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Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Six New Indie Titles

Encapsulated Movie Reviews

With the Halloween month of October scaring up things now it seems fitting to have some past and present fright flicks included in the cinematic crop below.  Tall men, silver spheres and empty graves both new and old are examined, but also painful past relationships, men who haven’t gone through puberty and tough teens searching for self are also encompassed in this weeks edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews.  So check out the skinny on the films Phantasm: Remastered, Blue Jay, The Late Bloomer, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Kids In Love and Phantasm: Ravager.

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Pacific Rim (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Pacific Rim 4K Blu-ray ReviewWhen my reviewer Gerard Iribe and Aaron Neuwirth (his Comic-Con 2012 coverage here and WonderCon 2013’s here) first brought Pacific Rim to my attention, I wasn’t sold on it at all.  The trailer and its crappy narration just felt way too generic for me.  Although the concept has never been done in this grand of scale on the big screen, I could not help feeling like I’ve seen this all before in the countless hours of mecha and robot cartoons I used to watch as a kid.  Prior to Pacific Rim‘s theatrical releasee saw trailer after trailer and each one was an improvement.  However, I still wasn’t sold the first time I sat down to watch this.  What was it about monsters from the Pacific Rim and giant man-made robots that had everyone‘s panties in a bunch that they were so excited over?  I hate to sound like a screeching teenager, but OMG!  This movie ended up being the BOMB!  So much so that I actually paid to go back…BIGGER and BETTER the second time around.  Oh yeah!  I went IMAX 3-D and my ears bled in ecstasy from the stomping of the robots feet on the hard pavement to the smashing of their fists into the jaws of the Kaijus. Continue reading ‘Pacific Rim (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’

Parker’s ‘Birth Of A Nation’ Strikes Back At History (Movie Review)

birth of a nation thumbThe Birth of a Nation is a film designed to challenge various parts of me. There is a righteous part of me that sees a film recounting a historical event tying into relevant topics still affecting America today, as the nation continues to court more and more woke individuals. The other part concerns my role as one who critiques film and sees a lot of ambition being outdone, at times, by narrative and budgetary restraints. It is unfortunate that a film providing such a showcase for strong performances and evocative imagery is not more successful, but it does plenty to unpack a lot of clear anger in how history and beyond has been a struggle for many.

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Jason Bourne Returns To Blu-ray & 4K Ultra HD This December!

Jason BourneYou can’t keep a good man down! Matt Damon (Bourne Franchise, The Martian) is back and this time it’s personal in Jason Bourne, the action-packed fifth installment of the blockbuster franchise, coming to Digital HD November 15, 2016 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on December 6, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.  Nearly a decade since fans last saw the former operative, the explosive return brings Jason Bourne into a whole new era, revealing key secrets about Bourne’s origins to a new generation. The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD include commentary from the cast, filmmakers, stunt performers and fight coordinators, plus behind-the-scenes features that take viewers inside the making of the film’s intense stunt choreography and one of the wildest car chases in Bourne history.

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Buy A Ticket To Ride With ‘The Girl On The Train’ (Movie Review)

The Girl on the TrainThe Girl on the Train instantly has two things going for it.  It features two actresses that will get me in the theater no matter what the film’s subject matter is about.  I’m respectfully talking Emily Blunt and Rebecca Ferguson.  Ever since Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario and Mission Impossible Rogue Nation I’m a sucker for both of them.  Second, Entertainment Weekly talked so highly of this feature several issues ago that it warranted my attention.  No.  I take that back.  Their praise of The Girl on the Train absolutely demanded my undivided attention.  So here we are.  The moment is upon us and I’m eager to blow this train’s whistle.  Let’s stop this train and get on already! Continue reading ‘Buy A Ticket To Ride With ‘The Girl On The Train’ (Movie Review)’

Hell or High Water Floods Blu-ray on November 22nd

Hell or High WaterAcademy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (Best Actor, Crazy Heart, 2009), Chris Pine (Star Trek), and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) star in the acclaimed action thriller Hell or High Water arriving on Digital HD November 8 and Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital) and On Demand November 22 from Lionsgate and CBS Films. From the writer of Sicario, Hell or High Water is a modern western about two brothers who turn to crime in order to save their family farm from the clutches of the bank. Hailed as one of the year’s best films since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, the film has since gone on to garner a stellar 98% “Certified Fresh” critics’ score, and equally impressive 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Continue reading ‘Hell or High Water Floods Blu-ray on November 22nd’

The Secret Lives of Pets Are Getting The Royal Treatment on Blu-ray

The Secret Lives of PetsHere’s one I’m very stoked to experience on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format!  This holiday season, the answer to the question “Ever wonder what your pets do when you’re not home?” is answered when The Secret Life of Pets comes to Digital HD November 22, 2016 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ 3D, Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand December 6, 2016 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The humans behind the Despicable Me franchise present America’s top-grossing original film of the year, the animated comedy is a worldwide hit with over $834 million in global ticket sales. The Secret Life of Pets is “non-stop action and laughs,” says Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD versions feature nearly an hour of bonus content, including three hilarious mini-movies: the all-new Norman Television and Weenie PLUS Mower Minions which debuted in theaters and is now available to own. Continue reading ‘The Secret Lives of Pets Are Getting The Royal Treatment on Blu-ray’

CARNAGE PARK Debuts To Blu-ray From Scream Factory November 1st!

Carnage-ParkAn official Selection of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and SXSW 2016 Film Festival, Carnage Park is a pure-pulp thrill ride that jumps between past and present as it pieces together the puzzle of a shocking crime. Featuring an unsettling score and suspenseful cinematography, this intense thriller makes its home entertainment debut November 1, 2016 from Scream Factory, in conjunction with IFC Midnight. Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com .

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Child’s Play – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Review)

Child's-PlayThe 1980s was a decade that offered many new iconic horror villains and continued the lore and mythology of ones introduced in the 1970s.  It was a kind of resurgence of horror characters, harkening  back to the days of the Universal monsters back in the 1940s.  At the tail end of the decade we were introduced to one of its last and most iconic monsters, Chucky!  This evil was predicated on the fear of the sort of creepy My Buddy and Kid Sister dolls that were quite popular with the kiddos back in the day.  Even though we couldn’t see the movie, we all knew who Chucky was and feared this idea of him.  He got his due with multiple sequels, even being the leading franchise horror guy through to the mid-90s as horror was in a down period and he was the only one doing something and/or active.  Today we travel back to his original haunting, courtesy of a fresh, brand new release from Scream Factory. Continue reading ‘Child’s Play – Collector’s Edition (Blu-ray Review)’

The Neon Demon (Blu-ray Review)

The Neon Demon (Blu-ray Review) Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most visionary and abstract directors we have in the current mold.  He’s a filmmaker whose films will probably age a lot better in critical circles than they are received in present day.  They polarize and split audiences.  His films feature an equal amount of boos and standing ovations at Cannes.  No matter the love or the hate, they are a visceral experience and no matter your outcome at the end, are worth plopping down to sit and watch.  While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Only God Forgives, its one I’ve sat on the shelf for now and hope to dust off and revisit it again down the road.  Maybe it was I that wasn’t ready for it, yet.  That didn’t stop me from being incredibly excited for his latest film, The Neon Demon, which had me drooling with excitement to see it from the sight of the first trailer when it was released. Continue reading ‘The Neon Demon (Blu-ray Review)’

Jason Statham Stars in Mechanic Resurrection Arriving on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray November 22nd

Mechanic ResurrectionThe action-packed, thrill ride Mechanic: Resurrection will be available on Digital HD on November 8 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital), and On Demand November 22 from Lionsgate. Jason Statham (The Expendables series) “wastes no time delivering the bullet-spraying, jaw-smashing goods” (Variety) as Arthur Bishop, an assassin who makes each of his targets’ deaths look like accidents, whose calm retirement is shattered when a former employer requires his services. A film by Dennis Gansel (The Wave), Mechanic: Resurrection also features Jessica Alba (Sin City), Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones (Best Supporting Actor, The Fugitive, 1993), and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

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Central Intelligence (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Central Intelligence 4KCentral Intelligence is a movie that came and went theatrically that I cared nothing about.  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see it, but I just didn’t want to see it theatrically if that makes any sense.  I believed Central Intelligence to just be one of those throwaway films that we merely deem mediocre or passable.  I guess looking back I was dead wrong.  Not only was Central Intelligence favorable with most critics, but it was also very strong in the box office.  That’s where it counts anyway, right?  Absolutely!  A movie’s not made for art.  It’s made for one purpose only.  Well, okay two!  Films are produced like packaged lunch meat to pack those seats in the theaters and make a profit.  Money makes the world go around and that’s Hollywood for you.  I got a little off topic, eh?  So Central IntelligenceContinue reading ‘Central Intelligence (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’

Forgotten Friday Flick – “The Stepfather” (1987)

Forgotten Friday FlickThis week a couple of my fellow WhySoBlu cohorts took part in a podcast highlighting horror and with Halloween time being almost upon us I’ve decided to join in on the act with a past slasher selection of my own – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick!  There are plenty of high profile slice and dice flicks out there, but today’s choice is one that some may have missed.  A frightfully fun flick complete with blood, gore and a pinch of female flesh, it’s the tale of a dedicated husband and father who will do anything to obtain the perfect family – even kill for it!  He’s weird, he’s wild and he’s got a big knife – he’s…The Stepfather!

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Everest (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Everest 4K Blu-ray ReviewMake no mistake about it, Everest is not going to win any feel good movie-of-the-year awards on the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format.  It’s a very cold and brutal experience to behold especially now that it’s crystal clear and more pronounced than ever on the new home media format.  The extra clarity of the 4K Ultra HD presentation makes it even more-so an agonizing, painful experience to sit through.  However, it’s an experience you’ll come back to again and again like an aging boxer once you get a gander at all its majesty on the 4K format.  You can take that to the bank and cash it.  So come on in, let me be your guide and I’ll show you around Universal’s 4K Ultra HD treatment of 2015’s Everest. Continue reading ‘Everest (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)’

Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Eight New Indie Titles

Encapsulated Movie ReviewsSince the seven smaller film dissections were a big hit last week, no reason to not duplicate critical enjoyment for your reading pleasure – but I’m adding one more to fight the good film fight.  (Being that disaster flicks are a dime a dozen and any movie that sits on the shelf too long might be past its due date!)  The cinematic character spectrum gets covered below with eight films both good and bad that have everything from bitter old guys looking for a way out to killer clowns with big toothed smiles handy with a baseball bat.  (Plus a little ‘foxy Knoxy’ doc action to boot!)  Continue on to the Encapsulated Movie Reviews of A Man Called Ove, Denial, Amanda Knox, The Caretaker, Generation Startup, The Hurt Business, Circle of Poison and ClownTown below!

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‘Deepwater Horizon’ Delivers Fiery Intensity At Sea (Movie Review)

deepwater horizon thumbOn the heels of Sully, we have another tense, biographical drama based around a recent American event, only this time with more disaster-based thrills.  Deepwater Horizon recounts the events that led up to the explosion and subsequent fire on an offshore drilling unit, resulting in the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. Rather than heavily dwelling on the aftermath and politics involved though, this is a film about the workers involved and what they went through on the night of April 20, 2010. The result is a well-acted thriller that makes the most out of having a matter-of-fact handling on disaster movie tropes.

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Steven Seagal Finds Himself At The END OF A GUN On December 13th!

End-of-a-GunAction superstar Steven Seagal stars in End of a Gun, a sexy, high-stakes thriller that will be available on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD, and Digital HD on December 13 from Lionsgate. Seagal plays Decker, an ex-DEA agent who takes deadly action one night to save the alluring Lisa (Jade Ewen) and quickly finds himself chased by the cops, hit squads, and a sadistic drug lord to claim their $2 million loot. End of a Gun is a take-no-prisoners action thrill-ride and will be available on Blu-ray and DVD.

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Eight Hour Doc ‘O.J.: Made In America’ One Massive Magnificent Movie Monster (Movie Review)

OJ squareHow do you tell a comprehensive story of the saga that is O.J. Simpson?  By utilizing an almost eight hour runtime and braking it down into five parts is how.  Such are the daunting viewing parameters of the long, thorough and utterly comprehensive doc titled O.J.: Made In America directed by award winning documentary filmmaker Ezra Edelman for ESPN Films.  Covering much more than simply the salacious bits, the doc is a time historic time capsule of events before, during and after the famed ‘Trial of the Century’ and as such doesn’t skimp on details.  Given the doc to review in its entirety, braving the behemoth that is O.J.: Made In America is a major commitment, but one I fully agreed to take head on.  So below is a review dissection of one of the largest films created, but designed a tad different.  Since the doc is in five parts we’re giving each section its due by delving into each individually, plus with a single cinematic overview to start.  Raw, real and revealing as hell, its time to delve into the eight hour doc that is O.J.: Made In America.

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