On DVD & Blu-Ray, 6/14/11: 'Kill the Irishman,' 'Foo Fighters: Back and Forth'

KILL THE IRISHMAN (DVD/Blu-ray)

When I reviewed Kill the Irishman for this blog, I described it as “sturdy” and “reliable,” and indeed it is. It’s a gangster movie in the classic sense of the term: no razzle-dazzle, no flashy set pieces, just a bunch of guys doing amoral things for their territory. Ray Stevenson has a nice, hulking quality as real-life Cleveland mobster Danny Greene, and it’s nice to see Vincent D’Onofrio, Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, and The Sopranos‘ Steve Schirripa getting decent parts. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but if you like this kind of thing–as I do–then you should find yourself satisfied. Extras include the documentary Danny Greene: The Rise and Fall of the Irishman and a theatrical trailer. 

FOO FIGHTERS: BACK AND FORTH (DVD/Blu-ray)

I’ve been a pretty big Foo fan for many years now, so this 2+ hour documentary about the creation and the chaos, the triumphs and tragedies of the band over its 16 year history is a no brainer for me. Featuring archival and concert footage and interviews with the entire band, this delves deep into the roots of Foo. Front man Dave Grohl is an incredibly charming and funny guy, so it’s bound to be entertaining to hear his take on how he and his amazing bandmates have risen from crappy analog cassette demo tapes and garage jam sessions to one of the greatest rock acts of the modern age…whose latest album, Wasting Light, was recorded on analog tape in a garage. Ironic. – Paul Smith