Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 20th, 2018
"Some say that in life, there are no second chances. Experience tells me that this is true. But we can only look forward. We have to be torchbearers, casting the light so we may see our path to lasting peace. We will continue exploring, discovering new worlds, new civilizations. Yes - that is the United Federation of Planets. Yes, that is Starfleet. Yes, that is who we are. And who we will always be."
I should confess from the beginning that I am a very dedicated Star Trek fan. I'm not a Trekkie or a Trekker, I'm a fan. I have often allowed my fan status to cause me to embrace the franchise even when it wasn't necessarily so good. As a young 15-year-old kid I attended the first 10:00 AM showing of Star Trek: The Motion Picture with a handful of friends on the opening day. We stayed through six showings and left sometime after midnight the following day, occupying the front row center and subsisting off of the day's more limited concession offerings. Basically candy, popcorn and soda. Little has changed except for the lack of responsibilities that would allow me to spend 14 hours watching a single film over and over again. I'm still reluctant to dismiss anything Star Trek, but that's nearly what happened as I sat through the first five or six episodes of Star Trek: Discovery.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 20th, 2018
If you were a child in the 1960's or 1970's, you were around at the golden age of the Christmas television special. We just celebrated the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and there were a ton of holiday charms that came and went each year. But there were a handful that became classics and found their way to the airwaves every year in December. Of course, A Charlie Brown Christmas became one of these, and it is indeed among the best. It was not the only special to become beloved by generations of viewers. Now Dreamworks has brought together seven of the most memorable of these classics. This was a wonderful trip down memory lane for me, as it will be for millions of children of all ages who looked forward to these event broadcasts each and every year. Now you can watch them whenever you want. And they might not be just for Christmas anymore.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 20th, 2018
Young love is a wonderful concept that I wish could be sold and bought by the ounce, because I would either be rich or horribly addicted. Two people hopelessly absorbed by each other in a raging pool of hormones, bliss, and social media. It is a beautiful sight even if most of the time it is fleeting and gone in the blink of an eye. But what if you could change those decisions that made love lost and make it blossom again? Then you might just have Fireworks, a new Japanese anime from the producer of Your Name. Let's take a look.
We open to a boy and girl who are falling to the bottom of an ocean. The boy is trying to help the girl, who appears to be unconscious and about to drown. He shouts "Nazuna", and then we fade to black.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on November 14th, 2018
Pixar’s animated films have a staggeringly-high approval rating among both fans and critics. Much of that goodwill extends to the short films that play before each theatrical release (or can be found on subsequent Blu-ray versions). The shorts often compress the warmth, humor, and creativity of the Pixar brand into a neat six- or seven-minute package. For the third time, Disney and Pixar have helpfully packaged a group of short films into a collection that will alternately have you laughing out loud and reaching for a box of tissues.
Pixar Short Films Collection — Volume 3 features 11 previously released Pixar shorts and two all-new mini movies. (These go all the way back to 2012’s Partysaurus Rex.) There is no Play All option, so you have to use the “Short Selection” option from the Main Menu to select the film you want to watch each time. Each short includes an optional introduction with the director talking about his or her inspiration for the film you’re about to see. (I highly recommend you watch the intros before each short film.)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 12th, 2018
MacGyver (v) to act in an extremely resourceful manner. To utilize everyday items in unconventional ways to achieve a difficult task. I predict it will not be long before you can open your trusty copy of Webster’s and find this character has officially entered our lexicon. There is little doubt but that it is an unofficial part of it now. Crossing over from the realm of pop culture and into our language is a phenomenal achievement for a television show.
Richard Dean Anderson really is MacGyver. OK, maybe he’s not quite so handy with a paperclip and matchbook, but his own acting ability and charm make MacGyver more enjoyable than the formula that has become so renowned. They share the love of hockey. Anderson was slated to be a hockey star before injuring both legs. Both men hail from the wilds of Minnesota. The two also share an environmental crusade. These traits also coincidentally apply to Jack O’Neil.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 12th, 2018
"We are the protectors of the innocent. We are The Charmed Ones."
It's no coincidence that both the original shows of Charmed and MacGyver are starting to be released on the Blu-ray format. Both shows have been rebooted for television, and that means they're counting on fans of the original to become the foundation for a new base of fans. The best way to do that is to remind you why it is that you loved the shows in the first place. The best way to remind you is to dangle a little bait. That bait is the release of both shows on Blu-ray starting with their first seasons. Will it last? I don't know. It will depend on a combination of sales of the releases and how long the new shows manage to stick around themselves. Neither of these reboots are setting the ratings on fire, but there appear to be enough viewers to keep them on the air for second seasons. Sure, it's a bit of a marketing stunt, but that doesn't make it a bad deal at all. Fans of the original Charmed have been asking me about Blu-ray releases for years. So it's a win-win here.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 8th, 2018
"If anyone wants to clap, now is the time to do it."
If he were alive today, A.A. Milne would likely find a reason to smile these days. Perhaps he is. Winnie the Pooh has made quite a bit of a comeback in recent years. Last year we saw the impact the creation had on his son, the real Christopher Robin, in the sentimental Goodbye, Christopher Robin. This year Disney continues its recent trend of bringing many of its classical animated features back for live-action remakes using the wonderful world of computer-generated f/x and motion capture performances. The recent Jungle Book release was a wonder to behold and one of the best films of that year. This year it's the world of Winnie the Pooh, and to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, Disney releases Christopher Robin, and you're not going to want to miss it. All of your favorite characters from both the classic books and the Disney cartoons are back, and it couldn't have been a moment too soon.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on November 8th, 2018
I was raised on the mean streets of Charlotte, North Carolina. Yes, that's meant to be a joke, since I was raised in the suburbs primarily. My Aunt Donna on my father's side was working in California (San Diego) most of my life, and that's where she lives to this day. I would always wonder what life in California was like and how my aunt did it. Like most non-California residents in that time period (80's), I dreamed that everybody was from the Valley and talked about being "So Sure". Fast forward 35 years later ,and we have a collector's edition of the movie simply known as Valley Girl. Let us take a look.
As we open the movie, we listen to a radio station playing in Hollywood, CA. They are promoting tickets to the next concert, and it's 75 degrees. The voice changes and the scene shifts. It's 83 degrees in the valley. "Girls Like Me" by Bonnie Hayes plays on the radio, and we see a bunch of girls try on clothes and use their Mastercard quite liberally.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on November 8th, 2018
“You’re not good...you’re super.”
For a while, it honestly felt like Disney/Pixar was messing with us. When The Incredibles swooped into theaters in 2004, it was simultaneously one of the best animated/action/superhero movies I’d ever seen. Plenty of people shared that opinion, so a sequel seemed like a no-brainer. That’s why it seemed like a cruel joke when we got not one but two forgettable Cars sequels before The Incredibles got a chance to suit up again. Guess what…the wait is officially over!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on November 8th, 2018
My first attempt at watching Mandy wasn’t a successful one. After fifteen minutes I was nodding off, so I stopped it and held off viewing it for another night. This isn’t a movie you want to throw on too late at night. The first half is definitely a slow burn, but once this film picks up steam, you are in for one crazy, psychedelic, violent experience that will leave an impression on you. It’s no surprise that Mandy has already developed a buzz through the internet and is well on its way to becoming a cult classic. Is the hype for this film real? Can Nicolas Cage still deliver a memorable performance as his career has seemed to have dissolved into constant direct-to-DVD content? Well, the short answer to both these questions is yes, but this film is not for everyone, and to a degree I may be on the fence on the first half of this film.
Red (Nicolas Cage) is living the simple life in the woods as a logger and living with his girlfriend, Mandy (Andrea Riseborough). Mandy is a bit of an artist and enjoys reading fantasy novels. One could assume her and Red’s fate could easily be the storyline of one of the books that she’s read; their story is the fodder of hellish nightmares. Our time with Red and Mandy is spent showing us how well they work together as a couple, but it’s done so in a way that is filled with flat and monotone performances, with a drone-filled score that gently lulls the audience to the brink of sleep or boredom. This all changes when we meet Jeremiah (Linus Roache) and his loyal cult. It’s a strange obsession at first sight for Jeremiah when he sees Mandy for the first time and demands that she be brought to him, and everything that follows is simply another step further down this insane rabbit-hole that director Panos Cosmatos has orchestrated for us.
