THE PLOT THUS FAR

Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Josh Gad and Alecia “Pink” Moore shine in an unconventional romantic comedy that follows the topsy-turvy lives and loves of three obsessive characters: an overachieving environmental consultant (Ruffalo), a stubborn small- business owner (Robbins) and a wisecracking ER doctor (Gad). They meet in a support group- and set into motion a life-changing journey filled with laughter and surprises.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Thanks for Sharing” is a film about sex addicts. Sex addicts in the sense that they used to bone, but now they sit around and whine together. There’s a ton of victim mentality on play that’s set against forced romantic comedy melodrama. There’s a little bit of flesh onscreen, but it’s not going to tantalize the audience. It’s there to commit to the illusion that this film might be something that would willingly tackle such a complicated issue. But, that’s like saying that “Return to Me” is about the merits of organ donation.

Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow are the central focus of the film, as they try to frame how an addict can return to the dating field. Thankfully, Ruffalo plays the addict so we get to miss out on long winded Goop speeches. I feel bad that Josh Gad and Alecia Moore didn’t get more time. They seemed to understand the script better and actually worked as a real couple dealing with addiction. But, I guess I ask too much from movies like this.

The Blu-Ray comes with a Digital HD copy, deleted scenes, featurette, commentary and gag reel. The A/V Quality sports a clean 1080p transfer and DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track gets a lot to do for a dramedy. That’s what we call a light-hearted affair that gets few laughs, right? In the end, I’d recommend a rental to the curious.

RELEASE DATE: 01/07/2014

THE PLOT THUS FAR

ALL 54 Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts plus over 15 hours of bonus material, collector’s box.. In addition to all 54 side-splitting roasts, the deluxe collection is loaded with extras! The set includes a 44-page Quote Book with rare photos, anecdotes, behind-the-scenes stories and memorabilia. Plus, you’ll enjoy 15-hours of bonus material.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts” were before my time. That being said, I still love to watch aging comedians and celebs talk trash. I didn’t realize the show was on the air so long, but there was a gap between 1979 and 1984. I can’t imagine a time where a cleaned-up version of this show works, but Don Rickles makes it pick up. Blue humor cleaned up for network television doesn’t work anymore. I don’t want to be the one to throw out pale imitation of the real Roasts, but I don’t know how we can’t get to that point.

The Roasts are packed together by themes, rather than years. For newer fans, this might be a tad bit confusing. Honestly, it makes me feel like Deano taking a swig and trying to figure out what’s going on from a bewildered Rich Little. However, the shelf life on the show started to wane around 1978. Naturally, 1979 was the last full year of the show and it was apparent. The Golden Age of Comedians was coming to a close and the Rat Pack shenanigans were losing their allure.

The DVD comes with interviews, featurettes, specials and a collectible quote book. The A/V Quality is about what you would expect from a soft lit show that lasted from the 70s until the early 80s. But, that comes with the territory. The Dolby track is clean as a whistle. If you want to end 2013 right, then this is the classic TV on DVD set to watch.

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!

THE PLOT THUS FAR

The documentary reveals the remarkable life of “Murph,” a son, brother, neighbor and warrior who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and became a true American hero.  This is his story and legacy.  The film was written, directed and produced by Scott Mactavish and debuted theatrically in March 2013 during Medal of Honor week.  Since then, it has gathered tens of thousands of followers.  It was executive produced by Jon Sheinberg and Brian Aspinwall, and has qualified for the 2013 Academy Award® voting categories of Best Feature Documentary, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Murph the Protector” is a documentary about a hero. Murph saved his friends and paid the ultimate cost. I know that this country has turned Patriotism into a branding agent, but let’s look past that for a moment. When do we start having inspiring documentaries and when do we start getting American spirit pablum? It’s a tricky maneuver, but there is some ground to be covered.

The documentary tries to be more historical document than grandstanding political statement. It’s sad that I have to emphasize that, but we live in a post infotainment age. While the film spends too much time trying to turn Murph into a saint, I did enjoy listening to his family talk about the person behind the hero image. It’s a great thing to hear people come together in their grief to rise above such difficult times.

The Blu-Ray comes with no special features. However, the 1080p transfer is really strong for a documentary. The audio track was pretty lossy, however I’m not sure if it was PCM or something else. My receiver had a difficult time reading the encode. In the end, I’d recommend a rental to the curious.

RELEASE DATE: 01/07/2014

THE PLOT THUS FAR

A recounting of Jack Kerouac’s (here known by the name of his fictional alter-ego Jack Duluoz) three sojourns to the cabin in Big Sur, owned by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Big Sur” asks a lot of people that aren’t familiar with Kerouac. Jean-Marc Barr gives a loving performance as Kerouac, often using the author’s words rather than a melodramatic script. Kerouac has spent the last two years getting trotted out as cinematic pet projects for those that should know better. It’s glad to finally see Michael Polish give direction and life to something that feels closer to the native Beat poet. I’m not that familiar with Polish’s work. Honestly, I thought he was a Siamese twin for the longest time. But, that’s a story for later.

What I’ve seen between “On the Road” and “Kill Your Darlings” is a never-ending series of talents trying to put their stamp on what’s going down with Kerouac. No one bothered to examine what the man wrote and how that informed his life. It’s so screwy the obvious choices that creative talent can miss and Kerouac seems to draw that out in spades. Why does writing about inner demons and finding peace in the tranquility of existence such a hard thing to pin down for most? Times like these, it seems that popcorn cinema’s existence almost informs itself. I think that I just blew my mind, naturally I assume that I lost the dear readers awhile ago.

The DVD comes with no special features.  The Dolby 5.1 track sets a sound stage, but it’s not impressive. The real guts of the the film can be found in the clean standard definition transfer. It’s so neat to still see crisp standard definition transfers so close to the end of its life. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.

RELEASE DATE: 01/14/2014

THE PLOT THUS FAR

Blaming her uncle for both her family’s troubles and the death of her father, a young girl vows to even the score and sets out on a quest for vengeance. To survive the Wild West, she becomes a ruthless killer, cutting down everyone who stands in her way. When their paths finally cross, only one can survive, but who will find redemption at the end of their bloody road?

WHAT WE THOUGHT

“Living by the Gun” wants to be a Western that examines the far-reaching impact of violence on people. However, it has the tone-deaf approach of a community theater production. I liked the moments of violence, but I didn’t care for the preachy nature in which they were framed. This isn’t the 1950s and an audience expects more. Cheap moralization and oft-kilter production values just call attention to the film’s shortcomings. It’s not like the movie needed any additional help showcasing its cinematic faults.

There is something about a DTV Western that just feels cheap. The genre itself has become a relic from another time that does make a few interesting advances into the modern era. Still, those few films that manage to buck the trend are like finding a Unicorn in the wild. There’s something all too familiar about “Living by the Gun” that won’t appeal to anyone outside of the AARP set. Moral ambiguity is a big pill and I don’t think that the filmmakers knew how to prescribe it.

The DVD comes with a Digital Copy, featurette and trailer gallery. The standard definition transfer is rather flat with a great deal of digital noise. However, the Dolby 5.1 track knew went to boom and set a stage. Truly amazing work for a DTV movie. In the end, I’d recommend a rental.

RELEASE DATE: 01/07/2014