brenttraft

The Blu-ray for "Adventures of the Penguin King (2012)" has 3 discs: Standard DVD, 2D Blu-ray, and 3D Blu-ray. This is a review of the 2D Blu-ray. I do not have a 3D TV and have not seen the 3D version of the film.

First of all, this has the worst narration of any nature video I have ever seen. Tim Allen narrates from the first person from the point of view of the penguin. He tries to be comical but instead comes off as juvenile and condescending. Apparently there is a European version that has David Attenborough but that version is not included on the Blu-ray released in the U.S.

Also, the video quality is not up to the normal BBC Nature quality. The contrast is way too high and the colors don't look natural. I was able to correct it to a point by adjusting my television but I could never get it to look as good as my other BBC Nature videos.

Despite those flaws, I still am giving this a 7 rating because it does have some very good footage of King Penguins in high definition. Anyone who loves King Penguins will want to add this to their collection.

I was disappointed by "Snow White and the Huntsman." The main problem was I didn't like Snow White or the Huntsman. They had little or no charisma and their dialog was banal. Overall, I got bored through parts of the films.

On the other hand, the film is worth seeing for Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen. She really hams it up and comes off as pure evil. The costumes she wears are amazing. She is definitely the "fairest of the all."

Another problem is the film is so dark, serious and violent. I didn't have much fun watching it. A movie about Snow White should be more enjoyable.

There was a made-for-television version of Snow White on the Hallmark channel over 10 years ago that was much better than this film. "Snow White and the Huntsman" isn't terrible, but it should have been better.

The difference between a good movie and "art" is that you can watch a good movie and know that it's good but "art" needs to be explained to be understood. With that explanation, the film "Melancholia" qualifies as "art."

The first 8 minutes are very beautiful and I had hopes that it would be along the lines of "Tree of Life." But after that, Lars von Trier resorts to his shaky hand-held camera and clunky dialog that goes nowhere slowly. The film is hard to look at without getting motion sick.

"Melancholia" is very frustrating because it uses such good actors and it looks like it had some good ideas. It is so painful to sit through that I cannot recommend it.

"Melancholia" is similar to a film called "Another Earth" which is a much better film. Go see that one instead.

Everyone should see "A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms."

Factory farms are destroying the environment and endangering our health. Many of the factory farm practices used in the United States have been banned in the rest of the world but they are still in use here because the giant corporations pay off the politicians and use "lobbyists" to avoid taking responsibility for the damage they create.

When it comes to factory farming, you are either supporting the system by purchasing their products or you are against the system by boycotting their products.

Be an informed consumer and see "A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms."

"Queen of the Sun: What are the bees telling us?" is the best documentary I have ever seen. It literally changed my life.

So what are the bees telling us? They are telling us not to use pesticides, artificial breeding, GMO's, and other industrial beekeeping practices such as transporting hives hundreds of miles and feeding bees corn syrup. A combination of these practices are what is causing Colony Collapse Disorder and is killing the bees. The things that are killing the bees are also killing the planet. So the short answer is that the bees are telling us to support organic farmers and to boycott industrial agriculture.

I was a vegan for ethical reasons and "Queen of the Sun" showed me that organic beekeeping is not only ethical, it is beneficial to the species and the individual hives; so now I will support my local organic beekeepers by buying organic raw honey.

Before I saw "Queen of the Sun," I had never had organic raw honey before. I imagine most people have not had it either. It is completely different from the clear syrup that you get at the grocery store. It has a completely different look, texture, and taste. Apparently it has a whole bunch of health benefits also.

I strongly urge you to see "Queen of the Sun: What are the bees telling us?" Most of the film consists of interviews with organic beekeepers and it gives insight into these amazing creatures.

Even if you don't see "Queen of the Sun: What are the bees telling us?" I urge you to pay a little extra for organic food and try some organic raw honey from your local beekeepers. Bees are a "keystone species." If they disappear, we will lose about a fourth of our crops. We need to save the bees to ensure our own long term survival.

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" is one of those films that has viewers divided. They either love it or hate it. I think the reason that a lot of people hate this film is that they do not realize the film is as much about autism as it is about the attacks on 9/11.

The main character,Oskar Schell, is clearly autistic. Anyone with basic knowledge of ASD, PDD-NOS, and Asperger's Syndrome will spot the symptoms immediately. Oskar even says at one point that he was tested for Asperger's Syndrome but results were "inconclusive."

He finds a key left in a vase owned by his father who died at the World Trade Center and spends the majority of the film looking for the lock that goes to the key. But really, he is looking to find closure with his relationship with his father and try to make sense of the events surrounding his father's death. This would be difficult for a neural typical child but it is especially difficult for an autistic child.

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" is an impeccably made film with wonderful performances. I think the reason many people resent this film is because of their intolerance and ignorance about autism.

While the film is centered around the tragic events of 9/11, it is primarily about how those events are interpreted through the innocent eyes of an autistic child. If you have an understanding and tolerance of autism, you are probably more likely to enjoy this film than people who do not.

2011 was an unusually weak year for films. Considering the competition this year, I think "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" is deserving of it's Oscar nomination.

"The Artist" is more of a novelty than a film. The fact that it is silent didn't bother me as much as the predictable story, hammy acting, and 16mm square format film. It's not a bad film but I didn't feel it was worth all the rave reviews and I certainly don't feel it should be a contender for Best Picture.

The story is very predictable. I always felt I was 2 steps ahead of the script and I was bored for much of the film. I wish the cinematography had been a little fancier to offset the lack of sound. It didn't look like it was shot in real black and white. It looked like it was shot in color and transferred to black and white which gives it a muddy look. The music was pretty good. My favorite character was the dog.

If you want to see a good silent film, my favorites are "The Passion of Joan of Arc" and "City Lights." I don't really recommend "The Artist" except as a novelty.

"Eat, Pray, Love" is about a wealthy, over-privileged woman who has a mid-life crises and instead of buying a sports car, she divorces her husband, has some affairs, and spends a boat-load of money.

I guess the moral of the story is that money can buy happiness.

This is the type of movie that makes people want to join the "occupy" movement. The whole point of the movie is that over-indulging is the way to find yourself and be happy.

And just to pour salt in the wound, in the scene where she is eating pasta in Italy is done to the music of Mozart's German opera "The Magic Flute." I guess nobody associated with this piece of trash was smart enough to tell the difference between Italian and German.

Do yourself a favor and skip this garbage.

I have not been a big fan of Gregg Araki's films in the past but "Kaboom" is easily my favorite and it is his funniest.

Obviously this is not a film for everyone. It is kind of a cross between "Scott Pilgrim versus the World" and "Donnie Darko" but "Kaboom" places more emphasis on comedy than narrative. From reading the other reviews on IMDb, a lot of people did not get the jokes. I was laughing throughout the entire movie. If you are offended by sexual content, this movie is not for you.

This is one of the best ensemble casts I've seen in a while. Most of them are new to me. I predict Juno Temple is on her way to becoming a star.

While "Kaboom" is definitely not for everyone, if you are willing to take a chance on an end-of-the-world sex comedy, you should give it a try.

I watch a lot of nature documentaries and the ones by BBC Nature have set the bar very high. "African Cats" by Disney Nature is the first film that has equaled or exceeded BBC Nature in quality.

The picture quality is absolutely stunning! They must be using the highest quality cameras and lenses. The editing and music are all top quality. Some people might object to the dramatic narration by Samuel L. Jackson but I liked it.

Of course the real stars here are the lions and cheetahs. The film does a really good job of showing how they interact with each other socially. While some people might accuse the film of being anthropomorphic, I felt it did an honest job of showing their social hierarchy.

If you are a fan of nature documentaries, you can't miss "African Cats."

"What's Your Number?" follows the standard Rom-Com formula as all the other Katherine Heigl or Jennifer Aniston movies that came before it. The only difference is this one is actually funny and has a bunch of laugh out loud jokes.

The reason this film is so much better than the other R-rated Rom-Com's is that Anna Faris is a true comedienne and is not afraid to show a little butt-cheek to get a laugh. She is essentially the whole reason to see this film.

Chris Evans, Blythe Danner, and Ed Begley Jr. make up the fine supporting cast. The jokes are mostly foul, crude, and unsophisticated but the audience at my showing was laughing throughout most of the film. The ending gets saccharine and sentimental at the end, but most of these types of films do that.

If you have felt cheated by the films of Jennifer Aniston and Katherine Heigl, you should check out "What's Your Number?"

I'm glad I read all the negative reviews of "Dream House" before I saw it because I went in with low expectations and I was able to enjoy the film. It is not a great film. It is not even very good but it is a decent diversion and I'm glad I saw it in the theater instead of renting it on DVD.

The frustrating thing is that the film is so flawed and it could have been so much better. Jim Sheridan has made some acclaimed films but visual style has never been his strong point and "Dream House" really could have used more visual style. Also, as much as I like Daniel Craig, he is not very believable as a mentally disturbed man who may or may not have killed his family. He's a good actor but he is too much of a tough guy to be playing a victim here.

The other big flaw is that they gave away a big plot twist in the trailer and tried to market the film as a horror film instead of a psychological thriller. This is not a horror film and it shouldn't have been marketed as one. As for the twist, the one in the trailer happens about halfway through the film. There is a second twist near the end. While it is somewhat predictable, I enjoyed all the same.

The real reason to see this film is for the acting and all the actors did a fine job. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz are excellent and I wish they had given Naomi Watts and Elias Koteas more screen time.

All in all, I found "Dream House" satisfying for a B-picture. If you go in with low expectations, you might find it enjoyable also.

I would bet that Sebastian Gutierrez, the writer and director of "Elektra Luxx" is a big fan of the acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. "Elektra Luxx" is kind of like an American version of a Almodvar film. It is full of funny, quirky and sexy characters.

I don't typically like most mainstream comedies but I really liked this film so that might say more about me than it does about this film. I was laughing out loud throughout the whole thing. The humor doesn't seemed forced like mainstream comedy. It is the characters that make it funny.

There is not much of a plot but I enjoyed the time I spent with these characters. My only complaint is that I had to watch it on DVD because the BlueRay is not available yet. Hopefully it comes out soon.

Make sure to watch to the ends of the credits. There is a trailer for the final Elekta Luxx film at the end that you will not want to miss.

"Elektra Luxx" is not a movie for everyone. In fact, it is not a movie for most people. If you like eclectic, quirky, sexy films, you should give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Regardless of your views on animal rights or whether or not you eat meat, everyone should watch "Earthlings."

"Earthings" shows the horrible truth behind where our food comes from and what these poor defenseless beings have to go through so we can fill our stomachs.

Prepare to be shocked and repulsed. I realize in giving that warning, people will want to avoid this film. The truth is horrible and we have been living in lies if we pretend that we are not accountable for the cruelty inflicted on these beings on our behalf.

Meat-eaters and lacto-ovo vegetarians will want to avoid this film out of guilt. Vegans will want to avoid it because they are against violence. Everyone will want to avoid it because it is hard to confront.

Regardless if you watch "Earthlings" or not, we are all responsible and will someday be accountable. If you choose to continue to eat meat, dairy, and eggs after watching this film, at least you will do so knowing what you are doing to these beings.

We have all been brainwashed by tradition and marketing into ignoring the truth behind where the food comes from. It is time to wake up.

You can watch "Earthings" for free on the internet. There is no excuse to live our lives in ignorance.

"An Inconvenient Truth" gives a much needed message on the dangers of global warming but it does not spend enough time telling us what we can do to make things better. Instead it is 90 minutes of Al Gore talking at us about how dangerous global warming is.

I got the message in the first 30 minutes. The next 60 minutes just seemed like repetition. It isn't until the ending credits does it tell you what you can do as an individual to help make things better. Even then it is real small things like buying compact florescent bulbs and setting the thermostat lower. In this regard, I consider "An Inconvenient Truth" a failure.

If you really want to make a difference for the environment, read "The World Peace Diet" by Will Tuttle and "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins. Both books show that the amount of resources to make 1 pound of animal protein versus 1 pound of vegetable protein is causing a lot more damage to our environment than the factories and the cars. In other words, eating less meat, dairy and eggs does more for the environment than driving a Prius.

I admire the message that "An Inconvenient Truth" was giving, I just wish it had done more as far as presenting a solution.

"Stone" appears to be a rather standard thriller about a convicted arsonist (Edward Norton) who is manipulating his parole officer (Robert De Niro) into letting him of prison early by using his beautiful wife (Milla Jovovich)as bait.

While that is the main plot of the film, there are some really strange undertones. In the opening scene, there is a buzzing bee. In the context of the scene, it means nothing. It is kind of in the background of a scene that shows the foundation of De Niro's character. But later in the film it ends up being really important.

In the opening scene, the buzzing sound is the catalyst for a crime done by De Niro. Later on, Norton goes around making a buzzing sound, symbolizing that he is the catalyst for what is driving De Niro over the edge.

Edward Norton's character makes repeated reference to this sound as a "spiritual breakthrough" among other things. There are also several instances where De Niro's character and Norton's character seem like they are the same or that they are trading places on some sort of level.

There is also an ongoing theme about both characters appearing to seek redemption for their past but really they are self indulgent and self destructive. De Niro and his wife spend their nights sitting at the dinner table, reading the Bible out loud while getting drunk off of hard liquor.

"Stone" has not gotten a very high rating and from reading the other reviews, it seems like most people have missed the main point that the writer and director had in mind when they decided to make this film. I think it is a better film than what it appears at the surface. If nothing else, it is worth seeing just for the amazing acting.

"Stone" is not a great film and it suffers because there are no likable characters and nobody to sympathize with. But it is a decent film and pretty entertaining if you pay attention to the undertones and subplot.

I went to see "Blue Valentine" based on some mostly positive reviews it received and this is a main reason why I don't trust professional reviewers anymore.

"Blue Valentine" is done in the "mumblecore" style of film making. The dialog appears to be improvised and the hand held camera makes it look like a documentary. That in itself would not normally doom a film, but the problem with "Blue Valentine" is that both characters are totally unlikable and we never really care about them. Dean is an alcoholic high school dropout and Cindy is a nurse who marries him because she can't do any better.

The main problem with "Blue Valentine" is that it is extremely boring. It is like watching paint dry.

If you like watching depressing lowlifes mumbling for 2 hours, you might like "Blue Valentine." Otherwise, be advised to stay away.

That is the opening line from the new horror film "Black Swan." Some of the critics are debating whether "Black Swan" is a horror film or a psychological thriller but it is actually both.

While is is one of the most hyped movie of the awards season, it is not a movie for everyone. Fanboys are probably going to see it about the much talked about sex scene but that scene only lasts about a minute. About half the film is ballet performance or ballet rehearsing. In that regard it is much like Robert Altman's "The Company." If you don't like ballet, you might get bored. But as the film progresses, Nina sacrifices herself for her art and loses her sense of reality and the film turns into a horror movie with the distinctive that only Darren Aronofsky can bring.

You can read more detailed plot synopsis in other reviews. "Black Swan" is the best horror film since "Muholland Drive" and one of the best horror film of all time.

"Never Let Me Go," is an almost perfect adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel but it is going to have a hard time finding an audience because it is slow, sad, and depressing.

I had finished the book 2 weeks before I saw the movie, so the story was fresh in my mind. I think that it really helps to read the book first because it fills in a lot of the gaps that are missing in the movie.

Even if you haven't read the book, the film is still worth seeing for the performances of Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightly.

The only reason the film does not rate a perfect 10 is that in the scene where they are trying to get a "deferral" from Madame, they left out what is probably the most important part of the story.

In that scene in the book, Madame explains to them that the boarding school they went to was paid for by donations and fund raising so that they could be brought up like normal people. Before that, the clones were brought up in concentration camps and treated inhumanly. The whole point of that scene was that Madame and a few others were willing to make great sacrifices because they believed the clones had all the same rights and sentience as all other humans, while the rest of the world thought of them as livestock that were being bred for consumption.

Even though that scene was left out of the film, the final line in the film alludes to the same message and it is a real tearjerker.

Don't be fooled into thinking "Never Let Me Go" is a science fiction movie. It is not. It is a human drama with a science fiction premise. This is not like "Logan's Run" and it really does not go into the details of the science behind the premise. It is a sad and melancholy story about the human condition. If you go into it knowing what to expect, it is highly recommended.

"The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond," is a real gem but it is not for everyone. If you are not a big Tennessee Williams fan, you probably will not like it. If you are unfamiliar with Tennessee Williams, then you are better off watching "A Streetcar Named Desire," or "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Admittedly, this is not one of Williams' best stories. The reason the film works so well is the acting and directing.

I had seen Bryce Dallas Howard in a few other films but they did not prepare me for this absolutely thrilling performance. This is not just the best performance of the year but it is the best performance in the past several years. She brings the character of Fisher Willow to life the way that Vivian Leigh did for Blanche DuBois. In many ways Fisher Willow is like a young version of Blanche.

Fisher is a typical Williams' heroine. She initially comes off as a selfish, self centered, Southern Belle but underneath she is much more fragile than anyone suspects. Bryce Dallas Howard is able to bring this out with such complexity and nuance that we can sympathize with a character that we should not care about so much. Even in her best moments she seems as though she could shatter at any moment.

This performance alone is enough reason to see this film.

The story follows the familiar themes covered in other Tennessee Williams stories: loneliness, loss of wealth, fall from grace, and battling interior demons. The teardrop diamond could represent the wealth and status her family once had. It is not just a $5000 jewel. It is a symbol of what her family once was and what was once the old South.

Jodie Markell does an impressive job directing. Her style is old school. She knows when to let the camera linger and when to let the scenes play out. The film does not seem rushed and it never drags. The cinematography is gorgeous with burnished orange dominating the color palette.

"The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond," may not be one of the four best movies made from a Tennessee Williams story but it is not far behind. This is mandatory viewing for any fan of Tennessee Williams.

"City Island" is another of a series of quirky independent films about oddball American families. If you liked "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Juno," you will probably like "City Island." It is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time.

"City Island" is about a family in the Bronx that lies to each other. The dad, played by Andy Garcia, is a prison guard that tells his family that he is playing poker several times a week but really he isn't. His deep, dark secret is that he is taking acting lessons and aspires to be an actor. He also conceived a child with a women he knew before he met his wife that he never told them about. The daughter is supposed to be off at college but she is really working as a stripper. The son has a fetish for overweight women and is secretly surfing BBW websites. Everyone in the family smokes but they all hide it from each other because they all told each other that they quit.

I was never really a fan of Andy Garcia when he was playing bad guys and cops. I wasn't sure he would be a good comedic actor but he really nails this role. He has great comedic timing and he makes his flawed character really sympathetic. He should really do more comedy.

Julianna Margulies is excellent as the mother that everyone lies to. She should do more movies. It was nice seeing Alan Arkin in a role that is different than the one he played in "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Sunshine Cleaning." He plays the acting instructor in the class that Andy Garcia is taking. Emily Mortimer is Andy Garcia's acting partner in the class and she has her own secrets. Steven Strait plays Andy Garcia's secret love child, only his character does't know that Andy Garcia is his father. He has to live with the family as part of his parole and he is caught in the middle of all the lying. If Dominik García-Lorido looks like she could really be Andy Garcia's daughter, it is because she is.

I can't remember the last time a movie made me laugh out loud as much as "City Island." The film goes by quick and it is really funny. This is a gem that needs to be seen by more people.

A lot of people seem to dislike the AMC mini-series reboot of "The Prisoner" because it bears so little resemblance to the original British series from the 1960's. While the original series was certainly ground breaking at the time, doing a faithful remake in the 21st century would be silly.

The original took place during the cold war and number 6 was a spy. That would be out of place in today's world. Instead, the mini-series has to do with corporate espionage and has more in common with "Inception," or "The Matrix" than it does with the original series.

Ian McKellen alone makes this worth watching. He is gleefully evil. Hayley Atwell is a relative newcomer but I think we will be seeing more of her in the future. She has the makings of becoming a full fledged star. James Caviezel is decent but I felt they should have had someone a bit stronger for the lead role. Ruth Wilson is another new discovery. I hope we see more of her in the future.

I was kind of disappointed at how the original series had ended. I thought it was too simple. I really like the twist in the final episode of the mini-series. I felt it made a lot more sense in the context of the story.

If you are willing to watch "The Prisoner" without the preconceptions of the original series, there is a good chance you will enjoy it.

Before there was "Saw," "Hostel," and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," there was Shakespeare. Titus" is a really well made film and it is also the most repulsive film I have ever seen.

SPOILERS

There is a lot of body parts cut off and out. A young woman is raped and has her tongue cut out and straw stuck into her shoulder sockets where her arms were before they cut them off. It climaxes with a women's son's being cooked into a pie and being fed to her.

END SPOILER

This is not for the squeamish. On the other hand, if you like that sort of thing but think that Shakespeare isn't for you, you might like it.

The acting is fine and the costumes and sets are absolutely first rate. I actually liked the surreal mixture period and modern sets and the bizarre and colorful costumes.

"Titus" is definitely not for everyone. Watch it at your of risk. Don't say I didn't warn you.

"Splice" is the best monster movie to come out in the last 20 years.

It is an obvious nod to the Frankenstein movies of the 30's and 40's. The lead characters are called Clive and Elsa after the actors Colin Clive and Elsa Lancaster from "The Bride of Frankenstein." Like "The Bride of Frankenstein," "Splice" can be funny and scary at the same time.

"Splice" is a film where the less you know ahead of time, the better. If you want a detailed synopsis, you will need to read someone else's review. Basically, Clive and Elsa are genetic scientists combining different types of animal DNA together trying to find cures for human diseases. When pressured for results, they add human DNA to the mix. Suffice it to say, it goes wrong; horribly wrong.

Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley help raise "Splice" above the standard horror fare. It was especially nice seeing Sarah Polley in a fun film for a change after seeing her in so many heavy films. They both seem to be having a good time in this one.

"Splice" is more in the style of old fashioned horror films that rely more on suspense rather than gore or shock. It's also not afraid to joke around and wink at the camera. If you want to see a film about mad scientists and scary creatures, you should not miss "Splice."

Disney's "Oceans" is quite simply one of the best nature documentaries ever made.

I watch quite a few nature documentaries on TV and DVD but "Oceans" still had quite a few things I had never seen before. The photography is outstanding.

The narration was by Pierce Brosnan was good but the dialog could have been more informative. The music was pleasant and rarely intrusive.

Although I watch many nature documentaries at home, it was nice to see it on the big screen. It really puts you in the environment. And since I don't scuba dive or travel around the world, it is the closest I will ever be to actually seeing these amazing creatures.

Do yourself a favor and see "Oceans" while it is still in the theaters.