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- Review count127
- Helpfulness votes25
- First reviewJune 27, 2014
- Last reviewJuly 11, 2018
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
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![Focus [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3844/3844429_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
3
Will Smith Doing What He Does Best
on June 8, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
I faced something of a conundrum with Focus as I was really rooting for it and yet I'm wondering if I enjoyed the film more because it wasn't as all over the board as it seemed to be or if it's because it's genuinely pretty fun. There is also the case of Will Smith. Smith is one of those personalities I feel like I've known my entire life and that I've grown up with. And like many, I've acquired an affinity for the actor/rapper over the years and have been happy to support him in his mega-stardom and remain hopeful when he delivers bombs like After Earth. If anything, anyone who is, was or might still be a Smith fan was looking to Focus to redeem our hope in big Willie's style and get the guy back on track, back to where he needed to be both at this point in his life and career. For me, that was the aura surrounding this film and it felt good because Smith had never looked cleaner and the film had all the same slick edges to it that seemed to match Smith pound for pound in its style. Written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love) these guys are the first ones in what seems like too long that actually know how to use Smith in what he does best. In Focus there are plenty of pretty people wearing what are no doubt outrageously expensive clothing in exotic locations, but it is the confidence of Smith not only in his appearance, but in the way he conducts himself and his ability to portray all of that effortlessly with a sense of cool to match that keeps him our main point of, well, focus. And so, despite being concerned I was coming at the film from something of a biased perspective (though really, I have no reason to) I can't help but feel it follows through on what it promised in that it's a stylish con man thriller in the vein of not only pulling one over on its characters, but the audience as well in that they're too self-aware to go for the "one con to end them all" scheme, but that they instead get away with as many twists and turns as they do while coming out unscathed with audiences who are seemingly hip to their game. In a movie that is so much fun to watch with characters so attractive and interesting one is literally unable to take their eyes off the screen.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Jupiter Ascending [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3473/3473056_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Science Fiction Bonanza, but Original Nonetheless
on June 8, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
There is something oddly charming to the outright oddity that Jupiter Ascending is trying so hard to be. It is in this pushing, this trying to separate itself that the Wachowksi siblings, Andy and Lana, perpetuate their inherent "weirdness" while what they are actually trying to do is paint a mind of possibilities in a way that feels illogical when first introduced, but makes greater sense as a greater understanding and deeper contemplation are taken into account. As written by The Wachowski's it would seem likely that Jupiter Ascending once had a greater amount of substance to it than what the final product delivers. As the credits began to roll what I was left with was the incessant nagging of my brain questioning what exactly the directing duo were trying to say with this film. There is always a stream of consciousness to The Wachowski's films hinting at an overarching theme, but it seemed all I was left with here were a few cool ideas, some exceptional visuals and a solid piece of entertainment value, but little to actually ponder. Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with making an outright spectacle that delivers large scale thrills in spades with little to no substance, but what makes Jupiter Ascending not that type of movie is that it's clear that wasn't the original intent of its creators. Throughout, there are consistent hints of a much larger, much stronger narrative existing within this well-developed universe The Wachowski's have created, but unfortunately much of it is lost in the barrage of frequent action scenes that take us from point A to point B. It's also true that the plot becomes a little too convoluted and tiresome by the time it reaches the third act yet I was never bored either with what I saw unfolding in front of me or what might be staged next. In this regard, while Jupiter Ascending is certainly strange to the point it will immediately off-put some and may be The Wachowski's most outright weird production to date, for others familiar with their work it is also their most commercially accessible given the style over substance mentality it has seemed to take on in its delay. Despite it not living up to what I'd hoped it to be, there is still plenty of fun to be had here and more than enough to marvel at.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Paddington [2 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4131/4131017_sa.jpg)
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Having spent what were essentially the first five years of my life in England and my mothers side of the family holding strong roots in Great Britain there was always an affinity for British culture in our household. In those early years when my father was stationed in Mildenhall Paddington became a known personality-whether it be by his books or the large doll we had to play with. Seeing this sweet and innocent facade brought to life on the big screen with exuberance and such sweet joy not only transported me back to my own childhood, but gave me something to connect over with my own young daughter. The film itself contains a plot where you might see exactly where it's going, but it is the inherent charm that oozes from the performers, the humor and the sense of family between our core characters that comes through more than anything else.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Wedding Ringer [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3528/3528102_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Hart Delivers Laughs in 1st R-rated Comedy
on June 2, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Writer/director Jimmy Garelick and star Kevin Hart know what they have on their hands with The Wedding Ringer. It is clear from the first moment Hart shows up on screen and they wear it on their sleeve with a badge of honor. In what is essentially a mash-up of Wedding Crashers and I Love You, Man as well as any other movie you've ever seen with "wedding" in the title there is nothing innovative or unconventional about this film, but it has its laughs and that's all that really matters. With that, the film breezes through its expected beats with a care-free tone and consistent laugh factor that kept the audience I saw it with rolling (granted, they did get to see it for free). Still, this is a film that not much was initially expected of and, if anything, solidified the fact that studios were definitely trying to mold Hart into the next Adam Sandler as here the comedian is blatantly ripping on the title of Sandler's 1998 hit. Sandler is currently experiencing something of a slight drought in bankability and so the studios have moved in on who else they might turn to and Hart has proven a winning candidate so far. The man will allow them to throw together slapdash efforts of films that will turn huge profits on minuscule budgets year after year while trusting that the on-set riffs and improvisations are enough to satisfy audiences need for laughter. Yes, The Wedding Ringer is no doubt a film put together by a committee to appeal to as many people as possible and yes, it is predictable, slightly sexist with a cast of male chauvinist pigs at the core and never aspires to be more than it has to be, but in initially setting its bar so low it doesn't have as hard a time surpassing that bar. I realize this isn't high art, but it's not intended to be and so, for what it's worth, I found the film to be highly entertaining, extremely funny at parts and a raunch aspect that serves to ease the fact this is little more than a rom-com from the perspective of the fellas. The Wedding Ringer is what it is and if you buy a ticket knowing that, you'll get what you want. I wanted a mindless comedy and that's what I was given so consider me a happy customer, Mr. Hart.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Penguins of Madagascar [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1222/1222013_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
3
Fine Enough Family Entertainment
on April 25, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
The Madagascar films were always passable, inconsequential family entertainment and the first Penguins solo adventure is very much the same. More than pleasant and funny enough for fans of the earlier films featuring this crew of Spheniscidae's, but hardly anything you will remember the next day.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Top Five [2 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1763/1763236_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
The Kind of Comedy You Expect/Want from Chris Rock
on April 25, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Never have I been a huge fan of Chris Rock. I don't mind the guy, but his rise to fame as an edgy stand-up comedian was during a time in my life when I would never have been allowed to watch his specials. The Rock I know is the guy who did a voice for Eddie Murphy in Doctor Dolittle and who made Pootie Tang, Down to Earth and a handful of other forgettable comedies in the early part of the new millennium. Of course, as I've grown I've been able to gain a better perspective on the history of this spectacularly famous comic who, despite starring in such drab as What To Expect When You're Expecting and two Grown Ups films, maintains a most credible reputation as a top comic performer and a stand-up comedian with real intelligence and raw bite. While Rock's acting talent has clearly always been limited it is the intellect that provides his introspect that sets him apart. He knows how to tell a story, even if he isn't the most suitable to convey it and he understands that. So, what does he do? He goes ahead and writes a film about himself, perfect for him to lead and why not? You write what you know and as a comedian you speak the truth, you talk about everything and pull off the band aids and with that mentality Rock has put it all on the line. As a comedian maybe wanting, trying even to make a transition himself, what better way for him to plead his case? Like in Birdman Rock purposefully casts himself in the lead role of a man who mirrors his own real life experiences, but also like the Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu film this isn't just about a jaded actor trying to make a hit play or movie, but more about the legacy they want to leave. In talking specifically about Top Five, Rock is interested in discussing the kind of ego that comes along with being a personality that people become a fan of and keeping that personality in check so that the ego doesn't balloon that personality to something that's no longer valuable while still feeding the surrogate what they need from it. Ego is a disease, something you can become addicted to and as much as Rock lets out his frustrations on everything from reality TV to Tyler Perry movies this is ultimately about satisfying his own ego in hopes of doing more of what he wants while keeping fans of his personality interested by relying on what he's best known for.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Foxcatcher [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3345/3345126_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Strange on First Impression. Stays With you.
on April 25, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
It is difficult to fathom exactly what is going on in director Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher. The characters here are hesitant to let you into their worlds let alone their heads. As an audience member, we feel as if we're watching from the outside in on the situation at hand, never knowing the motivation of anyone as each seem to live in this world of fear. Whether it be John du Pont (Steve Carell), Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) or even Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) each possess a fear of either coming to terms with logic and the abnormalities of their situation or the fear of losing control. While the Schultz brothers are vastly different from one another they both come to understand the oddities of their circumstances at Du Pont's Foxcatcher farms. Du Pont, on the other hand, is little more than a mystery to everyone around him. Mark comes to the heir of the Du Pont family fortune early and allows the stranger things about his mentor to slip through the cracks because he shows a belief in him that no one else has ever extended. Still, despite the relationships that evolve and the dynamics that come to the surface never do we feel as if we can see why these characters are the way they are. Every line of dialogue though is used to peel back a layer of the characters and reveal something more about the backstory that has made this person who they are today. It is a technique that Miller uses most effectively allowing us to constantly crave more from the film while only giving away what it wants you to know so as to not poison the ambition of the project with unsatisfying conclusions. Whether you know what is coming or not you are riveted by the procedural nature of the film as it methodically chronicles the rise and fall of a friendship never believed to be genuine and the repercussions of the falling out of that paid for affection. Foxcatcher is a strange film filled with strange people, but it is all the more fascinating for it. It is a film I feel I could go on writing about for days and discussing at even greater length as I know each time I re-visit it I will only find new things that only highlight what I might have barely took note of before. It is a cold film, one that will at first seem off-putting for it, but the more you think about it the more the inhumanity produced by the circumstances it chronicles eats away at you.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Big Eyes [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3469/3469023_sa.jpg)
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Margaret Keane was made a prisoner and forced to live a lie. She was a timid, creative type not confident in her own skill and she was taken advantage of to the point she became trapped in this lie she felt she helped create. What was worse was that the cover-up of the initial lie became more punishing than the lie itself and only continued to grow and eat away at Margaret for the better part of a decade. With this type of story, this kind of inherently dramatic and interesting material there is plenty to dissect and examine and in the hands of a director like Tim Burton you might imagine that to be pretty promising. As of late though, Burton has resorted to a safety zone of reliable tricks and familiar stylings in order to keep his output regular and as a result his overall clout has somewhat diminished with those who adored his earlier work. Burton has always had a singular style, but the issue as of late has been finding material inspiring enough to match his peculiar visions. With Big Eyes he has the opportunity to present something of an introspective look at the dynamics of a marriage where one partner is essentially a slave and the other is delusional to the point of being a maniac. There are surely several statements to be made here, but Burton simply allows the material to speak for itself; intending to do little with his approach other than ensuring it looks like a Tim Burton film. As far as the depths of the souls in question here though, the material is only skin deep. For example, David Fincher took what could have easily become little more than a Lifetime-channel drama about a dysfunctional marriage earlier this year and by infusing it with his distinct voice, his precise style and countless undertones all while keeping the focus on one major theme crafted the most engaging crime thriller of the year if not the last decade. There is no such resonance to Big Eyes, but instead it is simply fine for what it is with two talented actors doing what they do best. It is a modest effort that I can't say I didn't enjoy as the story is interesting and perplexing, but I wasn't taken in by it and I wasn't thinking about it hours after leaving the theater. Instead, because it asked so little of me as an active viewer I suspected it had no intentions of lingering and so it's hard to fault it for being something it's not, but it's disappointing knowing it could have been something more.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Get On Up [2 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [UltraViolet] [Blu-ray] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9675/9675125_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
A Biopic of Interesting Caveats. Exhilarating.
on February 19, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Get On Up is refreshing by drawing its storytelling flair through the categorization of time periods by the stages of James Brown as an entertainer and his given nicknames at those times. There is hardly any trace of formula in director Tate Taylor's (The Help) biopic and it's even more precise in that it doesn't spend much time on Brown's infamous drug or tax problems, but instead chooses to focus on his extreme work ethic. It is without a doubt Chadwick Boseman's incredible performance that elevates the film from an interesting experiment in editing and performance numbers to something more real and raw. The actors seeming insight into Brown allows Boseman to play his perfectionist, tyrannical and paranoid traits in a way that never feel like an imitation, but more second nature to a seasoned pro.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Boyhood [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD] [2014]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1328/1328016_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Innovative Feature. Skim Special Features.
on February 19, 2015
Posted by: VandyPrice
from Arkansas
Verified Purchase:Yes
Boyhood is an ode to growing up and parenting. It is a trip through nostalgia over the first decade of the new millennium. It is not about the story, but more the fleeting feelings in each moment of our lives. It is about moments in that they are constant, a promotion to inspire the idea that there are always an abundance of memories to be made. It makes one wonder why memories are vital and reasons these are what make up the relevance of our human experience. What it is about Boyhood that makes it stand out more than the "gimmick" of creating it over twelve years though is that it highlights the moments in our lives where we don't always strive towards what our ambitions reach for. Just because you don't have what you want doesn't make that time in your life wasted time, but instead a true test of your character where it hopefully does with it something that leads to an even more invigorating experience.
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
My Best Buy number: 2220462910
I would recommend this to a friend!
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