New to On Demand & DVD Archives - Page 86 of 90

VOD Spotlight: “The Social Network” is a slap in the Facebook

February 2, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Karl J. Paloucek It wasn’t all that long ago that we lived in a world without Facebook. But as with all things in the information age, change happens rapidly, and the difference between being at the vanguard of change and just behind it can not only be razor-thin, but it can also be enough to sever friendships that should have lasted a lifetime. In essence, this is the story of The Social Network. Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg stars as an unbelievably arrogant Mark Zuckerberg in the story of the socially awkward rise of Facebook, the most successful social networking […]

VOD Spotlight: Jovovich makes “Resident Evil” franchise her own

January 27, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

The Resident Evil films may be based on a video game, but the franchise plays by its own rules and has become famous for unexpectedly killing off major characters without warning. Not so for Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, who now appears in Resident Evil: Afterlife. “Alice is the ultimate heroine,” producer Don Carmody says. “She‘s a combination of Wonder Woman and Indiana Jane and she‘s out there kicking ass and taking names.”

VOD Spotlight: A long, unlikely journey to the screen for “Takers”

January 18, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

In the crime drama Takers, a gang of high-living bank robbers planning a multimillion-dollar heist find their plans complicated by a tough-guy cop closing in on their operation. Matt Dillon, Paul Walker and Idris Elba star. The story of Takers begins with Gabriel Casseus, an actor who had never written a screenplay before. After a night at Hollywood’s fabled Mann’s Chinese Theater, Casseus was struck by an inspiration. “The idea for the movie came to me complete from beginning to end,” he says. “But I didn’t know how to write a script. By chance, I had read a script written […]

VOD Spotlight: Valuable “Despicable Me” time

January 6, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Mike Frey Who says bad guys never win? Pitted against the latest installments from Disney/Pixar’s and DreamWorks Animation’s signature series this summer, Universal’s Despicable Me held its own, finishing between Toy Story 3 and Shrek Forever After in domestic gross. The film performed well enough that a sequel is already in the works. While the movie was a box-office triumph, it was no small victory for parents looking for a decent movie to watch with their kids, either.

VOD Spotlight: Angelina Jolie shakes up “Salt”

January 4, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Karl J. Paloucek Ah, the good old days of the Cold War. Back then, we knew who our enemies were. Or did we? And who ever said it was over? Director Phillip Noyce’s Salt plays a shell game with the notions of loyalty, truth and identity against a backdrop of international intrigue.

VOD Spotlight: “The Other Guys” a welcome foray into comedy for Wahlberg

December 28, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

In The Other Guys, Will Ferrell re-teams with director Adam McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights) for an action-packed comedy about a pair of mismatched New York City detectives who seize an opportunity to grab the spotlight — just like the city’s top cops whom they idolize — when a seemingly dull case turns out to be a massive financial conspiracy. Mark Wahlberg and Eva Mendes also star in the hit film. Mark Wahlberg, the Oscar-nominated actor known for his tough-guy action roles, in a comedy opposite Will Ferrell? This is actually the fulfillment of a desire on both their parts.

VOD Spotlight: An Italian job for Clooney’s “American”

December 28, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Karl J. Paloucek One of the great things about being an A-list movie personality is having the ability to pick your projects. And one of the best things about George Clooney is that he does, with relish. The Ocean’s series; Good Night, and Good Luck; Burn After Reading — the variety says a lot for Clooney’s ability and curiosity. This month, one of his more austere roles comes to the small screen with The American, directed by Anton Corbijn (Control).

VOD Spotlight: “Devil” closes in

December 21, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

Devil is the first installment of The Night Chronicles, a series of terrifying stories conceived by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) that he turns into movies with up-and-coming filmmakers. As these talented writers and directors bring Shyamalan’s tales to life, he collaborates with them on new ways to scare us all. Things get off to a creepy start with Devil, in which five people trapped in an elevator come to realize that one of them is the devil. As those on the outside try in vain to free them, the remaining passengers realize that the only way to survive […]

VOD Spotlight: Becoming “Nanny McPhee”

December 17, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

In Nanny McPhee Returns, the ever-helpful Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson, who also wrote and co-executive produced the film) comes to the aid of a harried young mother (Maggie Gyllenhaal) trying to run the family farm while her husband is on duty during World War II. When some snooty cousins move in, the nanny sets to work teaching them proper manners and respect. Thompson, who starred in the original 2005 film Nanny McPhee, reprises her fun role as the title nanny. While McPhee’s magic is similar to a Mary Poppins, her physical appearance — complete with warts, facial hair and a […]

VOD Spotlight: Affleck and Renner on “The Town”

December 17, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

Ben Affleck directs and stars in The Town, playing Doug MacRay, the head of a crew of thieves that robs banks — and who forms a relationship with one of the group’s former hostages. And, with the FBI struggling to bring them down, their worst enemy may be the hothead in their group. The Town is based on the novel Prince of Thieves, written by Chuck Hogan. Hailing from Massachusetts, Hogan situated the crime drama in the Charlestown area for a reason: the Boston neighborhood has produced more bank and armored car robbers than any other single square mile in […]