Archive Page 420
March 14th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Need for Speed is a lot like a shady used car salesman. The film presents the viewer with the shininess of something new; in this case a video game movie that relies on a heavy use of practical effects to show off fancy cars driving fast. However, beneath this kinetic frosting are a lot of old and out of date parts that make for a bumpy ride overall. Sure, it may not have cost a whole lot and the short-lived thrills may allow one to look past the shortcomings, but wouldn’t it be nicer to go home with a better vehicle for Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul to star in? Regardless of the type of film it is, there are racing-action movies that certainly fill the void with more substance that goes along with the obvious style.
Continue reading ‘How Much Need Was There For ‘Need For Speed’? (Movie Review)’
March 14th, 2014 by Blu-ray Brian
While I was invited, but I wasn’t able to cover it being way down here in lonely Austin, TX, I do live vicariously through other people’s pictures. After all, they say a picture is worth a 1,000 words anyway, right? Right! So these below images just hit my inbox this morning courtesy of Walt Disney and I thought I would share them with all our WSB readers here because like me, I’m sure you’re all pumped for next months premiere of Captain America: The Winter Soldier! Am I right? Heck yeah! I knew I was! So sip your favorite beverage as I share with you a couple of the highlight photos from last night premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Enjoy! Continue reading ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier Premiere Images’
March 14th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Bad Words has a good logline: A middle-aged man competes in a national spelling bee. It helps that the film is quite funny. The humor is certainly of the pitch-black variety, with a good dose of raunchiness thrown in as well, but having the spirit of an indie at least lends Bad Words some distinct credibility. It is not as sitcom-y as something like Bad Teacher, but it does not reach the anti-commercial chaos that was the hilarious Bad Santa either. Still, Jason Bateman does a fine job in front of and behind the camera, in an effort to make this dirty little film enjoyable; even if he does spell out the themes a bit too plainly.
Continue reading ‘Bateman’s ‘Bad Words’ Is Funny (Movie Review)’
March 14th, 2014 by Brian White
Alright, let’s set the record straight. I like Aaron Paul. I like his work in Breaking Bad and the remake of The Last House on the Left, but I have my reservations going into Need For Speed last Thursday evening. For starters, it’s based off of a video game. Now let’s all be honest with ourselves here. How many great films are there out there that are based off of a video game? The only ones that I can think of that are remotely successful are the Resident Evil films, but to call them good would be a huge stretch. But hey…I understand. You got to capitalize while the property is hot and while I’m not a huge fan of the Electronic Arts need For Speed series, there’s no denying their presence and domination over the competition throughout the lifespan of the last three generations of major gaming consoles. So what the hell. I’m a sucker for car flicks. And when I found out that the new 2015 Ford Mustang would be making an appearance in here I said where do I sign up? Continue reading ‘Jesse’s Braking Just Fine In ‘Need For Speed’ (Movie Review)’
March 14th, 2014 by Laney Feeser
Bad Words will not be an Oscar contender. The casting was a bit predictable and the storyline was borderline cheesy. This sounds like the build up to a horribly disappointing movie, but there is one aspect that is done to such perfection that it makes this movie just brilliant. Even at Jason Bateman’s worse, he never disappoints with his sharp wit and sarcastic repartee, but in Bad Words he takes this one step further. Bateman delivers brutally vicious insults with utterly offensive conversation to dark humor perfection. And this movie doesn’t pretend to be anything more than that. The plot is simple and simpler yet are the subplots without a trace of pretension coming anywhere near the film. Personally, I feel that what the film lacked was partly intentional as to allow the limelight to shine that much brighter on the content that mattered most—disgustingly darker than black humor. Continue reading ‘‘Bad Words’ Spells S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for Jason Bateman Both in Front and Behind the Scenes (Movie Review)’
March 13th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
The cops can’t control him. The mob wants him dead. And time is running out. Legendary action icon Donnie Yen (Ip Man, Hero) returns to contemporary MMA films as a deep undercover police officer in the action-packed mob drama SPECIAL ID, debuting on Blu-ray and DVD May 13th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Yen takes on the role of “Dragon” Chen, a Hong Kong undercover police officer deep within the ranks of one of China’s most ruthless underworld gangs. The leader of the gang, Xiong (Collin Chou), has made it his priority to weed out the government infiltrators in his midst. Struggling to keep his family together and his identity concealed, Chen is torn between two worlds. Upping the stakes, as Chen’s undercover comrades are being dealt with, one by one, Chen fears his days are numbered. Now, he must risk everything to take down the organization and reclaim the life he lost when he took on this perilous assignment. In addition to Yen and Chou (The Matrix trilogy, Badges of Fury), SPECIAL ID also stars Tian Jing (Police Story 2013) and Hanyu Zhang (Back to 1942, White Vengeance) under the direction of Clarence Fok Yiu-leung (Snakeheads, Together). Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette. Continue reading ‘‘Special ID’ on Blu-ray & DVD May 13th!’
March 13th, 2014 by Blu-ray Brian
After being down here for over a year, in my opinion, there’s not a heck of a lot going down in Austin, TX more than what was happening up in the frigid land of the North I’m from, but at least there’s always SXSW to keep a fellow Texan on their heels. And that’s exactly what Paramount does with their brilliant marketing strategies, in my opinion, as the world’s first combination news/food truck was unveiled at SXSW in Austin, TX on Tuesday, March 11th in celebration of the Digital debut of the blockbuster hit comedy Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. The “AnchorVan” will make stops throughout the country en route to its final destination in New York City on April 1st for the film’s Blu-ray arrival. Check out the full press release below! Continue reading ‘“AnchorVan” Kicks Off Tour at SXSW w/ Special Appearance by Baxter’
March 13th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Ketchup Entertainment is proud to announce the world premiere of the powerful and uplifting documentary NEXT GOAL WINS, directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, which will kick off the Tribeca Drive-In® series at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival on April 19th. The film follows the American Samoa soccer team — FIFA’s* lowest ranked team for 17 years – which had not won a single competitive game and scored only twice in nearly two decades. Dutch coach Thomas Rongen takes on the daunting challenge of leading the team to the grueling 2014 World Cup Qualification matches with the hope of finally winning their first ever competitive match. Continue reading ‘NEXT GOAL WINS – In Select Theaters 4/25!’
March 13th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
A series of brutal murders puts the lives of three men on a collision course: the father of the latest victim now out for revenge, a vigilante police detective operating outside the boundaries of law, and the main suspect in the killings – a religious studies teacher arrested and released due to a police blunder. Continue reading ‘‘Big Bad Wolves’ on Blu-ray & DVD April 22!’
March 13th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
Following 12 Years A Slave’s historical Academy Award® win for Best Picture, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announced today a campaign to celebrate Fox Searchlight’s 20th Anniversary. The “We Have Your Story” anniversary event will spotlight Fox Searchlight’s collection of more than 140 smart, thoughtful and distinctive films including award-winning favorites Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Slumdog Millionaire, 500 Days of Summer, Juno, The Last King of Scotland, Once, Little Miss Sunshine, Sideways and Boys Don’t Cry, which together won 23 Academy Awards and garnered 90 Academy Award nominations.
Continue reading ‘Fox Searchlight Pictures 20th Anniversary Celebration’
March 13th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
This week’s is our first pick that isn’t of the film medium, but comes from that of television. And if you pay attention to anything at all in the goings on of film and TV, this pick is going to be super duper obvious.
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March 12th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
In a parallel universe, World War One is imminent as we follow the gripping story of human resistance fighters who march to battle against the second invasion of the Martians. In 1899, the Earth was attacked by ruthless invaders from the planet Mars. The Martians 80 ft tall, heat-ray spewing, Tripod battle machines laid waste to the planet, but the invaders ultimately fell prey to Earth s tiny bacteria. Fifteen years later, Man has rebuilt his shattered world, in large part by utilizing captured Martian technology. Equipped with giant, steam-powered Tripod battle machines, the international rapid reaction force, is Mankind s first line of defense against the return of the rapacious Martian invaders. And return the Martians do. The rematch finds the multinational battle squad tripod Goliath on the front-lines of a vicious interplanetary offensive. Continue reading ‘‘War of the Worlds Goliath’ on Blu-ray & DVD April 1st!’
March 12th, 2014 by Kori Kemerer
At last, after months of waiting since last Christmas, I was able to view my favorite movie of last year, Wolf of Wall Street, in the privacy of my own home. As expected, once again, it did not let me down. I re-experienced 3 hours of pure enjoyment. That’s right, I said 3 hours of enjoyment once again!!! Even without popcorn and an Icee! Martin Scorsese has truly outdone himself with this film. Clocking in at an impressive 179 minutes, Wolf of Wall Street has set a record as Mr. Scorsese’s longest fictional film by beating out Casino by a mere one minute. Wolf is, in my opinion, by far the director’s most exciting film in years. Second runner up would be The Departed, but that’s a different story and review all together. Looking back, how this film did not get a NC-17 rating is beyond me as Scorsese has pushed the boundaries of the R-rating to the absolute limits with a combination of drugs, strippers, sex, depravity and oh so much more. Continue reading ‘The Wolf of Wall Street (Blu-ray Review)’
March 12th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Recalled from the battlefields of Afghanistan to identify the remains of his daughter, British mercenary Lex Walker (Craig Fairbrass) arrives in Los Angeles to find that the body in the morgue belongs to a stranger. With his daughter now missing, Walker convinces a street-wise detective (Jason Patric) that his daughter is still alive and in danger. The two follow a trail of high-tech intrigue that leads them to his daughter’s former boss (James Caan), a crooked cyber-millionaire who will do whatever it takes to protect his empire – including taking down anyone who gets in his way. Driven by desperation and rage, Walker must fight his way through an army of thugs and hired killers to save the one person that means more to him than life itself. Continue reading ‘The Outsider (Blu-ray Review)’
March 12th, 2014 by Brandon Peters
Get ready horror fans! Sleepaway Camp is finally making the jump to Blu-ray as a part of Scream Factory’s “Summer Of Fear”! This is one of my personally most anticipated releases of the year. I can’t wait to see what all new bonus features will be slicing their way onto this pristine new Blu-ray that features an all new 2K transfer of the film. It looks like the film is getting the trademark Scream Factory retrospective documentary as well. This is such a fun film with a total mindf**k of an ending, I can’t wait to dive back in and rejoin the little assholes of Camp Arawak! Below you’ll find all the dirty details (including 3! commentaries), and that lovely Amazon pre-order button. And you’ll want to get this one too, as I’m sure it will be another powerhouse release from the kings of vintage horror! Continue reading ‘SLEEPAWAY CAMP Collector’s Edition Unleashes For The First Time On Blu-ray MAY 27!’
March 12th, 2014 by Blu-ray Brian
In Swerve, Zero Dark Thirty Star Jason Clarke delivers a frightening performance in the gripping thriller where a good samaritan comes to regret his split second decision to save a woman involved in a car crash hits the Blu-ray and DVD formats on March 18th courtesy of the Cohen Media Group. The flick also stars Emma Booth and David Lyons and is set against the Australian outback where a man stumbles across a car accident, and finds a suitcase stacked with cash. Sounds like a good time, right? Of course it does! And best of all, we have been given not 1, but 5 Blu-rays to give away to 5 lucky readers here on whysoblu.com. Read on below for a quick synopsis of the title and find out how you can win your very own copy. And if you just don’t want to take the chance, I can understand that, hit up the pre-order link below from Amazon to bring Swerve home ASAP. Good luck! Continue reading ‘Swerve Blu-ray Giveaway Contest!’
March 11th, 2014 by Aaron Neuwirth
It is always very difficult to put together a biopic based on the story of individuals who were able to accomplish so much and live such large lives. Steven Spielberg figured out a way to do it with his take on Abraham Lincoln, in Lincoln, as he focused on a very specific time frame. Clint Eastwood attempted to handle the story of Nelson Mandela by also focusing on a specific time in his life, basing Invictus around the 1995 world cup, which followed the dismantling of Apartheid. Unfortunately that film felt like it was holding back, regardless of how spot on Morgan Freeman may have been. There have been other portrayals of Mandela as well, but now we have one that focuses on pretty much his entire life, up to becoming President of South Africa. Read on to hear my thoughts on the results as well as what to take away from this Blu-ray package.
Continue reading ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (Blu-ray Review)’
March 11th, 2014 by Gerard Iribe
Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) portrays one of the most iconic horror legends of all time in the gripping adventure I, Frankenstein, available on 3D Blu-ray (plus 2D Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD UltraViolet), along with DVD (plus Digital UltraViolet), Video On Demand and Pay-Per-View, May 13 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. This film will be available on Digital HD May 2. From the producers of Underworld, I, Frankenstein follows Frankenstein’s monster (Eckhart) as he becomes involved in a war between two immortal clans. Also starring Bill Nighy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest), Yvonne Strahovski (TV’s “Chuck,” TV’s “Dexter”), Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, TV’s “Rake”), Jai Courtney (upcoming Divergent, A Good Day to Die Hard) and Kevin Grevioux (Underworld, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans), I, Frankenstein was written for the screen and directed by Stuart Beattie (30 Days Of Night, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra) with a screen story by Kevin Grevioux and Stuart Beattie. Continue reading ‘‘I, Frankenstein’ on Blu-ray May 13th!’
Need for Speed is a lot like a shady used car salesman. The film presents the viewer with the shininess of something new; in this case a video game movie that relies on a heavy use of practical effects to show off fancy cars driving fast. However, beneath this kinetic frosting are a lot of old and out of date parts that make for a bumpy ride overall. Sure, it may not have cost a whole lot and the short-lived thrills may allow one to look past the shortcomings, but wouldn’t it be nicer to go home with a better vehicle for Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul to star in? Regardless of the type of film it is, there are racing-action movies that certainly fill the void with more substance that goes along with the obvious style.
