Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on March 13th, 2020
A sure sign that Easter is just around the corner is yet another home video release of perennial seasonal favorite The Ten Commandments. In years past, we got the multi-disc edition, complete with original silent version of the film. This particular version is rather more stripped down, as far as features go, but it does mark the film’s re-release on Blu-ray. It's a collector's item kind of package with the discs arriving in a book form that isn't quite that full of info but looks kind of nice. The set includes the exact same discs and extras as the original Blu-ray release offered. On the surface this looks like one to avoid if you already have the previous release. But they baited the hook with more than fancy packaging. You get the original DeMille 1923 version of the film, and that's quite a good reason to pick this up. I'm disappointed that there's no 4K version of the film. It was originally shot in 70mm, and a restored 4K disc could look incredible. Maybe next Easter.
The first act of Cecil B. DeMille’s epic is as much a tale of Egyptian power politics as it is the story of a man coming to terms with his identity and destiny. We follow Moses (Charlton Heston) as, rising from triumph to triumph, he has the throne of Egypt within his grasp (much to the displeasure of Yul Brynner, the Pharaoh’s actual son and rival for the affections of the sinuous Anne Baxter), only to lose all worldly power when he realizes he is actually the son of Hebrew slaves. Cast out of Egypt, he returns to demand the liberty of his people, and comes clutching a fistful of plagues to make sure his former brother pays heed.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on March 13th, 2020
The notion that there are two sides to every story is at the center of The Affair. Almost every episode depicts the same events related to the titular adulterous relationship from two different perspectives. It’s an ingenious and inclusive storytelling tool, because TV viewers are encouraged to spot the differences in each character’s account of events. (Along with inconsistencies in hairstyles, wardrobe, wallpaper, etc.) That’s why I was somewhat disheartened by the latter portion of the season veering away from what made the show great.
– “Marriage means different things to different people.”
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on March 11th, 2020
Warner Brothers has done an impressive job when it comes to their live action DC Universe television shows. Everything including Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow have been fun entertaining experiences. Now with them starting up their own streaming service, they have upped the ante by releasing Titans. When I first heard about this one, I wasn’t sure what to think considering I wasn’t much of a fan of the animated series, but I’m so glad I came into this show with an open mind, because this show is jam-packed with coolness. Since this was made for a streaming service and not broadcast television, not only do we get superheroes dropping F-bombs, but we get some edgier storytelling along with some violent action you may not expect. Seriously, this one is not for the kids. Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left us hanging as we see the Titans coming together to save Rachel (Teagan Croft) from her father, Trigon, as he’s about to destroy the world. You know; typical bad guy behavior. What’s a little disappointing is how easily this villain is taken out, but of course it doesn’t take long before a new villain to be introduced. For those who are familiar with the DC comics and for those who are fans of Arrow, the big bad is a familiar masked villain as Deathstroke is brought into the show. Considering the number of characters in the DC rogues gallery, it is a bit annoying how we are given a character that we’ve seen before, but thankfully this live-action version is different enough from the Arrow-verse version that the storyline feels somewhat fresh.
This season not only does it head west to make San Francisco the team headquarters, Season 2 also takes place over two separate timelines, one being present day as they facing Deathstroke for the second time, while the other timeline takes us five years into the past where we see the original Titans in their prime when they first confronted Deathstroke. Seeing the dynamic of the old and new Titans is certainly one of the season’s high points. It’s not just about seeing a bunch of superheroes together, but seeing their chemistry as well as their feuds offers up plenty of drama. At times the drama is absurd and is like watching a superhero version of The Real World.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 6th, 2020
"The system is rigged. They want us to believe that it'll protect us, but that's a lie. We protect us. We do. Nobody else. Not the companies, not the scientists, not the government. Us."
Dark Waters is an alarming, based-on-true-events thriller that will have you more than little worried about your cookware. Mark Ruffalo plays Robert Bilott, an attorney who is drawn into a conspiracy involving a chemical conglomerate that resulted in hundreds of unexplained deaths. Anne Hathaway is his wife, who has to endure her husband’s over-twenty-year obsession with bringing down this company, all while trying to hold their family together. As I said, this was truly illuminating movie based on the 2016 New York Times article, The lawyer who became Dupont’s worst nightmare. The idea that something like this could happen for so long without any real consequences makes this story worth telling.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on March 6th, 2020
So at what point is enough is enough? The Dragonheart franchise has been around since 1996 when Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery brought the first film to life, becoming a box office success. Since that first film, sequels have continued to tell the tale of how a dragon has the power to share part of its heart with a human if it chooses. This is clearly evidence of the law of diminishing returns, as only the first film made it to the box office, with the others relegated to home media. While home media is a legitimate platform for films, I cannot fathom the reason to keep this franchise going. Dragonheart: Vengeance marks the fifth return to this universe, with the events of this film occurring before the events of the fourth film (Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire). Each film exists within the same universe, but with a new crop of characters and sometimes with a new dragon, usually voiced by an acting authority; examples include Patrick Stewart, Ben Kingsley, and of course, Sean Connery. In regards to this universe, I have not ventured back to this world since the events of the first film, and based on what I witnessed in this incarnation, there is little substance to warrant continued trips back.
This film focuses predominantly on the idea of vengeance, specifically revenge, as one of our protagonists (Lukas) witnesses the murder of his family at the hands of four bandits. Bent on seeking the bloodiest justice on the behalf of his loved ones, he attempts to employ a sellsword for the task to little avail, though he does meet one skilled one with some peculiar habits. Running low on options, he is told of a dragon that may grant his heart’s desire. Venturing to its cage, he meets the dragon that agrees to help, but cautions that revenge may change him.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2020
I remember over my years watching History's Duck Dynasty that the lead characters had very characteristic beards. One of the multi-season collections even came with a beard you could put on or display. A lot of folks thought it was a clever element that set these "good ol' boys" apart from the other eccentric characters the network parades in their "reality" shows, but if you're a fan of American music, you would know those beards anywhere. They originally belonged to ZZ Top iconic guitarist Billy Gibbons and equally iconic bass player Dusty Hill, who along with the ironically beardless drummer Frank Beard form the trio ZZ Top. After 50 years they remain the longest running rock band in history to still feature the complete original lineup. Of course, that's not quite as hard to do with only three members, but it's a milestone that even few marriages celebrate, and that's only two people. Like them, love them, or not, ZZ Top have become one of the most quintessential American bands in history. It's easily recognized with just a few opening chords, and it's about time someone sat down with these boys to find out what makes them tick and just how three poor cowboys from Texas changed the American music scene forever.
The documentary is by noted filmmaker Sam Dunn, who is usually known for his coverage of the metal scene. ZZ Top is a little out of the way for Dunn, but he manages to capture the essence of a band that has relied on an element of mystery their entire careers. They don't do a lot of events, interviews, or promotional gigs. They have traditionally let the music speak for themselves, and it likely took a director with a willingness to color outside the lines to bring the band's history and true personality out for the cameras. It's not a traditional kind of documentary. As history is told by one participant or another, you certainly get the expected vintage photographs, performance posters, and grainy footage of the days before fame. That's all here, but there's more. The film resorts to some black & white animation to cover some of the important meetings and decisions that came up along the way. Of most interest is the overall use of a private performance deep in the heart of Texas where the trio gather and recreate the milestone musical moments that served as turning points in their lives. It's not only nice to have a somewhat intimate concert with the band but be close enough to watch them recall those moments as they ran through the music being described. I loved those moments and wish there had actually been more of that.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2020
"Over the next two days you little critters will get to experience some of the things that the mighty German army goes through every day, and even though it would appear our country's on the back foot and there really isn't much hope in us winning this war, apparently we're doing just fine."
The book Caging Skies was written in 2000 by Christine Leunens. The book became more the inspiration for the film JoJo Rabbit rather than the source material, as they are very different animals indeed. The book is a rather sober look at the indoctrination of a young generation of boys and girls in Hitler's infamous Hitler's Youth organization. It was pretty much like the Boy Scouts of America, except, you know, for young Nazis. When director Taika Waititi got his hands on the material, it became somewhat a dark or black comedy with entire concepts added to the storytelling that were not a part of the original novel. Waititi is pretty much known as a comic director who has managed to intertwine his particular sense of comedy with other genre films with relative success. A prime example, of course, is his foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, which became one of the oddest entry in that film franchise. Expect more when we get to see his work again with that old God of Thunder when the next Thor installment Thor: Love And Thunder is released soon.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 29th, 2020
It's been six years since Frozen became somewhat of a surprise hit out of Walt Disney Studios in 2013. No one was surprised it made a good haul at the box office, but I suspect that even the masterminds at Disney never saw this billion-dollar baby when it was first being born. It's become the biggest original hit out of Disney since the original Lion King set animated feature records in the 90's. I'll give the studio credit. They didn't rush out and try to cash in on the momentum as quickly as other studios would have. They took their time and assembled the same team of directors and songwriters and allowed the process to follow a six-year process with the intent of doing it right rather than doing it fast. For the most part I think that strategy paid off, and while this film will never be the classic the original has become, it will fit rather snugly into the franchise and will delight children, while possibly cursing the adults who are fated to watch the film over and over again. This is absolutely one of those kinds of movies.
It all starts in the past where we spy young Elsa and Anna playfully getting ready for bed. The King puts them to bed with a story out of the kingdom's past. He regales them with how their grandfather met the people of an enchanted forest who had magical powers over the four elements of land, fire, air and water. They are told of the great gift of peace their grandfather gave these people in the form of a huge dam. It all turns nasty when the story continues to tell of a peaceful gathering where the people of the enchanted forest suddenly attack the people of Arendelle. The elements were so angered by the act of betrayal that they separated the kingdoms and enshrouded the enchanted forest with an impenetrable fog that has isolated the forest ever since.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by John Delia on February 26th, 2020
by John Delia, Jr.
"There's a point at 7,000 RPM... where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. Just disappears. And all that's left is a body moving through space and time. 7,000 RPM. That's where you meet it. You feel it coming. It creeps up on you, close in your ear. Asks you a question. The only question that matters. Who are you?"
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 25th, 2020
You can argue that the teen slasher genre is mostly a cautionary tale about premarital sex and using drugs and alcohol. After all, a majority of the time the “final” girl was typically the “good girl”. In a lot of ways, the horror genre is basically a cautionary tale for the viewers, though many of us fans of the genre seem to take delight in seeing the bad decisions people make and the consequences that follow. Teeth and It Follows are a pair of my favorite cautionary-tale horror films that deal with sex and the consequences in a fun and unique way. Snatchers I was hoping would follow and be a welcome addition to these modern cult favorites, but for me, it didn’t quite stick the landing. Sara (Mary Nepi) is doing what she can to keep up with her popular friends in high school, which means she’s willing to do what she can to hold onto her jock boyfriend, Skyler (Austin Fryberger), even if it means losing her virginity with him. Unfortunately the consequences arrive swiftly as she discovers she is pregnant. Things only get worse when two days later Sara wakes up with a bulging pregnant belly and no one to turn to. Feeling as though she has no other option and no one to talk to, she reaches out to her former best friend, Haley (Gabrielle Elyse). The chemistry between Nepi and Elyse is a big factor as to why this film works, and this chemistry is what will keep many viewers engaged when normally they would have given up on the film.
I like campy, and I enjoy a bit of gore in my horror, so it’s no surprise that Snatchers was able to hold my interest. When Sara goes to have her pregnancy terminated and what follows is one of the more over-the-top alien reveals, I found myself hooked into this film. This subtle injection of social/moral commentary, whether intentional or not, does give the film a little more depth than expected, but unfortunately for me this is where the film peaks. Where it becomes more frustrating is when it makes the attempt to make sense of all that is happening. Is Skyler an alien? What happened on his trip to Mexico? These are questions that are certainly warranted, but rather than give us a detailed account, it simply would have sufficed that less of an answer would have been more. By the time the girls attempt to get answers, we’ve already seen the alien cause havoc in two locations, and when they do finally get answers, if anything it stalls the momentum the film has had building.
