Punch Drunk DVDs: 2/23/10

The September Issue
I admit to having something of a passing interest in the fashion industry. It's hot chicks walking around in tight clothes. What guy wouldn't be? This documentary focuses on Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief, and the real life inspiration behind Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada. Fans of the mag will love the intricate look behind the curtain, but I wish more time had been spent looking at Wintour as a person rather than as some sort of icon. An enjoyable film.







Everybody's Fine
For whatever reason, this star studded dramedy flew out of theatres. Robert Deniro stars as a widower who gets stood up on Christmas by his three unnaturally good looking kids played by Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, and Drew Barrymore. So he decides to go visit them instead, discovering that perhaps he's missed out on more of their lives than he thought.








The Informant!
Well, it gets points for taking a 600 page book about a boring price fixing scam and turning it into comedy. That's about where the praises end for me, as I found The Informant to be probably the biggest disappointment of 2009. The only real claim to fame is Matt Damon's performance as the ultra hyper whistleblower, Mark Whitacre, who never met a lie too big to tell.








The Box
Richard Kelly(Donnie Darko) catches a ton of flack from me, and deservedly so. With his latest film, The Box, the cult favorite director earns a litle bit of my respect, crafting an evocative thriller with a unique premise that feels ripped straight from The Twilight Zone. Cameron Diaz and James Marsden star as a couple offered a unique deal by the horribly disfigured Frank Langella: Push a red button on a mysterious box, and they will receive one million dollars.The catch: someone they don't know will die as a result. I wish the film had stayed with this moral conundrum rather than going the mystical route it takes, but it still manages to be an intriguing watch.





Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
A waste of time and talent(John C. Reilly and Salma Hayek specifically), this film arguably features the most boring, no charisma having lead character ever. Go into this thing expecting cool, vampire warring action and you will be sorely disappointed.










Motherhood
I figure it's never good when big stars find themselves in DVD hell with films like this, but since I haven't seen it I can't comment. Uma Thurman stars as a stay home mom with two kids, expericing a day from hell as she juggles birthday parties, an article deadline, and an idiot husband, amongst other things.









Sorority Row
Ahhh, I have fond memories of my time watching this movie. Hot chicks, crazy blade wielding murders, hot tubs, campy dialogue. What more could you ask for? Briana Evigan stars as a member of a sorority which quickly falls apart after a school prank accidentally kills one of their number. It isn't long before the rest of the girls start falling like cheerleaders at the top of a pyramid at the hands of a mysterious killer. A guilty pleasure I'm more than happy to add to my Blu-Ray collection.







Dead Snow
Norwegian zombie flick. I shouldn't have to say anything more in order to get you to add this to your Netflix queues or buy it outright, and I definitely don't want to spoil the film's hook. The gist is that a group of students find themselves attacked by a horde of zombified Nazi soldiers while in a supposedly cursed region of Norway.









The Damned United
Chronicling the meteoric rise and disastrous fall of Leeds United manager, Brian Clough. Michael Sheen(The Queen, Frost/Nixon) stars as the outspoken, divisive coach who made a ton of enemies before being sacked after only 44 days on the job. I'm no fan of the sport, but that sounds like a story I want to know more about, and I can always expect good things when Sheen is playing a real life person.