Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on December 19th, 2018
One of the best films of 2018 was Beautiful Boy. Both Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet deliver absolutely stellar performances as a father and his addicted son. That story took us on a father's terrifying journey of dealing with his son's addiction and the toll it takes over a series of years. If you compress that experience down to a single frantic night, you get an idea of what you're in store for when you go to see Ben Is Back. It's another heart-wrenching story of the emotional toll that addiction has not only on the addict but the people who love the addict. It's a Christmas story, but it's not the kind of story that involves miracles and Santa. It's about love, but a tough love that only a parent of an addicted child will ever really know. But this film will take you close enough to the experience, perhaps closer than you will feel comfortable being. For most of us this is as close as we'll get...if we're very lucky.
Ben Burns (Hedges) takes a 24-hour leave from his rehab facility. He wants to visit his mother and family for the Christmas holiday. His mother Holly (Roberts) is glad to see her son, but you can tell immediately she has some concerns as she begins to move things around in her house. She's hiding any pills and any valuables that might be easy to convert into drugs. Her son is an addict, and while she attempts to be hopeful about his visit, she is concerned if it's really a good idea for him or the family. She agrees to let him stay for the night and celebrate Christmas. Holly now has a new husband, Neal (Vance), and they have two young children, so it's not to hard to understand her caution. Plus there is Ben's younger sister, Ivy (Newton). For Ben's part we believe that he's sincere, and he really is. He absolutely understands what his habit has cost him and his family, and he's making a concerted effort to change. He's reluctant to go to places like the attic where he used to stash drugs. He understands his own weakness and desperately avoids the things that might trigger his addiction or expose him to the temptation. Those are all good signs, and the family attempts to make the best of it with a bit of uneasy cheer that even they don't really believe.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 19th, 2018
"These young men and women are going on a long journey. One that goes around the globe and back to the foundations of our nation. Once you're in the Corps, you're in the Corps all your days on Earth."
Gene Hackman narrates an IMAX look into what it means to be a United States Marine. He's the perfect choice, and not because he has such a distinctive and authoritarian voice, but because he was also once a Marine. There's an element of pride in the narration that just can't be faked.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 19th, 2018
When Star Trek: Discovery was announced, I was quite happy to hear it. There had been a long gap since Star Trek had been on television, and I figured it was long past time to fly through the galaxy on a starship once again. The show finally aired after some real issues getting off the ground, and before I knew it I was back in a starship having a blast once again. Except it wasn't on Star Trek's Discovery I was having all of this fun. It was aboard Seth MacFarlane's Orville that the true spirit of Gene Roddenberry was exploring space once again. Who would have thunk it? Yes, The Orville is considered a comedy, and there are plenty of silly moments and ideas. But even with all of that spoof atmosphere, MacFarlane manages to capture the real spirit that Trek fans have come to feel for that franchise. Honestly, I'm not sure The Orville would have gotten through its first season if not for Alex Kurtzman destroying yet another beloved franchise. Trek fans turned to this show in droves out of frustration and desperation, and MacFarlane welcomed them aboard with a laugh and some alien adventures. It's a great example of that whole nature-abhors-a-vacuum thing. When Discovery went off the rails The Orville filled the void left behind. If you missed the first season, you can get them now on DVD from Fox.
I'm glad that Fox sent this first season to review. I think I was bound to make my way to the show at some point. It's not only that I try to catch this kind of series, but it was getting the kind of buzz I couldn't resist. When you do this kind of thing you get asked often for your opinion of anything you might have watched. People know how much I'm into Star Trek, so I was asked a lot what I thought of the new show. Just about every time I expressed my disappointment, I would hear "The Orville is so much better". It really has become a safe port for Trek fans. There's no way MacFarlane could have seen that coming, but he obviously figured it out along the way as the episodes became a little more serious and started to live in that social commentary place that Trek occupied for many decades. MacFarlane is a Trek fan. That much is obvious, but I do believe he started to hear the same things that I heard and found a way to solidify that support.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2018
"There's no such thing as luck, but I sure as hell believe in stupid."
We're a visual people, and so most of you will recognize Taylor Sheridan from his role as a chief of police in Sons of Anarchy when the controlled puppet regime had finally left the scene. It's not a remarkable role, and it's not a complete surprise that Sheridan found his calling more recently behind the camera. As a writer his first script did hit it out of the park. Sicario is an awesome film populated with compelling and interesting characters who thrived on a broken system. That theme appears to have stuck with him, because the first season of Yellowstone appears to take us back in time to the days of open frontiers and cattle barons who struggled to keep their land amid lawless communities and raiding parties of American Indians who were portrayed as savage beasts who kill women and children in the middle of the night to become to shadows of nightmares and the stories told to keep children in line. These themes are all there, but it takes place in a modern 2018 setting that does indeed make for an interesting new twist on an old idea. This is the dawning of the modern western where lands still stretch for miles and are still owned by a single family. It's Bonanza in the 21st century, and Kevin Costner thought enough of the idea to star in this television drama series for The Paramount Network.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2018
"My name is Dylan Reinhart. Not long ago, I was an operative in the CIA known as Agent Reinhart. When I left the Agency and started teaching, I became Professor Reinhart. I wrote a book about abnormal behavior and criminals which was so successful a serial killer used it as clues for his murders. That's when the NYPD reached out to me to help catch him, which I did. So they hired me and I became consultant Reinhart. So now I'm working with this woman, Detective Lizzie Needham of the homicide division, catching killers. Looks like I need a new name...Professor Psychopath."
If this is all sounding a little bit familiar, it should be. ABC did the idea with great success in Castle starring Nathan Fillion. This time many of the folks behind The Good Wife have gotten together for their own version of the idea starring Alan Cumming, and the result isn't near as charming, but it has its moments. You'll get a chance to check them out at home, because CBS has released the first 13-episode season on DVD.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 17th, 2018
"Let me know when the governor gets here."
Well, he's in the house, and I'm going to get a lot of razzing for this review of Last Action Hero. The person who thought I should see a shrink for looking forward to the next Saw film is going to be calling for my outright commitment to an institution dedicated to covering walls with nice padding so we won't hurt ourselves. I know this film is generally considered "bad" by critics and moviegoers alike. It swept the Razzies in 1993 and has since been only the kind of film 10-year-olds would really like to see. Me, I've always simply loved this film. From the first time I saw it at the box office, I was hooked. It was one of the first new laserdiscs I bought back in the day, and I watched the heck out of that disc. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I love this movie.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on December 14th, 2018
Our buddies over at Walt Disney Home Entertainment Studios have put together a virtual jamboree of some of their coolest characters from Disney Junior. It's all in one place. Disney Junior Holiday delivers six 22 minute episodes from some of the most famous Disney Junior shows. You get Vampirina, Puppy Dog Pals, Mickey And The Roadster Racers and Mickey Mouse Club. They're sending over 2 copies of this fun gathering of characters on DVD to give away to a couple loyal Upcomingdiscs fans. There's even a few bonus shorts featuring Chip "n" Dale, and Minnie's Bow - Toons. And it's all going out to two lucky winners. Y because we love you!
Follow these directions to enter to win:
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on December 13th, 2018
Our friends over at Film Movement have been bringing you some diverse and interesting films over the years. We have certainly told you about many during that time. Now they have launched a new way to deliver these films directly to their fans. Yes, this site is called Upcomingdiscs, and we generally deal with home video releases that you pop into your trusty player and enjoy. Film Movement has been a part of those DVD releases. But we don't just limit ourselves to discs. We bring you the latest films direct from the local multi-plex and even talk about some of the equipment to make your experience the best it can be. We don't often talk about streaming services, because they are generally bringing you the same kind of mass-consumption content. Let me introduce you to Film Movement Plus. These aren't the kinds of things you're likely to find anywhere else. With a library of 250 critically acclaimed independent films, they are growing with each month.
To help celebrate this new service, they have generously offered us some free subscriptions to give away while we spotlight some of the best as they are introduced to the members of Film Movement Plus. With each announcement we're going to give away a few of those free subscriptions to help you get started.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on December 13th, 2018
In one corner you have U.S Attorney Chuck "The Scholar" Rhodes, played by Paul Giamatti. He's the reigning world champion with a record of 80+ to 0. In the other corner is Bobby "Axe" Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis; he could also be considered undefeated. He runs a sexy brokerage firm. Both of these guys walk and talk like champs. There's a lot of trash-talk between them, but both have very lurid and potentially devastating skeletons in their perspective closets. But what happens when both find themselves in deep trouble? That's the question as Billions heads into Season 3, where you'll get all 12 episodes on four discs with very minimal extras.
The strength of two very strong performances immerses us in each of these worlds to a point that we discover something none of these players know, or at least would be willing to admit. They are very much the same, and the culture of their careers is more alike than not. Both are willing to bend a rule for "the common good", and both believe themselves to be the heroes of their own stories. And that's where the writing and acting come together for a nice perfect storm. Both characters are heroes to the people around them. They've developed almost cult followings. Both are admirable people. Of course, the opposite is just as true. These guys can both play the anti-hero with the best of them. There is both great good and great evil in both. If that sounds complicated here, just imagine how hard it would be to actually pull off.
Posted in: Holiday Gift Guides by Gino Sassani on November 30th, 2018
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.
Universal has released a strong slate on both Blu-ray and 4K this year. The Universal Monster films is a particularly nice gift for a fan to find under their tree. Here's more on that Blu-ray set and some 4K titles from Universal.
