Archive Page 531
February 13th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
We’re going to take it way back to the early 90’s for our next review in which actor Denzel Washington and Director Spike Lee team up to bring the story of Malcolm X to the big screen. Spike Lee’s grand opus about the controversial figurehead of the nation of Islam in the 60’s has finally made its way to the Blu-ray format in a deluxe edition brimming with extras and even a collector’s book. The film clocks in at over three hours, so will the origins of Malcolm X be a fascinating tale of intrigue, deception, and murder or will it be a bloated mess of a film that is too self indulgent for its own good? We shall see. Continue reading ‘Malcolm X (Blu-ray Review)’
February 12th, 2012 by Gregg Senko
It was only a matter of time before FX guru and Star Wars creator George Lucas jumped on the 3D bandwagon. This past Friday, Episode I: The Phantom Menace made its arrival in theaters. With massive cardboard standups in cinemas months ago promoting the upcoming release/re-release, hopes were high that Lucas would deliver on the conflicted visual technology. At the end of the day, however, the only thing that was high was the ticket price.
Continue reading ‘The Phantom Menace 3D (Movie Review) & Other Star Wars Rants’
February 12th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
I’d caught word about a little zombie tale called The Dead due to it being released on Blu-ray in the UK a few months ago. I almost imported it myself, but decided to wait a bit. Once the announcement by Anchor Bay was made on them acquiring it for distribution here in the states, I jumped at the chance to review it. That was actually a good thing due to it saving me twice what it normally would cost me to import, and it being a blind buy. I had seen the trailer for The Dead and thought it looked decent enough. Zombies in Africa with a hint of Resident Evil 5 – what’s not to like? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out. Continue reading ‘The Dead (Blu-ray Review)’
February 11th, 2012 by Mary Welms
Inspired by a true events The Vow has the perfect release date just in time for Valentine’s Day. So all you romantics at heart will enjoy this sappy, tug on your heart strings, with a pinch of humor, love story that you may even shed a tear or two for. And if that is not enough for you, you get to see Channing Tatum’s bare butt! Bonus! Directed by Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens). Screenwriters Abby Kohn and Marc Silverman (Valentine’s Day, Never Been Kissed). Continue reading ‘The Vow (Movie Review)’
February 11th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
One of the year’s best reviewed films, and headlined by a stellar ensemble of actors including Golden Globe® nominee Kirsten Dunst (All Good Things), Alexander Skarsgård (“True Blood”) Charlotte Gainsbourg (Antichrist), Golden Globe winner Kiefer Sutherland (“24”), Stellan Skarsgård (Thor), and Academy Award nominee John Hurt (The Oxford Murders), visionary writer/director Lars Von Trier’s (Dancer In the Dark) newest film, MELANCHOLIA, is heralded as “a spectacle impossible to turn away from” (The Village Voice). Deemed “one of the year’s best” (New York Times) films and “a giant achievement” (Entertainment Weekly), MELANCHOLIA will arrive on Blu-ray Disc and DVD March 13 from Magnolia Home Entertainment. Continue reading ‘‘Melancholia’ on Blu-ray March 13th’
February 11th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
Safe House has a lot of elements that should make it a pretty good watch. A first rate cast, a solid story setup, and an “R” rating earned through the use of non-gratuitous violence, are all aspects that had me excited from the trailer alone. For the most part, this film delivered just that, but something still seemed to be missing. Despite the presence of an intense and pretty badass Denzel Washington, Safe House felt a bit lacking at times, in terms of giving me something more to chew on. At other times, it felt a lot like other movies I had previously seen. These aspects in mind, I still think it worked well overall in delivering a pretty violent and gritty, but good looking action picture, which is sometimes all really one can ask for. Continue reading ‘A ‘Safe House’ Built Of Rookies, Rogue Agents, And Bloodshed’
February 11th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
It is nice to set up goals for yourself. For example, I happened to have three goals for the New Year: see Michael Cain ride on a giant bumblebee, watch The Rock bounce berries off his chest, and find out if a giant electric eel can power a submarine (all of that is true, yes). With Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, I managed to achieve all of those goals at once and there was still plenty of time to see baby elephants, volcanoes full of gold, and the lost city of Atlantis (all in eye-popping 3D, no less). Look, this is not a movie that is meant to be taken very seriously and for 90 minutes (following a pretty great, new Looney Tunes short) I did manage to get a decent amount of entertainment out of this film. Dwayne Johnson just has too much damn charm and is considerably less sweaty than he was in Fast Five. Continue reading ‘‘Journey 2’ Features Mysterious Island Lizards, Rocks, and Caines’
February 10th, 2012 by Jami Ferguson
When a United States Senator is brutally murdered, the evidence points to a Soviet assassin code- named Cassius, who was long-thought to be dead. Two men who know Cassius best are thrown together to catch him. Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere, An Officer and a Gentleman) is a retired CIA operative who spent his career tracking Cassius around the globe. Ben Geary (Topher Grace, Spider-Man 3) is a hotshot young FBI Agent and family man who has studied the killer’s every move. Ben thinks he knows Cassius, but Paul knows he is dead wrong. Now, time is running out to stop this merciless killing machine before he finds his next target. Martin Sheen (The Departed), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Odette Yustman (Cloverfield) and Stana Katic (Castle) costar in this tense thriller from the co-writers of Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma that will keep you guessing until the very last shot. Continue reading ‘The Double (Blu-ray Review)’
February 10th, 2012 by John Hitch
If Michael Bay directed Safe House, a fast-paced, spies-on-the-run thriller, it could have been this generations The Rock. With novice director Daniel Espinosa at the helm, it comes across as a Jason Bourne meets Training Day mish-mash that falls apart in the end and will wash from your memory soon after seeing it. A better name for it would be The Chalk. Continue reading ‘Safe House: Still-Bourne Identity (Movie Review)’
February 9th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Newly remastered and restored to their original U.K. broadcast order, Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 1 and 2 debuts on Blu-ray and arrives on DVD from Acorn Media on January 31, 2012. These 10 full-length mysteries per set star fan-favorite and BAFTA nominee David Suchet as the brilliant Belgian detective. Based on the novels by Agatha Christie, these lavish adaptations capture every splendid detail of the Art Deco era. ITV Studios’ Poirot has aired on ITV1 in the U.K. since 1989 and on PBS and A&E in the U.S. The 2-disc Blu-ray sets and the 3-vol. DVD sets include all 20 mysteries from the first two series, now with SDH subtitles. Continue reading ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 1 and 2 (Blu-ray Review)’
February 8th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
It’s nearly Valentine’s Day, so what better way to rush into the holiday spirit than with the arrival of the A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas. The stoner comedy duo has returned for a third feature film, which had nowhere to go but up, following the pretty terrible sequel, ‘Escape from Guantanamo Bay’, and fortunately this film manages to do just that. Unfortunately, the move upwards is not that high. This third installment in the series is incredibly hit or miss and while enjoyable for a good portion of its duration, it’s incredibly forgettable as well. While still striving to be offensive in an adorable sort of way, the interesting way the first film handled racial subversion is nowhere to be seen here either. What’s left is a raunchy Christmas story that reunites two friends, with mostly mixed results. Read on to find out if this ‘Extra Dope Edition’ does the film any more yuletide justice. Continue reading ‘A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (Blu-ray Review)’
February 8th, 2012 by Blu-ray Brian
Ti West follows up his breakthrough hit with a haunted-house thriller that has unnerved viewers worldwide. The House of the Devil Director mixes old-school frights with modern panache in a gripping fright flick called The Innkeepers. Get ready! The flick is coming to scare you on Blu-ray and DVD this April 24th. Check out the trailer and the full press release below. FWIW, The Innkeepers is also available to watch right now on iTunes, Amazon and the PS3 Network. Enjoy! Continue reading ‘Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS Scares on Blu-ray & DVD on 4/24′
February 8th, 2012 by Kori Kemerer
Yes you read the headline right. Moments ago the following press release fell into my inbox and I couldn’t wait to get the confirmed word out to all our readers that are going to salivate over this HUGE news. Arnold Schwarzenegger will star opposite Sylvester Stallone in the action/thriller THE TOMB, which will be directed by Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström. Check out the below press release for everything else you need to know! Continue reading ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger Joins Sylvester Stallone in “The Tomb”’
February 8th, 2012 by Sean Ferguson
Everyone’s favorite chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, and their female companions, The Chipettes, have the time of their lives during a family vacation they’ll never forget in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, debuting on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on March 27 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. The Chipmunks, Chipettes and their caretaker Dave Seville (Jason Lee; “My Name is Earl”) embark on a trip of a lifetime aboard the Carnival Dream cruise ship. Seeking fun and excitement, the Chipmunks turn the luxury cruise liner into their own personal playground. But the ultimate vacation quickly becomes a disaster when the Chipmunks, Dave and Carnival cruise pelican mascot, who turns out to be the chipmunks’ old manager, Ian Hawke (David Cross; Megamind), accidentally fall overboard and find themselves ‘chipwrecked’ on a remote island. Stuck in an unfamiliar territory, the six furry castaways are separated from Dave and must figure out a way to survive on their own for the first time in their lives. Continue reading ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Arrives on Blu-ray March 27’
February 7th, 2012 by Gerard Iribe
Paramount Home Media Distribution invites you to revisit the halcyon days of high school in the ‘90s; a time filled with camaraderie, chaste dances and fervent study…AS IF. Instead, kick off your designer shoes and enjoy the whip-smart comedy of the contemporary classic CLUELESS when it debuts May 1, 2012 on Blu-ray. Written and directed by Amy Heckerling (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), CLUELESS stars Alicia Silverstone in a break-out performance as Cher, a beautiful and self-absorbed high school student who spends her days focused on assembling the ideal fashion ensemble, talking her way out of bad grades and searching for the perfect boyfriend. What Cher discovers is that popularity only gets you so far, looks can be deceiving and love is sometimes found where you least expect it. Whatever. Continue reading ‘‘Clueless’ on Blu-ray May 1st’
February 7th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
I am a fan of actor Ralph Fiennes. I enjoy stories involving Greek tragedies. And I tend to like films that reappropriate the works of Shakespeare in interesting ways. I found the concept of having Ralph Fiennes star in his directorial debut of the Shakespeare tragedy Coriolanus, which has been set in modern times, despite retaining the Shakespearean dialogue, to be an intriguing one. Fortunately, it paid off greatly for me and those who would be similarly interested in such a thing. While the modern setting makes way for some pretty stylish action sequences early on, the film is mainly a powerhouse of acting, with characters digging into the usage of iambic pentameter, and delivering fine work all around. Continue reading ‘Ralph Fiennes’ ‘Coriolanus’ + Modern Warfare’
February 7th, 2012 by Blu-ray Brian
We are back with yet another Blu-ray giveaway contest. This time around it’s courtesy of our good friends over at Anchor Bay Entertainment. When my favorite PR person there asked if we were interested in giving away some Blu-ray product to a few lucky U.S. readers, I didn’t have to think twice about it before delivering a resounding HELL YES! Thanks to her I have not one, but two copies of the African zombie horror title, The Dead, to give away here. Are you ready to find out how to enter? Of course you are! Read on for the full details and while you are at it, check out the film’s synopsis and trailer below. Continue reading ‘Blu-ray Giveaway for the African Zombie Movie THE DEAD’
February 6th, 2012 by Blu-ray Brian
I honestly have never heard of this film, but LOL…I would be all over a Carnage Blu-ray (as it relates to the Spider-Man universe). Okay. The time to be serious has officially begun…NOW! Alright, so digging into my inbox today I came across this latest press release from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. It says the following and I loosely quote. “Nominated for Two Golden Globe Awards, Carnage stars Academy Award winners Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and Academy Award Nominee John C. Reilly. It’s Roman Polansi’s adaptation of the Tony Award-Winning play and it’s available on Blu-ray and DVD March 20th.” Want to know more? Good! You’re in the right place. Check out the full press release below and pre-order your copy today! Continue reading ‘It’s Not Spider-Man, But ‘Carnage’ Makes Its Way To Blu-ray’
