New to DVD this week 12/03/2013

12/03/2013 DVD Releases

The Wolverine

   First on the list is The Wolverine! "A haunted Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) journeys to Japan to bid an old friend farewell, and gets drawn into a conflict involving ninja and yakuza in stand-alone spin-off set following the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, and preceding the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past. The story begins in Nagasaki. As a B-29 bomber appears in the sky and air-raid sirens howl, panicked Japanese troops begin committing ritual seppuku. Terrified, yet unwilling to sacrifice his own life, young soldier Yashida takes cover in a heavily fortified prison pit containing the immortal mutant Wolverine, who shields him from a deadly blast. Decades later, Wolverine has sworn off violence after he was forced to kill his beloved Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). He's confronting a hunter who has been using illegal, poison-tipped arrows when the sword-wielding Yukio (Rila Fukushima) comes to his aid, and summons him to Japan at the behest of the dying Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), now the head of Japan's largest and most powerful tech giant. Just hours before passing away, Yashida implores Wolverine to protect his granddaughter Mariko (Tao Okamato), whom he has personally chosen to take over the family business -- much to the chagrin of her plotting father Shingen (Hiroyuki Sanada). When the yakuza attempt a high-profile kidnapping of Mariko during Yashida's funeral, Wolverine comes to her rescue, and receives some much needed help from enigmatic ninja Harada (Will Yun Lee). Narrowly escaping with their lives, Wolverine and Mariko go into hiding with the yakuza and ruthless mutant Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova) hot on their trail. But the battle is far from over, and with Wolverine's healing powers mysteriously diminished, he may not be able to protect Mariko for long."

   I loved this movie, by far the best Wolverine to date in my opinion, and I am totally ignoring Origins....FUCK that movie! 

The Mortal Instruments:City of Bones

   Number two on the list for the week is The Mortal Instruments:City of Bones. "Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. Based on the worldwide best-selling book series." 

   I was not a fan of the movie, I do enjoy the books though. Very much. The movie though just seemed small scale and I couldn't get into it.

The Smurfs 2

   

   Next up is The Smurfs 2. "In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy 'The Smurfs', the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world's greatest sorcerer. It's up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue? Returning cast includes Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, with Katy Perry as Smurfette and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. Brendan Gleeson joins the cast as Victor. Joining the voice cast are Christina Ricci and JB Smoove as Vexy and Hackus."

   I really enjoyed the first one, it was nostalgic and fun to see a cartoon i grew up with on the big screen in a live action adaptation. That being said, I wasn't as over fond of this one.

Drinking Buddies

   Last release of the week which is a smaller scaled movie that I honestly really liked and enjoyed, Drinking Buddies. "Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) work together at a craft brewery. They have one of those friendships that feels like it could be something more. But Kate is with Chris (Ron Livingston), and Luke is with Jill (Anna Kendrick). And Jill wants to know if Luke is ready to talk about marriage. The answer to that question becomes crystal clear when Luke and Kate unexpectedly find themselves alone for a weekend."