Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on March 16th, 2016
“Perhaps we've grown so used to horror, we assume there's no other way.”
Given the quantity and quality of death and destruction we’ve witnessed over the previous four years, the most shocking thing Game of Thrones could do in its fifth season was offer a tiny glimmer of hope. After all, optimism in Westeros and Essos is an even rarer commodity than dragons. Yet this batch of episodes probably gives us the clearest glimpse at the endgame of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” saga. (Even as the author’s deliberate pace continues to drive book readers mad.) That being said, don’t think for a second the show has gone soft in its old middle age: Thrones still has the unmatched ability to dazzle and devastate in equal measure.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 14th, 2016
"There’s always some variable you didn’t account for."
Manhattan is one of those variables. It's one of those dramatic stories where mankind is altered forever. If it weren't absolutely true, someone would have had to make it up. Every child in schools around the world knows about the atomic bombs that ended World War II. We've all seen the terrible destruction that exceeded even the expectations of the scientists and engineers who designed and built these bombs. We all live in the aftermath of these events. Yet little is known about the people who devoted their lives to making it a reality, not only those directly involved, but their families and the support network necessary to bring them all together. Enter WGN America, and the tale is finally told. Manhattan enters its second season on Blu-ray.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on March 14th, 2016
“I'm guessing most of you still don't really know what happened.”
There is absolutely nothing funny about the financial crisis of 2008. Besides the fact that the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble led to the failure of countless businesses and a disastrous decline in consumer wealth, the crisis involved key phrases like “credit default swap” and “collateralized debt obligation.” Those terms are much more likely to make your eyes glaze over in boredom or confusion than they are to inspire laughs. The Big Short cannily recognizes this challenge and crafts a farcical, incisive narrative about a small group of outcasts who saw the whole thing coming.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 13th, 2016
Prayer in school, oh boy, I can't think of another high-tension issue that surpasses this one. Although God's Club is not necessarily about this particular subject, its premise is bound to have some big arguments on both sides of the fence. I'm sure most of us know them already, but for the sake of my word count, let's run them down. On the one hand, this great nation of ours was founded on the ideal of religious freedom; however, the separation of church and state has much to say about the matter as well. Needless to say, this is a topic that garners a lot of attention and must be handled with care. Fortunately, I believe that to be the case with God's Club.
Before the death of his wife, Michael's attitude in regards to the bible club was tolerant at best. Believing the extracurricular activity was not worth the pushback that it was receiving from outraged parents, he was supportive, albeit unenthusiastic. Following her passing, he makes it his mission not only to reinvent the club but spearhead it as well. It does not take long before he finds himself up against the same backlash that plagued his late wife. Only through perseverance and dare I say faith will he be about to survive the onslaught.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 11th, 2016
A spaghetti western with a bit of supernatural tone. I not exactly sure that those two go together, but they give their best shot in Killed or Be Killed. This film shows how far man will come in pursuit of a fortune, as the group sacrifice almost everything including their lives. A band of outlaws, after breaking one of their number free from a chain gang, set about a long trek across the great state of Texas in order to claim a fortune that will allow them to retire from their outlaw ways. Not long after beginning their trek, misfortune strikes the gang in the form or several situations which will decrease their number and create dissent among the gang.
Soon bodies begin dropping left and right with every town the group hits. A tremendous bounty is placed on the group’s heads, attracting the attention of several lawmen looking to collect on the payday. Who will survive to make it to the fortune?
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on March 9th, 2016
Maybe it’s simply just a part of growing up, but when I listen to the radio and I hear what is topping the charts I just roll my eyes and wonder, “What is this crap I’m listening to?” We’ve all experienced this at some point, I’d imagine, and as I’ve gotten older my music tastes have seemed to move to before my time, as I’ve moved past my days of listening to strictly metal and rock that ruled the 90’s to now embracing the music of the 60’s and 70’s. I listen to the pop music that floods the airwaves now and hear “music” that lacks substance and meaning, as it is just noise to play on the dance floors of clubs. It’s here where I feel the series of documentaries Penelope Spheeris should conclude her saga of music over the decades.
In 1981 Penelope Spheeris came out with a documentary that captured the LA punk scene, a scene that was filled with such rebellious nature that for some it was the last stand against the corporations taking over our music. These young men and women are pretty much the unsung heroes of music; whether you’re a fan or not of punk, it has made its mark on music to this day, and it did so without flashy music videos and without the Twitter-verse; it did so as a unified force that wasn’t afraid to stand up to its oppressors.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on March 9th, 2016
Life was financed by Canada and Australia with a Dutch director, but the subject matter was strictly American. I’m burying the lead because I want to give the film’s subject a proper buildup. Life is about one of the most famous people who ever lived. He was a person who was loved all over the world and whose face is the preeminent icon of youth and rebellion. One could argue there are others who could vie for the crown, but for different reasons I would insist that James Dean is the man. James Dean is unique for many reasons, but the main one is that he died at 24 at the cusp of a very big wave of fame. His talent and charisma was obvious, and he nailed it three out of three times on the big screen, East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant. He was the next Brando but became the only James Dean. There are many screen legends, but no one burned brighter and faster with a light that shines to this very day. He died September 30, 1955 from a car crash.
Life is the story of a photographer who spent a few days with Dean just before he became insanely famous. Denis Stock (Robert Pattinson from the Twilight movies) took some of the first candid and most iconic photographs of Dean before he was swallowed by the studio system. Dean ( Dane Dehaan, who James Franco has tweeted is stalking him since he’s made James Dean, Allan Ginsberg, and Green Goblin movies after Franco did) is an elusive and skittish character in this film. Its obvious Dean knows he’s special but is not really suited to being famous. He has come from small town in Indiana and life on a farm with a very supportive religious family.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 9th, 2016
“It will be a work of fiction, inspired by truth.”
That one line best summarizes the entire movie, in my opinion. In In The Heart of the Sea, we are treated to the insight of how Herman Melville was inspired to write what may be considered one of American literature’s biggest epics, Moby Dick. As this is a film based on a true story, naturally we recognize that certain liberties were taken with the specific goal of maintaining the audience’s attention; however, as you watch, I am confident that you will find yourself wanting to believe in the legitimacy of the tale. I know I did.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on March 9th, 2016
“They are hard to get...”
Naturally, Elizabeth and Philip Jennings — the Soviet spies next door at the center of FX’s The Americans — have proven to be exceedingly elusive. Over the course of three seasons and 39 episodes, they’ve dodged numerous close calls from the federal government, enemy agents, and from within their own household. But while various parties have tried to catch the main characters in the act, the thing that makes The Americans one of the very best shows on TV is that it’s actually incredibly easy to “get” Elizabeth and Philip; their efforts to keep their (unconventional) family together are universal.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on March 8th, 2016
Out of the Inferno is one of the most recent films written and directed by Danny and Oxide Pang. I must admit that I am a fan of the prolific duo, ever since I watched the original Bangkok Dangerous. Whether it be their intense dramatic thrillers such as The Detective or The Eye franchises, or their nightmarish dreamscapes in Sleepwalker or Re-Cycle (my personal favorite from the Pang Brothers). Unfortunately, Out of the Inferno did not come close to surpassing the “bar” of expectations when it comes to my enjoyment of a film from the Pang Brothers. The narrative involves two firefighter brothers who are dedicated to their line of work. One day they are given a choice by their uncle to either stay with their current station, or to come work as consultants for his company that is currently developing new firefighting technology. Naturally, one brother sees the lucrative future in the technology, and the other sees the nobility in the job he is currently working, so they go their separate ways. Years later, we return to the characters: one brother has immeasurable wealth as the head of the new fire technology company, and the other has gained rank within the fire department and is expecting a child with his wife. Due to the extreme heat on this particular day, a fire starts and quickly spreads within the giant building where the wealthier brother just so happens to be hosting a celebratory banquet.
Immediately I am reminded of Backdraft from 1991: two brothers who don’t necessarily get along and lots of fire and backdrafts. In fact, the amount of backdrafts in Out of the Inferno puts the number of backdrafts in Backdraft to shame, or any realistic fire for that matter. For the reader who may not know, a backdraft is a sudden surge of fire that rushes to consume the oxygen that is introduced to the vacuum of a burning room. Fires create vacuums in enclosed spaces, and when firefighters attempt to penetrate these spaces, the force at which the flame rushes outward can be fatal. So here are the ingredients to the mixed drink that is Out of the Inferno: one part sibling rivalry drama, two parts “old versus new” firefighting technologies, and enough backdrafts to singe the hair off of your head three times over. Sounds fun, right? Well, it probably would be if it felt cohesive.
