This week, well…I’m really struggling to say anything nice about the films coming to Blu-Ray and DVD. Today brings the release of no less than 2 of the very worst movies of 2012, with one in particular being the saddest excuse for cinema that I’ve seen in quite some time. Aside from the film I ended up making my reluctant top pick and a widely praised flick that I don’t especially care for, there’s really nothing here that even approaches mediocrity in my eyes. It’s really a dreadful week, but still, I won’t let it get the best of me. I’m going to still give the column my all and just look forward to the weeks to come, which are actually pretty great. For my PICK OF THE WEEK, I was pretty much forced to either go with a decent yet forgettable film or a movie I really don’t like much but know that many others do. I kept my pride and went with the lesser of two evils. What did I choose? Well, it’s:

Neil Young Journeys

Jonathan Demme’s latest musical documentary again focuses on Neil Young, essentially making a trilogy. I’m not a huge fan of Young’s, though I don’t hate him, so my interest was already limited going in. I did enjoy it, but it’s really mainly of interest in those who really like the musician or are Demme completists. I’m not especially either, so I’m recommending this with a caveat. Still, this is the best thing out to me, so I’m giving it the go ahead. If you’re a fan, pick it up and enjoy!

-Before I get to my #2 selection, I have to take some time out once again to bash the propaganda posing as a documentary that is 2016: Obama’s America. The type of venom that this brought out in me almost never happens, so you must know how bad this is. It’s one of the worst things I’ve perhaps ever seen, but I’ll simply say that you should not give this any of your time or money. Even if you really don’t like the President, don’t support this type of clearly false character assassination. You can however read my review of it once again, which you can find here. It’s just offensive to every other documentary on shelves along with it.

-By proxy my runner up choice this week has to be Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. I still maintain that it’s one of the filmmaker’s more disappointing efforts, but I seem to be distinctly in the minority here. There’s some nice acting and a few amusing moments, but overall it’s far too much of a mixed bag to recommend. I know plenty of you will be picking it up anyway, so go for it if you so desire. I’m just not endorsing it.

-Also out today we have the only mildly amusing Adam Sandler movie That’s My Boy, the pointless sequel Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, the dreadful horror film Chernobyl Diaries, as well as the drama Last Ride, the fright flick The Tortured, and the comedy Turn Me On, Dammit!. I can’t say that any of these are really worth your time in any regard, but I suppose that it’s your call in the end. Just please, choose wisely…

-My Vintage pick, in honor of this week’s release of The First Time is actually filmmaker Jon Kasdan’s last flick. It’s In the Land of Women, an underrated movie that I’ve previously cited but will be waxing poetic on again. Kasdan is such a clever writer, and here he was able to properly use Kristen Stewart in a supporting role, something that isn’t always the case, while also portraying Meg Ryan in a far more complex light than we were usually privy to. He also tried to make a movie star out of Adam Brody, and if the film had made any money, it would have. The film is funny, moving, and charming in all the right ways. I like his new movie a lot more, but this is very solid too. Be sure to see The First Time this weekend, but until then, take another look at Kasdan’s prior work.

-What will you be watching on Blu-Ray/DVD this week? Discuss in the comments!

About Joey Magidson

When he’s not obsessing over new Oscar predictions on a weekly basis, Joey is seeing between 200 and 300 movies a year. He views the best in order to properly analyze the awards race/season each year, but he also watches the worst for reasons he mostly sums up as "so you all don't have to". In his spare time, you can usually find him complaining about the Jets or the Mets. Still, he lives and dies by film. Joey's a voting member of the Internet Film Critics Association as well. Today the IFCA, tomorrow the world!

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