Archive Page 295
March 2nd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Pushing convention aside, it is great to get a comedy where smart characters actually do and say smart things. That should be simple enough, yet so many films fail to deliver. Time and time again, we watch supposedly smart characters commit the most idiotic of actions to drive a plot forward. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is a war comedy that may not push any sort of agenda very hard, but does well by its characters.
d Continue reading ‘‘Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’ Has Tina Fey At Her Best (Movie Review)’
March 2nd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
I did not see this coming, but London Has Fallen proves to be the movie that shows what nuance Michael Bay can bring to his films by comparison. This generic and borderline offensive sequel to 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen is downright schlocky in the way it proposes to back up its $100 million budget with attempts at pro-American grace. Rather than be innovative, this is an action film that replaces any sense of wit and craft with a poor handling of action and an even worse sense of justice.
d Continue reading ‘‘London Has Fallen’ Down A Deep Hole (Movie Review)’
March 2nd, 2016 by Brandon Peters
It’s a fact: the explosive Chuck Norris thrillers Invasion U.S.A. and Braddock: Missing in Action III are coming to Blu-ray! These action packed Cannon Pictures classics make their Blu-ray debuts March 15th, 2016 from Shout! Factory. This is the final chapter in the action-packed Missing In Action trilogy, directed by Chuck’s brother, Aaron Norris (stunt coordinator on both Missing In Action and Missing In Action 2: The Beginning). Fans can pre-order their copies now by visiting ShoutFactory.com Also note, that while there are no bonus features on this disc, special features related to Braddock: Missing In Action III are found on the Invasion USA release. Continue reading ‘Braddock: Missing In Action III (Blu-ray Review)’
March 2nd, 2016 by Brandon Peters
Three-time Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep, Oscar® winner Goldie Hawn and Golden Globe winner Bruce Willis star in acclaimed director Robert Zemeckis’ outrageously entertaining comedy about greed, vanity, sex, immortality, life…and death. Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet) is a beautiful enchantress who changes their lives – and deaths – forever in this hilarious dark comedy with ground-breaking special effects that the Chicago Tribune calls “diabolically inventive.” On April 26, 2016, SCREAM FACTORY™ is proud to present DEATH BECOMES HER Collector’s Edition on home entertainment shelves. Available for the first time on Blu-ray, this definitive collector’s edition contains widescreen movie presentation and exciting bonus content including new interviews with director Robert Zemeckis, writer David Koepp, director of photography Dean Cundey, production designer Rick Carter and special effects artists Lance Anderson and David Anderson, vintage behind-the-scenes featurette, photo gallery, theatrical trailer and much more! Continue reading ‘DEATH BECOMES HER Becomes A Blu-ray April 26th From Scream Factory!’
March 1st, 2016 by Jerad Mullicane
An American classic, The Graduate is restored in glorious 4k resolution thanks to the folks at Criterion. Chronicling the purgatorial existence of post-graduate Benjamin Braddock(Dustin Hoffman), The Graduate dives into the heady waters of adulthood, sexuality, love, and maturity with unrestrained breadth. Timeless in its’ portrayal of early adulthood and the minefield of social interactions, The Graduate strikes a chord that has resonated for nearly 50 years. Criterion proudly brings Mike Nichols‘ masterpiece to the digital world of high definition, and bolsters the presentation with a wonderful assortment of extras. Criterion, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren’t you? Continue reading ‘The Graduate (Criterion Collection)’
March 1st, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Here’s a simple claim right off the bat – Zootopia is a true triumph for Disney. The animation studio has had something of a resurgence in recent years with films such as Frozen and Big Hero 6, but Zootopia feels like an actual classic. That is high praise for the Mouse House, but the balance of humor, visuals and social commentary makes Zootpia a stupendous example of what great films can offer.
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Continue reading ‘‘Zootopia’ Presents Profound Discourse In A Fun Family Film (Movie Review)’
March 1st, 2016 by Shohan Cagle
The groundbreaking, acclaimed television miniseries that captivated the entire nation and won multiple awards, Roots, will be released on Blu-ray™ for the first time, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) on June 7, 2016. The legendary family saga, which follows the inspiring story of Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton, Transformers: Rescue Bots, Star Trek: The Next Generation) a West African teen who is captured and sold into slavery, has been beautifully remastered in eye-catching 1080p high definition from its original eight 1977 broadcast masters. Roots’ original broadcast was watched by an estimated 140 million viewers total, more than half of the US population and was the largest viewership ever attracted by any television series at the time. This release marks the powerful, Emmy®, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winning series’ 40th anniversary.
Continue reading ‘ROOTS: The Complete Original Series arrives on Blu-ray June 16th!’
February 29th, 2016 by Shohan Cagle
This movie focuses squarely on a family as they struggle to survive in the America’s during the 1600’s. In a way it’s a lot like a stage play in that, save for the first few minutes, the cast consists solely of these 6 people. As a rule of thumb, when writing film music for small or intimate scenes you should use minimal instruments and keep the melodies fairly simple or else you stand to disrupt the scene. This score handles this with great elegance and care. Even during the scenes of intensity where someone is frantically running through the woods, the music still keeps to it’s sparse elements which gives everything a sense of urgency. If the music were large and bombastic, even during scenes of violence, it would make itself far too noticeable and distracting.
Continue reading ‘The Witch (Soundtrack Review)’
February 29th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Here’s the holiday comedy that could have been a nice counter to the normal fall blockbusters. The Night Before tries really hard to be something fun and different, yet fit for the crowd that loved This Is The End and Neighbors. To its credit, there are some good laughs to be had, but it feels like there is a much better drama lurking under the surface. The exaggerated comedy moments and wild shenanigans can be fun, but I feel like it would have been nice to see more of the flipped side of things. Now you can learn about the Blu-ray and find out more of what to expect.
s Continue reading ‘The Night Before (Blu-ray Review)’
February 29th, 2016 by Brian White
I’m not sure where I was or what I was doing when I first heard news of a Rocky spinoff, but you better believe my reaction was a series of enthusiastic fist pumps into the air. And for anyone that still has a flip phone, locked up in a house against their will in Cleveland, OH or just sadly aren’t in the know about what the whole “cloud” thing is really all about, Creed is the seventh film in the Rocky series, so to speak, and is the story of Apollo Creed’s son. You remember him, right? Apollo Creed as in Rocky’s arch nemesis in the first two films turned compadre in the next two subsequent ones. Pretty cool, huh? So nonetheless, I was beyond excited for the film…drum roll please…CREED (not a band documentary, the fictional boxing film). And for anyone who doesn’t know what the Rocky franchise means to me, let me refresh your memory down below. Continue reading ‘Creed (Blu-ray Review)’
February 29th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in one of the most talked about films of the awards season with THE REVENANT, arriving on Digital HD March 22 and on 4K Ultra HD™ Disc, Blu-ray™ & DVD April 19 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Taking home three Oscars® including Best Actor, Best Director and Best Cinematography, THE REVENANT follows the story of legendary explorer Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) on his quest for survival and justice. After a brutal bear attack, Glass is left for dead by a treacherous member of his hunting team (Tom Hardy; Mad Max: Fury Road). Against extraordinary odds, and enduring unimaginable grief, Glass battles a relentless winter in uncharted terrain. Continue on to learn more about this upcoming release.
Continue reading ‘Academy Award® Winner Leonardo DiCaprio Stars In THE REVENANT – Available on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Blu-ray This April’
February 29th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
When America faces invasion for the first time in history, it’s up to one-man army Matt Hunter (action superstar Chuck Norris) to wage war upon the enemies of freedom. On suburban streets, in shopping malls, and even in churches, the firepower explodes in megaton fury… and death-defying stunts escalate into a heart-stopping climax when Hunter, America’s doomsday weapon, launches his final plan. From the director of Missing In Action, Joseph Zito, comes one of Norris’ most action-packed films. Invasion U.S.A. also includes a new audio commentary with director Joseph Zito, a new interview with screenwriter James Bruner, and a new interview with special effects makeup artists Tom Savini, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger as bonus features. Continue reading ‘Invasion USA (Blu-ray Review)’
February 29th, 2016 by Brandon Peters
The first SPECIES movie offers a terrifying look at an experiment combining human and alien DNA. The result proves more dangerous and terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined. The ongoing fight for supremacy between mankind and human-alien hybrids continued in three subsequent feature films. Fans of widely popular SPECIES movies rejoice as the long-awaited Blu-ray™ editions of SPECIES III & SPECIES – THE AWAKENING Uncut and Unrated hit home entertainment shelves everywhere on March 8, 2016 from SCREAM FACTORY™. These highly sought-after cult sci-fi terror classics debut for the first time on Blu-ray. A must-have for collectors, sci-fi horror enthusiasts and loyal fans to complete their movie library, SPECIES II and SPECIES III / SPECIES – THE AWAKENING double feature are available for pre-order now. ** Avid fans and collectors please take note: those who order directly from ShoutFactory.com and get it shipped two weeks early. Continue reading ‘Species III / Species: The Awakening – Double Feature (Blu-ray Review)’
February 29th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
SON OF SAUL, Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and Independent Spirit Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital on April 26 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. A powerful feature film debut from director László Nemes, this Sony Pictures Classics film is anchored by a compelling performance by Géza Röhrig and superb cinematography by Mátyás Erdély. In addition to the winning the Academy Award, Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award, SON OF SAUL won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was named the Best Foreign Language Film by associations including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Continue on to learn more about this upcoming Blu-ray release.
Continue reading ‘OSCAR® WINNER “SON OF SAUL” Debuting on Blu-ray April 26’
February 29th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Academy Award® and Golden Globe® winner Brie Larson (Best Actress, Room, 2015) and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Jacob Tremblay (Best Supporting Actor, Room, 2015) bring to life the fearless determination of a mother and child who risk everything to break out of captivity and embrace their freedom in the critically acclaimed film ROOM, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD (plus Digital) on March 1 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Adapted from The New York Times best-selling novel, and theatrically released by A24, the 2016 Oscar®-winning ROOM is a “one-of-a-kind, must-see experience…nothing short of astonishing!” (New York Post). Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh, the “extraordinary” (People) film has been named one of the best movies of the year by Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, IMDB, Indiewire, and the Los Angeles Times, among many others.
Continue reading ‘Academy® Award Winner Brie Larson Stars in ROOM, Arriving on Blu-ray March 1 From Lionsgate’
February 29th, 2016 by Jerad Mullicane
So few directors can infuse the story of a struggling, down on his luck musician with so much unapologetic dark humor and persistent optimism. The Coen Brothers achieve just that with Inside Llewyn Davis. Oscar Isaac delivers an incredibly stirring performance, delivering deep soulful ballads that will leave the viewer entranced. Living a squanderous life of some notoriety and virtually no pay, Llewyn Davis wanders New York desperately seeking his big break. Unable to afford his own place, Llewyn couch surfs and depends on his various acquaintances to shelter him from a particularly troubling winter. Centered around the folk revival scene of the 1960’s, the film’s plot follows a pattern closely resembling folk songs and has fun with the cyclical nature of music. The end result is a finely crafted love letter to some of the unsung heroes of the pre-Bob Dylan folk scene in Greenwich Village. Continue reading ‘Inside Llewyn Davis (Criterion Collection)’
February 27th, 2016 by Wes Middleton
It was 50 years ago that the legendary Stan Lee, architect of Marvel Comics, described to the equally legendary Jack Kirby, visionary pioneer of comic art, his idea about a Demi-god character called Galactus. Stan was bored with their rogue’s gallery of defeatable, under ambitious villains. He wanted a threat of galactic proportions. He devised the massively gigantic Galactus, who fed off the energy of worlds as he traversed the cosmos.
It was only happenstance that Jack Kirby casually tossed in some images of a silver being on a surf board blazing a trail through the stars for Galactus. Jack’s reasoning was that any being as powerful as Galactus would not wander space alone, hoping to find his next meal. Surely, he would have an agent, a herald, if you will, to scout ahead. Stan was so taken with the imagery of this noble enigma that the spot light actually transferred away from the planet devourer to this unexpected new character. They decided to call him Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer, and he blazed into Marvel history in Fantastic Four #48, back in 1966. Continue reading ‘Silver Surfer Celebrates 50 Stellar Years!’
February 26th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
To say Gods of Egypt is in a league of its own would be an understatement. This fantasy adventure, functioning as a combination of space opera an Ancient Egyptian mythology brought to life, is gloriously stupid in a way that should be fun-bad, but sadly becomes too repetitive to hold onto even that sort of acclaim. One can praise this film for having a ridiculous amount of (poor) CGI used to create a compellingly goofy original feature, but that does mean sitting for over two hours to try and enjoy it.
d Continue reading ‘‘Gods Of Egypt’ Goes All In On Goofiness (Movie Review)’
Pushing convention aside, it is great to get a comedy where smart characters actually do and say smart things. That should be simple enough, yet so many films fail to deliver. Time and time again, we watch supposedly smart characters commit the most idiotic of actions to drive a plot forward. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is a war comedy that may not push any sort of agenda very hard, but does well by its characters.
