CHUD

Special Features:

The Warriors Code: Filming The Fighter HD
Keeping the Faith HD
Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary*) HD
Digital Copy
DVD Copy

The Fighter grew on me like most of Russell’s work. However, it’s still his most conventional film and one that can be used to entice outside viewers to his larger milieu. Melissa Leo and Christian Bale have just come off Oscar wins for the film and I do believe that they were deserved. However, so much of the motion picture rests on Mark Wahlberg’s shoulders. Sure, he’s an actor that falls into familiar traps, but he tries so hard. There aren’t enough level-headed actors left in the industry that just want to function as the team anchor. I won’t worry for Wahlberg, as his time will come again. The release sports a set-up that I’m enjoying out of Paramount. While they know that they aren’t loading their discs with special features, they’re fighting the battle for your wallet. Loading a DVD and Digital Copy onto a lower priced disc, helps to get better films into the hands of more people. Kudos to them.

WASTE LAND

New Video

Special Features:

Featurette

Waste Land was a documentary that snuck up on me in the later months of 2010. Brazilian artist Vik Muniz works in the world’s largest landfill, as he tries to create environmentally conscious art. Basically, Muniz applauds the work of the local garbage pickers and he wants to help them out. This leads Muniz to spend days taking pictures of the workers, as their efforts reshape the landfill into something more manageable. The whole Gestalt method of shifting garbage provides a larger landscape and help Muniz to sell the pictures that he takes. In turn, the profits from the photo sales will be given to the garbage pickers. It’s a great documentary helmed by Lucy Walker, as she steps back and lets Muniz’s kind heart empower the picture.

BMX BANDITS
Directors: Brian Trenchard-Smith

Severin

Special Features:

Featurettes
Trailers
Classic Promotion Footage with 16 year old Nicole Kidman
Director’s Commentary

BMX Bandits arrives on Blu-Ray from my heroes at Severin. Porting over most of the special features from the two-disc Australian Special Edition release, Severin has given us what must be the definitive release for this film. I know that younger readers might not have had the opportunity to watch this flick on a loop thanks to vintage Showtime and The Movie Channel airings, so I’ll give a quick breakdown. A couple of Aussie kids discover a carton of walkie-talkies. Using their new found gadgets, they stumble upon the plans of some local bank robbers. This leads to BMX feats of daring-do, as the Bandits beat the robbers with BMX justice. Yeah, I know it sounds dumb, but it’s fucking awesome.

YI YI

Director: Edward Yang

Criterion

Special Features:

Newly restored digital transfer, with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrackAudio commentary by writer-director Edward Yang and Asian-cinema critic Tony Rayns

Video interview with Rayns about Yang and the New Taiwan Cinema movement

U.S. theatrical trailer

Original English subtitle translation by Yang and Rayns

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film writer Kent Jones and notes from the director

Yi Yi is one of the best family dramas ever made. Staring down death, financial difficulty and general self-doubt…three generations of one family makes their way through life in Taipei. What Edward Yang accomplishes with this film is a goal that countless other directors spend careers trying to illustrate. The point being that truth is irrelevant, as human behavior and free will is constantly reshaping our world and our definition of truth. There is truth that we hold to the self and truths that we are asked to accept as blind fact. When the individual begins to question the authority of these truths, that’s where see the internal drama and strife that has been plaguing these family pieces since the days of Sirk.

Music

Section By Jeb D.

DANCING BACKWARD IN HIGH HEELS

New York Dolls

Possibly the most ironic aspect of the Dolls being referred to as “Godfathers of Punk” (or similar catch phrases) is that the ossification of the “punk” attitude into one of smug nihilism couldn’t be farther from that of the Dolls: frontman David Johansen is arguably the warmest, most open and honest rock and roll singer since Rod Stewart’s glory days, and such songs as “Kids Like You” and “You Don’t Have To Cry” recall heart-on-the-sleeve classics like “Maggie May” or “You Wear It Well.” And while punk spent most of whatever heyday it had limiting its sonic possibilities, the Dolls were always open to everything from girl-group kitsch to Stones crunch and anything in between, and in their instinctive-and amateurish-way, they made those sounds into something completely their own. While the Dolls’ two previous “comeback” albums were among my favorites of the past few years, this one might be even better. Rather than shooting for the hard-rocking focus that characterized their 1973 debut, this has more of the musical grab-bag quality of 1974’s Too Much Too Soon. The band is helped enormously by the addition of former Blondie guitarist Frank Infante, who is better able than his recent predecessors to bring just a touch of the late Johnny Thunders’ mad spirit to the proceedings. And there’s Noo Yawk attitude aplenty, from the kiss-off snark of “I’m So Fabulous” to the sax-driven frenzy of “Round and Round We Go.” Johansen has rarely been more cheerfully cracked than on the cover of “I Sold My Heart To The Junkman,” and he reaches back to his solo debut for a spirited “Funky But Chic.” Great stuff, fellas, but c’mon: we’re three albums into the New Era, and where’s “Teenage News”? But, then, I suppose, none of us are teenagers anymore, are we?

NO COLOR

The Dodos

More chirpy complexity from San Francisco. The Dodos stand out from the run of today’s indie-rock mill with their focus on big, busy upfront percussion. Even more so than on previous releases, though, this album actually offers a few tunes that stick to the ribs: “Going Under” is catchy and inescapable, “Black Night” rhythmically intense, and “Don’t Stop” boasts a radio-ready melody. Typically, though, the album is more about sound than sense: “Companions” begins with brisk, urgent finger-plucking, followed by deep, resonant second guitar, then some electric whine, string ostinati, and always the pounding drums… it’s compelling stuff, but the hazy, droning vocals don’t really take the song anywhere: “If I can wait / Could you be my / Companion?” Neko Case lends backing vocals, demonstrating yet again that she’s the rare singer who can effectively take a step back from her leading role, blending elegantly without needing to command attention. Despite the title, it’s definitely not a colorless album: the instrumental textures and vocal harmonies will keep you coming back for more, even if the songwriting’s not always up to the instrumental acumen on display.

THE BIG ROAR

The Joy Formidable

A lot of people seem to find this band—singer-guitarist Ritzy Bryan, Drummer Matt Thomas, and bassist Rhydian Dafydd—the Next Big Thing, but I mostly hear the latest step along the Curve/Pale Saints/Garbage continuum, fronted by a singer whose voice is perfectly serviceable, but decidedly lacking in character when matched against Halliday or Manson. The wall of sound is appealing in a heavy-muzak kind of way, but any time a chorus actually seems to bob to the surface (“The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie,””Heavy Abacus,” ) I’m more put in mind of Evanescence than I’d prefer. And even the catchier melodies, like “I Don’t Want To See You Like This,” are tied to fairly rote breakup sentiments like… well, like “I Don’t’ Want To See You Like This.” It’s possible this one will be a grower, as it’s pleasant enough when you don’t have to pay attention to it. But that’s not exactly my idea of high praise.

PURSUIT OF RADICAL RHAPSODY

Al DiMeola

Di Meola’s always backed his impressive guitar chops with unusual strength as a composer and bandleader, and of all his jazz-prog peers, he might have the most instinctive sense for the melding of Latin and North American jazz. Following on the recent successful Return to Forever reunion, Di Meola’s World Sonfonia band (accordionist Fausto Beccalossi, second guitarist Kevin Seddiki, bassist Victor Miranda, drummer Peter Kazsas, and percussionist Gumbi Ortiz) blend Argentinian tango, Spanish flamenco, music of the Middle East, and a generous helping of Afro-Cuban salsa. Guests include bassist Charlie Haden and Havana-born pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Most of the compositions are Di Meola originals, and the Afro-Cuban influence is lush and exhilarating on “Gumbiero” and “Destination: Gonzalo.” Di Meloa and company also flex their chops on surprisingly apropors covers of “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Over the Rainbow.” Clear, brisk recording, and polyrhythms you could practically swim through: I expect this to be an early candidate for best jazz album of 2011.

Other Notable 3/15 Releases

Noah and the Whale, Last Night on Earth. With Mumford and Sons upfront, and Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling on the flanks, the odd-men-out of the current Brit-folk revival take a swerve to pop. Sugar Ray comparisons are premature, but not completely out of line. U-Decide: “”L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.”– 2011 summer radio classic or future teeth-grinding annoyance?

Trap Them, Darker Handcraft. Says here these guys are “bleak, angry and desperate.” That should tell you if they’re in your wheelhouse, as the hip kids say these days.

Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, Rare Bird Alert. If a clutch of great original numbers like “Atheists Ain’t Got No Songs,” and guest appearances by Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks, to go along with some damned accomplished playing aren’t enough, could I tempt you with a bluegrass version of “King Tut”?

Rise Against, Endgame. If we’re to have song cycles about coming to the end of a fucked-up civilization, I’ll take this straight-faced old-school stuff over the dilettante’s noodling of My Chemical Romance. I’ll admit, however, that song cycles about coming to the end of a fucked-up civilization aren’t as high on my list of priorities as they might be. But points for coming out against gay teen suicide and Katrina, guys.

The Naked And Famous, Passive Me Aggressive You. Drawing inspiration (and sometimes melodies) from Radiohead, Pendulum, The Raveonettes, MGMT, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem… if there’s a modern pop influence that Thom Powers and Alisa Xayalith have overlooked, let them know and I’m sure they’ll get right on it.

J Mascis, Several Shades of Why. You’ll file this mostly-acoustic outing with Bob Mould’s Workbook. Whether you’ll listen to it more than a couple of times is another story, but I kinda like Workbook, so I might stick with this one for a bit.

VIDEO GAMES

edited by: Justin Clark

HOMEFRONT
THQ
360, PS3, PC
3/15
$59.99

Homefront, as gameplay and as pure storytelling, looks fantastic. The best parts of Modern Warfare 2, combined with the urban guerilla warfare that parks the first and third acts of Half-Life 2, with a realistic military viciousness that pulls zero punches. All this, fine in theory. At the same time, you know you’re in trouble when Six Days In Fallujah seems fair and balanced by comparison. Homefront, as speculative fiction, just plain looks bad for us. Previews give the impression that Korea, in Homefront, is basically conducting an American holocaust. We’re good, they’re bad, KILL. The game has the right idea, from a standpoint of pure artistry, creating a tension and atmosphere war games could definitely use, but taking cues off a real-world scenario where things most certainly do NOT skew that black and white, then asking the player to not acknowledge how fucked up it is when 12 year olds are gunning down North Koreans with extreme prejudice while calling each other dickniggers on XBox Live kinda shames us all.

OKAMIDEN
Capcom
DS
3/15
$29.99

Capcom loves you. It has been said and proven numerous times. They love you so much they’re giving you fuckers one more, and I MEAN one more chance to prove that gamers are not, collectively, assholes. I understand why you might not have played Okami. It came out on the PS2 when everybody was focused on the 360 and PS3. I get that. And the remake came out on the Wii, which means its target appreciative audience never saw hide or hair of the thing. Despite the fact that you people should’ve been starved for the cel-shaded Zelda-esque action that game provided, I even get that. Okamiden, on the other hand, is on the fucking DS. HUNDREDS of millions of you, from all walks of gamer life, own that thing, and rightfully so. THERE IS NOW NO EXCUSE. Own a DS, own this.

YAKUZA 4
Sega
PS3
3/15
$59.99

I really wish I liked this series more. Actually, scratch that. I wish this series was better, for one. The stories have been quality, but the combat’s always been clunky as hell. But at the same time, I’d be loath to say I hate the fact that they keep happening. They’re the only ones trying to do the GTA thing in a Japanese setting, even if the U.S. does keep getting screwed on the little Japanese quirks that make the locales feel rounded out. So, we’re on number 4 now and I’ve been trying to find out what’s different and besides the fact that hostess bars apparently made the cut, I’m coming up goose eggs. Still, this game has a fanbase, and I can’t really fault any of them.

MOTO GP 10/11
Capcom
PS3
3/15
$39.99