Disc of the Week (1/24/12)

It’s been a little while since I’ve written one of these, but since this week sees the release of one of my favorite movies of last year (and one of the most unfairly forgotten), I felt it was worth the effort. I am referring to 50/50, if you couldn’t infer that from the picture above of Seth Rogen making a face at Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Many people—including myself—have referred to it simply as a “cancer comedy,” but that description really doesn’t do justice to all that film accomplishes. It is indeed incredibly funny, but it also has some of the most moving scenes I saw in any film last year. The relationships all feel incredibly real, and Gordon-Levitt’s lead performance is pretty staggering in the way he captures the hopelessness of the entire situation. I realize that sentence sounds pretty grim, but if you give 50/50 a chance I can assure you it is a darn rewarding experience. I have seen it twice, and both times I turned into a wreck at all the right moments.

Other films coming to your homes this week include the robot boxing film Real Steel, which is an efficient but ludicrous crowd-pleaser that somehow is not completely terrible. It builds a surprisingly plausible future, and features an incredibly engaging performance by Hugh Jackman. The problem? It’s an inspirational sports movie about freaking robot boxing. This is not a pastime with the highest of stakes. However, for those who have been waiting their whole life to see a movie in which a robot actually does the robot, then Real Steel is a must-see. There’s also Paranormal Activity 3 out there for you, which is certainly effective on a superficial level but is just another case of a franchise going through the motions. At its best, the Paranormal Activity series could be an anthology series that uses the found footage genre in unique ways every time out. This third installment has its moments—the FanCam is a nice touch—but I never once connected with it on any significant level.

Oh, but I seem to have buried the lead here. The real main attraction is clearly Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century: Season One. If you support this, they may release the second and final season!