Firewalker (Blu-ray Review)
Back in the 80s, it was more typical that when something had a big box office success, it’s influence would be that is was knocked off by every studio. This has always rung true, but its gone out in a more clever, less on the nose copy. When Indiana Jones took the box office by storm, we saw many more traveling adventures through exotic lands and caves searching for artifacts and gold. Romancing The Stone hit big and opened the doors for even more after that box office treasure. Cannon Films decided to not only venture down this path once, but twice. Their first was King Solomon’s Mines featuring the character of Allan Quatermain akin to be “just like Indy!” (Spawning a sequel of its own). Today, we have the other swing they took, the Chuck Norris and Lou Gossett Jr. team up, Firewalker! Continue reading ‘Firewalker (Blu-ray Review)’
Scream Factory have proven to be the experts when it comes to the works of Vincent Price. In the last two years, they’ve release two super freaking awesome boxed sets. Now comes a standalone release which is a bit of a surprise. I sort of worry about a third box set this coming October as Kino Lorber has been announcing a flurry of Price titles as of late (Leave Scream Factory alone, you! We want more Price Collections!). Who knows, if there’s one group full of pleasant surprises its Scream Factory. From A Whisper To A Scream is one I’ve found even some big Vincent Price fans aren’t too familiar with. Its his final role in a horror movie. A small one, but significant enough and fun. The film was an attempt at trying to bring back the horror anthology film and was tossed aside by moviegoers and critics at the time. But time is usually kind to a lot of vintage horror that may have been ahead of its time or misunderstood back then. Would this be one of those? 
An official selection of the New York City International Film Festival and FilmQuest Film Festival, winning Best Actress, Best Screenplay and Best Director honors, the highly anticipated supernatural thriller Echoes arrives on Blu-ray™ and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment. The feature directorial debut of Nils Timm (who also wrote the screenplay), Echoes explores the murky realm between reality and dreams, and what could happen when these worlds collide. With a stellar cast including Steven Brand (“Teen Wolf,” The Scorpion King), Kate French (Channeling, “Gossip Girl,” “One Tree Hill”), Billy Wirth(“Chicago P.D.”, The Lost Boys) and Steve Hanks (12/12/12, Hold Your Breath),Echoes will have viewers guessing until the final fade-out! 
The world is turned upside down when one of the world’s greatest super heroes – Batman – finds himself under attack by his own son in the newest DC Universe Original Movie – Batman vs. Robin. Television stars Jason O’Mara (Terra Nova) and Stuart Allan (Son of Batman) reprise their roles as the voices of Batman/Bruce Wayne and Robin/Damian, respectively. Adding to the celebrity-laden voice cast is Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order) as Talon, Sean Maher (Serenity) as Nightwing, and Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Thomas Wayne. This all-new original film arrives from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-Ray™ Deluxe Edition, Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD. The brand-new product offering, Blu-ray™ Deluxe Edition, will include the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, along with a Batman figurine in a gift set. 
From director Tim Burton, BIG EYES tells the outrageous true story of one of the most epic frauds in history. BIG EYES was up for two additional Golden Globe® nominations including Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical or Comedy and Best Original Song. The film has garnered numerous accolades including an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Screenplay and BAFTA nominations for Best Leading Actress and Best Production Design. The back of the case proclaims it as “One of Tim Burton’s Best Films” (Scott Mendelson, Forbes), and if you take a look back at the last 13 years or so, its really an eye opener (Or maybe not so much) to see how true that very statement is. 
This summer, SCREAM FACTORY™ invites horror enthusiasts and movie collectors to further venture into the great outdoors and experience what Camp Rolling Hills and Camp New Horizons have to offer – nature walks, randy campers, puritanical camp counselor, murder and a feast of gory goodness! Fans of the popular SLEEPAWAY CAMP movies rejoice as the collector’s editions of SLEEPAWAY CAMP II: UNHAPPY CAMPERS and SLEEPAWAY CAMP III: TEENAGE WASTELAND hits on home entertainment shelves everywhere on June 9, 2015 from SCREAM FACTORY™. 
Can I gloat for just a brief second to start this off? Back in 2013 when I 
From the filmmaking team of Youssef Delara and Victor Teran (Bedrooms) comes 
Odd as it may sound, Empire Records is actually a bonafide cult classic. As much as people of my age range talked about it, quoted it and the frequency with which we watched it, we were in the minority. The film has been more appreciated on in more recent years, and especially in our nostalgia drenched society, which comes as a bit of a surprise. This film was loathed by critics and really not seen by audiences. It didn’t get much of a wide release, but here’s a fun fact; Empire Records didn’t even make one million dollars at the box office. I would be interested to see the home video intake for the film though, as it seems to have caught on their and grown to a more widespread popularity. Its also a home media survivor, making the jump to DVD and now crossing over into Blu-ray. 
Here we are in 1978 where Burt Reynolds is peaking so very damn hard. While some may now be like “Hoop-what?”, Hooper was a big deal in 1978. The film was a follow up to the massive hit, Smokey and the Bandit the year prior. Smokey would have been the biggest film of 1977 had it not been for that pesky Star Wars movie. It marked a quick reteaming of stuntman-turned director Hal Needham with Burt Reynolds and Sally Field. Field and Reynolds were also a huge onscreen item back then, doing a plenty of films together in a short run. Hooper ended up being a huge success too being the 6th highest grossing film of the year and kept Reynolds and his teaming up with Neeham running. 
Upon its 2005 DVD release, the Australian thriller LONG WEEKEND quickly became one of the most highly-regarded films in the Synapse Films library, later to be prominently featured in Mark Hartley’s acclaimed documentary NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD and remade by director Jamie Blanks (URBAN LEGEND) in 2008. Fans have long requested a Blu-ray upgrade for this unrelenting Aussie classic, now making its high-def debut on a stunning new Synapse Blu-ray! From the writer of ROAD GAMES and RAZORBACK comes this “spooky little gem” (Premiere Magazine), presented in a high-definition transfer from original vault materials with a re-mastered DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround soundtrack created by Synapse Films.
Burt Reynolds was a busy man in the late 70s and early 80s. He was one of the biggest film stars in the world. And in 1981 he made three films. Most memorable of them and popular is likely The Cannonball Run. Another positive mark for Reynolds would be his adaptation of William Diehl’s novel, Sharky’s Machine, which he not only starred but directed. Reynolds told rival larger than life actor/director Clint Eastwood that if he was going to make one of his movies (Referring to Every Which Way But Loose), then he was going to do Dirty Harry in Atlanta. Sharky’s Machine wound up being another big hit for Reynolds, and his highest grossing directed film at the box office internationally. 
Everly is one of those films where I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to see. No, I’m not going to divulge whether I liked it or not just yet, but what I mean by that is ever since its VOD release in January I have been resisting the urge to buy or rent just so my first viewing could either be on the big screen or on my HD format of choice, Blu-ray. Regrettably I had a chance to see it when it was in town 
Look out or they’ll get you in the end! Scream Factory proudly presents a monstrous double feature of 
Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company are proud to announce the home entertainment release of the visually stunning film, THE IMMIGRANT.Hailed by theA.V. Club’s Ignatiy Vishnevetsky as “an American masterpiece,” audiences can own the film on DVD and Blu-Ray™ April 7, 2015. Following its world premiere at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or prize, The Weinstein Company released this compelling drama theatrically on May 16, 2014. The New York Film Critics Circle awarded Academy Award® nominee Darius Khondji the prize for Best Cinematographer and Marion Cotillard for Best Actress. Cotillard and Khondjihave both been nominated for a 2015 Independent Spirit Award for their great achievements in the film. 
