JCVD

PEACE ARCH

MOVIE A-

SPECIAL FEATURES D

DVD GEEK FACTOR 7

(OUT OF 10)

Here’s a surprise: One of last year’s more moving, complicated
performances was delivered by none other than Jean-Claude Van
Damme.

Playing himself in a film that passes as both a satirical comedy and
a decent action thriller, Van Damme makes the most interesting of
comebacks. After fighting in a Los Angeles court for custody of his
daughter, Van Damme returns home to Europe, physically and financially
broke. A visit to a bank goes awry, and Van Damme finds himself in a
hostage situation.

Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri, the film opens with a long, extended
shot that is technically marvelous and proves that Van Damme still has
the goods for action, even though he does complain that the
complexities of the shoot are tough, considering his age. There are a
couple of improvised scenes (most notably one in a taxi) that show Van
Damme’s surprising range. He has a long monologue staring straight into
the camera that is easily the best thing he’s ever done.

El Mechri gives the film an interesting, washed-out look that goes
beautifully with Van Damme’s exhausted appearance. The whole film is
about Van Damme’s fallen status, and Van Damme seems more than willing
to admit he’s a fading star. However, if he can find more projects like
this one, and can prove his acting here was no fluke, the man could
have a decent new life in Hollywood, for sure.

Wait a minute … it looks like his biggest upcoming film is
Universal Soldiers 3. Oh, well.

SPECIAL FEATURES: A couple of deleted scenes. A Van Damme
commentary would’ve been nice.

Walt Disney Animation Collection: Mickey and the
Beanstalk

DISNEY

MOVIE B

SPECIAL FEATURES B+

DVD GEEK FACTOR 8

(OUT OF 10)

I can’t remember the last time I saw this. It may’ve been some
Sunday night on The Wonderful World of Disney when I was a kid.
However, I must’ve watched it 100 times, because I remembered it quite
vividly as I watched it recently.

This is a film from the era when Disney busted ass on everything,
including short films. This sort of stuff gets the computer-animation
treatment these days, but back then, these films were hand-painted
masterworks. The story here has Mickey, Donald and Goofy getting some
magic beans, growing a beanstalk and facing off against a dopey
giant.

This is part of an animated series that includes other classics like
Three Little Pigs and The Prince and the Pauper. The only
reason the disc doesn’t get an A is because the audio mix is off: The
voices are often drowned out by the music.

SPECIAL FEATURES: More short films, including The Brave
Little Tailor, Thru the Mirror and Gulliver Mickey.
Everything is totally worth your time.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

PARAMOUNT/CRITERION

MOVIE A

SPECIAL FEATURES A-

DVD GEEK FACTOR 9

(OUT OF 10)

One of last year’s better films is so far one of this year’s best
DVDs. Paramount farmed this one out to Criterion, the group with the
magic touch when it comes to DVDs.

You all know this by now, but Brad Pitt stars as a man who ages
backward, much to our visual delight. He’s terrific, as is Cate
Blanchett as the woman with whom he falls in love.

Director David Fincher, normally known for dark films, delivers his
happiest film yet. That’s not to say this movie doesn’t have dark
undercurrents, because it most certainly does. A nighttime naval battle
is among the best scenes he’s ever filmed.

SPECIAL FEATURES: A Fincher commentary and lots of stuff
detailing how they made the film look the way it does. It’s pretty damn
fascinating.

Valkyrie

20TH CENTURY FOX

MOVIE B+

SPECIAL FEATURES A-

DVD GEEK FACTOR 8

(OUT OF 10)

This suffered through a lot of bad pre-release publicity, including
a release-date change and rumors that Tom Cruise’s performance was
especially bad.

When it did finally hit screens, Valkyrie proved itself to be a
captivating and capable thriller about a real attempt by German
soldiers to kill Hitler during World War II. Cruise plays Col. Claus
von Stauffenberg, a decorated war hero who earns the trust of the Third
Reich, even though he has every intention of blowing up Hitler and his
cronies in their bunker. Tom Wilkinson is especially good as a crooked
general who knows what’s going on, and Bill Nighy does well enough as a
soft-spoken general in on the plot.

Cruise is great in the film, directed by Bryan Singer (Superman
Returns and the first two X-Men). They didn’t attempt
authentic German accents, which probably would’ve been a distracting
mistake.

SPECIAL FEATURES: Cruise and Singer do a commentary, and I
say, “Hell, yeah!” I always like it when Cruise sits down and shares.
There are also some nice documentaries, including The Valkyrie
Legacy by Ken Burns, he of the baseball and Civil War docs.

This article appears in May 7-13, 2009.