LA Film Festival 2017 – Final Film Reviews
The films have unspooled, the curtain is about to come down and even here at WhySoBlu.com we’re officially winding down our very comprehensive coverage of the LA Film Festival 2017. It’s been an awesome entertaining affair with ups, downs and most importantly an all out celebration of all things indie cinema. Trying to procure as many flicks under the viewing belt as possible below are the final nine titles dissected and given their respective critical skinny. Unique zombie tales, forest fright nights, strange neighbors, missing husbands, colorful comedies, road trips flicks, the traps of being a new parent, witness thrillers and one damn disappointing doc on the late Whitney Houston make up the encapsulated reviews below of It Stains The Sands Red, Desolation, The Neighbor, And Then There Was Eve, Fat Camp, Your Own Road, 20 Weeks, Never Here and Nick Broomfield’s Whitney: Can I Be Me. Continue reading ‘LA Film Festival 2017 – Final Film Reviews’
With recent back to back film fest coverage it’s been quite a task keeping up with the weekly indie releases (have no fear – quantity in smaller cinema will return to full force film fans!), so this week we’re hitting a couple missed flicks and one new one. Unconventional childhood stories, tales of survival in the face of human chaos and a post apocalyptic time of war for the human flesh hungry – all covered via this trio edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on The Book Of Henry, It Comes At Night and The Bad Batch below! 
Just what the world needed…another reboot of a legendary franchise. That was exactly my sentiments when I first learned about the production of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I remember watching and enjoying the original films as a kid, but not enough to warrant my full attention to what was going on behind the scenes of this new production. I still cant get the bad taste of the Mark Walhberg adventure out of my mouth. Then one day I had not one, but several friends asking me if I caught the new trailer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Astonishingly, all of their recounts and tales had one thing in common. They all included the word bada$$. How could they all be wrong? So I reluctantly caved in and gave it a watch. And much to my surprise I thought…not bad! But that didn’t mean I became an instant fanboy overnight. Quite the opposite happened. 
Blue Underground is bring the 1970s cult horror exploitation film Death Line (Which was also known as and sold under the title Raw Meat) to Blu-ray in a suped up edition. The film stars Donald Pleasence and Christopher Lee, legends of the genre, and deals with the darkest depths of the subway tunnels. A 2K transfer and restoration by Blue Undergound has been done for the release and the disc is chock full of brand spanking new extras, including interviews and a commentary track to go along with a nice little booklet. You can pre-order using the Amazon link following the review to make sure you have yourself a copy of this new Blue Underground masterwork (Seriously, their stuff can turn into a rare collector’s item real fast) on your doorstep or in your mailbox when it releases on June 27th. 
It feels like Vestron Video had been dormant for a little bit, with no releases in the oeuvre since that sweet little Wishmaster Collection set many months ago. But, if you think about it, there were four Wishmaster movies and if you did one per month, we’d be just fine (Look at the blowhard defense lol). Well, its summer and they are finally back, venturing int 1980s religious horror with The Unholy. This Ben Cross-led film was formerly of those horror multipacks and one of the more frequently requested titles for them to put out. Now its here and it looks to be stocked and loaded. You can make sure you have yourself a copy of this sexy bit of sanctity fright when it drops on Blu-ray for the first time June 27th by clicking on the Amazon link and securing one via pre-order. 
Making its Blu-ray debut as a deluxe Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on August 1st, 2017 from Scream Factory, this delightfully disgusting creature feature comes jam-packed with bonus features, including a new audio commentary with director James Gunn, actor Nathan Fillion and actor Michael Rooker, a new interview “The Genesis of Slither” with writer and director James Gunn, a new interview with actor Gregg Henry, audio commentary with James Gunn and Nathan Fillion, deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by James Gunn, Slithery Set Tour with actor Nathan Fillion, and much, much more! Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com. 
Cinema is no stranger to taking the older, dated classic television program that there may or may not be a nostalgia for and turning it into a comedy film. Heck, CHIPS here isn’t even the only one this year; there’s also Baywatch from this summer. However, Baywatch plays the self aware game akin to 21 Jump Street. However, both Baywatch and CHIPS didn’t really find the success they intended to at the box office. With poor reviews and no one showing up, we’ll not see a 2nd CHIPS effort. But, if you’re like most of America and missed it in theaters, you get a chance to see what all the no buzz was about on June 27th. Telling, too, is the fact that they forewent putting this on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format opting for standard only. 
Believe me when I say this I never wanted write this 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. You see I loved the first Transformers film. It was both epic and adventurous, but the second feature was a bloated, flaming turd. The 
One of legendary filmmaker Dario Argento’s most shocking and fantastic films is finally available on Blu-ray in the U.S. in an amazing new release from Synapse Films! Released in the U.S. as CREEPERS by New Line Cinema, 1985’s PHENOMENA is has long been one of Argento’s most discussed and debated films by fans and scholars, and now it’s available in a definitive 2-disc set that will make it a must-have release for Argento fans all over the world!
Told through re-enactments and containing shockingly true stories of many of the actual people involved with the production, Pete Schuermann’s THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA is the funny and ultimately terrifying saga of the making of THE CREEPING TERROR, and a disastrous portrait of a talentless artist who ultimately succumbs to his own self-destructive behavior. Starring Josh Phillips in the larger-than-life performance as Vic Savage, and Jodi Lynn Thomas (AMC’s PREACHER) as his unsuspecting wife Lois, THE CREEP BEHIND THE CAMERA pays vibrant tribute to an inglorious chapter in the history of genre cinema, incidentally exposing one of the most unimaginably radical antitheses of the Hollywood dream.
An uplifting and empowering coming-of-age movie centered on a determined young Maori girl, Whale Rider is an inspiring drama that is sure to captivate the whole family. Ripe for rediscovery, this award-winning film tells a poetic story that transcends the usual tropes of coming-of-age films, unfolding into a graceful tale about challenges of changing customs, community, and courage. Bolstered by stunning cinematography and smart storytelling, this touching tale makes its Blu-ray debut August 22nd, 2017, as a 15th Anniversary Edition from Shout! Factory’s Shout Select line. Bonus features include audio commentary with director Niki Caro, “Te Waka: Building the Canoe” featurette, a “behind-the-scenes of Whale Rider” featurette and more! Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com. 
AMY SCHUMER and GOLDIE HAWN get more action than they bargained for in the mother of all comedies! After her boyfriend dumps her on the eve of their exotic vacation, impetuous dreamer Emily Middleton (Schumer) persuades her ultra-cautious mom, Linda (Hawn), to travel with her to paradise. When the trip takes an unexpected turn, the polar opposite mother/daughter duo realize they must settle their differences and work together to escape the outrageous jungle adventure they’ve fallen into. Schumer and Hawn are “a dream team not to be missed!” – Mark S. Allen, ABC TV.
Sometimes I wonder if those reading ever wonder why I choose to take on some of the films I do for Blu-ray reviews? Like, who would watch that…oh that guy. When it comes to pure action resembling the late 80s and 90s, I’m a sucker as I was a big fan of that film fad. They still make them nowadays, most are straight to video and yeah, a lot are no good. But, when I take on something like this, I’m either looking to see what one of my favorite action legends is up to lately, maybe it could be some hidden gem or on the other end maybe its trashy and silly enough to be a good passage of time. Anyway, maybe now you can see why, when Brian offers me an action film starring Dolphen Lundgren AND Denise Richards that takes place on a plane high up in the sky, I accept the challenge and go for it on the review. Anyway, Altitude will be available June 30th on Blu-ray. 
You know, I’m the guy who writes that annual Blu-ray Wishlist column (Which, I did regularly for a year). I’m a proponent on getting everything in film history bumped up to the next great format. For it to be available in the highest quality presentation possible. However, some things…maybe…maybe they don’t need that sort of effort. Maybe they were fine just ending their run on DVD. Those play in 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray players and pretty much anywhere still to this day. What’s with this intro? Because two of the Fu Manchu movies from the 1960s are coming to Blu-ray from Blue Underground and I still don’t have True Lies yet. Sure, I know Jess Franco is a popular cult director. And…yeah, they have Christopher Lee, but they are also a whitewashing embarrassment of history. That’s not even their biggest crime. They’re pretty much unwatchable. But, here, I’ve done my best for this new set, apologies on the lack of enthusiasm. 
