Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
June 24th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, Winter’s Tale is a story of miracles, crossed destinies and the age-old battle between good and evil. Peter Lake (Farrell) is a master thief who never expected to have his own heart stolen by the beautiful Beverly Penn (Brown Findlay). But their love is star-crossed: she burns with a deadly form of consumption, and Peter has been marked for a much more violent death by his one-time mentor, the demonic Pearly Soames (Crowe). Peter desperately tries to save his one true love, across time, against the forces of darkness, even as Pearly does everything in his power to take him down – winner take all and loser be damned. What Peter needs is a miracle, but only time will tell if he can find one. Continue reading ‘Winter’s Tale (Blu-ray Review)’
June 23rd, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a film not only packed with characters, sets, costumes, and all the things that tend to typify writer/director Wes Anderson’s style, it is also packed with story. It is becoming more and more clear to me how much Anderson enjoys having films that are about stories being told to an audience. There are frequent themes that have been present in Anderson’s other films, namely family, which is clearly seen in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, Fantastic Mr. Fox and all of his other films as well, which is all well and good, but The Grand Budapest Hotel really goes out of its way to show us that it is a story within a story that is being told to another person. The result is a film that finds a way to present something that will be entirely familiar to everyone who recognizes Anderson’s style, but ends up feeling like a comment on storytelling itself. It is a combination of multiple genres in a rather go-for-broke fashion, with thoughtful regard for its key characters, and now the film is available in a great looking Blu-ray package.
Continue reading ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel (Blu-ray Review)’
June 23rd, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Rob the Mob chronicles the lives of a real-life Bonnie and Clyde who made the bold move to rob and humiliate some of New York City’s most powerful mobsters. Fresh from prison for a small-time crime, reunited lovers Thomas (Pitt) and Rosie (Arianda) find themselves in need of cash. After hearing testimony from John Gotti’s high profile trial that mob social clubs are gun-free, Thomas and Rosie brazenly rob these underground spots operated by major crime families in the City. Unwittingly, they come across something much more valuable than money: a list of every mobster in the families. Now the feds, family members, and rival mobsters are on the hunt for the most notorious lovers since Romeo & Juliet.
Continue reading ‘Rob the Mob (Blu-ray Review)’
June 21st, 2014 by Brian White
I’m sorry, but when it comes to some of the greatest action and martial arts movies of all time, my mind instantly drifts to one particular film in recent memory, The Raid: Redemption. You can say what you want about the weak story and the unrealistic punishment one man can take, but hot damn fudge on the end of Harry Potter’s wand was the fighting ever wild, crowd pleasing and over-the-top, intense when it needed to be. If you didn’t feel some of those blows from your viewing chair, then I’m sorry to inform you of the following diagnosis. You have no central nervous system. You are paralyzed. You might be dead. In my opinion, if The Raid: Redemption had one downfall, it would be that it shared similar DNA in its story with that of Dredd, which was released that same year. So when I learned of news that The Raid was actually part of a planned trilogy, I looked forward to seeing how The Raid 2 would try to emulate the success of the first one, but differentiate itself at the same time. I think you can say Gareth and team succeeded with pleasing me there, but let’s take closer look at things. After you… Continue reading ‘The Raid 2 (Blu-ray Review)’
June 21st, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
This three-part mini series/ (6 episodes) – (set in the late1890s) centers on the friendship of two adventurers, Bill Haskell and Byron Epstein, as they travel Northwest during the Klondike Gold Rush. Along the way they must navigate harsh conditions, unpredictable weather and desperate, dangerous characters. Continue reading ‘Klondike (Blu-ray Review)’
June 20th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
I did not get to see Joe in theaters due to it opening in only handful of cities and the one screening that was in my area was still quite a ways away. I had heard some rumblings about how good he film was and about how good Nicolas Cage was. I’m always glad when I can discover something new on Blu-ray. Joe is directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness), so it was a real surprise to see his name in the credits. It’s also really cool when directors transcend genres. Let us see how Joe stacked up on Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘Joe (Blu-ray Review)’
June 19th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Maybe the most disappointing thing about this film is that it has nothing to do with The Rolling Stones. Gimme Shelter is actually a small scale drama, based on a true story that details a time in the life of a troubled, pregnant teenager, after she ran away from her abusive mother, in an effort to find a better life. The whole thing has the feel of a Lifetime movie, but because it has a slightly better cast and production values, it managed to make its way into theaters. Still, watching certain actors put on their drama face didn’t do a lot to make me appreciate this fairly by-the-numbers story.
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Continue reading ‘Gimme Shelter (Blu-ray Review)’
June 19th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Seeing as The Honeymooners was a show from the 50s, I was obviously not around when it first aired, but it is a show I hold in very high regard. I used to watch and laugh loudly at old reruns of The Honeymooners with my father, when I was very young, and the show has continued to hold up over time. This is a series that uses dialogue and great physical comedy to create classic comedy scenarios that have yet to feel dated. While the show is obviously from a certain time, I think it holds up due to its simplicity and the universal nature of the humor, which is why I was very happy to revisit it on this wonderful Blu-ray set.
Continue reading ‘The Honeymooners: “Classic 39 Episodes” (Blu-ray Review)’
June 19th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Parts Per Billion tells the story of three couples which are forced to make life altering decisions in the face of a disastrous war that threatens to destroy the human race. Inspired and sometimes blinded by their love, Len, Mia, Andy, Esther, Anna and Erik are as flawed and beautiful as any of the billions who are facing this human-made biological disaster.
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Continue reading ‘Parts Per Billion (Blu-ray Review)’
June 19th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Lured by the promise of an Australian holiday, exchange student Paul visits the notorious Wolf Creek Crater. His dream Outback adventure soon becomes a horrific reality when he encounters the site’s most infamous local, Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). When Paul attempts to flee, Mick pursues him across a hostile wasteland and eventually drags him back to his underground lair. After seeing the true magnitude of Mick’s monstrosity, Paul’s only hope of surviving, where no one has before, will be to use every ounce of cunning to outwit the man behind the monster. Continue reading ‘Wolf Creek 2 (Blu-ray Review)’
June 18th, 2014 by Brian White
It’s been way too long between the amount of time that has passed since 2007 when Warner Bros. brought Roman soldiers with unbelievably chiseled pecs and abs into our living rooms on our early adoption HDTV sets during the Red vs. Blu Wars (HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray). Can you believe it has been that long and for that matter has taken this long to get a sequel out to the fans of the wildly insane, testosterone driven 300? I still remember my first theatrical viewing of that feature. It was quite a visual spectacle to behold and take in. It was like the raw pages of Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name just magically came to life on the big screen. Were those chiseled bodies real or CG? Hell no! Gerald Butler and the rest of the gang went through some rigorous training to achieve those astonishing physiques. Now it wasn’t all about the awe, shock and gratuitous violence/sex, it was actually a quite entertaining and solid movie that took us on an incredible journey and did not let go of us leaving us thirsty for even more blood and vengeance by the time the credits rolled. After all, our king, as mighty as he was, had fallen. Vengeance was an instant mandate. And now the time is upon us! Ladies and gentlemen…I proudly introduce to you 300: Rise of an Empire on Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘300: Rise of an Empire (Blu-ray Review)’
June 18th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
I like when science fiction films – at least ones that look high quality make it under the radar for review. I knew nothing of The Machine, with exception to Caity Lotz starring in the film. She may be familiar to some, because she’s in another show that I do not watch called Green Arrow. Ever hear of it? 😉 What little I did read of The Machine was that it was the second coming of Blade Runner and such. Okay, that’s a bold statement but it did pique my interest. After I watched the trailer I was sold and had to review it for Why So Blu?. Keep reading to see if it’s worth your time and money. Continue reading ‘The Machine (Blu-ray Review)’
June 11th, 2014 by Brian White
Let’s get one thing straight from the start. When I went into the press screening earlier this year I was completely against this movie. While it looked unique and looked like it could be fun, I just did not want to invest the time in it and regret it later because you know life’s too short, yada, yada, yada. How could they possibly tie all these different brands together and cohesively make it all work? But then again I thought, what IF this was really good? What IF I would be missing out on something really special? Quite frankly, that’s too many what ifs for me. I must admit that I had a small glimmer of hope that I just might like this one because like the tagline says, it’s the story of a nobody who save everybody. That’s me! And anyway, aren’t all great movies like billed this? So I figured as long as The LEGO Movie can take me on a journey through the eyes of a hero and I fall for his character arc then just maybe I might be able to have a good time with this one. If not, then there was always the promise of popcorn to be had! So as nonsensical as this first paragraph really is, what do you say we talk about some LEGOs…on Blu-ray? Continue reading ‘The LEGO Movie: Everything Is Awesome Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
June 10th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Hey, you’ve seen Brandon Peters’ review for the Spike Lee Joint Collection, Volume 1. Now it’s time for Volume 2, are you ready? Do you want to see it? Well good, because apparently Disney felt the need to put together a number of Spike Lee’s Touchstone produced films into random Blu-ray packages for people to check out in glorious HD. The results are pretty decent from a technical level and the new commentaries are a joy, but what about the films? Volume 2 contains the underrated Summer of Sam and the overlong Miracle at St. Anna, but I am sure Spike Lee fans will be happy to finally add these films to their Blu-ray collection (Note: I’m aware that ‘Anna’ was previously released on Blu-ray, but the new commentary is a nice addition.)
Continue reading ‘The Spike Lee Joint Collection – Volume 2 (Blu-ray Review)’
June 9th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Finally some more Spike Lee “joints” are getting the love on Blu-ray. The Spike Lee Joint Collection features two volumes and four films. I don’t know if there is any more planned beyond these two releases, but I hope its the start of something. This first volume of the set covers 1998’s He Got Game and 2002’s (overlooked for awards) 25th Hour. Both films feature brand spanking new commentaries with Spike Lee himself as well as Edward Norton and Ray Allen. For 25th Hour, the bonus material from the DVD has made its way over as well. These are two films that feature very New York stories as we are accustomed to seeing from Spike Lee, one of history’s more interesting, strong spoken and bravest filmmakers. Continue reading ‘Spike Lee Joint Collection – Volume 1 (Blu-ray Review)’
June 9th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Academy Award® winners Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, 2010) and Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, 2005) lead an all-star cast in this gripping, heart-wrenching true story that shocked the nation. May 5, 1993. West Memphis, Arkansas. Three young boys playing in the nearby woods never come home for dinner. In the rush to find and convict the killers, police focus on a trio of teenagers suspected of devil worship. As the mother of one of the murdered boys (Witherspoon) tries to come to grips with this unspeakable tragedy, she is desperate to believe that the killers have been found and will be brought to justice. It is only when an investigator (Firth) reveals that the evidence doesn’t all add up, that the community is forced to face the reality that the true killer might still be out there. Continue reading ‘Devil’s Knot (Blu-ray Review)’
June 9th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Alexander! Collectible 10th-anniversary edition includes the never-before-seen Ultimate Cut, The Art of Alexander photo book and insightful filmmaker correspondence. Based on the life of Alexander the Great, the epic historical drama is directed by Oliver Stone and features Colin Farrell in the title role. Two versions of the film will be included in this release – the theatrical cut and the forthcoming “Ultimate Cut.” Also included is the brand New documentary The Real Alexander and the World He Made which reveals how Alexander the Great’s vision of uniting East and West helped shape our modern world, and illuminates how different our lives might have been had his empire not fractured upon his untimely death at the age of 32. Continue reading ‘Alexander: The Ultimate Cut (Blu-ray Review)’
June 8th, 2014 by Brian White
I’ll admit it. I realize that I’m one of the rare fans of 2005 comedy The Ringer who quite honestly has been waiting an awful long time for this one to make it to the Blu-ray format. While it may not be the best that the comedy genre has to offer, there’s no denying that like most films the Farrelly brothers are behind the feature has some heart, bite and merit. You can chalk it up to my past and my involvement with the Special Olympics, on the field volunteering and behind the scenes creating websites for them, but regardless whatever reasons I have for liking this one so much it always comes down to the kids and how special they really are. The comedy is only secondary. Now I realize maybe that’s not the correct way to market this film, but after sitting down with this one again, finally on the Blu-ray format, and taking in all the behind the scenes footage and interviews with cast, crew and athletes the message this one hits home becomes so much more apparent, one of understanding, recognition and above all else, love. This is The Ringer! Continue reading ‘The Ringer (Blu-ray Review)’
