Punch Drunk DVDs

Inside Job
Just as he did with the Iraq "war" in No End In Sight, Academy Award winning director Charles Ferguson takes a scalpel to the financial meltdown from 2007-2010. Interviewing a number of inside players in the crisis, as well as more than a few experts, Ferguson exposes the link between Wall Street and Washington for what it really is.  Named Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards.








The Walking Dead: Season One
Do I typically post TV shows on here? No, but Robert Kirkman and Frank Darabont's zombie drama is a visceral cinematic experience. I'm struggling to not buy it myself right now! Imagine what happens at the end of a George Romero film, where the characters are still alive and forever stuck in a world where the dead rule. The first season is a little short, but expertly crafted and scary as hell!








The Next Three Days
The Next Three Days is a wild misfire for writer/director Paul Haggis. A clueless thriller featuring Russell Crowe as a schoolteacher who hatches a plan to break his wife out of a prison. Why? Because he thinks she's innocent. Whether she is or not doesn't really matter, nor apparently does logic, as the characters make radical shifts in personality that are only to suit the story's immediate needs. Plus Haggis does that thing he ALWAYS does where he explains a bit too much information at the worst possible time. If there's a high point it belongs to Liam Neeson, who provides the film's only real energy as a world famous escapist assisting in the mission.





Morning Glory
While describing this film I'll try not to invoke the holy name of Broadcast News. D'oh! Comparisons to that wonderful James Brooks classic are inevitable, but Morning Glory lacks that film's insightfulness and depth. However, it's made up for in youthful charm and veteran comedic savvy. Rachel McAdams continues to be one of the most likable actresses on the planet as a newbie producer on a slumping morning news show. The struggle to boost ratings aren't helped by the show's two fearsome anchors: one played by Diane Keaton, the other by a snarling Harrison Ford. 






Jackass 3
When does watching a guy get hit in the nether regions repeatedly cease being funny? I don't know for sure but it's definitely not now! The morons from Jackass are back for their silliest film yet, and while the antics are mostly retreads from previous efforts there's an element of danger that was never there before. Why? Because these guys are like 40 years old now. Bones break and blood flows a little easier, and it's clear the years of abuse are taking their toll. It's that added level of potential disaster that makes this arguably the most intense movie of the bunch.  If you have the capability I suggest getting the 3D version. It's one of the best uses of the technology we saw in all of 2010.




Excalibur
I grew up watching John Boorman's beautiful retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round. That was back before I had any concept of what I was looking at. All I knew was that the guy in gold was pretty cool.  Features some wonderful performances by Helen Mirren, Nigel Terry, and Liam Neeson!









The Man From Nowhere
South Korean director Lee Jeong-beom's thriller was a hit at during the festival circuit last year, and went on to be the top grossing film in Korea for well over a month. The film stars Won Bin(Mother) as a withdrawn ex-secret agent who jumps back into action when a friend is kidnapped by the mafia.