‘The Magnificent Seven’ Ride Into An Average Sunset (Movie Review)
September 20th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
It seems funny calling The Magnificent Seven a remake. Beyond knowing that 1960’s Magnificent Seven was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, this basic story of innocent people recruiting a ragtag group to help them stop an evil threat has been seen many times over the decades. Even Pixar has used this formula with one of their earliest features, A Bug’s Life. All of that is to say that the latest iteration of this story is not adding a whole lot to the conversation, but it does feature a strong cast and its fair share of engaging gun fights.
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Throughout fairy tale history, Beauty and the Beast is a story that is a well, with directors, writers, studios, theatres and such constantly going back to it. Its been done on the stage, in film, on television and I’m sure in the comic book format as well. My youth had a week to week series back in the day, a modernized version where a Ron Perlman Beast lived in the sewers woo’ing his beauty that was Linda Hamilton. No matter how many, there are only two interpretations that have really stood the test of time and become the “go to” definitive versions. One obviously being the Disney animated film (Which I just review the new Blu-ray for last week). The other, is the masterpiece of French cinema, Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film. And next year, Disney is doing a live action rendition of their animated feature with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. Today, we are taking a look at 2014’s French take on the classic story from the director of Brotherhood of the Wolf and Silent Hill. 
The intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise returns in “the best action movie of the year” (Scott Mantz, “Access Hollywood”). The “highly entertaining” (David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter) new installment in the iconic franchise, Star Trek Beyond sets a course on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Packs, DVD and On Demand November 1, 2016 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The sci-fi adventure will also be available as part of the Star Trek Trilogy Blu-ray Collection. The film warp speeds to Digital HD four weeks early on October 4, 2016. 
EAT THAT QUESTION, Frank Zappa In His Own Words is a riveting documentary in which rock era icon Frank Zappa, in a series of interviews, shares his candid, often saucy, worldview on music and everything else. It debuts on Blu-ray, DVD and digital on 
Time once again to scour the DVD bargain bin to find out if there are any gems buried way down deep. (And I don’t mean the dust bunnies either!) These are what I refer to as quick fix flicks – they either satisfy or sour the good movie seeking cinefile and fast. This time we’re covering two docs on both iconic former films and music watering holes and scary outing that doubles as as a warning for those seeking to buy a horror home. Check out the DVD Roundup reviews of All Things Must Pass, Back In Time and A House Is Not A Home below! (Again, tech specs provided at the end for those with a DVD demand!)
There are no accidents. 
A bizarrely veiled allegory for the McCarthy-era Red Scare, Johnny Guitar was misunderstood upon its initial release. With the leads at their operatic best, the table is now set for an epic showdown in this one-of-a-kind western from director Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without a Cause). One of the most original takes on the western genre—the women are far tougher than the men—Johnny Guitar is praised by fans, filmmakers, and critics alike as groundbreaking. Boasting superb supporting performances, Johnny Guitar features Joan Crawford (Best Actress, Midred Pierce), Mercedes McCambridge (Best Actress, All The King’s Men), Sterling Hayden (Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb), Ernest Borgnine (Marty), Scott Brady (The China Syndrome), Ward Bond (The Searchers), Paul Fix (To Kill a Mockingbird), Royal Dano (The Outlaw Josey Wales) and John Carradine (Stagecoach). Notably, Johnny Guitar’s indelible title song was a collaboration between the Academy Award-winning composer Victor Young (Around the World in Eighty Days), and co-writer and songstress Peggy Lee. 
All the Way exists in a strange space for films where it is packed on with talent and amazing performances, but was made for HBO to be shown on the premium channel instead of in theaters, where its message, cast, writing, and brilliance would have a greater chance to be celebrated by a larger audience. Lucky for viewers, it was recently released on Blu-ray by HBO Films for people without a subscription to find and enjoy. And, well, if possible, viewers should find and enjoy this wonderful look at some key points in the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, as portrayed by the outstanding Bryan Cranston (Trumbo, “Breaking Bad”). 
The myth and poetry of the old west come alive in Fred Zinnemann’s (Julia) classic western, High Noon (1952). One of the great treasures of the American cinema, the film stars the legendary Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly in one of her first screen roles. For his career-defining role, Cooper would go on to win the Oscar® for Best Actor. High Noon’s stellar cast also includes Lloyd Bridges (Try and Get Me), Thomas Mitchell (It’s a Wonderful Life), Katy Jurado (Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid), Otto Kruger (Saboteur), Lon Chaney (The Wolf Man), Henry Morgan (Strategic Air Command), Jack Elam (Hannie Caulder) and Lee Van Clef (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). High Noon won a total four Academy Awards including Best Editing, Best Score (Dimitri Tiomkin, The Old Man and the Sea) and Best Song, “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’,” written by Tiomkin and Ned Washington and sung by Tex Ritter. High Noon also received Oscar® nominations for Best Picture (Stanley Kramer, producer), Best Director (Fred Zinnemann) and Best Screenplay (Carl Foreman). 
In terms of sheer amount of quality character work in unforgettable films directed by some of the most notable names in the business, actor James Le Gros more than fits the bill. A skilled thespian who began his career early on with the likes of Kathryn Bigelow (go Near Dark!), Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy is a classic!) and Oliver Stone (a little Born on the Fourth of July anyone?!), Le Gros went on to have one of the most intense (The Rapture is a hidden gem!), diverse (big movies – how about Zodiac and Enemy of the State!) and character eclectic careers that’s still going strong to this day.
Warcraft is a fantasy adventure film that I can honestly say I know next to nothing about going into this 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray review. Many years ago, in another life, I remember my co-worker talking about the Blizzard video game of the same name. He passionately spoke about it pretty much every day. I honestly had no idea what he was talking about, but I humored him nonetheless in pretending that I cared and was paying attention. I’m nice like that. Now let’s fast forward to 2016 and all I knew from watching the Universal trailers of Warcraft was that it should look really cool on the big screen or in 4K being the case here. However, I could also see it sucking really hard too. What a great way to start a review here, huh? Not really! Ha ha. 
This is the week where we finally see the release of the five-star doc 
The Criterion Collection will be releasing a number of films this December and below you can see the list of what great, important, beloved, or underappreciated films they have coming to Blu-ray. December’s releases are pretty much a film-lover’s treat, with directors Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel, Laurie Anderson and John Huston all getting releases. See all the details about special features and release dates here. 
Plenty of indie fare to examine this week – even some denied to yours truly! (Both Blair Witch and Eddie Murphy’s dramatic turn Mr. Church gave a resounding NO when asked to be seen by little old me!) But rest assured there’s more than enough to go around including some deep documentaries about everything from injustice to the Internet, plus flicks about fake moon landings, artificial humanoids and white trash gals out of control. Check out the Encapsulated Movie Reviews of Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four, Operation Avalanche, Killswitch: The Battle to Control the Internet, Morgan and White Girl below!
Stay home. Lock up. Don’t breathe. A local family copes with the collapse of civilization when a mysterious virus threatens their affluent suburb in the tense thriller What We Become. Making its Blu-ray and DVD debut October 18th, 2016 from Scream Factory, in conjunction with IFC Midnight, fans of this shockingly dark film can pre-order their copies now at Shoutfactory.com.
Twenty-five years ago, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast broke ground as the first animated feature film to receive an Academy Award® nomination for best picture, and now this tale as old as time joins the Walt Disney Signature Collection. The Blu-ray release will include the original theatrical film; an extended version with the “Human Again” song sequence and a never-before-released on home entertainment sing-along version. The original work-in-progress version will be available digitally and on Disney Movies Anywhere. Relive the magic on Sept. 6 on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere, and on Sept. 20 on Blu-ray™ and DVD.
