Archive Page 293
March 14th, 2016 by Jordan Grout
Hush is 90 minutes of energy, a white-knuckle thriller in every way; Oculus director Mike Flanagan has crafted a lean, brutal, and deceptively simple home invasion thriller. It’s almost a perfect companion piece to Don’t Breathe (Review Here). One has a blind villain; the other, a deaf heroine. Both will have you gasping for air after holding it in during sequence after sequence of blood-boiling anxiety. Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: Hush’
March 14th, 2016 by Bron Anderson
Hardcore Henry is not necessarily a bad film, but it never really makes that leap from being just kind of good. To its credit, it delivers on being a visceral, over-the-top, action-fest shot entirely from the first-person perspective of its main character, Henry. And it should be noted that the action scenes have inventiveness and plenty of gory violence. The filmgoing experience is intense and the audience barely gets many moments to catch its breath before being thrown into the next running, shooting, parkour, fist-fighting, grenade-tossing rush away from or through the endless bad guys. While Hardcore Henry gets a lot right with its action and even its comedy, mostly coming from a perfectly used Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium), at some point the initially shocking and immersive first-person camera, the blaring rock/punk soundtrack, and the underwhelming story start to slip into the viewer’s mind and distract somewhat from the ridiculous eye-bath of violence and explosions. Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: Hardcore Henry’
March 14th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
Breaker! Breaker! features Chuck Norris (Firewalker) at his butt-kicking best as a trucker on a mission to locate his kidnapped brother. Chuck Norris does double-duty as both star and fight choreographer in the action-packed Breaker! Breaker! It’s a combustible combination in the high-octane action drama Breaker! Breaker!, directed by Don Hulette (A Great Ride), written by Terry Chambers (13 Nuns) and co-starring George Murdock (The Mack), Jack Nance (Eraserhead), Michael Augenstein (Macbeth), Don Gentry (Born Again) and Terry O’Connor.
. Continue reading ‘Breaker! Breaker! (Blu-ray Review)’
March 14th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
Academy Award winning talent – Cate Blanchett (Best Actress, Blue Jasmine), Billy Bob Thornton (Best Screenplay, Sling Blade), and Barry Levinson (Best Director, Rain Man) – join forces in the criminally funny Bandits. Barry Levinson (Rain Man) mines cinematic gold in Bandits, starring Cate Blanchett, Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense) and Billy Bob Thornton. Evoking memories of another silver screen trio – Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy in Test Pilot. This comic caper also co-stars January Jones (TV’s Mad Men), William Converse-Roberts (Kiss the Girls) and Troy Garity (Barbershop, Jane Fonda’s son) Continue reading ‘Bandits (Blu-ray Review)’
March 14th, 2016 by Blu-ray Brian
On March 22nd Anchor Bay Entertainment releases AMC’s critically acclaimed Revolutionary War drama TURN: Washington’s Spies – The Complete Second Season on DVD. Available as a 3-disc set, TURN: Washington’s Spies – The Complete Second Season contains all 10 episodes from the second season of the series that reveals the true story of the turncoats of the American Revolution who gave birth to modern spycraft during the birth of our country. The DVD release is also filled with insightful bonus features about the making of this stylish cloak-and-dagger series including featurettes and deleted scenes. Find out more below and how to win your very own DVD copy! Continue reading ‘TURN: Washington’s Spies Season 2 DVD Giveaway!’
March 13th, 2016 by Bron Anderson
Well, Keanu is hilarious. It was nice to breathe that sigh of relief after watching the working print shown here at SXSW. From the decent, but not-hilarious trailer that was released a few months ago, it seemed like the very talented and funny duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele might not quite have transitioned from sketch comedy to feature length comedy with as much solidity as is required. But it turns out, they just wanted to save some of the best stuff for the film itself; a welcome break from something like Zoolander 2, which had a good trailer and turned out to be completely bereft of comedy as a film. Keanu takes that magic Key and Peele brought to their TV show and translates it with tremendous success. Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: Keanu (Working Print)’
March 13th, 2016 by Jordan Grout
Because you don’t know anything about Don’t Breathe, the second film from the Evil Dead remake director Fede Alvarez, I’m hesitant to spoil too much (although I’m sure the trailers will undoubtedly fulfill that role). To say that Don’t Breathe is tense is an understatement; it’s unquestionably one of the most heart-stopping cinematic experiences I’ve had in what seems like an eternity. There were numerous moments where the entire audience went completely still and, as the tension filled the room, it became more and more apparent that Fede Alvarez might just have crafted a new modern classic.
Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: Don’t Breathe’
March 13th, 2016 by Bron Anderson
Pet, from the promotional material available to filmgoers, appears to be a suspense or maybe even a horror film about a man who traps a woman in a metal cage where one is left to assume that the twists and turns either lead to her death or her escape. While there is definitely a story of a man trapping a woman in a cage and questions about whether she will escape, it would be reductive to think of Pet as something simple. What the audience gets when viewing the film is a deep, dark exploration of the transformative power of love and the lengths a person will go to seek the good in another. Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: Pet’
March 13th, 2016 by Jordan Grout
I imagine The Greasy Strangler to be the product of teens who have watched too many Tim & Eric episodes and discussed what a horror film would look like with their sensibilities. There’s about four jokes which are repeated endlessly throughout the film, which would make for (maybe) a decent short film, but at 80 minutes, I was begging for the film to just end. I don’t think I’ve ever exited a film so fast in my life.
Continue reading ‘SXSW Review: The Greasy Strangler’
March 13th, 2016 by Brian White
Game of Thrones is bigger than ever in Season 5. Don’t believe me? Try this on for size. It’s the winner of 12 Emmy Awards (the most of any series in one year) and a Guinness World Record holder for the largest simultaneous broadcast of a TV drama (in 173 countries and territories worldwide). I won’t even go into all the piracy milestones the show has hit over the years. You just have to take my word for it, the show is that good. And guess what? My must-see to believe, in-depth Blu-ray coverage of the series resumes with The Complete Fifth Season here available at retailers everywhere March 15th. If you missed any of my former Blu-ray reviews of the seasons, you’re in luck because I have links to seasons 1 and 2 here, 3 here and 4 over here. This year’s Blu-ray set features a free Digital HD copy of all 10 episodes (iTunes and UV), plus exclusive bonus content including a brand new feature that takes an in-depth look at the story behind the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of Dragons. Without further ado, let’s begin this epic review. Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray Review)’
March 10th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Putting aside the marketing and whatever connections made to another monster movie, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a nifty little thriller that delivers on tension and performances. Shrouding a film like this in secrecy works as an interesting experiment, but what matters is how effective it is. As a result, regardless of where this flick came from, a fine job has been done in bringing a slick sense of discovery to a very simple setup.
d Continue reading ‘Make A Thrilling Stop On ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ (Movie Review)’
March 10th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
The buzzz is back! On April 19, 2016, Scream Factory will release The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 [Collector’s Edition] in a comprehensive 2-disc set with 10 hours of bonus features, including nearly 5 hours of exclusive content. In 1974, horror fans rejoiced upon the release of Tobe Hooper’s masterpiece, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The movie raised the stakes of in-your-face filmmaking and changed the face of horror. Twelve years later, Hooper and the Sawyer clan are back with this deviously entertaining sequel, starring Dennis Hopper in one of the most deliciously crazed performances of his career. Continue reading ‘The Buzz Is Back On Blu-ray Collector’s Edition With Scream Factory’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2!’
March 9th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
A pair of horror’s most famous authors – Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft – provide the inspiration for a most diabolical double feature. Scream Factory presents two terrifying tales from literary legends with the release of Murders in the Rue Morgue & The Dunwich Horror on Blu-ray on March 29, 2016. These two American International Pictures classics are now finally available for the first time on Blu-ray, in a release complete with new audio commentary with author and film historian Steve Haberman, and a stage tricks and screen frights featurette. Keep reading to find out more! Continue reading ‘Murders In The Rue Morgue / The Dunwich Horror – Double Feature (Blu-ray Review)’
March 9th, 2016 by Blu-ray Brian
On March 22nd Anchor Bay Entertainment releases AMC’s critically acclaimed Revolutionary War drama TURN: Washington’s Spies – The Complete Second Season on DVD. Available as a 3-disc set, TURN: Washington’s Spies – The Complete Second Season contains all 10 episodes from the second season of the series that reveals the true story of the turncoats of the American Revolution who gave birth to modern spycraft during the birth of our country. The DVD release is also filled with insightful bonus features about the making of this stylish cloak-and-dagger series including featurettes and deleted scenes. Check out the full press release and deleted scene down below! Continue reading ‘Deleted Scene From TURN: Washington’s Spies Season 2’
March 8th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Now you have a chance to bring home this crucially acclaimed Oscar winner. Based on Emma Donoghue‘s bestselling novel, Room is a powerful drama that tells an shocking, yet credible story of survival. There is intensity and surprises to be found, but the film is most notable for its incredible performances from Best Actress winner Brie Larson and her young co-star Jacob Tremblay.
b
b
Continue reading ‘Room (Blu-ray Review)’
March 8th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
In an age where drone warfare has become a go-to topic for many action blockbusters dabbling in societal commentary, Eye in the Sky pauses everything to go over what it means to carry out one drone mission. With a fine cast in place, director Gavin Hood manages to build plenty of tension over the course of 90 minutes where characters debate whether or not to press a button. Working well to provide insight on the legalities of these matters, I found the level of engagement with this film to be quite high.
d Continue reading ‘‘Eye In The Sky’ Targets Tricky Subject Matter (Movie Review)’
March 8th, 2016 by Wes Middleton
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Captain Marvel), illustrated by Valentine De Landro (X-Factor), and put out by Image Comics, Bitch Planet shines on every level. Now heading into its 8th issue, due out April 6th, it has already cemented itself as a must read. The book is centered around a futuristic interstellar women’s penitentiary. To say the inmates have it rough is to put it very lightly. They are, however, allowed to play a brutal game called Megaton which has similar objectives to football or rugby, but with much more violence allowed. This outlet is utilized to demonstrate their indomitable perseverance and might. Continue reading ‘Celebrate International Women’s Day with Bitch Planet (Comic Review)’
March 8th, 2016 by Gerard Iribe
Donnie Yen (upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2) ignites the screen in a return to the role that made him an icon – as Ip Man, the real-life Wing Chun grandmaster who mentored Bruce Lee. In this explosive third installment of the blockbuster martial arts series, when a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer (Mike Tyson) make a play to take over the city, Master Ip is forced to take a stand. Fists will fly as some of the most incredible fight scenes ever filmed play out on film in this soon-to-be genre classic. Continue reading ‘‘Ip Man 3’ on Blu-ray & Digital HD April 5th’
