Blu-ray Review: Revolutionary Road

Revolutionary Road
Written by: Justin Haythe based on the novel by Richard Yates
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbor, and Kathy Bates

Blu-ray Specs:
1080 p High Definition
English 5.1 TrueHD
French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
English/English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese Subtitles

Bonus Features: Commentary with Director Sam Mendes and Screenwriter Justin Haythe, Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary, Lives of Quiet Desperation: The Making of Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates: The Wages of Truth, Theatrical Trailer

Revolutionary Road was one of my most anticipated films of 2008. The combined power of Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sam Mendes was just too much to resist and I was extremely excited to see the amazing film that would be born from such a trinity of brilliance.

Unfortunately, it's not brilliant. In fact, it's not particularly good at all.

Click the Rawr! for the full review.

Last year seemed to have a lot of big "award" movies that looked in credible but turned out to be lackluster. In fact, with the exception of Doubt and Slumdog Millionaire, it seemed that the majority of these films turned out to be duds.

Which is why it kinda pains me to write this review. I had such high hopes for Revolutionary Road and it is kinda sad to have them all quashed by the final product.

The film is a relentless downer in which we have no opportunity to give one damn about any of the characters. These are awful awful people. Beyond the first five minutes it seems like every time the two leads are together they launch into an argument. It's 2 hours of them screaming at each other and when they aren't screaming they're doing other horrible things.

The performances are decent with the exception of Leonardo DiCaprio who truly is captivating in the role. He makes the movie partially watchable because he brings a quiet intensity to the role.

The plot of the film is basically a couple who live in the suburbs whose lives are falling apart because they are unsatisfied with how things have turned out. They grow to despise each other and we see every agonizing moment of it.

I am not against a depressing film. I like sad movies. I like dark movies. The problem here is that there is nothing to anchor the viewer. There is no one to care about because both of these people do things that make us hate them. I did not care one bit if they stayed together, got divorced, or died a horrible death.

This film is just not enjoyable. Outside of one performance (Leo's) the movie is a drag and one of the biggest disappointments of the year.

That said, it looks fantastic on Blu-ray. I never want to lay eyes on it again but it does look beautiful. The disc is light on features and there really isn't anything particularly interested to note. There is commentary but I had no desire to hear anyone, not even the great Sam Mendes, prattle on about this movie.

This film should have been amazing but int he end it's just a depressing disappointment. It's odd for a movie that displays so much emotion to feel like it has such a lack of it.

If you want to brave it, Revolutionary Road is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.

RAWR(for more)

Blu-ray Review: The Reader

The Reader
Written by: David Hare
Based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink
Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, and David Kross

Blu-ray Specs:
1080p
English 5.1 True HD, English Dolby 5.1, French Dolby 5.1
Spanish and English SDH subtitles

Special Features:
Deleted Scenes, Adapting A Timeless Masterpiece: Making The Reader, A Conversation with David Kross & Stephen Daldry, Kate Winslet On The Art of Aging Hanna Schmitz, A New Voice: A Look At Composer Nico Muhly, Coming To Grips With The Past: Production Designer Brigitte Broch, Theatrical Trailer

A highly acclaimed drama, yet curiously defined as a thriller, The Reader seems like it's getting a lot more credit than it really deserves. It's not a horrible movie but it's certainly not worthy of the seemingly unending praise it's received. It absolutely did not deserve a Best Picture nomination over The Dark Knight. So the question then remains, why did it get such praise and award recognition? Is it the Holocaust aspect? Is that subject automatically flagged for Awards? Is it the fact that Winslet's character is an illiterate pedophile? That could certainly be the perfect mix of Oscar potential. Truth is, I don't really know why people are clamoring over it so much.

It's not that great of a movie.

Click the Rawr! for the full review.



The Reader is about a woman who has a brief yet torrid affair with a teenage boy who reads to her (when they are doing uh...other things). Years later, the boy comes across her again, only now she is the defendant in a notorious case and he is a law student watching the trial. It is during this trial that he realizes the horrible secret his former lover is determined to keep hidden, no matter the cost. We see how the relationship he has with her affects his life as a grown man.

The film as a whole is a bit underwhelming. I love Kate Winslet, but her performance here wasn't as great as people seemed to think it was. It was serviceable, but was it really award worthy? As for the rest of the cast, they all did well. Ralph Fiennes appeared a bit stiff for some reason. David Kross was working with some heavy hitters here and he held his own rather well.

The movie comes across a bit melodramatic and the supposed twist is not a twist at all. It's actually only stating the obvious. There just didn't seem to be much emotion in the film. There was a lot of reaction but I never really believed the relationship between Winslet and Kross. It didn't really ring true.

That said, the film does look rather well on blu-ray. It's picture clarity is perfect and the sound is crisp. The features are interesting but in reality I wasn't terrible excited about any of it. The film didn't lend itself to me wanting to learn more about it.

The Reader is worth watching to see the role that Kate Winslet was finally given Oscar recognition for but overall, it's a bit overblown in terms of hype.

Worth a rental at best.

The Reader is available on Blu-ray today.

RAWR(for more)

Great Oscar Speeches

Here are a few of my favorite speeches from last nights Oscars. Sit back and enjoy Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, and Dustin Lance Black.

RAWR(for more)

81st Annual Academy Award Winners!

I have to say this was the most enjoyable Oscar's I've watched in quite awhile. I absolutely LOVED the new presentations with the past award winners. It was really excellent to see the nominees reactions to the comments of the past winners. Really great stuff. Made for some great surprises also to see who was going to be featured.

One thing though: Where was Jack Nicholson??

Anyway, here are the winners of tonight's festivities. A few big surprises and some great speeches as well.

Oh I shouldn't forget Hugh Jackman. Stellar job! He was charming and very funny.



Congrats to all the nominees and the following winners:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire

Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn, Milk

Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet, The Reader

Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Foreign Language Film: Departures (Japan)

Original Song: "Jai Ho," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar; Slumdog Millionaire

Original Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire

Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire

Sound Editing: The Dark Knight

Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Documentary Short Subject: Smile Pinki

Documentary Feature: Man on Wire

Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire

Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Costume Design: The Duchess

Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Animated Short Film: La Maison en Petits Cubes

Animated Feature Film: WALL-E

Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, Milk

Actress in a Supporting Role: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Let's talk about how Beyonce, a professional vocalist, is lip-syncing and Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Vanessa Hudgens, who are professional actors, are not.

RAWR(for more)

SAG Award Winners!

Winners are in bold!

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
'Doubt'
'Frost/Nixon'
'Milk'
'Slumdog Millionaire'
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins - 'The Visitor'
Frank Langella - 'Frost/Nixon'
Sean Penn - 'Milk'
Brad Pitt - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Mickey Rourke - 'The Wrestler

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway - 'Rachel Getting Married'
Angelina Jolie - 'Changeling'
Melissa Leo - 'Frozen River'
Meryl Streep - 'Doubt'
Kate Winslet - 'Revolutionary Road'

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin - 'Milk'
Robert Downey Jr. - 'Tropic Thunder'
Philip Seymour Hoffman - 'Doubt'
Heath Ledger - 'The Dark Knight'
Dev Patel - 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams - 'Doubt'
Penelope Cruz - 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Viola Davis - 'Doubt'
Taraji P. Henson - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
Kate Winslet - 'The Reader'

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
James Earl Jones
TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie "House"
James Spader "Boston Legal"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Tracey Ullman, "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
"Weeds"
"30 Rock"
"Desperate Housewives"
"The Office"
"Entourage"

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
"Mad Men"
"Dexter"
"House"
"The Closer"
"Boston Legal"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Paul Giamatti, "John Adams"
Ralph Fiennes, "Bernard and Doris"
Kevin Spacey, "Recount"
Kiefer Sutherland "24: Redemption"
Tom Wilkinson "John Adams"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Shirley MacLaine, "Coco Chanel"
Laura Dern, "Recount"
Laura Linney, "John Adams"
Phylicia Rashad "A Raisin in the Sun"
Susan Sarandon "Bernard and Doris"

Congrats to all the winners!

RAWR(for more)

Revolutionary Road Poster and Pictures!

Here is the official synopsis of Revolutionary Road, one of my most anticipated movies of the year:


Adapted from the landmark novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is an incisive portrait of an American marriage seen through the eyes of Frank (three-time Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (five-time Academy Award® nominee Kate Winslet) Wheeler. Yates’ story of 1950’s America poses a question that has been reverberating through modern relationships ever since: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart?

Frank and April have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era.


Yet for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn’t expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a less-than-happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dreams, like any other.

Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes – one to escape whatever the cost, the other to save all that they have, no matter the compromises.

Directed by Sam Mendes (Academy Award® winner American Beauty), from a screenplay by Justin Haythe, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and features an accomplished supporting cast including Academy Award® winner Kathy Bates, Kathryn Hahn (Boeing-Boeing) Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, BUG) and David Harbour (Awake). The film’s producers are John Hart, Scott Rudin, Sam Mendes and Bobby Cohen; and the executive producers are Marion Rosenberg, David M. Thompson and Henry Fernaine.


Revolutionary Road hits theaters on December 26, 2008.

For more information visit:

Official Site
Facebook

RAWR(for more)

Revolutionary Road Trailer

Can. Not. Wait.

RAWR(for more)