Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 31st, 2013
The Cinemax anthology series continues to be my guilty pleasure that when it’s over I simply want just a little bit more. The show takes sleaze and debauchery to a whole new level, and I mean that in the best way possible. At first glance and even if catching an episode out of context, for some the show may resemble some B-grade skin flick, but for those who sit back and give it a chance, you’ll discover it is so much more. But for those who may find beautiful women randomly discarding their clothes mixed with random acts of violence offensive, well, here is your chance to run away and never look back, because this show takes pleasure in pushing the limits of decency and good taste. And that is what makes it fun.
With season two we get 12 new tales about women and the trouble they manage to get themselves into. After watching the entire season the biggest issue that jumps out at me is the lack of diversity throughout the season. The first season managed to deliver a new flavor and style with every episode but kept the focus on the beautiful femme fatales throughout. This season they all seemed to fit into the same mold of modern noir pieces with the exception of Bad Science, Hell Hath No Furies, and Libra. It’s no big surprise that these turned out to be some of the more fun installments of the season.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on July 30th, 2013
For most modern moviegoers, Marilyn Monroe is probably more “famous for being famous” than she is for her cinematic body of work. (Of course, she’s also infinitely better known for an entirely different “body of work.”) That’s not totally fair because Monroe has at least one bona fide classic (Some Like It Hot) and a handful of indisputably indelible images among her movie credits. Those of you interested in exploring her filmography are in luck: Fox has just released two titles from her mid-1950s superstar peak on Blu-ray, including her femme fatale turn in Niagara.
Monroe stars as Rose Loomis, who is visiting Niagara Falls with her older, jealous, volatile husband George (Joseph Cotten). When the film opens, Rose and George are staying in a cabin reserved by Polly and Ray Cutler (Jean Peters and Casey Adams), but the Cutlers agree to take another room and give the seemingly troubled couple some space. Turns out George has good reason to be jealous: during a tour of the Falls, Polly spots Rose making out with another man. Eventually, we learn Rose and her lover plan to kill George and run away together.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 30th, 2013
Has anyone ever wondered what The Breakfast Club would have been like if it had zombies? I know I haven’t. Well, despite no desire to see such a thing, Detention of the Dead is here to showcase just that. Take a cast full of the supporting cast members from popular television series and movies from the 2010 generation such as Glee, Twilight, and Greek, give them a script litter with made up words designed to be funny (and failing miserably in the attempt), and you have a project that makes you feel like you are trapped in detention.
So here’s how it plays out;, there’s no real buildup; somehow people start to become infected with some type of contagion that reduces them to mindless, flesh-eating zombies, and the audience has no clue how it happened or who is to blame. Somehow this infection finds its way to a local high school where detention is about to commence. The class consists of Eddie (Jacob Zachar, Greek), a nerdy first time offender who is desperately in love with another offender, a stuck up cheerleader Janet (Christa B. Allen, Revenge) who earned a sentence after being caught in the bathroom with her boyfriend Brad (Jayson Blair, The New Normal), the high school bully who makes Eddie’s life miserable.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on July 29th, 2013
Elvis Presley was easily one of the most impactful pop culture icons of the 20th century during his life, and that status has barely waned in the decades after his death. (Or “alleged death”, given the number of Elvis sightings each year.) Presley obviously made his most lasting mark in the world of rock and roll music (and fashion), but he also had a surprisingly fruitful film career. Though none of his movies turned out to be cinematic masterpieces and no one was confusing him with Marlon Brando, The King brought his charismatic presence to more than 30 movies between 1956 and 1969. He was 21 when he made his film debut in Love Me Tender.
Fox has just released the 1956 Western/Civil War drama on a nifty-looking Blu-ray. (More on that in the Video section.) The first thing that struck me about the black & white film is that Presley — arguably the most famous person in the country at the time — is not really the star.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 25th, 2013
I was not looking forward to this sequel at all. Now, to those who saw the film in theaters and loved it, before you get bent out of shape, allow me to explain why. See, I don’t react to change very well, and after seeing the first film and liking it, let’s just say that I had certain reservations after learning that much of the original cast wouldn’t be returning (not to mention news of the worst kept secret about the demise of one of the characters). Needless to say when I sat down to watch Retaliation, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy. Happy to say that after watching it, I’m eating crow.
Retaliation resumes sometime after the original movie. Duke (Channing Tatum) is now leader of his own team which includes Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), Snake Eyes (Ray Park), and Flint (DJ Cotrona). After completing a successful mission, the team returns to base camp and awaits extraction. Dropping their guard, the group enjoys downtime; however, when a security patrol arrives ahead of schedule, it does not go unnoticed. Their suspicions are proven right, as a massive assault devastates the camp. Unable to adequately defend themselves, the team suffers heavy casualties including a vital and precious member of the team. (I’m sure you’ll have no trouble figuring out who.)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 25th, 2013
Mystery Science Theatre is an acquired taste. For me, I’ve really got to be in that certain mood to watch it. That’s the beauty of these DVDs. You pop them in when you’re ready. The idea is pretty whacked. Depending on the season you’ve got, Joel or Mike is trapped in space on the “Satellite of Love”. Doomed to spend his life watching very bad films, our hero makes the best of a bad situation. He uses his resources to construct a few robot pals. There's Crow T. Robot (Beaulieu), Tom Servo (Murphy), and Gypsy (Mallon). Part of an experiment together, they watch the films from the front row, constantly ranting throughout. If you’re like me, you’ve invited a few friends over to watch a schlock festival. The movies weren’t as important as the banter you created while watching. That’s exactly what you see here. The silhouettes of our host and his robots dominate the lower portion of the screen, where they provide alternative dialog and sometimes witty commentary on the action. The two evil station owners/mad scientists send them a new bad film each week to observe their reactions to the bombs. The films are broken up by off-the-wall skits and fake commercials to alleviate the tedium.
Once again there are four movies/episodes included with the collection. You get the cool mini-lobby cards and the breakdown is 2 Mike and 2 Joel episodes.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on July 25th, 2013
I don’t care if it makes me sound like an awful human being, but I wanted The Demented to be much nastier than it actually was. The packaging for this straight-to-Blu-ray offering trumpets the fact that it’s “from a co-producer of A Nightmare on Elm Street” and producer Steven Monroe, who directed the I Spit on Your Grave remake. Since I’m not delusional, I didn’t expect this film to be nearly as good as a horror classic like Elm Street. But I also didn’t think it was unreasonable to expect the competent thrills of the Spit remake. Instead, the filmmakers have given us a sub-SyFy gloss on 28 Days Later... and dozens of other (infinitely superior) horror movies.
If you’ve ever seen a horror flick, you know this story. Six young, pretty things — who happen to be conveniently paired off — convene at a remote location for some party time, but end up fighting for their lives. In this case, we have college friends hanging out and hooking up at a rich friend’s Louisiana estate. A rogue terrorist attack on the Gulf Coast unleashes a biological weapon that turns the infected into rabid and fast-moving killers. (Horror fans who passionately hate the idea of “fast zombies” just clicked away from this page.) How do we know a rogue terrorist attack occurred on the Gulf Coast? Glad you asked: the father of one of the characters calls the house where they’re staying and hilariously literally says, “there’s been a rogue terrorist attack on the Gulf Coast.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on July 23rd, 2013
The 1970s famously produced many of the most daring, diverse and groundbreaking classics in movie history. All-time greats like Scorsese, Spielberg, Polanski, Altman and Lucas either broke out or did some of their most exciting work during the decade. But, even among these titans, Francis Ford Coppola separated himself from the pack. Four films — The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse Now — four undisputed classics. Batting 1.000 during the greatest moviemaking decade of all time earns you a ton of slack. In Coppola’s case, it has gotten him enough slack to make up for the fact that nothing he’s done in subsequent years can touch his ‘70s output.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty to enjoy in the rest of his filmography. The Outsiders helped launch the careers of more than a handful of Hollywood heartthrobs. His gothic, lush take on Dracula is impulsively watchable, although the scariest thing in the movie remains Keanu Reeves’ English accent. Even his warm adaptation of John Grisham’s The Rainmaker managed to rise above the crowded pack of ‘90s legal dramas. After The Rainmaker, Coppola didn’t direct another movie for 10 years.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 22nd, 2013
Some cult classics you have to just wonder how it is they manage to stand the test of time. For the life of me I’ll never understand the love for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but yet when someone mentions the cult classic Frankenhooker, I can’t help but light up with geeky delight. As film geeks most can admit these cult classics are far from great films, but yet there is a charm about them we can’t resist, and not only do we rewatch these guilty pleasures, but we also have the irresistible urge to thrust these films on our friends.
When a liquor store owner discovers a crate of unopened, cheaply made wine labeled “viper” in his cellar, he does what any good business man would and takes it up to the counter to sell it. The trouble is this special brew does more than give you a hangover; instead it causes the body to swiftly break down and melt into a colorful puddle of goo. Unfortunately it seems the only customers picking up this deadly booze are the local bums who have managed to scrounge up a buck to make their lethal hooch.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 17th, 2013
The 8th season would appear to be the final year for The Virginian. I say it would appear, because in spite of what it says on this release, the show would actually continue on for one more year. The name would be changed to The Men From Shiloh, which would also be used in many markets when the show would enjoy its syndication run. Unfortunately, many of the stations at the time cut the episodes down to fit the one-hour time slot. But you don't have any of those worries now, as Timeless Media brings us the final season of episodes to air under the name The Virginian.
There was really only one major cast change on the show in the 8th season. David Hartman left the show after only one season as Dave Sutton. The youth was represented this season by Tim Matheson as Jim Horn. He would be introduced in the season's first episode and continue for just this season. All of the cast would leave for the Men From Shiloh season except for stars James Drury and Doug McClure.
