Archive Page 524
March 2nd, 2012 by Matt Goodman
Razzie® Award Nominated Actor/Actress Adam Sandler is Jack and Jill, a pair of identical twins who gather around for the holidays to spend some family time together. Let me start off by saying that it is not easy for me to dislike a film, but when it comes to Happy Madison produced films, I cannot help but want to shoot my Blu-ray player. Jack and Jill is officially the worst Happy Madison-produced motion picture, which takes the place of the Grown Ups reboot. Just how awful is Jack and Jill? Read on to find out… Continue reading ‘Jack and Jill (Blu-ray Review)’
March 2nd, 2012 by Brian White
I had many mixed feelings going into Project X this past Tuesday evening. Sure, I thought. It looks like a wild and raunchy, good ole time, but where will the story ultimately go? Being not a person to partake in such wild festivities myself in real life, I knew I would only be able to take so much before my senses eventually dull and I start to feel like I’m watching the first twenty minutes of Bellflower at 2 AM after working a 12-hour manual labor day. But there’s a name attached to this “project’ that I guess you could say, kind of gave me a sense of proverbial hope. That name belongs to none other than The Hangover director, Todd Phillips. The fact that his name is attached to this “project” gave me a glimmer of shiny hope that maybe; just maybe…this might work out after all. With his source credit, I figured the least I could do is give it an unbiased, fair try. That’s what being a reviewer is all about, right? Continue reading ‘‘Project X’: Instruments of Destruction (Movie Review)’
March 1st, 2012 by Scott Wampler
If you’re going to make a movie about cops, you’ve got a few templates to choose from: you can do the “Rookie Story”, where you follow an up-and-comer through the ranks as he achieves his goal of becoming a decorated police officer; you can go the “Grizzled Detective” route, and put an embittered, brilliant detective to work on whatever mystery your script entails; and, of course, there’s the “Crooked Cop” route. At this point, the “Crooked Cop” story has been told, re-told, re-imagined, remixed, and re-sequalized a billion different times, so going that route means bringing something special to the table. Does Oren Moverman’s Rampart manage that feat, or does it rank amongst the worst of the “Crooked Cop” genre? Read on to find out, folks. Continue reading ‘Rampart (Movie Review)’
March 1st, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Offering the secret history of nine historic battles, Battlefield Detectives has made its debut on DVD thanks to Athena. Investigators re-create the conditions of history’s major battles using 3-D computer models, maps, artifacts, original footage, and dramatic reenactments. From the muddy fields at Hastings to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, a variety of experts offer compelling new evidence on the wars that shaped the modern world. Produced in 2003, Battlefield Detectives aired on the History Channel. The 3-volume boxed set includes a 16-page viewer’s guide and biographies of major military leaders, among other bonus features. Continue reading ‘Battlefield Detectives (DVD Review)’
February 29th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
So the Oscars came and went and Hugo won like 23 of them or so along with The Artist. I jest, but Hugo did get nominated for 11 Oscars including Best Picture and ended the night with 5 statuettes. That’s a great ratio. Hugo won 5 technical awards – it won for Best Cinematography, Art Direction, Visual Effects, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. Yes, these are all technical achievements, but once you see the film for yourself then you’ll see why it deserved to have won much more than what it did. I know that by teasing like that you’ll already know what my opinion of Hugo may or may not be. Go forth. Continue reading ‘Hugo (Blu-ray Review)’
February 29th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
The man with the hat is back – and looking better than ever! The world’s favorite globe-trotting archaeologist is, at long last, embarking on his greatest adventure – when The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection will be excavated in the fall of 2012 and will include all four of Indy’s thrilling adventures, using the highest possible high definition picture and audio presentation – along with a “best of” collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises. Continue reading ‘The Complete Indiana Jones Collection on Blu-ray this Fall!’
February 28th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
Leonardo DiCaprio has returned to the big screen and now to the high definition screen with Clint Eastwood directing the biopic of one J. Edgar Hoover. J. Edgar aims to show us a side of one of the most controversial and powerful figures in U.S/World History. On board for the ride is Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) handling screenwriting duties for J. Edgar. It’s a powerhouse of talent in front and behind the cameras – let us see if J. Edgar sinks or swims on Blu-ray . Continue reading ‘J. Edgar (Blu-ray Review)’
February 27th, 2012 by Blu-ray Brian
I think Gerard Iribe just filled the cup with today’s announcement here. Get your adrenaline pumping as Lionsgate releases the action-packed thrill ride Haywire on Blu-ray Disc (plus Digital Copy), DVD, Digital Download and On Demand this spring, May 1st. This non-stop adventure, directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh* and written by Lem Dobbs, introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Gina Carano as Mallory Kane, a black-ops agent for a government security contractor. Backed by an all-star cast of Golden Globe® nominees Ewan McGregor**, Antonio Banderas***, Bill Paxton**** and Michael Fassbender*****, Oscar® and Golden Globe® winner Michael Douglas****** and Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), watch the story of assassins, betrayal and revenge twist and unfold. Blu-ray and DVD special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette exploring Carano’s transition from the MMA world to film, and a look at the men of Haywire. Continue reading ‘Blu-ray’s About to Go ‘Haywire’ This Spring!’
February 27th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
From director Alexander Payne creator of the Oscar® winning Sideways comes one of the Best Pictures of the year, THE DESCENDANTS, featuring a stunning cast including Best Actor nominee George Clooney (Ides of March) and Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) in her Golden Globe nominated and Independent Spirit Award winning role. Take home this wonderfully warm and witty film and go behind the scenes of THE DESCENDANTS with all-new exclusive content on Blu-ray Disc Combo Pack and DVD March 13 from Fox Searchlight and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Continue reading ‘‘The Descendants’ on Blu-ray March 13th’
February 27th, 2012 by Scott Wampler
There was a time when a new comedy starring Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson would’ve been, well, kind of a big deal. Sadly, those days seem to have passed. Somewhere in between Gulliver’s Travels, The Pink Panther 2, and Drillbit Taylor, these formerly reliable comic actors stopped drawing massive crowds and started churning out dreck, and– as a result– new projects by this formerly popular trio stopped being anything to get excited over. Things had gotten so bad, in fact, that when David Frankel’s The Big Year suddenly arrived in theaters last year, many filmgoers were stunned to be hearing about the film for the very first time. Where had The Big Year come from, and what did it want with us? Frankel’s flick was largely ignored by audiences during the three-and-a-half days it was in theaters, but now it’s arrived on Blu-ray, and we’re free to discover what kind of movie The Big Year really is. Is it a comeback vehicle for all involved, a reason to get excited about Black, Martin, and Wilson again? Or just another mediocre entry in all of their filmographies? Read on to find out, folks. Continue reading ‘The Big Year (Blu-ray Review)’
February 26th, 2012 by Ken Johnson
It’s Oscar Day! After a week of preparation and stories leading up to the event, I’m almost sad that the day is upon us. Of course, this also means I have to return to Northeast Ohio and my day job, but I think I am ready to get back. In today’s video clip, we walk you down the red carpet and show you some behind the scenes footage of the media setting up, and let you see what the stars will see and from their vantage point as they work their way down the red carpet to the Kodak Theater. Continue reading ‘Oscars – Day 7’
February 25th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
The Moment of Truth (Il momento della verità), from director Francesco Rosi, is a visceral plunge into the life of a famous torero – played by real-life bullfighting legend Miguel Mateo, known as Miguelín. Charting his rise and fall with a single-minded focus on the bloody business at hand, the film is at once gritty and operatic, placing the viewer right in the thick of the ring’s action, as close to death as possible. Like all of the great Italian truth seeker’s films, this is not just an electrifying drama but also a profound and moving inquiry into a violent world – and it’s perhaps the greatest bullfighting movie ever made. Continue reading ‘The Moment of Truth: Criterion Collection (Blu-ray Review)’
February 25th, 2012 by Ken Johnson
Thursday rounded out nicely, having spent the morning dining on Wolfgang Puck treats, then in the evening, it was time for the Oscar Nominated Features Symposium. The Animated Features Symposium is a chance to meet the filmmakers behind the year’s Oscar Nominated Animated Features and a chance to ask them questions about the animated medium. Continue reading ‘Oscars – Day 6’
February 25th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
I do like it when I laugh a lot during a comedy. The funny thing about this film is that I did laugh a lot during it, yet it is hard for me to say that I really loved it. I liked it for sure, it has Paul Rudd being incredibly charming, smarmy, and just plain silly, along with a very talented supporting cast; all with moments to shine. The film is also just plain bizarre at times, fitting in having little moments that I can appreciate based on my own tastes. Still, even as a smile remained on my face, the structure of this film has its faults, not feeling like a seamless experience, as it reaches its inevitable plot beats. Were the premise to be strong enough to go somewhere more interesting, this film could have relied on more than just humorous moments from its cast, but as it stands, it does provide enough humorous moments from the cast, which is just fine. Continue reading ‘Set Yourself Free For A Laugh With ‘Wanderlust’’
February 25th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
Mill Creek Entertainment, a recognized leader in value DVD entertainment will release Season One of “That ‘70s Show,” on Blu-Ray this March. Featuring all 25 Season One episodes of retro comedy in stunning HD, this marks the first release of a prime-time network sitcom from the ‘90s on Blu-ray. With never before seen bonus features, this 4-disc collection will be available on March 20, 2012, for the unbelievably low price of $24.98 MSRP. “That ‘70s Show” is an Emmy® award-winning comedy revolving around a group of teenage friends, their mishaps, and their coming of age, set in 1970s Wisconsin. The show aired from 1998-2006 with over 11 million viewers in its first six seasons and is now nationally syndicated on multiple broadcast and cable networks. This hilarious, series features an all-star cast of Hollywood A-listers including Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Wilmer Valderrama, Danny Masterson as well as their amazing supporting cast including Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith, Don Stark, Tanya Roberts, and Lisa Robin Kelly. Continue reading ‘‘That 70’s Show’ Season One on Blu-ray March 20th’
February 25th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
Called “A new masterpiece…” (TV Guide) Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s powerful and acclaimed documentary THE WAR arrives for the first time ever on Blu-ray May 15, 2012 from PBS Distribution and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Six years in the making, the epic, seven-part film directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective through the personal accounts of men and women from four quintessentially American towns. Revealing the most intimate human dimensions of a worldwide catastrophe, the 15-hour documentary paints a vivid portrait of how the war touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America. Continue reading ‘‘The War’ on Blu-ray May 15th’
February 25th, 2012 by Ken Johnson
Thursday is one of my favorite days covering the Oscars (along with the rest of them) because Thursday morning is the Governor’s Ball Food and Beverage Preview! The Governor’s Ball is a formal dinner held at the Hollywood and Highland Center immediately following the Oscars telecast. You have to remember the Oscars take place at 5:30pm Pacific time, so when the show is over three hours later, there is still plenty of time to party in Tinseltown! In our video for today, we had a chance to go one on one with Wolfgang Puck and get some of his perspective on throwing the official party of the Oscars. No pressure there! We also talked with Lauren Ashamalla from Sequoia Productions, who handles the logistics of the decorations and furniture for the Governor’s Ball. It is interesting to see the level of detail that goes into planning this one party! Continue reading ‘Oscars – Day 5’
February 25th, 2012 by Ken Johnson
In today’s video clip, CableSuite 541 Movie Critic and Star 97 DJ Jim Kulko and I opine about our favorites for the Oscar wins this year. Many people ask why the Oscars don’t more closely track the box office with the movie making the best money in the year winning best picture. Well, you have to remember, the folks who put on the Academy Awards is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the academics who promote and advance the movie-making craft. This means that they are concerned about the art form, not those movies us Midwesterners choose to spend our money to see. Continue reading ‘Oscars – Day 4’
