Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
October 17th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Depending on your tastes you either love or hate Eli Roth films. He’s made some that have held up well. Horror fans love Hostel. He’s also delivered a very underrated family film with The House With the Clock In Its Walls. There are some questionable movies there too. An unnecessary remake, Death Wish (I liked it but I know it’s not very good) and a recent video game adaptation, Borderlands, which for better or worse was an immediate failure. Before this, we got Thanksgiving, which was equal parts scary and funny and now celebrates it’s first year since release with a new 4K UHD Blu-ray, which comes in a great new steelbook! Fans will know all about the film, but for those new to it, read on below! Continue reading ‘Thanksgiving (4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Review)’
October 10th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Aaron Sorkin struck lightning in a bottle when he created the beloved series The West Wing. Fast paced, bitingly funny and surprisingly touching, the show was a universal hit for its seven seasons. A few ebbs and flows in the seasons after Sorkin left, the show still stood strong until its end in 2006. Now celebrating 25 years, the show has its complete series on Blu-ray! Read more below and don’t forget to click the cover art at the end to order your own copy of the set!
Continue reading ‘The West Wing (Complete Series) (Blu-ray Review)’
October 9th, 2024 by Brian White
Friends is a television show that needs no introduction, but since this is a review I am under an obligation to do so. Here goes nothing. Let me clear my throat err I mean flex my ever aging typing fingers. Friends aired for 10 seasons between September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004 and yielded a whopping 236 broadcasted episodes. Friends is often noted as a timeless sitcom, but in all honesty it would probably be blasted in today’s culture for its lack of diversity. However, I digress as that’s a road I don’t even want to go down here. So let’s just stick to the facts. And here they are…okay they are all down below. Follow me down there. Continue reading ‘Friends: The Complete Series (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
October 9th, 2024 by Aaron Neuwirth
The general sense of weirdness that persists in Yorgos Lanthimos’ films certainly keeps me going, but it’s understandably not for everyone. Kinds of Kindness may be the “one for me” film the director gets to make on a smaller scale, compared to the just-as-odd but more accessible comic fantasy epic, Poor Things, but it continues to show how much the director has evolved. With this anthology film, Lanthimos is entirely in control of how he can deliver the dark delights presented in this movie. It may not have been much of a breakout arthouse film, but it’s got plenty going for it. Now, the film has an HD home release, which may or may not feel like a dare for some to check out.
Continue reading ‘Kinds of Kindness (Blu-ray Review)’
October 8th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Bad Boys: Ride Or Die is the 4th outing for detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowery. Their wild adventures have driven their superiors crazy and thrilled audiences for nearly 30 years. The bad boys are ageless and their teammates make them work harder and seem younger by comparison. With some new stakes on the line, including ideas of reputation and aging, the pot is being stirred once again. Catch up with Marcus and Mike below and be sure to click the cover art to get your own copy of Bad Boys: Ride Or Die.
Continue reading ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Despicable Me is an unstoppable, long loved franchise. Starting off in 2010, the Steve Carell led films have brought joy to fans of animation and family fare. So when the newest entry came out in prime time for moviegoers it of course brought big bucks home to Universal. So how does the newest adventure for Gru and his family, and Minion brood stack up to the rest? Find out more inside the review, and as always, click the cover art at the end to buy yourself a copy! Minions, march!
Continue reading ‘Despicable Me 4 (Collector’s Edition) (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2024 by Aaron Neuwirth
It gets tiring to say it’s been a good year for horror when the statement holds true for many years in a row. This year has offered a variety of solid chilling movies, from remakes to originals, but there were few films I was more excited for in this genre than Longlegs. With a director I’ve been a fan of, a premise that seems familiar but rewarding in its own right, and the mystery box that was Nicolas Cage’s presence in this film, I was geared up for something unique. The serial killer thriller not only delivered but also intrigued audiences. This past summer, the film was a surprise hit at the box office, grossing over $100, becoming Neon’s biggest film in the process. Now it’s available on 4K UHD Blu-ray, so many can keep following the clues at home.
Continue reading ‘Longlegs (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
40 Years is just a trip to even say when I think of A Nightmare On Elm Street. The film was a source of fear for me as a child and even now fully wears its icon status proudly. One of a select few horror films to be in the Library of Congress and rightly so, we are now receiving a 40th Anniversary 4K edition of the classic film! Relive the nightmares with me below, and a special link to a legacy review of the 2010 Blu-ray too, and don’t forget to click the cover art for the standard or Steelbook editions of A Nightmare On Elm Street to order your own copy!
Continue reading ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street (40th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
October 7th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
One of the biggest head scratchers in cinema this year was the reimagining of Harold and the Purple Crayon. One of the most beloved children’s books ever, the film realizes Harold’s world as an adult. Does this bode well for the book series reaching new generations or does the new adaptation fall flat? Read more about Harold and the Purple Crayon below, and if you should be so inclined, the cover art at the end is clickable, and sends you off to buy your own copy of the film!
Continue reading ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon (Blu-ray Review)’
October 5th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
A Quiet Place: Day One is the much-anticipated prequel to the critically acclaimed A Quiet Place series. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, it revisits the terrifying early days of the alien invasion, offering a raw, more immediate look at humanity’s struggle for survival. The film effectively preserves the tension and dread that defined its predecessors, although its broader focus and origin-story elements sometimes detract from the intimacy that made the original so compelling. Read more about A Quiet Place: Day One inside the review and don’t forget, clicking the cover art at the end is your way to order your own copy of the film!
Continue reading ‘A Quiet Place: Day One (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 29th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
I’ll come out with it right now at the beginning. I did not enjoy Ti West and Mia Goth’s X or Pearl. I could see the potential and the intention and could also appreciate the filmmaking as a throwback to the 70’s that felt authentic. I could not get past what I believe to be snails pacing and some out of place acting from the supporting players. Stylistically the films worked, but the substance wasn’t all the way there. I made the choice to see the films to be caught up on the story of Maxine Minx going into MaXXXine. What I didn’t expect was to find a gem of a serial killer thriller in the film! Read more about MaXXXine below and don’t forget that the cover art at the end is your link to purchase your own copy of MaXXXine on 4K UHD Blu-ray!
Continue reading ‘MaXXXine (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 27th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
I don’t think anyone could have foreseen the massive success that Inside Out 2 turned out to be. The sequel to a film that is dawning on its 10th year, the new film tackled the main character Riley’s blossoming into a teenager in such a way that not only children flocked to see it in theaters. After a string of box-office misfires, no doubt hobbled by Covid, Inside Out 2 brings Pixar back to the forefront, with another wonderful entry into a budding franchise! Read more about Inside Out 2 inside the review and as always, the cover art at the end is clickable, so click it to get yourself a copy of the film!
Continue reading ‘Inside Out 2 (Blu-ray Review)’
September 26th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Just in time for “spooky season”, Paramount is ready to give collectors another dose of the creeps with Paramount Scares, Volume 2! With a wide variety of titles ranging from the elder statemen of the group, Friday The 13th Part II, to the most recent entry, Orphan: First Kill, the films within the set are of every taste of horror/thriller. Not only is there variety, but each film is presented in a new 4K UHD Blu-ray format for the ultimate home viewing experience! Strap in for more on this awesome new box set below and click the green cover art at the end to order a copy just in time for Halloween!
Continue reading ‘Paramount Scares, Vol. 2 (Limited Edition 4K UHD Blu-ray Box Set Review)’
September 25th, 2024 by Aaron Neuwirth
I was very excited by the premise of Late Night with the Devil, and the stellar reviews and buzz leading up to my initial viewing of the film certainly kept me hopeful. Fortunately, the film delivered. While its release may have run into some over-the-top stories regarding a minor aspect of the film aided by an unexpected talking point regarding the use of A.I., the film still proved to be an intriguing enough venture for audiences, scoring $15 million on a budget that was significantly less, coming out of a small studio. All this is to say, Late Night with the Devil was able to have its concept take hold in the best of ways, delivering a film horror fans could easily latch onto.
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Continue reading ‘Late Night with the Devil (Blu-ray Steelbook Review)’
September 18th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
I have been a fan of the thriller genre for a long as I can remember. Whether it’s a mystery, or a police thriller, or a chase film, the genre has often been one I lovingly revisit as much as I can. You cannot mention the thriller genre without mentioning Alfred Hitchcock and the same can be said for the man who often tries to emulate the iconic director by making his own iconic films: Brian DePalma. Though DePalma has made everything from dramas to comedy to musicals, his biggest or most loved films tend to be his thrillers. There are the earlier films like Sisters and Carrie that are fantastic films made with small budgets that continuously endure to fans. The 80’s happened and after the failure of Blow Out, A shock even now, because the film is a masterpiece, and the polarizing nature of Scarface, it was time for another thriller from the auteur. Released 40 years ago, Body Double also was released to unsure critics and audiences. Read more about all the sleazy fun below and don’t miss the in-depth look at the technical side of this 40th Anniversary 4K UHD Blu-ray edition!
Continue reading ‘Body Double (40th Anniversary Steelbook) (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 17th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Among quite a few gems in 1992 cinema, A League of Their Own stood out. The fictional tale of the very true All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), Penny Marshall delivered an unexpectedly beloved comedy. Stunningly straightforward and extremely entertaining, the film was immediately embraced by audiences and even now is a film that’s in the Library of Congress! As a definite A League of Their Ownfan since first seeing this as a wide-eyed 7-year-old, I am so happy to see the film getting a standalone release on 4K UHD Blu-ray following its inclusion in the first Columbia Classics box set! Read my retrospective on the film below and the tech section is not to be missed either! Batter up!
Continue reading ‘A League of Their Own (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 17th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
HBO tends to continue its lead on compelling series. There is no doubt that we’ve loved shows as varied as The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, or Six Feet Under before Succession dropped in on us. A modern series that mimics the Fox Media empire in a fictional way, the bitingly funny black satire was an instant success critically and with audiences. Now, Warner Brothers has lovingly released the series to Blu-ray and fans of the show have a great new addition to their physical media collections! Read more on Succession in the review and click the cover art at the end to get your copy!
Continue reading ‘Succession – The Complete Series (Blu-ray Review)’
September 17th, 2024 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
When Bringing Out The Dead arrived in theaters in 1999 it was up against a lot. The film was touted as one thing and marketed as another. Seeing the film showed you exactly what Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader and their excellent cast were working for. The film has long gestated on DVD since 2000, where now, 25 years later, we have the film on 4K UHD Blu-ray. I hadn’t seen the film since about 2001, and so revisiting for this review revealed a lot of wonderful new nuances for me. Read more about Bringing Out The Dead below. Perhaps the review will give you wonderful readers a reason to revisit this incredible film!
Continue reading ‘Bringing Out The Dead (Paramount Presents #47) (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’