Watchlist
Notable DVD releases for February 12th
By Max Braden
February 13, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Here's my watchlist of DVD and cloud releases for the week of February 12th:
28 Hotel Rooms
Who: Chris Messina, Marin Ireland
What: A romance that begins as a drunken one-night stand but later develops as an adulterous affair and struggles with guilt and frustration and sincere emotion.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download
Why: I've been enjoying Messina's performance on The Mindy Project, and the subject reminds me a lot of Conversations With Other Women.
Bully
Who: Real students at schools across the United States
What: A documentary that interviews kids about the problem of bullying.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download
Why: The Producers Guild of America gave this doc the Stanley Kramer Award for movies that "illuminate and raise public awareness of important social issues."
Guest of Cindy Sherman
Who: Cindy Sherman, John Waters, Eric Bogosian, Danny DeVito, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Molly Ringwald, Carol Kane
What: A documentary about photographer Cindy Sherman.
When: February 12th
Why: I don't know who Cindy Sherman is, but I'm always interested in what stars have to say about other creative industry members.
Jedi Junkies
Who: Olivia Munn, Ray Park, Peter Mayhew
What: A documentary about various super dedicated Star Wars fans.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download
Why: I'm a Star Wars fan. Not enough to dress up and go to conventions - but then this movie would allow me to do that vicariously.
Night of the Templar
Who: Paul Sampson, David Carradine, Udo Kier, Norman Reedus
What: A sci-fi horror thriller about a medieval knight reanimated in modern times to take revenge on his enemies.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: Medieval anything appeals to me, and I like Norman Reedus in The Walking Dead. This would be one of Carradine's last performances before his death in 2009.
Robot & Frank
Who: Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Peter Sarsgaard, Jeremy Strong, Ana Gasteyer, Jeremy Sisto
What: A light comedy about a retired burglar whose children gift him a robot when it's apparent he needs some assistance living alone. Langella plays the retiree, who romances a local librarian played by Sarandon, and then gets the idea to get back in business by mis-using the robot.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: I like Langella, and I'm game for any sort of heist film. It looks lightly amusing, and I've heard pretty good buzz about it.
Taken 2
Who: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Jon Gries, Rade Sherbedgia
What: A sequel to the action flick starring Neeson as a security consultant whose ex-wife and daughter are kidnapped by relatives of the bad guys he gunned down in the first movie.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: It's Neeson kicking butt again. I saw this in theaters - it's more of the same, not quite as good as the first but a decent action flick.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Who: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, Paul Rudd, Melanie Lynskey, Mae Whitman, Joan Cusack
What: Sex, drugs, popularity, friendship, jealousy, suicide, deep thoughts - all that good awkward adolescent drama - featuring Watson, Lerman, and Miller. Based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: Critics and fans have responded very well to this movie, and I'm a sucker for high school love triangles. Its screenplay has earned a nomination from the Writer's Guild of America.
Rise of the Zombies
Who: Mariel Hemingway, Ethan Suplee, LeVar Burton, Danny Trejo
What: If you lived in San Francisco during a zombie outbreak, where would you run to? Alcatraz.
When: February 12th
Why: I'm a fan of The Walking Dead, so I'm interested in a movie about using a prison to defend against zombies. Plus I try to see anything Danny Trejo is in.
Won't Back Down
Who: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Holly Hunter, Oscar Isaac, Rosie Perez, Ving Rhames
What: A drama about an inner-city failing school, and the women who fight for the future of the kids.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: The movie sounds awfully chick-flick to me, but I'm a Maggie Gyllenhaal loyalist. Davis and Hunter of course bring their own Oscar pedigrees to the movie.
Yelling to the Sky
Who: Zoe Kravitz, Gabourey Sidibe, Tim Blake Nelson
What: An indie drama about a teenage girl, played by Zoe Kravitz, who has to navigate a school troubled by gangs and drugs.
When: February 12th on DVD and digital download.
Why: Sidibe has been in a couple comedies since getting her Oscar nomination for Precious, so this would be an opportunity to see her do more drama.
What I'm watching this week:
Based on a goal of watching 200 movies per year, I try to watch - or limit myself to - four movies per week. I saw Taken 2 in theaters, and although it's more of the same and not as good as the first, it's still a good Friday night action rental. The one I want to see most is The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which has gotten a lot of good buzz and a WGA nomination. Robot & Frank has also gotten good response, and I like Langella and heist movies. There are a few other tempting remaining choices, but I think I'll be tempted by the illicit romance of 28 Hotel Rooms.
Big movie note: Skyfall, the most recent James Bond movie, is available from some outlets on February 12th, but won't be available on Netflix until March 12th.