Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on July 2nd, 2014
In a summer that has been taken over by giant lizards and robots, it is a little odd to find a little sweet film like Begin Again playing on the screen and competing with the heavy hitters of summer. From the writer/director of indie smash Once we get a film that isn’t just about musicians trying to make their big break, but instead it’s about the heart and pain that goes into the creation we later hear and become fans of. When we first meet Greta (Keira Knightly) she is nursing some heartbreak in a bar, and her friend drags her up on stage to perform her new song.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 29th, 2014
When I read on IMDB that this was meant to be a horror comedy, I have to admit I breathed a sigh of relief. After watching Ghost of Goodnight Lane I just simply was left wondering if the laughs were intended or if this was a film that just was delivered so poorly that you just couldn’t help but laugh at it. Having seen now that the film was intended for laughs, I’m still not so sure it’s helps the film any. Though it has a solid story and a decent cast, the execution just falls flat.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 25th, 2014
When the first Wolf Creek was released it was one of those films that had a lot of hype around it, and when I got around to watching it, I dug it. It’s one of those films where the more I’ve watched it the more I’ve gotten to appreciate it, not just for its gore, but the film has a solid story, and I appreciated that the film at no time allows you to get too comfortable. At any moment a character could be brutally murdered. It’s the character of Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) who could equally make me smile with his crude outback charm or make me squirm with uneasiness the moment his hands took hold of a weapon.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 24th, 2014
It’s hard to believe it was way back in 2001 when Joy Ride was first released. You can lump me in with the crowd that didn’t expect there to be a sequel, much less a third entry into this series. The second Joy Ride I seemed to have missed altogether, so when I was given Joy Ride 3, I have to admit I was a little hesitant about checking this film out. Now that I have checked out the Blu-ray and all its extras, all I can think is that I had a good time with this film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 24th, 2014
It’s that time of the year again to dust off the old hunting rifle and shake out the camouflage suits, because Duck Commander is back in action. Duck Dynasty comes to Blu-ray on its fifth season, and though I was a little underwhelmed with the previous season, this new release brings the show back to the backwoods charm that gained my appreciation from the start. Yes, I still have a hard time calling this a reality series, since just about every episode and sequence seems more scripted than most hour-long dramas, but the characters are so likeable and goofy that a lot can be forgiven.
Posted in: The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 20th, 2014
"You should never stop thinking about a life you’ve taken. That’s the price you pay for taking it."
In 2010 David Michod directed his first full-length feature Animal Kingdom. It was a critical success, and he went on to pick up a Best Director award with the Australian Directors’ Guild. Now Michod has completed his sophomore effort, The Rover, which does explore some familiar ground with criminal families, but the film takes a more introspective approach to life and what matters most in the world when you believe you have nothing left to lose.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 18th, 2014
As we get even closer to the release of Michael Bay’s next foray into the Transformers universe with Transformers:Age of Extinction, Shout factory releases yet another series to help whet our appetites. As a kid growing up in the 80’s it was impossible to exist without knowing who Optimus Prime was or being able to hum (if not sing) the theme song to the cartoon. But since the release of the original cartoon there have been so many spinoffs it’s hard to keep them all straight. In 2007 Cartoon Network and Hasbro Studios set out to capture the imaginations of a younger audience following the success of the movies. How does the series stack up to the 80’s classic?
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 17th, 2014
First I just have to say that the cover art design for this film is one of the best looking covers I’ve seen in a long time. The fact that they actually took the effort to get an artist to design their cover is simply the first step in sucking the viewer into this 80’s sci-fi/ horror realm. Looking at this cover simply reminded me of the days working in a mom-and-pop video store when most of the horror titles were not just a collage of pictures thrown together in Photoshop, but instead an artist would be assigned and create these beautiful and amazing covers.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 17th, 2014
Of the cartoons that are on air, it’s no contest in choosing what is my favorite show. Regular Show just strikes a chord with me and reminds me of the antics of Ren and Stimpy back in the 90’s. Sure, the show airs on Cartoon Network and kids could watch it, but the show seems more aimed at a teenage audience or at least the parents who are trying to find something to watch with their children. Here at Upcoming Discs, when we get a series to review this usually entails a lot of binge-watching
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 13th, 2014
Revenge films are simply one of those guilty pleasures that seem to always be in the pipeline for being released, whether it’s on the big screen or straight to DVD. They are the kind of films that allow us to escape into the anti-hero’s frame of mind and go along on their journey of vigilantism. Perhaps we may not have encountered the same circumstances of characters avenging slain family members (The Outlaw Josey Wales, Death Wish) or violent sexual assaults (Ms. 45 and Make Them Die Slowly) each film gives us the chance to remove ourselves from reality and politically correct convictions and root for these characters
