Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
October 20th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
The highest-grossing silent film of all time, as well as the first realistic war drama, The Big Parade tells the harrowing story of a young man’s (John Gilbert) front-line experiences in World War I. The film was adapted by Harry Behn and King Vidor (who wasn’t credited) from the play by Joseph Farnham and the autobiographical novel Plumes by Laurence Stallings. The film was directed by King Vidor and it stars John Gilbert, Renée Adorée, Claire Adams, Karl Dane, Robert Ober and Tom O’Brien.
Continue reading ‘The Big Parade (Blu-ray Review)’
October 17th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
Horror anthologies might be making a comeback on the smaller stage. The V/H/S films have found a big audience recently and may have kicked off more people doing them. The horror network Chiller TV has put into commission an anthology of their own. And they went as they should with taking young filmmakers, having each create a short story of horror. This is a nifty avenue to serve as sort of an audition for the filmmakers to possibly lead to them helming their own full length feature down the road. And what better avenue to get this seen by horror lovers than to release it through the Scream Factory label. Scream Factory’s mission to to put out vintage titles, but every once in a while there comes a modern title being added to the catalog. And because they are so few, the titles they do pick to release probably should have your attention. Continue reading ‘Chilling Visions: 5 Senses Of Fear (Blu-ray Review)’
October 17th, 2013 by Jami Ferguson
Image Entertainment, has officially announced the release of The Colony on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download on Oct. 15, 2013 from Director Jeff Renfroe (One Point O). Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Bill Paxton (Aliens) and Kevin Zegers (Dawn of the Dead) headline an all-star cast in this savage and unrelenting thriller about mankind’s greatest enemy: himself. The Colony opens as an endless winter engulfs Earth. Humans struggle to survive in remote underground outposts. When Colony Seven receives a distress call from a nearby settlement, Sam (Zegers) and Briggs (Fishburne) race through the snow on a dangerous rescue mission. What they find at the desolate base could mean mankind’s salvation—or its total annihilation. Terrifying discoveries will unfold that will change the rules of survival forever. Continue reading ‘The Colony (Blu-ray Review)’
October 15th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released the 60th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray ,of André de Toth’s House of Wax 3D Blu-ray, which stars Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones, Paul Picerni and a young Charles Bronson. This new edition features 3D and 2D presentations minted from a 4K scan and restoration, a new featurette and the original 1933 film that this was based on, Mystery of the Wax Museum. This classic movie tells the tale of Professor Henry Jarrod (Price) who’s the owner and figure sculptor in a wax museum whose specialty is historic figures. When he and his business partner, Matthew Burke (Roy Roberts) quarrel over the choice of exhibits displayed, Burke suggests it would be more profitable to burn down the museum in order to obtain the insurance money. As they fight, the museum burns and Jarrod is left for dead. It’s not until much later at a new museum that the fate of Jarrod and the mystery of how the lifelike waxed figures are created becomes gruesomely evident. Continue reading ‘House of Wax 3D (Blu-ray Review)’
October 14th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
2011 saw the release of a remake of Fright Night, which I quite enjoyed. The original Fright Night is not quite a classic, but it is a fun film (with some terrific makeup effects) that has a premise that was easy enough to remold on top of a modern day film. What if your next door neighbor turned out to be a vampire? It is a simple idea for a premise that lent itself to a successful horror-comedy and a remake that managed to be a lot of fun. Sequel-izing these films has continued to be a problem. The original film had a sequel, which is not looked to highly upon and now the remake has a sequel, which is fairly inconsequential as well. “Sequel” is even a questionable term, as Fright Night 2: New Blood is just a recreation of the same plot (including the characters) once again, but in a new location.
Continue reading ‘Fright Night 2: New Blood (Blu-ray Review)’
October 13th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
With unforgettable characters, thrilling adventures, soaring Academy Award-winning music (1989: Best Music, Original Score, and Best Music, Original Song, “Under The Sea”), The Little Mermaid is one of the most celebrated animated films of all time. Now spectacularly transformed for the first time on Blu-ray with digitally restored picture and brilliant high-definition sound! Venture under the sea where Ariel, a free-spirited mermaid princess, longs to be part of the human world. After bravely striking a bargain with Ursula, a sneaky sea witch, Ariel embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. With Flounder and Sebastian at her side, Ariel will need all of her courage and determination to make things right in both her worlds.
Continue reading ‘The Little Mermaid 3D: Diamond Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
October 12th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
Horror icon Vincent Price has finally had the arrow of the magical Blu-ray wheel land on his name this year. Just recently his classics House of Wax and The Fly have been brought to the format. Now, masters of horror Blu-ray, Scream Factory have gotten their mits on 6 of his classic works. Four of them come from the famous Edgar Allan Poe/Roger Corman years. Scream Factory brings all new transfers of the films loaded with Commentaries, interviews and other goodies in this set. The highlight being these intros and outros filmed for an airing of his movies on PBS decades ago. For someone of my generation, stuff like this is how we were introduced to Vincent Price, so high marks for including these little gems. This set was a pretty big undertaking. So, let’s get started to see if this set is the perfect accompaniment for your Halloween season celebrations. Continue reading ‘The Vincent Price Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
October 12th, 2013 by Brian White
I’m going to be completely honest with everyone here. The Conjuring flat out looked like a movie I would want to see upon first viewing of the film’s trailer earlier in the year. If I didn’t get into an early press screening of the film, then you’d better believe I would have laid down my hard earned cash to cover the price of admission. Before I even saw the flick, I believed The Conjuring had four main things going for it right out of the gate. First, word of mouth…it had received rave reviews from critics who were treated to special advanced showings of it. Second…James Wan! The man did Saw and Insidious, people! And now’s he graduating onto much larger things like the seventh Fast and Furious sequel. How grand is that? He’s a big boy with Universal now. Kudos! Third…Vera Farmiga. I love her in everything she does! She just brings it. Continue reading ‘The Conjuring (Blu-ray Review)’
October 9th, 2013 by Brian White
When vampire horror aficionados talk about cult classics in the genre that were released in the early days of the DVD platform, one title that’s often on the tip of thier salacious tongues is Alyssa Milano’s Embrace of the Vampire. No, it’s not written or directed or even produced by the former Who’s The Boss? star, but that’s not the point. This movie is the embodiment of Alyssa Milano in every which way. You see, this film was very taboo back in the day, and while it may be tame compared to today’s standards back in 1995 the MPAA wore even tighter panties as they swore up and down and reluctantly agreed to a rated R-rating for strong sexuality, violence and language. There was also a more graphic version of the film, which is only 1 minute longer than the previously mentioned rated-R cut, and it’s billed as unrated. And I’ll be the first to admit, that when the DVD platform launched back in the 90’s and Amazon was the buzz of the world, this title was among the first DVD’s I purchased and proudly owned in my collection (it contained both the rated and unrated versions). Continue reading ‘Embrace of the Vampire 95′ (Blu-ray Review)’
October 9th, 2013 by Brian White
When my reviewer Gerard Iribe and Aaron Neuwirth (his Comic-Con 2012 coverage here and WonderCon 2013’s here) first brought Pacific Rim to my attention, I wasn’t sold on it at all. The trailer and its crappy narration just felt way too generic for me and although the concept has never been done in this grand of scale on the big screen, I can’t help feeling like I’ve seen this all before in the countless hours of mecha and robot cartoons I used to watch as a kid. We saw trailer after trailer these before the release of this while each one was an improvement, I had to admit…I still wasn’t sold the first time I sat down to watch this. What was it about monsters from the Pacific Rim and giant man-made robots that had everyone‘s panties in a bunch that they were so excited over? I hate to sound like a screeching teenager, but OMG! This movie ended up being the BOMB! So much so that I actually paid to go back…BIGGER and BETTER the second time around. Oh yeah! I went IMAX 3-D and my ears bled in ecstasy from the stomping of the robots feet on the hard pavement or the smashing of their fists into the jaws of the Kaijus. Continue reading ‘Pacific Rim (Blu-ray Review)’
October 8th, 2013 by Brian White
Despite having a broken wrist and all I literally did a cartwheel when I found out I was selected to review Curse of Chucky on Blu-ray. I’m not sure why other than the fact that I chalk it up to my undying love for the serial killer doll. He’s a relic and a byproduct from my youth. I have many fond memories of the slashing Good Guys buddy doll. Heck, I even remember buying a life-size replica of him at Spencer’s Gifts for my ex-girlfriend’s little brother, who was also infatuated with the character (now that one worries me a bit since he was only seven years old at the time and his mom let him watch Chucky on repeat). So anyway, yes! Thank you Sean and Jami Ferguson for allowing me to cover this thrilling direct-to-video sequel from Universal Pictures. I hope to do you guys proud. So let’s get stabbing! Continue reading ‘Curse of Chucky (Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2013 by Brian White
American Horror Story: Asylum is the second season of the wildly thrilling FX horror television series American Horror Story. The interesting thing about this show is that it’s billed as an anthology. That means none of the events we discussed here in the first season have any relevance at all here. Odd huh? I love it! While some of the faces may be familiar (we’ll go over them in more detail below), the second season ushers in all new characters, locations and most importantly…a brand new storyline. Think no one watches this show? Think again! This season alone garnered seventeen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, more than any other show. Now I don’t know about you, but to me that’s quite a feat considering it’s one of the most eccentric and eclectic horror series you’ve ever seen on television. Nothing is too taboo on this show. Nothing! Continue reading ‘American Horror Story: Asylum – The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
I’ve been spoiled here lately at Why So Blu? I’ve gotten to cover and write about all the Friday the 13th movies, Norman Bates, Halloween, Romero Zombies and John Carpenter films. Now, oh…nothing real big, just THE FREAKIN’ EXORCIST! Warner Bros is putting out another edition of one of horror’s greatest achievements and a masterpiece in filmmaking in time to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Didn’t they just release something more than substantial not too long ago? Yes. What more could they have done to make this a “must have” release. Well, sadly, the answer to that question is “not much”. There was word from William Friedkin himself that there would be a new transfer of the film for an upcoming Blu-ray release that he said was even better than the amazing one already available. However, this release does not carry said transfer. It’s the exact same two discs they’ve given us before with new packaging. If you read on, I’ll explain. Continue reading ‘The Exorcist – 40th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
October 6th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
The fan favorite returns with four feature-length mysteries which are newly remastered and in original U.K. broadcast order. David Suchet stars as Agatha Christie’s mustachioed mystery-solver alongside Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson (Little Voice) as Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon. Brimming with opulent 1930s period details and pitch-perfect performances, these lavish adaptations look better than ever in this remastered edition. ITV Studios’ Poirot has aired on ITV1 in the U.K. since 1989 and on PBS and A&E in the U.S. The episodes from series 7 and 8 debuted in 2000-02. The Mysteries: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Lord Edgware Dies, Murder in Mesopotamia, and Evil Under the Sun. Continue reading ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot Series 7 & 8 (Blu-ray Review)’
October 6th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
Hong Kong cinema is the master at the crime thriller. You can almost pick out a random one and find success. You’ll at least be pleased with a great chase, shootout or suspenseful sequence of events. There’s also some crafty camera work at play or some sort of inventive twist you’ve not seen done before. Johnnie To’s Drug War is no different. This film is a race against the clock that keeps you on your tows and thrills you with its action beats. It’s a film that is surprisingly not very nice toward its protagonists and ends in a action sequence that makes you feel like you’re right in the middle of the events. Well Go USA imports this one in the barest of bare forms, but is the film good enough to recommend on its own, without the enhancement of extras? Continue reading ‘Drug War (Blu-ray Review)’
October 4th, 2013 by Gerard Iribe
Jason Statham stars as an ex-Special Forces officer who comes home from the Afghan war a shattered man. Broke, homeless, lost in a haze of drugs and booze, Joseph Smith attempts to piece his life back together with the help of Sister Christina, a nun helping the poor. But while employed as a collector for a local mob boss, Joseph learns the identity of a friend’s murderer and, bent on revenge, finds himself sinking deeper into a dark world of violence in this brutally powerful action-thriller. Redemption is written and directed by Steven Knight, which marks his feature film directing debut. Knight also wrote Eastern Promises. Continue reading ‘Redemption (Blu-ray Review)’
October 4th, 2013 by Gerard Iribe
When unmanned probes suggest that a hidden ocean could exist underneath Europa’s icy surface and may contain single-celled life, Europa Ventures, a privately funded space exploration company, sends six of the best astronauts from around the world to confirm the data and explore the revolutionary discovery. After a near-catastrophic technical failure that leads to loss of communication with Earth and the tragic death of a crew member, the surviving astronauts must overcome the psychological and physical toll of deep space travel, and survive a discovery on Europa more profound than they had ever imagined.
Continue reading ‘Europa Report (Blu-ray Review)’
October 3rd, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
The laughs — and the awards — just keep on coming for the #1-rated “Modern Family,” winner of three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series! With Jay and Gloria’s baby on the way and Haley going off to college, the entire Pritchett/Dunphy clan faces some major surprises as they bicker and bond over house-flipping headaches, unwanted play dates, and everything from hot-tempered hormones to in utero karaoke. Featuring a stellar array of guest stars including Matthew Broderick, Shelley Long and Elizabeth Banks, Season Four takes a heartfelt and laugh-out-loud hilarious look at what it means to be a “Modern Family.” Continue reading ‘Modern Family: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
