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How to Make It in America: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on October 20th, 2011

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“I’m just a hard working man trying to get by.”

HBO has a way of making series that feature cities like one of the major characters, and How to Make it in America showcases New York City. Not the NYC of Sex and the City, which was all uptown preppie, How to Make it in America takes it to the streets. Not since Woody Allen have the boroughs been so lovingly represented. Much like the hustle of the NYC, How to Make it in America crackles with street-savvy vigor and style.
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Chuck: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 20th, 2011

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“This is not the opening of a TV show. This is real life.”

If you had to describe the fourth season of Chuck in one word it would be Mother. This season Chuck learns that his mother was also a spy and that she didn’t really just abandon her family. She went deep undercover and now may or may not be one of the bad guys. It helps that Momma is played by genera favorite Linda Hamilton who makes some sweet references to her earlier works on Terminator and Beauty And The Beast.
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Scarface (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 20th, 2011

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“In May 1980, Fidel Castro opened the harbor at Mariel, Cuba with the apparent intention of letting some of his people join their relatives in the United States. Within seventy-two hours, 3,000 U.S. boats were headed for Cuba. It soon became evident that Castro was forcing the boat owners to carry back with them not only their relatives, but the dregs of his jails. Of the 125,000 refugees that landed in Florida an estimated 25,000 had criminal records.”

One of those refugees was Tony Montana.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” A Horrible Way to Die (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2011

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Just look at the title, A Horrible Way To Die, and I’ll bet you pretty much know what you’re in for. You could very well be expecting a gore-fest that borders on the torture-porn genre, and you might be preparing yourself for some imaginative and bloody kills. Looking at the title you’d have every reason to believe that’s what you were going to get. You might expect it, but that’s not really what you’re going to get. The title is quite misleading, in fact. Yes, it’s a horror tale about a brutal serial killer. No, it’s not the kind of film that lingers on mutilated victims or covers the surroundings in blood and guts.
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Cinema Paradiso (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 19th, 2011

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In case you were not already aware, the makers of Cinema Paradiso wanted you to know just how acclaimed their film happens to be. So, before the film itself starts there’s something akin to a credit roll with a long list of awards and acclaims the film has received since its release in 1988. To say that it is a film held in high regard would be a terribly unfair understatement. The movie is an undisputed classic and for good reason.
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Life is Beautiful (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 18th, 2011

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“This is a simple story, but not an easy one to tell. Like a fable, there is sorrow. And, like a fable, it is full of wonder and happiness.”

Roberto Benigni has been somewhat of a staple in Italian cinema for nearly 40 years. He has a solid reputation not only as a talented actor but as a writer and director, as well. He has been known mostly for his comedy, and that’s exactly how many people see Life Is Beautiful. On first glance you might read the description and be somewhat skeptical about watching a comedy about the Jewish Concentration Camps during World War II. But Benigni manages to mix just the right amount of whimsical comedy
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Submarine (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on October 15th, 2011

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“I find that the only way to get through life is to picture myself in an entirely disconnected reality.”

15 year old Welsh schoolboy Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) has an amazing amount of self esteem for a kid his age. He fantasizes about his own funeral and the tragic impact it would have on his community and Wales in general. In reality, Oliver is severely socially retarded and unpopular.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Maniac Cop (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on October 14th, 2011

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“You have the right to remain silent… forever!”

Maniac Cop is a movie that has all the elements of being a cult classic.
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The Lion King (Two-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2011

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“From the day we arrive on the planet and blinking, step into the sun, there’s more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than can ever be done. There’s far too much to take in here. More to find than can ever be found…”

There’s a period in the 1990’s that has often been referred to as the second golden age of Disney animation. The studio had fallen from its once mighty perch, and most film historians tend to agree there was a creative dark ages through the 1980’s. But the renaissance of the studio began with Aladdin in 1992
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Dead Alive (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2011

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Stop me if you’ve heard any of this before. Peter Jackson directs a horror film that has an expedition going to Skull Island to retrieve a horrific primate. Of course, you might now be expecting a review of Jackson’s remake of King Kong. But the primate here is something called a rat monkey, and it only figures into the film’s early moments. Long before Jackson achieved household name status by taking us on a journey to Middle Earth, he was a small filmmaker with no less grand designs.
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Stool Pigeon (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 11th, 2011

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The more I get into this review writing gig (I say this like I just started writing movie reviews last week when it’s been half a dozen years), the more I appreciate foreign films. I am no longer afraid of subtitles, culturally sensitive sub-plots, or the use of specific foreign mythological creatures as supporting characters. I am not even sure what I just said. Anyway, we have an interesting foreign film to review today entitled “Sin Yan” or more commonly known by the American title as Stool Pigeon.
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The Lion King (Four-Disc Diamond Edition Blu-ray 3D)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 6th, 2011

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Written by John Delia

I don’t know if you recently had the opportunity to see The Lion King in 3D at your local theater or the original version in 1994 when it came out, but I had the opportunity to see the film in the 3D Blu-ray disc version and it’s amazing. The film will probably never be replaced as the all time animated entertainment event for me because it has all the action, drama, comedy and values that make it the best for family viewing, and now in 3D Blu-ray.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (3-Disc Special Edition) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011

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“I guess if this is the first you’re hearing about it, I know how this must all sound.”

Unless you’ve been in a coma like the lead character of The Walking Dead, you’ve been hearing a lot about this AMC television series of late. It’s no wonder. I’m amazed that it’s taken so long to see a zombie television series. The show has incredible visuals. There’s a courtyard scene at the beginning of the pilot that is as impressive as anything you’ve seen in a movie. And when a character has to shoot a 6-year-old girl in the head, you understand instantly that this is going to be something unique.
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Modern Family: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011

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We all remember Ed O’Neill as Al Bundy from Married With Children. It’s an iconic role that he’ll never be able to shake no matter what he does for the rest of his life. After that series ended its 11-year run, he even attempted to get out of comedy and take more dramatic roles. I’m sure there was a deliberate intent to try to distance himself from Al. It’s not that he likely didn’t love playing the role. He just wanted to avoid getting forever typecast in the mold.
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Yes Symphonic Live (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2011

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Yes formed in 1968 and instantly became a pioneer in the area of progressive rock. The band utilized classical trends and ideas to create epic musical pieces that were often over 10 minutes in length. While that made AM radio success more fleeting, the band was huge at its peak, joining the ranks of Emerson, Lake and Palmer in the genre as one of the most endearing and enduring bands of the era.
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Fast Five (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 4th, 2011

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Written by John Delia

The action thriller Fast Five with its hot rod theme leaves the past four episodes of Fast & Furious in the dust. Now on Blu-ray the high-on-energy, exhilarating plot and amazing chase scenes make this a must-see adrenaline pumper. Within the opening 20 minutes it gets so wild it took my breath away.
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Hung: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on October 4th, 2011

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“I am in the oldest profession in the world.”

Ray (Thomas Jane) is a middle-aged divorcee knocked to his knees by the recession. His home is fire-damaged, he lives in a tent in his backyard, the school he works for as a coach keeps slashing his department’s funding and threatening layoffs, he’s still in love with his neurotic ex-wife, Jessica (Anne Heche) and is struggling as a single father to raise social-misfit teen twins, Damon (Charlie Saxton) and Darby (Sianoa Smit-McPhee).
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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 30th, 2011

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John Candy has always been one of my favorite movie comedians. Something about Candy, regardless of whether he was doing a sketch in SCTV, playing Uncle Buck, or a private investigator in Who’s Harry Crumb, he just seems like a guy that is the friendly uncle everybody loves. It could be the meanest character on paper but he comes across as a big teddy bear. Today, we explore a title called Planes, Trains and Automobiles. He plays a Shower Ring salesman, that sounds like a teddy bear to me.
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The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 30th, 2011

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Leslie Nielsen was once a serious actor. He starred in one of the most important science fiction films ever made, Forbidden Planet. He was a staple on the 1950’s television dramas. His unique features and voice made him a busy character actor all the way until the 1980’s. That’s when the cornball kings Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker cast him as the “don’t call me Shirley” Dr. Rumack in Airplane. From that moment on Nielsen went from being a serious actor to becoming the face of an entire comedy genre of corny films.
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Airplane! (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 30th, 2011

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The spoof film means something different to audiences today than it did in the early 80s. Anything, if done enough times over, starts to become stale. For instance, the first Scary Movie, while having a couple of really lame scenes, was actually pretty funny overall. With each sequel, however, came diminished returns. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a film that spoofs spoof films (though I’m not sure how one would do that).
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 27th, 2011

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In the wake of the financially successful but critically drubbed Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Michael Bay and company return to the fray with this considerably more coherent exercise. Given that this movie committed to advancing the cause of 3D like no other film since Avatar, the question arises as to how well its visual splendour and over-the-top technological extravagance will translate to home video. The answer is: pretty damn well.
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Supernatural: The Complete Sixth Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 27th, 2011

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One of the best highlights of the 6th season include an episode where the boys get shoved into a reality where they are two actors playing in a television series called Supernatural. Yeah, they did it in Eerie Indiana, but it works just the same here. For so many fans the show has built an enormous reality of its own. This one just gives fans a chance to look at their own world for a few minutes through the eyes of Supernatural.
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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 6 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 27th, 2011

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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 one episode. The guys have a Christmas tradition that dates back to their childhood of throwing rocks at moving trains.
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Dumbo (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 26th, 2011

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“Through the snow, and sleet, and hail / Through the blizzard, through the gale / Through the wind and through the rain / Over mountain, over plain / Through the blinding lightning flash / And the mighty thunder crash / Ever faithful, ever true / Nothing stops him, he’ll get through.”

When Walt Disney’s big gamble with Snow White paid off an entire studio was created and financed. The man and his merry little band were on top of the world. But then Walt decided to try and sophisticate his audience somewhat, and the result was box office disaster.
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Basket Case (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on September 26th, 2011

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“There’s something I’ve been dying to ask you. What’s in the basket?”

If you are not familiar with Writer/Director Frank Henenlotter’s earliest full length feature, Basket Case, you’ve missed a grindhouse style, exploitation cult classic. It was shot on a shoestring budget, features non-professional actors, cheap special effects, and a script straight out of the fever dreams of a madman. In short, it is brilliant.
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