‘Rock of Ages’ Rocks it Out
June 16th, 2012 by Gregg Senko
What do you do with a successful off-Broadway musical from 2005? You take it to Broadway. What happens after it’s a hit there? Why, make it a movie, of course! In its live production form, Rock of Ages debuted 7 years ago in Los Angeles and after eventually transitioning to Broadway, the much-heralded concept hit the big screen this past weekend with some serious name-dropping in the cast. But did the film’s pop equal it’s payroll?
Around the globe, headlines break the news: a scandal takes down an Indian cotton tycoon; a Chinese opium trader dies of an apparent overdose; bombings in Strasbourg and Vienna; the death of an American steel magnate… no one sees the connective thread between these seemingly random events-no one, that is, except the great Sherlock Holmes, who has discerned a deliberate web of death and destruction. At its center sits a singularly sinister spider: Moriarty. Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London to France, Germany and finally Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead, and moving perilously close to completing his ominous plan. If he succeeds, it will not only bring him immense wealth and power but alter the course of history. Filmmaker Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes) returns to direct Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which stars two-time Academy Award nominees Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) and Jude Law (Contagion) along with Rachel McAdams (The Notebook), Kelly Reilly (Sherlock Holmes), Eddie Marsan (War Horse), Geraldine James (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Jared Harris (TV’s Mad Men), Stephen Fry (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), and Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). 
Yesterday I was invited to join a round-table discussion with some of the leaders of the Blu-ray industry to discuss the evolution of the home entertainment market and how current technologies (Blu-ray Disc, digital steaming and downloads and disc-based digital extensions) complement one another to give consumers more flexibility and control over their content and viewing options than ever before. The discussion was moderated by Andy Parsons, Chair, BDA US Promotions Committee who also hosted the Q&A panel that followed afterwards along with Rich Marty, Vice President for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Paul Erickson, Senior Analyst for IMS Research. As you might expect, UltraViolet came up a lot in the discussion (including my own complaint about it) as well as hardware questions, 3D adoption and its market share, their thoughts on the future of the format, and a lot more. There was even some talk about the upcoming Lawrence of Arabia Blu-ray release. Read on for more details! 
FBI profiler Terry McCaleb almost always gets to the heart of a case. This time, that heart beats inside him. He’s a cardiac patient who received a murder victim’s heart. And the donor’s sister asks him to make good on his second chance by finding the killer. That’s just the first of many twists in a smart, gritty suspense thriller that’s “vintage Eastwood: swift, surprising and very, very exciting” (Jim Svejda, KNX/CBS Radio). Clint Eastwood produces, directs and stars in this edgy, acclaimed mystery based on Michael Connelly’s novel and scripted by Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential). With a superb cast brought to a hard boil playing characters to quicken your pulse and hold you spellbound, Blood Work represents another fine effort by Clint Eastwood as both an actor and as a director. 
The critically acclaimed FX comedy LOUIE Season 2 arrives on Blu-ray and DVD with even more uncomfortable moments and hilarious antics on June 19th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The LOUIE Season 2 Blu-ray and DVD comes with exclusive bonus materials and features unforgettable episodes and hilarious performances from guest stars including Ricky Gervais (The Office) and Joan Rivers (Fashion Police). And guess what? For 3 lucky Why So Blu readers we have 3 Blu-ray copies to give away thanks to our friends at Fox. So what say you? Check out the full press release below and scroll down to the bottom for your chance to win! 
Academy Award winners Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood confront each other from opposite sides of the law in A Perfect World, an acclaimed, multi-layered manhunt saga (directed by Eastwood) that rumbles down Texas back-roads toward a harrowing collision with fate. Costner plays Butch Haynes, a hardened prison escapee on the lam with a young hostage (T.J. Lowther in a remarkable film debut) who sees in Butch the father figure he never had. Eastwood is wily Texas Ranger Red Garnett, leading deputies and a criminologist (Laura Dern) on a statewide pursuit. Red knows every road and pothole in the Panhandle. What’s more, he knows the elusive Haynes — because their paths have crossed before. 
Do you miss that 80’s action-movie feel? Do you just want a kick-ass film with a little twist thrown in for good measure? Search no more as Lockout comes to Blu-ray next month! This is one flick I thoroughly enjoyed in the theater and look forward to grabbing my copy in a matter of weeks. Keep reading to get in on all the details…
There are a handful of truly elite warriors in this world; South Korea’s Rock Marines, Britain’s Special Air Service, and the French Foreign Legion to name a few. But when it comes to the best of the best, look no further than the U.S. Navy SEALs. We’re going to cover the explosive (literally) action film Act of Valor featuring active duty Navy SEALs. Yes that calling card was promoted time and again with this film. Did it help or hurt the movie’s delivery? Yes.
Ladies and gentlemen, be alert. We are going to initiate a hard-target search for a fugitive in an ever-widening perimeter. We will wade through swamps, prowl Manhattan streets, search every house and doghouse. We’ll eat on the run, sleep tomorrow, watch our backs. And since Marshal Sam Gerard leads the hunt, we will experience suspense, action and daring twists every breathless step of the way. Returning to his Oscar-winning role from The Fugitive, Tommy Lee Jones is Gerard, joining an A-team including Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr. and director Stuart Baird (Executive Decision) to deliver adrenaline-rush excitement. The suspect: armed, extremely dangerous, perhaps linked to a spy ring. The chase: highlighted by an out-of-control 727, a death match in a ship’s cargo hold, a 12-story plunge onto a moving train and more heart-pounding sequences. The movie: U.S. Marshals. 
The second title from the brand new Valiant Comics is now available to the public! With another of Valiant’s winning series from the 90’s on shelves, Harbinger‘s return is a long time in coming and is alive and well once again. But does this revision live up to the hype of its predecessor?
It’s been 25 years since the action buddy film, Lethal Weapon, became a phenomenon in its genre and spawned a legacy of films on the heels of its success. Now Warner Home Video has debuted the ultimate Lethal Weapon Collection as a 5-Disc gift-set containing all four original theatrical releases in the series (Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, Lethal Weapon 3 and Lethal Weapon 4). The franchise, directed by Richard Donner (Superman, Goonies) and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as L.A. detectives Riggs and Murtaugh, is one of the most successful in film franchise history, with a worldwide box-office gross and home entertainment sales totaling more than $1 billion. The Lethal Weapon Collection includes four featurettes (released for the first time in the US) about the genesis, legacy and making of each film in the franchise. Also included are deleted scenes, outtakes and two music videos; one starring Sting and Eric Clapton. Lastly, also included are two hours of 2010 cast interviews with Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Rene Russo, Joe Pesci and Richard Donner. The magic is back!
If I had to rank my Top 3 “Most Anticipated” Films of 2012, Prometheus would have been a gut wrenching #4 choice. It’s not that I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but nothing will ever top my love for the Nolan’s Batman series, which I considered masterpieces, and Seth Grahame-Smith’s literary mash-up work, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. And oh yeah, there was that small tribe of insignificant Marvel superheroes too. What were they called? Oh yeah! The Avengers! So to say Prometheus didn’t have a little competition this year would be like saying peanut butter and chocolate don’t go together, BECAUSE THEY DO! One thing’s for certain ladies and gents, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Prometheus to start rolling last Thursday night. I could not wait to take it all in…the science fiction…the breathtaking landscapes…and the ALIEN(s). Oops! Did I say too much? Come on, we’re all adults here. Let’s play nice. I promise, to keep this review spoiler-free. So let’s get this party started! What say you? 
