It’s interesting.
As technology evolves, we’re seeing changes at a ridiculously fast rate.
Particularly in home entertainment.
Thirty years ago you could see a particular film only if it happened to air on television in your area. Then came home video which evolved from rental to eventually sell through.
When the dvd format was introduced, movies became an impulse item and then very quickly services like Netflix arrived which has evolved into Netflix on Demand. Video stores that survived the transition from VHS to dvd suffered another crippling blow when Redbox introduced their kiosks. These kiosks rent only the latest releases (usually at a dollar a day) to an audience only interested in seeing the newest films, regardless of quality, just as long as they’re new.
In their book, The Future of the Movies, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel predicted the On Demand model, and now as we find ourselves entering the second decade of the twenty first century, we’re almost there.
Although Siskel and Ebert’s vision included any film made, the current Movies On Demand model includes a wide selection of new releases and many older films. Many of the newer films are availabl on the same day as their dvd/Blu-ray release, where alternatives such as Redbox or Netflix have become embargoed to hold the titles for approximately a month. Also, special interest stations such as IFC in Theaters include small, independent films that are currently playing in art house theaters in large markets and widen their audience significantly.
My only major complain with On Demand is the lack of consistency in presentation. Whereas dvd and Blu-ray have adopted the widescreen format as a default, the majority of films available On Demand are in the distracting, full-screen Pan & Scan.
I checked out several films recently On Demand and found the convenience to be much better than any trip to the video store or even having to wait for that red Netflix envelope to arrive in the mail.
Splice
Splice is a speculative science fiction/thriller that is a pleasant reminder that movies can be smart and fun.
Romantically involved scientists, Clive and Elsa (Brody and Polley), are bio-engineering customized genetic hybrids for a pharmaceutical corporation. When informed that the project would go on hiatus until their original experiment earns a profit, the duo secretly continues their research, splicing their hybrids to human DNA.
Of course it works and you’d be foolish to think that their experiment, “Dren”, a rapidly aging bald, kangaroo-legged, poison tailed waif is going to be a good thing for humanity.
Canadian director Vincenzo Natali, is heir apparent to David Cronenberg. With an abundant use of both practical and smartly integrated digital effects, Splice‘s cautionary tale is reminiscent of The Fly, but is distinctly it’s own story. One that I might add, logically twisted and turned without any cheap scares or gross outs, but rather a building psychological intensity that builds throughout, in no small part to it’s capable leads and French model/actress Delphine Chanéac, who is mesmerizing as Dren.
Splice is a post-modern Prometheus tale that shouldn’t be missed.
MacGruber
One of the unfunnier Saturday Night Live sketches is adapted into one of the quirkier, intentionally cliche filled films in recent memory. Will Forte reprises his role as the MacGuyver-esque MacGruber, who finds himself embroiled in a plot to save the world from the evil Val Kilmer. The very funny movie is crude, ridiculous and has more genuine laughs than I actually expected. MacGruber is essentially a spoof of Eighties summer action movies and with a strong supporting cast including Ryan Phillipe, Kristen Wiig, Powers Booth, and Maya Rudolph that shines with excessive silly.
Get Him To The Greek
Russell Brand reprises his Aldous Snow character (from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) in this loose remake of My Favorite Year. When Jonah Hill’s Aaron Green pitches to his music executive boss (A very funny P. Diddy) the idea to stage a 10th anniversary concert for Snow’s most successful album, he is assigned to retrieve the self-destructive rocker and bring him to Los Angeles. Snow is off the wagon following the release of his flop, “African Child” and the breakup with his longtime companion, Jackie (Rose Byrne). Once Green arrives, the duo start their journey back to the States along a raunchy road of excess and depravity.
Brand’s Snow is a manipulative charming Lothario and Get Him To The Greek is a fantastically entertaining film and gets better with each viewing.
Just Wright
Common is a famous NBA player. Queen Latifah is a physical therapist who can’t find true love. Yet, despite the obstacles, the film has a happy ending. Cliche filled, but charming and very watchable with a terrific supporting cast that includes Paula Patton, James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad and Pam Grier. Just Wright doesn’t do anything new, but in the romantic comedy genre, it delivers.
Letters to Juliet
Beautiful cinematography illuminates an extremely dull film. Poorly written dialogue and a dull cast (with the exception of Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave) challenge even the most patient of viewers. Stunning locations are filled with ridiculously stereotypical Italian portrayals that would even make Chico Marx look subtle. The screenplay is clunky and uninspired resulting in a film that apparently stayed on script.
Killers
Unlike films that are self aware of their stupidity, Killers is a truly stupid film with two leads that don’t seem to realize that they don’t have the charm that they think they do. Like a more sitcom-ish Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Killers thinks it’s a funny film, but neither of the leads, Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl are particularly funny people. Tom Selleck and Catherine O’Hara play Heigl’s parents and although both their characters aren’t well written, I would have much rather watched a film with them. Director Robert Luketic shows a lack of passion or vision with the film, and with leads like this, I don’t blame him.
