We Live in Public

Josh Harris is a genius. He’s also a madman. As one of the first dot.com tycoons, Harris amassed a fortune of more than $80 million dollars which he used to fund everything from the first internet television stations to a bizarre underground living experiment where he treated people like mice in his own personal lab experiment. When he decided to film his own life 24/7 and broadcast it across the world, the experience nearly drives him insane. This fascinating look at one man’s experience with overexposure on the internet is a cautionary tale for every Facebook and Twitter user posting their details online today.

Elvis

Two years before they teamed up to unleash Snake Plissken on the world in the classic Escape From New York, director John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell took on the challenge of making a TV movie about the biggest pop music icon of all time, Elvis Presley. Concentrating on the early years of the singer’s career, and avoiding the fat Elvis demise of the star, the pair put together a mini-masterpiece, the kind of film that brings the icon to life in a unique and believable way. Russell gives a phenomenal performance in the film, particularly in the more intimate moments from the celebrated singer’s life. He has a great stage presence, too, showing the audience just how Elvis changed the world with his voice – and his style – without depending on too many impersonation clichés.

Bitch Slap

You probably think can tell from the title and the cover whether this movie is for you or not. Well you’re probably right. There is plenty of action and scantily clad women in Bitch Slap, but the movie also has the best tough-girl dialogue you will ever hear this side of Kill Bill, and the story is told with style to spare. If he’d had a bigger budget, director Rick Jacobson could have made a blockbuster action movie, but the cheap special effects somehow add to the charm of it all. Here’s hoping that the DVD does well enough for the Bitch Slap Trio – Trixie (Julia Voth), Hel (Erin Cummings) and Camaro (America Olivo) – to get a sequel.

Poldark

After years of fighting a losing battle in the American War for Independence, British Officer Ross Poldark returns home to his Cornwall estate to find his home in ruins, his fiancé engaged to another man and just about every other facet of the life he left behind torn completely asunder. Watching the man fight to put it all back together is just about as exciting as a mini-series can be thanks to a terrific cast, particularly the handsome Robin Ellis in the title roll. This is an epic you don’t want to rush through; sit back and savor every episode.

Whip it on Blu-ray

Whip It tells the story of Bliss Cavender (Ellen Page), a Texas high school misfit looking for a way to connect with somebody – anybody – who senses that life has more to offer than a career at the local barbecue joint. She finds what she’s looking for when she joins a local roller derby team and starts competing. Director Drew Barrymore shows a great knack for storytelling and getting strong performances from the ladies in her cast. She doesn’t seem to know what to do with the men, though, especially Jimmy Fallon as the annoying roller derby track announcer. The Blu-ray extras – a few deleted scenes and a Fox Movie Channel special on author Shauna Cross – are disappointing.

Dead Snow

Two words: Nazi zombies. That’s all you need to know about this stylish horror flick from director Tommy Wirkola. If you like gory zombie films, this story of a group of young adults on a ski weekend who get attacked by an army of rotting SS troops has everything you desire, and then some. If you are the least bit squeamish about such things, then stay away. It will give you nightmares.

Gary Moore: Definitive Montreux

It’s not that often that you get to watch a musician’s career as it develops, but that’s just what you get to do with this fascinating 2-disc set. The film culls the best from more than a decade of the bluesman’s shows at the Montreux Jazz Festival, showcasing Moore’s excellent guitar playing and versatility as a singer. What makes it really fascinating is watching the Gary Moore from 1990 and then switching to the Gary Moore from the 2001 shows. There may be a big difference in the look of the man through the decade, but the passion for playing remains the same.