The Revenant on Blu-ray and Digital HD

It seems to me lately that the best movies I've watched have been based on really great books. Such is the case with Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's award winning film The Revenant. (Based on Michael Punke's book) I always try to read the book first and then watch the movie. The book was fantastic and I hoped the movie would be as well.

The Revenant on Blu-ray and Digital HD is newly released from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

And my hopes that the movie would be good were met and far exceeded. Leonardo DiCaprio won an Academy and Oscar Award for Best Actor. The film won numerous other prizes.

DiCaprio portrays Hugh Glass, a frontiersman/tracker in 1823 America with a fur company, who is severely mauled by a bear. With both winter and hostile natives on their heels, the company commander assigns two men, Fitzpatrick and Bridger to stay with Glass until he dies, bury him and then catch up with the rest of the company. Also with Glass is his son Hawk, who is sure his father can survive. Seemingly close to death, everyone figures it won't be long 'til the end.

Fitzpatrick, played by Tom Hardy, decides that he doesn't want to wait around for Glass to die and instead chooses to leave him on his own. Hardy brilliantly interprets the despicable character of Fitzpatrick. I don't know how many times I yelled at the screen.

But it is Leo who steals the show. He has very little dialogue, but his physical acting and his facial expressions (especially his eyes) transmit so much more than words could have. His courage, grit, perseverance and determination to hunt down Fitzpatrick becomes the viewer's goal as well.

Not far behind Leo is the cinematography - the backdrops are simply spectacular - the choice of actual settings instead of green screens brings the wildness and wilderness of the time and place to life. Costuming and physical props are just as believable. The bear attack is also really believable. (and a bit hard to watch)

Iñárritu has changed some of the events from the book - most notably, Glass's reason for revenge. But it works. This reason is more personal and will have the audience even more invested in Glass's drive for revenge. With every tortured step and obstacle thrown in his way, I was urging him forward, just as determined that he have his retribution. Iñárritu has also changed the ending from the book. It wasn't what I expected and I watched it two or three times. In the end, it seemed right and fit with the 'extra' character(s) that he had brought to his version of the story.

Brutal and brilliant, The Revenant is a welcome addition to my film library. Check out the trailer below. Gentle readers/watchers please be warned there are some graphic scenes. @RevenantMovie

   

Film on Friday #45 - Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

I'm not sure why, but there's a plethora of 'dying teen' movies being made. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is recently released from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. It's based on the novel of the same name by Jesse Andrews.

Greg Gaines has worked hard at blending in, going unnoticed and being on good terms with all the different groups at his high school. Oh, and he makes quirky little films with his 'co-worker' Earl. He's coasting along just fine. Until his mother insists he spend time with Rachel who is battling cancer. They really don't know each other very well....but things change as he and Rachel become unlikely friends. Greg is forced to confront the truths that Rachel lays out - about both herself and him.

Great casting! Thomas Mann is wonderful as Greg - his glib banter and self-deprecating manner hide his lack of confidence. The connection between him and Rachel (Olivia Cooke) is absolutely believable. Cooke masterfully underplays her role - any louder or affected would not have worked. I must admit that Earl (newcomer R.J. Cyler) kinda stole the show for me. Again the relationship between Earl and Greg really works. Molly Shannon as Rachel's mom brought me some Saturday Night Live flashback moments. Jon Bernthal plays teacher Mr. McCarthy. Although his appearance is quite different, I still had a hard time not associating him with his Walking Dead role.

Now you might think that the plot would veer off into doomed dying girl teen romance territory. And I thought it was going to as well. Not so. Instead, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl explores friendships on many levels, coming of age, loss, love and more. Humorous, sad, quirky. An indie kind of take on what seems to be a newly recurring style of 'teen' film.

Cinematically, I found some of the long lens and fish eye shots took away from the movie for me. I started focusing on whether or not that staircase could truly be that steep instead of the dialogue happening. But, movies play a large role in Greg's life and the film, so I can understand why director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon would add some artistic touches. (Now this is just me, but I really didn't enjoy Greg's movies - and while Greg's final film has it's moments, I wasn't blown away)

All in all, I enjoyed Me and Earl and the Dying Girl - winner of the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Have a peek at the trailer below.

 

Film on Friday #38 The Longest Ride

The Longest Ride, based on the best selling novel by Nicholas Sparks, has just released on Blu-ray from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Director George Tillman Jr. does a fantastic job of bringing this love story to the screen. (And staying true to the book)

Bullrider Luke (Scott Eastwood) is 'back in the saddle' trying to return to the top of his sport after an injury, when he meets Sophia (Britt Robertson) - a college student ready to graduate and pursue her dream job in the art field. When the two meet, sparks fly - but can love overcome dreams and ambitions? What, if any, choices and sacrifices will each be willing to make?

What makes The Longest Ride such a wonderful film to watch is the parallel story set in the 1940's. Luke and Sophia rescue Ira (Alan Alda) an older man and his box of letters from a car crash. Sophia continues to meet with Ira and from her letter reading we relive the love story of Ira and his wife Ruth. (Oona Chaplin is fantastic as young Ruth. Jack Huston is young Ira) The two stories mirror each other across the generations, through good and bad, only serving to illustrate that love takes sacrifice and the path to happiness is never smooth.

Watching The Longest Ride is going to make you happy though. Who doesn't love a love story? Great sets and scenery, a perfectly cast group of actors, some tastefully done steamy scenes, lots of action in the bull ring and an ending that's just right, all add up to a sweet, satisfying movie night at home. The Longest Ride is perfect to share with that special someone in your life or maybe as a girl's night at the movies. (As one supporting character says early on "I want a cowboy." Uh huh.)

Tillman took great care with realistically portraying the bull riding. Two of the special features on the disc follow Eastwood's training as well as the real riders. Fascinating stuff. There's also some good interviews with cast members, director and Sparks as well.

The title refers to the eight seconds a rider must stay on the bull to score, but The Longest Ride is also a nod to relationships - staying the course through a bumpy ride as well. Well worth watching for this movie lover!

And in case you missed it - you have until midnight tonight to 

enter to win a Blu-ray copy of The Longest Ride from A Bookworm's World! 

Giveaway - The Longest Ride on Blu-ray!

Let's start the week off with a fantastic giveaway!

The Longest Ride releases on July 14th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment - and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

"What would you do for the love of your life? Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment invites you to grab the bull by the horns in THE LONGEST RIDE, which releases on Blu-ray™ and DVD July 14. Up-and-coming stars Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood will tug at your heartstrings as they bring Nicholas Sparks’ beloved novel to life. Also starring Jack Huston, Oona Chaplin, and Alan Alda.

Based on the bestselling novel by master storyteller Sparks, The Longest Ride centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke, a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia, a college student who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City’s art world.  As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with Ira, whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife deeply inspire the young couple.  Spanning generations and two intertwining love stories, The Longest Ride explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.

THE LONGEST RIDE Blu-ray™ comes packed with 45 minutes of extra features that will take you further into the film’s two central love stories. Join Eastwood on the ranch as he learns from the world’s best bull riders to control the beasts and learn more about the production with audio commentary from director George Tillman, Jr. and star Oona Chaplin."

The Longest Ride Blu-ray™ special features include:

• Deleted and Extended Scenes 
• A Writer’s Journey: A Day in the Life of Nicholas Sparks 
• Beyond the Ride 
• Bringing it to Life 
• Meet The Real Bull Riders 
• Luke’s Bull Riding School 
• Audio Commentary by George Tillman, Jr. and Oona Chaplin
• Gallery
 


Sound like a movie you'd like to own? Enter for a chance to win using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada. Ends July 25/15. I'm looking forward to it as well - watch for my review.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Film on Friday # 33 - Gone Girl

Gillian Flynn's novel Gone Girl is one of the twistiest thrillers I've ever read. When I heard there was a movie being made, I got excited....and then nervous. How would the book translate to the big screen? Would they 'adapt' from the book? Or would it stay true to Flynn's premise. I always worried that a loved book will be ruined for me by a bad adaptation. Well, with one thing and another, I never did get to the theatre to see it. But the reviews were fantastic!

Gone Girl is newly released on Blu-ray from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, so I finally sat down to watch it last weekend. O.M.G. I loved it!!! All the worries about ruining the book were put to rest - Gillian Flynn actually wrote the screenplay! And director David Fincher nails it.

For those of you who haven't read the book or seen the movie (and you really should) here's a quick synopsis. On the morning of their fifth anniversary, Nick Dunne's wife Amy cannot be found. When signs of violence are found, a massive Find Amy campaign is mounted in addition to the police investigation. And of course, Nick becomes a suspect. He swears he's innocent and that he's being set-up.....

Great casting! Ben Affleck plays his part well - his attitude, demeanor and actions change quickly depending on who he's with - and he's believable. What persona is the truth? The supporting cast is just as stellar. Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris always turn in great performances. I really enjoyed Carrie Coon as Nick's sister and Kim Dickens as the detective looking into Amy's disappearance. But Rosamund Pike as Amy stole the show for me. She was the perfect choice - she too is a chameleon changing with whatever situation she's in or who she's 'performing' for. And does it all with a smile on her face....that doesn't reach her eyes......

What a fantastically devious cat and mouse game. The viewer is pulled in one direction and then abruptly the rug is pulled out from underneath you - and the game changes - and then changes again. Absolutely, positively recommended! Gone Girl is one of the few movies I would watch again. Watch the trailer below and you'll see what I mean.....

The Blu-ray includes a director's commentary and an 'Amazing Amy Tattletale' book - a delightful little book that is so wrong - and so right for the movie.

Winner - The Book of Life Blu-ray Combo

The randomly chosen lucky winner of a copy of The Book of Life on Blu-ray courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is:

TammyKD!

Congratulations! I've contacted you for your mailing address. Please respond with 48 hours. After that time, a new winner will be chosen. Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!

Giveaway - The Maze Runner on Blu-ray AND the novel!!

Happy Holidays to you readers! Here's one last (fantastic!) giveaway for you this week!

I participated in the Twitter viewing party of The Maze Runner on Blu-ray with author James Dashner last Friday night. I always wait with bated breath to see if a great book can make the leap to film without losing the original premise and everything I loved. Director Wes Ball's adaptation absolutely did.

There were a few minor differences, but Ball nailed it - helped along by a marvelous cast of characters that captured the mental images I'd created for these characters. The setting brought the Glade and the maze to life, the Grievers were suitably frightening and the action non-stop. And if you've read the book - the twist is beautifully played. And if you haven't read the book - well I have a copy of that to give away as well!

"Will you make it out alive? Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment invites you to unlock the mysteries of the maze on December 16 when THE MAZE RUNNER hits Blu-ray™ and DVD. Based on the book by James Dashner that made The New York Times best-sellers list for more than 100 weeks, THE MAZE RUNNER brings together an up-and-coming cast of young talent including Dylan O’Brien (“Teen Wolf,” The Internship), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“Game of Thrones”), Will Poulter (We’re the Millers), and Kaya Scodelario (“Skins”) that do whatever it takes to survive. In this heart-pounding survival thriller based on the best-selling novel, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien of MTV’s “Teen Wolf” ) wakes up trapped in a massive, ever-changing maze with a group of boys who have no memory of the outside world. Facing dangerous obstacles at every turn — especially the deadly Grievers that roam the concrete corridors at night — Thomas and the others must race to piece together clues in order to discover their true purpose… and find a way out before it’s too late!

 THE MAZE RUNNER Blu-ray™ comes in a 2-Disc Combo Pack, including two hours of pulse-stopping bonus features that make for the ultimate fan gift this holiday season. Created especially for this release by BOOM! Comics, dive into the backstory world of the Gladers before Thomas’ arrival, with the limited-edition, twenty-four page prequel comic book written by director Wes Ball and co-screenwriter T.S. Nowlin. Fans will also receive a limited time offer for the mobile game featuring a bonus runner “Newt” plus free in-game currency on Blu-ray™ and DVD.

 SPECIAL FEATURES ● 24-Page Prequel Comic Book ● Deleted Scenes with Commentary from Wes Ball ● Navigating The Maze: The Making of The Maze Runner (A Five Part Documentary that includes: The Maze is Born, Creating the World, Finding the Gang, The Movie Inside the Maze, and The Digital Details) ● The “Chuck Diaries” ● Gag Reel ● Visual Effects Reels ● Ruin Wes Ball Short Film in 2D and 3D with Commentary from Wes Ball ● Audio Commentary by Wes Ball and T.S. Nowlin ● Galleries"

Sound like a movie you'd like to watch and own?! Simply leave a comment to be entered. One lucky reader will receive a Blu-ray copy of The Maze Runner AND a copy of the book by James Dashner. Open to US and Canada, no PO boxes please. One entry per person. Let's let this one run until next year - ends January 4/15.

Winner - The Grand Budapest Hotel

And the very lucky winner of a copy of The Grand Budapest Hotel, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is:

Brentlie S!

Congratulations! I've contacted you by email for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. After that time, a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to all who entered. Check the sidebar for ongoing giveaways.

Giveaway - The Grand Budapest Hotel on Blu-Ray!

The Grand Budapest Hotel releases tomorrow! This is a movie I can't wait to watch! Thanks to the great folks at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, I have a Blu-Ray copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!!

"THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of legendary concierge Gustave H. and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft of a priceless painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis - all against the backdrop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent."

Special Features-----⦁ Bill Murray Tours The Town ⦁ Kunstmuseum Zubrowka Lecture ⦁ The Society of the Crossed Keys⦁ The Making of the Grand Budapest Hotel ⦁ Part 1 – The Story ⦁ Part 2 – The Society of the Crossed Keys ⦁ Part 3 – Creating The Hotel ⦁ Part 4 – Creating A World ⦁ Mendl’s Secret Recipe ⦁ Promotional Featurettes – “Cast” and “Wes Anderson” ⦁ Stills Gallery ⦁ Theatrical Trailer

Wes Anderson’s Troupe of Unforgettable Characters

Part of what makes Wes Anderson’s films so iconic is his recurring troupe of talented actors in unforgettable roles and cameos. This gallery takes a look at the actors Anderson can’t stay away from and the roles that defined their collaboration.

"Bill Murray: The iconic actor is a strong supporter of Wes Anderson’s works and has appeared in most of his movies starting their amazing relationship with Rushmore. For Rushmore, where Murray portrayed a wealthy industrialist, Anderson revealed to have paid the actor the bare minimum allowed by the Screen Actors Guild ($9,000). Bill Murray has admitted that the part of Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic was one of the hardest roles he’s ever played and that the main reason he did it was because Wes Anderson was helming it. I’m sure we can all agree that that decision contributed to the cementation of their future collaborations.

Tilda Swinton: Tilda Swinton arrived relatively late to the Wes Anderson game but has appeared in his last two consecutive films in very different roles. In Moonrise Kingdom, which has become the movie that defined her collaboration with Anderson, she played Social Services while in The Grand Budapest Hotel she underwent a major transformation to become an elderly woman who ultimately succumbs to her evil son’s antics.

Adrien Brody: Speaking of Tilda Swinton’s evil son in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Adrien Brody has appeared in three Anderson films: The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. As part of the Whitmans in Darjeeling, Brody was able to seamlessly implant himself into a project that was so comfortably arranged (both Schwartzman and Owen Wilson had worked with Anderson before). This volatile threesome became inseparable enough that it was hard to imagine the fake brothers to not be a package deal in the movies that followed.

Owen Wilson: Starting this list off is Owen Wilson who was been in seven of Anderson’s eight films. From Bottle Rocket to Fantastic Mr. Fox and the newest The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson’s audiences can assume that Wilson is one of his closest colleagues. In fact, Anderson first met the actor at the University of Texas in Austin where they immediately became friends. Wilson’s defining role is, arguably, that of Eli Cash in The Royal Tenenbaums. This part brought out Owen Wilson’s unmistakable wit, which seems to be lost amongst some of his most uncouth movies.

Anjelica Huston: Huston’s roles in Wes Anderson films usually feature her as the matriarch of a quirky family. Along with Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston is one of the seasoned veterans heading Anderson’s great cast of characters. She played part in three of his movies starting with The Royal Tenenbaums where she perfectly captured his vision for the role. We haven’t seen her in Anderson’s latest films, but she is sure to make an appearance in his future works.

Jason Schwartzman: The role of Max Fischer in Rushmore was the one that defined Jason Schwartzman’s collaboration with Wes Anderson and his acting career in general. When he auditioned for the part, Schwartzman was 17 and dreamed of being a writer, not an actor. Almost ten years after Rushmore, he co-wrote the script for The Darjeeling Limited and has been in every Anderson film since.

Luke Wilson: Aside from helping Owen Wilson express his great comedic timing, another certain Wes Anderson movie also helped launch the successful career of Owen’s brother Luke. Luke Wilson co-starred in Bottle Rocket and then went on to participate in a slew of Hollywood films that now make up his long roster of accomplishments. Wilson collaborated with Anderson in some of his other movies such as Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums."

If you'd like to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel, simply leave a comment telling me which actor is your favourite for a chance to win a Blu-Ray copy! Open to US and Canada. No PO boxes please. (Ensure I have a way to contact you, either through your blog, email etc)

Ends June 29/14

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Digital HD

Do you remember reading James Thurber's short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty ? Thurber wrote it in 1939. It's a delightfully droll story of a man who daydreams constantly of a life bigger than the one he's leading. He imagines himself as the hero, the savior, the one who can save the day.....and then he's dropped back into his humdrum life by the voice of reason - his wife.

Well, Ben Stiller has brought that little story to the big screen - directing, producing and starring in the movie version of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It's available now to download in Digital HD format from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. You can download from your choice of sources - I used Google Play. Downloading films is something I've just started doing. The Digital HD format allows viewing on devices you can also read books on. For me that's my Ipad - it pretty much goes wherever I do, so I can always entertain myself! (And watch more than once!) I can watch on any and all of my devices, including our gaming system and computer. I was surprised to find that the Digital HD version came out 2 weeks before the Blu-ray and Dvd versions. (They're due out April 15 - Make sure you scroll to the bottom for a chance to win a Blu-ray copy!)

I'm always hesitant when a book is turned into a movie or when a classic show is redone. Will they stay true to the original? If it's different, is it within reason? Will I enjoy it? Well in this case the answer is yes, I did enjoy it. And yes, it's a bit different from the original. But I like Stiller's additions. After all, the short story only gave us a wee glimpse of Walther and his secret life. In the modern day version, Walter is not married, but is living a small, quiet life. He wants more - and he frequently 'zones out' imagining what he wants to do, be and have. The turning point comes when a negative of the last cover of Life Magazine is lost. This is Walter's job and he takes it seriously. He spontaneously embarks on a journey to find that photographer (Sean Penn) and 'frame 25'.

I really enjoyed The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. There's that rom/com will they, won't they element(Kristen Wiggplays Walter's crush Cheryl). Stiller plays a wonderful character - it's impossible not to feel for Walter when he's treated badly or faces another disappointment. And just as hard to not cheer him on when he decides to "Let Life In". His imaginary situations become reality and it kinda makes you want to be on the trip with him. Part of the film was shot in Iceland and some in British Columbia - the scenery is absolutely magnificent. Enter to win a trip to Iceland - Let Life In. #LetLifeIn You can find Walter Mitty on Facebook and on Twitter, on Tumblr and Instagram.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is just one of those feel good movies that make you smile. Eminently entertaining! Here's a sneak peek below. And click here to enter a giveaway for a Blu-ray copy of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - and a copy of James Thurber stories - and a LetLifeIn Tumbler!

PG  Genre: Adventure  2013  Subtitles:English SDH, French, Spanish