Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.
Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles, and what follows are not necessarily reviews, but opinions based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.
Big Trouble in Little China (Blu-ray). It has been a long time since I have seen this film, but I can imagine it looking great in the high definition format. That is so long as the transfer is a good one! The 1986 film was helmed by John Carpenter and made its big screen bow back in 1986. The tale centers on Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), a wisecracking truck driver who finds himself in the middle of supernatural intrigue in Chinatown. Special effects, makeup effects, and one-liners combine to make one entertaining movie and this week's top pick for yours truly.
Race to Witch Mountain (also Blu-ray). This movie is exactly what it says it is. It is not so much an adventure or a journey of discovery, self or otherwise. It is a race, pure and simple. On one hand, it is very well executed as a chase film; however, if you want something with any sort of depth beyond the surface, you had best look somewhere else. It is all about a couple of alien children trying to get their ship. This movie will play well to the young, with its likable leads and their equally likable performances while the adults will be left wanting something a little bit more. Director Adam Finkman does a good job of keeping the action moving, all of it is well-executed and the audience is kept involved with the race, if nothing else. If only there was a little more meat to dig into.
The Soloist (also Blu-ray). This is a decent film. It is involving, but the narrative drags for stretches, letting a bit of boredom in. It is also a little on the incomplete side. We learn a lot about Ayers (Jamie Foxx), his childhood, the events leading to his current state, everything. The problem is with Lopez (Downey, Jr.). His half of the story is not nearly as well developed. Yes, he is the writer and he does plenty of that, but we need the information about what has made him the way he is. We get hints of a failed marriage, a troubled relationship with his son, but it never goes deep enough to make his change have much meaning. Still, it is a touching tale and the performances alone are worth seeing it for. Robert Downey Jr. does a fine job of playing the journalist with responsibility issues. The man is a joy to watch. Jamie Foxx also does a fine job as the mentally troubled Ayers. He disappears into the role, bringing genuine emotion to his character.
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