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Tron: Legacy / Tron: The Original Classic (Five-Disc Combo)(Blu-ray)(Blu-ray 3D)

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

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If you are old enough to have seen the original Tron back in 1982, you know how much things have changed in the digital world since then. The block graphics of the film and subsequent game might have been state-of-the-art at the time, but it looks like something very primitive to the younger generation. Like all good science fiction, many of the incredible elements of the film have become quite commonplace. The idea that a person can be scanned by a laser and transported into a virtual world
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The Resident (Blu-ray)

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

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Hammer has risen from the grave. A group of investors have resurrected the film brand and intend to honor the tradition of the once-defunct horror giant. President Simon Oakes is a self-proclaimed fan since he was a kid. He has no interest in trying to fit Hammer into the new mold of torture porn or slashers. He acknowledges that there is plenty of room for those kinds of films in the horror genre. He hopes to bring back more than just the Hammer name. He intends to bring back the gothic spirit that was Hammer Films
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Sherlock Holmes: Complete Collection (Blu-ray)

Posted in Hardware Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 5th, 2011

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“Sherlock Holmes, the immortal character of fiction. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he’s ageless, invincible and unchanging. In solving significant problems of the present day, he remains — as ever — the supreme master of deductive reasoning.”

In 1887, readers of the popular periodical Beeton’s Christmas Annual were to receive quite a special treat. There wasn’t much fanfare or hype to the event. Inside the pages of the magazine was a story called A Study In Scarlet. It was a detective story, perhaps like many published before, except for the detective himself, a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
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Gangland: The Final Season (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 5th, 2011

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“They rob, kill, and terrorize, and they’ve left their mark on our nation’s history.”

It’s hard for me to believe that Gangland has been on History for seven years now and has finally come to an end. History has found a way to consistently bring out relatively solid programming without having to spend a lot of cash on the production budget. Everybody wants their 15 minutes, and it’s exactly shows like Gangland that manage to take full advantage of that fact.
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Tangled (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 5th, 2011

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“Once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. From this small drop of Sun grew a magical golden flower. It was said that this flower held the power to heal the sick and injured. From this flower sprang a glorious kingdom, ruled by the most generous king and queen, who were soon to have a baby…”

That baby has been the subject of many tales over the years. Walt Disney himself had begun work on an animated feature based on Rapunzel back in the 1940’s. Uncle Walt was fascinated with timeless fairy tales, and they became the studio’s specialty over the years
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King of Kings (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 5th, 2011

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“And it came to pass in these days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. So it was that Joseph, a carpenter, went up from Galilee unto Bethlehem to be taxed with his wife, Mary who was with Holy Child.”

Every spring around the time of Easter you could count on several annual films to make their way to televisions across the country for special family presentations. For Easter you had The Greatest Story Ever Told and King Of Kings.
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Embodiment of Evil (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 1st, 2011

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One of the (many) reasons that Scream 3 was such a weak entry is that it tried to riff on the rules of trilogies, when, at the time of its release, there really weren’t any horror film trilogies, with notable exception of the Omen series (and the not-so-notable exception of the trio kicked off by Captive Wild Woman in 1943). But the last few years have seen the completion of two horror trilogies, whose third parts were a very long time in coming. Dario Argento wrapped up his Three Mothers trilogy with the disappointing Mother of Tears in 2007. And now, hitting home video, is a primal roar that also happens to be José Mojica Marins’ 2008 conclusion to his Coffin Joe saga.
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Fair Game (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on March 30th, 2011

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A newspaper article infuriates the White House, which retaliates with all its political might to discredit the story, crush its author and cover up its own internal corruption. Sound familiar, like maybe All the President’s Men? If that’s among your favorite docudramas, then make room on the shelf for Fair Game, a real-life paranoid trip that unfolds across continents but finds its emotional center in a quiet suburban home.
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The Tourist (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 29th, 2011

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All eyes are on Angelina Jolie; okay, so that’s not much of a surprise, is it? But, I’m talking about the opening scenes of Jolie’s partnership with Johnny Depp in the remake of the French spy thriller Anthony Zimmer, retitled for the American audience, The Tourist. Her character Elise is attracting a lot of attention from men hidden away in vans with surveillance equipment trained on her every move and from every angle. No, it’s not the paparazzi this time. Elise is being followed because the intelligence community believes she will lead them to their real target, an elusive master criminal named Alex.
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Yogi Bear (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 29th, 2011

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“Jellystone Park, one of the nation’s oldest and most beautiful stretches of wilderness. For years, families have headed out from the busy city eager to enjoy a little camping, fishing, and, of course, observing the park’s natural wildlife…”

He’s smarter than the average bear. Children and adults alike have been watching his adventures since 1959. Yogi and his young sidekick Boo Boo were one of the most popular of the Hanna-Barbera stable of talking animal characters
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Hereafter (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 24th, 2011

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The home video release of Hereafter, like its Asian box office release, is the victim of bad timing. The movie has been pulled from theaters in Japan since the tragic events that have struck that country in recent weeks. It’s unfortunate that the movie opens with one of the most realistic depictions of a tsunami that I’ve ever seen. The ultra-realism will be an emotional pang for anyone who shares the sadness of the current disaster. The film has suddenly been criticized for its graphic portrayal, but that kind of statement bears the mark of the worse kind of insincerity
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The Ten Commandments (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 23rd, 2011

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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 extremely welcome arrival on Blu-ray.
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The Man from Nowhere (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on March 17th, 2011

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Connections between Eastern and Western cinema aren’t new, but they do seem to be proliferating. Back in 1964, Italian maestro Sergio Leone borrowed from Japanese genius Akira Kurosawa, turning Yojimbo into A Fistful of Dollars. Just last year, Korean writer-director Lee Jeong-Beom looked to the West for multiple influences, and the result is The Man From Nowhere, a psychological action-thriller that alternately engages, confuses and kicks major butt.
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The Walking Dead: Season One (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 11th, 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.
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Jackass 3 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on March 10th, 2011

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If you don’t already know and love the format, you will be inclined – and well advised – to stay far away from Jackass 3. For some oversensitive souls, the sight of adult males getting smacked, slugged, stomped, shocked, slimed, kicked, catapulted and covered with excrement is simply unappealing. I know, sissies, right? But if you relish the notion of seeing men take abuse that makes them moan, bleed and barf, then the third and final (please, Lord) pseudo-documentary in the series is a guaranteed gross-out of a maximum degree. Heck, if you’re lucky, you might even toss your cookies
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Last Tango in Paris (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 9th, 2011

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There have been very few films of this stature that I have not had the chance to see over the years. Even if I don’t think I might enjoy a particular movie, there are those titles that have become so well known or a part of the culture that one feels a sense of obligation to take in. For years The Last Tango In Paris was one of those films for me. Thanks to a new Blu-ray release by MGM, I was finally afforded the opportunity.
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Straight Up: Helicopters In Action (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 9th, 2011

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“A child born into a world with helicopters lives in a world where the miraculous is commonplace, a world where doctors swoop down from the sky…”

That’s the world of the helicopter. Straight Up: Helicopters In Action was an IMAX feature created by the Smithsonian for the Air And Space Museum IMAX theater. A quick check of the museum’s website reveals that the film is no longer part of the schedule. And, while this wasn’t one of the bigger name IMAX films to make the circuit, it provides plenty of the exhilarating imagery that has made the format famous.
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Bambi (Diamond Edition) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 8th, 2011

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“Good morning, young Prince.”

The forest is alive with the news. It travels from tree to tree, from animal to animal. A new prince has been born, and the creatures of the woods gather to welcome the young fawn. His name is Bambi, and he soon wins the hearts of the entire population of the forest.
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S.W.A.T.: Firefight (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 8th, 2011

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“Detroit ain’t so bad, in fact it’s kind of charming.”

Director Benny Boom decided to move the S.W.A.T. franchise away from L.A. and bring it to Detroit. But he’s not going to be winning any accolades from the Detroit Chamber of Commerce anytime soon. He openly admits that he picked the city because he was attempting to create an environment with a lot of decay.
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Due Date (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Bob Ross on March 5th, 2011

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There are two ways to address a familiar film plot. The easy route, of course, is to dismiss it as recycled fluff, reciting the similarities to its predecessors. The more discerning course is to give the newcomer a chance to prove itself as a creative variation on the theme. That’s how you can give Due Date its due. In the first few minutes, you’ll notice the script verges on carbon-copying Trains, Planes and Automobiles, the 1987 John Hughes hit
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Faster (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 4th, 2011

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has made a career out of redefining himself. Of course, we all know that he started as a rather flamboyant wrestling personality. He had a pretty good run, but it was never going to be enough to really satisfy Johnson’s own drive to perform. He made the natural transition into movies, faring far better than most of his fellow wrestlers have been able to do. He naturally gravitated toward the action films where his bulk and toughness more than made up for his inexperience.
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Chaplin (15th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 1st, 2011

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Everyone knows Charlie Chaplin. For many, he is the symbol of the silent age of film. The stiff figure in trademark hat and twirling cane comes easily to mind. But that wasn’t really Charlie Chaplin. That was a character he created called The Tramp, or often The Little Tramp. So, it would seem that Chaplin spent most of his career playing The Tramp, who in turn played many different characters on the silent screen. He was known for his subversive antics and charming stare.
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Unstoppable (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 23rd, 2011

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“In training they give you an F. Out here you get killed.”

When was the last time you saw a good train movie? There have been a few classics. Most of the best merely happened on a train with the drama having to do with what was happening on the train. I can’t really remember when I saw a good train film where a train itself was the source of the tension. Yes, there have been several films where terrorists hijack a train and threaten something bad if their demands weren’t met. But in Unstoppable, the threat really is just the train.
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Megamind (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 21st, 2011

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It’s funny how the zeitgeist works, in that it is hardly unusual for two films with very similar high concepts to hit the screens at close to the same time. Dante’s Peak and Volcano. Deep Impact and Armageddon. Hell, The Towering Inferno came about as a result of Fox and Warner cooperating in order to avoid making identical films. And this year, two animated features with super-villains as their protagonists: Despicable Me and our current subject: Megamind.
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Thelma & Louise (20th Anniversary) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 16th, 2011

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“I’ve always believed that, done properly, armed robbery doesn’t have to be a totally unpleasant experience.”

You would think that Thelma And Louise would have been a blockbuster film. It’s certainly become entrenched in our pop culture. The famous ending has been spoofed to death in other films and television shows, including the latest Star Trek, if you can believe that. You would think, but you’d be completely wrong. This was one of the movies that got a ton of critical attention and even some Academy Award attention.
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