By Chris Kavan - 10/25/11 at 12:54 PM CT
It's a battle between British sci-fi and an all-American hero with mediation done by a stuffed bear. Oh, bother!
1) Out of all the super hero films that came out this year, I give my highest recommendation to Captain America: The First Avenger
. I was skeptical because Chris Evans has never really wowed me, but I have to hand it to the writers and director: they found the right mix of drama and comedy - action and character and a decent back story to boot. The only real problem I have is that the Red Skull was a weak villain, even if his plot was suitably nefarious. A worthy addition to The Avengers line up.
2) Across the pond, audiences went wild for Attack the Block
. Considering how disappointed I've been with sci-fi lately (Battle: Los Angels and Skyline were both lame) - with only Super 8 having any traction, anything fresh and exciting is a welcome addition. Plus, I generally like British humor - throw in an alien invasion and I foresee a good time ahead.
3) Disney went back to the drawing board, instead of the computer, to bring back Winnie The Pooh
. While it wasn't a home run at the box office, I'm still glad to see traditional animation survives. Pooh and company have always been a daffy group - but it's good to see them back on the screen again.
4) I would be remiss if I didn't mention a film that has garnered a lot of attention for its infamy: A Serbian Film
. Outrage and disgust - when this film first came out, everyone was talking, but no one explained anything. I bet you can find plenty of spoilers now, but I have avoided them! The more disturbed I am by a film, the better.
On the Blu-Ray front, the Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy
becomes the next film series to get the high def treatment. I don't really think the third film deserves it, but the first (and at least part of the second) are worth watching. Spielberg and dinosaur fans can rejoice... and hope that if a part four ever surfaces it's handled with care. The conspiracy is here with Gene Hackman and Harrison Ford in The Conversation
. This is classic I have yet to see - though I'm all for paranoia and drama. One of my all-time favorite movies is making its Blu-Ray Criterion debut - the Richard Linklater slacker/stoner comedy (with a kick-ass soundtrack) Dazed and Confused
. I can't recommend this film enough - see some young stars before they became big, listen to the amazing music and just have fun along with the characters. You won't regret this trip.
There are other great films to explore this week, just visit the FilmCrave New DVD Releases and FilmCrave New Blu-Ray Releases pages today.
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