How to Spend $20
By Eric Hughes
January 12, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Pick of the Week
For people who want to know what Kate did while off the island: The Hurt Locker
My pick for best (and most overlooked) film of 2009 is The Hurt Locker, a horrific thriller about a U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team in Iraq that defuses bombs in and around Baghdad while warding off dangerous insurgent attacks and the stress that mounts between them. Never in a million years did I think I would like a movie whose plot ties to the Iraq War – let alone see the thing – but The Hurt Locker is that rare war movie that transcends its basic story and truly sells a movie well worth your time and money. This isn't commercializing an ongoing war for profit; this is inspired content from first-time scribe Mark Boal, who spent time in Iraq as an embedded journalist with a real bomb squad.
What I liked most about The Hurt Locker is its dependence on the silences, the unsure moments, the unknown. Dialogue plays second fiddle to the war scenes that, sometimes quickly, oftentimes casually, unfold. So much of the movie is Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie, among others, waiting for action. Whether it's an insurgent hiding in the hills or an EOD team member defusing a bomb in the back of a car, the men are on the ready, in their positions, awaiting their next move.
Jeremy Renner is the film's best bet at locking at least an acting nod in this year's Oscar race. He was nearly perfect as the arrogant, know-it-all Staff Sergeant William James, who has an almost innate "responsibility" to stir up trouble – whether intentioned or not. I was surprised to see him missing from even the list of contenders for a Golden Globe.
Disc includes: Audio commentary, The Hurt Locker: Behind the Scenes featurette, image gallery
For people who would rather swallow both pills: The Matrix (10th Anniversary Edition)
There's a very good chance you own at least one movie in The Matrix trilogy. And if just one, it's likely the movie that started the phenomenon because A) owning the offspring, but not the parent, to just about any film franchise is nutty and B) let's be honest, The Matrix (sans Reloaded or Revolutions affixed at the end) is the best of the lot.
The Matrix is the movie The Wachowski brothers made before they knew what they had. Before The Matrix was The Matrix. Before, well, The Wachowski brothers became The Wachowski siblings. Sure, the Matrix has a complex mythology, but at the end of the day at least it all made sense and stood for something. We're coming up on the seventh anniversary of The Matrix Reloaded and I still have not a clue what The Architect was running his mouth about.
Speaking of anniversaries, The Matrix is celebrating 10 years with a new DVD/Blu-ray package due in stores today. (The extras alone are worth the price that consumers will be shelling out). Just one small thing: Come March, it'll be 11 years since The Matrix's release. Why didn't we do this last year?
Disc includes: Philosophers: Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber featurette; Critics: Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson featurette; Cast/Crew: Carrie-Anne Moss, Zach Staenberg and John Gaeta featurette; Composer Commentary by Don David featurette; The Matrix Revisisted (full-length documentary); Behind The Matrix documentary gallery (seven featurettes); Take the Red Pills documentary gallery (two featurettes); Follow the White Rabbit documentary gallery (nine featurettes); The Music Revisited (41 tracks); "Rock is Dead" music video by Marilyn Manson; written introduction by The Wachowski Brothers; digital copy
For people who think it's time for Freddy vs. Jason vs. Michael: Halloween II (Unrated)
Of Hollywood's major slasher villains, I've always been partial to Michael Myers. There's just something about the man behind the William Shatner mask. (Perhaps it was that steady diet of Halloween movies I feasted on about the time I was going through middle school). Of the movies prior to Rob Zombie's reboot, I've seen ‘em all, save for the very silly Halloween: Resurrection and about the last half of Halloween III: Season of the Witch. (Unlike the first Friday the 13th movie, Halloween isn't entertaining without its star).
Up until very recently – I want to say only a couple months ago – I hadn't tried my luck at Rob Zombie's interpretation of the 30-year-old franchise. To begin with, I knew little to nothing about Zombie, and never bothered with House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects anyway. When I finally got around to Halloween (2007), I wondered why I ever even hesitated. Zombie not only created something that holds up to Carpenter's original movie, but also paid homage to the franchise that paved the way for his later reading. (Re-casting Danielle Harris as one of Laurie Strode's school friends, Annie Brackett, was genius).
From what I've read about Halloween II, the result isn't as pretty as the 2007 reboot. Of course, many would say Zombie's Halloween was bad to begin with, but I disagree. It's likely that Halloween II suffers from self-indulgence on Zombie's part. Though honestly, better him in creative control than some Saw XXXVIII hack.
Disc includes: Deleted and alternate scenes, Make-Up Test Footage featurette, blooper reel, music videos by Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures, audio commentary, Uncle Seymour Coffins' Stand-Up Routines featurette
For people who forgot that The Simpsons were still relevant: The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season
Just in time for its 20th anniversary – The Simpsons celebrated the big milestone Sunday night with a new episode and a one-hour special presented by documentarian Morgan Spurlock – the venerable series' 20th season is now in stores. From a marketing standpoint, this obviously makes sense. Better to release the show's 20th season than its 13th, which would have been the next logical DVD release. I say this because prior to today's release, the last Simpsons season to see light was season 12. It's probably safe to assume that seasons 13-19 will be next.
Disc includes: The 20th Anniversary Special Sneak Peek by Morgan Spurlock featurette
January 12th, 2010
Blu-ray
8½ (Criterion Collection)
The Burning Plain
Celestial Railroad
Cliffhanger
Fame (Extended Edition)
Halloween II (Unrated)
The Hurt Locker
In the Loop
La Cucina
Last Action Hero
The Last Salt Caravan
The Matrix (10th Anniversary Edition)
Moon
Post Grad
The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season
Solar Max
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
Volcanoes of the Deep Sea
DVD
10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One (Widescreen)
8 1/2 (Criterion Collection)
Becker: Seasons 1-3 (Set)
Becker: The Third Season
The Burning Plain
Celestial Railroad
Deep in the Valley (Unrated)
ER: Seasons 1-12 (Set)
ER: The Complete Twelfth Season
Fame (Extended Edition)
Fame: Season 2
Fame: The Complete First Season
Halloween II (Unrated)
The Hurt Locker
In the Loop
Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch
The Last Salt Caravan
Make It Or Break It: Volume One (Extended Edition)
The Matrix (10th Anniversary Edition)
Moon
Post Grad
Pretty Ugly People
Route 66: The Complete Third Season (Set)
The Simpsons: The Complete Twentieth Season
Solar Max
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself