Disc Reviews

It’s easy to forget how important it was for 2008’s Iron Man to be great. After all, the film was only asked to A) properly introduce a B-list comic hero to the movie-going masses and B) successfully kick off what turned out to be Phase One of Marvel’s March Toward Global Domination Cinematic Universe. “Good” would’ve been a letdown; Iron Man needed to be great. Fortunately, it delivered in spades; its critical and commercial success paved the way for an unprecedented run of films that culminated with The Avengers last summer. With a release date for the Avengers sequel already on the horizon, Tony Stark and Co. have once again been asked to set the tone.

To the point, Criminal Minds is very compelling television. Ever since The Silence Of The Lambs and perhaps long before, we have been fascinated by serial killers and the profilers who try to get inside their heads. To see evidence of the continuing trend, one needs only look toward the success of films like Zodiac and shows like Dexter. Of course, serial killers are not the only prey this FBI team pursues, but they are certainly the marquee item on the agenda.

The idea of taking a long road trip with your loved one or best friend is something everyone has to do at least a few times in your life.  There is something that occurs while driving down long lonely roads with nothing but music, scenery and good conversation to keep you company.  The road trip film is almost a genre onto itself and can be funny like Plains, Trains and Automobiles, insightful like On The Road, or horrifying like Joyride.  These films are so easy to relate to, because at some point we all share in these kinds of adventures, perhaps not so exciting but memorable nonetheless.

Even though director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s 11, Magic Mike) has an Oscar under his belt and numerous box office hits, the road to getting Behind the Candelabra was a difficult one.  Originally Soderbergh had planned for the film to play in theaters, but every studio was afraid of the project believing it to be “too gay”.  Sure, there have been numerous films in Hollywood that dealt with homosexual subject matter, and considering this was also a bio pic I’m still surprised the typically liberal studio system was so afraid of this project.

In previous years of reviewing Army Wives I described the show as being somewhat akin to Desperate Housewives but on an Army base where these women are married to soldiers who often find themselves in war zones in the Middle East. I have to say that season 7 is somewhat of a serious transition year for this show, and it is changing significantly both in cast and the way the stories are told. For me, the change is somewhat for the better. Still, I understand I'm not the target audience for this Lifetime series, but we do not have any women on our staff here at Upcomingdiscs. That means you're stuck with my opinions.

Ever wonder what the kids of South Park might be like if they ever made it to adulthood? While I’ve not seen that many episodes of the FX series It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, that was the first observation that came to mind. These are the South Park kids all grown up. They’re crude, raunchy, mean, and most importantly, they are as politically incorrect as ever. If you need an example, I can offer one right from this episode. The guys have a Christmas tradition that dates back to their childhood of throwing rocks at moving trains.

“You must leave this house before it’s too late. Leave now; I won’t be able to help you later.”

First of all, call me superstitious or paranoid, but when someone gives you that kind of warning about a place, it’s probably best to heed that warning. After watching The Haunting of Helena I am seriously reconsidering whether or not I’m going to let my kids believe in the Tooth Fairy. I’m not one who scares easily, but the tense atmosphere around this story makes for a truly haunting film (no pun intended).