Author: BO

While 2013’s “A Haunted House” was a disastrous, lazy spoof of horror films, its minor box office success was the most disheartening aspect of the release, with audiences rewarding screenwriter/star Marlon Wayans for essentially screaming into the camera for 80 minutes. Empowered and energized with a fresh assault of sophomoric humor, Wayans and his bulging face returns with “A Haunted House 2,” a quickie sequel released just over a year after the original. It’s abysmal work from a genuinely unpleasant actor who’s ready and willing to pander to the lowest common denominator with this hostile assembly of sex and anus-centric jokes. Wayans sets comedy and possibly his race back at least 50 years with “A Haunted House 2.” Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Fading Gigolo” isn’t the film you want it to be. Writer/director/star John Turturro isn’t interested in making a broad comedy, and while he’s persuaded Woody Allen to return to the screen as a supporting player, he’s crafted a picture that seems also dismissive of comedic situations. Electing to survey the flow of the life surrounding an older male escort and his adventures with women, Turturro selects a jazzy, NYC mood of interactions. There are appealing elements to “Fading Gigolo,” but the production doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to arrive at a satisfying dramatic destination, keeping the effort in stasis as the helmer figures out what he wants from the movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Wally Pfister has worked as a cinematographer on the majority of Christopher Nolan’s filmography, dating back to 2000’s “Memento.” “Transcendence” is his debut as a director, and to preserve the box office odds of this maiden voyage, he’s selected material that closely mirrors the Nolan aesthetic, blending sci-fi, action, and scientific study into a thought-provoking movie that’s out to stir debate and summon a few thrills. Sadly, Pfister has a long way to go before he matches Nolan’s command of pace and visual invention, as “Transcendence,” while provocative, is a glacially paced endeavor that’s miscast and mopey, abandoning intriguing ideas on the suction of omnipresent technology to conjure a pedestrian love story that features the occasional blip of suspense. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

At least “Dom Hemingway” never tries to hide what type of movie it is. Opening with an extended shot of the title character receiving oral sex while growling through a monologue about the majesty of his own penis, the feature announces straight away that it’s not for the faint of heart. Writer/director Richard Shepard’s “Dom Hemingway” is a take-no-prisoners character study that’s steeped in profanity and vile behavior, yet somehow emerges on the other side a semi-successful story of redemption in its most bruised and battered form. Riding the material like a rodeo cowboy, Jude Law’s starring performance is a true sight, often saving the picture from cliche with his magnificent impression of a human wrecking ball. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Railway Man” is a difficult film, both in subject matter and cinematic execution. Taking on the scars of war and the ravages of PTSD behavior, the story is divided into two time frames of misery, missing an overall design of psychological clarity that could create a singular narrative of immense emotional power. It’s a fragmented effort, missing some pieces of the puzzle, but there’s strength in the performances, which lend the picture a profound sense of impact the screenplay doesn’t always communicate to satisfaction. Acting as another exploration of post-war anguish, “The Railway Man” has valuable insight into the process of forgiveness, making it a worthy sit, even when it feels incomplete. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After the 2012 release of “Chimpanzee” failed stir up much interest at the box office, Disneynature took a year off to regroup, returning this Earth Day with “Bears,” trying to once again stimulate young minds with images of nature in motion. Their finest release so far, “Bears” brings out the best of the Disneynature approach, detailing behaviors and quests for survival out in the wild. The documentary also manages to make its less savory aspects more appealing, thanks to friendly narration from John C. Reilly, who brings warm personality that aids the considerable storytelling manipulation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The mysteries of the afterlife are given the once-over in “Heaven is for Real,” which isn’t your typical faith-based feature emerging from unproven filmmakers. At the helm here is Randall Wallace, the screenwriter of “Braveheart” and the director of “We Were Soldiers” and “Secretariat.” The credit gives “Heaven Is for Real” a boost in credibility, but the final product doesn’t show the type of storytelling confidence expected from Wallace. Vague and gauzy, the effort posits a few interesting questions on the reach of belief, but doesn’t scratch below the surface, more consumed with extracting tears than challenging the unknown. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Ten years from now, it’ll be interesting to look back at the career of Kristen Wiig, especially during the years following her monster success with 2011’s “Bridesmaids.” She’s been involved in some goofy movies (including last year’s “Anchorman 2”), yet Wiig has largely avoided the supernova spotlight of another comedic starring vehicle, electing to sample indie cinema through an array of softer roles that permit access to range. “Hateship Loveship” is her latest attempt to upset outside expectations, participating in a loosely defined story of obsession and fallibility that utilizes her dramatic skills in a largely observational role. The picture doesn’t quite add up to anything in the end, but parts work as intended, with Wiig’s subtle performance a great asset to director Liza Johnson. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The “Step Up” franchise has display remarkable resiliency, issuing four installments that have charmed audiences in the mood for inconsequential drama interrupted by manic dance sequences. “Make Your Move” is the obligatory rip-off, but who better to steal from the “Step Up” formula than the man responsible for its creation? Writer/director Duane Adler returns to a world of misunderstood lovers and quaking bodies with this effort, which seeks to merge the worlds of Taiko drums and tap dance into a scintillating display of youthful expression. “Make Your Move” also offers dancer Derek Hough a starring role, following in the footsteps of sister Julianne, who also spent a considerable amount of time making forgettable features looking to cash in on moviemaking trends. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Afflicted” is the latest entry in the found footage sweepstakes, where young, hungry filmmakers strap on cameras and raise hell in a bid to make a name for themselves. It’s a trend, and one that’s coughed up its fair share of clunkers, with this tale of vampirism and world travel the latest example of a production that doesn’t quite grasp the intentions of subgenre. Ignoring reality to have fun with camera and editing tricks, “Afflicted” has moments of ingenuity and an interesting set-up, but it doesn’t take long for the feature to dissolve into the same old mess of shaky cam and unmotivated images. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The reason the films of Christopher Guest work is because of the talent involved. It’s a troupe of creative people with excellent timing and good taste, able to sell the reality of the faux-documentary approach while working in generous amounts of personality in minimal moves. “Authors Anonymous” stars Chris Klein and Kaley Cuoco, and is directed by a woman who was once the casting director for “MVP: Most Valuable Primate.” Bring expectations down. While devoid of laughs and screwy in execution, “Authors Anonymous” certainly isn’t lazy, with the production working up a sweat trying to turn banalities into hilarity, often settling on drab romantic subplots and marital dysfunction instead of probing the misery of the unpublished writer as it initially promises. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com