Quantcast

Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category

Take Me To The River (Blu-ray Review)

Take-Me-To-The-RiverNarrated by Terrence Howard, the rich musical legacy of the Mississippi Delta and Memphis comes alive in the award-winning documentary Take Me to the River. Celebrating the heart of American music, Take Me to the River celebrates the magical mixture of generations and genres that gave birth to the Memphis sound that has influenced the world’s popular music, by recreating that spirit today.  Featuring a soulful ensemble of contemporary and legendary artists, the award-winning Take Me to the River makes its home entertainment debut February 5th, 2016 from Shout! Factory.  The release also includes a number of bonus features offering viewers a deeper look into this one-of-a-kind project, including  an interview with Snoop Dogg and William Bell, an interview with Al Bell on how he wrote the song “I’ll Take You There”, and a session video featuring the Bar-Kays, 8Ball, and MJG. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com Continue reading ‘Take Me To The River (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Assassin (Blu-ray Review)

The AssassinCelebrated Taiwanese Master Director Hou Hsiao-hsien’s long-awaited return to the screen tells the story of Yie Ninniang (Shu Qi), a General’s daughter, kidnapped as a child and trained by a nun in the deadly arts- only to be sent home on a bloody mission of revenge, with her betrothed (Chang Chen) as the target.  Continue reading ‘The Assassin (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Sonny Boy (Blu-ray Review)

Sonny-BoyA wickedly off-beat tale of family love gone berserk, the provocative cult classic Sonny Boy makes its home entertainment debut on January 26th 2016 from Scream Factory.  Featuring a shattering, unforgettable performance from David Carradine (Kill Bill) and powerful supporting turns from  Paul L. Smith (Midnight Express, Crimewave) and Brad Dourif (Child’s Play, The Exorcist III), Sonny Boy features the unrated cut and comes loaded with bonus features, including a new audio commentary with director Robert Martin Carroll, new audio commentary with writer Graeme Whifler, a digital file of the first draft of the script, and the original theatrical trailer. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com. Continue reading ‘Sonny Boy (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Condemned (Blu-ray Review)

CondemnedFed up with her parents’ bickering, poor-little-rich-girl Maya (Dylan Penn) moves in with her boyfriend, who is squatting in an old condemned building on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. With neighbors that are meth heads, junkies and degenerates, this depraved hell hole is even more toxic than it appears: After a virus born from their combined noxious waste and garbage infects the building’s residents, one by one, they succumb to a terrifying pathogen that turns them into bloodthirsty, rampaging killers and transforms their building into a savage slaughterhouse. Continue reading ‘Condemned (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Straight Outta Compton: Unrated Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)

Straight Outta Compton (Blu-ray Review)This is a weird segue into this Blu-ray review and I completely understand that, but rest assured it serves a point.  Just mere weeks ago I was having a Skype meeting with some of the newer faces around here at WSB, Wes, Jerad, Shohan, Bron and Jordan, and I was kind of telling them about the perils of how I have seen people succumb to their demons and fail miserably around here.  However, after watching Straight Outta Compton last night I recall that Paul Giamatti’s character sums up what I was trying to say to them that night so much better so I kind of wanted to loosely transcribe what was said in the film because it not only applies to the life of a prominent reviewer, but also to anybody in show business.  He simply said too much ego, excess and expectations tend to ruin things.  Like Han Solo, I’ve been all across the galaxy of life and I can attest this is one crux humankind always seems to get hung up on, whether intentional or not, but I digress.  Yo Dre!  I got something to say! Continue reading ‘Straight Outta Compton: Unrated Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Complete Lady Snowblood – Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)

LadySnowblood-007-sourceUmbrella sword in hand, the titular Lady Snowblood carves a bloody path to blu-ray at last. Masterfully reproduced in all it’s gloriously vibrant violence, Lady Snowblood and Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance serve as wonderfully entertaining, timeless, and influential stories of fate, lineage, strife, revenge, exploitation, and ultra-violent retribution. Heavily inspiring Tarantino’s Kill Bill saga, Lady Snowblood is a bountiful well of beautiful cinematography, masterful storytelling, and powerful music. Even the theme song, sung by Lady Snowblood herself (Meiko Kaji), is done with such succinct self-awareness and grandiosity that it’s difficult to understand why Lady Snowblood was never propelled into a full-fledged film series similar to Zatoichi. Continue reading ‘The Complete Lady Snowblood – Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Everest (Blu-ray Review)

Everest (Blu-ray Review)Generally speaking these types of survival films don’t really interest me.  But considering the amount of next level talent involved such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley, and Jason Clarke I figured that it might be worth checking out.  And I’m really glad that I did!  When I saw this movie in the theaters the nearest option was to see it in 3D.  Now, I’m not the biggest fan of 3D so I wasn’t exactly stoked to see it this way.  But I gotta say, the 3D experience for this film is WELL worth it!  They take advantage of the wide sweeping shots from the climbers perspective that provides a captivating visual experience.  Though some scenes do rely on CGI to fill out a few spots, it’s done sparingly and never takes you out of the moment.  The 3D gives you so much more depth and scope that you wouldn’t quite get in the standard format. Continue reading ‘Everest (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead: 25th Anniversary (Blu-ray Review)

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadWinner of the prestigious Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award (Best Picture), Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead is based on Tom Stoppard’s award-winning play. It’s the inventive tale of Hamlet as told from the viewpoint of two of the work’s supporting, but certainly more outrageous, characters. In this cleverly inspired version, however, the Shakespearean equivalents of Laurel and Hardy get a chance to take the lead roles in a dazzling setting where illusion and reality overlap! Critically acclaimed and featuring witty performances by Richard Dreyfuss, Tim Roth and Gray Oldman, this brilliant motion picture delivers exceptional one-of-a-kind entertainment!  Continue reading ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead: 25th Anniversary (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Jack’s Back (Blu-ray Review)

Jacks-BackHe was never caught… On January 16, 2016, Scream Factory presents a tale of Jack the Ripper with Jack’s Back on Blu-ray + DVD combo pack, for the first time on either format. The taut mystery-thriller stars James Spader (The Blacklist, The Avengers: Age of Ultron) in one of his most thrilling early roles, alongside Cynthia Gibb (Death Warrant, Youngblood), with direction by Rowdy Herrington (Road House).Jack’s Back comes complete with new bonus features including interviews with Rowdy Herrington, Cynthia Gibb, producer Tim Moore and director of photography Shelly Johnson.

.

. Continue reading ‘Jack’s Back (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Get Mean 2-Disc Limited Edition (Blu-ray Review)

Get MeanAll one really needs to do is take a glance at the box art for the Blu-ray of Get Mean to make the decision that it is going to be awesome. Look at that box art! A four barreled shotgun? A man draped in sticks of TNT? And then the young woman in one of those classic “John Carter of Mars” poses? All of these elements spell greatness. It shouldn’t even matter that the film itself is even more ridiculous than the box art, you already know you are going to be in for a crazy time. Let’s get mean. Continue reading ‘Get Mean 2-Disc Limited Edition (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Martian (Blu-ray Review)

the martianWith a couple Golden Globe wins and lots of Oscar potential, director Ridley Scott has made his best film in a decade, as The Martian delivers on being an exciting visual success, with a tremendous cast making it all the more worthwhile. Matt Damon leads the way in a film about one man surviving 140 million miles away from earth and keeping a positive attitude about everything, while everyone else tries to help. ‘The Martian’ is the kind of film audiences love to see, as it delivers on being well thought out and entertaining.

d Continue reading ‘The Martian (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Sinister 2 (Blu-ray Review)

Sinister 2Arriving by way of Blu-ray on January 12th, from Director Ciarán Foy (Citadel), Sinister 2 is coming to seduce your children to project film onto your wall and then gruesomely murder you while recording it. If you were wrapped up in the ancillary character of Deputy So-and-So, played by James Ransone (“The Wire”) from the first film, you are in luck, because he is the star of the sequel. And he is back to make right the tragedy of his friend Ellison Oswalt, who never even asked his name, and to end the chain of murders brought about to appease the sinister Bughuul. When So-and-So runs into a hitch in his plan to put a stop to the murders, he finds himself aiding the family of Courtney, played by Shannyn Sossamon (The Rules of Attraction), Dylan, and Zach, played by real-life brothers Robert and Dartanian Sloan. In a race against time and the viewer’s patience, will So-and-So be able to stop Bughuul from claiming more victims? Continue reading ‘Sinister 2 (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Dragon Blade (Blu-ray Review)

Dragon-BladeFeaturing an all-star cast led by Jackie Chan (Rush Hour), John Cusack (Love & Mercy), and Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody (Best Actor, The Pianist, 2002), the worldwide box office phenomenon Dragon Blade will be available on Digital HD December 15 and Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD (plus Digital) December 22. The epic action-adventure is now available On Demand. From the director of Black Mask, this “visually stunning” (Asian Film Strike) film follows one man’s quest to stop the Roman army and bring peace to his homeland.  The Dragon Blade home entertainment release includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, extended interviews with the cast and crew, and music videos featuring Jackie Chan. Continue reading ‘Dragon Blade (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Green Inferno – The Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)

The Green InfernoAn international goodwill mission goes terrifyingly wrong in The Green Inferno, the highly anticipated return to classic cult horror from iconic director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel  1&2 ), available on Digital HD December 22, 2015 and Blu-ray and DVD as well as On Demand on January 5, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Green Inferno is a gruesomely spectacular journey into the heart of darkness that will have audiences on the edge of their seats.  The first feature film directed by Roth since Hostel: Part IIThe Green Inferno stars Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock, “Hemlock Grove”), Ariel Levy (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends), Aaron Burns (The Stranger, Best Worst Friends) and Kirby Bliss Blanton (Project X, Candy From Strangers). The screenplay is by Eli Roth and Guillermo Amoedo (Knock KnockAftershock). Continue reading ‘The Green Inferno – The Director’s Cut (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Visit (Blu-ray Review)

VisitA family visit takes a terrifying turn when two siblings learn who Grandma and Grandpareally are in The Visit, a found documentary-style suspense thriller coming to Digital HD on December 15, 2015, and Blu-ray and DVD as well as On Demand on January 5, 2016 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The first collaboration from Academy Award®-nominated writer-director M. Night Shyamalan and Academy Award-nominated producer Jason Blum, The Visit Blu-ray and DVD are packed with spine-tingling exclusive bonus features including deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, and a suspenseful alternate ending.  Kathryn Hahn (“Transparent,” The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), Ed Oxenbould (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Paper Planes), Olivia DeJonge (“Hiding,” The Sisterhood of Night), Peter McRobbie (Lincoln, Spider-Man 2) and Deanna Dunagan (Have a Little Faith, Running Scared) star in a dementedly frightening thriller that Shawn Edwards of Fox-TV praises as “Creepy and suspenseful!” Continue reading ‘The Visit (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

The Scorch Trials (Blu-Ray Review)

Scorch TrialsFollowing the footsteps of The Hunger Games and DivergentThe Maze Runner joins the ranks of the dystopian YA mega-franchise schlock with it’s second film, The Scorch Trials. As is the standard for such franchises, The Scorch Trials promises to be bigger and better, yet it fails on almost all fronts in such spectacular fashion. Wrought with incredibly bland, cliche, and uninteresting characters the movie struggles to dredge up any sympathy from the audience during its most tense moments. Even with the welcome addition of fresh faces the film never really seems to challenge any of its protagonists in any developing or meaningful way. Devolving into a mediocre and derivative blend of zombie action, rebel rousing, and teenage angst the movie fails to fully commit to any of these ideas. As if a strangely self referential metaphor for its own lack of coherence, most of the screen time is committed to the characters running frantically, looking for purpose and direction in a bleak and uninspired wasteland.  Continue reading ‘The Scorch Trials (Blu-Ray Review)’

Share

The Guardian (Blu-ray Review)

GuardianWilliam Friedkin, the Academy Award® winning director of The Exorcist, delivers a new kind of fairy tale for adults. A handsome young couple finds the perfect live-in babysitter to look after their newborn child. It seems like a fairy tale, until ancient, supernatural forces turn the couples dream into a nightmare. On January 19, 2016, SCREAM FACTORY™ is proud to present THE GUARDIAN, arriving for the first time on Blu-ray™.  A film by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The Hunted), the supernatural thriller stars Jenny Seagrove (Local Hero), Dwier Broan (Red Dragon) and Carey Lowell (License to Kill).  A must-have for loyal fans, movie collectors and horror-thriller enthusiasts to complete their home entertainment library Continue reading ‘The Guardian (Blu-ray Review)’

Share

Contracted: Phase 2 (Blu-ray Review)

Contracted-Phase 2Hang on to your barf bags, buckle up, and get ready for the genre ride of the year when Scream Factory, in conjunction with IFC Midnight, releases the horror thriller Contracted: Phase 2 on January 12th, 2016.  Picking up immediately after the events of the first film,Contracted: Phase 2 follows Riley (Matt Mercer – Contracted), now infected and running out of time, as he attempts to find out more about the virus and its mysterious host. Starring Matt Mercer, Peter Cilella, Marianna Palka, Morgan Peter Brown, Laurel Vail, Alice Macdonald, Anna Lore and Suzanne Voss, Contracted: Phase 2 is a must-see for fans of the body horror genre. Continue reading ‘Contracted: Phase 2 (Blu-ray Review)’

Share