Sunshine Cleaning DVD Review

Sunshine Cleaning: Emily Blunt and Amy Adams star in a film that turns out to be much more of a drama than a light comedy. The two leads play sisters who start up their own crime scene clean-up business. They are inexperienced and not ready for some of the grotesque aspects of the job. This produces some funny moments in the film, but all the laughs are captured in a few early scenes. I was under the impression that the movie would exploit this funny plot point to death (...pun). Instead, the story takes on a serious tone as we explore the troubled life of the two sisters. Emily Blunt in particular does an excellent job playing a character that clearly is hiding some pain. Slowly we find out more about their childhood and events that have scarred them for life. I was impressed with the story and the complex characters, but felt they could have dug a little deeper. This is a case where an extra 15 minutes of celluloid could have brought much more emotion to the story.
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Tyson DVD Review

Tyson: 007 373 5963...This string of ten numbers has a special significance to anyone who grew up in the mid-80's. The number was memorized by kids across America, talked about at inner circles around the lunch tables, and it was all true. This was the code that got little Mac to fight Mike Tyson in one of the greatest video games of all time - Nintendo's: Mike Tyson's Punch Out! I mention this because it gives frame of mind as to just what an icon Mike Tyson was during that era. This documentary directed by James Toback gives you Tyson's complete story. From his rough childhood, to him becoming the youngest heavyweight champion of the world, to his "ear fetish", and finally to his tragic demise. It unfolds in a very unique kind of way- the entire documentary is told in Mike Tyson's own words. It can be best described as a self portrait on film. Cut in between Tyson talking about his life we have footage of his old fights and his old interviews. Some of this footage is very familiar and some of it is very rare, but all of it is very compelling. Tyson's career and even his life for that matter is a Greek tragedy. This is one of the better documentaries I have seen in a long time. Interesting, powerful, and sad, all told in a very distinctive way.....a must rent!

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Defiance DVD Review

Defiance: Daniel Craig stars in the true story of the Bielski resistance. The three Bielski brothers were responsible for protecting over a thousand Jewish people who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe. They fled into the Belorussian forests where they made a small village and survived for three plus years. The Bielskis also joined Russian resistance fighters and actually fought back against the Nazis. I was hoping the movie was going to be a little more like Red Dawn with some surprise attacks, RPGs, and someone yelling "Bielskis" instead of wolverines. However the story focuses more on the "survival in the woods aspect"- which after awhile got a bit redundant. It was nice to see a film about Jewish people fighting back during WWII, but overall the movie was paced too slow and dragged on a little to long. Ahh Bielski!

"Kick it to the Floor"

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The Soloist DVD Review

The Soloist: Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx star in one of years best dramas! This film performed poorly at the box office and after viewing it on DVD I am not sure why. Foxx plays Nathaniel Ayres a homeless man who once trained at Julliard. Downey plays Steven Lopez, a L.A. Times journalist who discovered Nathaniel's story and shared it with the world. Both lead actors did a tremendous job, making the story very easy to believe. The film not only focuses on the friendship that is hatched between the two men, but it also examines homelessness on a larger scale. The movie is based on a true story and I found it to be captivating and effective. Great movies not only entertain, but also inform and educate. The Soloist does all three - it is a an easy film to recommend.

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I Love You, Man Review

I Love You, Man: You may not know it, but we are currently knee deep in "The Paul Rudd Era". The actor literally went from being "Ohh, its the guy who plays the older brother in Clueless" to Paul Rudd - period. He has had a role in The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and starred in last year's Role Models. In I Love You, Man he stars as Peter Klaven, a man who after getting engaged realizes that he has no male friends. Not being very close to his brother, Peter finds himself without a best man for his wedding. This causes Peter to go on a string of "man dates" in order to find a new best friend - each of them uncomfortable and hilarious. Paul Rudd plays the character perfectly, he is much more of a metrosexual than a guy's guy. His awkward attempts at being "cool" are also spot on. Finally, Peter does find a best friend, Sydney (played by the very funny Jason Segal). While the two strike up a very strong bond, Peter's new relationship actually interferes with that of his fiancée's. Can they find common ground where all are happy? I loved - I Love You, Man and I am sure you will too!

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The Great Buck Howard

The Great Buck Howard: John Malkovich is simply fantastic as Buck Howard, a "mentalist" who continues to perform his act long after his prime. As he would tell you, Buck Howard had been a guest on the tonight show with Johnny Carson 61 times...but that was over 25 years ago. These days we find Buck performing his show in small venues located in small cities all across America. However, his "big star" attitude has not gone away, in Buck's mind he is still at the top of his game. We join the ride when Buck hires a new road manager, Troy Gable (Colin Hanks). As quirky and fun as his act seems, Buck's backstage preparation is even more amusing. Right after a big public stunt flops, Buck has a strike of luck that casts him back into the public limelight. Will the Great Buck Howard relish his renewed found fame or long for the time when he headlined Wausau, WI? Buck Howard is a character that will make you laugh and that you will cheer for!

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