DVD Outlook: December 2016

Once the calendar switches to December it becomes difficult to convince me to see anything other than the weekly Oscar contending releases that swarm theaters nationwide. Yet, for movie watchers trying to avoid venturing to the big screen and who prefer relaxing and enjoying a new flick in the comfort of their homes, December has some worthwhile options arriving this month (November's suggestions). Here's what's on tap for the upcoming month:

Don't Think Twice - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read my rapid review here)

Mike Birbiglia writes, directs and co-stars in this brilliantly handled indie comedy. It's so rare for a comedic endeavor to combine legitimate laughs with a soulful story, yet Don't Think Twice achieves this and so much more. The film follows a popular New York City improv group called The Commune who aren't just talented performers, they've become so close that they're basically a family. But when scouts from a major sketch comedy show called "Weekend Live" set their focus on the group, bitter competition begins to tear apart the fabric of this on-stage family. Don't Think Twice is emboldened by phenomenal performances that build multi-layered characters. Each member of the improv group becomes developed enough to earn a vested interest from the audience. While an emotional supporting turn is offered by Gillian Jacobs, the rest of the cast also pull you into their competitive world of comedy where not everyone can make it big. (December 6th)

Sully - 3 stars out of 4 - (Read full review here)

It's no easy task releasing a film before all of the other labeled Oscar contenders and remaining in contention as the year comes to a close, but Clint Eastwood has achieved just that with his latest biopic, Sully. Tom Hanks stars as Chelsey Sullenberger, a pilot who became an overnight American hero after successfully executing and emergency landing on the Hudson River and saving the lives of all crew and passengers on board the plane. However, upon an investigation of the flight by the NTSB, Sully is forced to ponder whether or not he responded correctly and if he put all of these lives in an unnecessary danger. The inner turmoil of the title character is captured magnificently by acting legend Tom Hanks. Both he and co-star Aaron Eckhart provide exceptional performances that may (and probably should) be recognized by the Academy Awards. My only issue with Sully, however, is the narrow scope of the film's story. There isn't much meat to it and, consequently, Eastwood consumes his running time with countless perspectives of that fateful plane landing. But either way, the film is an entertaining awards season contender that you should catch if you haven't already. (December 20th)

The Magnificent Seven - 2 and a half stars out of 4 - (Read my rapid review here)

Admittedly, I have a soft spot for Westerns. And while Antoine Fuqua's remake, The Magnificent Seven, has its fair share of blemishes, it also entertains the audience with an unfettered ease. Industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) overruns the small town of Rose Creek with deadly force and it prompts a widow (Haley Bennett) and other townsfolk to summon the assistant of a bounty hunter (Denzel Washington) who recruits a team of misfits to take on Bogue's militant army. This modern interpretation of a classic story is paced extremely well considering its running time pushes towards 135 minutes. Vincent D'Onofrio and Denzel Washington provide the most notable work, while co-star Chris Pratt feels awfully out of place. Nothing groundbreaking resides in The Magnificent Seven but it's compelling enough to enjoy on a more superficial level. (December 20th)

Honorable Mention: Also arriving to DVD and Blu-Ray this month are action films Suicide Squad (12/13) and the latest franchise installment, Jason Bourne (12/6). Oscar rumblings still follow Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant for their work in the overrated film Florence Foster Jenkins (12/13), and Oliver Stone's long-winded biopic Snowden (12/27) also finds a release this month. Animated films The Secret Life of Pets (12/6) and Storks (12/20) are available, as well as Tim Burton's imaginative new work Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (12/13) and rom-com Bridget Jones's Baby (12/13).

The Glass Castle

Destin Cretton is anything but a household name. Yet, the gifted filmmaker turned heads with his massively overlooked 2013 drama, Short Term 12 . The effort bridged together Cretton's singular story and vision with the remarkable acting talents of Brie Larson. Since then Larson has gone on to win an Academy Award ( Room ), but her career comes full circle in her latest collaboration with Destin Cretton in the adapted film The Glass Castle . Told non-chronologically through various flashbacks, The Glass Castle follows the unconventional childhood of gossip columnist and eventual Best-Selling author Jeannette Walls (Larson). Prior to her career as a writer, Walls grows up under the dysfunctional supervision of her alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) and her amateur artist mother (Naomi Watts). But as Jeannette and her siblings begin to mature and fully comprehend their squatter-lifestyle and impoverished upbringing, they must work together to escape the clutches of their deadbeat par

FILOSOFI KOPI 2 : BEN & JODY (2017) REVIEW : Revisi Nilai Hidup Untuk Sebuah Kedai Kopi

Kisah pendek yang diambil dari Dewi Lestari ini telah dibudidayakan menjadi sebuah produk yang namanya sudah mahsyur. Selain film, produk dari Filosofi Kopi ini diabadikan menjadi sebuah kedai kopi yang nyata. Dengan adanya konsistensi itu, tak akan kaget apabila film yang diarahkan oleh Angga Dwimas Sasongko ini akan mendapatkan sekuel sebagai perlakuan selanjutnya. Tentu, kekhawatiran akan muncul karena cerita pendek dari Filosofi Kopi pun hanya berhenti di satu sub bab yang telah dibahas di film pertamanya. Sayembara muncul ditujukan kepada semua orang untuk membuat kisah lanjutan dari Ben dan Jody ini. Sayembara ini sekaligus memberikan bukti kepada semua orang bahwa Filosofi Kopi tetap menjadi film yang terkonsentrasi dari penonton seperti film pertamanya. Yang jelas, Angga Dwimas Sasongko tetap mengarahkan Chicco Jericho dan juga Rio Dewanto sebagai Ben dan Jody. Angga Dwimas Sasongko pun berkontribusi dalam pembuatan naskah dari cerita terpilih yang ditulis oleh Jenny Jusuf s

DVD Outlook: August 2017

It appears August is rather barren with new DVD and streaming options ( July's suggestions ). Thankfully, a hot slate of diverse theatrical offerings such as The Big Sick , Dunkirk , War for the Planet of the Apes , Spider-Man: Homecoming and so much more, you can find a worthwhile movie to enjoy no matter what your personal preference may be. Either way, here's a look at what's available on DVD and streaming services this month. Alien: Covenant - 3 stars out of 4 - ( Read my full review here ) Earlier this year Ridley Scott returned to his storied Alien universe once again with the follow-up to 2012's Prometheus . In the latest installment, Scott and company shift their efforts from cryptic to visceral and disturbing with a bloody and twisted affair that feels immensely more horror-based than its predecessor. While on a colonizing mission to jump-start the humanity on a distant planet, crew members of the Covenant are awoken from their hibernation state following

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