Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on January 9th, 2017
And the Ultimate Legacy makes three, marking the third installment in what will undoubtedly become known as the "Ultimate" series. Please don't misunderstand my meaning; I say that as a good thing. Granted, before I watched the film I would have likely said that sardonically, but I must admit to being genuinely touched by the story and have gained an appreciation for the message behind it. Given this is the third go-around for the franchise, the themes and some of the cast is already well established by this point, which opens it up to becoming boring and stagnant; however, despite those obstacles it remains fresh and engaging. It is definitely a movie that should be shared with the whole family.
Joey Anderson (Myko Oliver) left home as soon as he was able and has never looked back, embracing his life as a nomad and enjoying his wanderlust as the thought of home only holds bad memories in his opinion. However, he has no choice but to return following the death of his grandmother. Determined to just pay his respects, collect his inheritance, and get back on the road, his plans are interrupted when he discovers that he can only collect his inheritance if he completes stipulations that were laid out by his grandmother and being carried out by her legal team which includes the retiring (reprising his role from the past two films) Mr. Harrison (Bill Cobbs) and his team of experts, which includes Jason Stevens (Logan Bartholomew, Ultimate Life),who is brought in to help Joey with his assignment after completing his own assignment. Joey is unhappy with the situation, especially given that one of the stipulations is that he remains at the infamous Anderson House for a year period.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on December 8th, 2016
It was rumored from the very beginning that George Miller was considering a black & white format for the film. There are box office risks associated with such a brave choice. We're hearing some of the same thoughts coming out of the Logan shoot. The nice thing about the sophistication of home video today is that there is now an outlet for those kinds of artistic choices, and this is a pretty solid example of it. It's hoped more of these kinds of alternate ideas can make it to home video giving filmmakers the chance to unleash things that might just be too risky at the box office. You still get the original film as part of of this combo so you're not giving anything up.
It is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer and another subject in the category of “can Tom Hardy do no wrong?” Mad Max: Fury Road is the reimagining of the iconic film that helped launch Mel Gibson’s career decades earlier. This is not new territory in Hollywood by any stretch of the imagination; remakes have happened so often in recent years that they have practically become their own genre. However, I would like to point out something that will hopefully set this film apart in the eyes of the audience: how often do you see a remake that is overseen by the creator of the original film that you know and love?
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on December 6th, 2016
When this series initially started, I was intrigued, although it merely seemed like a filler show. However, I find that I have to eat my words, since Beauty and the Beast survived four seasons before coming to a climax with this final season. The swan song for the show had already been sung before the first episode of this season even aired, but that didn't stop the cast or the crew from providing a suspense-filled season as well as a proper conclusion to the story.
Catherine and Vincent's (Kristen Kruek and Jay Ryan) tale has been filled with danger and circumstances that have tried to tear them apart, usually starting the seasons apart. However, the start of the final season finds them very much together and celebrating their honeymoon. They believe the danger is behind them and Vincent's secret is safe, courtesy of a Department of Homeland Security cover-up. Matters heat up quickly when news regarding beasts starts to hit the internet. Before long, the couple finds themselves back in the thick of things aided by their loyal friends J.T., Tess, and Catherine's sister, Heather.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on December 1st, 2016
"In penance for their uprising each district shall offer up a male and female between the ages of 12 and 18 at a public reaping. These tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol and then transferred to a public arena where they will fight to the death, until a lone victor remains. Henceforth and forevermore this pageant shall be known as the Hunger Games."
Now that all four films are out on UHD Blu-ray in glorious 4K, we have the opportunity to view them all again from the very beginning. It's easier to catch the subtle nuances that were planted in the earlier films that would pay off over the four-film run. It took us four years to do that originally. Now you can do it in a day. Jeremy Butler takes us on the final part of that journey with The Hunger Games: The Mockingjay Part 2 (2015).
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 29th, 2016
What 31 Nights of Terror list would be complete without an addition from the master of macabre himself, Edgar Allen Poe, this time in the form of an anthology series that transforms three of his dark tales into a visual experience that will haunt you. Tales of Poe treats the audience to a front-row seat for the stories of The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and Dreams. Fair warning, these are not direct interpretations. There is some artistic license taken, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Who wants to just watch imitation when you can watch recreation, and that is exactly what Tales of Poe offers. I hope you have a strong stomach. Who am I kidding, if you are reading this, you must, because Tales of Poe pulls no punches in its tribute to the master. As I mentioned, there are a few artistic changes such as some gender changes to specific characters, but the essence of each of the stories remains the same. (Yes, I skimmed the featured stories in order to double check that they did the source material justice.)
The best way to approach this type of review is to break down each story individually and in the order of my favorite to least favorite, which also happens to be the order in which the stories unfold.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on October 29th, 2016
“Mankind is the cancer of its own body. Do you love humanity enough to save it?”
I remember when I was first introduced to the character of Robert Langdon. I was a late bloomer to the story, not having read the book. My first introduction came from the film. I had just graduated high school, and instead of engaging in the customary family dinner that usually precedes the event, I opted in favor of going to the see The Da Vinci Code. That is a decision that I have never regretted. Fortunately, I didn’t need to skip anything important to see Angels and Demons, and it is a good thing, as the film missed the mark with me. Now here we find ourselves on the cusp of Langdon’s redemption with Inferno. Will the third film in the trilogy be enough to make people forget about the second one? Is Tom Hanks still convincing in what is becoming one of his most recognizable roles?
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 26th, 2016
First Impressions: a poor man’s Marley and Me. Final Impressions: a poor man’s Marley and Me. So from beginning to end my impression of the film did not change, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. In fact, that is exactly the case for Who Gets the Dog, a heartwarming tale about a poor dog caught in the middle of a divorce of a couple that see him as their child rather than property. Ryan Kwanten and Alicia Silverstone headline the cast of this story but without question the real star is Wesley, our beloved pooch. A wholesome experience can serve as a date movie or film for the whole clan.
Olive Greene and Clay Lonnergan are polar opposites; she is neat, organized with an established career while Clay is spontaneous, fun loving, and waiting for the opportunity to be called up from his minor league hockey team to the majors. Their marriage was an unlikely one to start with and takes no one by surprise when they decide split. For the most part, they handled everything amicably, dividing their shared property fairly and to both their satisfaction. That is until they realize that they both want custody of Wesley, their beloved Labrador; that’s when the gloves come off.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 21st, 2016
Most villains on earth are those who believe that they are the good guys. She Who Must Burn proves that in spades when a local preacher wages war against a woman’s counselor for Planned Parenthood (not called that during the film, but that is the best way to describe it). This is another welcomed addition to the 31 Nights of Terror, again featuring human evil rather than supernatural evil, which in my opinion makes it even more terrifying, because it could easily go from a fiction to reality.
In a mining town plagued by stillborn children and cancer, Angela is a women’s counselor for a local clinic. In wake of the murder of two doctors at the clinic she works at by a religious fanatic, the state decides to stop funding for the facility. Angela decides to remain in the town in spite of the decision, in order to help those in need. She is met with contempt from many of the townsfolk who view her profession as a sin and want to drive her out of town.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 19th, 2016
Growing up one of coolest jobs I thought was out there was undercover work. Not to diminish all the threats to one’s well-being associated with that profession, but come on, who didn’t want the opportunity to reinvent themselves as someone else entirely. Undercover affords that opportunity. That said, it does not come without a cost, and that cost is explored thoroughly in The Infiltrator, a based on a true story tale about a U.S. Customs agent who infiltrates the most successful and equally dangerous drug cartel led by the one and only Pablo Escobar. An interesting little tidbit that I was unaware of before the opening credits was that this film was shot right here in the Tampa area, which provided recognizable environment and a chance to pick out familiar territory.
The Infiltrator follows Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston), a seasoned agent with the United States Customs Service with a talent for undercover work. After successfully completing an operation, he finds himself thrown back into the mix for possibly the biggest operation he has ever every undertaken: infiltrating the money laundering operation used to clean the proceeds for the Medellin Cartel, led by Pablo Escobar.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 16th, 2016
Everyone makes mistakes. Decisions that are made in the heat of the moment that haunt them and they wish they can take back. Sometimes those mistakes don’t go away as easily as they want to them to. That is definitely the case for Tara (Jamie Alexander) after her bachelorette weekend in New Orleans. Looking to celebrate her impending wedding as well as forget an indiscretion committed by her soon-to-be husband (Cam Gigandet), she meets Patrick (Wes Bentley), a bartender at a club Tara and her friends go to. They meet, there’s a connection, and as these things go, one thing leads to another, as they say. Afterwards, she just wants to move on and forget it happened, but Patrick will not be ignored (I know it is an obvious rip-off, but it applies).
This thriller is definitely a welcomed addition to the 31 Nights of Horror. Granted it does not feature a seemingly immortal killer, but more of the human variety; it goes without saying that human beings have the capacity for great violent and psychological acts. Patrick is no different as he begins a barrage of tactics to achieve his objective including cancelling wedding reservations, showing up unannounced, even embedding himself in Tara’s life thorough people close to her. Tara goes to extremes as well, doing anything and everything to rid herself of her stalker and keep her secret from Michael.
