Wonder Woman Ends DC Cinematic Crisis (Movie Review)
It would appear that Wonder Woman is the result of studio heads and producers thinking things through a bit more and allowing for more creative freedom. Thanks to some talented filmmakers and actors, this is the film the DCEU needed to get themselves out of the hole that began with an underwhelming Man of Steel and reached the furthest possible low with Suicide Squad. And since Disney is no longer paying us reviewers to speak ill of non-Marvel Studios superhero movies (kidding), I’m happy to talk about just how entertaining Wonder Woman is. It may still have some of the standard problems found in superhero origin films and DC’s cinematic branding as of late, but it also plays to a sense of optimism, earnestness and well…wonder.
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Two very full film fests are hitting hard and fast in June (comprehensive coverage is the motto!) so no time like the present to get to the weekly array the lesser known film fare for those seeking smaller cinematic selections. Examinations of former beleaguered British Prime Minsters, sisters with a desire to seek out the truth, spiritual sci-fi stories and two father/son tales – one involving vampirism – grace the themes via this weeks colorful crop of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on the five films Churchill, Past Life, Dean, 96 Souls and Aaron’s Blood below. 
A looming global catastrophe forces Batman and Nightwing to partner with an unlikely hero in Batman and Harley Quinn, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe Original Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the all-new, feature-length animated film arrives August 15
“Totally riveting” (Bill Zwecker, FOX-TV) and filled with “heart pounding excitement” (Pete Hammond, Deadline), the thrilling and eye-popping GHOST IN THE SHELL arrives on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand July 25, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The future comes early on Digital HD July 7. 
Robevrt Zemeckis and Bob Gale are most known for their collaborative effort on the Back To The Future trilogy (Also Used Cars). Before that, they had a script lying around called The Looters. That film wound up getting picked up many years later by Walter Hill when he was looking for a thriller to pick up. The name later changed to Trespass because of the LA Riots and it not wanting any association with it. A positively review film, it didn’t make much at the box office. However, its a piece of the legendary Walter Hill’s filmography and Shout! Factory continues their love the director by giving Trespass a Collector’s Edition release under the Shout Select line. You can pre-order from the Amazon link below to have yourself a copy of the film when Trespass arrives on Blu-ray for the very first time on June 27. 
This make sense, but still caught me by surprise when Scream Factory announced not just a release, but a Collector’s Edition of The Lawnmower Man. I’m just so used to seeing trashy cheap, $5 dump bin double feature DVDs of the two Lawnmower Man films together. Now, the film gets to see some love and get some depth after all these years. People forget, but this was a big hit at the box office back in the early 1990s. Heck, virtual reality is back in vogue now, so I’m sure there’s some studio exec drooling at the thought of maybe trying to do this movie again. Anyway, lets revisit this first film and forget the second ever existed shall we? Scream Factory will be releasing it on June 20th and you can pre-order it using the Amazon link below. And since we are on early 90s technology-based horror, I wonder what Ghost In The Machine is up to these days (Hint hint, wink wink). 
I don’t know about you all but I’m getting super excited for the upcoming release of Wonder Woman this Friday. June 2nd cannot come fast enough! So how does one celebrate all things Wonder Woman in the meantime while we’re wishing our lives away for it to finally be June 2nd? Well you can always watch 
In 1991, author Timothy Zahn was tasked with the duty to write a trilogy of Star Wars novels that were the sequels to Return of the Jedi. From the get-go, these stories were magnificent and featured an array of new characters (Jacen & Jaina Solo) as well as ones we were already familiar with (Luke, Han, Chewie & Leia). One character that arguably stood out above them all in those books was the then newly created Grand Admiral Thrawn. He was such a hit with fans that even Disney couldn’t overlook him. It’s been out for about a month and a half now, but the alien commander has his own book.
I remember seeing trailers for Snitch like crazy during The Walking Dead on Sunday nights like crazy. Why? It had series star Jon Bernthal in the movie (Who was very popular when he was on the show). So, I guess they were hoping that would get people out to see it? But, lets not fool ourselves, folks. The main attraction here is global superstar Dwayne Johnson! I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a lot of hype for this movie when it came out, but then it surprised people by being a pretty solid film. Lionsgate has a film with The Rock in it, so they are going to use it, and use it they will when the film debuts on the 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray format on June 6th alongside the likes of their cult classic comic book film, Dredd. Pre-order below to make sure you have yourself a copy to complete your Dwayne Johnson collection. 
Its kind of a crazy world that we live in now with some of our legendary directors. William Friedkin (Director of The Exorcist and The French Connection) can’t get funding to make films, Martin Scorsese’s big reunion with Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci that also has Al Pacino will be on Netflix and someone like Walter Hill has his movies coming straight to video. Granted, Hill’s track record of late hasn’t been quite there, its just odd to think of sometimes. The Assignment, starring Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver and Tony Shalhoub, is his first film in four years, too. This, following the Sylvestor Stallone / Jason Mamoa misfire Bullet To The Head (Which is actually kind of enjoyable in a trashy way) finds the director taking a unique spin on the noir/hitman film. You can check out the movie when it comes to Blu-ray June 6th. 
One of the biggest cult films of the modern era has to be Lionsgate’s Dredd. The film surprised many and was well liked by those who saw it. It’s a comic and revival property that didn’t really take the world by storm though at the box office. It pretty much wound up breaking even at the box office. Fans have been persistently pushing for a sequel, but you gotta understand for Lionsgate its pretty risky. Karl Urban still gets questions and talks about it, but who knows what will come. Right now, word is that it will now be TV series. Lionsgate is respecting the fans here though, and dropping Dredd onto the 4K Ultra-HD format very early on, acknowledging that yes, it is indeed one of their more popular titles on home video. You can pre-order from the Amazon link at the end of the review to have yours waiting for you in your mailbox on June 6th when it releases. 
While Michael Schultz’s comedy film Car Wash has had the legacy of a cult classic (Deeming it a perfect match for a distributor like Shout! Factory), the soundtrack from the film at the time of release was anything but. The 1976 movie’s songs got lots of spins on the radio, sold plenty of records and won a Grammy award (among others) for the music featured in the film. Of course, everyone knows the Disco/Funk era staple title track. Hell, just seeing the word “car wash” might have it play in your head or have you clapping your hands. Mediocre reviews for the film itself didn’t stop people from revisiting it or it finding itself a solid fan base that grew over the years. On June 20th, Shout! Factory is finally getting it to make the jump to Blu-ray. You can get your car washed today or pre-order it by clicking the Amazon link below. 
Sure, plenty of time has passed and comedy has come a long way and changed since the 1970s and 1980s, but Cheech and Chong have been lacking incredibly when it comes to the Blu-ray format. These Latino stoner brothers were a staple of their time and are much better than just the Corsican Brothers that lies on Olive Films release. That’s also easily one of their weakest efforts. Growing up in the 1990’s, these guys were still a staple. Stuff like Up In Smoke (Their debut, which, wow, how is this not out yet) and Nice Dreams were a must back when I was growing up. My personal favorite of the bunch was the first one I ever saw, which is what I’m here to talk about about today, Next Movie. Shout! Factory is putting it out via their Shout Select line. You can make sure you have it by the June 13th release date by pre-ordering it on the Amazon link below. 
When it comes to author Hunter S. Thompson, most have an image already in their head. They picture a guy wearing rather leisurely golf enthusiast-like clothes, smoking a cigarette from an elongated holder while wearing aviator style sunglasses and barking out weird nonsensical silliness while accompanied by an equally dumb mustached companion. And the quickest go-to thought of the man is usually the depiction done by Johnny Depp in the Terry Gilliam Film Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas (The “bat country” line being a very popular quote.). But, did you youngins know that Depp was merely the 2nd to play Hunter S. Thompson? Bill Murray did it 18 years prior in the film, Where The Buffalo Roam. Accompanied by Peter Boyle, they marked the adventures of the author in the late 1960s leading into the 70s. Shout! Factory, via the Select line, will be recovering this one from film history and extending it to Blu-ray on June 6th. 
Having recently watched another oldie but goodie in remembrance of the late great Powers Boothe (the previous being Extreme Prejudice!), I thought why not throw it up this week to keep the tribute going – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Today’s hidden gem was the first collaboration between famed Director Walter Hill and the brilliant Boothe as the two took on the dangers of the Louisiana bayou. (Both in front and behind the camera!) Seems a gang of ill equipped National Guardsman find themselves in the crosshairs of some very sinister swamp folks after a little not-so-harmless prank and end up fighting for their very lives. Bravado and bullets, explosions and spear beds, killers and Cajun Cooder music all set the stage for a little unwelcome…Southern Comfort. 
As I just finished a review of Beauty and the Beast’s jump from Disney animated classic to live action blockbuster, I turn back to the past of the Mouse House’s animated legends. Bambi! One wonders if they’d ever tackle this tale with the gusto and fully lifelike CG animation of The Jungle Book and (One assumes) the upcoming The Lion King. A deer is not as exciting as a Lion or other exotic jungle animals, but…well…it could work. Make people fall in love with Thumper all over again and shed that tear and explain to the young one what happened when Bambi hears that loud blast of a rifle in the distance while escaping in the woods. Or, you can just go back and check out the original classic in this new Disney Signature Edition Blu-ray. It features some new stuff and will be available to own (again) on Blu-ray June 6th! 
A few months ago before going under the knife for an invasive hip procedure, I managed to crank out not one, but two exciting DC Collectibles statue reviews of my favorite DC Comics girl, Harley Quinn. They were both based on the likeness of Margot Robbie from last year’s 
