Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2021
"In February 2021 Eric Clapton's live shows at The Royal Albert Hall are cancelled due to the global pandemic. Determined to play, he brings his band together in the English countryside. In the absence of a live audience, he decides to record the performances. This film is the culmination of their sessions together."
You've heard the old expression that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. That's what Eric Clapton did when he was unable to give a few concerts he was ready to do. If you're a performer, you know what it's like to get all ready to go. There's just no letting off that energy any other way than to do what you came here to do.
Posted in: Holiday Gift Guides by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2021
I think I see your problem. You have this list. It’s a list of people you need/want to buy a Christmas gift for. The trouble is that they’re into home theatre, and you don’t know Star Trek from Star Wars. You couldn’t tell a Wolf Man from a Wolverine. And you always thought that Paranormal Activity was something too kinky to talk about. Fortunately, Upcomingdiscs has come to the rescue every Christmas with our Gift Guide Spotlights. Keep checking back to see more recommendations for your holiday shopping. These gift guides ARE NOT paid advertisements. We take no money to publish them. With conditions as they are, shopping won't be easy this season. The nice thing about discs is that they're so easy to get from places like Amazon that you can give a great gift and stay perfectly safe while you do it. Now we present a couple of goodies from CBS Home Entertainment
Posted in: Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on December 16th, 2021
I think I see your problem. You have this list. It’s a list of people you need/want to buy a Christmas gift for. The trouble is that they’re into home theatre, and you don’t know Star Trek from Star Wars. You couldn’t tell a Wolf Man from a Wolverine. And you always thought that Paranormal Activity was something too kinky to talk about. Fortunately, Upcomingdiscs has come to the rescue every Christmas with our Gift Guide Spotlights. Keep checking back to see more recommendations for your holiday shopping. These gift guides ARE NOT paid advertisements. We take no money to publish them. With conditions as they are, shopping won't be easy this season. The nice thing about discs is that they're so easy to get from places like Amazon that you can give a great gift and stay perfectly safe while you do it. Warner Brothers release of The Mad Max Anthology
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 16th, 2021
"That was a long time ago, wasn't it?"
Everyone has one. There is that shirt in your closet. Or maybe it's a pair of pants, socks, or even shoes. Whatever it is, it should have been thrown out decades ago. There could be holes, and it's certainly so threadbare that you could do the New York Times crossword through the fabric. It's not practical, if it ever even was. If it were any other piece of clothing, you'd be embarrassed to be wearing it. But the dang thing is so comfortable. It's soft against your skin, or maybe it brings back one of your favorite memories. Whatever the reason, you love that thing, and you wish you could wear it all the time. That's exactly how some of us feel about Clint Eastwood.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on December 10th, 2021
You could say that West Side Story goes back to 1957 with the iconic collaboration of composer Leonard Bernstein and the very recently deceased lyricist Stephen Sondheim. But that isn't exactly true. The play was a modern retelling of William Shakespeare's equally iconic Romeo And Juliet. Instead of Capulets and Montagues, we have street gangs from 1950's New York City. All of the beats are there and then some. The legendary Robert Wise adapted the play as a film in 1961, which has deservedly gone on to classic status. And there it all sits for 60 years outside of the expected revivals and local productions of the work. Along comes Steven Spielberg who wanted to create a film as homage to his father.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on December 9th, 2021
RLJE Films has just released their lycanthrope horror/comedy Werewolves Within on Dec 7th. It's a rather unique take on the often tired werewolf story. I had the chance to talk to the film's director, Josh Ruben. Josh took time out of his busy holiday schedule to talk about the film. I found his insights rather interesting, and I think you might agree. You won't need a wiretap warrant to eavesdrop on the call. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Josh Ruben.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on November 26th, 2021
"It was a name that sounded so sweet ... Synonymous with wealth, style, power. But that name was a curse, too."
If you've ever seen me show up for a movie screening in my sweats and t -shirt, you will know instantly that I'm not going to ever be confused with a person of high fashion. I dress for comfort, and accessorizing usually means I've got shoes and socks on. The jargon of the industry is Greek to me, and I guess sometimes it really is. I've certainly heard of Gucci, but the extent of that knowledge is along the lines of those famous patterned bags that they sell on the street downtown for $20 with no questions asked. Of course those bags often appear to have misspelled the name, so I know a few folks walking around with a Gutchi on their arm and a Rolax on their wrist. I'm guessing that's not exactly dressed for fashion. Ridley Scott rides to the rescue. I still can't tell the bags apart, but I now know a little bit about the famous family that those guys are ripping off.
Posted in: Holiday Gift Guides by Gino Sassani on November 26th, 2021
I think I see your problem. You have this list. It’s a list of people you need/want to buy a Christmas gift for. The trouble is that they’re into home theater, and you don’t know Star Trek from Star Wars. You couldn’t tell a Wolf Man from a Wolverine. And you always thought that Paranormal Activity was something too kinky to talk about. Fortunately, Upcomingdiscs has come to the rescue every Christmas with our Gift Guide Spotlights. Keep checking back to see more recommendations for your holiday shopping. These gift guides ARE NOT paid advertisements. We take no money to publish them. With conditions as they are, shopping won't be easy this season. The nice thing about discs is that they're so easy to get from places like Amazon that you can give a great gift and stay perfectly safe while you do it. First up it's Warner Brothers with what I consider the best home theater gift of the season. The Middle Earth Ultimate Collector's Edition.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 25th, 2021
"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"
Another holiday season and another release of the classic It's A Wonderful Life. This edition looks like a storybook case and has both the restored black & white version as well as the recent colorized versions of the films. If you have one of the UHD 4K collections, you pretty much have the definitive version of the film, and the audio and visual aren't likely to get any better than that. But there are many of you out there who have not made the switch to UHD. This is likely going to be that best ever release for you. You get two versions of the film in an attractive and safe case.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 25th, 2021
"We are the only people who are capable of handling time-traveling aliens."
Of course, that can only mean The D.C. Legends Of Tomorrow. This is the sleeper of the entire Arrowverse. It's never really been one of the higher-rated shows, but it has a strong cult audience and has survived more than one season on the proverbial bubble and has beaten back a pandemic and outlasted such better shows as Arrow and Supergirl. I always enjoy it, but I do find it the hardest show to completely follow. It will delve into the silly and the absolutely crazy, and it's pretty much jumping sharks on a weekly basis. It doesn't help that every year sees a huge shakeup of the cast, and this season was no exception.
