Mark Kermode's DVD round-up | Film | The Observer

There are few things more depressing than watching a genuinely inventive director being overpowered by the machinery of a franchise blockbuster. Take The Green Hornet (2010, Sony, 12), the long-gestating big-screen spin-off from the 30s radio serial and 60s TV show which is technically "Un Film de Michel Gondry" although frankly you wouldn't know it from watching the movie. In fact, the real driving force here is writer-and-star Seth Rogen playing slobbish Britt Reid, whose campaigning news mogul father (Tom Wilkinson) dies suddenly after a suspicious insect bite. Initially uninterested in his grand paternal legacy, Britt is stung into action by the inventive fighting skills of coffee-maker-cum-handyman Kato (likable Taiwanese pop sensation Jay Chou) and embarks upon a knockabout reign of clumsy crime-fighting vigilance, kept alive only by his super-agile sidekick.

The Green Hornet [2011] – Blu-ray Disc Review | HighDefDiscNews

Tags: BD-Live, Cameron Diaz, Chad Coleman, Christoph Waltz, Edward Furlong, Edward James Olmos, Evan Goldberg, George W. Trendle, James Franco, Jamie Harris, Jay Chou, Michel Gondry, PS3 Theme, Seth Rogen, Sony, The Green Hornet, Tom Wilkinson

This uses 26.9GB for the movie out of 40.8GB total.

New on DVD: 'Green Hornet'

In this film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures, Seth Rogen is shown in a scene from "The Green Hornet." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures-Sony, Jaimie Trueblood)

"The Dilemma" ** (PG-13; 1:58) • Vince Vaughn is ridiculously conflicted when he spies the wife of best friend Kevin James with a young hunk. Directed by Ron Howard and co-starring Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder, this guy-centric comedy with a side order of feelings is neither funny nor sincere enough to please fans of the people involved. (Joe Williams)

Die Kino-Kritiker: «Thor»

Der Gott des Donners kommt auf die Erde: Die Marvel-Comicverfilmung «Thor» mit Natalie Portman und Chris Hemsworth zeigt einen verbannten Gott, wirre Intrigen und viel Humor.

Das Comicuniversum von Marvel ist sicherlich am besten für seine mutierten Superhelden bekannt, seien es die freundliche Spinne von nebenan namens Spider-Man, der grüne Riese Hulk oder die Mutantenschüler von Professor X. In Folge der scheinbar nicht mehr endenden Hochkonjunktur für Superhelden-Kinofilme setzt Comicgigant Marvel aber auch auf weitere Figuren aus seinem riesigen Archiv, sozusagen auf die B-Riege. Schon «Iron Man» war vor dem Erfolg der äußerst unterhaltsamen Kinofilme in Europa längst nicht so populär, wie die Kollegen Hulk oder Spider-Man. Auf dem Weg zum lang vorbereiteten «The Avengers»-Kinofilm, der mehrere Superhelden vereinen wird, bringt Marvel letztlich zwei weitere seiner zwar wichtigen, nicht jedoch zur populären Speerspitze gehörenden Figuren einem größeren Publikum näher. Ende des Kinosommers wird im treffend untertitelten «Captain America: The First Avenger» sehr US-patriotisch das letzte Puzzleteil für das Mega-Crossover gelegt, diese Woche macht das Marvel-Studio einen Ausflug in die nordeuropäische Mythologie.

New on DVD this week

JOLENE (2009, E1, R, $25) - Jessica Chastain. Remember that name. The freckled, flame-haired newcomer is a revelation in Dan Ireland's involving, over-the-top adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's short story about a 15-year-old orphan and her 10-year journey to happiness. Jolene encounters a lot of drama along the way in the form of botched marriages, visits to the psych ward and mob murders as well as disastrous romances with a gangster (Chazz Palminteri), a blueblood (Michael Vartan), a nurse (Frances Fisher) and a tattoo artist (Rupert Friend). "Jolene" might be episodic but Chastain is the thread that weaves it all together. Extras: bloopers, featurette and commentary by Ireland ("Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont").

"Fast Five" and the new action-movie brutality

Vin Diesel's adrenaline-jacked sequel, "Fast Five," has a disturbing message about greed and violence

There are various reasons to root for "Fast Five," an adrenalized, hip-hop-fueled action sequel that gets the summer movie season off to an early, roaring start this weekend. As mind-numbing urban-destruction movies go, it's carefully crafted and gorgeously photographed, with plenty of pumped-up bodies, juiced-up cars, Rio de Janeiro scenery and chase sequences of byzantine complexity and unremitting intensity.

“Water for Elephants,” Romanticism for Humans | njtoday.net – Everything New Jersey

By Michael S. Goldberger, film critic

If you’re in the mood for some good old fashioned storytelling, director Francis Lawrence’s “Water for Elephants,” adapted by screenwriter Richard LaGravenese from the popular novel by Sara Gruen, is just the ticket. As comfortably familiar as dad’s old easy chair, but not as predictable, this circus saga plays to the romantic sucker in you.

DVD releases for May 3, 2011

It’s quite all right to be skeptical of Michel Gondry’s take on the classic pulp hero “The Green Hornet” (Sony Pictures, $24.99/DVD, $32.99/Blu-ray SRP, PG-13). I’ll admit that I was taken aback by the odd casting of Seth Rogan as the titular crime-fighter. The trailers for the film didn’t do much to excite me either, highlighting the comedy instead of the action. But I’m quick to admit that first impressions were definitely wrong this time, as “The Green Hornet” proved to be an entertaining and better-than-expected good time. The film tells the story of millionaire-playboy Britt Reid as he teams up with his late dad’s assistant Kato (Jay Chou) to become a masked crime fighting team, taking on “Inglorious Basterds” star Christophe Waltz as a Russian mobster who is uniting the criminal families of Los Angeles under his command. Cameron Diaz appears as the love interest and James Franco pops up in a funny, uncredited cameo. Special features on the DVD include filmmaker’s commentary, a gag reel, a featurette on the writing of the film and a look at the real star of the show, the Black Beauty. Blu-ray bonuses include a PS3 theme, Jay Chou’s auditon reel, 3D animated storyboards, deleted scenes and the following featurettes: Double Barrel, The Stunt Family Armstrong, Finding Kato, The Art of Destruction and a conversation with director Michel Gondry.

DVD reviews: The Green Hornet | Dobermann - Scotsman.com News

RUINED by a rubbish conversion into 3D for its cinematic release, and also by the fact that director Michel Gondry's directorial stamp is nowhere in sight, The Green Hornet isn't quite the disaster

it could have been. True, its entertainment factor is predicated largely on having a tolerance for a) somewhat ineffectual superheroes and b) Seth Rogen, but providing you have both those things, it's one of the more fun superhero films of recent years. Based on a short-lived 1960s TV show it's a film unburdened by torturous mythologies and fanboy demands for darkness. Rogen, on deliberately irritating form (he also wrote the script), is the eponymous "hero", the wealthy son of a newspaper magnate who decides to team up with Kato (Taiwanese actor Jay Chou), his late father's chauffeur and technical whiz, and pretend to be a crime lord in order to bring down LA's actual crime lords. Why? Because he's a relentless self-promoter, one who has no truck with taking credit for things he didn't do, something the film messily attempts to use as a way of excavating themes of friendship and honour. Mostly, though, this is a film that is content to let Rogen and Christoph Waltz (the equally rubbish supervillain Chudnokfky) riff on superhero archetypes and, in an indulgent frame of mind, that makes it worth a watch.

The Green Hornet Blu-ray 3D Review

What if Batman was a total asshole? That's the question answered by Seth Rogen's recent update of the classic radio/TV hero, The Green Hornet . This time Britt Reid, the man behind the green mask, is the ne'er-do-well son of a crusading newspaper magnate. When the elder Reid dies suddenly, the lazy, shallow, vain, cowardly Britt escalates his punky behavior to outright crime, but when he unexpectedly winds up defending some innocent citizens, the adrenaline rush inspires him to become a vigilante.

takes it back to High School and Vin Diesel's returns with

stars in this comic book adaptation as a supernatural private investigator with the motto “No pulse? No problem.” Expect plenty of vampires, werewolves and zombies.

FAST FIVE (PG-13) Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson reunite for this fifth entry in the Fast & the Furious franchise, with Atlanta and Puerto Rico substituting for Rio de Janeiro. Will the next one be called Speedy Six ?

JOE's 5 for the Bank Holiday Weekend

Welcome to the weekend. Whether you are staying in or heading out we've got it covered. Time to leave the working week behind with our top 5 picks.

SEGA's arcade classic franchise returns this weekend, with Virtua Tennis 4 providing full motion controls all its platforms for the first time. Appearing on Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation Move and the humble Wii, the series is geared for release just as the summer months kick in.

Film Reviews: Water For Elephants, Meek's Cutoff, I Am

Michelle Williams, lost in Oregon again, and Ace Ventura's director gives it all up

Move over Christopher Walken, there's a new crazypants in town, and he's whacking an elephant with a hook and throwing poor schnooks off a moving train in Water for Elephants, in which two characters in Sara Gruen's bestseller have been rolled into one, and since that gives Christoph Waltz more screen time one can't argue with that. As the owner of a second-rate circus, husband to its star, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), and its sadistic animal trainer, Waltz has a bit more to do than in The Green Hornet. You will say he is just playing the same Inglourious Basterds Nazi with a twinkle in his eye, and maybe he is, but there isn't a more entertaining performance on screen right now.

FOK.nl

In Andrew Lau's Legend of the Fist zien we Donnie Yen als de legendarische vechter Chen Zhen. We zien hoe Zhen, na in de Eerste Wereldoorlog gevochten te hebben, terugkeert naar China om er daar achter te komen dat Japanse bezetters met harde hand over het noordelijke deel van Shanghai heersen. Zhen besluit het verzet bij te staan door een gemaskerd alter ego te creëren en de Japanners (met name de kwaadaardige generaal Chikaraishi) te bevechten.

Asian Movie Madness: Rare treasures at the 4 Star

As any pack rat might attest, there are often rare treasures hidden in attics. After a few years' absence of what was once an annual summer tradition, 4 Star owner Frank Lee has once again ventured into the theater's crawlspace and come up with some forgotten gems of martial arts, action and erotica and cobbled together an Asian Movie Madness series to last through July.

'Water for Elephants' makes romance work again

series, but it's true. If that wasn't enough of a shocker, here's another - he's also capable of having a complexion besides pasty albino. His latest film, Water for Elephants, needs to win some sort of award for proving those two tidbits true, as well as one for just being a cinematic masterpiece.

New on DVD/Blu-ray: The Dilemma, The Green Hornet, Iggy Arbuckle: Volume 2, The Making of Plus One, Murdoch Mysteries: Season 3

Ron Howard ( Frost/Nixon ) directs Vince Vaughn ( Couples Retreat ) and Kevin James ( Grown Ups ) in a comedy about a guy who discovers that his best friend’s wife is cheating on him.

Seth Rogen ( Funny People ) and Taiwanese actor Jay Chou ( True Legend ) team up as unlikely crime-fighting superheroes in this action comedy by director Michel Gondry ( Be Kind Rewind ).

Guest Blog--Vast Wasteland My Ass, Part Two. Strange Bedfellows: 'Oh! Calcutta!' 'Playhouse 90' and 'The Beverly Hillbillies'

[Editor's Note: This is a guest blog by Norman Horowitz, and a follow-up to a blog entry he wrote  that can be found if you click here . Norman started in the TV business in 1956, when he was 24. He has been president of Worldwide Distribution for Columbia Pictures TV (Screen Gems); president of Polygram Television; and president of MGM/UA Telecommunications Co. A related article about the 50th anniversary of Minow's "vast wasteland" comments appeared earlier  on our TVBizWire , wherein Minow said that the wasteland of TV has become even "vaster" today.]

Box Office Story: Thor da' il via all'invasione dei cinecomics

pubblicato: martedì 26 aprile 2011 da dr. apocalypse

A 24 ore dallo sbarco nei cinema italiani, Thor , qui da noi recensito in anteprima , apre ufficialmente la stagione cinefumettara 2011. Nei prossimi mesi verremo infatti invasi dai cinecomics, con la Marvel ancora una volta in prima fila. Per il momento promosso dalla quasi totalità della critica americana, con il 94% dei consensi su RottenTomatoes e un voto medio di 6.8 , il film di Kenneth Branagh è chiamato a sbancare i box office di mezzo mondo, in modo da dar vita ad un nuovo ipotetico franchise. A Jon Favreau, con Iron Man, l’impresa è riuscita. Ce la farà Branagh ad eguagliarlo? In Italia, a parte Spiderman, i cinefumetti hanno sempre avuto difficoltà. Negli ultimi 5 anni sono arrivati titoli che hanno fatto faville al botteghino americano, per poi qui deludere.

Josh Wilding Reviews:

Hit the jump for my in-depth and spoiler free review of the latest movie to be released from Marvel Studios, THOR ! Is it one of the best comic book movies ever or a complete and utter flop? Find out my verdict here...

While I’ve made the upmost effort to ensure there is nothing in this review which qualifies as a spoiler, if you want to know nothing about the movie before it’s released across the world over the next few weeks, you may want to turn away now!