Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 14th, 2016
“Accidental president...that's what they'll say.”
Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States under the most tumultuous circumstances imaginable. Besides being thrust into office after the shattering assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Johnson had to immediately contend with multiple political crises. Most notably, LBJ faced pressure from several different fronts as he worked to pass what eventually became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. All The Way, buoyed by a funny and ferocious lead performance, offers a thought-provoking and entertaining look at a truly complex figure.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on September 13th, 2016
Summer’s winding down, and the chillier temperatures of fall and winter are just around the corner…well, at least for those of you who live outside of Florida. As we brace for another unseasonably warm autumn — fingers crossed I’m wrong! — UpcomingDiscs HQ will get a blast of wintry air this week. Join us as we bundle up to explore Wonders of the Arctic in 4K courtesy of Shout! Factory, which also dives underwater to explore The Last Reef in 4K. Lionsgate steals from the rich with Marauders, and ABC/Disney undergoes rigorous training at Quantico: Season 1. Finally, Eagle Rock invites us to come sail away with Styx: Live at the Orleans.
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 September 9th, 2016
“High Rise,” the novel written by the late English author J.G. Ballard, was published in 1975. The story follows a diverse group of characters who live in a luxurious skyscraper that features every amenity imaginable. Things are so convenient, in fact, that the tenants gradually become less interested in the outside world. The idea of people becoming increasingly uninterested in the outside world is obviously still relevant more than 40 years later, since many of us prefer to order everything online and only venture outdoors if there's a rare Pokemon to be caught. But while this movie adaptation has its moments of inspired lunacy, it's ultimately too slight and scattershot to leave a lasting impact.
“Living in a high-rise requires a special type of behavior.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 7th, 2016
“Anyone can betray anyone.”
The word “spy” tends to conjure images of international intrigue and attractive people getting into exotic adventures. But don't blame John le Carre. Despite being one of the most successful and prolific spy novelists of the past century, le Carre's stories tend to be aggressively un-sexy, morally murky tales that focus on the psychological toll of intelligence work. That's why it's interesting to find that The Night Manager — a British miniseries that also aired on AMC — manages to straddle both sides of the spy fiction fence.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on September 6th, 2016
Time flies when you’re having as much fun as we are cranking out our patented TV and movie reviews for you. But it still doesn’t move quite as fast as a certain superhero making a long awaited return to home video. Warner Bros taps into the speed force to bring us The Flash: Season 2 and still finds time to go monster hunting with Supernatural: Season 11. CBS/Paramount tries its luck with Friday the 13th: The Complete Series, goes on down to South Park: Season 19, logs on to CSI: Cyber — The Final Season, and devotes brainpower to Limitless: Season 1. Finally, Magnolia Home Entertainment becomes acquainted with The Ones Below, while HBO goes All the Way with its Lyndon B. Johnson TV flick.
Here's your weekly reminder as we kick off a new month: 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 August 30th, 2016
As the philosopher Randy Newman once sang, it’s a jungle out there. And this week — thanks to a certain smash-hit, live-action re-imagining of an animated classic — it’s a Jungle at UpcomingDiscs HQ too! Disney was kind enough to send us The Jungle Book on Blu-ray, which certainly qualifies as more than the bare necessities. (You can already check out our review here.) Warner Bros. hits the mark with Arrow: Season 4 and revels in debauchery with Shameless: Season 6. ABC checks into Grey’s Anatomy: Season 12, while Sony spies on The Night Manager. Finally, CBS heads out west for Season 7 of NCIS: L.A., and gets in our heads with Criminal Minds: Season 11.
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 August 30th, 2016
“You're about to witness a Helena duel...a most noble affair of character and honor.”
A “Helena duel” is also a brutal, bloody ritual where two combatants are joined at the wrist before engaging in a knife fight to the death. That combination of genteelness and barbarity is at the heart of The Duel, a Texas-set Western that reaches for grandiosity and doesn't quite get there, but is nevertheless thoroughly entertaining.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on August 26th, 2016
“Your memory's very impressive.”
The first season of The Affair — Showtime's sensual, POV-shifting drama — was built on the notion that there are two sides to every story. The show's hook was that it depicted the beginnings of the same adulterous relationship from two different perspectives. Season 2 doubles down on that idea by offering four different viewpoints. So what this sophomore season lacks in sizzle compared to its predecessor, it makes up for by offering a more expansive view at complicated, messy relationship dynamics.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on August 24th, 2016
“There is another story. One that comes long before…happily ever after.”
An unseen narrator — an uncredited Liam Neeson, wisely choosing not to show his face in this film — intones these words at the start of The Huntsman: Winter’s War. He’s talking about the saga involving a certain magic mirror and Ravenna (a still-captivating Charlize Theron), the wicked antagonist from 2012’s Snow White and The Huntsman. But as this flat, uninspired prequel/sequel hybrid unfolds, it becomes clear that this “other story” is essentially an unimaginative mish-mash of Disney (shades of Frozen and Brave are added to the Snow White framework) and Tolkien.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on August 23rd, 2016
The time-hopping team at the center of The CW's latest superhero hit may come from Tomorrow, but thanks to Warner Bros. you can get caught up with their adventures today! DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season 1 is just one of the highlights in this week's Tuesday Round Up. Warner also travels back to the '70s with The Nice Guys and heads, um, a little further south to introduce is to Lucifer: Season 1. Universal is the fairest of them all thanks to a spiffy 4K edition of The Huntsman: Winter's War. CBS/Paramount flaunts superstition with NCIS: Season (lucky) 13, and the game is afoot thanks to Elementary: Season 4. Finally, Lionsgate goes mano-a-mano with The Duel, while Anchor Bay bypasses laughs and goes straight for chills with Clown.
It's time for your weekly 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!
