Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Punch Drunk DVDs

How bad is this week's batch of new movie DVD releases? I haven't seen any of these, and likely never will...

3. Prom
One look at that DVD cover should tell you all you need to know about Prom. A collection of multi-ethnic teen stereotypes gathered together to celebrate(or angst over) that seminal high school event, the culmination of four years of hard work and social climbing. I imagine we'll see a nerdy everykid, a cool mysterious guy, an insecure chick, whatever in this film from the cruel director of Sleepover and Sydney White. To be perfectly honest I haven't heard such terrible things about the film, and Aimee Teagarden(Scream 4) has received stand out marks for her performance.

2. Forks Over Knives
True story, I couldn't so much as look at a fast food restaurant for six months after suffering through Fast Food Nation. I eventually got over it,and am back eating as much processed "meat" as ever. Hey, I'm weak. Forks Over Knives is like Fast Food Nation taken to the next level. Director Lee Fulkerson explores the idea that our country's health problems can be reversed if we simply ditch the processed food and switch to a diet that's almost completely plant based. He even tries out the plan for himself. Morgan Spurlock-esque? Absolutely. Will I watch the film to see how it turned out? Probably not.
1. In A Better World
I was as suprised as anybody when In a Better World took the Best Foreign Language award at this past year's Oscars, beating out both Biutiful and Dogtooth.  I shouldn't have been shocked, considering it was from Dutch filmmaker, Susanne Bier, who has provided us some of the most emotionally charged foreign films of the last decade: 2004's Brothers(turned into a remake with Jake Gyllenhaal) and 2006's After the Wedding. The original title of the film is Haevnen, which in Dutch means "The Revenge", an apt title for a story that centers on a family walking the line between vengeance and forgiveness.

Other Notable Releases
Bereavement, starring Michael Biehn and John Savage
Madea's Big Happy Family, by Tyler Perry
Coen Brothers Collection

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