Jesse Eisenberg in 'The Social Network'. Courtesy Sony Home Entertainment
The Social Network (Blu-ray)
Criticize This! Pick of the Week – It’s the movie about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by David Fincher, and starring Jesse Eisenberg. It’s winning a ton of awards. It was #7 on our Top 10 Films of 2010. It’s the movie all critics like to “Like”, and it’s a lot better watch a second time around. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should.
Enough about the movie though, I want to talk about the amazing Blu-ray release. First is the haunting menu that takes long, steady shots from the film and mixes them with Trent Reznor’s beautiful and eerie score. I seriously sat and watched the menu loop for about 30 minutes it was so mesmerizing. The movie itself is gorgeous in high-def. Presented in a 1080p image with a 5.1 DTS-HD sound mix, it highlights the stunning cinematography and darkness Fincher was going for, and pumps out that Reznor score perfectly.
Then there are the special features. Spreading across two discs, you will know everything you need to know about The Social Network when you’re done watching. Disc 1 includes an audio commentary track with Fincher and another with Sorkin and cast members (including Eisenberg). Disc 2 is where we get the awesomeness. The four-part documentary How Did They Ever Make a Movie of Facebook? clocks in at an hour and a half and covers the entire process of making the movie (it’s also in HD). There’s a few additional making-of featurettes and a piece with Reznor and Fincher discussing the score. The only thing missing is a digital copy of the movie, which is surprising given this is “The Facebook Movie”. Bottom-line is that this is a must-own Blu-ray release. Film **** Blu-ray ***** (out of 5 stars).
Piranha (2010)
– Cheesy killer fish movie that is so much more campy and bloody than the original 1978 movie it’s based on, it’s hard not to like Piranha for it for what it is. Keep in mind it was meant for 3-D so some of the gags don’t really work on regular DVD but it’s still a fun watch. Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Jerry O’Connell, and Steven R. McQueen star, and Christopher Lloyd, Eli Roth, and Richard Dreyfuss have great cameos. Special features on the DVD include audio commentary, making-of featurettes, and more. Also available on Blu-ray
and 3-D Blu-ray
. Film *** DVD ** (out of 5 stars).
Mr. Nobody
– I’ve never been so confused and so enthralled by a film at the same time as I was while watching Jaco Van Dormael’s Mr. Nobody. It’s so visually impressive, and features such wonderful performances by Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, and Diane Kruger, that I was glued to my couch dazzled while it played. If I was comparing it to other films, Dark City and The Butterfly Effect come to mind, but it’s so much better than both. No, it’s not for everyone, and I’m sure some people will downright hate it, but it does deserve a chance to be seen. Special features on the DVD include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and behind-the-scenes footage. Film *** DVD ** (out of 5 stars).
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
– Oh, is Joan Rivers ever a piece of work. This candid documentary on the funny lady is a great retrospect of her life that gave me a lot of new respect for her. Even if you’re not a fan of hers, to know where she came from and how she got where she is is a very intriguing journey. The only special feature on the DVD is extra footage. Also available on Blu-ray
. Film *** DVD **
Also available this week on DVD and Blu-ray:
Alpha & Omega (DVD
/Blu-ray
)
Animal Kingdom (DVD
/Blu-ray
)
Howl (DVD
/Blu-ray
)
Once Upon A Time in America (Blu-ray
)
Raging Bull (Blu-ray
)
Dances With Wolves (Blu-ray
)
