Watchlist
Notable DVD releases in January 2013
By Max Braden
January 30, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Why bother with the underdogs? Because every movie, even the dismal, has the potential for a silver lining. It might be a favorite actor, a favorite subgenre, a cleverly written line of dialogue, or an interesting bit of cinematography for all of 10 seconds. If I didn’t seek them out, I would have missed the sci-fi horror comedy Detention, which turned out to be my favorite movie of 2012. Each week I scour upcoming DVD releases for these underdogs, which is what this column is about. Since everyone is already aware of when the biggest movies of the year will be released on DVD, I intend to bring attention to the ones you’d otherwise overlook. I don’t promise great movies, but there’s bound to be something you might be interested in, even if it’s just to realize that they’ve made a sixth Universal Soldier movie.
Here are the under-the-radar DVD and/or streaming releases I find potentially interesting for the month of January. (Dates are based on Netflix; other services may release them earlier.)
Cosmopolis
Who: Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Jay Baruchel, director David Cronenberg, composer Howard Shore
What: Pattinson plays a young Wall Street hotshot who’s under a lot of pressure, including his own pending assassination, based on the novel by Don DeLillo.
When: January 1st
Why: For obsessive Pattinson fans who want to see him play something other than a vampire, or fans of Cronenberg’s strange mind.
Little Birds
Who: Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Neal McDonough
What: Temple and Panabaker star in a somber indie-drama road trip. Mann and McDonough play a mother and an uncle.
When: January 1st
Why: Mann usually does comedies so it might be interesting to see her in a serious role. I was a McDonough fan before his great performance in last season’s arc on Justified.
The Trouble With Bliss
Who: Michael C. Hall, Brie Larson, Chris Messina, Peter Fonda, Lucy Liu
What: Hall plays a down and out guy who needs to grow up, which he does with the help of teenager Larson.
When: January 1st
Why: Dexter (and pre-Dexter SFU) fans of Hall might be interested in him playing outside his main character. I’ve developed a growing interest in Messina thanks to The Mindy Project.
Compliance
Who: Dreama Walker, Ann Dowd
What: Based on a true crime case, a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager (Dowd) to investigate an alleged theft by confining and strip searching an innocent employee (Walker).
When: January 8th
Why: I became a fan of Walker due to Don’t Trust the B in Apt 23. She’s good (and naked), but it’s a discomfiting movie to watch. Even crazier than this being a true story is that it happened many times nationwide.
Game Change
Who: Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ed Harris, Peter MacNicol, Sarah Paulson, Ron Livingston
What: An HBO adaptation of the book. Moore plays Sarah Palin in a dramatic retelling of the 2008 McCain-Palin presidential campaign, featuring Harrelson as the campaign manager, and Harris as McCain.
When: January 8th
Why: Moore won a SAG award for this because she absolutely nails the performance as Sarah Palin, and her behind-the-scenes unraveling is mesmerizing. You owe it to yourself to watch if only for the history lesson.
Jack & Diane
Who: Juno Temple, Riley Keough, Kylie Minogue
What: A teenage girl-girl romantic drama.
When: January 8th
Why: I’d watch this just to see Minogue act, but she’s probably not in it much. Temple amused me in Killer Joe. Something I just learned: Keough is the granddaughter of Elvis Presley.
Stone of Destiny
Who: Charlie Cox, Robert Carlyle, Kate Mara, Stephen McCole, director Charles Martin Smith.
What: An adventure comedy about the real life events of the 1950 theft of the historic artifact the Stone of Scone.
When: January 8th
Why: One, I’ll see anything Kate Mara is in because I have a crush on her. Two, I’ll see just about anything related to medieval Scottish history. Three, if you don’t recognize the name, director Charles Martin Smith was an actor in American Graffiti and The Untouchables (the nerdy IRS agent), and I like the fact that he’s still in the movie business.
That’s What She Said
Who: Anne Heche, Marcia Debonis, Alia Shawkat
What: Relationship issues with men lead a group of female friends to hit the town in New York City.
When: January 8th
Why: I might watch this for Heche, though the chick flick vibe might be more for others than for me.
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
Who: Ryan O’Nan, Arielle Kebbel, Michael Weston, Andrew McCarthy, Jason Ritter, Melissa Leo
What: O’Nan directs himself as a struggling musician in a light comedy and romance (with Kebbel).
When: January 8th
Why: As an '80s fan I feel compelled to watch movies with McCarthy. I’m a fan of Ritter, Leo is an Oscar winner, and Weston was impressively scary in Six Feet Under.
Touchback
Who: Brian Presley, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti, Sarah Wright
What: Presley plays a former high school football star who gets to go back in time and replay the events that ruined his life. Russell plays the team coach.
When: January 8th
Why: I’m a Kurt Russell fan, and I dig this kind of sentimental time-travel story. Plus: Sarah Wright crush.
About Cherry
Who: Ashley Hinshaw, Dev Patel, James Franco, Heather Graham
What: Hinshaw slowly gets into porn, frustrating her friend (Patel) who has a crush on her, gets involved with a rich, spoiled, suit (Franco), and then a porn director (Graham).
When: January 15th
Why: Think of this as a female version of Boogie Nights. I seek out Franco and Graham in movies. Hinshaw is good, and sexy.
Branded
Who: Ed Stoppard, Leelee Sobieski, Jeffrey Tambor, Max von Sydow
What: A sci-fi heavy mindbender set in the future, where corporate advertising is so ingrained in everyone that it alters their behavior.
When: January 15th
Why: I saw plenty of TV ads for this (with crappy CGI) before it was released to a quick box office death in September. I wanted to see Emperor Ming (Von Sydow) play a corporate villain, but this movie may be the worst I’ve seen all year.
Dragons: Riders of Berk
Who: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera (voices)
What: Four episodes of the TV series sequel to the animated movie How to Train Your Dragon.
When: January 15th
Why: If you or your kid want more of the Dragon franchise, this series, running on the Cartoon Network, is a bridge between the first movie and the upcoming theatrical sequel.
Farewell, My Queen
Who: Lea Seydoux, Diane Kruger, Virginie Ledoyen
What: A French costume drama based on the novel and set in the court of Marie Antoinette (played by Kruger).
When: January 15th
Why: I might watch this for the history. Kruger is best known as the love interest in Troy and National Treasure, and as a supporting character in Inglourious Basterds.
Pitch Perfect
Who: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins
What: A Glee-style acapella take on the dance-off genre. Kendrick plays a reluctant college addition to an all-girl vocal team in competition against an all-guy group and other teams. Banks and Higgins provide color commentary to the competition, similar to the pairs in Dodgeball and Best in Show.
When: January 15th
Why: You may have heard of this sleeper hit, and for good reason: everyone I know who has seen it has really liked it. The girls are gorgeous and/or hilarious (Rebel Wilson gives my favorite performance of the year), the music is good, and it’s all around a fun movie.
Sparkle
Who: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Mike Epps, Cee Lo Green, Carmen Ejogo
What: A remake of the 1976 movie, about a Motown girl group in 1968 similar to The Supremes.
When: January 15th
Why: This is Whitney Houston’s last film and music before her death, and word is that Ejogo gives a good performance.
To Rome With Love
Who: Alison Pill, Woody Allen, Judy Davis, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, directed by Woody Allen
What: An ensemble Woody Allen film featuring four romantic/comedic storylines set in Rome.
When: January 15th
Why: No doubt Woody Allen fans will want to see this, as will fans of the many actors in the ensemble.
Abel’s Field
Who: Samuel Davis, Kevin Sorbo
What: Davis plays a troubled teenager who is mentored by the school groundskeeper (Sorbo).
When: January 22nd
Why: Sorbo fans might take an interest in this.
Beauty is Embarassing
Who: Wayne White, Paul Reubens, Matt Groening, Todd Oldham
What: A documentary about modern artist Wayne White.
When: January 22nd
Why: Primarily for art fans. I’m intrigued by what Pee Wee Herman’s connection here is.
Nature Calls
Who: Patton Oswalt, Johnny Knoxville, Rob Riggle, Maura Tierney, Darrell Hammond
What: Oswalt plays a Scoutmaster who kidnaps the scouts for a true wilderness adventure weekend, with angry parents in pursuit, in this comedy.
When: January 22nd
Why: I’m not sure I trust the comedy based on the trailer, but Oswalt is funny, and the addition of Knoxville, Riggle, and Hammond could convince me to check it out.
Nobody Walks
Who: John Krasinski, Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt
What: Krasinski and DeWitt play a married couple who take in a young, sexy artist, played by Thirlby. Naturally, she becomes a stresser to the marriage.
When: January 22nd
Why: Thirlby can seduce me into watching any of her movies, and this kind of story is always like the car wreck you can’t look away from.
Officer Down
Who: Stephen Dorff, Dominic Purcell, David Boreanaz, Soulja Boy, Stephen Lang, James Woods, Walton Goggins
What: An action flick about a cop (Dorff) who goes rogue to deal with abuse against girls at a strip club.. Woods plays a corrupt suit.
When: January 22nd
Why: This is a great B-level cast. I’ll rent movies where Lang, Woods, or Groggins appear alone; even better when they’re in the same movie.
The Paperboy
Who: Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, Macy Gray, Scott Glenn, director Lee Daniels
What: Based on the novel, two brothers (McConaughey and Efron) try to exonerate a death row convict (Cusack), with the help of the convict’s girlfriend (Kidman).
When: January 22nd
Why: Most people missed this movie in theaters, but it has pedigree. Director Lee Daniels was nominated for Best Director for his previous movie Precious. Kidman was nominated by the Screen Actors Guild for her role in this movie.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Who: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, Andrei Alovski
What: The sixth movie in the series that began twenty years ago, this sci-fi action flick features martial artist Scott Adkins playing a regular guy facing off against genetically engineered super soldiers played by Van Damme, Alovski, and Lundgren.
When: January 22nd
Why: Because it’s Van Damme/Lundgren/Adkins, with UFC champion Alovski, all kicking ass. You do have to sit through an hour of fairly horrific gun violence and Van Damme staring into the camera before you get to the good action.
Parked
Who: Colm Meaney
What: Meaney plays a down and out middle aged guy who puts his life in order with some helpful friends.
When: January 29th
Why: As a Star Trek fan I feel compelled to pay attention to anything the cast members are in.
Seven Psychopaths
Who: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Christopher Walken, Tom Waits, Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurlenko, Harry Dean Stanton, Gabourey Sidibe, director Martin McDonagh, composer Carter Burwell.
What: A dark comedy about a whole mess of gangsters messing it up with each other.
When: January 29th
Why: Director Martin McDonagh was nominated for his crime-comedy screenplay In Bruges, which I thought was great. I always seek out movies with Sam Rockwell.
The Cold Light of Day
Who: Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver, Colm Meaney
What: An action thriller genre movie about a regular guy (Cavill) who gets caught up in an espionage plot when his family is kidnapped and he finds out his father (Willis) works for the CIA (with Weaver).
When: January 29th
Why: I don’t care about bad reviews, if it’s got Bruce Willis and an espionage plot, I’m in. This is one among a bunch of low key (or direct to video) action movies Willis has appeared in over the last few years.
The Eye of the Storm
Who: Geoffrey Rush, Charlotte Rampling, Judy Davis
What: Based on the 1973 novel, set in Australia, Rush and Davis play the children of terminally ill Rampling.
When: January 29th
Why: The film brought a whole slew of nominations in Australia’s first academy awards, with Judy Davis winning Best Actress.
Big movies also releasing on DVD in January:
Dredd, Frankenweenie, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ted, The Bourne Legacy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3, The Possession, Hotel Transylvania, Paranormal Activity 4.
Look for the next Watchlist column in mid-February.