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DVD Review Lunchables
By
Dennis Landmann
This column is dedicated to
DVD reviews of various films and sets, except they are shorter
than my normal reviews.
Code 46
(MGM Home Entertainment, 12/28/04, Rated R)
Code 46 takes
place in the near future where privileged classes live and work
"inside" cities, while non-citizens scratch out a miserable existence
"outside" in a vast desert. People cannot leave their designated zones
without special visas known as "papeles." When fraudulent papeles
surface, Seattle investigator William Geld (Tim Robbins) travels
to Shanghai to ferret out the culprit and meets Maria Gonzalez
(Samantha Morton)...a women with whom he has a passionate affair but breaks one
of society's harshest laws: Code 46.
Director Michael
Winterbottom creates an interesting future in this film from a script
by Frank Cottrell Boyce, choosing to focus more on the two characters
and their lives existing in this future. The script keeps the story
moving without slowing down to elaborate on things, instead it assumes
the audience will catch up with certain elements. The technology in
this future is also quite advanced and not necessarily explained in
detail, it's just there, creating a kind of mystery here and there.
Robbins and Morton share some chemistry as the film progresses, which
is essential for the film to work. The film's outlook on the future is
quite bleak and therefore might put off some viewers, plus the film's
pace is a bit slow at times, but I was involved with the characters.
The last fifteen minutes feel interestingly free-spirited and the
accompanying music by The Free Association is very good. Code 46
is interesting and overall a good film, but it's not for everyone.
MGM Home Entertainment presents Code
46 in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Picture quality and colors
look quite good. Detail and sharpness are fine. There are no major
flaws in the presentation, but grain is featured in many scenes as are
some specks. Audio is available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.
Dialogue is clear and easy to understand, while the music is very
nicely reproduced across the front speakers. Surround usage is
minimal. Optional subtitles include English, Spanish and French.
The special features include the
17-minute "Obtaining Cover: Inside Code 46" documentary that
shows a bit of behind-the-scenes footage, a good amount of film clips,
and decent interviews with director Michael Winterbottom, Tim Robbins
and Samantha Morton. There are also four deleted scenes that combine
for a total of two minutes. Rounding out the extras is the film's
theatrical trailer and bonus trailers for other MGM titles, including
a look at Species III.
VERDICT: RENT IT
DVD
Grade: 6 out of 10
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Harold and
Kumar Go To White Castle (Unrated Extreme Ed.)
(New Line, 1/4/05, Rated R)
Straitlaced, hard-working Harold (John
Cho,
American Pie) and
his roommate, the
rebellious, party-loving Kumar (Kal Penn,
National Lampoon's Van Wilder) have only one thing
in common - a serious case of the
munchies. As they set out on a quest
to satisfy their craving, Harold and
Kumar's simple road trip turns into an
all-night adventure filled with outrageous obstacles, sick characters,
and dangerous, sexy curves. Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle,
directed by Danny "Where's My Car, Dude?" Leiner, is a welcome
surprise as it's one stoner comedy that is actually fun to watch. It
also helps to have two fun characters go on an adventure that could be
considered ridiculous, but the script comes up with enough jokes and
tricks to pull off some hilarious events. Cho and Penn are a great
team, plus the cameos are pretty fun, especially Neal Patrick Harris
who plays himself. This isn't a particularly good film, but as a
comedy it's totally serviceable.
New Line Home Entertainment presents
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle in 1.85:1 anamorphic
widescreen. Picture quality and colors look very good. Detail and
sharpness are accurate. There are no major flaws in the presentation,
but a bit of grain is seen during the night scenes. Audio is available
in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround as well as a Dolby 2.0 track. Dialogue
is clear and easy to understand, while the music is very nicely
reproduced across the front speakers. Surround usage is evident a few
times but that's it. Optional subtitles include English and Spanish.
The special features include no less
than three audio commentaries. The first one is with director Danny
Leiner and stars John Cho and Kal Penn, the second with writers Jon
Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, and the third "extreme" with Danny
Bochart, who plays Extreme Sports Dude #1 in the film. The first two
tracks are decent with some interesting information here and there,
while the third is just a bad idea. Next is "The Art of the Fart"
(10:38), a fake documentary that follows sound designer Jeff Kushner
as he searches for the perfect fart sounds scouring bathrooms and
recording unsuspecting people's farts. There are eight
deleted/extended scenes (11:51) that add tiny bits to the film but not
really, and the outtakes (1:44) are mostly unfunny.
"Back Seat Interview" (12:58) features
comedian Bobby Lee (MadTV) driving down Sunset Blvd interviewing John
Cho and Kal Penn in the back seat about the filming of the movie and
other things, mostly nonsense. It's a funny idea and works well as
these guys are pretty laid back and appear to have a good time. "Cast
& Crew Bites" offer a collection of interviews (1-4 minutes in length
each) with the director, the two writers, and cast members Paula
Garces (the hot chick), David Krumholtz and Eddie Kaye Thomas, Neil
Patrick Harris, Fred Willard, the extreme guy, and the two English
fart girls (sorry if I don't remember their names). "A Trip to the
Land of Burgers" (10:43) looks at Harold's dream sequence and how it
was done. Rounding out the extras are two trailers for the film
(theatrical and Red Band), a music video for "All Too Much" by Yeah,
and a collection of trailers for other New Line titles (Blade:
Trinity, Festival Express, The Butterfly Effect,
Run Ronnie Run).
VERDICT: RECOMMENDED
DVD
Grade: 7 out of 10
Open Water
(Lions Gate, 12/28/04, Rated R)
Open Water tells the story of
Susan (Blanchard Ryan) and
Daniel (Daniel Travis) who take a tropical
island vacation in search of much needed relaxation. While scuba
diving miles off the
coast, the
tour guide miscounts leaving them
abandoned
in the
middle of the
ocean. As the
hours pass, the
couple realizes they are not alone as a
shark's fin breaks the
surface water. Over the
next 24 hours, the
couple must fight
to stay afloat and
alive, surrounded by
miles of ocean.
T he
premise for Open Water is based on a true story and filmmaker
Chris Kentis succeeds in creating a very tense atmosphere around it.
The camera work is exceptional as it is sometimes literally inches
away from the sharks and the actors, making the events even more
frightening and real. Actors Ryan and Travis convey emotionally and
realistically the desperation that overcomes their characters as their
situation gets worse and worse. My only complaint about the film is
that at roughly 80 minutes it doesn't quite sustain its premise long
enough and therefore the pacing is a bit off in the second to third
half of the film.
Lions Gate Home Entertainment presents
Open Water in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Picture quality and
colors look pretty decent. The film was shot with digital cameras and
the look stands out somewhat. Detail and sharpness are fine, but not
great. There are no major flaws in the presentation. Audio is
available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and Dolby Digital 6.1 EX.
Dialogue is clear and easy to understand, while the sound effects such
as splashing water are very nicely reproduced across the front and
back speakers. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.
The special features include two audio
commentaries, one by filmmakers Laura Lau and Chris Kentis, who reveal
some interesting things along the way, and the other by actors
Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis, who share stories and towards the
very end discuss their thoughts about the ending. The deleted scenes
consist of mainly expository scenes and the alternate opening that's
included was a good idea to keep out of the film. "The Indie
Essentials" is a discussion with Lions Gate executives who offer their
thoughts on the film, its marketability, and so on. "Calm Before the
Storm: Making Open Water" is an informative documentary with
plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Kentis, Lau,
and the two actors.
DVD
Grade: 7 out of 10
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Reviews Posted
January 26, 2005
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