The world of law and order gets rather a bashing this week as undercover cops Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum go back to school in a twisted take on Eighties cop show 21 Jump Street, while Woody Harrelson breaks pretty much every law there is as arguably the dirtiest movie detective of all time, in the midnight-dark and mega-gritty Rampart. Read on!
Movie adaptations of beloved TV properties are a tricky beast indeed, but handled correctly they can even sometimes improve upon the original. Such is the case with 21 Jump Street, a wildly funny take on a straight-faced Eighties show that people only remember because Johnny Depp was in it. A tale of undercover cops busting criminal high schoolers, in the hands of directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, what was once a mediocre series is now a kick ass comedy feature with moments of twisted genius.
Though considerably slimmer, Hill in no way, shape or form, resembles a man of the law, and coupled with Tatum, who’s a hell of a lot funnier than anyone ever expected, they’re the odd couple to end all odd couples, in a movie even odder than they are! Smart and irreverent with a game supporting cast and a tasty bit of action ever now and then, 21 Jump Street is well worth a watch. Rent the Blu-ray and DVD right now, exclusively from your local Blockbuster store. Online subscribers can print off this voucher and rent it in store.
The gritty, grimy tale of a down-and-dirty L.A. cop from filmmaker Oren Moverman, whose directorial debut, The Messenger, grabbed everyone’s attention, Rampart is a freeform character study of a bad man in descent. Showcasing a meaty old role for Woody Harrelson, this taut, troubling tale recounts several days and nights in the life of David Douglas Brown, nickname Date Rape, as he’s rumoured to have killed a sex offender in his youth.
“You’re a dinosaur,” admonishes Dave’s estranged elder daughter. “You’re a classic racist, a bigot, a sexist, a womaniser, a chauvinist, a misanthrope, homophobic clearly…” and so she continues. An arrogant, controlling, brutal, alcoholic, chain-smoking murderer with a mega-dysfunctional home life and no end of enemies, David is, quite possibly, the worst man ever. An irredeemably sorry son-of-a-bitch whose colourful antics will keep you glued to the screen. Buy or rent the movie now on Blu-ray or DVD, in store or online from blockbuster.co.uk.
Also Out This Week…
A heartbreaking Holocaust drama from Polish director Agnieszka Holland, In Darkness focuses on a group of Jewish refugees hiding out in the sewers beneath the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov. A challenging, thought-provoking and at times, terrifying war film that you will not soon forget.
Loveless, jobless and possibly dying, Frank (Joel Murray) tires of America and, with gun in hand, picks off his least favourite Americans with a little bit of help from teen pal Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) in God Bless America, a savage satirical comedy from writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait. Buy or rent both of these movies, on Blu-ray and DVD, in store and online from blockbuster.co.uk.
