Armchair Commentary

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button": Best DVDs of May 2009

What it is:
Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man born old who ages backwards, set in New Orleans, and spanning from the end of World War I to the present, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is at once an epic love story and a grand adventure. 

Why it's Significant:
Sure, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has been compared to Forrest Gump, and rightfully so, but for all the right reasons, let's not forget, Forrest Gump was a good movie. Like Forrest, the protagonist, Benjamin Button, who ages backwards, is a quirky outsider, meets incredible over-the-top characters in epic situations. In addition, Fincher’s film moves from one era to the next, capturing each decade with spot-on costumes and we also get another taste of the elusive childhood love interest. However, in this film, Benjamin actually gets the girl and the chemistry between Blanchett and Pitt is fantastic. To top it off, the age-defying special effects and stunning cinematography will leave you spinning. For movie buffs, The two disc and Blu-ray editions are being released as Criterion Collections with a 4 part documentary, feature length commentary by David Fincher, footage about visual effects, and many more extras. --Mike

Revolutionary Road: Best DVDs of May 2009

 What it is:  Revolutionary Road, based on the Richard Yates novel of the same name, is the story of April and Frank Wheeler, a couple of pseudo-bohemians who stumble, quite unfortunately, into a wholly mismatched marriage and a far from idyllic life in suburban Connecticut in the 1950's.  Their feelings of being different, of possessing a certain specialness that separates them from their neighbors and their chosen life, drives their decision to leave it all behind and move to Paris.  They aren't snobs exactly, or foolish, just people who fell into the life they thought they were supposed to want.  It wasn't.

Why it's Significant: Do like your love stories with a lot of yelling, woeful moments of dreams crushed to dust and devastatingly realistic decisions made by people with a total inability to understand one another?  This isn't a happily ever after story and it's certainly not the satisfyingly blissful reunion of Jack and Rose some may have hoped for.  Revolutionary Road is at times a bleak and dreary film, but it is also a beautiful one, brilliantly realized by director Sam Mendes and featuring performances so stunning from both DiCaprio and Winslet that I'm willing to bet I'll endure the pain a few more times, just to again experience each of these impressive actors at the absolute top of their game. --Kira

"Friday Night Lights: The Third Season": Best DVDs of May

What it is: Friday Night Lights is NBC's drama series based on the hit feature film and best-selling book Friday Night Lights, chronicling the small town of Dillion, Texas where football rules and lives of the players and residents are anything but simple. This strong third season sees a re-defining of key characters as inspiring head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) faces new challenges, and wife Tami (Connie Britton) finds herself in the center of town politics as the new school principal. We watch as the Dillion Panthers attempt to win another state championship, and the characters struggle with hardships, decisions about relationships, college and their futures.

Why it's Significant: Friday Night Lights: The Third Season is the season that almost didn't happen, but thanks to DirectTV and then NBC picking it up again, the story of Dillion, TX and the Dillion Panthers was able to live on as it rightfully should have to the relief of its many fans, and is now available on DVD. The ensemble cast is outstanding, as are the complex characters that are given compelling story lines making this a great character-driven show. It's a show that counts men, women and families of all ages as it's fans.  Some wondered about this third season, but this is one of the best and will not disappoint the hard-core fans or newcomers to the show. From the first episode to the finale, you won't want to miss this season, as it is well worth the ride. This is far from being just another show about football. This is a show about community, relationships, and moments that matter. You can not help but be inspired by Coach Taylor and the Dillion Panthers. So in in the words of Coach Taylor, "Are you ready for Friday Night?" And trust me, your answer should be yes. Absolutely yes.

Check out a clip from Season 3 below. - Lisanne

"JCVD": Best DVDs of May 2009

What is it: JVCD. That's right. Jean-Claude Van Damme...like you've never seen him before. Jean-Claude plays himself as an out-of-luck actor. He is out of money; his agent cannot find him a decent production; and the judge in a custody battle is inclined to give custody of his daughter over to his ex-wife. When he goes into a post office to receive a wire transfer, he finds himself in the middle of a hostage situation. Due to an unfortunate mistake, the police believe Van Damme is responsible for the crime. As the events are played from different perspectives, Van Damme finds himself acting as a hero to protect the hostages, as well as a negotiator as the presumed perpetrator.

Why it's Significant:  Jean-Claude Van Damme has been a household name for a long time. Everyone knows him for his action films, but no one has really taken him seriously  as an actor--until now. You might be surprised to hear that JCVD has been very well-received by critics, and is the first Van Damme film to be "Certified Fresh" on the Rottentomatoes.com "Tomatometer" (at 84%--which is pretty Damme good). If you are expecting Street Fighter 3, you'll be disappointed. Whether or not this will mark some epic turn in Jean-Claude's movie career is yet to be seen, but it does show that he (and film-maker Mabrouk El Mechri) had some vision, and made a great action/comedy movie.

- Jordan Thompson

Blu Tuesday: "True Blood" Blu-ray sneak peek

Starting May 4, HBO On Demand will be showing the first episode of True Blood: The Complete First Season in the Blu-ray's "True Blood Enhanced Viewing" mode with four types of original, interactive picture-in-picture, pop-up features:

• LAFAYETTE: viewers can get the scoop on everyone in Bon Temps with True Blood's flamboyant and outspoken Lafayette, who dishes up everything from secrets about Tara's crush on Jason to the history of the Stackhouse family in over 80 clips
• VAMPIRE HISTORY: viewers intrigued by the vampire characters can learn more about how their favorites were “made”
• HINTS AND FYIs: viewers get to unravel the mysteries surrounding the entire series through helpful hints and FYI pop-ups
• ANIMATED MAPS: viewers get to explore colorful locations in Bon Temps through animated maps

For a sneak peek of the Blu-ray enhanced-viewing mode, watch below, or go to our Blu-ray page for the trailer and cast interviews. Other Blu-ray bonus materials listed in the press release include a documentary that chronicles the integration of vampires, "Tru Blood" beverage ads that market the synthetic blood to “out of the coffin” vampires, and "Vampire Rights" PSAs.  --David

"Taking Chance": Best of May 2009

What is it: HBO's Taking Chance is based on the true experience of Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl and his journey to return a fallen Marine, Lance Corporal Chance Phelps to his final resting spot in Wyoming.  Lt. Col. Strob, working as a strategic analyst at Marine Corps Base learns that Phelps is from his hometown and offers to escort the body.  The story follows Lt. Col. Strobl's cross country journey, from airport cargo facilities to the mountains of Wyoming, where he discovers the profound military rituals to honor the dead and the community outpour for their fallen soldier. 

Why it's Significant:  HBO's Taking Chance is a simple, honest story, that will leave you deeply moved.  Kevin Bacon is spot on as he portrays the true Lt. Col., traveling through the heartland of America and experiencing first hand the quiet dignity, honor and respect the Marines show their fellow men.  You can genuinely feel each emotion that Bacon's character takes on through the course of the movie, you are swept away with the music, scenery and compassion demonstrated in every element of the film.  Politics aside, this movie is not about the war, but about the human spirit, honor, family and love.  I challenge you to not be moved by the incredible acting, direction and story behind HBO's Taking Chance.
- Sara Lange

Eating a Sandwich for "Chuck" and Other Hopeless(?) Acts of TV Desperation

On the menu for lunch today: A $5 footlong from Subway. And I'm doing it for Chuck. The show, which wraps up its second (and hopefully not last) season tonight, is seeking salvation through sandwiches. The deal is this: They want you to show your love for Chuck by embracing one of its key sponsors. And even though the product placement gets a little tiresome, I love the show enough to vote with my fiver. Will it work? Well, TVByTheNumbers.com has it all broken down, and I'd say there's a chance. Not a great chance, but a chance. Which is more than I can say for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I'm not saying I'd buy a Dodge to save Dodge-a-rific Sarah Connor (though the retro-looking Chargers certainly are tempting), but I'm not sure even that would help. This isn't a new idea, of course. Fans won another season for Jericho by hammering CBS with literally tons of peanuts. Kings is begging fans to beg DirectTV to save it the way it saved Friday Night Lights. Classic Star Trek fans got a third season by basically creating the first letter-writing campaign.

ABC announced a bunch of renewals last week (surprise! more Grey's Anatomy!), and the other networks will announce their choices in the next week or so. Fans of Dollhouse, The Unusuals, Harper's Island and Sit Down, Shut Up (all available at Amazon Video On Demand, of course) had better act now, 'cause your shows are in trouble. -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand (Twitter: amazonvideo and Facebook: Amazon Video On Demand)

Mer & Der's Wedding Web Page

In a clever stunt, the Grey's Anatomy team has registered a faux wedding web site through theknot.com for engaged docs Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) -- created by fellow doc Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), who is serving as wedding planner for the upcoming nuptials. Within the first day, the web site has drawn over 1,400 RSVPs.

Izzie pretty much rules the page, writing the couple's "how we met," the proposal details, and even a registry where guests can make donations to the Alzheimer's Association, American Academy of Neurology, and American Skin Association. There are also a lot of fun facts about Mer and Der (he does laundry! she dyed her hair pink for her prom!) as well as well-wishes from the other Seattle Grace staffers (From Alex: "What the hell? He says that you getting married means you’re kicking me and Iz out of the house? Is that true? Cause if so, not cool. Not Fricking Cool." Followed by Izzie: "Alex, they can’t kick us out. I have cancer.”)

Shucks though, I kinda wanted to see what kind of china patterns they would pick out.  --Ellen

http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/MeredithGrey&DerekShepherd

"Little Dorrit": Best of May 2009

What it is: Little Dorrit chronicles the life of young Amy Dorrit (Claire Foy) and her family. You can’t help but grow to love Amy and her tender approach to life or sympathize with her unrequited feelings towards the honorable Arthur Clennam (Matthew Macfayden). The viewer witnesses the more unpleasant side of social hierarchy in 19th century London as Amy struggles and her family revels in an unexpected change of fortune. Gleaming moments of the mini-series are performances by Eddie Marsan as the resourceful rent collector Pancks, the great character actor Alun Armstrong as the scheming Jeremiah Flintwinch, and Andy Serkis (Gollum from LOTR) as French villain Rigaud.

Why it's Significant: I’m a fan of any literary adaptation by BBC and tackling Charles Dickens is no small task. Dickens’ tale is a sarcastic, and perhaps accurate, portrayal of the uglier side of government and society in 1800s England. Watching the series at times can feel like catching the nightly news: Characters are thrown into debtors prison unable to work but expected to pay off their debts; a two-faced landlord expects his collectors to do the dirty work while he glows in the admiration of his tenants; people lie, cheat, and blackmail to advance their own ends; and then there is the ultimate parallel – a banking ponzi scheme which plays out in a Madoff-esque way. Throughout the ugliness of this side of life is the bright light of Little Dorrit herself. Her outlook on life and loyalty to her family make the darker side of the story more bearable to watch. I hope you agree. Buy your copy of Little Dorrit on DVD today. -- Lesley

"Gran Torino": Best DVDs of May 2009

What it is: Clint Eastwood directs and stars (and composes the soundtrack, of course) in this drama that's often been described as What Dirty Harry Would Be Like As an Old Man, but it's much more. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a crotchety, bigoted Korean War veteran whose life collides with the Hmong family next door when their son Thao (Bee Vang) tries to steal his prized possession--a 1972 Gran Torino--as part of a gang initiation. When he wields his gun at the gang trying to weasel its way into his neighbor's lives, he instantly becomes their protector.

Why it's significant: Quietly released at the end of 2008, Gran Torino turned out to be the highest-grossing film of Eastwood's career ($147 million and counting), not to mention getting him some of his best reviews. Surprisingly, it was snubbed at Oscar season, but that's all the more reason to check it out. (It actually streets June 6, but we wanted to highlight it now). He employs his typical no-frills direction here, and as our reviewer says, "Just as Unforgiven was a tragic reflection on Eastwood's legacy in the Western genre, Gran Torino caps and eloquently critiques the urban heritage of Dirty Harry and his violent brethren. And on top of that, the movie becomes a savvy meditation on America in a particular historical moment, racially, economically, spiritually. Call it a 'state of the union' message. But call it that with a wry grin." --Ellen