Goodness knows everyone loves a good courtroom drama. It's never necessarily about the accused or the facts, but rather about the argument. It's never so much about who can prove what really happened, but rather who made the better point about it all.
Think about it: A Few Good Men, From the Hip (a Judd Nelson sleeper hit, look it up, seriously), To Kill a Mockingbird, The Verdict, the list goes on and on. Most of them showcase incredible performances by big name stars (you can't deny the intensity of a Cruise Vs. Nicholson showdown) , but rarely do you ever get to go behind the jury room door, to see just how easily the fate of just one man standing accused can really hang in the balance of just a few well placed words for or against his deeds or misdeeds.
That is exactly what makes Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men, now released by Criterion in a somewhat grainy but impeccably edited blu-ray release, arguably the best courtroom based films ever made.
12 Angry Men (5 out of 5)
The concept behind this film based on a teleplay by the same name pits twelve men against each other, as they sit in a jury deliberation room, looking to find a unanimous verdict, guilty or not. Hoping to avoid a hung jury, and with most of the men in the room hoping to get home and back to their regular lives, what could be an easy guilty verdict suddenly gets complicated when a lone juror (Henry Fonda, in an unforgettable performance) expresses doubt about the suspect's guilt.
Goaded by his peers into trying to avoid a prolonged deliberation, Juror 8 (Fonda) stands his ground, while trying to convince his 11 fellow jurors about his reasons for the basis of reasonable doubt.
With such a strongly opinionated group of blue and while collar workers, stuck in a small room (with the fan still broken) all arguing over whether the kid in the hot seat should go to the chair, it isn't long before tempers flare and reason starts to overtake emotion.
When friends, colleagues and readers alike ask me why I can't stop raving about this film, I tend to go on for hours about why it's such a marvel to watch. For starters, the near-entirety of the film's running time, save for the beginning and end, take place in one, single room. For viewers to be enthralled by simple dialogue for the better part of 90 minutes is no small feat.
Second, I think it's all about the writing. Sure, there are many moments throughout the film where we learn more about the jurors than the case at hand, but this only helps strengthen the bond between characters and we helpless viewers, as we stand and watch events unfold.
Finally, I don't think I've ever seen such a diverse group of actors collaborate on such a strong story. I'm not talking about an Ocean's Eleven type of ensemble casting, here. I'm talking about 1950s actors with little to no former chemistry between them, who manage to bring that much more realism to a tale of very different strangers brought together to decide their fellow man's fate.
I won't delve into the film's many twists and reveals. I'll express my disappointment over the picture quality, as I'd expected Criterion to at least consider cleaning up the original print prior to release. Does this graininess bring a certain flair to this 60-plus year-old classic? Perhaps. At least the sound has been remastered, letting us enjoy the strong dialogue.
I'm willing you'll watch this great film and decide to do so again months from now. Regardless of the outcome, you'll enjoy a good argument over and over again, as Henry Fonda tries to sway his fellow jurors' opinion towards his own. Don't miss it.
Super 8 (3.5 out of 5)
A decent collaboration between the imaginative JJ Abrams (who revived the Star Trek film franchise single-handed) and uber-producer/filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Super 8 takes its audience back to the year 1979, where a small group of ambitious kids in a small Ohio town decide to make their own small horror movie using a Super 8 film camera.
When an amazing train derailment in the background causes a top secret military cargo item go get loose, their lives will never be the same again.
To be honest, I did my best to avoid any and all trailer and promo clip to this film, for the sake of being truly surprised upon finally checking it out for this review. While I'll say I was a bit disappointed with the eventual reveal, I was touched by how much humanity and vulnerability Abrams injected into his human characters, almost making his big reveal almost seem irrelevant.
Good luck trying not to think back to Spielberg's own body of work circa 1978, as you watch this warm sci-fi tale.
Starbuck (3.5 out of 5)
A hilarious absurdist comedy starring Bon Cop Bad Cop and Funkytown Quebecois star Patrick Huard, Starbuck looks at the life of an irresponsible man (Huard, of course) who learns that his prolific, late 80s donation to a Montreal sperm bank leads him to discover he's now the father of 533 children, a third of whom wish to learn of their father's identity.
In true comedic Huard form, the titular character (though Starbuck was a pseudonym used on his form) opts to try and help as many of his offspring as possible, by acting as their guardian angel. Ridiculously funny, charming and goofy, the film's premise delivers on laughs. Huard is always a lot of fun to watch, and I hope this latest project will lead you to check out some of his past works as well.
Spy Kids: All The Time in The World (3 out of 5)
Another installment to the Robert Rodriguez-directed franchise, this fourth film had more heart than I expected. Featuring the original kids' aunt (Jessica Alba), some new family members/potential recruits (Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook) as well as an appearance by the original spies (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), you can rest assured that this film, like its predecessors, is absolutely kid-friendly and stuffed with more goo and gadgets than your offspring can shake a stick at.
Also, look for Ricky Gervais ad-libbing jokes as the unlikeliest of sidekicks. That's all I'm going to say.
Conan the Barbarian (3 out of 5)
I was ready to give this easily ridiculed film remake of Robert E. Howard's 1930 pulp magazine sword wielding hero a low grade, due to its ludicrous, supernatural plot about reviving the dead, but found myself realizing that despite Ah-nuld Schwarzenegger's original turn as Conan back in the early 80s, Jason Momoa (Stargate: Atlantis) manages to provide a much more believable hero, one who isn't so hard to understand, has a much easier time with a heavy broadsword, and who doesn't look like he's had a wig weaved in.
I'll abstain from commenting on how evil villainous sidekick Rose McGowan (as a goth-inspired witch) seems to have access to MAC cosmetics in the Hyborian Age, but I will give Avatar's Stephen Lang props for chewing up the scenery as Conan's nemesis Khalar Zym. All in all, a fun time. Just don't expect things like realism, or structure. Just enjoy the blood and guts and glory. Yeah. Go do that.
Doctor Who Complete Season Six Blu-Ray (3 out of 5)
As a true Whovian, I enjoyed a few notable changes to the beloved BBC series, with this latest season originally show in two parts. For one thing, the action has decidedly taken a turn towards the United States, unlike the show's usual taste for Mother England.
Also, fans of previous seasons got to have another helpful, hearty helping of the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston), whom we originally met back in Season Four, when we learned she'd met the Doctor before, and even knew his real name. Talk about wibbly-wobbly, timey wimey, headache-inducing stuff. She helped spice up things, rather than let the show rely on the usual guest-star turns to get things moving. Nothing like some familiarity to help anchor a show.
Add to that a Neil Gaiman-written episode, some trips to the White House to meet Nixon, sidekicks Amy and Rory, and the unlikely explosion of the beloved TARDIS (oh, now do I have your attention?), and you'll be jazzed up about the inevitable wait for Season Seven.
Also, while I'm a devoted David Tennant fan, I reluctantly admit that Matt Smith does a fine job, too.
The Monkees: The First and Second Season DVD (2.5 out of 5)
You remember those crazy teenage kids from the late 60s, the American answer to Beatlemania, who rocked the airwaves for a couple of years?
Indeed, Eagle Rock Entertainment has released both seasons on DVD, allowing us to catch their antics. Somehow, reliving some of their episodes (most of which I'd caught on Canada's MuchMusic channel in the late 80s and early 90s) made me realize how much the production values seemed as hokey and cheap as that same era's Batman TV series, starring Adam West. All the same, this show is harmless and good for a smidge of nostalgia for some of us older viewers.
Besides, their songs are catchy, and these boys never monkey around. Or so I'm told.
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (2.5 out of 5) and Belle's Magical World (1 out of 5)
Disney opted to re-release these direct-to-video add-ons to the beloved 1991 animated classic. While Enchanted Christmas benefits from a deliciously palpable villain (courtesy of Tim Curry as the castle's evil organ Forte) and some barely acceptable animation work, the follow-up Belle's Magical World (only available on DVD) seems patched together hastily, and barely worth the effort, unless you're only looking to add another disc to that stack of disposable flicks you can pop in to keep the tots occupied for an hour.
My recommendation? Go back to the original (re-released in a pristine Blu-Ray Platinum edition and also in 3D a few months back) and see what a great product can look like. Accept no substitute.
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
