Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on June 21st, 2016
It's officially summer, but you don't have pack up your car and drag yourself to the beach to catch a wave. Thanks to Magnolia Home Entertainment, you can do that in the comfort of your own living room. We'll be reviewing The Wave, a Norwegian drama about a scenic town threatened by a tsunami. And if it's some toned bodies in two-pieces you're craving, then come on down to the All American Bikini Car Wash! (Heads up...you already have a chance to win a free DVD of this film by clicking here.) Broad Green Pictures shuffles the deck and comes up with the Knight of Cups. And Comedy Central implores us all not to be Workaholics: Season 6...make sure to have some fun in the sun these next few months.
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: Tribute by J C on June 20th, 2016
It seems the Forever 27 Club, a collection of rock stars who didn’t live to see 30, isn’t exclusively for musicians. In something of a sad coincidence, the most recent onscreen role for Anton Yelchin — who died early Sunday morning after a freak car accident at his home — was Green Room, in which the Russian-born actor starred as…the leader of a punk rock band. While Yelchin has tragically left us much too early, the talented and prolific performer leaves behind a filmography with more than 60 credits. (And we’ll still be able to see his final turn as Pavel Andreievich Chekov in next month’s Star Trek Beyond.) In the meantime, join us in celebrating Yelchin’s work by taking a trip through the UpcomingDiscs archives.
Huff (2004)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on June 20th, 2016
Pop quiz! Which of the following titles belong to Shark Week specials, and which of them are the names of SyFy original movies? Zombie Sharks, Sharkageddon, Monster Hammerhead, Lair of the Mega Shark, and Sharksanity. (I'll give you a few seconds to mull it over...ok, ready to guess?) The answer, of course, is that *all* of those titles belong to Shark Week, Discovery Channel's long-running, wildly popular, and increasingly ludicrous summertime ritual.
The very first Shark Week aired in 1988, and its longevity is a testament to viewers’ enduring fascination with the majestic, sharp-toothed creatures. Of course, the flip side of that longevity is that coming up with new material each year is getting more and more difficult. Jawsome Encounters is a 13-episode DVD set that (mostly) features episode from 2014.
Posted in: The Reel World by J C on June 17th, 2016
“What if I forget you?”
Ever since Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear rocketed onto the big screen in 1995's Toy Story, Pixar has assembled a wonderful stable of unforgettable characters. Ironically, one of the animation studio's most memorable creations is a blue tang fish who probably wouldn't remember you. Besides being a dazzling and heartwarming family classic, Finding Nemo was also one of Pixar's biggest hits. (Technically, it's actually the biggest.) So while it's a little surprising that it took 13(!) years for a sequel to swim into our lives, the fast and funny Finding Dory proves to be a completely worthy follow up.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 16th, 2016
“Ok, so hear me out…ever watch action movies?”
It’s clear that Canadian filmmaker Allan Ungar and practically everyone involved with Gridlocked have seen their share of action flicks. More specifically, this crew is out to recapture the raucous, rowdy, R-rated spirit of late ‘80s and ‘90s franchises like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. While Gridlocked doesn’t come close to matching the wit or winning formula of those action classics, this straight-to-DVD effort still manages to be a pretty fun throwback.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 15th, 2016
“It's ok to be upset. We're all upset.”
A War is about a Danish commander and his weary, overwhelmed young soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. But besides finding a fresh angle to explore a conflict that has essentially been going on for the entire 21st century — Denmark sent nearly 10,000 military personnel to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2013 — this morally complex movie succeeds because it fully explores the toll war takes on everyone involved. In this case, that also includes the unfortunate civilians caught in between the gunfire and at least one weary, overwhelmed wife/mother back home with three young children.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on June 14th, 2016
A certain beloved sci-fi franchise is about to boldly go where no Star Trek title has gone before: the world of 4K Ultra HD! 2009’s Star Trek and 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness make their 4K debuts this week, courtesy of Paramount. The studio also unleashes Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Director’s Cut. In non-Starfleet news, Paramount bunkers down and visits 10 Cloverfield Lane, while Lionsgate takes a bite out of Shark Week: Jawsome Encounters.
Shout! Factory lays its peepers on Jeepers Creepers and Jeepers Creepers 2. (You can already check out our take on Maude: Season 5, which Shout! was also kind enough to send along.) Vivendi does battle with Bodyguards & Assassins, Entertainment One psyches us out with Altered Minds, and Magnolia Home Entertainment gets Gridlocked during a routine ride along. Finally, HBO follows the wild, off-field lives of a group of Ballers: Season 1.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 13th, 2016
In 1979, Ridley Scott taught us that in space no one can hear you scream. More than 35 years after Alien established him as a top directorial talent, Scott has slightly amended that statement to read “in space no one can hear you…blast disco music and binge watch Happy Days.” These lighthearted coping mechanisms — used here to deal with a truly horrifying and hopeless situation — are strong indicators of what you’re in for with The Martian, which is both brainier and much funnier than your average space epic. Now the sci-fi blockbuster returns to home video with an Extended Edition.
“Mark Watney is dead.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 10th, 2016
“I don’t know what kind of trouble he can get into in a day.”
At first glance, those words — spoken by a father in the midst of a particularly eventful weekend with his estranged son — sound like a filmmaker giving himself permission to put his characters in the most outrageous situations possible. But The Confirmation actually shines by keeping things simple. The movie is a low-key, thoroughly affecting story of a father and son forging an unexpected connection.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on June 7th, 2016
If there’s something strange…in your neighborhood…who you gonna call?! If you don’t know the answer to that question, you are most definitely *not* a god. You’ve also been living under a rock for more than 30 years, which is how long Ghostbusters has been a bona fide comedy classic. Both the original movie and its sequel that I absolutely enjoy a lot more than I probably should arrive in 4K this week, courtesy of Sony. And those are just two offerings in what is shaping up to be a very busy week, so be sure to check our site early and often.
You can already read our reviews for Paramount’s 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi and HBO’s Steelbook redux of Game of Thrones: Seasons 3 and 4. Shout! Factory blasts off with a Journey to Space (3D & 4K) and has a bloody good time with The Funhouse Massacre, while Magnolia Home Entertainment enlists in A War, and RLJ Entertainment visits Monsterland. Warner Bros. rediscovers its Roots and buddies up to Rizzoli & Isles: Season 6, while Lionsgate engages in some Casual Encounters and repents before The Confirmation. MTV dives into The Shannara Chronicles: Season 1, Adult Swim spends some quality time with Rick and Morty: Season 2, and Comedy Central returns with Kroll Show: Season 3. Finally, HBO travels back to the '70s to spin some Vinyl: Season 1.
