Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 12th, 2018
MacGyver (v) to act in an extremely resourceful manner. To utilize everyday items in unconventional ways to achieve a difficult task. I predict it will not be long before you can open your trusty copy of Webster’s and find this character has officially entered our lexicon. There is little doubt but that it is an unofficial part of it now. Crossing over from the realm of pop culture and into our language is a phenomenal achievement for a television show.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 12th, 2018
"We are the protectors of the innocent. We are The Charmed Ones."
It's no coincidence that both the original shows of Charmed and MacGyver are starting to be released on the Blu-ray format. Both shows have been rebooted for television, and that means they're counting on fans of the original to become the foundation for a new base of fans. The best way to do that is to remind you why it is that you loved the shows in the first place. The best way to remind you is to dangle a little bait. That bait is the release of both shows on Blu-ray starting with their first seasons. Will it last? I don't know.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 11th, 2018
Bigger is not always better, and more is not always better. If the holiday season release of Dr. Seuss's The Grinch is a testament to anything, it is that those two ideas are absolutely true. The Grinch has everything that the 1966 How The Grinch Stole Christmas could never hoped to have had. The film delivers on some of the best computer-generated animation that Hollywood studio money can buy. It had a $75 million budget. It will get a wide release with millions of more dollars put into a global marketing campaign. And it will make a ton of money. After all, the Grinch is the modern age Scrooge from Dickens' classic story. These are the kind of stories that are timeless and popular. Still, the one thing this film doesn't have over the 1966 television short is that it's heart is two sizes too small.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 8th, 2018
"If anyone wants to clap, now is the time to do it."
If he were alive today, A.A. Milne would likely find a reason to smile these days. Perhaps he is. Winnie the Pooh has made quite a bit of a comeback in recent years. Last year we saw the impact the creation had on his son, the real Christopher Robin, in the sentimental Goodbye, Christopher Robin. This year Disney continues its recent trend of bringing many of its classical animated features back for live-action remakes using the wonderful world of computer-generated f/x and motion capture performances. The recent Jungle Book release was a wonder to behold and one of the best films of that year. This year it's the world of Winnie the Pooh, and to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, Disney releases Christopher Robin, and you're not going to want to miss it. All of your favorite characters from both the classic books and the Disney cartoons are back, and it couldn't have been a moment too soon.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on November 1st, 2018
"Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?"
I think even Queen's biggest fans might have trouble distinguishing between the two in the Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. And that's absolutely okay. If you look at the film's trailers, the movie looks less like a bio-film and more like a celebration, and that's exactly the kind of experience you're going to have from beginning to end. I'm sure that a lot of film and Queen fans shared more than a little skepticism over the project. I know that I certainly did. But all of that magically disappeared when the first trailer hit the internet and we all watched in amazement as actor Rami Malek appears to be channeling the manic spirit of Queen front man Freddie Mercury down to the smallest of detail.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 31st, 2018
"It's alive!"
After nearly 90 years the Universal Horror cycle stands as one of the most enduring collection of horror movies today. Their influence on modern horror is unmistakable. There have been literally thousands of incarnations of Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster, but the first image that comes to your mind will always be the nightmare creations of those Universal films. Studio head Carl Laemmle, Jr. was trying to break away from his father's control and create a studio culture of his own. The results would start in 1931 when an unknown Hungarian actor named Bela Lugosi jumped from the stage to the screen in Dracula directed by Tod Browning. Laemmle's niece, Carla Laemmle, is the girl in the coach headed for Borgo Pass as the film opens to the musical strains from Swan Lake.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 31st, 2018
The Matrix (1999) was a landmark film in the Sci-Fi genre. While its box office intake was dwarfed by Episode 1, it was The Matrix that had people talking. Andy and Larry Wachowski’s story of a post-apocalyptic world where humans serve as biological generators of energy for the machines that rule the planet challenged people’s perceptions of what reality was. Computer hacker extraordinaire Neo (Reeves) has this gut feeling that life isn’t all that it seems to be. Turns out he’s right in a big way. A group of revolutionaries led by the thought-to-be-mythical Morpheus (Fishburne) open his eyes to the Matrix.
Posted in: Super Round Up by Gino Sassani on October 30th, 2018
Howdy, Partners. Johnny's working down at the bunkhouse today, so here I am to let you know what might be causing a stampede down at your video store. We're heading into the final hours of our 31 Nights Of Terror and it's been a howling good time here on the Upcomingdiscs ranch. Here's a couple of titles you should look for this week at Upcomingdiscs. Warner Brothers has chosen The Matrix Trilogy for the UHD/4K treatment this week. RLJE Films sends Nicholis Cage to the Devil in Mandy out on Blu-ray. Shout Factory wants just the facts in the feature film version of Jack Webb's Dragnet on Blu-ray with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroid. In theaters this weekend get caught up in the landslide with the Queen/Freddie Mercury Bio-pic Bohemian Rhapsody from 20th Century Fox. If you're feeling like a little Italian, we'll be reviewing the new version of Dario Agento's spaghetti nightmare classic Suspiria from Amazon Studios.
And, Partners, don't forget. If you'll be making that video withdrawal from Amazon, lasso yourself one of our many links to get there. It helps keep us going here on the Upcomingdiscs ranch. Until next week, share some light with someone this week... television light, that is.
Posted in: News and Opinions by Gino Sassani on October 29th, 2018
You can buy blockbuster films on disc from almost anywhere these days. But if you're looking for classic and vintage stuff, it gets a little bit harder. If you're looking for obscure or foreign horror and science fiction titles, it can get near impossible. I say near impossible because there's a place online that is staffed by the same kind of film fans that we are. They have the largest supply of niche films I've ever encountered, and they've supplied our staff at Upcomingdiscs many times with that special hard-to-get title. I often get emails asking me where to find some unknown title. I always give the same answer. If you can't find it at Diabolik DVD, I don't like your chances finding it anywhere. Help out some folks who are there to help us out. Put them to the test. Tell them Gino sent ya. You can click on the graphic ad to your right, or just bang it here to check out our friends at Diabolik DVD.
Posted in: Release Announcements by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2018
We usually reserve our gift guides for the Christmas shopping season but we have a couple of folks we want to bring to your attention during haunting season. The first of these is Mill Creek Entertainment. The folks over at Mill Creek Entertainment specialize in bringing classic television and films back to life for your home theatre. You'll find plenty of classic films and shows on DVD and even Blu-ray. We'll be talking about that closer to Christmas. They also have a few sweet horror titles for you to check out. This is not a paid advertisement.
Strait Jacket & Berserk Double Feature: (Blu-ray)
We're giving a copy of this one away as part of 31 Nights Of Terror. It's a double dose of Joan Crawford in a couple of twisted mother and daughter films. Strait-Jacket comes straight from William Castle and both films were inspired by Hitchcock's famous Psycho. So if you want your Mommie Dearest with a side of chills this is the double feature for you
