3/27/08

Major releases rush to DVD marketplace

by Bob Connally

I've said in previous columns that 2007 was a great year for films, and that means a bounty of great DVDs coming to a video store near you. Check these out.

There Will Be Blood (R, Avail. April 8)

In 1898 Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a man alone. Tirelessly digging through the muck and the dirt in pursuit of silver, his drive is unquestionable. By 1911, Plainview has moved onto oil and is tops in the business. His son H.W. (played by unusually gifted child actor Dillon Freasier) is also his partner, and he stands right at his father's side every step of the way.

Plainview is visited one evening by young Paul Sunday ("Little Miss Sunshine's" Paul Dano). Paul alerts Plainview to the untapped oil reserve underneath his family's ranch. His parents are unaware of the oil according to Paul, which is perfect for Plainview.

He and H.W. arrive at the ranch the next day claiming to be quail hunters. It's not long before Plainview and son discover the promised oil. They also meet the rest of the Sunday family, including Eli (also played by Paul Dano). Eli is a preacher and a faith healer, and soon he and Plainview are embroiled in an epic struggle for power.

To say more about the plot would be to give too much away. That Plainview descends into madness and greed does not come as a surprise. It’s the inevitability of Plainview’s descent, the sense that this is all heading somewhere very sinister that makes “Blood” so captivating.

Day-Lewis delivers an exceptional performance and in spite of its theatricality he never succumbs to the temptation to overdo it. Plainview is a larger than life figure, but is provided great depth by Day-Lewis and Paul Thomas Anderson's script.

The supporting cast members hold their own, particularly Freasier, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Dano. Day-Lewis is often vicious and intense in his scenes with Dano who proves more than equal to the task.

With his fifth film, I dare say that Paul Thomas Anderson is far and away the best of the young American auteurs. He's certainly the most versatile (his first four films being "Hard Eight," "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia," and "Punch-Drunk Love"). This is his first film based upon a novel, but by all accounts Upton Sinclair's Oil! is little more than a blueprint for Anderson's story.

Uninterested in socialist politics, Anderson is more concerned with characters, their stories, and their emotions. He conveys this through intelligent dialogue and a cinematic eye that is second to none. He and cinematographer Robert Elswit create striking shots that don't call attention to themselves, but rather immerse us further into the world of Daniel Plainview.

As always, Anderson also employs a great musical score, this time from Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. The combination of sight and sound is powerful and affecting even when we can’t explain why.

“There Will Be Blood” showed up at the very end of 2007 and sent a great year off in style. It's a cinematic masterpiece and one of the finest films in one of film's finest years. 10/10.

Brief Reviews…

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (R, Avail. April 1)

This sixth collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton is my least favorite (their best being “Ed Wood”). This isn’t to say it’s bad, but it is difficult. Sweeney isn’t just out for revenge against Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). The man just likes cutting throats. It makes him happy.

Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) capitalizes on Sweeney’s murderousness by baking his victims into pies. Burton seems to want us to cheer Sweeney on in his endeavors and I for one could not. Still, it’s an interesting film and worth a look if you’re really interested. Don’t knock yourself out though. 6/10.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (R, Avail. April 8)

The jokes come fast…and hard in “Walk Hard.”  Not quite everything lands but it’s far more successful than most parody films and it features a brilliant comic turn by John C. Reilly, a man whose mere presence makes everything he’s in better.

Like the film, the songs parody Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Brian Wilson, and most hilariously Bob Dylan (“You guys are idiots!  This song is very deep!”). Writers Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan (who also directed) deliver a very silly, very funny comedy. Be warned though, it’s rated R for a reason.

“I Am Legend” (PG-13) and “Atonement” (R) were originally slated to hit DVD in April but both were pushed up to mid-March with little warning. Here’s a look at both films, currently available.

I Am Legend

As a whole director Francis Lawrence’s remake of a remake was a bit of a disappointment. The visual effects are sorely lacking and it all feels a bit rushed.

However, Will Smith is charisma times ten. He spends the majority of the film with no one to talk to except his dog and some mannequins. Smith is one of a handful of actors who could remain compelling in that situation and his performance is enough for me to give “Legend” 7/10.

Atonement

Joe Wright’s epic romance against the backdrop of WWII is a very good film. It is full of dazzling camera work, beautiful sets and eye-catching costumes. What keeps “Atonement” from being a great film is that these elements are constantly calling attention to themselves and the emotional impact of the story feels muted.

The much heralded minutes-long tracking shot, while visually mind-blowing, never engages us on a level beyond, “Wow, that’s a cool shot.” 

Keira Knightley and James McAvoy give fine performances but I have to say I preferred them in “Pride and Prejudice” and “The Last King of Scotland” respectively. It’s Saoirse Ronan as young Briony who really gives “Atonement” a soul. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Dario Marianelli’s terrific Oscar-winning musical score. 8/10.

Also Coming Soon…

April 1:

Alvin and the Chipmunks (PG)

The Good Night (R)

Terry Jones: Medieval Lives

April 8:

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (PG)

Reservation Road (R)