Among the movies that became available Tuesday, Feb. 12 on Blu-ray and DVD at retail stores and rental outlets throughout the Valley are a martial arts movie from musician-turned-filmmaker/actor RZA, a horror flick that resurrects “Night of the Living Dead” and the sequel of a movie based on a violent video game.
'Bully'
Filmmaker Lee Hirsch follows five kids and families over the course of a school year. Stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. (PG-13 – 113 minutes)
“Bully” is not only a bad movie, it is also an irresponsible one that has the potential to do more harm than good. Lee Hirsch's new documentary perpetuates the perspective that bullying exists as an extreme. The unfortunate reality is that bullying is rarely as conspicuous as it is in the movie. By avoiding that truth, Hirsch has made nothing more than a placebo that will afford the filmmaker accolades from the naïve, who will continue to ignore the pain endured by those who need help the most. (Grade: F)
A blacksmith (RZA) who has been forced by radical tribal factions to create elaborate tools of destruction channels an ancient energy to transform himself into a human weapon. Also starring Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu. (R – 95 minutes)
Quentin Tarantino should be ashamed for giving the new martial arts motion picture “The Man with the Iron Fists” his stamp of approval. Granted, the passion for the genre that is exhibited by writer/director RZA, who also stars as the flick’s title character, seems to run in the same stream as that of Tarantino via “Death Proof” and, more recently, “Django Unchained,” but his storytelling talent does not even reside on the same planet. The story, which basically connects a series of brutal and extremely bloody fight sequences, is beyond boring and barely makes any sense whatsoever. (Grade: F)
‘Mimesis’
A group of horror fans find themselves unwilling participants in a nightmarish role playing game that pays homage to the classic horror film “Night of the Living Dead.” (R - 95 minutes)
“Mimesis” gets an A for effort but its overall grade - the only one that truly counts - is a D. That is to say that writer/director Douglas Schulze’s horror flick was born from an admirable concept that is sure to charm hardcore fans of the genre. However, once taken out of the forgiving atmosphere that surrounds the film festival circuit, which is where it has spent the past few years before now finally arriving on Blu-ray and DVD, the movie’s weaknesses - namely its unbelievable zombies and the increasingly well-worn way its plot progresses - become much more obvious. (Grade: D)
'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'
Logan Lerman plays an introvert freshman who is taken under the wings of two seniors (Emma Watson and Ezra Miller) who welcome him to the real world and help him travel the strange course through the uncharted territory of high school. (PG-13 – 103 minutes)
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” intelligently and emotionally captures the essence of what it feels like to experience high school as anyone other than those who sit at the popular table at lunch. In other words, writer/director Stephen Chbosky's movie – which he adapted from his own novel – is one with which the vast majority of viewers will be able to identify. Best of all, its characters are so completely developed that they feel real and are therefore people about whom you genuinely care. It is the kind of flick that really speaks to its audience – and does so sincerely. (Grade: B)
Frank Langella plays a retired cat burglar whose has two grown kids (Liv Tyler and James Marsden) are concerned he can no longer live alone. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until one of them buys him a walking, talking humanoid robot (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) programmed to improve his physical and mental health. (PG-13 – 90 minutes)
Do not let its title fool you. “Robot and Frank” is one of the most human motion pictures of 2012. It is also one of the best. Director Jake Schreier's new futuristic dramedy is the kind of rare science-fiction flick that everyone – even those who ordinarily dislike the genre – will enjoy. That is because its ideas about technology, while visionary, do not seem so far-fetched. More importantly, though, it uses those ideas to not only stimulate your brain but also touch your heart. The movie ultimately demonstrates the potential for compassion that is at the heart of the human condition. (Grade: A)
John Hawkes plays a man who, at age 38, is determined to lose his virginity despite being confined to an iron lung. With the help of his therapist (Helen Hunt) and the guidance of his priest (William H. Macy), he sets out to make his dream a reality. (R – 98 minutes)
“The Sessions” is a tremendously touching and remarkably rewarding cinematic experience. Writer/director Ben Lewin's dramedy, which is based on the autobiographical writings of journalist/poet Mark O'Brien, demonstrates that disabled persons deal with much more than just what one might think. However, it also demonstrates that, like anything else in life, all of that can be overcome with a little help from the human spirit. In fact, even a fraction of the film's resonance is twice if not triple that of most movies. Simply said, this flick makes you feel good to be alive – regardless of your circumstances. (Grade: B)
Adelaide Clemens plays a young woman who, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father (Sean Bean), discovers that she not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever. (R – 94 minutes)
One could probably say that based on just how horrible of a movie that 2006’s “Silent Hill” was, anyone who sees its sequel of their own free volition does not deserve any sympathy whatsoever. Then again, having had to sit through “Silent Hill: Revelation” from beginning to end and discovering that the horror film - based on a violent video game franchise - is surprisingly even less comprehensible than its putrid predecessor, I concede that the situation does indeed warrant an exception. It is like visiting Hell for an hour and a half - and not just because of the creepy creature effects. (Grade: F)
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