Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 1st, 2019
When it comes to Body At Brighton Rock, there was an opportunity for this to be something pretty awesome. After all, when you think about it, only a few years ago The Revenant was showing just how great a film can be about surviving in the wilderness and how intense a bear attack can be. Well, to be fair, I don’t believe Body At Brighton Rock was aiming to be in the same ballpark of The Revenant, but as I was watching this, it was difficult to not think about what could have been. Really, the film is a simple little tale about a state park employee who gets lost in the woods and stumbles upon a dead body in the process. It’s a good start for the film, but sadly this turns into a bit of a snooze-fest despite some spurts of promise.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 1st, 2019
With a title like Hail Satan? you know your film is going to evoke a reaction. I’m not sure when doing a documentary you really want to polarize your audience, but when you also have DVD cover art of Baphomet, well, then you’re basically taking the ram (in this case) by the horns and just going for it. One of the core subjects the documentary is covering is about the freedom of expression in regards to having a Baphomet statue erected to stand next to a statue depicting the 10 commandments on government property. It’s a film that does its best to stay neutral when it comes to religious freedom but in the process becomes a bit problematic for both sides of the debate. This is one where it got a little frustrating to watch, but I was impressed by how entertained I was throughout it all.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 19th, 2019
Warner Brothers has done an impressive job when it comes to their live-action DC Universe television shows. Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow have been fun, entertaining experiences. Now with them starting up their own streaming service, they have upped the ante by releasing Titans. When I first heard about this one I wasn’t sure what to think, considering I wasn’t much of a fan of the animated series, but I’m so glad I came into this show with an open mind, because this show is jam-packed with coolness. Since this was made for a streaming service and not broadcast television, not only do we get superheroes dropping F-bombs, but we get some edgier storytelling along with some violent action you may not expect. Seriously, this one is not for the kids. The show introduces us to Dick Grayson, aka Robin ( Brenton Thwaites) a year after he has fled Gotham City and has moved to Detroit to become a detective. It doesn’t take long before we find out he’s made the move from being Batman’s sidekick because he’s started to develop a taste for dispensing violence and is worried about what he could become. Don’t worry; he’s still down for inflicting some vigilante justice, but we see it comes at a price over the course of the season.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 12th, 2019
Dolph Lundgren is one of those guys that I enjoy watching and can make a bad action movie worth watching. Even when he starred in Masters of the Universe, it wasn’t the He-Man I was used to, and it was a B-movie mess, but he pulled off playing the character. Many love the guy from his performance in Rocky IV, and for me I’m a fan of Universal Soldier, but he never quite reached the superstardom I feel he deserved. Thankfully, decades after his heyday on the big screen, he is still starring in films, though unfortunately a good portion of them are B-caliber action flicks that are simply not taking full advantage of the man’s awesomeness. Dead Trigger is the latest and the newest forgettable film to add to the actor’s catalog. From its opening moments where it seems to be riffing on Starship Troopers but with zombies, I was certainly hopeful that this could be a fun cinematic romp. While Lundgren does his best to deliver the goods, it’s everything that surrounds him in front of and behind the camera that seems to be working against him.
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 29th, 2019
The Conjuring franchise and its spin-offs have been a success at the box office since 2013. Now with the third Annabelle hitting the big screen, it’s time ask the question: is this the end for the franchise? We already know there is going to be a third Conjuring film coming out next year, but beyond that, I’m guessing the studio heads are watching to see how this film fares with the summer competition. I wasn’t a fan of the first Annabelle. The second one was better but still it seemed to pale in comparison to The Conjuring films, so to be honest, my expectations were not very high for this new installment. As it turns out, this ended up being my favorite of the spin-off movies, and I have no shame admitting how much fun I had with this one.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 26th, 2019
I think it’s safe to say that television has never been better. With so many channels and streaming services, everyone is trying to get viewers, and to do so they know the quality has to be at a certain level. The problem is, with so many options, there is no doubt that occasionally a gem is going to get past us. Patrick Melrose was almost that gem I could have missed if not for a last-minute switch at Upcomingdiscs headquarters. Despite how much quality entertainment is out there, I can say with full confidence that this is not just one of the best limited series of 2018, but this is easily one of the best in the past decade. It’s only five episodes long, but in those five episodes, from start to finish, it is exceptional television.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 21st, 2019
With the 50th anniversary of the murders committed by Charles Manson’s followers coming up in August, it’s no big surprise that we’re seeing films that focus on those events popping up on the big screen. Hollywood has always had a fascination with the crimes. After all, it involved a rising starlet, Sharon Tate, and director Roman Polanski was making a name for himself in the states after the success of Rosemary’s Baby. We all know what happened with Manson and his followers and the unfortunate fall Polanski took, despite managing to maintain a directing career long after the child rape accusations first percolated. It’s a tragic story all around, and it’s no surprise why it continues to fascinate people. Already there has been the film Charlie Says from Mary Harron (American Psycho), and next month we’ll be getting the long anticipated Once Upon a Time in Hollywood from Quentin Tarantino, whose film takes place around the time of the murders.
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 16th, 2019
It was the summer of 1997 when audiences were first introduced to the Men in Black. Will Smith was on the fast track to being a box office star, and Tommy Lee Jones, well, he’s always been awesome to watch on the screen, and he seemed to be having fun in this popcorn blockbuster. It was no surprise that the film became a hit. As for the sequels that followed, for me they just never could touch the fun energy that the first one had. I always loved the potential the first film had, as it gave us a world filled with an array of aliens and worlds the Men in Black could venture too, but instead the films that followed played it safe, and really, that’s a shame. Now over twenty years later and in the fourth installment, we get a soft reboot/sequel that gives us some fresh new faces and new aliens for them to pursue, but is it too little to late, or is this the jolt the franchise needed?
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 13th, 2019
“Something weird is going on.”
If you’re having a bit of zombie fatigue, you’re not alone. From movies to TV shows and video, we’ve had well over a decade of being blasted with the undead. Basically it’s the sub-genre that just won’t die. I love zombie movies, but I feel audiences could use a bit of a break from them for a little bit and let another monster indulge in the spotlight. With that being said, when a good one comes along, I’m still going to want to give it a try. Already this summer we have Black Summer on Netflix that is worth giving a binge, and now hitting the cinemas we have The Dead Don’t Die. Never in a million years would have guessed that writer and director Jim Jarmusch (Dead Man, Broken Flowers, Stranger Than Paradise) would ever tackle this kind of horror film, but it is a welcome surprise.
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 9th, 2019
When the first trailer of the Secret Life of Pets film came out I thought that the Illumination and Universal Pictures were onto something. I think every kid and even adult wonders at some point what their pets’ lives are like when they are not around. This was what I felt could have been the pet equivalent to the Toy Story franchise. As it would turn out, the first film started out strong, but for me it quickly fizzled into an absurd storyline. Kids seemed to like it, and really that’s all that mattered, but personally I felt there was enough strength in the material where we could have gotten something great. Now we have Secret Life of Pets 2. Does the film manage to pull off something great, or is this a big pile of stale kibble?
