Why So Blu?

Get Conned Into Loving ‘American Hustle’ (Movie Review)

I remember the first time I saw Bradley Cooper on the hit ABC television show Alias opposite Jennifer Garner circa 2001 I proclaimed out loud that this cat is going to be a big star.  My ex at the time scoffed at me and said whatever.  She never believed in me.  Therefore, that’s why she’s an ex.  LOL.  But seriously, was I right or was I right?  He’s gone on to be such a huge star in highly successful films as The Hangover series, the immaculate conception known as Silver Linings Playbook and now everyone’s favorite foul mouthed raccoon in next year’s Guardian of the Galaxy.  However, I digress about my love for Bradley Cooper.  I’ll admit that I got a little off the subject of why we are gathered here today.  But I can’t help it!  I want to scream it from the tallest trees.  My boy Bradley Cooper is a new movie and best of all, he’s sporting tight curls in this 70’s retro feature.  Of course I’m talking about Columbia Pictures’ American Hustle, once upon a time known as American Bullsh1t (that little factoid makes me love the flick without even seeing it).  Now you want to know more, right?!  Great!  I have an itch I want to scratch.  Let’s get talking! Continue reading ‘Get Conned Into Loving ‘American Hustle’ (Movie Review)’

Force Of Execution (Blu-ray Review)

The man won’t do an Expendables movie, but he’ll be the first in line for middle of the road DTV movies.  This is probably because he wants the lead.  He is Steven Seagal.  A once, I think it’s fair to say “fad” action star in the 90s who had never was able to rekindle the success of his powerhouse Under Siege.  He managed a brief comeback in the early 2000s with Exit Wounds, but since has been hanging out in straight to video land with playing the villain in Machete being the exception and not the rule.  While The Expendables franchise might not be that great of a series of films (I like the 2^nd one, but kind of yawned through the first), it’s by and large Star Wars in comparison to what he’s been doing, including this new film Force Of Execution. Continue reading ‘Force Of Execution (Blu-ray Review)’

‘Ice Soldiers’ on Blu-ray and DVD February 25th!

Aaron’s Astounding Top 10 Blu-rays of 2013

Here we go again.  Kicking off my Top 10 year-end lists for 2013, here are my Top 10 Blu-rays.  These are films that I have been able to really dig into and see them as easy recommendations for anyone with the greatest home media format currently available.  The following list is a set of films that I consider to be some of the best that the Blu-ray format has had to offer for this year.  Much like the previous years, I stayed true to some rules; I have to have actually watched the movie on Blu-Ray, recognize it for its quality video and audio transfers, delved into the special features, and attempt to keep off any film on this list that may also be on my “Top 10 Films of the Year” list.  This year that may or may not be the case (with one big exception).  I followed these rules for the sake of keeping my list interesting, so here we go:

Continue reading ‘Aaron’s Astounding Top 10 Blu-rays of 2013’

The White Queen – “Making Of The White Queen” Bonus Feature

Fresh out of our inbox comes thrilling news courtesy of Anchor Bay’s upcoming Blu-ray and  DVD release of the Starz Original mini-series The White Queen, which will be released on a three-disc Blu-ray with Digital HD Ultraviolet and DVD set on February 4th.  I don’t know about you, but I’m usually a sucker for these Starz shows!  Based on Philippa Gregory’s series of best-selling novels, The White Queen is a vivid re-telling of the classic War of the Roses family feud (York vs. Lancaster) from the viewpoint of the women involved.  The set contains all 10 gorgeous episodes of the drama, plus a bountiful supply of bonus features.  Check out the series’ synopsis, trailer and also a Blu-ray bonus feature below. Continue reading ‘The White Queen – “Making Of The White Queen” Bonus Feature’

Being Human: The Complete Third Season Comes to Blu-ray This January

From the creative team behind “Pillars of the Earth,” “The Mentalist” and “Heroes,” “Being Human” is Syfy’s re-imagining of the acclaimed BBC original series created by Toby Whithouse.  “Being Human” follows four paranormal, 20-something roommates living in a Boston brownstone – vampire “Aidan” (Witwer), werewolves “Josh” (Huntington) and “Nora” (Hager) and ghost “Sally” (Rath) – as they struggle to resist the temptations of their true natures. As the third season of “Being Human” returns, the four learn that there is a price to pay for getting what they want. Watching the characters hide their dark secrets from the world, while helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives and trying to be human, viewership for the third season averaged 1.8 million viewers, making “Being Human” a Top 10 Cable Program in its time period among adults 18-49 and 25-54. Season 4 of “Being Human” premieres January 2014 on Syfy. Continue reading ‘Being Human: The Complete Third Season Comes to Blu-ray This January’

Never Sleep Again Is Making The Jump To Blu On January 21!

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it.  The 4 hour, entire franchise spanning documentary on the Nightmare On Elm Street series is finally making the leap from DVD to Blu-ray next month!  I have every bit of confidence in telling you that this is the best, most detailed and comprehensive documentary ever put together based on a film franchise.  It also kind of serves as a pseudo history lesson/doc on New Line Cinemas too.  This thing brings almost everybody cast and crew (Johnny Depp, Patricia Arquette and Laurence “Larry” Fishburne being the obvious absences) back to discuss at great length the journey from through all 7 films in the original franchise.  I love this documentary so much, I consider it the unofficial 8th entry in the series.  Everybody interviewed is very comfortable and unafraid to go all out with their testimonials.  The film flows very well and once you start you really can’t put it down.  I’ve actually watched this twice, believe it or not.  And I after I finish my marathoning of the series, this film feels like a must to finish it off.  The film comes out January 21st, and you can pre-order using the link below.  Also below, the nit and gritty details! Continue reading ‘Never Sleep Again Is Making The Jump To Blu On January 21!’

Brandon’s Bodacious TOP 10 Blu-rays Of 2013!

It’s my turn!  No need for a preamble as to what goes into the generalities of crafting these Top 10 lists as the gents before me all did a fine job of explaining.  2012 provided what seemed like all the remaining “Must Have” box sets, leaving 2013 seeming kind of empty handed on the surface.  Now there have been new sets, but many just prove to be repackagings of the older discs and calling them “new” (like the new Star Trek box set, The Exorcist 40th and the Hitchcock Essentials Collection).  Universal would have had #1 on this list at “Hello” had they released a 2^nd volume companion to last year’s Classic Monsters Collection (Yes, I’m still whining about that).  2013 was no slouch though, as there were still a set or two to release and plenty of titles that have never been on Blu-ray before finally making the jump.  What I love about this period we are in now is that so much of the big name films from yesteryear seem to be out that others and many cult items are getting their turn at the plate and that makes things even more exciting as these are the ones people watch all the time and have been double dipping format to format on for years. Continue reading ‘Brandon’s Bodacious TOP 10 Blu-rays Of 2013!’

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Trailer Debuts

Last week was busy with trailers for many big releases next year (posts can be found HERE and HERE) and this week adds one more hotly anticipated summer film: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  As I recall, the majority of us at Why So Blu were big fans the 2011 sci-fi prequel/reboot, which combined an interesting take on the Apes franchise with some fantastic visual effects work from Weta Digital.  Details and images have been fairly light on this film, which no doubt comes from both preserving the surprise and because it takes so long to complete these effects, which look amazing.  Now we finally have a trailer for the sequel, which arrives July 2014.  From the look of things, nothing is about to get better for the human race, but at least Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, and Keri Russell are on hand to attempt to deal with Caesar (Andy Serkis) and the rise of his species.  Continue on to check out the trailer as well as view some posters and big ape faces from the film. Continue reading ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Trailer Debuts’

Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series Finally Arrives on DVD This April

Created by award-winning writers/ producers Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, the critically acclaimed television series HILL STREET BLUES became one of the most seminal drama series by virtue of its powerful writing, gritty realism, emotionally charged storylines and incredible ensemble cast, including Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Bruce Weitz and Betty Thomas, among other notables.  Throughout its seven year run on network television (1981-1987), HILL STREET BLUES took viewers inside the heart of a racially torn, crime-ridden precinct of an urban metropolis.   Each episode charts a day in the life on “The Hill,” balancing the characters’ personal lives with their professional ones.  “Let’s be careful out there,” advises Sgt. Esterhaus every morning at roll call, before sending out his officers and detectives to patrol their city’s streets, where the peace is kept thanks to a tenuous trust between the police and the people they protect.  Yet as dangerous as their precinct is, the men and women of Hill Street often find that their biggest battles involve protecting themselves from the Public Defender’s office, self-serving bureaucrats … and each other. Continue reading ‘Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series Finally Arrives on DVD This April’

‘Anchorman 2’: The Return Of Baxter! (Movie Review)

I have recently had discussions about comedy sequels with some friends.  They are not easy to pull off, which is obvious just due to the fact that it is hard to name more than a couple comedy sequels offhand that really match up to the original film.  For all the fun I had and continue to have with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, it is not necessarily a film that screamed for a sequel.  A modest success at the time, which (as many comedies do) found a lot more success on home video, Anchorman is the kind of weird and endlessly quotable movie that hits just the right beats for a lot of people.  Now the stars were able to finally align, as all the…stars were able to get back together for another madcap comedy adventure based around a team of doofuses that like reading the news together.  The results will no doubt vary for many, but I laughed a lot during this film.

Continue reading ‘‘Anchorman 2’: The Return Of Baxter! (Movie Review)’

Bad Grandpa Hijacks Blu-ray on January 28th

I gotta say.  I did not know what to expect when I took my parents to see Bad Grandpa in the theaters.  I was expecting it to be a little bit of Jacka$$ with a narrative.  I was just hoping my parents would not be disturbed or repulsed by it.  I have to say…I think they laughed harder than me!  So at long last the day is finally upon us!  Paramount Media Home Distribution has officially announced that it will release on Blu-ray Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa…an unrated cut too!  The release will be available for purchase online and in stores across the nation on January 28th.  I’m sold!  Check out the full press release below and pre-order it now! Continue reading ‘Bad Grandpa Hijacks Blu-ray on January 28th’

Futurama: Volume 8 (Blu-ray Review)

Futurama has ended once again.  After being resurrected by Comedy Central, the animated, sci-fi-comedy series from creator Matt Groening (The Simpsons) has once again reached its end.  However, there is still this final batch of episodes on this Volume 8 Blu-ray release to go over and fortunately it is a good batch.  While I have had my issues with the quality of the episodes during the run on Comedy Central, there were certainly a handful of great ones and this final volume has a very solid set of episodes, with a couple that are really funny and a couple really nail the emotional beats, particularly the finale.  Read on to dig deeper into this final volume.

Continue reading ‘Futurama: Volume 8 (Blu-ray Review)’

The Wicker Man: The Final Cut Is Finally Coming To The US On Blu-ray – Jan. 7th!

Celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the cult classic that Cinefantastique called “the Citizen Kane of horror films” when The Wicker Man arrives on Blu-ray Disc for the first time January 7, 2014 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.  The Wicker Man will also be available on Digital HD, Video on Demand and Pay-Per-View. Featuring an all-new, restored edition of director Robin Hardy’s final cut, this spectacular Blu-ray also features brand new bonus content including a restoration comparison, an interview with Robin Hardy and two informative featurettes.  Winner of the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film, The Wicker Man has been described as “a movie that’ll burn its way into your unconscious and give you nightmares for years” (BBC).  Arriving in a collectible package with brand new artwork.  Pre-order and more info after the jump! Continue reading ‘The Wicker Man: The Final Cut Is Finally Coming To The US On Blu-ray – Jan. 7th!’

Gerard’s Top 10 Badass Blu-rays of 2013!

It’s that time again where we come up with our Top-10 Blu-rays of the year. 2013 has come and almost gone and left a path of high definition destruction in its wake. Coincidentally, my Top-10 list features the work of some epic directors, who had a stellar year on the Blu-ray format as most of their back catalog, along with current works, were released in high definition in 2013. My criteria for picking the selections on this list is more in tune with how fully loaded are the Blu-rays chosen, along with demo-worthy characteristics, etc. Film worthiness is also taken into consideration but that it not the main factor. If I want film-worthiness then I will save it for my regular Top-10 list of films, which will post in a couple of weeks. This list is based off of the merits of the Blu-ray for the most part. Without further ado I give you my Top 10 Badass Blu-rays of 2013!  Continue reading ‘Gerard’s Top 10 Badass Blu-rays of 2013!’

Gerard’s Worst Films of 2013!

To compliment my best of the year lists I’ve once again compiled a short “worst of” set of selections. The following are films that I saw in 2013 that sucked and/or did not live up to the hype. I’m not going to include a “dishonorable mentions” list like last year, because it would be a waste of time. The films contained here star A-list actors and most had gigantic budgets to work with. It makes it that much more painful to recap why they sucked. I understand the concept of “guilty pleasures,” and I have many, but these don’t even qualify as guilty pleasures, in my opinion. Shall we begin?  Continue reading ‘Gerard’s Worst Films of 2013!’

‘Ender’s Game’ Scores A Win On Blu-ray This February

Action icon and Academy Award nominee Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones franchise, Star Wars franchise, Best Actor, Witness, 1985), Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld (Best Supporting Actress, True Grit,  2010), two-time Academy Award nominee Viola Davis (Best Supporting Actress, Doubt, 2008; Best Actress, The Help, 2011), Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Best Supporting Actress, Little Miss Sunshine, 2006) and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley (Best Actor, Gandhi, 1982) star in the epic adventure Ender’s Game, arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD UltraViolet), DVD (plus Digital UltraViolet), Video on Demand and Pay-Per-View  February 11th from Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE company. The film will also be available on Digital HD January 28, two weeks prior to the Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD release. Based on the award-winning best-selling novel by  Orson Scott Card, and written and directed for the screen by Gavin Hood (Rendition, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Tsotsi), Ender’s Game is a visually stunning and thrilling film that has been 28 years in the making.  Read on to learn more about this upcoming release.

Continue reading ‘‘Ender’s Game’ Scores A Win On Blu-ray This February’

‘Big Ass Spider’ on Blu-ray and DVD January 7th!

Epic Pictures will be releasing BIG ASS SPIDER! on digital download, DVD and Blu-ray on January 7th!  The film stars Greg Grunberg (TV’s Heroes, TV’s Alias, Mission Impossible: III), LOMBARDO BOYAR (Group Sex, Happy Feet I and II) and RAY WISE (X-Men: First Class, TV’s Twin Peaks) and directed by Mike Mendez. An exterminator (Greg Grunberg) and his Hispanic sidekick (Lombardo Boyar) are caught in an epic battle when a military assault fails to contain a giant alien spider rampaging through the city of Los Angeles.   Continue reading ‘‘Big Ass Spider’ on Blu-ray and DVD January 7th!’