Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
January 31st, 2015 by Brian White
Game of Thrones Blu-ray reviews are very intimidating to write about. Let’s be honest, there’s a lot of ground to cover here. Do you take the high road and skim over everything without spoilers in fear or ruining it for anyone reading that has not seen the fourth season yet, or do you grow a pair with the assumption that your parents are the only ones on planet Earth who have yet to experience the epic awesomeness of Game of Thrones and everyone else just wants to find out all they can about this February 17th HBO Blu-ray release? I’m going to err for the latter as I boldly set out to accomplish two things here within this Blu-ray review, recapping what Season 4 is all about and more importantly, candidly capturing everything about this MUST-OWN Blu-ray set.
Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
January 31st, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Scream Factory is stocking up on the most romantic of classic movie monsters, the vampire. They’re releasing three of them that week. We’ve already talked about Vampire’s Kiss, but the other two are comedies as well. This Double Feature includes the George Hamilton 1979 romp Love At First Bite and the early Jim Carrey teen sex comedy Once Bitten. That’s an easy common thread to find them as a double feature in a pack. But I also find it funny that they both have a play on the number one and the word “bite” in their titles as well. Intentional? I’m hoping that’s the case. Pretty clever. These are two comedies that cover both classic era vampires (Dracula) and ones in the modern world more akin to that of a Fright Night type (Once Bitten actually released the same year as Fright Night). Both feature some bloody good laughs. Continue reading ‘Love At First Bite / Once Bitten – Double Feature (Blu-ray Review)’
January 31st, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
When Nick (Elijah Wood) discovers that he’s won a dinner date with his favorite star Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey), he’s incredibly excited to finally get the chance to meet her. That excitement deflates when Jill refuses to honor the contest and all of Nick’s hopes are dashed. He’s intrigued when Chord (Neil Maskell), a man claiming to be Jill’s campaign manager, offers him something he can’t quite refuse: Chord will give Nick the ability to constantly view Jill via computer. Nick is initially reluctant but is finally persuaded, unaware that this decision will put both himself and Jill at risk. Continue reading ‘Open Windows (Blu-ray Review)’
January 31st, 2015 by Brandon Peters
One of Walt Disney’s most popular animated films of all time, 101 Dalmatians is finally making its way to Blu-ray. The film is one that saved the animation studio, changed the way they did things and gave them a future. It also gave them one of their most classic villains of all time, the haunting, skreechy, evil Cruella De Ville. She also has her own theme song that’ll creep up into your conscious too. The film took in some huge box off and was a massive success. The film has seen itself reissued four times (1969, 1979, 1985, 1991). It also spawned a broadway musical and a feature film that many remember had Glenn Close playing Cruella De Ville. Disney is bringing the original film to us once again, in this VERY loaded Diamond Edition Blu-ray . Continue reading ‘101 Dalmatians – Diamond Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
January 30th, 2015 by Aaron Neuwirth
The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a widely loved kids film, when it comes to celebrating Halloween. If things go the way they should, The Book of Life is in a nice position to become the film that represents Dia de los Muertos for kids, let alone brings it further into mainstream prominence. Director Jorge Guiterrez and his team, including producer Guillermo del Toro, have created a stylish, animated, adventure-romance, which is full of life. It is a bit odd to point that last part out, given that the film celebrates the Day of the Dead, but then again, there is a lot of odd charm in this film that may be overstuffed with ideas, but is so lighthearted and fun, it is easy to look over some minor flaws, when it comes down to supporting a nice little animated film such as this. It also looks and sounds great on Blu-ray.
Continue reading ‘The Book Of Life (Blu-ray Review)’
January 30th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Last August, longtime New York Times TV critic Alessandra Stanley penned a feature entitled “The Elusive Pleasures of French TV Series”. In the feature, she highlighted MAISON CLOSE as one of several Gallic series to seek out. However, she also noted “There is exotic and beguiling television all across the world, far away by plane but near enough by satellite, cable or Web to be tantalizingly just out of reach.” The acclaimed first season of MAISON CLOSE will no longer be “tantalizingly just out of reach”, as Music Box Films delivers the acclaimed Foreign TV import to North American shores on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD. Period dramas on TV have always entranced viewers and ruled the Nielsen’s: PBS’ “Downton Abbey,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “Boardwalk Empire,” AMC’s “Masters of Sex,” “Turn,” and “Hell on Wheels” and BBC’s “Ripper” and “Mr. Selfridge”. Add to that the allure of the world’s oldest profession seen in an entirely new light and the success of recent French programming such as last year’s Sundance Channel smash, “Les Revenants” (a/k/a “The Returned”, and also distributed by Music Box), and there’s never been a better time for home audiences to dive in to a new viewing experience. Continue reading ‘Maison Close: Season One (Blu-ray Review)’
January 30th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Poker Night, a movie that doesn’t really have much to do with the game of poker itself. So, if for some reason the box art isn’t telling you already of that fact, then let this be that sort of disclaimer for you. The film is a crime thriller from Greg Francis, a man who looks to have an extensive background in those crime and FBI and shows you see on cable channels all time time (Francis had nothing to do with this show, but I personally find myself getting glued to Forensic Files on HLN before bedtime). Poker Night debuted on Video On Demand back in early December and enjoyed a short limited theatrical release just before Christmas. It comes to Blu-ray courtesy of XLrator Media under their Macabre label. These are the same folks who brought us Jersey Shore Massacre, but to anyone hesitant to pick up another one of their titles because of that film, this is a much improved pick up both in terms of film competency and Blu-ray authoring and technical aspects. Continue reading ‘Poker Night (Blu-ray Review)’
January 29th, 2015 by Aaron Neuwirth
Reviewing The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby on Blu-ray makes for a somewhat difficult situation, because there are two versions of this film (thankfully both available on this release). The first has something of a subtitle known as “Them”. This version takes the story of a married couple that separates and follows both of their lives separately, from their perspectives. The other version, the original work-in-progress version, is actually two films (“Him” and “Her”), which allows us to see two complete films about the two main characters separately, with sporadic interactions with each other. “Them” exists as a combination that loses about 70 minutes of “Him/Her”. Having not seen either version before this release, I was at a loss of how to approach the film, but I have now did what I could, so be prepared for the results, as well as a look at how this Blu-ray release plays.
Continue reading ‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (Blu-ray Review)’
January 29th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Before the new year hit, Scream Factory said that 2015 was going to see an increase in the Double Feature titles compared to years prior. As a fan of their Double Feature titles (And a lot of Shout! Factory’s 4-Movie Marathon series), I got pretty excited. And they really weren’t stretching the truth, as they’ve so far announced eight Double Feature Blu-ray releases for 2015 (Including the Blacula movies and the first two Ghoulies films). They’ll be kicking off this run on February 10 with two of them, majority Vampire-comedy centric. Today, we’re looking at one of those that includes Nicholas Cage’s debut on Scream Factory title (Vampire’s Kiss) as well as another acting legend Peter O’Toole (High Spirits). So sit back, and lets take a look, shall we? Continue reading ‘Vampire’s Kiss / High Spirits – Double Feature (Blu-ray Review)’
January 27th, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
In the fall of 1976, a small psychology lab in Pennsylvania became the unwitting home to the only government-confirmed case of possession. The U.S. military assumed control of the lab under orders of national security and, soon after, implemented measures aimed at weaponizing the entity. The details of the inexplicable events that occurred are being made public after remaining classified for nearly forty years.
Continue reading ‘The Atticus Institute (Blu-ray Review)’
January 26th, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
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Continue reading ‘Fury (Blu-ray Review)’
January 26th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
A group of close friends gather for a wedding, but their celebration is shattered by apocalyptic events in the supernatural thriller from AFFIRM Films, THE REMAINING, available from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. This rapture film follows five friends who are forced to scramble for safety as a series of cataclysmic events starts to occur. The survivors are forced to re-examine life, love and belief as they must choose between faith and survival. THE REMAINING stars Alexa Vega (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), Shaun Sipos (“The Vampire Diaries”), Johnny Pacar (“Make It or Break It”), Italia Ricci (“Chasing Life”) and Bryan Dechart (Step Up 3D). The film is directed by Casey La Scala from a screenplay by La Scala and Chris Dowling. Peter Schafer served as the executive producer with Marc Bienstock, Brad Luff and La Scala serving as producers. Continue reading ‘The Remaining (Blu-ray Review)’
January 26th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Pom Poko is the seventh film from the animation house Studio Ghibli. It is also their first film in the canon to use computer animation in the film. I couldn’t tell you where exactly or how it was used, as its not very evident upon watching the movie as it all looks two dimensionally hand drawn. Its the third film from director Isao Takahata (Also written by him), where back in these days it seemed to just alternate between he and Hayao Miyazaki. Pom Poko was once again a major success for the studio, as it topped the Japanese box office and was the highest grossing film of 1994 in Japan. From 1989 to 1994, every year Studio Ghibli released a film, it wound up being the highest earning film of the year in Japan. That’s a pretty nice feat to accomplish. They were pretty much accomplishing here with their animation what Disney was doing in America at the same time with the likes of films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and the like. Continue reading ‘Pom Poko (Blu-ray Review)’
January 26th, 2015 by Jordan Grout
We’re all older. We’re all wiser. It’s been a couple years removed from the Twilight craze. We can all now agree that Jacob was the wiser choice. Let’s be honest – Bella made a mistake marrying Edward. One can only arrive at that conclusion after submitting themselves to a re-watch of the first three films. It is my pleasure to report that they have only become worse with time, and the extended versions do them no favors. But it gives one plenty of time to debate who the worthy candidate is.
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Continue reading ‘The Twilight Saga Extended Editions Triple Feature (Blu-ray Review)’
January 25th, 2015 by Aaron Neuwirth
Boardwalk Empire is the series that I always felt both audiences and HBO wanted more from. Make no mistake, this Prohibition era-set crime drama, starring Steve Buscemi, was certainly a handsome production, with many fine performances, and a narrative that made some big turns throughout its 56-episode run, but I never felt like this would serve as one of the acclaimed HBO shows that would be used to make a statement about the premium network’s legacy. Regardless, the show has now come to an end and for those that stuck with it, or wanted to, I can say that I was at least very involved in the way the final hours of this series played out, given the finality that comes with the last season of a crime drama such as this. Now the fifth and final season has come to Blu-ray, so the word can spread on just how quietly this series may or may not have gone out.
Continue reading ‘Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
January 25th, 2015 by Gerard Iribe
Big city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his estranged wife father, the town’s judge (Robert Duvall), is suspected of murder. He sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.
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Continue reading ‘The Judge (Blu-ray Review)’
January 25th, 2015 by Brandon Peters
Tales From Earthsea was the fourth biggest grosser in Japan in 2006. The film is an adaptation from the Ursula K Le Guin’s popular Earthsea series of novels. This film was apparently the product of taking the first four books and smudging them all together in one film. The author has argued that the plot of this movie wound up being completely different from that of her books. She also wasn’t a fan of the finished product. I’ve not read her books, so I can’t be one to compare, contrast or give insight about. I’m also a novice to the film as well, this being what it is to me. The film also marks the directorial debut of the son of Hayao Miyazaki, Goro Miyazaki. And I’ve done my research, and he does not reside in the dungeon of Shang Tsung. He also only has two arms. Continue reading ‘Tales From Earthsea (Blu-ray Review)’
January 24th, 2015 by Brian White
I could start and stop my film review section with Why So Blu reviewer Aaron Neuwirth’s comments on my theatrical review of John Wick where he left the following remarks. “A dude with long hair, a dog, and Mustang beats up Theon Greyjoy. Of course you loved this movie.” He also went on to add that “and he listens to Marilyn Manson! You must have been in heaven.” Let the record show, the boy knows me well. I was truly in a nirvana-like state throughout the movie’s entire runtime, and I have been salivating ever since for this eventual Blu-ray release. This is why I’m a reviewer! I have John Wick on Blu-ray in my grubby hands two weeks before anyone else and I want to shout to the top of the tallest mountain, I LOVE IT SO! Continue reading ‘John Wick (Blu-ray Review)’
