Archive Page 558
July 16th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
So finally, after a decade’s worth of film, we have now reached the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise (minus potential spin-offs or whatever). This is a pretty major event as far as large film series go. Never has a major motion picture series managed to maintain all of the key actors for every major role as well as maintain a consistent level of quality all the way through. While some of the films are better than others, this is a rare feat to have seen be accomplished. Now, with the series finally coming to a close, one can only hope to relish in how aptly this film series manages to wrap itself up. This is certainly one of the best made films of the franchise, when accounting for several aspects such as the look of the film, the use of special effects, the acting, and for the most part, the film’s narrative drive to the finish. Continue reading ‘‘Harry Potter’ 8: Live and Let Die’
July 15th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
In anticipation of Comic-Con International: San Diego 2011, IDW Publishing today announced H.P. LOVECRAFT’S THE DUNWICH HORROR, a comic series with a modern take on Lovecraft’s timeless short story of terror The Dunwich Horror. Starting in October, author Joe R. Lansdale and artist Peter Bergting bring to the 21st century audience classic horrors that influenced many prominent authors, most notably Stephen King, who cites Lovecraft as the largest influence on his own writing. “It’s flattering to be working on a Lovecraft project, one of the most influential horror writers of all time,” said Lansdale, a seven-time Bram Stoker Award winner. Continue reading ‘IDW Announces H.P. Lovecraft Adaptation Comic Series’
July 15th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Adding to the growing excitement for San Diego Comic-Con, IDW Publishing today announced MONOCYTE, an all-new four-issue comic series launching in October. Written by breakthrough artist menton3 with Kasra Ghanbari, with art and covers by menton3 (Zombies vs Robots Aventure, Silent Hill: Past Life), MONOCYTE brings readers to a scarred world where time has no meaning, ruled by two warring immortal races. “I had the wonderful opportunity to work with menton3 on IDW’s Silent Hill: Past Life miniseries,” said IDW senior staff writer and editor, Tom Waltz. “His work on that book was phenomenal and I knew all along he was destined to be a mega-star in this industry. MONOCYTE proves I was right!” Continue reading ‘Immortality Takes a Dark Turn in IDW’s ‘MONOCYTE’’
July 15th, 2011 by Brianna Reagh
Ten years ago, it was easy to be skeptical of the Harry Potter movie franchise. The prepubescent leading characters were completely new to the world of filming despite being amongst some of the UK’s greatest actors and actresses like Alan Rickman, Jason Isaacs, and Maggie Smith. Not only were they wet behind the ears but sadly, how could one expect this large group of very young actors to imbue the strong characters they would need to become? There were even some that considered the franchise “easy money” – expecting effortless blockbusters given the books’ world-wide phenomena. Continue reading ‘So Long, Harry Potter’
July 14th, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
The Walt Disney Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Films are proud to present the #1 worldwide box office success of 2011 – making over $1 billion globally – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, in stunning high definition Blu-ray, eye popping Blu-ray 3D (a first for the legendary franchise) and Movie Download on October 18, 2011.
Continue reading ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Sails on to Blu-ray Oct. 18th!’
July 14th, 2011 by Blu-ray Brian
If someone asked me today what I’m looking forward to the most next week at Comic-Con 2011 in beautiful sunny San Diego, I would honestly have to say it was CHILLERAMA. What is CHILLERAMA you ask? CHILLERAMA is whatever you make of it. For me, it’s another chance to get a look at the work of one of my favorites, Adam Green, as well as director efforts from Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan. It’s basically the ultimate drive-in entertainment at this year’s Comic-Con, however, it’s so much more for me and horror fans alike. Stay tuned here next week for exciting coverage of CHILLERAMA and an exclusive interview I will be conducting with directors Adam Green and Joe Lynch. I cannot wait! In the meantime, check out the cool artwork and press release below that was sent to me. See you all in San Diego! Continue reading ‘Comic-Con 2011: CHILLERAMA Poster Art!’
July 14th, 2011 by Jami Ferguson
I was recently disappointed in Nicolas Cage after viewing Drive Angry. That combined with a growing history of dissatisfying films like Ghost Rider made me think that Nicolas Cage just doesn’t turn down movie roles anymore. This makes me sad to say because I’ve been a fan of Cage for a long time. When I received Season of the Witch I was hoping to be blown away, and that it would be so good that I would owe Nicolas Cage an apology for doubting him. After all, I am one of the few people that enjoyed The Wicker Man, so I’m always hopeful that his movies may turn out to be good. Was this another disappointment, or was this movie actually good? Read on to find out… Continue reading ‘Season of the Witch (Blu-ray Review)’
July 13th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
There are a lot of revenge films that currently exist out there. While I am always up for a sweet revenge tale, it does excite me much more when it is a film coming out of South Korea. Over the course of the past decade, South Korea has continued to prove to me that some of the best, stylish, and most ambitious films are coming out of that area. Now I have gotten a chance to see one of the latest treats from South Korea, I Saw the Devil, which is a wonderfully bloody, but stylized, revenge film. This is a film that warps the idea of a cat-and-mouse thriller and benefits heavily based on the way this film handles familiar aspects of this sub-genre. Continue reading ‘I Saw The Devil (Blu-Ray Review)’
July 13th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Lionsgate and the filmmakers of Nurse 3D are pleased to announce that Paz De La Huerta (“Boardwalk Empire,” ENTER THE VOID) will star in the film as Abby Russell, a beautiful, dedicated nurse with a sinister side, and a secret life’s work in which she targets and punishes dishonest men. De La Huerta is represented by Untitled Entertainment and Don Buchwald and Associates. The studio today debuted gripping pre-production concept art of Paz De La Huerta in character as Abby. Shot by Lionsgate’s Chief Marketing Officer Tim Palen, it will serve as a style guide and character inspiration for all stages of filmmaking. The story was originally inspired by previous photography of horror tastemaker Palen, who explored the intersection of caretaking and punishment in an ongoing series of fine art photographs of beautiful, fantastical nurses used by the studio. *VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED* Continue reading ‘Paz De La Huerta To Star In The Psycho-Sexual 3D Thriller ‘NURSE 3D’’
July 13th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Hot of the heels of a successful tour with Queen, and then a solo venture of his own, Paul Rodgers has returned for a much anticipated reunion with his band mates that form Bad Company, aka Bad Co. This Blu-ray is Bad Co: Live at Wembley which is pretty much “the coming home” show. The Blu-ray features an eclectic set of all their greatest hits, mixed in with familiar tunes, rarely played songs, and fan favorites. Eagle Rock has come through with another rock ‘n roll Blu-ray for classic rock fans. How will this Blu-ray measure up to their previous releases? Let’s get to the review, because it’s going to go off at Wembley Stadium! Continue reading ‘Bad Company: Live at Wembley (Blu-ray Review)’
July 13th, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
Featuring three all-new, star-studded movies starring David Suchet, Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Movie Collection, Set 6 debuts on DVD and Blu-ray from Acorn Media on July 12, 2011. The DVD release includes all three lavishly produced mysteries premiering on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery! on June 19, June 26, and July 3. ITV Studios’ Poirot has aired on ITV1 in the U.K. since 1989 and on PBS and A&E in the U.S. BAFTA nominee David Suchet returns as Hercule Poirot—Agatha Christie’s elegant Belgian sleuth of unsurpassed deductive powers and peerless viewer appeal— in three baffling new cases based on her classic novels. Continue reading ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot Movie Collection Set 6 (Blu-ray Review)’
July 12th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
The gruesome twosome in the horror world known as director James Wan (Saw, Death Sentence, Dead Silence) and writer Leigh Whannel (Saw, Dead Silence) have come back to wreak havoc with their latest horror film Insidious. On this journey into darkness fans will have to bite their tongues, because Insidious is a PG-13 venture. Yeah, I was bummed out to. How will the film turn out some would ask? How can the guys who created bear traps for the face and bloody killer puppets get on with a PG-13 film? A bloodless PG-13 horror film. I guess to quote George Michael, “you gotta have faith.” That will also be the first and last time I will be quoting George Michael. With that out of the way please sit back and get ready to enter this house of horrors known as Insidious, on Blu-ray…watch your step. Continue reading ‘Insidious (Blu-ray Review)’
July 12th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
From Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures comes a unique and compelling twist on the Super Hero genre with the out-of-this-world warrior THOR, debuting on high definition Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD September 13, 2011. Called “spectacular” (USA Today), “thrilling, entertaining and cool” (Ain’t It Cool News) the phenomenal screen debut of the legendary God of Thunder took audiences by storm, earning more than $440 million at the global box office. When the arrogant god is banished to Earth from his home world, Asgard, and then pursued by the darkest forces of Asgard, he must learn what it takes to become a true hero in this exhilarating story that “delivers epic fireworks” (Rolling Stone). Continue reading ‘THOR, The God of Thunder, reigns on Blu-ray September 13th’
July 11th, 2011 by Gerard Iribe
Lionsgate is proud to announce major updates to the September 27th Blu-ray Disc release of Mimic, now to be released as Mimic: The Director’s Cut, including newly restored footage, a sound upgrade and the addition of another featurette to the list of never-before seen special features from director/co-writer Guillermo Del Toro. Audiences will experience High Definition thrills as Lionsgate debuts Guillermo Del Toro’s never-before-seen director’s cut of Mimic, available for the very first time anywhere, on 1080P High Definition Blu-ray Disc. This all new cut of the film, featuring seven minutes of restored footage, introduces subtle character moments that transform Mimic into a film that Del Toro fans and newcomers alike will embrace as the definitive version. Continue reading ‘Mimic: The Director’s Cut on Blu-ray September 27th’
July 11th, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
In Damnation Alley the world is devastated by a nuclear holocaust, causing the Earth to tilt on its axis and bringing vast meteorological chaos. As the weather stabilizes, mutated insects start to emerge, preying on the survivors. The surviving crew at a U.S. Air Force bomb shelter in the Mojave Desert picks up radio signals coming from Albany. The commander, Major Eugene Denton (George Peppard, The A-Team), unveils two armored vehicles he has constructed and announces a plan to cross “Damnation Alley,” the hundred-mile-wide strip between areas of radiation hazard, to join the survivors. They set off, taking on two civilians — a novice singer they find in the ruins of Las Vegas and a wild teenager (Jackie Earle Haley, Watchmen) — along the way. The journey is also beset by giant mutated cockroaches, storms and crazed survivalists, making for some hair-raising escapes in this post-apocalyptic thriller. Originally released in theaters in 1977 from 20th Century Fox, Damnation Alley has been out-of-print on VHS for several years, so I’m sure many are anticipating its debut on DVD and Blu-ray. Continue reading ‘Damnation Alley (Blu-ray Review)’
July 10th, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
A long time ago, in a former lumber yard far far away (actually 1980 in Venice, Calif.), Roger Corman gathered together a fledgling team of filmmakers to make one of the best low-budget science fiction films of all time, Battle Beyond the Stars, a space opera that managed to playfully borrow from Star Wars and The Magnificent Seven, to come up with an enduring cult classic. Long out of print, Battle Beyond the Stars has been meticulously restored with a new anamorphic widescreen transfer (1.85:1) from the internegative, boasting a new 5.1 DTS Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray, and featuring a galaxy of extras, including commentary by writer John Sayles and Roger Corman; a new interview with actor Richard Thomas; a behind-the-scenes technical featurette and much more. Continue reading ‘Battle Beyond the Stars (Blu-ray Review)’
July 9th, 2011 by Sean Ferguson
Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s Emmy Award-winning Robot Chicken and Adult Swim bring the third and final episode in the beloved Annie Award-winning Robot Chicken: Star Wars series to DVD, and for the first time, Blu-ray Disc, with the release of Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III. A must-own for fans of Star Wars, humor and all things awesome, the DVD is bursting with over three hours of bonus material including an special appearance by the man himself, Mr. George Lucas, and two features exclusive to the Blu-ray release.
Continue reading ‘Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (Blu-ray Review)’
July 9th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
There are a lot of very good past and present actor/director teams and actor/actor teams. While it is easy to acknowledge examples such as Scorsese and De Niro or Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, more obscure ones, such as Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg are equally great pairings. The subject of this review, The Trip, is very obscure (at least for American audiences), as it reteams director Michael Winterbottom with actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. The three have previously worked together on two very good films, 24 Hour Party People and Tristam Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story. Their latest collaboration, The Trip serves as a humorous, and at times hilarious, look at two actors playing exaggerated versions of themselves as they go on a road trip through North England, acting as the perfect foils for each other. Continue reading ‘Rob And Steve Have A Lot Of Fun On ‘The Trip’’
So finally, after a decade’s worth of film, we have now reached the end of the Harry Potter movie franchise (minus potential spin-offs or whatever). This is a pretty major event as far as large film series go. Never has a major motion picture series managed to maintain all of the key actors for every major role as well as maintain a consistent level of quality all the way through. While some of the films are better than others, this is a rare feat to have seen be accomplished. Now, with the series finally coming to a close, one can only hope to relish in how aptly this film series manages to wrap itself up. This is certainly one of the best made films of the franchise, when accounting for several aspects such as the look of the film, the use of special effects, the acting, and for the most part, the film’s narrative drive to the finish. Continue reading ‘‘Harry Potter’ 8: Live and Let Die’
