A hitman who quotes Nietzsche and believes the London Underground is a political movement, a stuttering animal lover who keeps accidentally killing small dogs, an English barrister stuck in a loveless marriage, a thief used as a patsy, and a woman named Wanda who wraps each one of them around her little finger to get what she wants. Rarely are romantic comedies this good.
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Don’t Call Me Stupid! Read More »
Welcome lovers, today begins our week long look at romance. Over the next few days (along with our regular content) we’ll tell you a few of our favorite romantic comedies, dramas, and hidden gems available on DVD (and maybe a few to stay away from) to get you in the mood for Saint Valentine’s Day.
Love is Funny Week
Custom Rating
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Welcome lovers, today begins our week long look at romance. Over the next few days (along with our regular content) we’ll tell you a few of our favorite romantic comedies, dramas, and hidden gems available on DVD and remind you of a couple still showing in theaters (perhaps also some a few to stay away from) to get you in the mood for Saint Valentine’s Day.
Love is Funny Week Read More »
We’re here to let you know what’s out there for your entertainment dollar. Every week a new batch of DVD’s gets shipped out and thrown onto the shelves. Here’s what comes out today including Waiting…, Doom, Elizabethtown, the third season of Moonlighting, the best of The Electric Company and much, much more. Take a look…
DVD Releases for February 7, 2006
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Here’s a look at what’s hitting the DVD shelf today.
Film:
Doom (Unrated Widescreen Edition) – One of th worst and therefore most profitable movies of 2005 involves The Rock hunting down creatures on Mars space station. Read our original reviews; review #1 and review #2.
Elizabethtown – Cameron Crowe’s train-wreck romantic dramedy between a shoe creator (Orlando Bloom) and stewardess (Kirsten Dunst) who he meets while traveling to his father’s funeral. Our disagreements over this one lasted days – read Aaron’s positive review and my negative review.
Waiting… – Funny workplace comedy that takes place in a Shenanigan’s restaurant with Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long and more. Read the original review.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Anniversary Edition) – The classic romance with Audrey Hepburn and George “I love it when a plan comes together” Peppard gets a new anniversary edition with remastered audio and tons of extras.
Just Like Heaven – Reese Witherspoon dies only to find love as a ghost with the man who moves into her apartment (Mark Ruffalo).
Ryan’s Daughter – 1970 film about love and conspiracy during WWI in Ireland starring Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard, Leo McKern and Sarah Miles.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being – Philip Kaufman’s take on the novel about a love story between a Czech doctor (Daniel Day Lewis) and a woman (Juliette Binoche) as the Soviets begin the invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Family/Animated:
The Best of The Electric Company – A big box set of clips, outtakes, interviews, trivia, and more from the show that was so cool from 1971 to 1985 teaching kids all they needed to know.
Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Wallace and Gromit prepare for the vegetable growing contest and try to catch the mysterious were-rabbit who is eating everyone’s prize vegetables (up for best animated feature at the Academy Awards).
Wallace & Gromit Cracking Collector’s Set – includes A Grand Day Out, A Close Shave, The Wrong Trousers, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and more.
Bambi II – Straight to video sequel about Bambi’s adventures with his father.
Teen Titans – The Complete First Season – Annoying anime take on Robin and the Teen Titans includes 13 episodes on two discs and extras.
TV:
Moonlighting – Season 3 – Maddie (Cybil Shepherd) and David (Bruce Willis) continue to go at it as they investigate mysteries large and small. The third season (15 episodes) introduces the character of Herbert Quentin Viola (Curtis Armstrong) and includes the Taming of the Shrew episode “Atomic Shakespeare.” Read the review for Seasons 1 & 2.
Growing Pains – The Complete First Season – Tales of the Seaver family (Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, and Jeremy Miller). 22 episodes on four discs including scenes from the pilot and the reunion show.
Emergency – Season Two – The crew of L.A. County Fire Department Station 51 continue to respond to emergencies in 21 episodes. With Robert Fuler, Julie London, and Bobby Troup.
Touched by an Angel – The Third Season, Volume 1 – The first 16 episodes of the season on four discs. (Despite the seedy name I’m told it’s a family show)
Blue Collar TV – Season 1, Volume 2 – The final half of season one of the Jeff Foxworthy comedy (also out in a complete Season One set). Get ‘er done.
We’re gonna try something a little different this week. Rather than bombard you with everything on Monday overloading your hangovers and beginning of the week anxieties, we’ll ease you into the week. Today we’ll take a look at what’s on tap on network and cable this week. On Tuesday we’ll take a look at the list of all the new DVD releases hitting the shelves. Starting Wednesday we’ll be reviewing some romantic themed movies and DVD’s over the next week leading you up to Valentine’s Day (including top ten lists and other features). Check back during the week for other fun stuff as well including new movie reviews Friday for Firewall and Neil Young: Heart of Gold.
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A Good Woman is one of those films that I just didn’t have any connection or feeling to. I didn’t like it, nor did I despise it. In fact I found the whole experience rather underwhelming. It’s not that it’s a bad film; there are certainly reasons and moments to enjoy, but in the end the film never really achieves anything other than the unrelenting boredom of its audience. I can’t tell you to go see, but I also won’t tell you not to see it. Not good, not bad, A Good Woman is just kinda’ there.
A Good Woman
2 & 1/2 Stars
The film is based on the Oscar Wilde play “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” and all I can say is I thought Wilde was a better writer. Filled with a charming British cast with a mix of two Hollywood leading ladies the movie spins a tale of sex, deception, lies, adultery, and more. In my memory such subjects have rarely been examined with less emotion and passion which may be the British sensibility of the film or the fact it was a paid vacation for all those involved. The second choice seems the more probable to me.
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The movie starts off in New York during the mid-1930’s where renowned adulterer and seductress Mrs. Erlynne (Helen Hunt) is expelled from society by the wives of all the husbands she has seduced. Pawning her jewelry and traveling overseas to the Amalfi Coast Mrs. Erlynne becomes the scandal and gossip of the town. She sets her sight on Robert Windemere (Mark Umbers) to be her new benefactor despite the fact that Robert is married to the lovely Meg (Scarlett Johannson) who has become the object of desire of Robert’s friend Lord Darlington (Stephen Campbell Moore). The town includes a group of gossiping old women (including Giorgia Massetti and Diana Hardcastle) and a group of older gentlemen (John Standing, Roger Hammond) including Tuppy (Tom Wilkinson) who takes an instant attraction to Mrs. Erynne and decides to make her his next wife.
From that basic set-up the film moves along much like a farce with odd coincidences and people misinterpreting things they see and hear. Problems start to arise when you realize that the film isn’t really funny and is much more of a drama that has been forced into this odd comical construction. The movie has several small twists and turns and one “surprise twist” but the characters are all paper-thin and lifeless. The movie is somewhat saved by the strong performances of the cast. Almost all the British cast come off well and I especially liked Tom Wilkinson and John Standing. As for the women of the film they are hopelessly miscast. The role of Helen Hunt, based on the story and plot twists, needed to be cast with an older actress in mind and although the camera loves Scarlett Johannson the script allows her little to do other than smile or pout into the camera. And you know if I can’t support a Johannson vehicle (see The Island) there’s got to be something wrong.
Overall the film is just a mild disappointment that never catches the audience up in the tale or earns the very fine performance of Wilkinson. I think there are some people who will enjoy the film and others who will not, but the film never provides anything to make you care enough to love it or hate it. In the end, the dispassionate film exercise just plays on the screen until it stops and you get up and find something more satisfying to enjoy.
A Good Woman is Only a So-So Movie Read More »
