Archive for the 'Sean Ferguson' Category
June 1st, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Celebrate the life, the legend and the beauty of Marilyn Monroe. The iconic blonde bombshell shines in high definition in the Forever Marilyn Blu-ray Collection. With classics like The Misfits and Some Like It Hot as well as new-to-Blu-ray titles How to Marry A Millionaire, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Seven Year Itch, There’s No Business Like Show Business and River of No Return this unique set of films, those that made Marilyn a star, is a collector’s dream. Marking the 50th anniversary of the passing of this Hollywood legend, the seven disc collection will be available as a Blu-ray set and individual titles beginning July 20th Internationally (Germany) and on July 31st in North America from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Starting today (June 1st), Marilyn fans around the world can pre-order the Collection with online retailers. Continue reading ‘The Forever Marilyn Blu-ray Collection Arrives This July!’
May 30th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg’s magical adventure, celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its first-ever release on Blu-ray this October.Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture that delivers six times the resolution of DVD, as well as all-new 7.1 surround sound, the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the 1982 theatrical movie, an all-new interview with director Steven Spielberg, and “The E.T. Journals” featuring never-before-seen footage from the set of the film. The Blu-ray Combo Pack also includes UltraViolet, a DVD and a Digital Copy of the film, offering fans a chance to relive the mystery, laughter and wonder of the iconic movie anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice. Continue reading ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Finally Arrives on Blu-ray This October!’
May 27th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Critically acclaimed by critics and viewers alike, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s powerful and acclaimed documentary The War made its Blu-ray on May 15, 2012 from PBS Distribution and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Six years in the making, the epic, seven-part film directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective through the personal accounts of men and women from four quintessentially American towns. Revealing the most intimate human dimensions of a worldwide catastrophe, the 15-hour documentary paints a vivid portrait of how the war touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America. The War is narrated by Emmy Award-winner Keith David and includes voiceovers from acclaimed performers such as Tom Hanks, Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Lucas, Adam Arkin and Eli Wallach and features recordings by Norah Jones and Wynton Marsalis, as well as war-era favorites from Benny Goodman, Nat ‘King’ Cole and more. Presented in pristine high-definition, the Blu-ray also boasts nearly two hours of special features including filmmaker commentary, deleted scenes, additional interviews and a making of featurette. Continue reading ‘The War (Blu-ray Review)’
May 27th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Walt Disney Studios and the legendary Studio Ghibli (Ponyo & Spirited Away) proudly opened the doors to The Secret World of Arrietty on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD, on May 22, 2012. Based on the acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers,” by Mary Norton, The Secret World of Arrietty is an imaginative tale of “little people” living furtively among us, and the unlikely friendship that forms when their hidden world is discovered. The heartwarming family adventure features beautiful, stylized animation and timeless themes of friendship, courage and determination. This visually stunning animated masterpiece stars an illustrious voice cast that includes Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Bridgit Mendler, Moises Arias, David Henrie and the iconic and much beloved Carol Burnett. Continue reading ‘The Secret World of Arrietty (Blu-ray Review)’
May 26th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Hell on Wheels tells the epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on a soldier who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who have killed his wife. His journey takes him west to Hell on Wheels, a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot of a town that travels with and services the construction of the railroad, an engineering feat unprecedented for its time. The lavishly-produced series documents the railroad’s engineering and construction, as well as institutionalized greed and corruption, the immigrant experience and the plight of newly emancipated African-Americans during Reconstruction. Chronicling this potent turning point in our nation’s history, this fan favorite series shows just how uncivilized the business of civilization can be across 10 absorbing episodes. Continue reading ‘Hell on Wheels: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review)’
May 26th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
In Men in Black III, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back… in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him — secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind. Continue reading ‘Men in Black III (Movie Review)’
May 26th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
The hilarious Steve Martin (Father Of The Bride) and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah (Best Actress In A Supporting Role, Chicago, 2002) star with Eugene Levy (American Pie) and Betty White (The Proposal) in this hysterical culture clash hit. When Peter Sanderson (Martin), a divorced, uptight lawyer, meets Charlene (Latifah), a street-smart soul sister who’s just escaped from prison, his life is turned upside down. Crazy complications abound, and Peter soon discovers he may need Charlene just as much as she needs him. It’s a houseful of fun your family will enjoy again and again. Continue reading ‘Bringing Down the House: 10th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
May 18th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Believing that the lives of an everyday family would be relatable to Americans in a way that existing TV shows were not, filmmakers set out to chronicle the life of the Louds, a seemingly “perfect family.” Once filming began though, the strain in the Loud’s marriage, the ups and downs of raising five children, as well as the criticism Pat Loud received for asking for a divorce and openly supporting her gay son, came sharply into focus. A complete departure from television shows of the time, An American Family gripped the nation, making the Louds a television sensation while leaving them unprepared for the consequences. In 2002, TV Guide named the documentary series one of the “Top 50 Greatest Shows of All Time.” Fascinating and illuminating, Cinema Verite stars an amazing ensemble cast. Along with Lane, the film features Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Tim Robbins (Mystic River) and Golden Globe and Emmy winner James Gandolfini (HBO’s The Sopranos). Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini directed a script written by David Seltzer. Continue reading ‘Cinema Verite (Blu-ray Review)’
May 13th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Filmed in high definition, recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby 5.1 Surround and DTS, with a running time of approximately three and a half hours, Live At Montreux 2004 includes all the greatest hits of his legendary career. The 25-song 2004 concert encapsulates the essence of this great artist, who has performed on the Montreux stage numerous times. One such time, in 1996, was with a Jazz Big-Band. Thirteen songs from that ’96 performance—including one with Tony Bennett (“There’ll Be Some Changes Made”)—serve as a bonus feature (in standard definition). From “In The Air Tonight” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Easy Lover” to “A Groovy Kind Of Love” “Another Day In Paradise” “One More Night” and “Against All Odds” the set-list accentuates the wildly fluctuating amount of genres and styles that Collins has smoothly assimilated within his own personal flair.
Continue reading ‘Phil Collins: Live at Montreux 2004 (Blu-ray Review)’
May 11th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Director Tim Burton brings the cult classic series “Dark Shadows” to the big screen in a film featuring an all-star cast, led by Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter. In the year 1750, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from England to start a new life in America, where they build a fishing empire in the coastal Maine town that comes to carry their name: Collinsport. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of falling in love with a beauty named Josette DuPres (Bella Heathcote) and breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death—turning him into a vampire, and then burying him…alive. Continue reading ‘Dark Shadows – A Comedy With Bite’
May 10th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
The 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House and changed the face of politics in the process. For this thrilling, behind-closed-doors account of that campaign, renowned cinema verité filmmakers D. A. Pennebaker (Monterey Pop) and Chris Hegedus (Startup.com) closely followed the brainstorming and bull sessions of Clinton’s crack team of consultants—especially the folksy James Carville and the preppy George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right as they injected a youthful spirit and spontaneity into the process of campaigning. Fleet-footed and entertaining, The War Room is a vivid document of a political moment whose truths (“It’s the economy, stupid!”) still ring in our ears. Continue reading ‘The War Room: Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
May 4th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
After seeing The Avengers twice, it seems like the entire concept of combining the Iron Man, Thor, and the Captain America franchises along with all of their supporting characters into one massive movie seems like a kick-ass idea with no chance of failure. But back in the late nineties that concept represented some pretty audacious thinking considering that Marvel had up to that point only licensed their characters such as Spiderman, Daredevil, Punisher, and the Fantastic Four to other studios with mixed results. While I’m sure that they regret that decision now, it was a necessary one for them to raise the capital to make their own movies which they did starting with Iron Man to great success. The first Iron Man movie showed that Marvel meant to do business differently with their surprising and yet inspired choices, as they hired Jon Favreau to direct the film and in their most brilliant bit of casting to date, hired Robert Downey Jr. to play Tony Stark/Iron Man. That tradition continued through hiring Kenneth Branagh to direct Thor and Joe Johnston for Captain America. Marvel continued to surprise fans by casting Chris Evans as Captain America even though he was already playing another Marvel hero – Johnny Storm. All of those unpredictable and brilliant choices have led up to The Avengers, which represents the biggest roll of the dice for Marvel and yet it’s also the one most guaranteed to succeed. Can all of these disparate universes and characters fuse together to become the biggest superhero movie of all time? Two words…Hell yes!!! Continue reading ‘The Avengers – The Sum Is Greater Than The Parts’
April 28th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Continuing to focus on New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina, the second season of the critically-acclaimed HBO series Treme tells the colorful, interwoven stories of a group of ordinary people who endure in the midst of unthinkable loss and hardship. It’s now fourteen months post-Katrina and residents of the Crescent City are finding it harder than ever to rebuild their lives, much less hold on to their special cultural and musical identity. Some have left to become expatriates in places like New York City; others have been forced to sell their homes to outside developers. Those who remain cope with high crime levels and dwindling federal support. Still, the proud, even defiant spirit that defines the city lingers among its faithful inhabitants. Continue reading ‘Treme: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray Review)’
April 25th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
The ultimate love story continues in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s spectacular musical Love Never Dies, a sequel to the legendary “Phantom of the Opera.” From musical theater’s most captivating composer and featuring the new highly-acclaimed Australian production filmed in Melbourne, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies arrives on Blu-ray with perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound and DVD on May 29, 2012. With lush visuals and a mesmerizing score that rivals the original in power and beauty, this live production of Love Never Dies is a romantic necessity for every Broadway fan’s collection. Continue reading ‘Love Never Dies Arrives on Blu-ray May 29th!’
April 21st, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
To satisfy consumer demand and serve the growing base of Blu-ray households, The Walt Disney Studios today announced plans to add more than 30 popular and iconic films to its ever-expanding Blu-ray library. Each film selected for release has been fully digitally remastered, with dirt and anomalies cleaned to a pristine level, offering viewers optimum high definition picture and sound quality of some of their favorite films. The films selected for release appeal to families, film-lovers and collectors with a wide-breadth of Live-Action, Animated, Romance titles that range from Beaches to While You Were Sleeping and Pocahontas to The Santa Clause. Many are celebrating special 10th, 15th and 20th Anniversary Edition releases, many are Academy-Award Winning Films like Dead Poets Society, Evita, Dick Tracy, and many are back by popular demand including Hocus Pocus, Adventures in Babysitting, and The Color of Money.
Continue reading ‘Disney Plans to Release 30+ Blu-rays for 2012!’
April 14th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Danger takes on a whole new meaning as the X-Men are forced to confront a reality they never thought possible. Continuing the saga of the Astonishing X-Men, comic book pages come alive when Shout! Factory, in association with Marvel Knights Animation, debuted the highly anticipated Marvel Knights Animation Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous on DVD, April 10, 2012. The highly popular “Dangerous” storyline and colorful visuals from the graphic novel by pop culture icons Joss Whedon and John Cassaday combine smart story telling, incredible action, and startling revelations in the second story arc of the acclaimed Astonishing X-Men multi-part series. This DVD invites viewers to delve deep inside the imaginative world of the Marvel Universe. Continue reading ‘Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous (DVD Review)’
April 12th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
War Horse, the Academy Award-nominated Best Picture, is a story of incredible friendship, loyalty, courage, hope and tenacity. Based on the Tony Award-winning play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt tale begins with the remarkable friendship between a feisty colt named Joey and his young trainer Albert (Jeremy Irvine). When they’re forced apart by war, the film follows Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. No matter where they go or what they experience both boy and horse keep forging ahead, driven by devotion and the hope of returning home. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals, War Horse is one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship and love ever filmed. Continue reading ‘War Horse (Blu-ray Review)’
April 10th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Jaws comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever on August 14th, 2012 and features an all-new, digitally remastered and fully restored picture, as well as 7.1 surround sound. The film is one of 13 classic Universal films selected to be digitally remastered and fully restored from 35mm original film elements as part of Universal’s ongoing 100th Anniversary celebration. Directed by Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg,
Jaws set the standard for edge-of-your seat suspense quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon and forever changing the movie industry. When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town’s chief of police (Roy Scheider), a young marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again. Featuring an unforgettable score that evokes pure terror,
Jaws remains one of the most influential and gripping adventures in motion picture history.
Continue reading ‘JAWS Finally Makes It’s Way to Blu-ray this August!’