Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “The Social Network”
There have been plenty of films made about corporate empires built on ruined friendships, broken promises and massive egos, but never has one hit so close to home as the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the rise of Facebook. The social media platform isn’t just a product of our time but something that directly affects the everyday lives of people around the world (and even more so in today’s over-politicized society). Interesting stuff no matter how you spin it, but David Fincher takes what could have been a boring courtroom drama and turns it into an enthralling, wildly entertaining character study filled with some of the zippiest and cleverest dialogue that Aaron Sorkin has ever written. There isn’t a weak link in the cast — from major players like Andrew Garfield and Armie Hammer to Rooney Mara’s brief appearance as one of Zuckerberg’s pre-Facebook girlfriends — but it’s Jesse Eisenberg’s star-making performance as the socially inept whiz-kid that elevates “The Social Network” into something truly special.
Extras include a pair of audio commentaries (one with Fincher, and the other with Sorkin and the cast), as well as a feature-length making-of documentary, additional behind-the-scenes featurettes and more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“September 5” — Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5” may have been almost completely shut out of the awards conversation (no thanks to studio Paramount, which failed to mount a proper campaign), but for my money, it’s one of the best films of 2024. Based on the true story of how an American sports broadcasting team was forced to adapt on the fly while on location for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich to bring the country live coverage of a deadly terrorist attack, “September 5” is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at how the news is made. The cast is solid across the board, but John Magaro delivers an MVP performance as young producer Geoffrey Mason, who helped shepherd the news coverage on his first day with the ABC Sports crew. Magaro has been one of my favorite character actors for quite some time, and it’s great to see him in a lead role where he really gets the chance to shine. Though the timing of “September 5” feels a bit odd with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East — especially for a movie that remains mostly apolitical — it’s a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat thriller that you don’t want to miss. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
“Nosferatu” — Director Robert Eggers has his admirers, but I’m not one of them. It’s not for lack of trying; his movies just never seem to capture my attention, and “Nosferatu” is no different. Moody and atmospheric in all the best ways, the film is unfortunately a giant bore. Eggers fails to insert any real stakes into the proceedings, and none of the characters are particularly interesting. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is at least somewhat amusing as a stuffy aristocrat who seems inconvenienced by the whole ordeal, but the rest of the cast is pretty forgettable, especially Lily-Rose Depp, whose performance is severely lacking in depth or nuance. Bill Skarsgård, meanwhile, seems to have put a lot of thought into his portrayal of Count Orlock, but he’s relegated to the shadows (quite literally) for most of the movie. Though “Nosferatu” isn’t a complete letdown, it falls well short of fulfilling its potential, which seems to be a recurring theme of Eggers’ work. Extras include an audio commentary by Eggers, a making-of featurette and some deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Panic Room” (4K) — 2002’s “Panic Room” may be considered one of David Fincher’s lesser films, but that’s only because the bar has been set so high by his other movies. In reality, “Panic Room” is a solid little thriller that has become a bit underappreciated in the years since its release. There’s not much to the story beyond its incredibly simplistic setup, but Fincher and his small cast wring every drop of tension out of the escalating cat-and-mouse game. It’s the kind of stripped-down chamber piece that might work well on the stage were it not for the added visual panache of the film’s camerawork, guiding the audience through every nook and cranny of the four-story brownstone in a way that instills a kinetic energy into the single-location setting. Though it still pales in comparison to Fincher’s best work, “Panic Room” is no less effective as a result. Extras include three audio commentaries (one with Fincher; another with actors Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker and Dwight Yoakam; and a third with writer David Koepp), as well as a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes that cover the various stages of production. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Constantine” (4K) — Keanu Reeves has frequently stated his desire to make a sequel to 2005’s “Constantine,” but while it’s easy to see the appeal from Reeves’ standpoint, it doesn’t really make business sense with the launch of the new DC Universe. “Constantine” was released in the early days of the superhero movie boom, and though it served as a nice deviation from the typical comic book fare, it didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. After watching the new 4K release of the film, it’s surprising just how dated the whole thing feels. Reeves is still enjoyable as the chain-smoking demon hunter (even if he’s nothing like the actual character), but the rest of the movie comes off as incredibly uneven and half-baked. Like a lot of comic book movies from that time, it’s a watered-down adaptation that lacks soul. Extras include a pair of audio commentaries (one with director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman, and the other with writers Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello), as well as a behind-the-scenes look at making the film, a brand-new retrospective featuring Reeves and Lawrence, and some deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
