Archive for the 'Blu-ray Reviews' Category
September 24th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
One of the biggest surprises for summer 2003 was the original Pirates of the Caribbean film. There was a lot of goodwill with that movie and its sequels that would form a trilogy were very highly anticipated. Then came that fourth one, whatever you want to call it. I’m still a big fan of the first two films and can watch the third one, though its rather overplotted and confusing. I saw the fourth once. While interested in the fifth one, I didn’t make it to the theater and it wasn’t really priority viewing for me. It didn’t need me though as the film grossed almost 800 million dollars. What surprised me, though is looking back, this series was clearly more of a fan based one that critic. There is a pretty solid discrepancy among the sequels aside from pretty much agreeing the fourth one sucked. Now we come to the fifth one which has a huge distance between audience and critic. You’ll be able to find out for yourself, or if you’re a fan, own it on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray October 3rd. Continue reading ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 22nd, 2017 by Brian White
Believe me when I say this I never wanted write this 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray review. In fact I never wanted to even see this flick. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I know the real truth. I’m just flat out cheap and don’t want to pay to view it nor do I want to see anyone else on my team remotely speak any praise about it. You see I loved the first Transformers film. It was both epic and adventurous, but the second feature was a bloated, flaming turd. The third outing improved upon things, but everything gained was lost in my opinion in the last entry, Transformers: Age of Extinction. The title says it all and I wish the franchise would have died there as the stupid title implies. Nevertheless Michael Bay is back here with another mess to rip apart and ridicule, Transformers: The Last Knight. Yes ladies and gentlemen this summer blockbuster is just as ludicrous as the name suggests not to mention owning some of the worst trailers of the year too. Thankfully the people spoke with their wallets and this one did not fair as well as the others did at the box office. However, before we get into everything that’s wrong with Transformers: The Last Knight let’s get all the proverbial housekeeping out of the way.
Continue reading ‘Transformers: The Last Knight (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 19th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
Grunge was all the rage as the music and fashion scene of the 1990s was beginning to take shape. Of course it all started with Nirvana and immediate take off the moment Kurt Cobain started up “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. They single handedly killed the hair metal of the 1980s just upon arrival. Their success opened the door for many others to take a more commercial stage like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice n Chains. It was the beginning of what would be called the Alternative Rock of the 1990s. In 1996 a documentary was put together to tell the story of the early roots of the Seattle grunge movement. Called “hype!”, Shout! Factory will be putting out a special Collector’s Edition of the documentary that is now 21 years old and old enough to drink. You may also pre-order below in time for the September 29th release. Continue reading ‘hype! – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
September 19th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
The Devil’s Candy comes from director Sean Byrne who gave us the beloved little indie/underground horror film, The Loved Ones back in 2009. Now, Scream Factory and the folks over at IFC Midnight are teaming up (Surprise, right?) to bring it to Blu-ray This film had been done since 2015, but finally was getting show around just this very year. Its a fresh, newer, modern horror movie to add to their slowly yet quickly expanding library of modern horror films that themselves are already under ground. This one will be releasing on September 19th, so don’t everybody at once rush down to click on that attractive, helpful Amazon link. Oh and did I mention it has the star of Can’t Hardly Wait, That Thing You Do, Poppa Georgio himself, Ethan Embry as a metalhead? Continue reading ‘The Devil’s Candy (Blu-ray Review)’
September 19th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
Tra La Laa! Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is coming to the greatest format in all the land: 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray. Or, depending on when you’re reading this juicy, informative and amazing intro paragraph that is lightly treading water, it could be out already. Yeah, actually its out already. The film was released on September 12th, giving you the chance to vindicate yourself for missing it in theaters. Its a sweet fun little movie that was really good, but unfortunately audiences didn’t take a chance on it. But, hey, that’s okay, now it can be this little Cult kids movie that is based of the very popular book series (Of which I am not familiar at all). The film features the vocal talents of three very different comedic actors; Kevin Hart, Ed Helms and Thomas Middleditch. Tra La Laa! Continue reading ‘Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 19th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
Two seasons of VEEP on Blu-ray in the same calendar year? What kind of awesome time to be a fan of great, top notch comedy is this? Yes, it is coming back again next year, but they have announced the show will be ending its run in the seventh season. All good things must come to a close and VEEP seems to have found its natural time. And boy has it made its mark. For every year the show has been on the air, Julia Lous-Dreyfus has won herself an Emmy for her role as Vice President/President/Former President Selina Meyer. That’s an incredible streak and a record for such. Will she cap it all off with a seventh win? We’ll have to see, but you can see her most resent representation of winning talent when the sixth season arrives on Blu-ray from HBO on September 12th. Continue reading ‘VEEP: The Complete Sixth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
September 19th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
When It Comes At Night released this past summer it was met with much approval upon the critical reviews. However, once those pesky general audiences got their hands on it, it was seen as all of a sudden being divisive and controversial. They hated it. Using the Tomato meter, the critics wound up giving it an 89% (Acutal: 7.4/10) while the general audiences saw it to be more of a 44% (4.4/10). One very fresh the other very rotten. Primarily, this happens when a film is “different”, unique, outside the box and tries something newer. In this case, the crime might have been assuming that the audiences that were going to buy a ticket to see it generally were smart. Continue reading ‘It Comes At Night (Blu-ray Review)’
September 18th, 2017 by Aaron Neuwirth
Every comedian has a story, which is likely why they are comedians, to begin with. Detailing the ways life has set one on a particular path makes a lot of sense when it comes to shaping an act designed to entertain people. Comedy can certainly go with life’s tragedies, as an old saying even involves an equation explaining as much. The Big Sick is an excellent encapsulation of this, as it tells the story of the real relationship between comedian Kumail Nanjiani and writer Emily V. Gordon. There are heartbreaks, sadness, and life-threatening illness, so of course, the two decided to write a screenplay that works as a comedy-drama fit for Judd Apatow to produce. As a result, 2017 featured one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year that features a proper balance of comedy and drama. Now The Big Sick is on Blu-ray for all to enjoy
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Continue reading ‘The Big Sick (Blu-ray Review)’
September 17th, 2017 by Brian White
A lot of this is going to be a rehash of my already published 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray review here and 4K UHD VUDU review here. However, you’re here solely for the 3D presentation of it all. I know that. So with that disclaimer out of the way let’s begin here! Like George Washington once proclaimed “I cannot tell a lie.” Wonder Woman was my number one most anticipated film of the calendar year. Say what? I’m 100% serious and no I’m not on any drugs. This is 80 plus years in the making here, folks! It’s historic! I would be prone to say Justice League is, but I’m weary about how ridiculous Cyborg looks thus far. I’m joking of course. I’ll reserve judgement of that until November (as I hear they are working on him in reshoots anyway). For now let me bask in the ever radiant light of everything Gal Gadot (check her out here) and the Amazonian princess she portrays, Wonder Woman. Call me a sucker, but I just love a strong female protagonist in my action movies, and it doesn’t hurt if they’re hot too. So you’ve all seen my proverbial masturbation over the three DCEU films that have come before, Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, and now it’s time to lasso up Wonder Woman. Wouldn’t that be spectacular to lasso up Wonder Woman, huh (insert dirty evil thought)? Ha ha. Come on! Let’s get started!
Continue reading ‘Wonder Woman (Blu-ray 3D Review)’
September 17th, 2017 by Gregg Senko
There is no mistaking the quality of programming that comes from HBO. Productions like Westworld, True Detective and Game of Thrones continue to wow audiences with their exceptional writing, acting and direction. As those series are currently some of the mainstays of HBO, it can be easy to overlook the original films that come forth from the cable giant. One such movie is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. There are a great deal of stories in our nation’s history that would never be told if it weren’t for the perseverance and preservation of a few determined folks. Mrs. Lacks’ story is one such case.
Continue reading ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Blu-ray Review)’
September 15th, 2017 by Brian White
A lot of this is going to be a rehash of my 4K UHD VUDU review of this title formerly published here. So with that disclaimer out of the way let’s begin here! Like George Washington once proclaimed “I cannot tell a lie.” Wonder Woman was my number one most anticipated film of the calendar year. Say what? I’m 100% serious and no I’m not on any drugs. This is 80 plus years in the making here, folks! It’s historic! I would be prone to say Justice League is, but I’m weary about how ridiculous Cyborg looks thus far. I’m joking of course. However, I’ll reserve judgement of that until November (as I hear they are working on him in reshoots anyway). For now let me bask in the ever radiant light of everything Gal Gadot (check her out here) and the Amazonian princess she portrays, Wonder Woman. Call me a sucker, but I just love a strong female protagonist in my action movies, and it doesn’t hurt if they’re hot too. So you’ve all seen my proverbial masturbation over the three DCEU films that have come before, Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, and now it’s time to lasso up Wonder Woman. Wouldn’t that be spectacular to lasso up Wonder Woman, huh (insert dirty evil thought)? Ha ha. Come on! Let’s get started!
Continue reading ‘Wonder Woman (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 15th, 2017 by Brian White
I’m going to start this one by giving you the same ramble I do year after year covering this HBO title. Working in the IT industry myself I can’t tell you what a breath of fresh air it is to see people going through the same stress, trials and tribulations as myself in the industry. I may not exactly be involved directly in a tech startup company, but I know how things work in corporate America/Silicon Valley and sometimes HBO’s hit comedy series Silicon Valley hits oh so close to home for me. You can read all about my take on Season One in my 2014 Blu-ray review over here, Season Two here and Season Three over here. However, today we’re here to discuss everything Season Four, which made its Blu-ray debut on September 12th. So here we go! Let’s SWOT things out accordingly down below. Continue reading ‘Silicon Valley: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
September 15th, 2017 by Kori Kemerer
It’s time for my September ritual! The Big Bang Theory returns to the Blu-ray format. Truth be told I’m excited to be covering the release for the fourth year in a row now. You can find Gregg Senko’s Blu-ray review coverage of Season 3 here and I took over in season seven here, eight here and the ninth over here. Plus we now also have exclusive coverage from this year’s Hall H San Diego Comic-Con panel here. This year it’s the complete tenth season on Blu-ray right here baby. Warner Bros. always does a bang up on these seasonal Blu-ray releases. That’s why I’m overjoyed to be tackling this today and hopefully for years to come (please don’t end it). They can never end the Big Bang Theory from airing anew for years to come can they? Don’t answer that! I want to be appreciative for what I have here and I need these guys in my life. Therefore, let’s celebrate this upcoming Blu-ray release and talk The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Tenth Season. Continue reading ‘The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Tenth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
September 11th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
The one that started it all is the last in line for release this DC Arrow-verse Blu-ray season. Oliver Queen and company had been through a rather middling couple of years and now they attempted to reload and bounce back in this fifth season. The season is notable too because it hit the milestone of the highly coveted 100th episode. An episode that they did have plenty of fun with. The show also featured many returns as well as having its own bit of fun crossing over (Where the 100th episode took place, actually). This set is pretty uniform to the others both in the DC Arrow-verse line of Blu-ray releases and the previous releases from the show itself. You’ll be able to pick this one up in plenty of time run back through it, or catch up from having missed the previous season when it hits the shelves of the stores or your favorite online retailer September 19th. Below, after the full review you’ll find a convenient Amazon link that you can pre-order from to have by release day (If you’re a Prime member) and it also helps out our site. Continue reading ‘Arrow: Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
September 10th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
Dan O’Bannon’s 1990 film, The Resurrected is getting the Scream Factory Blu-ray treatment come September 12th. While not dubbed a “Collector’s Edition”, the release is quite stacked with interviews and bonus material. The John Terry/Chris Sarandon horror/thriller was a part of the budding straight-to-video boom in the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, it did play for some festival circuits, so there was theatrical life for the film. You can insure that you have yourself a copy of this Lovecraftian tale from the guy who conjured up classics like Alien and Return of the Living Dead starring the man who played Prince Humperdink, Jerry Dandridge, Detective Mike Norris and that guy who was Jack’s Dad on Lost (Also a one-time Felix Leiter) by clicking on the Amazon pre-order link below. Continue reading ‘The Resurrected (Blu-ray Review)’
September 9th, 2017 by Brandon Peters
Its apparently medieval, sword and sandal adventures month in September for Lionsgate’s 4K Utra-HD slate. Previously we reviewed that Hercules movie and now here comes the other September 19th release, the Jason Momoa led 2011 Conan The Barbarian relaunch. A question was asked on the 4K Ultra-HD Facebook group, “Who was asking for these?” and its a really good question. A lot of Lionsgate’s catalog 4K Ultra-HD releases seem to be that way. Dredd, Cabin in the Woods, that’s stuff people want. The only tie-in or logic I can presume here for Hercules and Conan is that they are coming out the same day as Wonder Woman and maybe fit that Amazonian vibe. Anyway, here is our review for Conan The Barbarian on the 4K Ultra-HD format. Continue reading ‘Conan The Barbarian (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
September 4th, 2017 by Aaron Neuwirth
Discovery continues to be a large part of why I enjoy sitting down and watching films released by The Criterion Collection. La Poison comes from writer/director Sacha Guitry, someone I was unfamiliar with, but thanks to the collection of extras on this Blu-ray release, along with the film, I have a new understanding of him and the history he was a part of. That in mind, there is also a great, darkly hilarious film here. It takes on the idea of a marriage gone sour, before devolving into an interesting look at French ethics circa 1950. Intelligent and made with a good level of tension to go with the witty humor, La Poison was an interesting film to catch up with, and it’s now available from Criterion.
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Continue reading ‘La Poison – The Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
September 4th, 2017 by Brian White
Despite loving Sofia Boutella in Kingsman: The Secret Service I must admit I wasn’t too keen on this newest monster tale reboot when I saw the first theatrical trailer. Yawn! I thought to myself another modern day movie that feels like it has to insert a woman into a leading role normally occupied by a man. I know that’s a sexist way to look at things, but I’m an old, tired man now and sick of all the ultra sensitivity in this world. Ha ha. But seriously, it wasn’t until the second trailer of The Mummy that got me semi-excited for things here. For some reason it just spoke to me more. After all though how could one refute the star power of Hollywood’s ageless vampire, Tom Cruise? That’s a rhetorical question because you can try, but ultimately you’ll fail. The man can do no wrong in modern day action films. By the way I don’t count the Jack Reacher films as action films. However, it was this news here that The Mummy would be the start of Universal’s Dark Universe that really made me take notice of. I’m all about a well planned out, shared universe full of continuity so I’m super stoked to see where things go from here. And truth be told I’m forever thankful that 2014’s Dracula Untold was a one off. Thank the Gods for that!
Continue reading ‘The Mummy (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’