Mike Prince

Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 5
Bloggers across the globe have said so much about Snakes on a Plane—even months before the film was released—except for the one thing that matters. Is the movie any good? The short answer is, no, it’s not good. Not by a long shot.

Video: 4
Audio: 3
Extras: 4
Aaron Eckhart owns the screen as tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor in Jason Reitman’s Thank You for Smoking, an acerbic and wickedly funny view of spin control in the modern age. A star-studded cast fills out this comedy, but it’s Eckhart who commands your attention as Naylor tries to soften the image of tobacco in this health-conscious day and age. Whether convincing Hollywood to embrace smoking again, raising his young son, or going up against the U.S. Senate, Eckhart keeps the film together in a delicious performance.

Video: 3
Audio: 2
Extras: 4
The mind of an artist is a frightening place, more so if you’re Daniel Johnston. The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a documentary about this troubled “genius,” covering those closest to him as he’s grappled with mental illness and unlimited artistic vision. Using an inexhaustible amount of archival footage, the film paints a portrait of Johnston, showcasing his artistic endeavors from childhood to recent years. Countless fans across the globe celebrate his work, hailing the cult hero.

Video: 3
Audio: 4
Extras: 3
The Yards is a moody little film noir that, while pretty to look at, doesn't become the movie it desperately wants to be. It's cut cleanly from the Mean Streets cloth, as it tells the story of Leo (Mark Wahlberg, barely making eye contact with anyone), a recently paroled thief. Leo's attempts to go straight run afoul by his Uncle Frank (James Caan, sporting a nice mustache) and best friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix), both shady characters involved in the corrupt world of railroad contractors. There's also some creepy sexual undertones between Leo and his cousin Erica (a pre-Oscar Charlize Theron). The visuals (in anamorphic 2.35:1) seem kind of foggy, which seems to be the director's intention but does not look very good. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is the highlight of the entire package, providing a rich soundscape that achieves what the film as a whole could not.