Search form

Blu-ray Buzz – Blu-ray Turns Green This Week

Greengrass Brings Green Zone to Blu-ray

One of the best films of the 2010 comes to DVD and Blu-ray this week. Additionally, there three internationally acclaimed films that I've been eager to see for the first time, as well as a classic American film. Another Buzzed About film is one that features two Oscar nominated performances. Great post Father's Day treats here.

Pick of the Week
Green Zone
Paul Greengrass' Iraq War thriller uses real life events and fictionalizes them for a thought -provoking look at the motivations for getting into the war and the motivations for continuing to fight it. Matt Damon stars as a dedicated soldier who wants to get to the bottom of WMD intelligence. Co-stars include Brendan Gleeson, Oscar-nominee Greg Kinnear, Khalid Abdalla, Oscar nominee Amy Ryan and Jason Isaacs. While it plays fast and loose with some facts, the film conjures the feelings many Americans feel about the war and the mistakes that were made.

Support the Site

Buy "Green Zone" on DVD Here!

Support the Site

Buy "Green Zone" on Blu-ray Here!

Buzzed About
Close-Up
Abbas Kiarostami's absurd drama is considered a landmark of modern Iranian cinema. The film tells the true-life story of Ali Sabzian, who impersonated director Mohsen Makhmalbaf and convinced a wealthy family that they would star in his next film. The real family re-enacts what happened and actual trail footage is used as well. This unique mix of documentary and fiction is said to be a deep look at human identity.

Support the Site

Buy "Close-Up" on DVD Here!

Support the Site

Buy "Close-Up" on Blu-ray Here!

The Last Station
Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren were both nominated for their performances in this story about Leo Tolstoy's struggle with fame and wealth as we strived to live a life without material things. Plummer plays Tolstoy and Mirren his wife Sofya. Co-stars include Paul Giamatti as Vladimir Chertkov and James McAvoy as Valentin Bulgakov. Critical praise centered on the performances, while complaints fell on the script. Really wanted to see this one in the theaters, but it just didn't happen.

Support the Site

Buy "The Last Station" on DVD Here!

Support the Site

Buy "The Last Station" on Blu-ray Here!

The Maid
This Chilean dramedy follows the story of a maid named Raquel, who has worked for the same family for 23 years. The problem is she isn't very good at her job. The family feels bad firing her, so they hire another maid to help. Raquel won't stand for it. Catalina Saavedra received great word for her lead performance and the film was a favorite at Sundance. Looks really funny.

Support the Site

Buy "The Maid" on DVD Here!

Red Desert
Michelangelo Antonioni's drama is about the pollution of lies in the modern industrial culture. A housewife struggles with mental illness. Her husband works for a plant that is polluting local lakes. The woman meets an engineer and friend of her husband and they start up an affair. Stars the ravishing Monica Vitti and Richard Harris. Antonioni and Harris together, I'm sold.

Support the Site

Buy "Red Desert" on DVD Here!

Support the Site

Buy "Red Desert" on Blu-ray Here!

A Star is Born
George Cukor's classic was actually a remake of the same story from 1937. It was remade again in 1976 and is planned to be remade once again for 2012. Judy Garland stars as a signer/actress on the rise, whose life spirals out of control due to alcoholism. Both Garland and co-star James Mason were nominated for Oscars, as was the Art-Set Direction, Costume Design, Original Music and Original Score. The AFI honored the film on its 100 Passions list, as well as its 100 top tunes. Garland seems to have been using her own life as motivation. It's been too long for me not to have seen this one.

Support the Site

Buy "A Star is Born" on DVD Here!

Support the Site

Buy "A Star is Born" on Blu-ray Here!

Rick DeMott's picture

Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks