Tuesday, May 27, 2008
New on DVD: Cassandra’s Dream, Rambo, Grace is Gone and What Would Jesus Buy?
Showing up today (Tues., May 27) on store shelves both virtual and actual is the DVD version of Woody Allen's last opus, Cassandra's Dream. I found it to be an interesting and watchable (if not particularly amusing) throwback to the Woodmeister's Mighty Aphrodite period, though - dealing as it does with premeditated murder - far darker in tone than that piece. (It also marks the final of three consecutive outings in which Woody filmed in Britain - his new movie, which just played Cannes, is set in Spain.)
Rambo marks the unlikely (and amazingly successful, in terms of entertaining action cinema) reprise of Stallone in the one man army role he pioneered in First Blood (1982). Yes, he's over sixty. Yes, he still kicks butt. No, I don't want to meet him in single combat (hey, I'm getting up there myself), but I wouldn't mind catching this unapologetic ballet of bullet-riddled violence again at a midnight movie screening - or on DVD, given the proper accompanying beverage.
Next up are two small indie pics that many of you may have missed during their limited theatrical runs. I thought Grace is Gone struck all the right sentimental chords to succeed as an insightful tear-jerker, and that the performance of John Cusack lent it the additional kick that made it worth going out to the theater for. Now that it's on DVD, I can enthusiastically recommend that you either buy or rent it.
Alex thought What Would Jesus Buy? made some interesting points in passing about consumerist society but failed to follow through on them, preferring to chronicle the madcap antics of Reverend Billy and his merry band.
