Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 12th, 2018
"Someday we might look back on this and decide that saving Private Ryan was the one decent thing we were able to pull out of this whole godawful, shitty mess."
There are movies that only come along once a decade, sometimes only once a generation. There have certainly been tons of films made about World War II, and some of them have been among those special kinds of films. But there's something different about Saving Private Ryan, and I've yet to encounter someone who hasn't been touched in some way by viewing the movie. I have been fortunate enough in my life to have lived without experiencing the horrors of war firsthand. For my generation, the idea of war has a certain meaning that has been colored perhaps too much by movies and television. But when you watch Saving Private Ryan, you will experience the closest most of us will ever experience to what it's like to be at war. There's a reason these World War II soldiers have been called The Greatest Generation. No where is that more clear than it is here. Now Paramount has made that experience even more visceral, if that was ever really possible. In 4K, Saving Private Ryan comes full circle in its 20 years and immerses us even more into the sights and sounds of the last world war. If you have the DVD or the Blu-ray, you don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Pick up the UHD Blu-ray, and you will understand.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on May 4th, 2018
For Dylan O’Brien, it just seems like his start just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Going from the awkward best friend on MTV’s Teen Wolf to becoming a leading man on the silver screen, he has shown charm and charisma normally only seen in veterans. Another great way a star distinguishes himself is to get attached to a franchise, something he has done with the Maze Runner trilogy. Of course, Maze Runner: The Death Cure spells the end of that run; given his performance in the film, it does not spell the end to his rise. An entertaining and engaging conclusion to the franchise, Maze Runner: The Death Cure follows former glader turned revolutionary Thomas as he continues his battle against his former employers WCKD, the corporation that is exploiting children in order to utilize their immunity to the Flare, a virus that has caused dystopian society. Filled with action and infused with heart, the film is possibly the first book adaptation that guys will be able to get behind.
Following the events of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Thomas is betrayed by Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), the person he trusted most in the world, and begins working with revolutionary group, the Right Arm. Teresa’s betrayal also resulted in the capture of Thomas’ friend Minho (Ki Hong Lee). Partnering with fellow Maze survivors, Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Frypan (Dexter Darden), Thomas sets out to recover Minho from WCKD’s stronghold, the last known city in existence. Gaining entry to the city’s fortified walls will be a challenge in itself, and the group will be forced to rely on a familiar face that they don’t completely trust. Time is of the essence as they attempt to reach Minho before WCKD’s experiments leave him a shell of himself. On the other side of the wall, Teresa deals with the consequences of her choices and finds her resolve shaken as she is forced to question if she chose the right side.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on April 11th, 2018
by John Delia, Jr.
"Everyone has an act."
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 21st, 2018
"We have to be ready. You, me, the others... there's an attack coming from far away."
The DC and Marvel rivalry can be quite fierce at times. I never completely understood the polarized fan base, however. Some of us are just fans of the genre and will welcome a good comic book movie from either and preferably both studios. When it comes to a cinematic universe, however, DC has had some real issues with trying to bring together a combined hero world. Most of the films leading up to Justice League have been dark and filled with brooding heroes. With Batman that kind of thing is appropriate and works. With Superman it has been a severe letdown. When the two came together in Batman vs. Superman, the disappointment started to lead to a resigned conviction that DC was doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Then came Wonder Woman, and it was no surprise that she was the single standout of the caped-hero duel. Wonder Woman, both the character and the film, appear to have changed something in the DC landscape, and she is, once again, the single most hopeful character in Justice League. And while Justice League isn't quite the movie that Wonder Woman was, there are signs that things are changing. Justice League is not a great movie. But it's not a bad film, either. Superman actually smiles and has begun to return to the "golly" innocent of his best comic years. This film may not be everything we fans of both brands were hoping for, but it's actually a good start.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 28th, 2018
I have to start by talking about the mustache. You’ve probably already seen the outrageous facial hair Kenneth Branagh rocks as Hercules Poirot, the brilliant Belgian detective who appeared in 33 Agatha Christie novels (including 1934’s Murder on the Orient Express). But it is truly a sight to behold on the big screen! Up close, it looks like a fake, ridiculously twirly mustache has been layered on top of an even longer fake, ridiculously twirly mustache. I bring this up because the two things that truly separate this sumptuous, all-star take on Poirot’s most famous case from previous (and superior) adaptations are the film’s eye-popping production values and…well, Branagh’s mustache.
“My name is Hercule Poirot, and I am probably the greatest detective in the world.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 22nd, 2018
"Maybe we could use a dad's night out."
Let me begin this review by stating that I did not see the first Daddy's Home film. There are pros and cons to that situation. I'm not really in a good position to judge the film's value or quality as a sequel, and I wasn't familiar with any of these characters when I started to watch the film. It does, however put me in a good place to evaluate this film on its own merits. Is it the kind of sequel that functions as a standalone film, or will you be lost from the start with no chance to catch up? I'm happy to say that I never felt like I was at a disadvantage. Yeah, there were moments where I felt like I wasn't part of the inside joke, but those moments are actually quite rare. I was able to enjoy this one just fine. The relationships were a bit confusing when it came to which kid really belonged to which parents, and some of that I never completely sorted out. The performances allowed me to get at what kind of characters the leads were from the beginning. I might have been the new "in-law" invited to this family's holidays for the first time, but that doesn't mean I didn't manage to have a lot of fun along the way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 25th, 2018
"The games have begun again, and they will not stop until the sins against the innocent are atoned for."
It has been about seven years since last we heard Tobin Bell ask if we wanted to play a game. From 2004 until 2010 we were treated to seven films in quick succession, with The Final Chapter apparently bringing the popular franchise to an end. But most of us were pretty sure that the end wasn't quite so near. The films brought in billions of dollars and even inspired a new escape room industry around the globe where people could work out puzzles and attempt to beat a ticking clock to get out of a themed room. Of course, no blood gets spilled, but folks pay for the experience, and a lot of that goes back to the Saw film franchise. With all of that money, Lionsgate simply couldn't let the franchise rest for long. But after moving so quickly from film to film, it was a good idea to allow it time to breathe and the producers a chance to recharge the old batteries. Break's over. The franchise gets a bit of a reboot without completely rebooting at all. The result is Jigsaw, and I suspect this is more of a beginning than merely Saw 8.
Jigsaw is the first film in the series to begin with something other than victims awakening to the newest trap. Police are chasing a suspect with a detonator in his hands. He's pleading to talk to a Detective Halloran (Rennie). As the cops descend upon the manic suspect, he warns that the game is about to start. It's what fans are waiting for, and we cut to five people with buckets bolted to their heads attached to chains. A wall of the obligatory saws awaits their hapless forward plunge, and a familiar voice explains their predicament. From this point there are pretty much two stories playing out for the remainder of the film.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on January 24th, 2018
“Have you ever heard the legend behind the legend of Ninjago?”
Even though I loved the first two Lego movies, I was completely unfamiliar with the toy company’s Ninjago line before I sat down to watch this latest entry in the madcap cartoon franchise. (I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce “Ninjago”…and the answer isn’t as simple as it seems.) But my unfamiliarity with the source material isn’t the reason why I feel The Lego Ninjago movie is the weakest entry in the series so far.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 17th, 2018
In case you’ve been living beneath a rock and out of contact with any and all social media, this weekend the long-awaited film adaption of Stephen King’s It releases. Some of my friends look at the trailer for the new film and instantly reject what they see; they immediately cling to their memories of how the original mini-series scared them. One thing you’ll hear them all saying is how Tim Curry made such an impact on their lives and to this day gave them reason to fear clowns. While I respect their opinions, when you revisit the film, you can’t help but notice how dated the film is, and really, if you’re over the age of 10, it just isn’t scary. I grew up on reading Stephen King, and as a fan, I’ve always been frustrated that it seems no one could ever get his horror stories right. Sure, there is Misery and Carrie, but there are many more miserable failed attempts of his material. The Mist (especially the black and white version) is perhaps my favorite adaption of his work, that is to say, up until now.
When the film starts up, those of you familiar with the mini-series will perhaps have a sense of déjà vu at first. Without a doubt our first introduction to Pennywise, the dancing clown, is at first a little off-putting, but if you hang in there, you’re going to be happily terrified by this performance. Bill Skarsgard fills the clown shoes this time around, and there is no doubt a new generation of kids are going to be terrified of clowns because of this performance. There is nothing friendly in this performance, and after our introduction and we get a glimpse at what he’s capable of doing to children, that’s when the unease sets in, and as an audience member you realize from the start that no one in the film is safe.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 3rd, 2018
When it comes to ranking the top 10 cool movies of the past five years, Kingsman:The Secret Service would easily make the list. From the opening sequence to the final credits, the movie was simply a fun ride with so many kick-ass moments. I mean, the fight in the church alone is worth the price of admission. The moment I heard Matthew Vaughn was returning to helm the sequel, I instantly got giddy with excitement. Heck, ever since his first film Layer Cake, the guy has managed to produce a stream of cool films that I’ve enjoyed. It’s when the trailer for the sequel first dropped that something didn’t feel right; it still looked like a fun movie, but it just didn’t suck me in like the previous film’s trailer did. I ignored my doubts, because after all, Vaughn has proven himself again and again, so when it came time to see the screening for the film, I had forgotten about my doubts, and I was just ready to have a good time.
Now that we know how the Kingsman organization works, the film wastes no time throwing Eggsy (Taron Egerton) into the heat of action. We watch Eggsy engage in a fight/car chase as Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” plays in the back of a cab. It’s a fun and flashy fight with the camera moving around in impossible angles as the fight literally does some off-the-wall stuff. It’s great for an intro, but this is what we get hit with again and again as the film goes on, and it quickly loses its flair.
