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New Rental Releases This Week (25/01/10)

New DVD rental releases at DVBee this week:

Michael Jackson's This Is It, The Invention of Lying, Winged Creatures, Coco Avant Chanel, The Ugly Truth, Imagine That, The Taking of Pelham 123, Fame, Garfield's Fun Fest and Smokin' Aces 2: Assassin's Ball.

Michael Jackson's This Is It Movie Poster

MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT (2009)

Director: Kenny Ortega
Starring: Michael Jackson, Kenny Ortega
Genre: Music, Documentary
Age Restriction: PG

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, was a dance and music sensation. This music documentary gives audiences a sneak peak at his highly-anticipated This Is It World Tour practice sessions, which were recorded shortly before his untimely death. The film pays homage to Jackson as he belts out some of his most famous hits, while revealing a vulnerable, professional and deeply human side to the music icon.

THE INVENTION OF LYING (2009)

Director: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Age Restriction: 13PG L

This high concept fantasy comedy doesn’t have as many laughs as we’ve come to expect from The Office funny man, Ricky Gervais, but still holds up as a smart, charming and entertaining film with a long list of cameo performances. The Invention of Lying is more like Ghost Town than Liar, Liar and solid casting, subtle humour and good lead chemistry make this movie worth seeing.

WINGED CREATURES (2008)

Director: Rowan Woods
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Forest Whitaker, Dakota Fanning
Genre: Drama
Age Restriction: 13NSV

A first-rate cast delve into the fractured lives of several random restaurant customers, who witness an unprovoked shooting. The swirling drama shows how they intersect as they try to cope with grief, recover from their loss and carry on with their lives. While dark and somewhat depressing, Winged Creatures is buoyed by an experienced ensemble.

COCO AVANT CHANEL (2009)

Director: Anne Fontaine
Starring: Audrey Tatou
Genre: Biography, Drama
Age Restriction: 13S

Audrey Tatou delivers a solid lead performance in this simplified two-dimensional rendition of Coco Chanel before she was France’s famous mademoiselle. It’s a beautiful and fascinating biographical drama and a tribute, but doesn’t relay any insight or sense of her inner being.

THE UGLY TRUTH (2009)

Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Age Restriction: 16SL

If “Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus”, no wonder it all seems so complicated down here on Earth. This adult romantic comedy takes a cheeky and often funny look at dating, relationships and toys with “what men want” in a 21st Century woman. Great lead chemistry, fun comedy interplay and likable characters add up to some light first date fun.

IMAGINE THAT (2009)

Director: Karey Kirkpatrick
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church
Genre: Family, Comedy, Fantasy
Age Restriction: PG

A sweet-natured family fantasy comedy starring Eddie Murphy. This light, fun and upbeat movie features great chemistry between father and daughter, much like The Game Plan with a funny character performance from Haden Church. However, the script lacks comic sparkle and relies too heavily on Murphy’s charisma.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (2009)

Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama
Age Restriction: 16LV

Washington and Travolta go head-to-head in this train hostage remake in a dynamic similar to Reeves and Hopper in Speed. The performances are good, Tony Scott’s direction and style is slick, but at the end of the day it’s just another high stakes hostage drama with a stagnant feel and an unsatisfactory ending.

FAME (2009)

Director: Kevin Tancharoen
Starring: Kelsey Grammar, Kay Panabaker, Naturi Naughton
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Age Restriction: 13PG L

Fame, the 1980 musical, inspired a TV series as a performing arts school took the spotlight. This bland 2009 remake features some acting talents such as Naturi Naughton, who can truly perform, but lacks a character development and story focus, making it flat and inconsistent.

SMOKIN’ ACES 2: ASSASSINS’ BALL (2009)

Director: P.J. Pesce
Starring: Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Vinne Jones
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Age Restriction: 16LSV

This prequel sequel tries to mimic the ferocity and style of Smokin' Aces with a shoestring budget, minus the cast, director and novelty. The Tremors return, but the low budget feel, off-beat action and diluted story just don't make the grade.

GARFIELD’S FUN FEST (2009)

Director: Mark A.Z. Dippe, Eondeok Han
Starring: Frank Welker
Genre: Family, Animation, Comedy
Age Restriction: All

Garfield isn’t the same without Bill Murray, as the franchise struggles to find a animation or live-action format that works for everyone’s favourite comic strip cat. Garfield’s Fun Fest is tainted by its simple animation, voice casting and lame script – this one’s strictly for the kiddies.

Golden Globes Motion Picture Awards: An Overview

The Golden Globe Film Awards are seen as a strong forerunner to who wins at the Oscars each year, which is probably why there’s plenty of buzz around Tinseltown at this time of year. The 67th Golden Globe Awards have created quite a stir, especially with James Cameron’s Avatar taking Best Motion Picture for a Drama. This year, the ceremony was hosted by comedian Ricky Gervais, the man behind The Office and star from such movies as Ghost Town and The Invention of Lying.

Gervais’s edgy humour characterized the evening with a borderline chirp about “enjoying a drink, just as much as any man” while holding a glass of beer, to introduce Mel Gibson. The awards were dominated by the populist choice this year, which can possibly be attributed to the massive worldwide success of James Cameron’s Avatar in recent weeks.

Avatar beat out the critically-acclaimed Up in the Air and The Hurt Locker to win Best Motion Picture for Drama, while Box Office sensation, The Hangover, out-muscled the competition in Best Motion Picture for a Musical or Comedy with its hilarious bachelors misfire in Las Vegas antics. Both choices seemed to be buoyed by their public appeal and success at the Box Office.

Then in the performance category, Jeff Bridges ripped Morgan Freeman (Invictus) and George Clooney’s (Up in the Air) hearts out by winning a Golden Globe for his impressive dramatic performance as an alcoholic country singer on the mend in his role as Bad Blake in Crazy Heart. Sandra Bullock rounded off a good year with a Best Actress win for her touching performance in The Blind Side, dashing hopes for Emily Blunt (Young Victoria), Helen Mirren (The Last Station) and newcomer Carey Mulligan (An Education).

When it came to Musical and Comedy performances, Robert Downey Jr. took the award for Best Actor for his wily performance as Sherlock Holmes ahead of some serious competition in Nine’s Daniel Day-Lewis, while Meryl Streep took the stage for her larger-than-life portrayal of American cooking legend Julia Childs in Julie & Julia, trampling her contenders and other nomination for It’s Complicated.

Inglourious Basterds finally cracked the nod in the Best Supporting Actor category for Christoph Waltz’s much talked about turn in Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time” take on World War II. Then Mo’Nique foiled Up in the Air’s double nomination in Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, claiming Best Supporting Actress for her role in Precious.

Best Director went to James Cameron for Avatar amid some serious competition from Jason Reitman and Kathryn Bigelow, while Up in the Air finally struck gold with Best Screenplay going to Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, dislodging District 9’s chances of winning in the process.

Crazy Heart took Best Original Song for that “what every Country & Western performer longs for” kind of song by T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham. Best Animated Film went to Up, as did Best Original Score, which went to Michael Giacchino. Das weise Band – Eine Deutsche Kindergeschichte rounded off the Film Awards with Best Foreign Film.

Overall, Avatar triumphed, while Up in the Air and The Hurt Locker seemed to have been snubbed. It would’ve been good to have seen what had happened if Up had been put head-to-head with Avatar, but it’ll probably be a few more years before animated features reach that kind of respect. On that note, it’s easy to see how some of the Best Picture – Drama nominees would have preferred Avatar to have been relegated to Best Animation.

Skin Movie Review: Apartheid's Legacy Personified

Skin is the extraordinary true story of Sandra Laing, a "coloured" girl, born to white parents in 1950s Apartheid South Africa. It's a fascinating story about a woman trying to forge her way into South African culture, going against the grain because of her skin colour and racial classification. This has got to be one of the most interesting lives to have lived during the struggle, as Sandra essentially bridged the divide between white and black South Africans. She spent her childhood, being teased behind her back and was discriminated against by her peers and teachers. Growing up wasn't any easier, as the rebellious young Sandra fell in love with one of her father's fresh produce suppliers, opting for a life of love rather than comfort... trying to find solace in the township with her new husband.

Sophie Okonedo (The Secret Lives of Bees) adopts the character of Sandra as a teenager and young adult, making an easy transition from the ages of 16 to her 40s. Her performance shows a willful young woman, undeterred by her father's shame, resilient against perception and determined to live life to the full. Sam Neill plays Abraham Laing with a good understanding of the old South Africa and enough vindication to play the complex hard-hearted man. Both international stars manage to get a grasp on the South African accent, without tripping over it. Homegrown talent, Alice Krige owns the part of Sannie Laing, balancing ...continued.

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Golden Globes 2010: Film Winners & Nominees

The first hurdle to the 2010 Academy Awards, the 67th Golden Globes Television & Motion Picture Awards Ceremony hosted by Ricky Gervais, delivered the following WINNERS and Nominees in their respective film categories.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER
Avatar (2009)

Nominated:
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Up in the Air (2009)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER
The Hangover (2009)

Nominated:
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
It's Complicated (2009)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Nine (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER
Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)

Nominated:
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Tobey Maguire for Brothers (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)

Nominated:
Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER
Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Nominated:
Matt Damon for The Informant! (2009)
Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine (2009)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer (2009)
Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Nominated:
Sandra Bullock for The Proposal (2009)
Marion Cotillard for Nine (2009)
Julia Roberts for Duplicity (2009)
Meryl Streep for It's Complicated (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

WINNER
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Nominated:
Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire Movie Poster (2009)

WINNER
Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Nominated:
Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009)
Julianne Moore for A Single Man (2009)

Best Director - Motion Picture

WINNER
James Cameron for Avatar (2009)

Nominated:
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
Clint Eastwood for Invictus (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

WINNER
Up in the Air (2009): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Nominated:
District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
It's Complicated (2009): Nancy Meyers

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

WINNER
Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham (The Weary Kind)

Nominated:
Avatar (2009): James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell (I See You)
Brothers (2009): U2, Bono (Winter)
Everybody's Fine (2009): Paul McCartney ((I Want To) Come Home)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston (Cinema Italiano)

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

WINNER
Up (2009): Michael Giacchino

Nominated:
Avatar (2009): James Horner
The Informant! (2009): Marvin Hamlisch
A Single Man (2009): Abel Korzeniowski
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek

Best Animated Film

WINNER
Up (2009)

Nominated:
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film

WINNER
Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)

Nominated:
Los abrazos rotos (2009)
Baarìa (2009)
La nana (2009)
Un prophète (2009)

Complete Golden Globes TV & Film Winners and Nominees

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