made? Why is Eugene Levy still there YEARS after Jim left the storylines? Didn't they already make a Book of Love film or am I wrong? I've lost track. Are they still cranking out new Stiflers with every film? Ugh.









Ichi

The story of Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, is one of the most revered in Japanese film culture. However the role has always been played by men, but not anymore. Ichi takes that story and flips it on it's head by giving us a female in the lead role, as she seeks out the man who might just be the real Zatoichi and her father. I've been looking forward to this one, as the Zatoichi stories are always bloody and fun. Worth a rental, and if you're a fan of these types of tales, an outright buy.






Blind Date

No, not the awful Bruce Willis/Kim Basinger affair from the 1980s, this one is a remake of Theo Van Gogh's mesmerizing film Interview. It features Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as a married couple who go on a series of "blind dates" with eachother to rekindle their marriage. As tends to happen, they end up revealing quite a bit more about themselves than intended.