Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 23rd, 2013
“To begin with, all the incidents and characters in this story might be fictitious, and any resemblance to you or me might be purely coincidental.”
Right off the bat, the unseen, all-knowing narrator of A Letter to Three Wives lets her audience know the characters in the film aren’t the only ones who are about to have their heads profoundly messed with. That sort of smart playfulness is one of the many reasons you should check out this terrific romantic dramedy from legendary writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz now that it’s on Blu-ray for the first time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 20th, 2013
"Welcome Back."
"We've started seasons like this many times before. The Winchester Brothers have been separated by apocalyptic events, and someone has to escape from Hell, or in this case Purgatory, to get back to the comforts of Earth. It's just business as usual. Another day at the office for the Winchester boys.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 19th, 2013
"After a half century of space exploration we're now being faced with what's long been a staple of science fiction: an orbiting junkyard of space debris."
There's an old saying that what goes up must come down. For most of human history that has been a pretty steadfast axiom. Of course any kid who has ever had a kite or a football stuck in a tree knows there are exceptions to every rule. But in the 1950's we began to place objects in orbit about the Earth. In recent decades the practice has almost become a frenzy. We have all of those cell phones, television networks and GPS devices that require more and more satellite support.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 17th, 2013
Is the idea of a “low-budget epic” an oxymoron? I realize an ingenious filmmaker like Neill Blomkamp was able to make the $30 million District 9 look like it cost about five times that much, but I’m talking about really working with scraps. Heck, for $30 million, the filmmakers behind Viking drama Hammer of the Gods could’ve probably made this film 10 times. The Blu-ray case makes it seem like a SyFy-level production, but director Farren Blackburn admirably had his sights set considerably higher.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 17th, 2013
"Mystic Falls. I was born here. This is my home. For centuries, supernatural creatures have lived among us. There are vampires, werewolves, doppelgangers, witches and even hybrids. There are those who protect them. And those who want them dead. They're our friends. Our enemies. The ones we love. And the ones we've lost. And then there is me. I'm human... at least I was."
And, of course, that was the big news as season 3 of The Vampire Diaries ended and season 4 begins.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on September 17th, 2013
Ever wondered what Jumanji would have looked like if it were rated R? Well, look no further than The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond. This B-movie focuses on the perils of secrets coming to life through the assistance of a demonic board game which ultimately leads to all kinds of destruction and mayhem. While watching, a thought occurred to me: Why is it that many of these movies start off the same way? With a tale of a place where several people have died under suspicious circumstances, and the first thing the characters do is rush off to this accursed place. Well, it’s safe to say that the film doesn’t really score points for originality in that aspect.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 16th, 2013
I have a prediction about reality shows: with a new one seemingly sprouting up like a weed every few minutes, the number of people on television will eventually be greater than the number of people watching at home. Granted, some of these shows are amusing, educational and even inspirational. But too many of them reward negative, repulsive behavior with fleeting fame. Speaking of rewarding negative, repulsive behavior with fleeting fame, The Morton Downey Jr. Show was on the air for less than two years, yet that was long enough to earn its host the title of “Father of Trash Television.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 11th, 2013
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 is an acquired taste. For me, I’ve really got to be in that certain mood to watch it. The idea is pretty whacked. Depending on the season you’ve got, Joel or Mike is trapped in space on the “Satellite of Love”. Doomed to spend his life watching very bad films, our hero makes the best of a bad situation. He uses his resources to construct a couple of robot pals. Together they watch the films from the front row, constantly riffing on them. If you’re like me, you’ve invited a few friends over to watch a schlock festival.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 10th, 2013
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
Every Star Trek fan has had that phrase beaten into their brain about as many times as Uncle Ben's mantra about great power and great responsibility. Who knew that the tagline was appropriate to filmmaking? When J.J. Abrams signed on to direct the reboot/remake/reimagining/rehash (insert your own word here) of Star Trek he quickly made it known that he was not really that into the franchise.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 5th, 2013
"I believe man will fly. And I base this assumption on the fact that God has blessed us with minds that are capable of imagining it. Anything that can be dreamt of will eventually be built. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool."
The term “Renaissance man” is often used to describe a person who has a very wide range of interests in which they have become quite skilled. It's taken from the traits of the many artists, innovators and writers of the 15th century. And while the term might well apply to any number of such historical figures, there is none for whom it is more apt than Leonardo Da. Vinci.
