Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on March 16th, 2017
- “OK, first, I'm not a princess...”
- “If you wear a dress and you have an animal sidekick, you're a princess.”
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on March 14th, 2017
Howdy, neighbors! I realize our readers come from all over the world, but I feel like I can be at least a little familiar with some of you after writing for this site a little more than five years. And since they say that “good fences make good neighbors”, it's only fitting that this week we find out if the great, Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences" makes for a good movie. Paramount was generous enough to send along a copy of recent Best Picture nominee Fences, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, so check back soon for our review. On the lighter side of the spectrum, Comedy Central serves up a drink (or 10) for Drunk History: Season 4. Finally, we revisit a tale as old as time later this week with the much-anticipated arrival of Beauty and the Beast.
One last reminder before signing off for the week: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on March 13th, 2017
“Life's pretty simple, you know. It's long periods of waiting broken up by brief moments of change. That's it...that's all it is.”
100 Streets tells three barely-connected stories set in the same one-square-mile area of present-day London. (The neighborhoods of Chelsea and Battersea to be exact.) The stories are each quite compelling in their own right, and they're performed by a talented group of actors. Unfortunately, the movie is occasionally bogged down by distracting, pseudo-profound soliloquies like the one at the top of this review. I appreciate the stabs at thoughtfulness and depth, but they come off as forced here and are more likely to make you roll your eyes than inspire you.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on March 7th, 2017
Resistance to our weekly Tuesday Round Up is futile. Resistance, courtesy of Omnibus Entertainment, is also one of the titles we'll be reviewing in the next week or so. Be sure to check back soon for our take on the World War II drama. Meanwhile, Speakeasy Pictures serves up Bloodrunners, a Prohibition-era vampire thriller starring Ice-T. Film Detective introduces us to Joe Bullet, while Cinedigm logs onto Slasher.com. Finally, our week is set to end with a visit from a certain iconic movie monster when Kong: Skull Island swings into theaters.
Now it's time for your weekly reminder before signing off: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on March 2nd, 2017
“I don't know what it is with this place. I don't want to call it voodoo because that's so cliché and you guys probably hate that down here...but there's definitely a feel.”
To say that a certain city is “almost like another character” in a movie has become somewhat commonplace. The phrase is usually applied to films where directors have placed an inordinate emphasis on the background and setting of their stories. By that standard, The King of New Orleans doesn't simply cast The Big Easy as “almost like another character”...the city gets a starring role.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on February 28th, 2017
How well do you really know the person you're married to? That's the provocative question at the center of Allied, the stylish World War II drama from Robert Zemeckis. (Of course, the question becomes even trickier to answer when both people in the marriage are well-trained spies.) Thanks to Paramount, you can find out for yourself by grabbing a copy of Allied in 4K...and we'll have a review of the spiffy new disc very soon. And be sure to come back later this week to see if our claws come out when we review Logan.
One last reminder before signing off for the week (and for February): if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
Posted in: The Reel World by J C on February 24th, 2017
“Sometimes...if there's too many white people, I get nervous.”
Some of the very best horror films/psychological thrillers succeed by taking a relatable source of anxiety and cranking it to 11. For example, The Exorcist can be viewed as the worst-case scenario for anyone suffering a crisis of faith, while The Shining taps into the madness of being cooped up with your family for too long. Get Out works because it uses the nerve-wracking experience of meeting your significant other's parents for the first time as a jumping-off point to tell a subversive, insightful, and entertaining story that mashes together Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Stepford Wives.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on February 22nd, 2017
“I'm not as comfortable as you are with the notion of killing other human beings.”
Remember that time about six months ago when NFL star Colin Kaepernick set off a firestorm of controversy by repeatedly kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest? A big part of the outrage was tied to the notion that Kaepernick's actions were disrespectful to members of the U.S. military. One of the most striking things about Quarry — Cinemax's compelling, well-rounded Vietnam War-era drama — is how it depicts a period not that long ago in our country's history when veterans were openly treated with venom and vitriol that went way beyond someone taking a knee.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on February 21st, 2017
Did somebody call a cab? Larry Shirt is a taxi driver who shuttles some of the most colorful characters in New Orleans throughout the city. Larry comes across an Ivy League student, and the two form a bond that is complicated by Hurricane Katrina. So please join us in offering a royal welcome to The King of New Orleans, courtesy of Candy Factory. Later this week, we'll take a trip to a mysterious, upscale family estate...hopefully, we can Get Out in one piece!
Here's your customary reminder before signing off for the week: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on February 14th, 2017
Hello again movie lovers...and just lovers in general! It's Valentine's Day and I'm sure romance is in the air. It's also Tuesday, which means it's time for our weekly Round Up of reviews we've got coming your way. HBO rocks out with Quarry: Season 1, a drama about a Vietnam War veteran who gets a very unwelcome reception when he arrives back home. But wait, there's more! (Heh-heh...I said “but.”) Paramount has made sure we'll be planted on our couch watching Beavis and Butthead: The Complete Series. Finally, Paramount is also speaking our language with Arrival in 4K.
Before you run off to get that last minute Valentine's gift, here's for your weekly reminder until till next time: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
