This week: A black Christmas with Killer Joe; yet more Resident Evil; and the Total Recall no one remembers asking for.
► Matthew McConaughey pretty much ruled 2012, and KILLER JOE was his coronation. In this rowdy black comedy, he plays a Dallas hitman hired by a desperate gambling addict (Emile Hirsch) and his moron dad (Thomas Haden Church) to kill his mom in order to collect on the life insurance. There is zero chance that plan goes smooth. At 76, director William Friedkin can still deliver the goods – watch for an instant-classic scene with McConaughey and Gina Gershon.
► On the short list for most needless remake of 2012, Len Wiseman’s new take on TOTAL RECALL may have stuck closer to the original Phil K. Dick short story (‘We Can Remember It For You Wholesale’), but come on – everyone had Arny on the brain. And while it was faster and looked prettier, it never comes close to the grungy good time of Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 classic. For Colin Farrell, this came after an even more needless remake of ‘Fright Night.’
► Hate to say it, but a whole lifetime of love for Clint Eastwood took a beating with that Obama/Chair thing – it was like Dirty Harry took a dump on my porch then rang the doorbell. Which is to say, his ‘grumpy old man’ roles in stuff like TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE are suddenly harder to enjoy because now all I see is that aging windbag from the Republican convention. Anyhow, he plays a decrepit scout for the Atlanta Braves whose daughter (Amy Adams) joins him on a scouting trip when his eyes start to fail. Another good turn by Justin Timberlake as a rival scout.
► As long as Mila Jovovich is game, they’ll never stop making Resident Evil movies. By now, the first one is looking like some a coherent masterpiece – RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, #5 in the series, is more 3D crap added the pile. Alice, Jill, Leon and the rest of the gang once again chase the T-virus before the human race goes extinct. At this point, the only fun is spotting the video game references (“Hey, that’s Las Plagas from Resident Evil 4 …”). A sixth film is already confirmed; afterwards Sony has hinted the entire franchise may be rebooted.
► Safe to say, the one thing people will remember about CALIFORNICATION is the Hall-of-Fame line-up of hotties David Duchovny’s Hank Moody managed to bang through five seasons. Season 5 jumps ahead nearly three years, with a probation-free Hank now living in New York, but he gets pulled back to L.A. to write a movie script for a hip hop star (RZA). Season 6 starts Jan. 13.
► A bad-ass bike messenger movie? Hey, PREMIUM RUSH gave it a shot. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets tasked with delivering a shady package, and Michael Shannon is the gambling addict cop trying to intercept. The nifty chase scenes kicked Levitt’s ass, as he flew into a taxi’s windshield during filming and got 31 stitches for his troubles.
► In light of ‘Dexter’s long decline and ‘Homeland’s second season slump, is SHAMELESS now the best series on Showtime? Season 2 got plenty of love, as Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy) and his hopeless clan deal with his ex-con mother (Louise Fletcher) while his son sells pot from an ice cream truck and his 10-year-old accidentally shoots a bald eagle on Thanksgiving. Chloe Webb also returns as Frank’s bipolar ex-wife.
► Channing Tatum’s breakout year included at least one movie no one’s heard of. 10 YEARS follows a group of high school friends and their various surprise revelations at their ten-year reunion. Tatum is joined by Rosario Dawson, Justin Long, Chris Pratt and Scott Porter. Does anyone even go to high school reunions any more? Besides the Facebook kind?
Also out this week:
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SO WHAT DVD/BLU-RAYS ARE YOU GUYS STOKED ABOUT THIS WEEK?!