Grow a Set of ‘Horns’ on Blu-ray This January
November 25th, 2014 by Brian White
Here’s one that I have heard mixed things about, but the trailer makes it looks so wonderful that I kind of still want to give it that old college try if you know what I mean. Of course I’m talking about the odd Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, horror film Horns, which will be making its Blu-ray debut on January 6th. If nothing else, it has Rated-R sexual content, some graphic nudity, disturbing violence and language going for it. Eh, how bad can it be? Check out the full press release below from Anchor Bay and RADiUS to learn more about it! Continue reading ‘Grow a Set of ‘Horns’ on Blu-ray This January’
Horror is a such an extensive genre in film that it even comes with its own set of sub-genres. It goes further than that though. Those sub-genres even have their own sub-genres, and its like there are sub-genres of sub-genres of sub-genres. Surprisingly, one of those that branches out in many directions is the Zombie genre. I even think there’s enough of them that today’s film could qualify for it. And it might be one of the grand daddies of it. I’m talking about Nazi zombie genre. Of course during World War II, Adolf Hitler just HAD to have been experimenting with undead soldiers right? Anyway, its one of those crazy concepts that is just so wild, it can’t be anything but fun when they do it in modern day. How did it fair back in the 70s though? That’s what we’re here to find out. Join me as we take a trip back to the super low budget 16mm film, Shock Waves. 
November 20, 2014 – Entertainment One (eOne) releases the apocalyptic action thriller LEFT BEHIND nationwide, bookending the holidays with VOD on December 23, 2014 followed by DVD and Blu-ray on January 6, 2015. The movie stars Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage (NATIONAL TREASURE, CITY OF ANGELS, THE CROODS) as veteran pilot Ray Steel. After millions of people around the globe disappear in the Biblically prophesied rapture, Ray must fight to protect the passengers that remain on his flight. Trapped at 30,000 feet, he must find a way to safely land the damaged plane and comprehend the chaos that awaits as the most devastating event in history unfolds.
Drunk History is the brain child of Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner. Apparently inspired by drunk ramblings of New Girl star Jake Johnson during a night out. It originally was produced and air on the comedy website Funny Or Die. In 2013, the web show was brought to the television format on Comedy Central. It was produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Drunk History has now been running for two seasons, and I’m pretty sure a third is on the way. I watched a good handful of the web series (which I liked), but never got around to checking out the Comedy Central version. And with this uncensored DVD, I’m pretty glad I was able to just now dive into it for this review. 
Its no wonder that after the back to back experiences of Nightbreed and Lord Of Illusions, that horror maestro Clive Barker hasn’t take the director’s chair since. It wasn’t as much an extreme case with Lord Of Illusions, but once again the studio did not seem to understand Barker’s vision for the film. And during this time, the studios in general didn’t seem to understand that horror could branch out and be other things and still include horror. Barker’s horror’s were of a unique mind, but the studios seemed to think he was just some guy who made Freddy or Jason movies. For this film however, Barker agreed to make a generic and no frills cut that would appease the studio. Barker made the agreement on the guideline that when it came to video his original director’s cut would become readily available. Scream Factory has gone ahead with its debut on Blu-ray and brought you both cuts, just like they did with Nightbreed. 
Academy Award® nominated* director Jason Reitman (Up In the Air, Juno) delivers the “powerful and provocative” (Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”) MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN, debuting on Digital HD and On Demand December 16, 2014—four weeks before it’s available on disc—from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The film will be available on Blu-ray and DVD January 13, 2015. 
Supernova turns 15 years old next year. After blowing out that 15th candle on its cake, it’ll be able to, like most of us probably, give it another look. This film was a pretty massive failure at the box office, too. Also of note, its the first film to use the “Thomas Lee” pseudonym instead of “Alan Smithee”. Reportedly the film was not only directed by Walter Hill (who gets the credit), but also Francis Ford Coppola and Jack Sholder. While I saw the film once and really can’t tell you much from my memory about it, I’m actually VERY excited for the new “Making Of Supernova” documentary being included on the disc. These Scream Factory docs are always no-holds barred and I can’t wait to hear about this troubled production’s history from Lou Diamond Phillips, Daniel Chuba and Jack Sholder (Sholder tends to be very blunt on these things). Its an interesting choice to put out from Scream Factory, but I think this is a scenario where you get this one for the bonus content. 
I first was introduced to Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods when I was in eighth grade/middle school/whatever. My school contained both high school and middle school grades in one building. The high school was putting on this particular number for the annual spring musical. I had no idea what I was in for when I got my ticket. There was something to do with fairy tales and whatnot but I had no real idea. I found myself pretty taken with it as it had a mix of fairy tale play and wonder along with a comedic mix of cleverness and adult humor. That production furthered my interest in wanting to join the drama department when I would be in high school, and I did just that. Also, being a fan of this musical I sought out the taped performance I’m about to review today. It was either a VHS rental or on PBS, one or the other, but I did see it long ago. I imagine this release is tailored to Disney’s upcoming cinematic adaptation of the musical. 
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes in the family event movie The Boxtrolls. Starring, in voice performance, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright (Game of Thrones), and Elle Fanning (Maleficent), the new movie from animation studio LAIKA, the makers of the Academy Award®-nominated Coraline and ParaNorman, comes to Blu-ray™ 3D and Blu-ray™ Combo Pack including Blu-ray, DVD & DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet on January 20, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Boxtrolls will also be available on Digital HD December 23, 2014, just in time for the holidays.
A powerfully redemptive story about a young man in search of both his purpose and his identity, The Identical arrives on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, DVD, VOD and Digital HD January 13 from Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) and City of Peace Films. Featuring over 20 original songs, all produced and co-written by Motown legend, Jerry Marcellino, the “wholesome and faith-friendly” (Catholic News Service) film boasts an all-star cast, including Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Field of Dreams), Ashley Judd (Dolphin Tale 2, Divergent), Seth Green (“Family Guy,” “Robot Chicken”), Brian Geraghty (“Ray Donovan,” “Boardwalk Empire,” The Hurt Locker) and newcomer Blake Rayne.
Reclaim, which stars Ryan Phillipe, Rachelle Lefevre and John Cusack, was primarily a Video OnDemand release back in September. It did see release in a very limited fashion theatrically. This is the second film of this kind of ilk that I’ve caught to review recently that had John Cusack. The other was The Prince, which featured him prominently on the cover art, but he was barely in the film. That isn’t the case here in Reclaim, as he has a pretty significant part in this with plenty of screen time. Reclaim is yet another example of an adult thriller with actual stars hitting pretty much directly for the OnDemand market, whereas a similar film probably would have featured a wide theatrical release in the 1990s. 
Take that, Marvel! The Norwegians have beat you to Ragnarok by a whole four years and before you even had a chance to mutter up the words. Enjoy your little copycat adventure Thor, Loki and Jane Foster! Okay, okay, so this film is likely to not resemble that upcoming third Thor film in the slightest, but I thought I’d take that open opportunity and run with it. Although, funny enough, in the opening moments of the film, the name “Odin” is indeed referenced. No, this film comes from the director of Cold Prey 3 (A Norwegian slasher series that is pretty darn good, even if that was the weakest entry in it so far), so I was pretty interested from the get go on this one. In fact, this is Mikkel Brænne Sandemose’s follow up to that film, which was his feature film directorial debut. 
Into The Storm came out this summer during the reign of Guardians Of The Galaxy. The film had a pretty solid opening weekend, but in the end couldn’t manage to recoup its budget from the domestic audience. However, overseas this movie seemed to work like gangbusters. To date, it has taken in $112 million. And that makes sense. Its a movie based on big disaster action sequences that play on their own without having to follow that in depth of a plot. The only thing that would have worked it even better would be the addition of having it released in 3-D over there. Steven Quale directs his follow up to Final Destination 5 (The best film of that series), showing even more penchant for disastrous attack situations. If you’re not familiar with Quale, he comes from the James Cameron tree, in terms of background leading up to directing. He’s done various crew and second unit work for Cameron’s films like Avatar, True Lies and The Abyss. 
Way back when I wrote my theatrical review of The Expendables 3 I talked about how I initially promised myself I would have nothing to do with this movie after I learned about the abysmal PG-13 rating the filmmakers trimmed it down to be to comply with requirements of the much feared MPAA in order to get it out to a wider audience (more about that later). If it had not been for a trip up to Cleveland, OH to visit all my family and friends I can pretty much guarantee that I would have never partaken in a screening of The Expendables 3. I subjected myself to the theatrical experience to kill two birds with one stone, visit my most favorite Cleveland marketing team leader (she knows who she is) and also my favorite theater ever, that of Cinemark Valley View. I have so many memories there and obviously now The Expendables 3 is one of them. So let’s dispense with all the filter and formalities I’m employing here and talk about Barney (Stallone) and his old and new gang, and what does and does not happen here. 
