Bully - The Weinstein Company

“Bully” tells the story of five families over the course of a school year, two of which lost children to suicide, and one that is waiting to find out the fate of their fourteen year old girl, who waved a hand gun on a school bus to deter the bullies who were picking on her. The other two stories are that of a lesbian girl who is outcast because of the judgment of her Bible belt community, and a boy from Iowa whom the other kids call “fish face.” None of the stories are particularly pleasant, but they do highlight the issues and consequences surrounding bullying. “Bully” had some controversy around it before its release because the MPAA wanted to give it an R rating for the F-word being used too much. That was all a tempest in a teacup, and should not dissuade anyone from watching the film.

However, it should be noted that the film is more of an agenda driven propaganda film than it is a fully fleshed documentary. As Dan very rightly pointed out in his review, certain key questions and points were never addressed, such as “How/why did the bullies continue to misbehave when the victims were on camera? Or did the bullies even know the cameras were there? How were the bullied kids found? And surely there are some success stories with administrators/teachers dealing with bullying – why not include them as part of the solution to help this problem? What’s more, there’s a notable lack of commentary/reflection from individuals who either currently or used to bully; a self-analysis of why they do it would’ve added perspective and made the film more well rounded.” All true. In addition to these critiques, I was frustrated by the parents. They did a very good job at raising the issue and speaking loudly about how the school system and local government need to do more to prevent bullying, but seemed content to point fingers and lay the responsibility on others, offering no real concrete solutions of their own. Their statements can basically be boiled down to “You (i.e, administrators, police, etc.) should do more.” Not constructive. Still, the message against bullying is a strong one, and the film is powerfully crafted, so it is worthwhile to Rent It.

Ever since “wire fu” cinema made it big here in the U.S. in the late 1990s, creative and innovative filmmakers have been trying to put their own western spin on the genre, which originated in Hong Kong. The latest attempt is from Wu Tang Clan member RZA, who both directs and stars in “The Man with the Iron Fists.” The film also features Russell Crowe as a British mercenary named Jack Knife and Lucy Liu as lethal brothel owner Madame Blossom. As attempts go, this one could have been better. As critic Matthew Kaiser put it in his review, “This film just never really sucked me in and, way before it ended, I found myself wanting to review the weekend’s shopping list before continuing to watch. ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’ feels like an honest attempt to update and combine traditional martial arts movies with neo-exploitation cinema. Like it’s trying to freshen it up to an action packed genre and a new generation of American audiences. While it does have its bright spots, it’s not the best first attempt and won’t do itself any favors in connecting with the general movie going public. If chaotic storytelling and gory high-flying action is your thing, then break out your katanna (sic) and karate chop your way into the Cineplex. But if you are not into that sort of thing and go to see it anyway, I hope you have a long shopping list to go over.” Depending on which of these categories you fall into, either Rent It or Skip It.

Growing up ain’t easy. And for Charlie (Logan Lerman), in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” whose best and only friend just committed suicide and who is beginning high school as a lost and alone freshman, it’s downright insufferable. Luckily, Charlie is smart, so he’s able to put things in perspective—he notes at one point that he has only 1,385 days until graduation.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower - Summit Entertainment

Writer/director Stephen Chbosky adapted “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” from his novel of the same name, and does a remarkable job. He makes Charlie a sympathetic character, but not a pitiable one. I got the feeling watching it that in the hands of a director who felt too sorry for this character, it would have been sappy and melodramatic. Thankfully, this is not Chbosky’s vision, and he keeps each scene grounded in reality, including the ones with the friends he does make as well as the crush he develops on one of the girls (Emma Watson). The one and only flaw in the film, which Dan pointed out, is “During a 20-minute span in which Charlie gets in a fight with his friends. Because so much of Charlie’s life is tied to his friends this feels tedious; we know the movie will not end without a reconciliation, so patiently waiting for the inevitable gets tiresome. Worse, the ‘reunion’ is a bit too Hollywood easy. But given that Chbosky wrote the famous and controversial novel of the same name on which the film is based, and that he has limited directing experience, the fact that there’s only one notable detour throughout the 103 minutes is high praise.” Buy It.

James Bond returns to Blu-ray this week in “Skyfall,” the third “Bond” outing starring Daniel Craig, and the twenty-third film in the franchise. The fact that one of the best—if not the best—“Bond” film thus far comes fifty years after agent 007 first hit the big screen in “Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery as Bond, is a testament to the relevance and endurance that the character, and his adventures, still hold today.

Skyfall - Sony Pictures

In “Skyfall,” a baddie (Javier Bardem) from M’s (Judi Dench) past pops up to get some revenge, and it’s up to Bond to help her stop him. Given that M gives an order that almost kills Bond in the opening, it’s easy to see how his loyalty could be called into question. Along the way, we get a glimpse into Bond’s past—territory previously unexplored in earlier Bond films—and as a result, we get a more well rounded Bond, one in which we can see how his past shaped his life and who he is. Add to this some of the best action sequences in Bond history, plus some perennial “Bond” character reboots that will make die-hard fans cheer, and “Skyfall” is a definite keeper. Buy It.

Also out this week: “The Comeback,” in which a man (Jack Jones) is aided by the ghost of his dead ex-wife to find her killer; “Die Screaming, Marianne,” with Susan George as a woman whose sister and father want to get their hands on her inheritance—and will stop at nothing to get it; “House of Whipcord,” in which “immoral women” are imprisoned and brutalized; and Silent Hill: Revelation,” in which 18 year old Heather (Adelaide Clemens) enters an alternate reality after her father (Sean Bean) disappears.

Andrew Hudak is a lifelong film lover. His column on Blu-Ray new releases appears every Tuesday; he also regularly reviews new theatrical releases for Hudak On Hollywood. He lives in Connecticut.

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taker123 said:

	... Can't wait to own Sky Fall on DVD!!!!
	report abuse vote down vote up

February 12, 2013
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