Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
March 14th, 2015 by Sean Wright
Based on the novel Washington’s Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose, Turn: Washington’s Spies arrives as AMC’s newest cable series, which tracks the early days of espionage in the American colonies that eventually became the United States of America. The Culper Ring, led by Abe Woodhull, provided George Washington valuable information on the British Army in New York, which helped to turn the tide of the Revolutionary War. The first season of 10 episodes debuted on April 6th, 2014, with season two set to premiere on April 13th, 2015. Continue reading ‘Turn: Washington’s Spies – The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review)’
March 13th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
I love the directors that the folks at Scream Factory choose to follow and try to release nice editions of their works. Unappreciated or worthy of their unfavorable status, directors with names’ films are ones that are continually studied and collected no matter what. Tobe Hooper’s filmography is getting some of its more unappreciated works the attention they deserve via the Scream Factory. In the 1980s, Tobe had a 3-film deal with the infamous Cannon films. Three films that I find all to be greatly underrated. The first of which was Lifeforce and the last being Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. In between was a another sci-fi/horror mash-up, a remake of 1953’s Invaders From Mars. Hooper’s goal; to craft a science fiction film for kids and families. He brought with him an awesome production team. But, like his other Cannon product, it didn’t perform too hot and wasn’t appreciated at the time.
Continue reading ‘Invaders From Mars (Blu-ray Review)’
March 13th, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
What if the ghastly images and abominations haunting our collective nightmares actually exist? Writer/director Adam Green (Hatchet) sets out to make a documentary exploring this tantalizing premise after being contacted by a mysterious man named William Dekker (Ray Wise). Dekker claims he can prove that “monsters are real” and insists these grotesque creatures are forgotten, hideously deformed humanoids inhabiting a vast, underground metropolis of the damned. Determined to expose the truth, Green embarks on a bone-chilling odyssey and gets more than he bargains for when he dares to go Digging Up The Marrow. Continue reading ‘Digging Up the Marrow (Blu-ray Review)’
March 12th, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
Officer Lou Garou isn’t the best cop in small-town Woodhaven – in fact, he’s probably the worst. He mostly just looks to avoid anything that could possibly interfere with his goal of getting wasted. One evening during the night shift, Lou investigates a mysterious disturbance at the edge of town and wakes up with a pentagram carved in his chest, heightened senses and body hair that’s growing at an alarming rate. To solve the mystery of his transformation, he’ll have to take on a case no normal cop would be able to solve, but this half-man, half-beast is not just a cop…he’s a WOLFCOP.
*Please keep in mind that Wolfcop is a BEST BUY Exclusive until May 12th.
Continue reading ‘Wolfcop (Blu-ray Review)’
March 11th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Based on a story by Ava Ostern Fries, TROOP BEVERLY HILLS was directed by Jeff Kanew from a screenplay by Pamela Norris and Margaret Oberman. It was executive produced by Charles Fries, with Ava Ostern Fries serving as producer. Director Jeff Kanew is most known for one of the 80s best comedies, Revenge Of The Nerds. A film that I reviewed the Blu-ray for last year. While reviled by critics and not even crossing 10 million dollars at the box office, somewhere along the line, Troop Beverly Hills would up finding itself a fan base and becoming a classic of its own right. I’d say its primarily due to people checking it out on VHS (Heck, I rented it). Also, this was a female-driven film with the target audiences being females and young ones at that. So, of course critics were going to hate it. It was also another movie in which Shelley Long, try as she might, couldn’t break big from being a big TV star to that of one on the big screen. Continue reading ‘Troop Beverly Hills (Blu-ray Review)’
March 11th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
There’s something awful hiding in the woods and it’s coming after the unsuspecting in the gripping and acclaimed LATE PHASES: NIGHT OF THE WOLF. From the director ofPenumbra, Cold Sweat and Here Comes The Devil. With a stunning lead performance (“Nick Damici is great” – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com), director Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s LATE PHASES: NIGHT OF THE LONE WOLF is a suspense thrill ride unlike any other. The Dark Sky theatrical release also stars Ethan Embry (Cheap Thrills, Eagle Eye, Vacancy) and Tina Louise(Gilligan’s Island, The Stepford Wives). An Official Selection at SXSW 2014 and the Fantasia Film Festival, LATE PHASES: NIGHT OF THE LONE WOLF has received widespread acclaim. Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times called it “a sprightly horror movie.” “A masterpiece of the werewolf genre,” said Patrick Cooper of Bloody Disgusting.“Like Liam Neeson’s The Grey but with the ass-kicking ending those ‘Neeson vs. wolves’ commercials promised,” wrote Matt Barone at Complex. Continue reading ‘Late Phases: Night Of The Lone Wolf (Blu-ray Review)’
March 10th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Leighton Meester and Gillian Jacobs star in keenly observant comedy Life Partners arriving on Blu-ray from Magnolia Home Entertainment. It also has Adam Brody, Abby Elliott and Kate McKinnon. I’m a huge fan of both Jacobs and McKinnon, so this film at least has that going for it in my wheelhouse. The film is the directorial debut of Susanna Fogel. It comes based off of a play by the same name, written by Joni Lefkowitz. Lefkowitz is also the producer on this film. Fogel and Lefkowitz previously starred together in a web-based series titled Joni & Susanna. This film also once had the likes of Evan Rachel Wood and Kristen Bell attached to it, but both dropped out when they were pregnant. Life Partners premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival and had a run on VOD back in November 2014. Continue reading ‘Life Partners (Blu-ray Review)’
March 6th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Steve McQueen was certainly “the man” when it comes to the start of action heroes, and his run in the 1960s and 1970s. Bullitt, The Getaway, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Great Escape and many others are downright staples of anyone studying action in film. And McQueen was easily one of the biggest and most larger than life stars to ever walk the planet. The man was the epitome of “Guys wanna be him, girls wanna be with him”. Here we have a documentary celebrating that legendary career and also giving us the story who he was as a man too. This documentary features the likes of Pierce Brosnan, Gary Oldman, Ali MacGraw and many others talking about his importance to film and the legacy. Continue reading ‘I Am Steve McQueen (Blu-ray Review)’
March 5th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Based on Jane Mendelsohn’s best-selling young adult novel of the same name, the chilling story comes to life in the spine-tingling horror film, Innocence. Directed by Hilary Brougher (Stephanie Daley), the eerie feature stars Sophie Curtis (Arbitrage), Kelly Reilly (Flight, Heaven Is For Real) and Graham Phillips (“The Good Wife”). Haunted by the death and dreams of her beloved mother in a Montauk surfing accident, 16-year-old Beckett and her father, novelist Miles Warner, move to Manhattan and attempt to piece together their shattered life. Now enrolled at the exclusive Hamilton preparatory school, her psychosis and hallucinations intensify with the dubious suicides of current and past students, as does her first love for Tobey Crawford. The discovery that her new school may be run by a coven of beautiful and seductive women who perpetuate their youth by drinking the blood of virgins becomes the ultimate challenge of Beckett and Tobey’s young lives. Continue reading ‘Innocence (Blu-ray Review)’
March 5th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Get ready to journey into one of the greatest minds in history! From Creator and Executive Producer David S. Goyer, comes the second season of Da Vinci’s Demons, bigger and bolder as Leonardo da Vinci travels to South America, Naples, and Turkey, in his quest to find answers. Science mixes with love, lust and thrills in an adventure that is as inventive as the man who inspired it. This is the must see series that critics are calling “Explosive” and a “Fantastical drama” (TV Guide Magazine), “Compelling” and a “Well-crafted story” (New York Daily News) and simply “a whole heck of a lot of fun” (Zap2it). Da Vinci’s Demons: The Complete Second Season is unlike anything ever seen, a historical fantasy drama that truly soars to new heights! Continue reading ‘Da Vinci’s Demons: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray Review)’
March 4th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
John Cusack (Say Anything…, Grosse Pointe Blank) and Daphne Zuniga (Spaceballs) take a road trip to romance in The Sure Thing, a charming and thoughtful comedy classic that only the ’80s could deliver, presented here in a special 30th Anniversary edition on Blu-ray from Shout! Factory. The release gives the film a brand new transfer and ports over all the extras from teh DVD special edition that was released back in 2003. And I don’t think its been released at all on any format since then. Directed by Rob Reiner (This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride), The Sure Thing is exactly what the title suggests for fans of raucously funny road trips, red-hot romantic comedies and romps through 80’s angst featuring John Cusack! Continue reading ‘The Sure Thing: 30th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
March 2nd, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
In this psychological thriller from Academy Award nominated director Atom Egoyan, Matthew (Ryan Reynolds) must live through a parent’s worst nightmare when his young daughter, Cassandra, vanishes without a trace. Years later, when detectives Nicole (Rosario Dawson) and Jeffery (Scott Speedman) discover recent images of Cassandra online. Matthew puts everything on the line to get his daughter back. Continue reading ‘The Captive (Blu-ray Review)’
March 2nd, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
Based on Phillip Roth s final novel, The Humbling tells the story of over-the-hill stage actor Simon Axler (Al Pacino) and his struggles to find his passion for life again. Near his breaking point, he finds motivation in the form of a young and lustful lesbian Pegeen Stapleford (Greta Gerwig), but as their relationship heats up Simon has a hard time keeping up with the youthful Pegeen. The Humbling is directed by Barry Levinson and also stars Kyra Sedgwick, Charles Grodin, Dianne Wiest and Nina Arianda. Continue reading ‘The Humbling (Blu-ray Review)’
March 2nd, 2015 by Brian White
Make no mistake about it. I wanted to see Foxcatcher for one main reason. Never mind all the Academy Awards nominations it got. We’ll talk about those in a minute. I wanted to see it because for the first time ever that man I saw in the film’s trailer was not Steve Carell, but someone possessed, almost evil looking. I wanted to find out who this man was. I could care less about wrestling. I needed to find out how the heck Carell looked so sinister, the why and most importantly, did he pull it off. Considering he got nominated for the Best Actor this year, I think the consensus is in that he did, but nonetheless I had to see Foxcatcher with my own eyes. And now that I did, here’s my full Blu-ray review to tell you all about my HD experience. So lace up your wrestling shoes ladies and gentlemen. Ding! Ding! That’s the bell! Let’s take our discussion onto the Blu-ray mat. Follow me! Continue reading ‘Foxcatcher (Blu-ray Review)’
March 1st, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Kiss Me Kate — Cole Porter’s 1953 hit musical filmed with the most advanced 3D technology during the medium’s “golden era” – will be released in a newly restored Blu-ray edition by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Viewers will now be able to experience the classic starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson and Ann Miller exactly the way it was seen in its 3D release in theatres 62 years ago. Kiss Me Kate will be part of WBHE’s Blu-ray Musicals Collection, which will also contain a 2D version of Kiss Me Kate, and Singin’ in the Rain, along with The Band Wagon and Calamity Jane, both making their Blu-ray debuts. The Collection will also include four collectible art cards. In addition, Kiss Me Kate, The Band Wagon and Calamity Jane will be available as singles. Continue reading ‘Musicals: 4-Movie Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
February 24th, 2015 by Aaron Neuwirth
A small part of the world cried foul, threats were made from various sources, but here we are with the home release of the movie that presents an insane premise and matches it with the same sense of humor and themes that have made successes out of the filmmaking team that is Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. While the real-life fallout from producing The Interview was likely something the duo could not have imagined, the actual film is merely silly fun, with only hints of truly biting social commentary. That said, I know what to expect, for the most part, from Team Rogberg at this point, and while this may not be their greatest effort, it is certainly an entertaining one, which has now found its way to Blu-ray.
Continue reading ‘The Interview: Freedom Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
February 23rd, 2015 by Aaron Neuwirth
Beyond the Lights is the kind of film that I wish could be a part of the conversation, when it comes to changing how Hollywood does things. The film is a romantic drama that happens to feature black actors in the lead roles. It received some marketing this past fall, but not a huge campaign, and it was not screened for critics. Regardless, Beyond the Lights received very strong reviews and an Academy Award nomination to top off its acclaim. It is not necessarily the best film of the year, but it is a well-made, original feature film, working with some tried but true story ideas, with strong performances pushing it even further up. All of this and it barely breaks even (depending on marketing costs). Now the film is available on Blu-ray, with a great technical presentation, a director’s cut, and a commentary that only hints at the hard work it took to get this film made.
Continue reading ‘Beyond The Lights (Blu-ray Review)’
February 23rd, 2015 by Brandon Peters
The SyFy Channel original film, Dark Haul is coming to Blu-ray from Scream Factory. It stars Tom Sizemore, who battles against a creature while trying to transport it and its human sister to a secure location. I’m not sure if they have before, but this might be the first time that SyFy and Scream Factory have crossed paths for a Blu-ray release before. Normally, or in the past, Scream Factory has done work with Chiller TV and IFC Midnight (With more films from the latter coming down the pipeline according to recent reports). I had never heard of this one before, but being a SyFy Channel movie, I already know where to set my expectations and how to appropriately view something of its ilk. Continue reading ‘Dark Haul (Blu-ray Review)’
