Author: BO

The “Paranormal Activity” film series has made its producers and distributor a massive amount of money, a fact especially disconcerting when one factors in the limited effort put into these pictures. With all installments revolving around the exploits of characters who willingly put themselves into dangerous situations while refusing to put their camera down, “Paranormal Activity” has becomes a brand name for cheap scares and unsteady acting. It’s a haunted house experience that once dominated the Halloween season. For “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones,” the frightfest has been bumped to January, moving scares from autumn to winter with hopes a change of date will recharge the franchise as it enters the second stage of its longevity. Perhaps the moneymen also hope all the cold and snow might distract from the fact that “The Marked Ones” doesn’t bring anything new to the series, only triggering memories of the previous chapters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

With 2010’s “Outrage,” writer/director/star Takeshi Kitano set out to manufacture a Japanese crime saga that was authentic in its observance of yakuza methodology and ritual while indulging in a plot of tarnished loyalty and cold-blooded control. It was his “Godfather” in many respects, and in an effort to keep up with the Coppola achievement, Kitano has created another chapter in what appears to be something of a trilogy for the gifted filmmaker. Much like the first feature, “Beyond Outrage” is a byzantine creation that’s primarily made up of names and faces, with the occasional burst of viciousness arriving to remind the viewer that Kitano still packs a punch these days, deftly blending extended dialogue sequences with harrowing moments of hostility, crafting a worthy follow-up to an unexpectedly engrossing picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Although it was never a success, William Friedkin’s 1980 effort, “Cruising” (starring Al Pacino), has inspired a cult following over the last three decades. A deeply flawed but fascinating vision of the gay club scene in New York City, “Cruising” was reportedly shredded by the MPAA to achieve its release, shorn of 40 sexually explicit minutes that have never seen the light of day. Enter James Franco and Travis Matthews, two filmmakers out to flex their creative muscles by restaging this lost footage with an eager cast of background players and a hesitant star in Val Lauren, spending a few days in a Los Angeles theater dissecting the motivations of the moment, using the shoot as a way to challenge personal fears. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Open Grave” has a nasty exposition habit. A horror film with some mystery on its menu, the picture is terrified to leave any viewer behind, always explaining itself, underlining relationships and spelling out tension. It’s an irritating routine, making the movie feel more diluted than it already is, with director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego (“Apollo 18”) incapable of quieting down the effort, showing respect for intelligence and natural screen suspense. There’s a germ of an idea within “Open Grave” that deserves development, but what’s ultimately made it to the screen is simplified and stripped of feeling, scratching out the level of anxiety screenwriters Chris and Eddie Borey are aiming to summon with this end of the world endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s an incredible story of tenacity buried somewhere in “Lone Survivor,” but it’s difficult to embrace the searing aspects of the tale when director Peter Berg (fresh off the 2012 flop, “Battleship”) insists on turning the effort into an action movie, wrapped in the American flag. The true-life tale of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and his astonishing fight out of an Afghanistan war zone, “Lone Survivor” doesn’t need much ornamentation to explore the heat of the moment when processed by an elite military unit. Sadly, Berg doesn’t trust the inherent nobility and stress of the situation, changing the blurred dynamic of conflict to fit the needs of cliched screenwriting and unimaginative direction, reducing a primal fight for life to a patriotic “Die Hard” sequel. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“47 Ronin” has received its fair share of press due to its runaway costs and missed released dates. Branded a troubled production, it’s with some relief to report that the feature is not a mess, just misguided in a manner familiar to moviegoers who’ve previously been subjected to the runaway ambition of a first-time director with access to unlimited funds. His name is Carl Rinsch, and while his career will undoubtedly survive “47 Ronin,” let’s hope the experience assembling a fantasy samurai picture of this magnitude will provide him with much needed focus for any future endeavors. This one simply gets away from him, and while it’s handsomely made, the work is stiff, still, and tonally unsteady. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Grudge Match” finally puts the Raging Bull and Rocky Balboa into a boxing ring, though I fail to recall anyone actually demanding this showdown. It’s the gimmick that drives the movie, with plenty of inside jokes pushed into the pockets of the picture, but it’s not a particularly tempting offer. In dire need of a fresh sense of humor and imaginative screenwriting, “Grudge Match” is made passable by its two stars, Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone, who are amusing to watch as they trade insults and, eventually, punches, showing surprising interest in this limp dramedy, boosting the viewing experience with their innate charm. If only the rest of the effort followed their lead. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Ben Stiller is primarily known for funny business. While every artist deserves the opportunity to expand their creative horizons, it’s difficult to understand what Stiller was aiming for with “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” After “Reality Bites,” “The Cable Guy,” “Zoolander” and “Tropic Thunder,” the director/star drops the overt laughs to play lyrical, helming this hymn to the human experience that’s insistent in its importance, but void in its emotions. While gorgeously shot and peppered with sweet, alert performances, “Walter Mitty” doesn’t add up to much, stuck in neutral as Stiller attempts to figure out what type of movie he wants to make. It’s the most elaborate piece of mediocrity in the 2013 film year. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is a work of pure insanity. Mercifully, it’s also the latest from director Martin Scorsese, which guarantees some degree of cinematic refinement when it comes to the depiction of excess in all its forms. It’s a rowdy, relentless picture, chasing a rowdy tone of chemically-drenched madness and lip-licking greed, eating up three hours of screen time as it beats a repetitive sense of physical collision and brain-spinning hyperactivity into the ground. Although it overstays its welcome, “The Wolf of Wall Street” has some truly inspired chaos to hold attention, led by an eye-bulging, spittle-spraying performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, who once again takes the title as the most feral actor working today, channeling his inner badger to portray a man without morals, decency, and self-control, flaming out in a most spectacular manner. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” is a strong, articulate portrait of South African leader Nelson Mandela, but it wouldn’t be as compelling as it is without the participation of stars Idris Elba and Naomie Harris. Two powerful performances that are direct in their firepower and subtle in emotion, the actors bring density to the traditionally thin bio-pic genre, allowing the viewer to understand deep-seated motivations and the passage of time, which is a crucial element to this story. Competently assembled by director Justin Chadwick (“The Other Boleyn Girl”) and screenwriter William Nicholson (“Les Miserables”), the feature is surprisingly honest and welcomingly underplayed, generating an understanding of the Mandelas instead of blindly celebrating their accomplishments. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com