Release

DVD weekly: Bangkok, Brazil and Blubberella

Matt

5th December 2011

Welcome to this week's new releases on DVD and Blu-ray. Not only will you find here a useful guideline to all your purchasing needs, but also what will probably be your first encounter with a little film called Blubberella.

Released: Monday 5th December 2011

The Hangover Part II (2011) DVD & Blu-ray
Buy the DVD on Amazon for £9.97

The Hangover Part II

Y'know how a hangover is the result of overindulgence after having previously had a good time? Y'know how you'll be left with lots of shattered memories of things that seemed great at the time but now, after reliving them, cause mostly disgust and nausea? Y'know where I'm going with this?

It's not that The Hangover Part II (the roman numerals really seem a tad self-important for a film like this, don't they?) is a terrible movie. It's just that it is the same movie as its predecessor The Hangover but done badly. With a near identical plot - guys wake up with no memory of the night before and have to find the missing member of their party before a big wedding - the film uses all the same beats and scenes as its original counterpart.

Between the opening 'we fucked up' phone call, the hostage exchange sequence, and even a short musical interlude courtesy of Stu, it becomes clear very quickly that writer-director Todd Phillips is too scared to stray far from the formula that made The Hangover such an unprecedented success. But that is exactly what he should be doing - the main reasons why The Hangover was so popular is because it seemed fresh, exciting and unpredictable.

Of course, there is one major change that has occurred: the drunk and disorderly events of Las Vegas have now been transferred to Bangkok. While this at least gives the film a visual difference and allows for some immediate distance context-wise from the first movie, ultimately the location swap does the film a disservice. Drunken idiots acting irresponsibly on their home soil is one thing, but doing the same thing amidst a different culture automatically makes them seem less like bumbling fools and more like insensitive assholes.

And, by the time the guys have their obligatory run-in with a Thai ladyboy, adopt a drug-trafficking monkey and harass a group of monks, this sequel falls foul of being crude, immature and even borderline racist in places.

It's not all bad though. I'll be first to admit that I laughed out several times during the film. Zach Galifianakis, for example, is still on brilliant form as the simpleton manchild Alan who often delivers great one-liners of pure idiotic wonder.

But, come the film's end, which sees all previous problems implausibly swept aside and finds time to make at least two more call-backs to the first film (including a grossly unnecessary Mike Tyson cameo), you'll be left reaching for the paracetamol.

Read the original review
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) DVD & Blu-ray
Buy the DVD on Amazon for £12.97

Captain America: The First Avenger

Criticisms I have recently heard about Captain America: "It's just one long trailer for The Avengers", "It spends too long setting up the character without any real action", "Other than the first chase [to the submarine], there are no moments where Steve Rogers behaves like a super-soldier".

Fanboys, eh? Always touchy when it comes to their favourite nerdgasm property. Fortunately, I have the advantage of loving comic-book films without reading many comic books, and I can safely - and ignorantly - say that this movie is great fun. I like the bit where he throws his shield.

The pre-soldier Chris Evans may look a little too bobbleheady and some of the futuristic weaponry may look a little campy (bright blue 'energy blasts'? Please), but there is a strong sense of humour running throughout the film that lets you know not to take any of it too seriously.

Between Cap Am getting used to his steep soldier learning curve, the heavily montaged camaraderie between him and his men and even an impromptu musical number, there is much here to entertain. And it is all held together by Evans' honourable, wet-behind-the-ears hero.

And what really makes the film unique in the world of costumed vigilantes and caped crusaders is its 1940s backdrop. Ok, the film may take a lot of liberties in order to tie in tonewise with Marvel's other assembling Avengers, but there is something very refreshing about seeing these kind of superheroics in a period setting.

The only problem is, by the time the film ends and leads neatly into 2012's Marvel magnum opus, will Captain America still be relevant in the modern world for a sequel? Personally, I have my fingers crossed for 'time machine'.

Read the original review
The Smurfs (2011) DVD & Blu-ray
Buy the DVD on Amazon for £9.99

The Smurfs

How come no one is calling this 'the Avatar movie'? It seems only fair considering how much abuse James Cameron received.

No, I haven't seen this movie, but it seems to me that it wanted to appeal to the now grown-up audience of the original 80s cartoon series, instead of just trying to be a good film for kids. It's a mistake because most of us now are only interested in The Smurfs if it involves some kind of dirty joke involving Papa Smurf and Smurfette. But, like I say, I haven't seen this film. For all I know, there is such a scene.

My biggest irritation though is with the marketing, which took great delight in replacing swears with the word 'smurf' in its taglines, such as 'Smurf happens', 'Where the smurf are we?' and, possibly, 'please watch our movie, you little smurfing cunts'.

Mind you, the film stars Neil Patrick Harris, and he's quite funny. I like him in How I Met Your Mother.

(*exhales*) Is it the next film yet?
Brazil (1985) Blu-ray
Buy the DVD on Amazon for £11.19

Brazil

I'm ashamed to say I've still never seen Brazil. I'm not a massive fan of Terry Gilliam when he is being his most comically surreal so I guess I've deliberately not found the time.

And yet, many critics hold this film in the highest esteem and, after refreshing myself with the trailer below, I'm now really curious. So, I've come to the following decision: if any of you lot want to buy me Brazil on blu-ray, I will watch it. Deal?


Blubberella (2011) DVD
Buy the DVD on Amazon for £6.99

Blubberella

(*Ryan Reynolds voice*) I know, right!

Imagine my delight when, while meticulously researching and compiling the week's new home entertainment releases - thanks, HMV.com - I came across this overlooked monstrosity from the Antitalent himself, Uwe Boll.

Looking up the details on IMDB reveals that this film is an action-comedy set during World War II. It also reveals too many shit-nuggets of information to be digested all at once, so here are the best sentences from the plot synopsis one at a time:

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An action comedy centered on an overweight woman whose footsteps cause explosions and whose dual swords are used against anyone who makes fun of her.
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The German army [is] headed by the Commandant (Michael Paré), shadow puppet master, a mad, showtunes-singing Doctor (Clint Howard), and the newly-addicted-to-blood Lieutenant (Steffen Mennekes).
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Coming to the rescue is Blubberella. Half vampire, half woman, and all trouble, Blubberella loves nothing better than killing Nazis and a substantial turkey on rye.
"
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Blubberella and the Commandant face each other in a rail car and after a unseemly exchange of bodily fluids, the Commandant becomes infected by Blubberella and, unknown to her, begins his transformation into a powerful day-walking vampire.
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Along the way she'll lock horns with her oppressive mama, cross-dressing resistance fighters, dodgy S&M games, and even Hitler and his mad boardgame-playing skills.
Now, if that wasn't enough to entice you, the film also stars Uwe Boll himself...as Hitler. (*frantically buys 10 copies*)

Oh, and I'll just leave this trailer here.


Also out this week

A Separation DVD
We Were Here DVD
The Salt Of Life DVD

More:  DVD Weekly
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