Jean-Claude Van Damme in a good movie? No. A great movie

2 comments September 22nd, 2009

This week’s Movie Man column takes a look at JCVD, a surprising little movie starring none other than “The Muscles from Brussels” himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme. It’s very good — mostly thanks to the astonishingly good performance by Van Damme.

Here’s a link to the written review…

And, if you prefer your movie commentary with moving images and sound, here’s the video version…

DVD Review: HOMICIDE

Add comment September 15th, 2009

Not to be confused with the excellent NBC cop show HOMICIDE, David Mamet’s 1991 movie of the same name stars Joe Mantagna as a detective forced to work on a murder he doesn’t care about — and forced to confront some ugly truths about himself and the world around him. It’s a great film — maybe Mamet’s best — and after years of being AWOL on home video, it’s finally been re-released on a beautiful new DVD from Criterion. It’s also what I’m reviewing in this week’s Movie Man column.

Click here to see the video version, and click here to read the print review — which, as a bonus, includes comments on the excellent new NIKKATSU NOIR set from Eclipse/Criterion.

MAD MEN video review

2 comments July 29th, 2009

Here’s the video version of this week’s MAD MEN review. I realize gazing up my image is no great thrill, but at least you can get a glimpse of the show’s amazing art direction. Also, there’s footage of Joan (Christina Hendricks, above) and Don Draper. That’s so that’s gotta be worth a click, right?

DVD Review: Catching up with the gang at Sterling Cooper

2 comments July 27th, 2009

This week’s Movie Man column focuses on the small screen with a look at MAD MEN. The second season is now on DVD,  and here’s a quick summary of what’s going on…

Don still has trouble at work (a new rival), after hours (an affair with a comedian’s wife) and at home (wife Betty, played by January Jones, gives him the boot). To complicate matters, during a business trip to California, Don ditches his responsibilities and spends a few strange days with a house full of Los Angeles weirdos. They’re not hippies — not yet, anyway — but Don’s layover in La La Land is one of the show’s sly reminders that the early, buttoned-up ’60s are about to become an entirely different sort of decade.

Here’s my complete review.

Who watches the WATCHMEN on the small screen? This guy!

1 comment July 20th, 2009

I’ve been writing about WATCHMEN since before it arrived in theaters (see here for a rundown), but at long last, the movie comes out on DVD tomorrow, and I’ve got an official review of the actual DVD (which, after all, is what I technically do as the so-called “Movie Man.”)

Here’s the print version.

And here’s the video version.

Want a free DVD?

2 comments June 30th, 2009

In this week’s Movie Man column, I’m reviewing TOKYO!, an interesting trilogy of short films directed by three visionary directors (Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon-Ho). And, because I have an extra copy of the DVD courtesy of the fine folks at Liberation Entertainment, I’m giving one away.

All you have to do is send me an e-mail at wpfeifer@rrstar.com with the word “Tokyo!” in the subject line. I’ll pick a random entry and send that lucky person their own copy of the film.

Get those e-mails here by Friday, and I’ll pick a winner next week.

DVD Review: THE SEVENTH SEAL

Add comment June 23rd, 2009

I realize watching a 50-year-old, black-and-white, subtitled Swedish drama about a knight returning from the Crusades to confront difficult questions of life, death and belief might not seem like the most entertaining way to spend your movie night, but I really want you to give THE SEVENTH SEAL a try. It’s a genuinely great movie, and it’s enjoyable to boot.

Here’s a link to my written review…

 And here’s the video version, complete with plenty of striking black-and-white clips.

Video Vault: ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL

Add comment June 19th, 2009

In this week’s Video Vault column, I review the comedy ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, which arrived in theaters in 2006, failed to impress critics or attract audiences, and quickly faded from view. If you ask me, though, it’s well worth another look — especially if you ever served time in an art class.

Here’s a link to my review…

 And here’s the film’s original trailer (language a bit salty)…

Welcome back, Jason. Now go away.

Add comment June 15th, 2009

This week in my Movie Man column, I review the latest trip to Camp Crystal Lake, FRIDAY THE 13TH (the remake.) Needless to say, it’s not very good, but if you want to learn specifically why it’s not very good, here’s the print version of the review.

And, if you feel the need to see a few clips of this extremely mediocre movie, here’s the video version.

DVD Review: THE SPIRIT

4 comments April 27th, 2009

It’s not a good movie, but it is an interesting one — here’s my review of Frank Miller’s 2008 bomb, a failed adaptation of the classic 1940s comic book hero, The Spirit. The print version can be found here…

And the video version — with some really strange clips from the movie — can be found here.