Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
February 27th, 2020 by Aaron Neuwirth
In considering how to adequately express my admiration for director Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the nature of epics. From a general sense of the term, classifying this Polish romantic drama as an epic would disregard some of the typical elements of this categorization. Cold War is half the length of a standard epic, with a budget that would hardly cover the catering for Middle Earth. However, the span of time covered in this film and the sweeping nature of the romantic bond shared between the two lead characters feel like more than enough reason to place this film in that realm. There’s also the backdrop of the Cold War in Europe, which is never removed from the narrative. Regardless, even if one wants to justify calling Cold War a piece of science fiction, it doesn’t take away from just how stunning a feature this is. Now The Criterion Collection has put out a terrific release for one of my favorite films from 2018.
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February 27th, 2020 by Aaron Neuwirth
I consider myself a fan of Kevin Smith. He made a couple of films in the 90s that I consider some of my favorites and has since spent time delivering his unique voice in a variety of ways, including more features, podcasts, and in public forums. With Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the prospect of watching Smith once again utilize two of his most popular characters in a story that’s both nostalgic and a commentary on today’s culture (Hollywood and otherwise) seemed like a fun way for the writer/director to stretch a bit with ideas relevant today blended with the fun of the old. Alas, for all the good faith found in the cast Smith has assembled, I can’t say I found much to latch onto.
– Continue reading ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (Blu-ray Review)’
February 25th, 2020 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Cecil B. DaMille was a visionary. Without him, we wouldn’t know anything about grand scale filmmaking. The movies he made were iconic for not just the look, but also the great lengths taken to make the films he made. The Ten Commandments was obviously a film property that DeMille was ever passionate about. First in 1923, DeMille made an ambitious silent version of The Ten Commandments that now acts like a blueprint for the longer, grander 1956 version. The material was familiar, but using the newer technology, widescreen lenses and a much larger scale, what became was a religious epic masterpiece still unrivaled 64 years later.
Continue reading ‘The Ten Commandments (2020 Digibook Blu-ray Review)’
February 25th, 2020 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
For the people of Parkersville, West Virginia have long suffered in their small town. A big company, DuPont, is a huge part of their small town. DuPont helps keep the town up, funds parks and recreation for the town, and lets the residents know of the safe levels of chemicals in their drinking water. What they don’t let people know is that they’re of course living the corporate greed dream and only saying the bare minimum. Dark Waters chronicles Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) on his extremely long journey to bring justice to the people of Parkersville. Read more on Todd Haynes’ newest drama below, and click the (paid) Amazon link below to get your copy via preorder!
Continue reading ‘Dark Waters (Blu-ray Review)’
February 25th, 2020 by Aaron Neuwirth
I was elated when The Criterion Collection announced When We Were Kings as an upcoming entry, complete with a brand-new restoration and extras to go with it. It is one of my favorite documentaries, as it does a great job tracking a meaningful event in sports history. The film puts some of what made Muhammad Ali the man that he was on display and adds in plenty of interviews from those who knew him and had thoughts on his legacy. There’s a lot to take in, and even with so many documentaries that have since covered the legendary heavyweight champion, this 87-minute documentary is both incredibly entertaining and full of insight.
– Continue reading ‘When We Were Kings – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
February 24th, 2020 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Chadwick Boseman makes an attempt to break from the chains of T’Challah in 21 Bridges. This action-thriller sets up a very interesting plot point with semi-mixed results. Read more about this cinematic page-turner also starring Sienna Miller, JK Simmons and Taylor Kitsch below, and click the Amazon (paid) link below to get yourself a copy!
Continue reading ’21 Bridges (Blu-ray Review)’
February 24th, 2020 by Gerard Iribe
Struggling through a seemingly endless creative rut, hard-partying and Los-Angeles-based artist Dezzy Donahue (Dora Madison, Friday Night Lights) can’t stop the resulting bad streak of problems, including unpaid rent and professional stagnation. In an effort to combat her tough luck, Dezzy throws caution to the wind, indulges in heavy drugs and rages her nights away. Her kinda/sorta boyfriend, Clive, is concerned while her debauchery-minded friend Courtney and her enigmatic hubby Ronnie keep feeding Dezzy s darkest urges. Gradually, though, the party starts to end, and in its place, Dezzy finds herself thirsting for blood and suffering from terrifying visions. Having never been one for moderation or self-control, she’s unable to resist her newfound dangerous impulses. And that’s very bad news for everyone in her life, all of whom are filled with the red liquid she now so desperately craves. Continue reading ‘Bliss [Eureka! Masters of Cinema] (Blu-ray Review)’
February 24th, 2020 by Gerard Iribe
Set in a remote Buddhist monastery in 16th Century China, Raining in the Mountain deals with a power struggle that ensues when the Abbot of the Three Treasures Temple announces his imminent retirement. The ageing Abbot invites three outsiders to advise him on the critical choice of appointing his successor: Esquire Wen, a wealthy patron of the monastery, General Wang, commander-in-chief of the local military, and Wu Wai, a respected lay Buddhist master. Within the monastery, several disciples aspiring to the position begin to collude individually with Esquire Wen and General Wang. But these two invited advisers have come with seditious intent, scheming to obtain the priceless scroll housed in the monastery: the scriptural text of “The Mahayana Sutra, ” hand-copied by Tripitaka. Meanwhile, convicted criminal Chiu Ming has arrived at the monastery to atone as a monk. He is assigned to safeguard the scroll at the house of scriptures, and encounters thieving rivals White Fox who poses as Esquire Wen s concubine and General Wang s fearsome Lieutenant Chang, who originally framed Chiu Ming for the crime he did not commit. Selected as one of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures by the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005, The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present King Hu’s Raining in the Mountain on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time in the UK, from a new 2K restoration completed in 2018 by the Taiwan Film Institute. Continue reading ‘Raining In The Mountain [Eureka! Masters of Cinema] (Blu-ray Review)’
February 23rd, 2020 by Aaron Neuwirth
I suppose I have a bit of a Scottish blindspot (at least with older Scottish films). I was not aware of Local Hero until The Criterion Collection announced it. By all accounts, it’s a well-regarded film that many celebrate writer/director Bill Forsyth for, but it went unknown to me until recently. Fortunately, I found a lot to like about what this quaint film had to offer, beyond the idea of seeing Burt Lancaster, Wedge Antilles, and a young Peter Capaldi in a movie together. It’s a story about culture clashes, small-town life, and 80s greed all coming together in a lovely way.
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Continue reading ‘Local Hero – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
February 23rd, 2020 by Aaron Neuwirth
The Cold War period allowed many filmmakers to experiment with storytelling, filmmaking styles, and social commentary in their movies. Fail Safe is the sort of Cold War thriller that banked on cultural paranoia as much as it did skilled filmmaking and intense performances. The Criterion Collection has finally brought more justice to Sidney Lumet’s tense picture, providing a spectacular new release, restoring its cinematic quality. This will ideally give many a chance to revisit a film that seems to be regarded more for its similarity to another feature than the quality it contains.
– Continue reading ‘Fail Safe – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
February 22nd, 2020 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
The film debut of director Melina Matsoukas, Queen & Slim, is the kind of film you swear you’ve seen before. You think that way at first. But as you delve deeper into the story and are sucked into the visuals, the music, the style and the wonderful acting, you are given the gift of something new entirely. Queen & Slim has turned out to be quite a surprise. Read more in depth below, and click the (Paid) link below to preorder your copy. Queen & Slim releases on March 3rd.
Continue reading ‘Queen & Slim (4K Blu-ray Review)’
February 22nd, 2020 by Adam Toroni-Byrne
Midway is a movie that director Roland Emmerich has been trying to make since the days of Godzilla. Back then, the powers that be weren’t so keen on seeing a remake of a forgettable 70’s film about a huge battle in World War II. Coming back to now, and we have the long-imagined film. The question is, was it worth the wait? Check out the fine details all about Midway below. Click the link at the end to grab yourself a copy. We use those links to keep these reviews coming!
Continue reading ‘Midway (4K Blu-ray Review)’
February 19th, 2020 by Gerard Iribe
Is there a secret you would kill to know? In this electrifying, suspense-packed thriller from director Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Memento), Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale play magicians whose cutthroat attempts to best each other plunge them into deadly deception. Scarlett Johansson also stars as the stage assistant who’s both a pawn and player in their rivalry. A brilliant supporting cast (including Michael Caine and David Bowie). An ingenious story. An astonishing payoff. Once you see The Prestige, you’ll want to see it again. Watch closely. Continue reading ‘The Prestige [UK Import] (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
February 18th, 2020 by Brian White
Jojo Rabbit is one of those films that I unfortunately missed out on seeing last year in the theater. However, if I would have, this one would have definitely found a home in my Top 10 Films of 2019 HERE. Yes! Believe the hype. Jojo Rabbit is that good! Is it a war film, a drama film or a comedy film? That’s a good question, but for argument’s sake let’s call it all three. Like last year’s Joker and this year’s Rated-R Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey I feel fortunate to live in a time when we can comfortably laugh at Adolf Hitler and his Nazi trope. That’s not to say it’s no joking matter, but Jojo Rabbit gives us permission to poke fun at and laugh a long with the Nazi party all under a very flexible PG-13 rating. Did I mention Walt Disney is distributing this film on Blu-ray and 4K UHD Disc? I know! Mind-blown!
Continue reading ‘Jojo Rabbit (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
February 18th, 2020 by Brandon Peters
In 2013, Frozen launched itself into quite the phenomenon that Disney hadn’t seen from a Princess movie in decades. Elsa climbed atop a pedestal with Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Snow White, Aurora and others. And she did so in a very new and exciting way. Everyone felt the fever of “Let It Go” and the other tunes that masterfully built up one of the best collection of showtunes for a musical in eons (“Do You Want To Build A Snowman” is my personal favorite, though “Love Is An Open Door” offers a lot!). Hell, I am an avid lover of Frozen, despite my children doing their best to try and tire me of it. Unlike those other princesses, have a huge hit movie mean Elsa was getting a sequel instead of just moving on to the next princess (Which they did as well with Moana). Six years later, Frozen II was unveiled to the world and became an even bigger hit than its predecessor. You be able to venture “Into The Unknown” with Anna, Else, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven when it arrives on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray and DVD February 25th.
Continue reading ‘Frozen II (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
February 18th, 2020 by Brandon Peters
Marielle Heller’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood was one of 2019’s best reviewed and praised films while also being a box office success story. The film warmed and won over both critics and audiences alike, and when you think of who the subject of the film is, its just kind of fitting that this would be a film where everyone gets along in times when there seem to be many anti-critic enthusiasts out there. A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood only found itself nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers) at the recent Academy Awards ceremony, the award ultimately going to Brad Pitt for his role as Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood. Sony will be putting the film onto 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray (With the overblown “IMAX Enhanced!” tag; it just means it has a DTS:X audio track). The film is available now, having been release on February 18th. The Amazon purchase link in this review is a paid Associate’s Account.
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February 15th, 2020 by Brian White
There was a time when the old Brian would have found such a movie like Ford v Ferrari to be an absolute wet dream. Up until about two years ago my world literally revolved around my 2006 Mustang GT. She, affectionately named Dark Angel after Jessica Alba’s failed TV show back in the day, was everything to me. And I mean everything. She was the only physical connection left to my old life in Cleveland, OH (Austin has nothing on that city) and my bridge to the proverbial road ahead. I never imagined a day of my life without her. Then some “great” guy in Austin, TX, whose hair just happen to get in his eyes while driving (no kidding), took my world away from me. My life has never been the same. I absolutely hate driving nowadays and pretty much want nothing at all to do with cars anymore to the point where I sadly drive a Honda Civic Hatchback I named Vegas. However, I digress because secretly my motor revs for Ford v Ferrari. So fill up your racing tanks and speed on down below with me as I test drive Ford v Ferrari on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘Ford v Ferrari (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
February 15th, 2020 by Gerard Iribe
After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) and his family find themselves battling a mutant extraterrestrial organism as it infects their minds and bodies, transforming their quiet rural life into a living nightmare. Based on the classic H.P. Lovecraft short story, Color Out of Space is “gorgeous, vibrant and terrifying” (Jonathan Barkan, Dread Central). Continue reading ‘Color Out of Space (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
