Armchair Commentary

A Tensome of Terror: The Best Horror DVD and Blu-ray Releases from 2012

Following is Armchair Commentary's round-up of the best horror titles released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012. As in past years, the films here may not reflect all tastes in the genre, which offers a dizzying array of styles, sub-categories and degrees of intensity. The ten films in this list, as well as a handful of honorable mentions, were selected because they met one (or more) of three important criteria: the overall quality of their stories and direction, their packaging and presentation for home video, and (most importantly), the level of terror they raised.

1. Kill List Director Ben Wheatley skillfully manipulates genre expectations in this indie-styled UK thriller about a pair of hitman who discover, far too late, that the trio of individuals they are assigned to kill are part of a vast and sinister network. Wheatley's Chinese box plot is punctuated by moments of heart-stopping violence that culminate in a finale that echoes The Wicker Man in its shocking sledgehammer impact.

2. The Pact  A young woman discovers that the ghosts of the past, both figurative and unsettlingly literal, hold the key to a terrible family secret in this atmospheric feature debut from writer/director Nicholas McCarthy. The film's largely female cast - a rarity for the genre - is capably led by Caity Lotz (Mad Men) in a physically demanding role, though Haley Hudson also stands out as a blind medium whose unearthly fragility that seems more supernatural than the picture's restless spirit.  

3. Cabin in the Woods Though audiences were divided over its meta-take on horror tropes, co-writer/producer Joss Whedon and director Drew Goddard's tribute/critique of the genre's rules and foibles was one of the most clever and energetic releases of the year.

4. Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku The latest release from Criterion's budget line is a quartet of eye-popping '60s-era horror and science fiction titles from Japan's venerable arthouse studio. Late-night TV habitues may remember the startling alien invasion chiller Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell and the thoroughly out-to-lunch kaiju The X from Outer Space, but the set's real discovery is The Living Skeleton, a macabre mash-up of supernatural revenge, Expressionistic shadows and pulp weirdness.

5. Universal Monsters: The Essential Collection As its title rightly states, this Blu-ray presentation of Universal's most iconic horror films - Dracula, Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, the '41 Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon (presented in 2-D and 3-D formats), all remastered with stunning audio and video - belongs in the collection of every horror fan.

6. The Innkeepers A pair of bored clerks (Sara Paxton and Pat Healy) at a crumbling New England inn turn amateur ghost hunters to investigate the building's history of supernatural phenomena in director Ti West's underrated haunted house thriller. West, who paid tribute to '80s horror excess with House of the Devil, also takes a tip from the past by evoking the slow-building, special effects-light shudders of '70s supernatural efforts like The Legend of Hell House. 

7. The Woman in Black Daniel Radcliffe makes a capable transition to mature roles in this extremely effective Victorian ghost story about a widowed solicitor who becomes embroiled in a small village's legend of the titular spirit, which is connected to a string of children's deaths. The film's Gothic-steeped, funereal atmosphere pays homage to England's legendary and recently resurrected Hammer Films, which released the picture (along with two of the best horror films of the last five years, Let Me In and Wake Wood).

8. The Snowtown Murders A relentlessly bleak dramatization of an Australian murder spree carried out by a self-styled and utterly psychotic vigilante, played with chilling conviction by Daniel Henshall, that also does much to strip away the glamour of infamy from a killer's base, animalistic acts. 

9. Jaws Not the perfect presentation of this still-potent horror-adventure - it lacks several of the supplemental features that were included in previous anniversary DVD editions - but the gorgeous restoration to picture and sound, as well as a pair of exceptional (and exhaustive) making-of documentaries still make this an essential purchase for fans.

10. Mario Bava on Blu-ray Kino Classics brings four of the Italian horror pioneer's most enduring nightmares - the landmark Black Sunday with Barbara Steele, the hypnotic Lisa and the Devil (paired with its grittier re-edit, House of Exorcism), the delirious psycho-slasher Hatchet for the Honeymoon and Baron Blood with Joseph Cotten and Elke Sommer - to Blu-ray in extraordinary remastered editions.

Also worth mentioning: Eduardo (The Blair Witch Project) Sanchez''s Lovely Molly; the surprisingly effective '80s creature feature The Boogens; the five-disc Complete Hammer House of Horror; Lucky McKee's potent cannibal chiller The Woman; A Serbian Film (Uncut), an even more punishing version of the controversial exercise in excess; and V/H/S, an uneven but frequently disturbing anthology of "found footage" horror by a cadre of independent filmmakers, including Ti West, Adam Wingard and David Bruckner. 

Which horror DVD releases made your 2012 best-of list? -- Paul Gaita

 

 

"New Normal" Co-Creator on Comedy, and Pushing Limits

Ali Adler, co-creator (with Ryan Murphy) of The New Normal, says it’s “just a show about a family.” But when the expectant parents are two dads, and their surrogate mom brings her always amazing daughter and frequently appalling grandmother into the mix, things get complicated (and controversial).

The new NBC series stars Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon) and Justin Bartha (The Hangover) as the parents-to-be. Ellen Barkin plays the jaw-droppingly prejudiced Nana to Georgia King’s open-minded and fresh-start-seeking single mom — and her Archie Bunker-meets-Sue Sylvester-verbal onslaught isn’t going to end anytime soon. Tonight (the show airs at Tuesday nights at 9:30), for example, “you’ll see another side of Jane, but she’ll never become that cuddly Nana,” Adler said.

Adler recently spoke with reporters about the show. Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

Hollywonk: What do you do to avoid self-censorship? I’m sure there are others who are willing to tell you when they think you’ve gone too far, but how do you avoid doing that for yourself?

Ali Adler: Well, I think that’s the trick. This is a lofty analogy — but a chef has to taste his own food and enjoy it. And we hope that many other people enjoy it as well. But if we start second guessing ingredients then, you know, you have to please yourself first.

And I think we are across-the-board, equal-opportunity offenders and if we are overly sensitive to one group and not another, that to me is actually true racism, or homophobia, or gender blindness, or whatever. So like if we’re cutting across the board equally and we are representing, you know, Jane’s political beliefs, and we’re representing Bryan and David’s political beliefs, it’s just we’re trying to present all these without true bias.

Hollywonk: Characters in The New Normal talk to the camera sometimes, which seems more and more like an accepted shorthand in comedies. Do you feel like that needs to be “explained,” like with the actual documentary crew on The Office? Or do you feel like the TV audience just sort of accepts that this happens sometimes?

Adler: I just think we’re giving people, you know, comedic privilege into a voice that you wouldn’t normally notice or see. And you’ll see in upcoming episodes that it’s, you know, its strangers, its friends of our couple. And you’ll just get their internal point of view that you wouldn’t normally get to be privileged to hear. So it just provides a new way to explore comedy. …

I think we’re finding ways, with The New Normal, to express story quickly. You know, it’s 21 and a half minutes of fictional story to tell. So in ways, like in the pilot, we saw these two camera interviews. Or the voice over to the baby. Or flashbacks. We’re finding different little candies that we like to put into the show to show quickly, and with great emotion, emphasis to our point.

— Stephanie Reid-Simons

2012 Emmys - Just a couple opinions

There is some really great television out there right now. The drama category is rich with content and there are some original and quirky comedies that are allowing truly funny people to strut there stuff. But....I'm not sure the Emmys are really hilighting those things. Even still, great TV and you should probably check out all the nominees and winners here.

Where's the Parks?

Yes, Modern Family is funny. I get it. But watching it towards the end of last season it felt as if it was already becoming stale. Go ahead, boo now if you wish but there's just better work being done. The omission of Parks and Recreation is just wrong. Again, no problem with Eric Stonestreet or Julie Bowen being recognized, they are both great. However, the total ensemble on Parks is unmatched on TV today.

 

Homecoming

OK, I guess the point is to celebrate the excellence and apparently we are to understand that Homeland is the best show on tv. Up for debate of course but congratulations to Damien Lewis. Whether you would have voted for the show or not you can't deny the difficulty of his performance. And Claire Danes, how do you not like Claire Danes? The answer is, you don't not like Claire Danes. I do have to say once again though..where the hell is Sons of Anarchy? I guess I'm in the minority but I think FX tends to get a bit overlooked.

Meth Wins!

With all the false modesty and self congratulations that comes with award shows it's nice to see some real surprise. I think the photo of Aaron Paul kind of sums it up. This was one of the best moments of the night with a guy who you can tell is truly shocked. He's just out of his mind that he's a part of this and it's great to see. I mean look at that face and the embrace with Giancarlo Esposito was just genuine, very cool. Although it does break my heart a bit to not see Peter Dinklage receive another award for his work on Game of Thrones, I can't disagree with the fervor that Breaking Bad has garnered. 

 

Return of the 90's

NIneties superstars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kevin Costner back...in...da...house! Nice. Makes me want to listen to some Gin Blossoms or Faith No More. Did you ever think that of the cast of Seinfeld that Elaine would have the most succesful career post show? You did? Liar.And so good to see Costner doing something that receives critical acclaim in this century. OK, I'll give you The Company Men, great movie but not really a Costner vehicle. I'm more concerned with the list of flops prior to that, Swing Vote anyone? Didn't think so.Well done from one of the elder statesmen of Hollywood.

Show idea. Cage Match. Nicolas Cage enters a ring with another actor. They do readings of famous scripts to a celebrity panel of acting judges. The judges vote on who delivers the best audition. Nicolas Cage wins every week. We celebrate his greatness. The end.

 

--Adam

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with The Dictator

We here at Armchair Commentary are extremely pleased to bring to you, the faithful reader, an exclusive interview with "The Dictator" himself, Admiral General Aladeen. Fresh off his tour of promoting the movie about himself and eagerly anticipating the DVD and Blu-ray release, the exulted one took the time out to answer a few questions.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions of Admiral General Aladeen are his alone and do not reflect the views or opinions of anyone associated with Armchair Commentary, any other blog or any sane person anywhere in this world or another alternate universe either real or created solely for the purpose of a science fiction story.

 

 

 

General Aladeen, clearly you are in favor of a complete dictatorship as a political ethos but if you had to choose a second option, what would it be and why?

Firstly, please use my correct title – it’s actually Admiral General Aladeen. In fact my full title is Admiral General Aladeen, Supreme Leader, Chief Ophthalmologist, Invincible and all Triumphant Beloved Oppressor of the People of Wadiya and Excellent Swimmer (Including butterfly). I also have 118 PhDs. And a diploma in spray tanning from Qatar Community College. And I am 7 ½ feet tall. Sorry, what was the question? Ah yes, a second option other than a full dictatorship... I think democracy, but with a few provisos: one, there would be elections, but only every 500 years, two, I would be the only person who could vote, and three, my name would be the only one on the ballot paper. The last one makes a lot of sense – it would completely eliminate the chance of electoral fraud.

 

Other than “The Dictator” itself, what was your favorite movie of the past year? And secondly, what is your favorite movie of all time?

Apart from The Dictator, my favorite movie of last year was that clip on YouTube of the talking dog being teased by his owner about food in the refrigerator... I love that film! My favourite film of all time would either be one of the great fantasy movies, like Lord of the Rings or Schindler’s List, or the grainy Super 8 footage taken of JFK in Dallas in 1963.

 

Beatles or Stones?

That’s a tough one – I have tortured people using both of them: feeding prisoners beetles is probably more enjoyable than covering them with stones, although occasionally you get someone who actually likes the taste and that ruins it.

 

What are your ideas for how we should deal with the continuing global climate change crisis in both the short and long term?

I have personally done my bit to reduce global warming by building a personal ski resort in the Wadiyan desert - not easy, as the average daily temperature is 118 degrees. It uses 20 billion bottles of Fiji Water per day to make the snow. That is not the only way my country has gone green - all our torture implements are now solar powered and we don't just dispose of western journalists, we recycle them – in fact for every one I behead, I plant a new one in the ground. Alive. Also I’m very diligent about trying to reduce my uranium footprint.

 

Who is your favorite Muppet and why?

I like the one who has no eyes – he inspired me to perform a similar procedure on some of my political opponents. And of course I love the fat talking pig, simply because the thought of her is so repugnant to the my enemies.

 

What was your relationship like with your mother and father?

I never knew my mother. She was an Air France Flight Attendant who tragically died in childbirth – of strangulation. My father also left me early and died when I was just six. He was a very loving parent though and I have very fond memories of the short time we spent together – I recall just after my fifth birthday playing Lego with him: together we built a full sized gallows with it and then he let me watch as his Prime Minister was hanged.

 

Just what was your father hunting on that tragic day he was killed?

My father was hunting traditional Wadiyan wildlife – you know, jackals, camels and Kurdish rebels. Although officially his death was accidental and he died after being hit by 97 stray bullets and a stray grenade, there are rumors that he actually committed suicide. I personally hope that this was the case, as it would mean he died doing what he loved the most – killing people.

 

With the Olympics having just passed, it’s natural to wonder when the great competitors of the Wadiyan Spring Games will compete in the Olympic Games. When will that happen?

Firstly, I must say that it is an outrage that Wadiya was banned from the London Olympics and I do not know if we will be welcome at Rio. Even though our athletes did not attend this year, I still sent some “representatives”. I cannot say what they will be doing in Britain, but let’s just say that the biggest fireworks display in London this year will not be the one at the Opening Ceremony.

The ban is also a personal tragedy for me since I am my country’s number one athlete and fastest runner. In the recent Wadiyan Games I won the 100Meters Gold after my closest rival retired in the Semi Finals suffering from a badly ruptured uncle. Of all my sporting acheivments though, I would have to say that my proudest is probably the threesome I had with the Williams sisters.

 

One Opinion on the Emmys

The 2012 Emmy Nominations have been announced. Time for couch dwelling, idiot box watchers everywhere to argue far too passionately over who should  and shouldn't be recognized. So, myself being one of those have decided to share my qualified opinions on the matter as well. Qualified you ask? Yes, I'm qualified. I watch TV.

First observation is that like certain political offices, Emmy nominations need term limits. I mean, merit aside, don't you get tired of seeing the same people nominated over and over again? I love Alec Baldwin, I really do. His performance as a rage filled, out of control, abusive father on "The Call to His Daughter" will never be forgotten. OK, that was low, really Alec is best when he's flexing his comedic muscle in movies like Outside Providence. But does he need to be nominated every year. His ego is healthy. This goes for everyone's sweetheart Tina Fey too. Jon Cryer is also very likeable but six nominations for Two and a Half Men? Really, it has a laugh track. Stop it. Charlie Sheen is smart enough to know this show doesn't work without him.

Then there are the shows that were cancelled but the actresses received nominations. Congratulations! Ashley Judd and Kathy Bates, your performance was so strong we decided no one should watch it anymore. It's a clear case of big screen envy. You used to be in movies so clearly your acting is superior to these small screen hacks. Don't get it.

Modern Family, it's a funny show the whole family can watch. Yaaay!! But nominating four men for Best Supporting Actor and two women for Best Supporting Actress is a joke. Maybe there's just a serious lack of good traditional comedy on TV right now. The mainstream just isn't ready for shows that are actually funny like Wilfred. Or maybe recognize that there are four actors on Parks & Recreation, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Aziz Ansari and Chris Pratt, that are deserving.

 

 

Enough of the negativity you say! Alrighty then, let's mention some folks that should be recognized. I realize not everyone loves it but when will Sons of Anarchy get the recognition it deserves. It's Shakespeare on Harleys with guns and sex. It's America. There are a number of brilliant performances in this show that aren't recognized including Charlie Hunnam.

 

 

I know Louie C.K. received a nod for individual honors but it's a shame to not have the show recognized once again in Outstanding Comedy Series. This will all be rectified when I begin constructing life size Louie C.K. statues across the country with gold plaques reading, "The Funniest Man on the Planet". This is a more prestigious title than Emmy winner.

 

 

I would like to recognize the Emmys for getting one unexpected nod right. Bill frickin' Hader! I'm just glad others are noticing. I've come to expect any time this guy comes into frame that my sides will hurt. Just his presence and expressive, built for comedy face, is enough to be entertaining. Cheers Bill and thank you.

 

 

 

And for the softer side. I love NBC's Parenthood. I do, it gets me every single time. I can make it through an episode for 53 minutes without tearin up and then BOOM!, they hit you with the heaviest moment at the end. It's acted superbly, everyone on the cast; kids included do a fantastic job. With vets like Craig T Nelson (Remember Coach?, loved that show too), Bonnie Bedelia, Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, hell even Dax Shepard is great, the sometimes heavy drama is made believable. Congrats to Jason Ritter for his nomination but I think some others are being looked over as well as the show as a whole. How Erika Christensen didn't get recognized for her emotional roller coaster this season is a shame.

 

 

And a few more things you should be watching Justified, Workaholics, The River (Oh, it got cancelled?), Falling Skies and anything with Nicolas Cage. I know he isn't on TV but we can dream can't we. A few more straight to DVD projects and he'll be there soon, don't worry. Weekly Cage.......

 

--Adam

The 69th Golden Globes - What Went Down

The 69th Golden Globes have happened; click here for the full list of winners, including which ones you can order on DVD, Blu-ray, or Amazon Instant Video; the others you can sign up to be notified whenever they become available to pre-order. Meanwhile, check out some opnions on last night's ceremony.

Everyone will talk about the heart warming success of the The Help, or on a bigger scale the strength of important and sometimes hilarious roles for women, Bridesmaids. Of course one has to mention the definition of acting class and brilliance with the incomparable Morgan Freeman. These are the deserved themes of the evening but here are a few other, smaller moments that supplied an overall flat night with some memories.

Classy Christopher

    

Christopher Plummer. Kudos to this gentleman being recoginzed for his role in The Beginners. Although there is a whole new generation of leading men from George Clooney to Leo and Pitt, there is just something about that classic generation of Hollywood that will never be matched again. There is definitely some old school Tinseltown glamour in thanking your bartender in an acceptance speech.

 

 

 

Good for Joey

Maybe it was just me but it just felt good to see Matt LeBlanc up there receiving an award for Episodes. Not because I was rooting one way or the other but because I thought it was the most geniune and humble moment of the night. LeBlanc was authentic, truly nervous and suprised and it was heart warming.

Pure Harmony

    

It was just the moment that put a big smile on your face. Husband and wife William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman harmonizing a little ditty while presenting. How can you not like these two?

 

 

 

These "Talkies" Are Going to Kill the Movie Biz

I guess we were all wrong about this whole "sound" thing. It appears that the real darlingn of last year and this year's awards circuit might be The Artist. It's time to face reality if you're a big movie and award show fan. You are going to have to watch a silent (mostly) film. It's already won best movie at the Critic's Choice and now Best Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes. It could shock at the Oscars.

Just Shut Up!

Madonna, you are just....obnoxious. We get it, you directed a movie. Good for you. You were sure to remind us of that in you boring and awkward speech as you uttered "My Movie" countless times. Guess what, nobody saw it and your movie career is still the source of punchlines not praise.

Best David Bowie Impersonation

      And the winner is........Tilda Swinton. Brilliant actress and I'm sure when the movie is made about the life and times of David Bowie  she will play the role and probably receive a Golden Globe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table We Most Want to Sit At

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman? Yes, please. While Tina Fey's photobomb was one of the most gif worthy moments of the night, we can only imagine the champagne buzz chatter emmenating from that table. As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there."

--Adam & Megan

The Terrible Eleven of 2011: The Year's Best in Horror DVDs

Following is a list of notable horror-related DVD and Blu-ray releases from 2011. A "best" list for horror can be a tricky proposition, given the spectrum of styles and degrees of intensity in the genre. Classic chiller fans may not care a whit about the latest gut-spiller, while gore aficionados may roll their eyes at a Depression Era spookshow. But the following eleven titles showcased here stood out, and therefore, were the best in our opinion, because they met two important criteria: they were distinguished by the quality of their stories and/or direction, whether stylish, unrelenting or inventive, and (most importantly) they were scary.

Here's our alarming eleven, in no particular order:

-- Island of Lost Souls Director Erle C. Kenton's outrageous 1933 adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau makes its long-over DVD debut with this deluxe presentation from Criterion. Seventy years have not dampened the film's queasy blend of pre-Code perversity and sadism in the name of Science, as embodied by Charles Laughton as a supremely arch Moreau, as well as Kathleen Burke's hot-blooded Panther Girl and Bela Lugosi's tormented Sayer of the Law. Extras include interviews with director John Landis, makeup legend Rick Baker and Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale of Devo, whose "de-evolution" manifesto was influenced by the film. An absolute essential for horror fans of all ages and preferences.

Forget Everything You Have Seen: Alejandro Jodorowsky Talks "El Topo" and "Holy Mountain" on Blu-ray

In 1970, world cinema was turned on its head by Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's surrealistic Western El Topo. A violent fable about an unbeatable gunfighter (played by Jodorowsky) who loses his humanity to gain enlightenment, El Topo drew inspiration from a dizzying array of sources, including Zen Buddhist tracts, Antonin Artaud's "Theater of Cruelty," the films of Jean Cocteau and Sergio Leone and the art of Salvador Dali. Its head-spinning melange of arthouse and grindhouse tropes made it a sensation among the cognoscenti of the counterculture (most notably, John Lennon and Yoko Ono) and helped to kick off the "midnight movies" scene of the early '70s. Jodorowsky would follow El Topo with The Holy Mountain (1973), a equally dense-layered fantasy about a mystic (Jodorowsky again) who leads the six "most powerful people" on Earth to the title location, where they hope to unlock the secrets of the immortals.

Though Jodorowsky made several films after this powerhouse duo, including 1990's Santa Sangre, none would capture the imagination of the movie-going public like El Topo and Holy Mountain. Unfortunately, few could see the films following their initial theatrical runs; rights issues kept them in limbo for decades until they were released by ABKCO and Anchor Bay on DVD in 2007. On April 26, both entities will present Blu-ray editions of El Topo and Holy Mountain. To commemorate the occasion, Amchair Commentary spoke with Alejandro Jodorowsky via phone at his home in Paris, where he imparted his unique, decidedly frank (and possibly NSFW) views on his masterworks, the Blu-ray releases and his much-discussed future projects.

QUESTION: I want to read you a quote that you gave during the original theatrical release of El Topo. You said, "If you're great, El Topo is a great film. If you're limited, El Topo is limited." Do you still agree with this assessment?

Arthur, Straight Up: Movies and Alcohol

The new reboot of Arthur, starring Russell Brand as a lovable man-child billionaire playboy with a rather serious drinking problem also presents a rather serious problem in its comedic premise that the 30-year-old original starring Dudley Moore did not. As a piece of bright, shiny entertainment, Arthur 2011 is perfectly fine, but the subject of alcoholism kind of grates as an issue that's easy to make light of. Arthur 1981 didn't really have the same problem, partly because Dudley Moore did such a fine and funny happy-drunk act, and partly because as a societal issue alcoholism wasn't quite as much of a stumbling block. The new version doesn't always know how to handle this rather important plot point, and it gets in the way more often than not. Russell Brand has made no secret of his past as an addict and alcoholic who has found life afresh in recovery. He knows whereof he pretends, but his drunken act is rather more of a silly aside in the movie's grander scheme than anything else.

Drinking, drunks, and the subject of alcoholism on screen has had a long and varied history even before Dudley Moore's Arthur drove his limousine down the streets of New York sloshed to the gills (God help a movie studio that would portray such a thing as a comedic event today). The subject has been addressed head-on, obliquely, or as a plot point that is either inherent or tangential to character or story. As a tribute to the two Arthurs and Dudley Moore's overly theatrical drunk act -- hardly anyone has ever done it better -- what follows is a brief sampling of a few movies that, in no particular order, have tackled the issue of drink with humor, delicacy, offhandedness or the most profound gravity.

When a Man Loves a Woman (1994): Playing it completely straight, Al Franken stepped out of Stuart Smalley mode to address the reality of addiction as co-writer of this affecting portrait of a couple whose marriage slams into the very real wreckage caused by her alcoholism. There's nothing funny about the heavy duty drinking that consumes Meg Ryan and almost destroys her enabling husband Andy Garcia in a way that's just as serious. There's a happy ending, but not before some harrowing vignettes that proves Franken understands that the reality of addiction is no laughing matter.

The Upside of Anger (2005): Drink is not exactly the subject of this flawed, yet funny and poignant romantic yarn about an upscale suburban mom (Joan Allen) whose husband picks up and leaves, but it's in the background of every scene and influences a lot of the characters' motivations. Allen's four grown-ish daughters are foils caught between her rage (often alcohol-fueled) and the growing attentions of the washed-up pro baseball player who lives next door (Kevin Costner). He's also a fairly constant tippler, though he prefers talboys to her high-end vodka, and the story does indeed lob some cautionary hardballs about the dangers of mixing drink with love, comedy, and romance.

Drunks (1995): Real-life recovering alcoholic Richard Lewis leads a stellar cast in Gary Lennon's adaptation of his play, Blackout about a night in the life of a group of drunks doing their thing at an AA meeting in a seedy pre-Disneyfied Times Square church basement. Lewis, completely out of stand-up comic mode and into serious method acting territory is the riveting soul of an often scarily realistic portrayal of the way it really is for alcoholics in, out, or on the verge of recovery. Addiction isn't funny at all for these bunch of soul-baring drunks which include the likes of Sam Rockwell, Amanda Plummer, Kevin Corrigan, Parker Posey, Dianne Wiest, Faye Dunaway, and Spalding Gray.

Barfly (1987): Director Barbet Schroeder had great fun in tackling the work of famed literary drunkard Charles Bukowski in this loose adaptation of his autobiographical writings. Mickey Rourke plays the Bukowski stand-in in prime, pre-self parody Mickey Rourke form as a disgusting, loathsome, yet sometimes loveable habitue of the seediest Los Angeles dives ever captured on film. He's unrepentant and has fun -- between bouts of sickness and a sobering down-and-out lifestyle in which Faye Dunaway is his alcoholic cohort -- giving the barflies around him a kind of romantic charm. Barfly is famous among many for the oft-quoted line mumbled by a background character: "What's a guy gotta do to get a drink around here!?"

Bad Santa (2003): Billy Bob Thornton's turn as a the most disgusting, despicable, foul-mouthed seasonal Santa who ever allowed a child to approach him is a classic of offensive cinema and perhaps one of the funniest performances ever. Never seen not guzzling down a bucket of booze or barfing it back up, his portrayal of a terminal drunkard and all around jerk who hooks with up for the holidays to do the Santa act, then sticks around to clean out the safe is astonishing for being so funny in the face of the utter lack of fun he ever seems to have. He spews his lines like bile, showing the dark side of drink -- but with the darkest, funniest sides of comedy held closely in tow.

The Lost Weekend (1945): This cautionary tale brought the issue of alcoholism to the masses in a big way for audiences in 1945 and also brought Oscars to star Ray Milland and director Billy Wilder (it also won for best picture and best screenplay). Milland's character summarizes the best and worst of what alcohol does to the life of the drinker and all those around him in a remarkable soliloquy delivered barside, then showed the audiences the horrors of withdrawal in a memorable scene that has him strapped to a bed in the psych ward. The film still makes a huge impact today for the realistic way it portrays the depths of deceit and despair an alcoholic will plumb before -- or if -- he chooses to accept help.

Harvey (1950): This classic from the Jimmy Stewart oeuvre may be closes to the original version Arthur for the way it portrays a happy-go-lucky drunk who never really encounters many problems from his alcoholism. As Elwood P. Dowd, Stewart spends his days happily soused at the bar, charmed to meet anyone in his path and charming everyone he meets in return. Its sweet, slightly sad story may be a cautionary tale, but with his six-foot-tall invisible rabbit friend Harvey always in tow, Elwood never had much to worry about, and neither did the audience.

Leaving Las Vegas (1995): Crushingly sad, yet somehow hopeful in its denouement, Leaving Las Vegas won Nicolas Cage an Oscar for his performance as a man who purposefully sets out to drink himself to death. It is not a pretty picture of the destruction alcohol causes, though its message and tender romantic undertone is as sentimental as it is heartbreaking. Cage scarily reproduces the euphoria, depression, and horrible physical toll alcohol exacts on the human mind, body and spirit.

My Favorite Year (1982): As an homage to early live television -- specifically a tribute to Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, which is the thinly veiled backdrop setting -- My Favorite Year is a sweet and funny coming of age story about a young man trying to keep tabs on an old drunkard. Peter O'Toole played an Erroll Flynn-type aging heartthrob who agrees to appear on a new-fangled '50s TV comedy variety show without understanding what the concept "live" really means. The fact that he's a constant boozer to begin with doesn't help, but at least he's a happy, high-functioning drunk. His performance won him an Oscar nomination and a place in the happy-drinker hall of fame.

Days of Wine and Roses (1962): Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick both got Oscar nominations as a husband and wife who start their drinking careers innocently and with understandable nonchalance. But the booze overtakes them in harrowing ways that are portrayed with great drama and stark realism. It ends badly for them both, even though one of them successfully comes out the other side of the wreckage their drinking has caused each other and all those around them. The movie is also notable as the first to portray the organization of Alcoholics Anonymous as it actually existed, and the basics of how it works in saving the lives of those who choose to embrace it.

Great Films Come in Small Packages

It’s easy to overlook a DVD or Blu-ray disc with an unfamiliar name. Is it even from this year? And why don’t I recognize any of the stars? But tomorrow’s nobody may just be the next big thing.

Consider Fish Tank’s Michael Fassbender, who currently stars as Rochester in the latest version of Jane Eyre and was recently featured in Entertainment Weekly. Ladies, in Fish Tank you can see him with his shirt off. Enough about Fassbender’s abs; Katie Jarvis is the real star of Fish Tank. She plays a street-smart young Brit, who pushes everyone away, but secretly dreams of being a dancer--and liberating a neighbor’s chained up horse. When her mom brings home her new boyfriend (Fassbender), it almost seems like Katie’s life could change for the better. But perhaps not everything is quite as it seems.

Speaking of movies that aren’t what they seem, Catfish is one of the year’s most interesting documentaries. It shares Exit Through the Gift Shop’s “is it real or is it invented” quality (though count me as one of the believers), and makes a good companion piece to The Social Network. All I can tell you is: A man meets a young girl on Facebook. The film is suspenseful, though not in the typical “scary” way. Watch it yourself and decide: Is it real?

Another movie that might leave you shaking your head (hopefully in a good way) is the Oscar-nominated Dogtooth. This film from Denmark about a man who’s determined to shelter his family from the outside world is disturbing in all the best ways. Its inventiveness—the parents make new meanings for worlds they don’t want the “kids” to know—combine with some shocking sex and violence (and who doesn’t love that) to create a world that you wouldn’t want to live in but is worth a two-hour visit.

Visually, Enter the Void is one of the trippier big-screen visions you’ll stumble across. Paz de la Huerta (Boardwalk Empire), an actress who’s never met a piece of clothing she didn’t want to remove in front of a camera, and newcomer Nathaniel Brown star as a brother and sister who are torn apart as kids but reunite years later as adults in the playground of Tokyo nightlife. Director Gasper Noe’s view of Tokyo looks nothing like the sterile city of Lost in Translation; he transforms it into a drug-fueled fairyland.

Melbourne’s no fairytale city in Animal Kingdom. It’s more like “boy meets family of Departed-style criminals,” when J (James Frecheville) is sent to live with his maternal grandmother (Oscar-nominated Jackie Weaver). If you thought that Black Swan’s Barbara Hershey and The Fighter’s Melissa Leo were the scariest moms of 2010, just wait till you meet Weaver’s “Smurf.” Without employing any of the histrionics of the others, she delivers a chilling performance.

Have you seen a small film you want to recommend to other Amazon customers? Share it with us. But please, no spoilers. --Paige Newman