Archive for the 'DVD Reviews' Category
August 6th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
To start off, this is a review of the 2014 film Stage Fright and not the 1987 horror film that will be releasing on Blu-ray from Blue Underground this fall. When word first came to me about Stage Fright, I got pretty excited. A slasher film done as a musical! Oh hell yes. Seems like a devious Brandon Peters dream come true. This past Spring it was released wide on VOD where I was able to rent it. The film started off with a great big bang, but as it wore on, slowly just kind of drifted past the greatness of its first act. When Brian White (aka Blu-ray Jesus) offered this one up for review, I was eager to give this film a second shot with knowledge of knowing where it was leading this time. The first time’s mild disappointment may have been because it wasn’t the film “I” wanted it to be and with this second viewing I could accept it more for what they did give me. Continue reading ‘Stage Fright (DVD Review)’
August 6th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Dropping just after the weekend the new movie releases, you’ll be able to travel back in time and start from square one with Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s inception of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was a Ninja Turtle maniac back in the late 80s and early 90s. This release got me pretty pumped as there’s not much in the way of video features or featurettes on aspects of this franchise. Plus, while I was a huge fan back in the day, I was so young as to not have really dug into the production or history of them. And in my older age, all I’d really done is brush through some Wikipedia stuff if I was curious. So, here it was the DEFINITIVE history on the heroes in a half shell. That’s a pretty profound statement to make. Continue reading ‘Turtle Power – The Definitive History Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (DVD Review)’
June 22nd, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Season three of The Killing begins one year after the close of the Rosie Larsen case (the focus of The Killing’s first two seasons), with Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) no longer working as a Seattle homicide detective. But when her ex-partner Stephen Holder’s (Joel Kinnaman) search for a runaway girl leads him to discover a gruesome string of murders that may connect to a previous murder investigated by Linden, she is drawn back into the life she thought she’d left behind. The new season also stars Peter Sarsgaard, Elias Koteas and Amy Seimetz. Continue reading ‘The Killing: The Complete Third Season (DVD Review)’
June 13th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
You know me, I’m always for some good television, especially shows that deal with the nitty gritty of the streets of Los Angeles. I also like police drama shows and such. I understand that Major Crimes is a spin-off show from The Closer, which I never saw an episode of. I saw that it ran for almost ten years. Some of the old cast have to transferred to Major Crimes, which is cool with me. The complete second season on DVD runs at a nice and hefty 19-episodes and has quite a few special features. How will the overall product rank? Let’s find out! Continue reading ‘Major Crimes: The Complete Second Season (DVD Review)’
June 8th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
I’m new to the world of Rizzoli & Isles. I’ve never watched a single episode of the series and was somewhat shocked to see that it’s now up to season four, so it’s obvious that it generates enough ratings to keep it on the air. I also figured that I might as well jump right into the events of season four first and catch up with the previous three seasons at a later date. All I knew going into season four of Rizzoli & Isles was that there were two very attractive females on the cover of the DVD case. Now, a couple of pretty faces don’t make or break a show, but what was I in store for? Read on to find out, folks! Continue reading ‘‘Rizzoli & Isles’ The Complete Fourth Season (DVD Review)’
May 27th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
After she is drugged and abducted, Jamie (Rachel Nichols, Continuum) awakens to find herself in a concrete bunker where she meets fellow abductee Sabrina (Zoe Bell, Death Proof). Before long the two women discover that they are in a modern-day coliseum, where they and 48 other women have been selected to fight to the death in order to save both themselves and their loved ones. Co-starring genre favorites Doug Jones (Hellboy) and Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks), director Josh C. Waller s RAZE is a no-holds-barred assault on the senses featuring some of the most brutal action combat ever put on film. In this contest, may the best woman win.
Continue reading ‘Raze (DVD Review)’
May 16th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
I’m a pretty big fan of Shout! Factory’s “Marathon” series they’ve been putting out. Usually four films with typically a common thread between them. Its films that maybe wouldn’t be attractive by themselves per se, but when they get lumped together they suddenly make you go “OOOH! I GOT TO HAVE IT!” I’m hoping one day they take these talents of Movie Marathons to the realm of Blu-ray, but for now they’re only on DVD. And, its not four movies crammed on one disc. No, no, its two discs with two movies on each. This time we’re getting the first of two (announced so far) Martial Arts marathons scheduled. This first one’s highlights include plenty of Sammo Hung and the second feature film from legendary Hong Kong action director John Woo. Continue reading ‘Martial Arts Movie Marathon (DVD Review)’
May 4th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Scream Factory delivers its first real foreign film import in 2012’s Vietnamese ghost story House In The Alley, arriving on DVD May 27. The case for the film claims that its the highest grossing film in Vietnam history. That’s kind of unique and interesting that a horror film gets to claim that title for that of an entire country. The film also is pretty low budget too, so I’m sure its likely one of the most profitable movies in Vietnam film history as well. As an added bit of humor, the film was released on Valentine’s Day back in 2012. And while it seems kind of funny, Valentine’s Day weekend is gangbusters for a horror movie as they work as great date movies. Continue reading ‘House In The Alley (DVD Review)’
April 6th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Angela Mao is a martial arts icon and the star of many grindhouse kung fu movies in the 70s and through to the 80s. She got her big break in Bruce Lee’s legendary film Enter The Dragon. While she never had quite the stamp that Bruce did, she did make quite the mark and paved the way for future female martial arts stars to follow her lead. Shout! Factory has put together a double feature that displays her in two films that came prior to her appearance in Enter The Dragon. The films featured on this DVD are Lady Whirlwind (aka Deep Thrust) and Hapkido (aka Lady Kung Fu). Viewing both films was a total throwback to classic, but highly influential era in the genre of martial arts action film. Continue reading ‘Lady Whirlwind / Hapkido – Martial Arts Double Feature (DVD Review)’
March 23rd, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
American Hustle, more recently famous for being nominated for a whopping 10 Oscars, and winning none. Is that indicative of it not being a good movie? Absolutely not and we will squash those rumors down with our DVD review. American Hustle stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner. It’s the story of the ultimate con and the conmen who weave its magic all using the backdrop of the 1970’s. David O. Russell who also directed The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook in recent years directed American Hustle. Have yourself a sit down, grab an ice-cold beverage, and take a trip back in time with American Hustle. Hide your wallet. Continue reading ‘American Hustle (DVD Review)’
March 2nd, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Hours ultimately will be known more for being one of the final films of Paul Walker, the first of which to get a release in wake of his passing. It was released back in December, just weeks after his accident. However, the film had been screened at the South By Southwest Film Festival much earlier in 2013, giving itself a fair run of critical praise and reaction. The film’s material and nature lends itself to giving Walker a kind of one man show. Lionsgate will be releasing Hours this Tuesday on DVD and not Blu-ray. So if you’re wanting to physically own the film and are looking for the it on Blu-ray and passed up that DVD, turn yourself around and go back and grab the DVD because that’s seems to be what we’re getting. Lame and baffling, I know, you’d think this would easily get the Blu treatment. Continue reading ‘Hours (DVD Review)’
March 2nd, 2014 by Brandon Peters
In the late 1960s, DC Comics took to Saturday morning cartoon-style animation with their Justice League heroes. In what is referred to as the “Filmation Adventures”, the likes of Batman, Superman, Aquaman, The Flash and others were displayed for kids in a one hour format of a television program sporting many different adventures with a variety of their favorite superheroes. While the program remained relatively the same in content, its title changed seemingly almost every year when it was broadcast. Sometimes it was known as The New Adventures Of Superman and then the following year it would be The Superman/Aquaman Hour Of Adventure. If you’re of my generation, while you may have seen these before, their familiarity may come from that of a different source, which I will get into a little later. Continue reading ‘DC Comics Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures VOL 1 (DVD Review)’
February 21st, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
A cool, new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogue gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. Along with backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, this action-packed detective thriller deftly redefines what we have come to know as a Batman show.
Continue reading ‘‘Beware the Batman: Shadows of Gotham’ Season 1 Part 1 (DVD Review)’
February 14th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
During a wild weekend in Las Vegas, four young friends get into trouble with a loan shark and must skip town in a hurry. But gambling problems may be the least of their worries after they get stranded in the Nevada desert. One of the guys discovers a mysterious metal fragment, then promptly goes missing during the night. When the remaining three catch up with their lost friend, there’s something different about him. As his condition worsens, the others realize that something unearthly might be stalking them in the desert. Continue reading ‘Unidentified (DVD Review)’
February 12th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
The ‘tallica boys are back and they’re bringing gigantic props! Filmmaker Nimrod Antal (Predators, Vacancy, Kontroll) has teamed up with the heavy metal rock act to bring a concert-feature film experience that has never quite happened like this before. The budget is huge, the theatrics are on overload, and Metallica does what they do like no other band out there. Metallica: Through The Never is here on DVD!
\
\
\
\ Continue reading ‘Metallica: Through The Never (DVD Review)’
January 20th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
I am a big fan of Comedy Bang Bang and the comedic sensibilities of its creator and star Scott Aukerman. I have to follow that statement by saying Comedy Bang Bang can be very divisive, as it presents a type of absurdist humor that not everyone can go along with. Yes, the show features a ton of funny people as guests, including Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen, Amy Poehler, and more, but the show captures a far stranger type of humor than many may be used to. It definitely explains why this show is a great fit for IFC, rather than any basic cable channel. Regardless, the entire first season is now available on DVD and it is full of plenty of crazy extras to go along with the bizarre nature that is this twisted talk show.
Continue reading ‘Comedy Bang Bang: The Complete First Season (DVD Review)’
January 16th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Shout! Factory brings home the IFC series Bullet In The Face. The show is another from the creator of Sledge Hammer!, Alan Spencer. It had a 6 episode run on the network, airing all the episodes between 2 nights. The show was shot in Canada and features Eric Roberts and Eddie Izzard is special guest star role capacity. It features a lot of outlandish comedy focusing on violence with a bit of a neo-noir tone. While the show was short lived, it picked up notoriety from its DVD releases in other countries and now has a cult fanbase similar to the creators other works. Its hitting shelves soon, so lets take a look at it. Continue reading ‘Bullet In The Face – The Complete Series (DVD Review)’
December 6th, 2013 by Gerard Iribe
When a child is kidnapped in the middle of nowhere, the parents Winona Gant and her fiancé‚ Hunter are torn. Suddenly, the phone rings, it’s the kidnapper and they’re not looking for money… She wants retribution! `Vanished’ is a gripping psychological thriller dealing with child kidnapping and how far a parent will go seeking revenge. This review will only cover the film itself since the DVD screener we received was a check-disc watermarked copy and did not contain special features and only played in stereo. The final version of the DVD contains a 5.1 surround soundtrack, behind-the-scenes footage, a gallery, and a trailer. Continue reading ‘Vanished (DVD Review)’
