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Black Lightning: Season 1 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 28th, 2018

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When we first meet the Pierce family it is at the Freeland jail, where Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is there to bail out his oldest daughter, Anissa (Nafessa Williams). The show doesn’t waste time in tackling social issues as we see them have an encounter with the Freeland police force as they are pulled over for a traffic stop. The reason for the stop turns out to be they are looking for a suspect who just robbed a liquor store, and because Jefferson is black, he of course is a potential suspect. Having this scene early on, not just in the season but in the pilot episode, is a bold and important move by the writers. This shows us that despite being a superhero show, Black Lightning is going to show us a superhero tale unlike anything we’ve seen before on the CW.
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Unsane (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 27th, 2018

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Remember when Steven Soderbergh told us he was retiring from filmmaking? Since that time he has been behind two of Hollywood’s most unique films in a long time. Lucky Logan was a refreshing kind of heist film that made it more of a comedy with wonderful character studies. Now comes Unsane, which employs a completely unique form of filmmaking itself. The entire film was shot basically on an iPhone. That’s not entirely true, because he did use various lens configurations that aren’t exactly standard on the typical cell phone. Still, he used the phone as the actual digital recording device.
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Death Wish (2018) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 20th, 2018

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Cinematically speaking, the name Eli Roth has been synonymous with murder and mayhem. The director is best known for his work in the horror genre, bursting on the scene with 2002’s Cabin Fever and upping the ante with Hostel and Hostel: Part II a few years later. So it was a bit surprising to hear he’d be taking on a remake of Death Wish — the iconic 1974 Charles Bronson revenge flick — until I started thinking about the bloody possibilities. If the Hostel films gained notoriety as prime examples of “torture porn,” then it seems like Roth has graduated to “revenge porn” with this slick and (intentionally) silly re-imagining.
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Love, Simon (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 17th, 2018

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Despite falling into the “coming of age genre”, Love, Simon is actually so much more than your typical mainstream teenage film. In the 80’s John Hughes ruled the box office with his films, everything from Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink and of course The Breakfast Club were the films that spoke to the kids of the era. It’s been a while since a film has come along that has fit into the genre that has managed to handle the awkwardness of being a teenager while also toeing the line of being heartfelt and humorous. Over the years there have been attempts to capture the essence of the 80’s John Hughes films, but these seem to always fail by either going to raunchy or attempting to make the lead characters cool and popular.
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Oh Lucy! (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 15th, 2018

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“Americans are loud, aren’t they?”

Oh Lucy! earns the exclamation point in its title within the first two minutes. The movie opens with a shocking leap that is meant to jolt the audience, but barely causes our disaffected heroine to raise an eyebrow. It’s played off as a throwaway moment, but it establishes the fact that this quirky Japanese/American dramedy with oodles of personality probably isn’t going to go where you expect.
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The Strangers: Prey at Night (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 14th, 2018

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“Why are they doing this to us?”

Back in 2008, The Strangers stalked its way into theaters. The movie was an especially nasty bit of home invasion horror; its stunningly simple premise (three masked psychos terrorize doomed couple) and the random nature of its killings was both what the movie’s fans admired about it and what left its detractors wanting more. Ten years later, The Strangers: Prey at Night hits a lot of the same notes while incorporating a self-aware tone about horror movies and some ’80s-inspired flair. Call it The Strangers Things.
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Every Day (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 13th, 2018

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“I am someone who wakes up in a different body every day.”

Every Day manages to be both clumsily straightforward and frustratingly vague about its fantastical premise. The movie centers on a mysterious traveling spirit known as “A,” which — as you can read above — inhabits a different body every day. Unfortunately, there’s little-to-no exploration as to why or how A (conveniently) only inhabits the bodies of camera-friendly teens. The best thing about this premise is that it injects the otherwise tired and homogeneous teen romance genre with a new look. (Actually, it ends up being closer to 15 new looks.)
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The Steam Engines of Oz (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 7th, 2018

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“I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

The infamous line from the classic The Wizard of Oz is what kicks off this film, and this is simply as close as it gets to ever achieving the greatness of the original film. Over the years we have had several remakes and sequels to the story we love that takes us on a journey through the magical world of Oz, so when a steam-punk version of the material came along, it was something I got a little excited for. Unfortunately the version of the film we get this time around seems to be full of fun ideas but nothing that actually delivers to the screen.
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RWBY Volume 5 (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on June 7th, 2018

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Up until roughly 3 to 4 weeks ago, I had only heard of RWBY. I watched a lot of Red vs Blue, even owned their ten year blu-ray box set and their season 11-13 steelbook. I was fully aware that RWBY was a product of Rooster Teeth, I just had largely ignored it because what 42 year old guy watches an anime show with four teenage girls as the leads? Then the head honcho of this site told me we had this blu-ray set available for review. I thought about it a couple of minutes, and went for it. Then in the next 2-3 weeks leading up to the review, I proceeded to binge watch the entire run of RWBY from Amazon Prime, VUDU (Free Movies on Us) and even YouTube, the primary vehicle to watch the show on. In a word, I was hooked.

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Freak Show (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 6th, 2018

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“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”

Freak Show centers on a flamboyant, fish-out-of-water teen who doesn’t fit in among his fellow high schoolers. The movie — a promising directorial debut from Trudie Styler, aka the wife of legendary musician Sting — works best when it finally lands on the notion that practically every teenager feels like a “freak” at one point or another. It’s a good, worthwhile message; the problem is other aspects of this film are about as subtle as Billy’s wardrobe and makeup choices.
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Satellite Girl & Milk Cow (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on June 2nd, 2018

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Much to the dismay of probably most of my family and friends, I like to watch lots of weird films. Films directed by David Lynch, Planet of the Apes movies, and Johnny Mnemonic (I freaking love that movie) among many others I have watched over and over again. This is even more true with animation as I love to find clever styles that goes beyond convention and still produce a wonderful and thrilling story. So today, I review Satellite Girl and Milk Cow, a Korean animation film that is sure to test the boundaries of my fondness for weirdness. Is it too much for this critic or is it right in my sweet spot? Let’s find out.

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I Kill Giants (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on May 24th, 2018

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“I find giants…I hunt giants…I kill giants”

This is one of those films that for some reason didn’t find an audience during a theatrical run, but I can guarantee there are viewers who are going to connect with this film and embrace it for years to come. I say this because only a few years ago there was a film that was similar in tone, A Monster Calls, and to be honest, that film devastated me as we went along with the main character as he and his imaginary monster helped him cope with his mother who is dying from cancer. I Kill Giants is at face value the same film, only told through the eyes of a young girl, though despite the films being so similar, it doesn’t lessen the film’s overall impact in the least.
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Die Hard 30th Anniversary (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 23rd, 2018

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“Just another American who saw too many movies as a child? Another orphan of a bankrupt culture who thinks he’s John Wayne? Rambo? Marshall Dillon?”

So the great debate rages on. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie or just a movie that happens to be set at Christmastime? Recently Stephen Amell from Arrow told a press group that his favorite Christmas movie was indeed Die Hard. He’s not alone there. I’ve had the debate a few times myself. Unfortunately, I come down on the side that Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. Here’s my criteria.
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Game Night (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 20th, 2018

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“Welcome to game night”.

Everybody loves playing games. OK, most people like playing games. Friends have been getting together for game nights since there have been games. From the couples’ bridge days of the 1950’s to poker night with the guys, most of us have gotten together to play some kind of a game with friends. The thing about games is that they’re frivolous. Playing games with some buddies is a good excuse to kill a few hours, maybe have a few drinks. You’re not solving the world’s problems, and it’s usually just a simple night of entertainment.
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Bent (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on May 17th, 2018

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I think it’s a fair assumption to say the DTV market for film is pretty much the best it has ever been in regards to securing talent to star in the films. When you look at a film like Bent and its cast of Karl Urban (Dredd), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) and the great Andy Garcia (The Godfather 3, and my personal favorite Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead), it’s difficult to not get excited over its potential. To sweeten the pot, the film’s director, Bobby Moresco, has produced two films that have best picture Oscar nominations, so one has to wonder, what went wrong? I’m not saying the film is bad, but instead you’d just expect this film to be in another tier and not simply settling with a soft release in the new release section at Wal-Mart.
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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: In Concert

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on May 9th, 2018

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“This has got to be the largest AA meeting in the Western Hemisphere.”

That one-liner from 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bill Withers is one of the funnier nods to the, ahem, well-traveled club he just joined. It’s also featured in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: In Concert, a wonderfully comprehensive collection of the four induction ceremonies between 2014 and 2017. This 2-disc Blu-ray set features over 10 hours of content, including full induction speeches, 53 musical performances, and reunions that will have classic rock fans drooling. (Not to mention some notable snubs.)
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Den of Thieves (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 1st, 2018

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“We just shoot you. Less paperwork.”

Most of us like a good heist film. It’s fun to watch clever crooks work out complicated plans and then execute them. It’s not hard to root for the crooks if they’re likable enough characters. With me I almost have a kind of reluctant respect for criminals who are able to outsmart sophisticated systems. There’s something about the perfect crime that fascinates a film lover like me. Logan Lucky was one of the better heist films I’ve seen in years, and I was ready to spend an hour and a half being impressed by ingenious crooked plan that runs like clockwork once again. What I ended up with was a horribly overlong 2 hours and 20 minutes.
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Backstabbing for Beginners (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on April 26th, 2018

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Like probably most folk out there in the real world, I learned everything I know about foreign diplomats from television and film. They dress in expensive suits, usually have a drinking or smoking problem, and harbor some immense secret that could bring about the fall of a whole country or even the world. They don’t have friends or associates, instead they have pawns that they move around a theoretical chess board for influence and money. Finally, they would sell out their own grandmother if it meant a little more information at the bargaining table. Today, I review Backstabbing for Beginners, a movie that deals with UN Diplomats and the country of Iraq. Somehow, I don’t think my opinion is going to change.

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Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke: 40th Anniversary

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on April 20th, 2018

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“Wonder what he’s been smoking.”

When it comes to Cheech and Chong, you hardly have to wonder. What better way to celebrate 420 today than by revisiting Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke, the OG stoner comedy? The film is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, which Paramount has commemorated with this new edition. But how well does this high-larious comedy classic hold up in 2018?
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Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 13th, 2018

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When David Ayer’s Suicide Squad film was released a couple of years ago, the reviews were certainly mixed. One of the biggest complaints from the diehard fans was that Warner opted for a PG-13 version of the film, which took away much of the edge of the material. One only need look at the success of Deadpool to understand that there is a place for a comic film that pushes envelopes and doesn’t shy away from an R rating. It almost appears that the new Warner/DC animated feature film Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay would attempt to make up for that decision. This may very well be an animated “cartoon” film, but it’s a hard-edged R-rated experience that doesn’t shy away from brutality, blood, and violence.
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Braven (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on April 13th, 2018

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Lin Oeding has been involved with stunt work in film and TV for nearly two decades; it should come as no surprise that his first feature film would showcase some excellent stunt work throughout. Before Braven, I knew Jason Momoa had done work on Game of Thrones and had his bit as Aquaman in Justice League, but I had never gotten the chance to see him genuinely flex those acting muscles of his till now. I’m not about to say Momoa delivers a tour-de-force performance here, but it’s nice to see that he’s attempting to show a little range while beating up on the bad guys in the process. One would think the pairing of Oeding and Momoa would equal a surefire action hit, but instead we get an action film that unfortunately lacks any substance beyond some of its unique kills.
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Father Figures (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on April 10th, 2018

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When you are about to sit down for a comedy with Ed Helms and Owen Wilson, you pretty much know what you’re getting yourself into. Sometimes you just want to watch a movie for a few good laughs; then when it’s over, you return to your day-to-day routine. When it comes to Father Figures, the problem is that the film from the get-go is trying to get you to believe that Helms and Wilson could possibly be fraternal twins. Yeah, we’ve seen this before with the film Twins, only this time around we have a film about brothers attempting to overcome their differences as they work together to find their real father.
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Sweet Virginia (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on April 6th, 2018

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Ever since Jon Bernthal left The Walking Dead, he has managed to create quite the impressive resume over the years. From having some standout performances in Fury, Baby Driver and recently taking on the role of Frank Castle in The Punisher, he is easily making a name for himself. Now we get to see him take on the role of Sam in the new small town indie thriller, Sweet Virginia. In a film that is filled with well-crafted characters matched with some terrific performances by the cast, it’s a shame the film didn’t reach Blu-ray with more of a buzz around it. From the film’s violent opening, the film percolates with menace and unease to the final climax.
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Legion Season 1 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 5th, 2018

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“And so we ran on. Into Summerland and the place they said did not exist. And all the while, wolves were at our heels. Black masks, boots and the one they called The Eye. We had come to do the work that must be done. To strip ourselves of the fog of life before.”

If the first season of Legion was intended to lift any fog, it failed miserably. In fact, keeping you in a fog is series creator Noah Hawley’s superpower. He was also the creator of the television adaptation of Fargo, which was often more than a little confusing.
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The Sandlot: 25th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on April 4th, 2018

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When The Sandlot first came out 25 years ago, I connected to the coming-of-age baseball story as strongly as Babe Ruth connected with one of his titanic, 400-foot homers. I grew up in baseball-obsessed Puerto Rico and I happened to be the exact same age as dorky protagonist Scotty Smalls. I’ve kept in touch with the film over the years, but Fox’s new 25th Anniversary Blu-ray re-release of The Sandlot was a great excuse to watch it from start to finish.
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