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blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

DVD & Blu-ray: Sin Nombre

Sin Nombre (Revolver) is a highly impressive drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga.

Seeking the promise of America, a young Honduran woman, Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), joins her father and uncle on an odyssey to cross the gauntlet of the Latin American countryside en route to the United States.

Along the way she crosses paths with a teenaged Mexican gang member, El Casper (Edgar Flores), who is manoeuvring to outrun his violent past and elude his unforgiving former associates.

A highly accomplished debut feature, it has some fine performances and has a compelling sense of realism which may have been a result of the director’s extensive research, which involved travelling with immigrants on trains in Central America.

Although the story treads a well worn path, both literally and figuratively, it manages to steer well clear of cliché and tedium thanks to the skill and attention to detail behind the camera.

Cinematographer Adriano Goldman gives the film a remarkable look, blending the rugged landscapes and harsh urban environments with considerable grace and panache, fully deserving of its awards at Sundance last January.

The exras on the DVD and Blu-ray Disc include:

  • Audio commentary
  • Deleted scenes

Sin Nombre is out now on DVD and Blu-ray from Revolver

> Buy it on DVD or Blu-ray at Amazon UK
> IMDb entry

Categories
blu-ray DVD & Blu-ray

UK DVD & Blu-ray Releases: Monday 1st February 2010

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DVD & BLU-RAY PICKS

Sin Nombre (Revolver): A deeply impressive drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga. The story explores a young Honduran woman (Paulina Gaitan) who wants to start a new life with her father and uncle in New Jersey and a Mexican gang member (Edgar Flores) and his desire to escape his violent past. [Read the full review here]

Broken Embraces (Pathe): The latest film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar is about an ill-fated love triangle lasting 16 years (set in 2008, with flashbacks to 1992 and 1994) focused on a film director (Lluis Homar) who’s lost the love of his life (Penelope Cruz), as well as his eyesight to a jealous lover. [Read the full review here]

ALSO OUT

Aliens in the Attic (Fox) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
Away We Go (E1 Entertainment) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
Halloween II (2009) (EIV) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
I Hate Valentine’s Day (EIV) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
Naruto Unleashed Complete Series 7 (Manga) [Buy it on DVD]
Naruto Unleashed Series 8 Part 2 (Manga) [Buy it on DVD]
Sherlock Hound: The Complete Series (Manga)
Stan Helsing (Anchor Bay) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
The Army of Crime (Optimum) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
The Day of the Triffids (2009) (Showbox) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
The Firm (2009) (Warner) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
The Invention of Lying (Universal) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]
The Soloist (Universal) [Buy it on DVD]
Waterworld (Universal) [Buy it on DVD | Buy it on Blu-ray]

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> The Best DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2009
> UK cinema releases for Friday 29th January including Edge of Darkness and Precious

Categories
Cinema

UK Cinema Releases: Friday 14th August 2009

UK Cinema Releases 14-08-09

NATIONAL RELEASES

Aliens In The Attic (20th Century Fox): A adventure family film set in Maine, about a group of kids must protect their vacation home from invading aliens. Starring Carter Jenkins, Ashley Tisdale, Robert Hoffman, Henri Young, Regan Young and Austin Butler, it was directed by John Schultz.

Timed for the summer holidays, Fox will be hoping tweens and younger cinema goers (plus their parents of course) will make this a bigger hit than it was in the US, where mixed reviews meant it never really took off. [Vue West End & Nationwide / PG / Previews from Wednesday 12th]

Bandslam (E1 Entertainment): An American musical-romantic comedy film that revolves around different teenagers, who all love music. Previously titled Will and Rock On, it was directed by Todd Graff and stars Gaelan Connell, Aly Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens (of HSM fame) and Lisa Kudrow.

Produced by Walden Media and Summit Entertainment, it is getting a simultaneous UK and US release and the soundtrack features the likes of David Bowie, Nick Drake and The Velvet Underground. It has generally earned positive reviews so far, so E1 films may have their fingers crossed on it doing respectable business. [Vue West End & Nationwide / PG / Previews from Wednesday 12th]

Imagine That (Paramount): A comedy-drama set in Denver about a workaholic father (Eddie Murphy) and his daughter (Yara Shahidi) whose imaginary world becomes the solution to her father’s success.

Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, it co-stars Thomas Haden Church, Martin Sheen and Ronny Cox (who last starred with Eddie Murphy in the Beverly Hills Cop films). It was a major commercial failure in the US and is arriving here on a distinct lack of buzz so Paramount probably won’t be expecting it to make huge waves here. [Empire Leicester Square & Nationwide / PG]

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Entertainment): An adaptation of the best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger, the story is about a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel when he is stressed, which obviously wreaks havoc with his relationship with an artist (Rachel McAdams).

Although it isn’t likely to get great reviews the combination of the book’s success and Entertainment’s usual bus poster strategy might see this ensnare the female audience for this weekend. [Vue West End & Nationwide / 12A]

A Perfect Getaway (Momentum Pictures): A thriller written and directed by David Twohy about a Hawaiian honeymoon which turns dangerous for two lovers (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) when they discover they are being stalked by a pair of killers (Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez).

It didn’t exactly set alight the US box office a week ago and, given the lack of buzz and star power, Momentum will be expecting only middling returns over here in a busy week. [C’Wlds Fulham Rd/Haymarket, Vues Finchley Rd/G’wich & N’wide / 15 / Previews from Wednesday 12th]

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IN LIMITED RELEASE

Sin Nombre / Mid-August Lunch

Sin Nombre (Revolver Entertainment): An acclaimed drama about immigrants trying to reach the US (the title is Spanish for “without name”) directed by Cary Fukunaga. The story explores a young Honduran woman (Paulina Gaitan) who wants to start a new life with her father and uncle in New Jersey and a Mexican gang member (Edgar Flores) and his desire to escape his violent past.

The executive producers were Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna and the film is set, and was shot in, Torreón and Coahuila, Mexico. It premiered at Sundance earlier this year where Cary Fukunaga won the Dramatic Directing Award and Adriano Goldman won the Excellence in Cinematography Award and when it opened in the US in March it garnered rave reviews. Revolver will be hoping the critical buzz translates into respectable art house box office. [Nationwide / 15]

Mid-August Lunch (Artificial Eye): An unlikely change of pace for the creative team behind Gomorrah, which is comedy about caring for the elderly. Written and directed by Gianni Di Gregorio, who also stars in the lead role as a dissolute bachelor whose sole occupation is caring for his widowed mother (Valeria De Franciscis).

Due to financial circumstances he has to look after two other octogenarians and it soon becomes a comic struggle he has to cope with. Positive reviews and good word of mouth could see this do decent art-house business, especially on DVD. [Curzons Mayfair, Renoir, Richmond Filmhouse & Key Cities / Artificial Eye]

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (bfi Distribution): A BFI re-issue for this 1967 musical directed by Jacques Demy, which stars Catherine Deneuve, her sister Françoise Dorléac (who was killed in a car accident shortly after filming), Jacques Perrin, Michel Piccoli, Danielle Darrieux, George Chakiris, Grover Dale and Gene Kelly. The choreography was by Norman Maen. [BFI Southbank & Key Cities / PG]

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> UK cinema releases for August 2009
> DVD Picks for this week including Two Lovers and Californication Season 2 (W/C Monday 10th August)

Categories
Competitions

Competition: Sin Nombre T-Shirts

Sin Nombre 4 t-shirts

Sin Nombre is a new film out in the UK this Friday and we have 3 limited edition T-shirts signed by the director Cary Fukunaga to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning a T-shirt just email us your details at [email protected] and we’ll enter you into the draw.

Sin Nombre UK posterThe title of the film is Spanish for “without name” and it tells the story of immigrants trying to reach the US.

One involves Sayra (Paulina Gaitan), a young Honduran woman who wants to start a new life with her father and uncle in New Jersey.

The other revolves around a Mexican gang member Casper (Edgar Flores) and his desire to escape from his violent past.

The executive producers were Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna and the film is set, and was shot in, Torreón and Coahuila, Mexico.

It premièred at Sundance earlier this year where Cary Fukunaga won the Dramatic Directing Award and Adriano Goldman won the Excellence in Cinematography Award.

When it opened in the US in March it garnered rave reviews.

Sin Nombre opens at selected UK cinemas from Friday 14th August

> Sin Nombre at the IMDb
> Read reviews for Sin Nombre at Metacritic