What To Watch? Sept 25th-Oct 2nd : This Week's Blu-ray/DVD Releases

Here it is this week's recap of the reviews Blu-ray/DVD releases, as usual arrange by the grade they received. This week was dominated by lighthearted, comedic, fun-driven flicks. With 2 comedies (although very much distinct in their style) and one superhero film that doesn't lack in funny gags either. From the very raunchy, provocative humor of the Danish fatherhood comedy "Klown", to the elegant, witty, and delightful "Damsels in Distress", and the high profile release of the week "The Avengers" which needs no further introduction. If you are looking for something fun to watch this weekend, this trifecta of film will fit right into your plans.

1. "Damsels in Distress"
Whit Stillman's new work is a story written so artfully, in which not a single line of dialogue is wasted. Embedded with layers and layers of sarcasm, witty gags, and this whimsical mood that make the most irrelevant situations into an event. The trio of protagonist feel like is their mission in life to rescue those who have fallen into depression, and to give purpose to the inferior and purposeless male population on campus. Violet (Greta Gerwig)  the leader of the pack fins Lily (Analeigh Tipton), the new member of the group who comes to rattle their ideas. There is dance crazes, soap-embracing rescue missions, and a sweet (yes sweet) approach to depression and romantic sadness. Grade A+.

Rad The Full Review Here:
http://selective-vision.blogspot.com/2012/09/damsels-in-distress-whimsical-sweet.html

2. "The Avengers"
One of the two highest grossing, most expected, crowd pleasing, superhero films of the year (the other being The Dark Knight Rises). Joss Whedon built a story that could fit in the complex set of skill of each one of the iconic Marvel figures. With superheroes from all ends of the power spectrum, (experiments, self-built, divine alien gods, trained assassins)  the team becomes a mix of egos, talents, and definitions of what being  a hero means. The story is not original by any standards, but the approach does make it unique in terms of the humor, and the drama between this band of rejects. There is explosions, CGI monsters, fighting, and yes lighthearted humor. Just in case anyone still needed to be convinced or pushed to watch it. It you haven't yet seen it, or want to watch it again , now you can. Grade A.

Read The Full Review Here:
http://selective-vision.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-avengers-heroic-band-of-misfits.html

3. "Klown"
An outrageous, sexually charged, amoral comedy from an unexpected source: Denmark. This story of a man , Frank (Frank Hvam), who is trying to prove his girlfriend that he can be a good father for the child they are expecting. He decides to take his nephew Bo (Marcuz Jess Petersen) , to a wild adventure with his buddy Casper (Casper Christensen). There is all sorts of wrongness here, drug uses photographic evidence of their sexual deviance, etc. However, there is heart in it, as we see Frank's relationship with Bo develop into a "role model" father-like figure for the kid. The story is shot with the Dogma 95-like realism, being American-friendly in its content but true to the Danish school of filmmaking. A weirdly funny film. Grade B+.

Read The Full Review Here:
http://selective-vision.blogspot.com/2012/09/klown-filthy-danish-lessons-in.html

"Klown" : Filthy Danish Lessons in Fatherhood

When thinking of foreign cinema, specially European, and specifically Danish films, the first thought that comes to mind is something subversive, abstract, of the realms of art houses. It is hard to, on primary intuition, assume that the most successful film from Denmark in the past year was not a festival revelation from Lars Von Trier, or any other of the Dogma 95 rebels in their current not so rebellious form. Nevertheless, such film keeps up with the tradition of other Danish films such as "The Celebration", or Von Trier's "The Idiots", to present this hyper-realism involving shocking and revealing subjects. In this case the shock value comes from outrageous comedy, explicit sexuality in all its forms, and mean spirited (yet guiltily funny) treatment towards children. This over the top, raunchy comedy explores fatherhood, and manhood in general, in such a crude way that its hard to think there is sensitive subtleties in it, but they are there. This is what the film "Klown" is about.

 Inspired on a successful Danish TV series of the same name, in which even Von Trier himself took part, "Klown" tells the story of Frank (Frank Hvam) and his search for "father potential" that his girlfriend seeks in him. Frank is a man in his 30's that still seems to be hostage of his adolescent mentality, and who hasn't fully discover what adulthood, much less fatherhood means to him. His friend Casper (Casper Christensen) is a married , yet adulterous, cheating sleazebag who is determined to enjoy a trip to the countryside to which he often refers to as "The Tour the P***y". When Frank is forced to take care of his young nephew Bo (Marcuz Jess Petersen) , he fails miserably at first, with this, disappointing his pregnant girlfriend. In order to fix things and prove he can be a dad, Frank decides to take Bo along for his trip with Casper. Two selfish, drunk, and sexually deviant  men trying to take care of a child in the wild, sound like fertile ground for all sorts of raunchy and absurd situations. Along the way, they do encounter overly welcoming help from females, and a paradise for drug use and sexual pleasures. The jokes here usually involved some sort of ridicule of the male genitalia or the photographic evidence of an out of control night. Yet, under the filthy haze of all this, there is certain vulnerability in Frank and his father-like relationship with Bo.

The film shows a very twisted, but surprisingly charming depiction of male bonding. How this friends, or even Frank and Bo can be totally cruel to each other, but when it counts, they are there for each other. The punchlines have the much expected shock value, and grossness factor. However, they do seem to be too far apart and sort of repetitive. However, the style of filmmaking really sets this film apart from sexually charged American comedies. In "Klown" the situations are never to far off from reality for us not to believe they can happen, and the way the camera involves the audience in the film provides with a more fluid and organic way to engage in the comedy. Frank Hvam has this amazing quality to seem oblivious and naive towards his own disgusting acts and failures, he never seems to be this idiotic by choice. On the contrary, Frank is portrayed as someone kind who perhaps never really got the chance to learn how to be a father or a god man, but he is trying. To make such a distasteful character into someone likable is the films greatest achievement.

I understand that Danish comedy is not on most people's list when it comes to have a goo laugh, but "Klown" will deliver. It will give the audience the disturbing and scatological stuff they crave, but it will deliver such jokes wrapped with a touching story of fatherhood and friendship, even when it turns completely bizarre. As mentioned earlier, the film is not perfect and at times it drags a bit, but overall it is a more thoughtful bachelor comedy (if thoughtful and bachelor can mix) than most. This Danish filthy, guilty pleasure will provide with some awkward laughs right down to the final sequence. Directed by Mikkel Norgaard, the Scandinavian comedy hit "Klown" is out today in Blu-ray/DVD for the American audience to rejoice in its primal and despicable macho hilarity. Grade B+