T2: Trainspotting (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
21 years ago, Trainspotting arrived. One of the biggest trends in film of the 1990s was the rise of the independent film and Trainspotting was one of the largest. It was the second film from Danny Boyle (Go seek out Shallow Grave, his first, its awesome), but its the one that really launched him. It also launch the careers of Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Johnny Lee Miller, Kelly Macdonald and Ewan Bremner as well. The film was one of those “MTV Generation” kind of movies, but damn was it ever so energetic and effective. Rewatching it for this review, I had just forgotten how damned good and powerful it was. Now, we’re here 21 years later (2o for the characters in the film) for a reunion movie and follow up that had been discussed by Danny Boyle for many years. And, is it also ever so exciting to see a Danny Boyle film getting a 4K Ultra-HD release! The film will be available for purchse on June 27th and can be pre-ordered below. Continue reading ‘T2: Trainspotting (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’
21 years ago, Trainspotting arrived. One of the biggest trends in film of the 1990s was the rise of the independent film and Trainspotting was one of the largest. It was the second film from Danny Boyle (Go seek out Shallow Grave, his first, its awesome), but its the one that really launched him. It also launch the careers of Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Johnny Lee Miller, Kelly Macdonald and Ewan Bremner as well. The film was one of those “MTV Generation” kind of movies, but damn was it ever so energetic and effective. Rewatching it for this review, I had just forgotten how damned good and powerful it was. Now, we’re here 21 years later (2o for the characters in the film) for a reunion movie and follow up that had been discussed by Danny Boyle for many years. The film will be available for purchse on June 27th and can be pre-ordered below. 
Hey folks! I don’t know about you, but I’m getting super excited! It’s now officially less than a month away to my favorite time of the year, Comic-Con 2017! After a three year personal absence from the event I’m stoked to be returning to action this year! Back in 2015 I wrote a post titled “
If the year 2011 taught us nothing but the fact that good things can come from rebooting a beloved franchise, then I’d be alright to call it a day right here and now. Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever conjured up such a crazy notion that the quirky Planet of the Apes franchise could ever be resurrected after that feeble attempt by Tim Burton (I really wish they could have went through with the Adam Rifkin script) way back in the summer of 2001 before our economy took a crap and I have been broke ever since because of low interest rates. However, I digress. We are not here to discuss our nation’s economy because if the fictional ape character of Caesar was real, I have no doubts that it would thrive once again under his direction. All hail Caesar, right? Exactly! That’s exactly the sentimentality I want you all to have over the course of the next five minutes or so as I impregnate your mind with a world dominated by apes, or at least on the cusp of that becoming a reality in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
The films have unspooled, the curtain is about to come down and even here at 
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. 
