Two weeks of titles for you! Disney Classics! Cult Classics! Hollywood Blockbusters! Indie Films! TV Shows! Muppets! One of the most (wrongfully) maligned films of all time, Ishtar and one of the best movies I've seen all year, Mud.
Fire up that queue and prep that shopping cart. It's that time of the week.
Mud
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| Lionsgate / Released 8/6/13 |
Mud is a timeless adventure about two boys, Ellis and his best friend Neckbone, who find a mysterious man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding out on a deserted island in the Mississippi. Mud tells the boys fantastic stories about his life, including how he killed a man in Texas and that vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. But it isn't long until Mud's tall tales come to life, and their small town is besieged by bounty hunters out for blood. Extras include featurettes and commentary.
Last Word: A truly wonderful movie, Mud is unquestionably one of the best films of 2013. Like so many films that depict the difficult period between childhood and adulthood, Mud never treats it's characters without respect and honesty. The entire cast is wonderful and the magic of this touching film will stay with you long after the credits roll. Highest recommendation.
The Sapphires
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| Anchor Bay / Released 8/6/13 |
Four smart, gutsy young women become unlikely stars in the most unlikely of places, with the most unlikely of allies, in The Sapphires. Set in 1968, the film follows Gail (Deborah Mailman), Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), Julie (Jessica Mauboy) and Kay (Shari Sebbens) as they seize a risky, but irresistible, chance to launch a professional career singing for U.S. troops in Vietnam. Under the tutelage of an R&B-loving Irish musician, Dave Lovelace (Chris O'Dowd), the girls transform themselves into a sizzling soul act and set out to make a name for themselves hundreds of miles from home. Inspired by a true story, The Sapphires is a celebration of music, family and self-discovery. Extras include featurettes and interviews.
Last Word: A familiar story and definitely clichéd, but nonetheless disarming, The Sapphires begins as several Aboriginal girls are discovered by the drunken, soul-music-loving, Dave Lovelace, played wonderfully by Chris O'Dowd. He books the group’s first real gig and from there acts as the girls’ unexpected musical guide and mentor across Vietnam. Everyone is thrust into a mature world they have not been exposed to and must shield one another from the external dangers while sanely managing their personal drama.
The group is comprised of three sisters and their cousin: the “mama bear” Gail (Deborah Mailman), her rambunctious younger sister Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), their youngest sister who carries the group with her mind blowing voice, Julie (Jessica Mauboy), and their cousin, Kay (Shari Sebbens) who is reluctantly chosen to be the fourth member. Each woman is unique and has memorable onscreen presence. It could have been quite a cheesy dynamic but the family history and local discrimination they face is genuine and relatable.
Interpersonal family hardships juxtaposed with world issues; the film depicted a microcosm of what the world was going through. The hardships of segregation and racism, a stolen generation, finding dreams and hoping for a happy ending in the midst of war. It was a lot of matter in one film, yet it never felt overloaded or dramatic. While many issues presented in the film are controversial, the movie overall isn’t negative or judgmental. It isn’t a war epic nor is it rom-com. The Sapphires is satisfyingly unique. The film isn’t disingenuous with its presentation of aboriginal life or war and is genuinely fun and heartfelt. The more profound ideas are somewhat subtle which means that The Sapphires never preaches. It relays a message, a story (and loosely, some history), lightheartedly and respectfully. We root for the girls, we sneer at the racist characters. The film is quickly paced with high-energy musical numbers that are appropriately flashy and wonderful. The singing is exquisite and the chemistry is tangible and fun. Have a good time at this show. And enjoy the unexpectedly outstanding solos by Chris O'Dowd. ( – Caitlyn Thompson)
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
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| Walt Disney Home Entertainment / 8/13/13 |
Celebrate The Nearly 35th Anniversary of the ultimate frogs-to-riches story with the one that started it all - The Muppet Movie. Laugh along with the mostly-true story of how the Muppets got their start, now for the first time ever in vibrant Blu-ray hi-def picture and sound. From the very first "plunk!" of Kermit's banjo playing "The Rainbow Connection" (Oscar nominee, Best Original Song, 1979), to they hysterical road trip that brings our fearless frog together with Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, and most importantly of all, Miss Piggy, join the jam-packed heartwarming hilarity, outrageous antics and big-shot Hollywood cameos. Extras including an all-new Frog-E-Oke sing-along, test footage, Doc Hopper's commercial, trailers and a featurette.
Last Word: It would be almost inconceivable to audiences who discovered The Muppets from last year's release what a force they were by the time that this film was released in 1979. I was 8 years old and by then was part of the first generation of Sesame Street viewers and was familiar with the work of Jim Henson, Frank Oz and their talented collaborators from various television appearances as well as The Muppet Show. The Muppets were part of that rare Seventies culture that insisted on both introducing young audiences to vaudeville-esque variety shows (where else would children be exposed to George Burns, Milton Berle, Pearl Bailey and Mummenschanz?) but also to elements from the history of pop culture (including performing songs like Lydia, the Tattooed Lady popularized by Groucho Marx, 1931's Lady of Spain and 1927's Mississippi Mud). By the time The Muppet Movie came out, Henson had perfected his material to appeal on two different levels (one for children, and a much more clever one for adults; which in no small part is why it's still so appealing today) and loaded the film with cameos of both popular actors, but also Hollywood legends (Mel Brooks, Orson Welles, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Madeline Kahn, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Telly Savalas as El Sleazo tough and Paul Williams). The Muppet Movie might be close to 35 years old, but it's as fresh and entertaining as ever. Highest possible recommendation.
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