JBO: Joystiq Box Office, November 23 - November 27
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
(Xbox 360/Zune Video)
You cram food in your mouth every day, but do you ever really think about where it comes from? This is especially timely a day after the American holiday that's all about stuffing as much food as you possibly can down your gullet and surviving. Food, Inc. takes a hard look at the corporate food industry in America, and you'll be surprised how many different labels and brands are owned by so few companies. It'll make you think twice about buying food in the future, or even finishing what's already on your plate. Hopefully someone will make a documentary about Joel Salatin, a rancher in the film who you'll write off as a redneck at first glance, but who quickly becomes one of the sole voices of wisdom in the movie. This guy needs to take over the entire FDA.
Read on for the rest of the recommendations, and as usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Xbox Live Video Marketplace (Xbox 360)
(240
($3) HD, 160
($2) SD, to purchase, per episode)
You probably remember Casey Siemaszko from Young Guns ("I'm a pugilist."), but Three O'Clock High is probably his best movie. While girls had Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, guys pretty much had only this movie as their seminal high school experience turned into a film. Ferris Bueller's Day Off, while being a great movie, was a bit too fantastical for everyone to identify with, but the showdown with the school bully? Almost everyone can relate to that. It's sort of like High Noon set in a high school, with a lot less bravado. It makes you wonder why Siemaszko ended up on the Law & Order/CSI TV guest star circuit. Still, this classic is good even after 22 years.
Netflix Watch Instantly (Mac/PC, Xbox Live, PS3, subscription required: starts at $8.99 per month)
Lost in La Mancha
This engrossing documentary about Terry Gilliam's failed attempt to bring a movie version of Don Quixote to life with Johnny Depp is both amazing and depressing. It's amazing because it gives you an incredibly detailed look inside the world of Gilliam, but it's ultimately depressing as the film he's trying to make falls apart piece by piece. In the end it's a testament to what could have been, although earlier this year Gilliam was working on reviving the project ... so it may happen yet. One standout scene where the film investors come to watch Depp at work is so ridiculous, you'll understand why Gilliam is beyond frustrated with the process.
PlayStation Store (PlayStation 3 or PSP)
($5.99 HD, $3.99 SD to rent, $14.99 SD to own)
It doesn't look like Sony updated their video content during this holiday week, or if they did, then they didn't blog about it. So we're picking something from last week's list. Thirst is a Korean film about a man who's a priest by day, and a vampire by night. Servant of God on one side of the coin, undead creature of Satan on the other. Director Park Chan-wook, who also helmed Old Boy, turns this into a dark comedy, a horror film, and a sensual piece ... as these vampires crave all sinful pleasures, and not just blood. It's every bit as gripping as his previous movies, and one the Jury Prize at Cannes earlier this year. Well worth watching.
Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3)
Terminator Salvation (Director's Cut)
($35.99, lower at many retailers)
While McG's Terminator Salvation wasn't exactly a perfect reboot to the time-traveling deathbot series, it was a lot better than I was expecting. Plus Sam Worthington was so much more engaging than Christian Bale, which was a nice surprise. While calling this Blu-ray a "director's cut" is a bit much (it only adds a few minutes of violence, and a shot of Moon Bloodgood's boobs), Warner Bros. brings back the Maximum Movie Mode from Watchmen, and it's quickly becoming a must-have on these discs. McG's commentary and scene explanations actually make this movie more enjoyable and worth a second look.
What are you watching?
