Peppermint (Blu-ray Review)
I’ve been a Jennifer Garner fan ever since her days on television’s ALIAS so many years ago. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I’m here to give her the benefit of the doubt. Peppermint didn’t get much love in its theatrical release from critics or the moviegoing Rotten Tomatoes crowd. However, our own reviewer, Gregg Senko, praised the film as potential Top 10 material. So I have taken it as my duty to either prove the world or Gregg wrong by tackling the Blu-ray review of Peppermint here. If you know me well, then you’ll know the one thing this film has going for it with me is its R-rating. So there’s always a possibility I walk away from this review unscathed and a fan of Peppermint. Stranger things have happened, right? Continue reading ‘Peppermint (Blu-ray Review)’
Warner Archive hits double duty in terms of specific classic cinematic wants for Blu-ray aficionados and old school films lovers. More old swash buckling adventures of Errol Flynn and more films from legendary Hollywood workman director Michael Curtiz. Luckily that can be you can hit two birds with one stone quite easy with these two film icons. For their tenth team-up, director Michael Curtiz and action star Errol Flynn served up a rapier sharp take on the pirate movie by flavoring it with a much-needed soupçon of war-time patriotism during the dark days of Britain under the blitz, creating the standard for sea-faring cinema for decades to come. Despite borrowing the title from Rafael Sabatini, The Sea Hawk’s scribes Howard Koch and Seton I. Miller came up with an original story inspired by the life and exploits of Sir Francis Drake. Using the Amazon link below, you can order yourself a copy to have on release day, December 18th. 
Shout! Factory will release the iconic drama Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic on Blu-ray on January 29th, 2019. This is the film’s first time on any home entertainment format, and Shout’s release sports a brand-new 2K scan of the original film elements. Sarah T. comes complete with bonus features, including new interviews with the film’s star Linda Blair, and with director Richard Donner and producer David Levinson. Fans can preorder this film now at shoutfactory.com.
Scream Factory has announced they’ll be diving deep into the Hammer Horror archives in 2019. We are getting a taste for it here at year’s end with the Collector’s Edition release of Christopher Lee’s second turn as the famed Count in Dracula: Prince of Darkness. You’ll remember Millennium previously released the film, but Scream Factory looks to be making a serious upgrade on that edition. Scream Factory is no stranger to the Hammer catalog, but this is their first foray into the production company’s work since The Vampire Lovers back in 2013. I’m very excited to see them kicking off with my personal favorite of the Christopher Lee Dracula films, complete with a brand new 4K scan. You can pre-order from the Amazon link below to receive it by the December 18th release date, just in time for the gift-giving holidays! 
It was like any other day of my life. I drove the usual route home after a hard day at the office and was flipping through my favorite Sirius XM channels trying to find a familiar tune to God speed the way home with. I do all of this on autopilot, just pressing pre-programmed favorite buttons onscreen, not paying attention to the particular channel names or whatnot. Then it hit me like a wall would eventually if you ran blindfolded indoors. I heard these raspy, authoritative, take-no-prisoners female vocals, which I have never heard before. Immediately this singer had my full undivided attention. I looked at my radio unit and saw I landed on XM’s Octane and the song playing was called “Haunted” by a rock star named Diamante. Right then and there I wanted to know all I could about Diamante. Thank the maker for instant gratification. Before I knew it Diamante’s album, 
Based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick, the science-fiction thrillerScreamers will make its Blu-ray debut January 29th, 2019 from Scream Factory. Starring Peter Weller(Robocop) and Jennifer Rubin (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, Bad Dreams, The Crush) and featuring a screenplay by Dan O’Bannon,Screamers also includes a number of new bonus features, including new interviews with director Christian Duguay, producer Tom Berry, co-writer Miguel Tejada-Flores and actress Jennifer Rubin. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com.
Shout Select will release the classic con-men comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in a collector’s edition Blu-ray set for the first time on January 22nd, 2019. This release is mastered from a brand-new 2K scan of the film and comes complete with bonus features including a new interview with writer Dale Launer, behind-the-scenes featurette, and audio commentary with director Frank Oz. Fans can preorder this Collector’s Edition set now at shoutfactory.com.
Woohoo! Been waiting for this news! Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced today the early 2019 release dates of the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-ray Combo Pack, the DVD Special Edition and Digital versions of the critically acclaimed box office hit “A Star Is Born.” The 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD editions will be available to consumers on February 19, or fans can own it early on Digital on January 15. The 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-ray Combo Pack, the DVD Special Edition and Digital versions of “A Star Is Born” feature almost 10 minutes of never-before-seen musical performances by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, including “Baby What You Want Me To Do,” “Midnight Special” and “Is That Alright.” 
Warner Archive has been killing it for a while now, but its been especially exciting the last few months as they’ve unleashed three Hammer Horror Dracula films on Blu-ray that were previously not available in the United States. Following The Satanic Rites of Dracula and Dracula AD 1972 comes the one that started it all, Horror of Dracula. Odd that it came AFTER those two (As well as a set released a few years ago that had Dracula Has Risen From The Grave and Taste The Blood Of Dracula), but I’ll take it in whatever order they are going to give it. You’ll be able to see the film that launched a successful, flagship franchise from Hammer, our first look at Christoper Lee and Peter Cushing in their iconic iterations of Dracula and Van Helsing. You’ll be able to sink your teeth into the Blu-ray (Which sadly only features a trailer) when it arrives on the last new release Tuesday of the year, December 18th. Make sure you pre-order your copy using the Amazon link below before returning to your coffin. 
Grammy Award® winning superstar Janet Jackson makes her big screen debut for Academy Award® nominated Writer/Director John Singleton (Best Director & Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Boyz N the Hood, 1991) in the acclaimed and beloved romantic drama POETIC JUSTICE, newly remastered and debuting on Blu-ray™ February 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Also available on February 5, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings Writer/Director John Singleton’s bold look at college life to Blu-ray: HIGHER LEARNING, starring Omar Epps (“House”), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Michael Rapaport (Deep Blue Sea), Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly (Best Supporting Actress, A Beautiful Mind, 2001) and Ice Cube (Ride Along). Newly remastered and debuting on Blu-ray as well, continue on to learn more about these upcoming releases.
Experience Luca Gudagnino’s outrageously twisted re-imagining of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror cult classic that has been called a “grim and glorious work of madness” (IndieWire, David Ehrlich) when Suspiria arrives on Digital January 15 and on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital) January 29 from Lionsgate. Starring Dakota Johnson, Oscar® winner and Golden Globe® nominee* Tilda Swinton (2007, Michael Clayton, *Best Supporting Actress; 2012, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama), Mia Goth, and Chloë Grace Moretz and featuring a mesmerizing haunting score by Thom Yorke, Guadagnino’s directorial follow-up to the Oscar®-winning Call Me by Your Name(Best Adapted Screenplay, 2017), written for the screen by David Kajganich, has received incredible critical praise with Variety’s Owen Gleiberman calling it a “lavishly cerebral high-end horror film” and a “divinely demonic spectacle of womanly power.” The Suspiria Blu-ray (plus digital) will be available on January 29th. 
I’m very excited for this one! Follow the gripping and captivating true story of the first manned mission to the moon in FIRST MAN, arriving on Digital and via the digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on January 8, 2019 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on January 22, 2019 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed by critics as “the best movie of the year” (Collider) and “exhilarating” (Entertainment Weekly), FIRST MAN comes from acclaimed Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash) and stars Ryan Gosling (La La Land, The Big Short) as Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy (“The Crown,” Breathe) as Janet Armstrong in the heroic and emotionally driven journey through a pivotal moment in the history of mankind. Receiving two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Foy) and Best Original Score (Justin Hurwitz), the critically acclaimed film is packed with bonus features including deleted scenes and special featurettes showing behind-the-scenes looks at creating the film. 
In a remote 19th-century Cornish village, an evil presence lurks within the darkness of the witching hour. A mysterious plague relentlessly consumes lives at an unstoppable rate. Unable to find the cause, Dr. Peter Tompson enlists the help of his mentor, Sir James Forbes. Desperate to find an antidote, they instead find inexplicable horror: empty coffins with the diseased corpses missing! Following a series of strange and frightening clues, they discover a deserted mine where they discover a world of black magic and a doomed legion of flesh-eating slaves … the walking dead! On January 15, 2019, SCREAM FACTORY™ is proud to present horror cult classic THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES, starring André Morell (Ben-Hur), Diane Clark (The Haunting), and John Carson (Doomsday) on Blu-ray™. Directed by John Gilling (The Saint), this film also stars Alex Davion (Valley of the Dolls), Jacqueline Pearce (Doctor Who), and Brook Williams (Where Eagles Dare). Available for the first time on Blu-ray, this definition Blu-ray release contains insightful bonus content. A must-have for movie collectors, pre-order for THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES Blu-ray is available now at ShoutFactory.com 
As the years have passed, I have drifted significantly from video games and focused that time more on boardgaming. I just find the ability to use my imagination and the skill of critical thinking far more engaging in something like Terraforming Mars or Memoir ’44 as opposed to the button mashing of Mortal Kombat or the run ‘n gun of Call of Duty. Nevertheless, there is that occasional title of pixel fun that just captures my attention and won’t let go. Whereas last year that honor went to the DC Comics street fighting game Injustice 2, this year just happens to be another comic book-influenced title. No, that is not a requirement. It’s just that this game was done so incredibly well, I almost want to use the word ‘perfect’ in describing it.
One cool thing that can happen with the horror genre is that team ups of legends tend to happen with a low-key frequency. Not in the shared universe sense, but camera from behind and in front of the lens. The Mangler, coming from Scream Factory on December 11th, boasts the written talents of icon Stephen King, the directorial mastery of Tobe Hooper and the performance bliss of one Robert Englund. Quite a trifecta. One other thing under the radar for The Mangler is that Ted Levine, who put a legendary stamp on Silence of the Lambs is here too. Its packed, and Scream Factory is giving it the beloved Collector’s Edition treatment. See their showcase by pre-ordering a copy using the Amazon link below and having it just in time for those mangy, mangling holidays! 
Yours truly originally covered the first season of Westworld, also known as The Maze, on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray over 
