Black Christmas – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Review)
Black Christmas is a film that I’ve spent many years referring to as underrated, underseen, underappreciated, forgotten, unknown…you know the drill. But, as I review this Blu-ray and I look back at it, I wonder if it really is any more. If you’ll look at the bonus material, you’ll see there are a TON of interviews and retrospective documentaries on the film. You don’t get that if people aren’t interested in seeing that sort of thing. There was also a remake of the film. You also will see many articles on it throughout the given year as a part of lists for horror things and seasonal tidings. The film has also been remade, which is saying something too. In 42 years since it’s release, I think its finally crossed the boundary and IS the great horror classic it has always been. And for me, I’ve always called it one of my favorite slasher films, one of my favorite horror films, one of my favorite Christmas movies. But, its time I cross a boundary and just say its one of my all time favorite films. And its always exciting when one of my favorite films gets such a definitive release like this one. Continue reading ‘Black Christmas – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
Hot on the heels of the original came the obvious sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire. Since there’s, you know, multiple books in the series, anybody and everybody was expecting regardless of “how big” the first film would do. With the sequel came a changing of the guard as Gary Ross stepped away from the director role and Francis Lawrence would fill his shoes and finish out the series. Along with Lawrence came some hard hitters filling in the supporting character roles with the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer. It was another huge success for the franchise, which is making a full on 4K UHD Blu-ray appearance, just a year after finishing its run. This thrilling second chapter, er book…or sequel will be making its Blu-ray debut on November 8th. 
I wasn’t able to get to War Dogs this past summer when it released to theaters. And I was interested in checking it out theatrically. There were a lot of factors that appealed to me. Miles Teller and Jonah Hill seemed like a natural and exciting team up. Todd Phillips is also a pretty good and overlooked director and seemed to be using his talents for something new. It also looked like a piece of cinema akin to the Pain and Gain and The Wolf Of Wall Street type of movies. Oh, and it had a true story aspect with a topic that I kind of was interested in learning more about how this all actually happened. Well, I was able to check it out on this new 4K UHD Blu-ray that just released this week from Warner Bros. 
Don’t Breathe is one of those titles that lives up to its name. Let me tell you why. I can kid about this now because its in the past. We had the luxury of seeing a private screening of Don’t Breathe at the Alamo Drafthouse over the summer. So now answer me this. What do you do when you’re at an Alamo Drafthouse? Well, you watch a movie, but you also eat and drink a lot. Therein lies the problem with Don’t Breathe. It’s suspenseful, it’s edge of your seat, but mainly it’s super quiet for tension and shock. Who wants some num nuts chowing down next to them and ruining the movie with each and every crunch? Not I! You see my conundrum I’m speaking of here as I sat there during my theatrical experience with Don’t Breathe munching down dinner? Not only did I watch Don’t Breathe, but I felt like I couldn’t “breathe” either. Ha! 
After taking December off, Vestron Video is getting back to work in January. The first 2017 releases from the hot new cult release label with be the horror comedy Parents and the Ken Russell film The Lair Of The White Worm. Both were hotly requested titles for years and ones that most people just sort of accepted would never get to Blu-ray. Well, pigs are flying and they are flying high as these will be getting the coveted suped up bonus feature treatment when they release on January 31st. Lionsgate is really doing great work here and hopefully people are showing their appreciation with their wallets for them to continue. I also hear we are in for a big treat in February, though I don’t know what it is. 
The Secret Life of Pets was a film we never made it to theatrically this year. It wasn’t because we did not want to see it, quite the contrary, but it was just a bad timing thing. Time is our enemy in life. Then came news of the fact that this title was coming to the superior Ultra HD Blu-ray format in December. I jumped at the chance to be one of the first peeps to review it. Call it an ego thing or call it what you want. I just really wanted to see it. See I don’t have any kids in my life. I’m too selfish and impatient to ever have them. However, what I do have are loving, adorable pets. They are my kids to me and I know I love my son Star-Lord just as much as 
Believe it or not, the original C.H.U.D. was a film that somehow managed to elude me after all these years. So, this was all going to be a fresh take when tackling this Blu-ray for Vestron Video. Thanks to a rental on Amazon Prime Video, I was able to do my research by watching the original film. That movie, woof…kinda a slug. It had Daniel Stern in it along with John Heard. However, the film was a pretty big slug. And there was not near enough C.H.U.D. at all. It had its moments, but overall, I’m not sure its something I’d ever return to again. So, going into this sequel, which I’ve always known because of its subtitle, which can go up there with Electric Boogaloo and Your Sister Is a Werewolf as an all timer. Regardless of what my thoughts would be, I knew I’d be down for an entertaining overall release due to it coming from Vestron Video. They’ll be making this one available the same day as Return of the Living Dead 3; November 22nd. 
Relive the imaginative and compelling cult classic, The Man Who Fell to Earth, when the Limited Collector’s Edition arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus Digital HD) January 24 from Lionsgate. International icon David Bowie stars in his unforgettable debut role as an alien who has ventured to Earth on a mission to save his planet from a catastrophic drought. In honor of David Bowie’s legacy, the limited collector’s edition Blu-ray Combo Pack includes never-before-seen interviews, brand new artwork, a 72-page bound book, press booklet, four art cards and a mini poster. Hailed as “the most intellectually provocative genre film of the 1970s” by Time Out, the remastered The Man Who Fell to Earth Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack.
Boy, how things have really changed over the last 12 or so years in cinema. And I’m talking about particularly the zombie genre. Its hard to imagine a time when there weren’t an absurd amount of zombie films being released every year. From the late 80s until Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later in 2002, finding a new modern zombie film was scarce. And as far as I can remember, 1993’s Return of the Living Dead 3 felt like the last one. And it may have been the last really commercial or one to play theatrically in some form. I didn’t see it until home video, but for me, it was a big deal and an event. A brand new zombie film! It wasn’t just some run of the mill one either. This film wound up being a unique, strange, endaring oddity that hasn’t left my conscience every since the first time I saw it. Brian Yuzna’s film managed to have memorable characters, iconic looks, unforgettable horrific images and gore that sticks with you. And now, you can have all of that, finally in uncut form when it makes its US Blu-ray debut from Vestron Video on November 22nd! 
Here we are once again. Only this time winter is coming much earlier than usual for the sixth season of HBO’s Game of Thrones on the Blu-ray format. Last year’s Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Drama Series and currently nominated for 23 2016 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing Outstanding Supporting Actress (Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Maisie Williams) and Outstanding Supporting Actor (Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington), Game of Thrones is bigger than ever as its starting to all wind down to the final upcoming two seasons. In other words, this sh1t is finally starting to get real every single episode. If you missed any of our past coverage of these best selling Blu-ray sets, please refer to the following links to seasons 1 and 2 
A serial killer’s curse unleashes a season of slaughter in the backwoods of Mississippi in the grisly slasher The Devil’s Dolls. Available December 6th, 2016 from Scream Factory, in conjunction with IFC Midnight, this visceral film goes beyond the typical midnight slasher, featuring an incredibly intense, tightly-paced story and character-driven Southern Gothic thrills.
Home audiences will cheer for Disney’s Queen of Katwe, which has earned widespread critical acclaim. Based on the vibrant true story of a young girl (Madina Nalwanga) from the streets of Uganda whose world changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. It is a remarkable story of perseverance against all odds that will leave viewers feeling humbled and inspired. According to director Mira Nair, “The triumph of the human spirit is not to weep for what we don’t have but to focus on what we do have and allow that to take us to a place we never imagined possible.” Disney’s heartwarming and triumphant tale arrives home on Digital HD on Jan. 10 and Blu-ray™ on Jan. 31. 
Academy Award
Personally, I’m not familiar with either of these going in, but The TAMI Show and The Big TNT Show sound like they were a big step and sort of monumental in terms of the concert film. Both movies are just some concerts with big names, but it was something of an event, lots of player, lots of hit singles. Shout Factory is using its Shout Select label to bring this film and its sister film, The Big TNT Show to Blu-ray for the very first time. Mastered from a new High-Definition transfer, The T.A.M.I. Show / The Big T.N.T. Show Collector’s Edition brings both of these history-making films to life in a definitive set that no fan or scholar of rock and soul music will want to be without. It will be available December 2nd! 
William Friedkin suffered the same kind of fate many of his 1970s breakout director contemporaries did, they started to sort of fall off their super high pedestal in the 1980s. Now, with Friedkin, I think a lot of his work during this time was actually good quality, it just wasn’t catching on or becoming a hit with audiences and/or critics just weren’t ready yet. To Live And Die In LA was seen as a sort of “return” for him as he finally put out a film with both critic and audience approval. He had been on a run of bombs and reviled movies like Sorcerer (Which is a MASTERPIECE) and Cruising (HIGHLY underrated, bold film). This was seen as a return to his roots of sorts, akin to finding himself a new French Connection. It was also the last loudly heralded film of his all the way until Bug and Killer Joe in the more recent years here. Shout Factory is labeling it under its Select series and giving it a Collector’s Edition that builds and improves upon the previous Blu-ray release on November 22nd. 
