DVD Movie Reviews

How does the notion of an Unstoppable action flick sound to you? Well, it’s certainly an irresistible thought to us and when you add the fact that Denzel Washington and Chris Pine are involved too, Unstoppable is just too good to resist. In a moment of complete insanity (and laziness), a train driver (Ethan Suplee) allows the loco 777 to move away while still under power. The runaway train, which is carrying a load of deadly chemicals, is traveling towards a number of Pennsylvanian towns at a fast rate. Not to mention, it’s on track to collide with another train being driven by Frank (Washington) and newcomer, Will (Pine). Soon, the alert is sent out and as the crisis reaches boiling point, it comes down to Frank and Will to make the correct decisions in order to avert the impending disaster at hand. The real question is: are they up to it?

*Theatrical Artwork Only

Antonio Banderas is back doing what he does best in The Big Bang (although, we do love his portrayal of Puss in Boots in the Shrek flicks too). It might not be pretty but Banderas is the real deal as a private detective re-telling his side of the story to three detectives who aren’t exactly all open ears. If you’re wanting to see Banderas looking his finest, you’ll want to steer clear of this as he’s looking like he’s been through the wringer for the majority of the flick. There’s blood, a big fat lip and a decent amount of chain-smoking taking place as he recounts how he was chased by an ex-cop to find a stripper. To cut a long story short, this stripper actually turns out to be the wife of a mad billionaire looking to cause chaos and mayhem in New Mexico. Yep, The Big Bang’s coming!

Just as Revolutionary Road did back in 2008, Blue Valentine traces a relationship from when the initial sparks fly between Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), all the way through to the point when Cindy cuts herself off from the man that was once her everything. Back in their early twenties, Dean and Cindy fell head over heels in love and when Cindy discovered she was pregnant, getting married seemed like a no-brainer. But over six years, the romance has disappeared from their relationship as the realities of making ends meet and taking care of their daughter has gradually caused their relationship to disintegrate. Blue Valentine is an observational piece that may not have action aplenty, but its two leads turn in performances that make audiences relate and sympathise with both characters. It transitions between the past and present seamlessly, almost trying to ascertain where this marriage became toxic for Cindy and Dean.

Rub those hands together horror buffs because if you can rely on John Carpenter (Halloween and The Thing among many other horrors) for one thing, it’s a killer flick (literally!) and The Ward delivers big time. It’s a welcome return for Carpenter who hasn’t directed a feature length film since 2001’s Ghosts of Mars. The Ward sees Kristen (Amber Heard) being sent to a women’s mental asylum after committing arson in 1966. Initially, the main source of Kristen’s heartache stems from the fact that the other women in the asylum aren’t exactly embracing her presence but when they begin to disappear one-by-one, she knows she’s in trouble. After all, what’s worse than being alone? How about being haunted by something other-worldly that isn’t looking to make friends? Kristen’s on a path that will lead her to a terrifying truth she’ll wish she had never stumbled across. Speaking of truths, The Ward signals a return to form for one of horror’s most renowned names.

Recognised instantly by many thanks to Ong-bak, director Prachya Pinkaew is a name to watch in the future if his first English-language flick in Elephant White is anything to go by. Here, Blood Diamond’s Djimon Hounsou tackles the role of mercenary Curtie Church who’s hired to eliminate a notorious Thai sex-trafficking ring by a man whose daughter felt the wrath of the gang. Enter the one and only Kevin Bacon: playing ruthless weapons dealer Jimmy the Brit, he and Curtie make for one formidable duo. Soon, Church finds himself embroiled in the Thai sex-trafficking industry more than he’d like and these fears are heightened further as it gradually unfolds that there’s more to the man that hired him that meets the eye (surprise, surprise). Using the same bone-crunching film techniques that signaled his arrival as a director with Ong-bak, you can rely on Elephant White to see you having your Bacon and eating it too. Goody!

We all love watching movies to see caped heroes saving the day or the use of magic to avert an impending Apocalypse but at times, heroes are just ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things. Sometimes, those people are even teenagers such as 17-year-old Ree (Jennifer Lawrence) who tackles mission impossible: tracking down her estranged father who put their house up as his bail bond and then vanished into thin air. Failure is not an option for Ree as it translates to her family being forced out into the Ozark woods. But to overcome the challenges ahead, Ree’s going to have to break through the lies, deceits and deadly threats that her relatives are dishing out. Only then will she be able to piece together the truth but she’s going to have to risk her own skin in the process. Nominated for a total of four Oscars including the Best Picture gong, Winter’s Bone is a confronting but moving piece of drama.

Recently, Dax Shepard has done a lot to shake the comedic tag thanks to his work on TV’s Parenthood but he’s back to what he does best in Brother’s Justice: making us laugh like little girls. Yes, the Punk’d dynamo plays Shepard who’s heading to Hollywood in pursuit of his dream: to wave goodbye to his comedy career in order to pursue a career as an international martial arts action star. Yeah… it’s a little out there and even though Shepard manages to keep a straight face throughout Brother’s Justice (which is incidentally, shot in documentary style) even though the entire premise of the flick is outrageous. After all, you can just imagine what’s going through the minds of the top producers that Shepard approaches. Featuring some of the most renowned names in Hollywood such as Jon Favreau, Bradley Cooper, Tom Arnold and Michael Rosenbaum, Brother’s Justice dares to be serious but fails dismally – and that’s exactly the point!

No Strings Attached provides us with living proof as to when the on-screen chemistry between the pairing of two stars can really make or break a rom-com. Thankfully, Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher sizzle up the screen together to make No Strings Attached one of the most entertaining rom-coms of the year so far. Emma (Portman) is a trainee doctor while Adam (Kutcher) is an aspiring TV sitcom writer. If that doesn’t automatically equal the perfect couple in your books, you’d be right: despite having known each other for years and running into each other now and again, there’s no romantic liaison between the two. But when Adam discovers that his former girlfriend has been sleeping with one of his TV acquaintances, he concludes that a physical relationship only is best for him. Similarly, Emma is content with being emotionally independent so soon, she and Adam start sleeping together. But can they remain friends with benefits only? Nuh-uh!

Even if you’re not a parent and have no intentions of becoming one, you can imagine the pain and trauma that losing your child would cause you. Rabbit Hole brings you as close as possible to understanding this for those that haven’t (thankfully!) due to two very emotionally harrowing performances by Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart who play a grieving couple. Eight months ago, they were a happy family preparing for the rest of their lives together but now, they’re in a painful world of their own after a tragic car accident claimed their son’s life. The intimacy has since disappeared from their relationship and it’s not until Becca (Kidman) makes contact with the young man driving the car that she can begin to heal her own wounds. Rabbit Hole succeeds in reaching out to its audience and connecting with us on a very human level.

* Theatrical Artwork Only

With Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon leading the way, there is no doubt that Hereafter was always going to be a resounding success. Our advice to you? Buckle up for what is one complex, yet rewarding tale. When Marie (Cécile De France), a French journalist, has a near death experience while in Asia on holidays, she can’t shake its long-term impact on her. Meanwhile, George (Damon) is your average worker in San Francisco who shares a special connection with those that have passed over. So when a London schoolboy by the name of Marcus (George McLaren) suffers the loss of the person closest to him, he struggles to overcome the devastation and loneliness. How do these three people’s realities intersect and relate? You’re going to want to watch Hereafter to find out how even those that you may seemingly encounter while passing by, can become so much more to you in the larger scheme of things.