Archive Page 444
November 19th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
After scaring up big laughs in theaters, the in-home release of Monsters University opens its doors to the movie in stunning high definition Blu-ray, and provides hours of all-new bonus material, in-depth behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, the animated theatrical short “The Blue Umbrella” and much more. Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer. Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of Monsters University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Monsters University bravely explores themes of self-discovery and the revelations that come with growing up. Joining Crystal and Goodman as part of Monsters University’s monstrously talented voice cast are Steve Buscemi (voice of Randy Boggs), Helen Mirren (voice of Dean Hardscrabble), Alfred Molina (voice of Professor Knight), Charlie Day (voice of Art), Sean P. Hayes (voice of Terri Perry), Dave Foley (voice of Terry Perry), Nathan Fillion (voice of Johnny Worthington) and Aubrey Plaza (voice of Claire Wheeler).
Continue reading ‘Monsters University 3D Ultimate Collector’s Edition (3D + 2BD + DVD + Digital Copy) (Blu-ray Review)’
November 18th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
By now, people should know whether or not they are into Mad Men. Sure the show could perhaps gain some new followers at this point too, but Mad Men has a unique style and handle on how it proceeds, so getting into the 6th season, I was happy to continue on with the journey of these characters. Coming off the heels of the fantastic 5th season, which may or may not be the show’s best, but still easily has some of the series’ best episodes, this latest season no doubt had to keep up with the high bar this acclaimed series sets, but fortunately creator Matthew Weiner was up to the task at hand.
Continue reading ‘Mad Men: Season 6 (Blu-ray Review)’
November 18th, 2013 by Gerard Iribe
Anchor Bay Films is proud to announce the home entertainment debut of the high-stakes action thriller, FREEZER, starring Dylan McDermott (“Hostages,” “American Horror Story”) and Peter Facinelli (The Twilight saga, “Nurse Jackie”). The film will be available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital starting January 21, 2014. Combo pack includes Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD Ultraviolet™. FREEZER will also have an exclusive Los Angeles theatrical release on January 17, 2014. Continue reading ‘‘Freezer’ on Blu-ray and DVD January 21st!’
November 18th, 2013 by Gregg Senko
Before we get to the Why So Blu staff picks for favorite films of 2013 next month, I thought now would be a good time to write that negative-Nancy article on the other side of the coin. Okay, so I know we’re not even at Thanksgiving yet, but I figure there isn’t going to be a major dud in the next 40 days to make this list. This year had no shortage of disappointment at the cinema. There were films that let me down, like Iron Man 3 (also known as Normal Man 1), films that really stunk and almost made this list, like White House Down, and films that were just flat out rotten eggs, like…
Continue reading ‘Gregg’s Top 5 Worst Films of 2013′
November 17th, 2013 by Brian White
When I first found out they were attempting to go down the road of reinventing, rebranding and rebooting the legendary Superman franchise I just flat out laughed. However, if you think that was rude, you should have heard the expletives I said when I found out that Watchmen’s Zack Snyder was helming the project. I have nothing against the looks and visual style of his Watchmen, but my God was that one of the most boringly long, tearjerking films of recent years filled with too many frames of big blue @#$%. However, I know Snyder has more potential than that. After all he did do 300 and created one of the most stunning movie intros ever, in my opinion, in Sucker Punch. So the cat has talent, that much I can’t deny. But then it became to be known that Christopher Nolan was going to be serving as a producer and I thought maybe, just maybe, under the tutelage of King Nolan, Snyder could possibly nail it on the head and get it right this time out. After all, there’s no doubt that this franchise needs a hero. Continue reading ‘Man of Steel (Blu-ray Review)’
November 17th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Apparently we are at a point where every 3-6 months a new film with Matthew McConaughey arrives in theaters and he once again turns in a terrific performance. On the heels of Mud and with The Wolf of Wall Street set to arrive soon, Dallas Buyers Club is here now as a film that not only provides McConaughey with a character full of issues to really dive into as an actor, but also puts him into a position to really show how far he will go physically, in an effort to play the role authentically. Of course, just because an actor lost 50 pounds to play a role doesn’t mean the film is automatically good, but Dallas Buyers Club does work very well as a drama about a conflicted and flawed man, who is forced to make very significant life changes, and the effects it has on those around him.
Continue reading ‘‘Dallas Buyers Club’ Welcomes You In (Movie Review)’
November 16th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
When I initially saw the poster and title for Blackfish, I was convinced it was a horror movie. Upon learning more about the film and watching it, I was not too far off. Blackfish presents the story of a notorious performing whale, locked away in captivity, along with the tales of other killer whales in various sea parks and their capacity to kill. The film is a documentary with a clear stance, but it also functions as an emotional thriller at times, given what we learn about these animals and the situations they are placed in from others who tell their stories. While not a warmer documentary like the ones I have previously written about, it is certainly a film worth taking a look at, which you can now do on Blu-ray.
Continue reading ‘Blackfish (Blu-ray Review)’
November 16th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
Here’s a weird thing to celebrate and commemorate. While I understand we SHOULD award and appreciate the journalism and work done to uncover the Watergate scandal, its still a very dark spot in American history. Its something I do think is good to look back on and learn from but an All The President’s Men “Yay! ‘40th Anniversary Of This Horrible Event Edition!” is a little odd, but Warner Bros wants a way to repackage this movie and sell a documentary, so here we go. They’re also “celebrating” JFK’s assassination later this month with a new edition of JFK, but that’s another thing. Anyway, the good thing is a I got to review one of the greatest thrillers in film history for Why So Blu. So, if odd circumstances grant me that high honor and privilege, then thank you, Warner Bros! Continue reading ‘All The President’s Men: Two-Disc Special Edition (Blu-ray Review)’
November 16th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
The Indianapolis 500 hasn’t had a film with it as the subject in over 40 years. The last time was the Paul Newman film Winning. And even that one was the first film about the Indy 500 in 15 years. Its one of the biggest events in the world and racing creates a whole lot of action and drama you’d think there’d be more cinematic tales of it. There are legendary drivers and big time stories of incredible finishes. Alas, this past summer the Indy 500 returned to theaters in the form of the animated film Turbo (hook ‘em while they’re young, eh?). The Ryan Reynolds and Paul Giamatti voiced film opened to a checkered flag of maybe too many competitors as 3 other films opened the same weekend. Box office numbers aside, how was the film? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out, now isn’t it? Continue reading ‘Turbo (Blu-ray Review)’
November 15th, 2013 by Gerard Iribe
And now at last we’ve come to it, the final review of our flashback series covering The Sounds’ entire album catalog. Their fourth album is called Something To Die For and it was released back in 2011. What separates Something To Die For from the rest of their albums is that for the first time ever the band went at it solo and produced the record themselves. They took control of the boards, came together as one, and created an album, that frankly, has divided those pesky critics. We’ll get to all of that in a bit. I just want to thank our readers and The Sounds for their support via Twitter and other social media platforms. This was a totally unsolicited project that sprung out of our initial review of the band’s latest album: Weekend (HERE). As per our usual suggestion – get yourself a libation (21 and over only), sit back, and enjoy Something To Die For. Continue reading ‘The Sounds: Something To Die For (Album Review)’
November 15th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
Something I have picked up on lately is how making something look easy on film has been becoming the mark of some very talented filmmakers. It is one thing to get very flashy with the camera and set up elaborate shots, but it is another to make people and human conversations look natural. Improvisation is one thing, but even that can lead to unnatural results. Being able to have a scripted scene take place and have the actors involved convey exactly what is needed to communicate realism is tricky, but it does happen. Director Alexander Payne is not necessarily capturing super realistic dialogue on film in Nebraska, but he does something more. Amidst the dialogue spoken in this film, Payne manages to capture a lot of reaction shots and really dwell on people living their lives in their own offbeat ways. There is more going on than simply placing a camera somewhere and shooting, and Nebraska gets a lot of credit from me for being so affecting, given how minimal of a film it appears to be.
Continue reading ‘Alexander Payne Lets You Settle In And Observe ‘Nebraska’ (Movie Review)’
November 15th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
If there is one thing that Charlie Countryman was able to do, it was remind me to express how much love I have for the film Run Lola Run, which is a fast-paced, off-beat, flurry of an action film, supporting themes of love, chance, and inevitability vs. free will; all while being fueled by a pulsating techno soundtrack. Charlie Countryman has a lot of this as well, but while the film makes good use of location and provides Shia LaBeouf with a chance to show off his talents away from big blockbusters, it is also a big violent mess. What begins as a promising, off-beat, romantic adventure turns into a dirty, illogical film that fails to connect.
Continue reading ‘The Unnecessary Film About ‘Charlie Countryman’ (Movie Review)’
November 14th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
D.W. Griffith changed the course of film history with his 1915 Civil War blockbuster
The Birth of a Nation, and spurred on by its colossal success, he went even bigger on his next epic. The ambitious and still awe-inspiring
Intolerance, in which the Father of Film masterfully links four centuries-apart stories of universal suffering, remains a signal achievement by any measure. Stung by charges of glorifying racism in
The Birth of a Nation, D.W. Griffith decided to make his next film a plea for tolerance, acceptance and understanding. An epic like nothing that came before it or has been seen since, the monumental
Intolerance remains as powerful today as it was almost a century ago. This major innovation in screen narrative tells four stories in parallel about social injustice and the effects of intolerance through the ages. “The Modern Story,” about a working man wrongly accused of a crime, was later issued as a separate film
(The Mother and the Law, 1919). “The Judean Story” tells of Jesus’ conflicts with the Pharisees and Rome. “The Medieval Story” is about the effects of the massacre of 16th-century French Huguenots. “The Babylonian Story,” about the conquest of Babylon by Persia, also was issued later as a separate film
(The Fall of Babylon, 1919). Skillful cross-cutting (Griffith was the technique’s most renowned practitioner), and linking shots of a figure representing Eternal Motherhood rocking a cradle, bring all four stories to a tense climax. Cohen Media Group’s Cohen Film Collection proudly brings this canonical 1916 work to DVD and, for the first time ever on Blu-ray as well.
Continue reading ‘The Cohen Film Collection: D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance (Blu-ray Review)’
November 14th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
I feel like I already might be surprising people by saying this film is a sequel. Back in 1999, The Best Man was released in theaters and became something of a sleeper hit. Along with The Wood (also starring Taye Diggs), the all-black romantic-comedy-drama scene was still a solid subset of films around this time, as it pre-dated the era of Tyler Perry and allowed for less gimmicky takes black characters living everyday lives. Now we have a follow up film, which explores what has come of a certain group of characters a decade and a half later. While it is not as exquisitely told a tale, compared to Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, which are films also separated by a lengthy span of time, The Best Man Holiday is still a film that works based on the chemistry of the ensemble cast, regardless if one is familiar with these characters already or not.
Continue reading ‘‘The Best Man Holiday’ Unexpectedly Reunites Its Cast For a 14 Year Reunion (Movie Review)’
November 14th, 2013 by Aaron Neuwirth
We are now moving on from Disney villains yesterday to biblical epics today, as the trailer for Darren Aronofsky’s Noah makes its debut. As a follow up to Black Swan, Aronofsky has moved on to something very different for him, as he tackles the story of Noah and his Ark. The film features Russell Crowe as Noah and also stars Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, and Anthony Hopkins. This post features both the domestic trailer, which is only currently available via Apple and the international trailer, along with the film’s poster. From what is shown in these trailers, the scale of the film is certainly the main highlight being marketed, but without revealing anything, I can just say that a key element is being left out, which I found to be one of the more interesting concepts to go along with this film, as it is both a very new thing for Aronofsky, but something totally fitting of his style. Continue on to check out the trailers.
Continue reading ‘Darren Aronofsky’s ‘NOAH’ Trailers Debut’
November 14th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
Find out what all the furor is about when Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season comes to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download on February 18, 2014. Part political thriller, part epic fantasy, season 3 of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones continued its ascent to television’s Iron Throne with one of TV’s most talked about episodes, “The Rains of Castamere,” which introduced TV viewers to the fabled “Red Wedding.” The BD set takes fans even deeper into the pivotal episode in a feature that offers new perspectives on the controversial scene and its implications throughout the world of Westeros. In Season 3, the battling families of the Seven Kingdoms continue to fight for power as bonds are strained, loyalties are tested and cruel fates are met. The Lannisters barely hold on to power after a savage naval onslaught from Stannis Baratheon, while stirrings in the North threaten to alter the overall balance of power. Robb Stark, King in the North, faces major calamity in his efforts to build on his victories over the Lannisters, and beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder and his huge army of wildlings continue their inexorable march south. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen – reunited with her three fast-maturing dragons – attempts to raise an army to sail with her from Essos, in hopes of eventually claiming the Iron Throne for herself. Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season Comes to Blu-ray this February! Here’s all of the Details!’
November 14th, 2013 by Brandon Peters
If you don’t go, Billy will PUNISH you! The great Justin Beahm is teaming with Screenvision and Fangoria to return the controversial holiday classic Silent Night, Deadly Night to theaters. Its got an all new amazing HD transfer too! It opens December 4th to what I’m sure will amount to ZERO protesting as opposed to the first time around! Can we also take a moment to marvel at this really awesome new poster design? I remember the original poster of the Santa’s arm with an axe going down a chimney being iconic, but this thing takes the movie to an incredibly new area of dread. If you’re a fan of the film its an extra awesome little easter egg. I hope this rerelease is a sign that a Blu-ray is definitely in the works. I love when my 80’s slashers come to do high definition and this is a big one that is missing. Also, if this does well, maybe we can celebrate “Garbage Day” next year! Official details from the press release and a link to where you can find tickets follow below! Continue reading ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night Returns To Theaters December 4th!’
November 14th, 2013 by Sean Ferguson
The latest high-definition collections of the iconic series, Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Fifth Season Blu-ray and Star Trek: The Next Generation – Unification Blu-ray arrive November 19 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Packed with newly produced special features, the collections also include some of the most acclaimed episodes of the series, including Leonard Nimoy’s guest appearance in the celebrated, two-part episode “Unification.”
Continue reading ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Fifth Season & Unification Blu-rays Come Out November 19th!’
