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Megamind (Blu-ray)

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

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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I Spit on Your Grave (2010) (Blu-ray)

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

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“This despicable remake of the despicable 1978 film, I Spit On Your Grave adds yet another offense: a phony moral equivalency.”

Roger Ebert is at it again. Over thirty years ago he pretty much hated the original film, but he didn’t stop there. He extended his hatred to the fellow movie-goers he encountered as well. The 2010 remake appears to retain his disgust, and couldn’t be prouder of the slight. Go figure.
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The Twilight Zone: Season 3 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2011

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“You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead your next stop, the Twilight Zone.”

Image follows up its great Blu-ray release of seasons 1 and 2 with a third season that continues to impress.
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Ice Road Truckers: The Complete Season Four (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2011

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“At the top of the world, there’s a job only a few would dare. The Ice Road Truckers are back. Last year they chased their fortune over the frozen gauntlet of the Daulton. But this season, Alaska’s most fearsome road is just the beginning….”

It was the peak of the 1970’s, and CW McCall was teaching ordinary people like us about Cabover Petes with reefers on and getting by those Smokeys.
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How the Earth Was Made: Complete Season 2 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2011

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“Earth: a unique planet. Restless and dynamic. Continents shift and clash. Volcanoes erupt. Glaciers grow and recede. Titanic forces that are constantly at work, leaving a trail of geological mysteries behind.”

I saw a bumper sticker recently that read; “Geologists dig classic rock”. I should have taken it as an omen that I would be spending some quality time with a few geologists over these last couple of weeks.
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I Spit on Your Grave (1978) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 13th, 2011

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“A vile bag of garbage named I Spit On Your Grave is playing in Chicago theaters this week. It is a movie so sick, reprehensible and contemptible that I can hardly believe it’s playing in respectable theaters…”

Seldom has a film been so proud of a bad review like the one Roger Ebert delivered when he saw the film in 1980 during its limited Chicago area run that year. The rest of the review continues its rant against the violence and despicable nature of the film. But Ebert doesn’t stop there.
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Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by BABY on February 12th, 2011

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You know you’re in a lot of trouble when a movie opens up with the wedding of two dogs. Hi, I’m Baby. I’m the German Shepherd who runs security here at Upcomingdiscs. If you work for either UPS or Fed Ex, no introductions are necessary, and that spells R U N. I want to know why it is that you humans think that dogs want to look and act like people. We don’t need no stinkin’ sweaters. We don’t want to walk on our hind legs. And we don’t want to get married.
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Stone (Blu-ray)

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

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Character studies. They might be the most misunderstood movies in the business. Those who do understand them love them when they’re done right. When the perfect balance of performance and direction create dynamic moments through character and to a lesser extent the story, we get pretty excited. I watched Stone recently, and I got pretty excited. But that’s not the experience a lot of folks had. Perhaps because the film had a limited release in just over 100 theaters nationwide, the idea that it was an art-house or festival film might have put the mainstream folks off a bit.
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Rain Man (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on February 10th, 2011

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Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) is a self-centered dealer in exotic cars. He imports high-end sports cars into the states and sells them to the highest bidder. Within the first 10 minutes, we learn that he is not above bribing the EP for the cars to pass emissions, that he treats his girlfriend poorly, and that his father has just passed away. As he goes to the reading of the will, hoping for a big payday, his father leaves him only a car.
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Red Hill (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 7th, 2011

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Westerns are typically fun movies to review because they usually don’t deviate much from a basic formula. There is usually a criminal, and there is usually a good guy out there to shoot that varmint. Technically, that is all there is to it. Furthermore, the budget (unless big stars are involved) is small, making for some creative storytelling. Today, we get to review an Australian western: Red Hill. Let’s see if it differs from the typical American one.
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Let Me In (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 3rd, 2011

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Vampires are real. There are millions of them out there. They might drink a little blood, but they’re also quite fond of milkshakes and french fries. They don’t usually haunt the local cemeteries at midnight because they often have curfews. They don’t spend their days lying helpless in coffins deep in hypnotic slumber. They save those hypnotic states for uncomfortable desks. You can’t scare these creatures with garlic or a crucifix. They’re far more frightened of homework and detention.
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Red (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2011

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“This used to be a gentleman’s game.”

I must confess that I had not even heard of the comic book titles created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. I think that might have been one of the best things that could have happened to me as I sat down to watch the film Red. With a cast this strong, there was little doubt that they would provide a powerful stamp on these characters. No insult intended toward the graphic novels, but I can’t imagine these characters any other way now.
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Alice In Wonderland (Two-Disc 60th Anniversary) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2011

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“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrariwise what it is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would be, you see?”

To be perfectly honest with you, I have never read either of the two Lewis Carroll books on which this film has been based. Under ordinary circumstances, that would put me at a decided disadvantage in both watching the film and certainly in providing an insightful review of the movie.
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Open Season 3 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2011

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When a film is successful enough, it’s a relatively natural assumption today that a sequel will follow. In that sequel we expect more of the same and hopefully something new as well. Unfortunately, there is a disturbing sideline for the animation sequel. Because the actors aren’t really on camera at all, there is the temptation to replace them so that you can do a much cheaper, often direct-to-video sequel.
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Saw 3D: The Final Chapter (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 31st, 2011

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“Hello. I want to play a game.”

Like the Beatles used to sing, when Jigsaw says hello, most folks are about to say goodbye. Jigsaw might very well be dead, but his legacy is alive and thriving. If you don’t know who Jigsaw is by now, this might not be the best place to start. He’s the Rube Goldberg of horror movies.
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Secretariat (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 31st, 2011

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“He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength and charges into the fray. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing. He does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement, he eats up the ground. He cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.”

Disney has a grand tradition of putting out a certain kind of sports film. You know the type well.
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Dead Space: Aftermath (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on January 27th, 2011

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As most fans of this site know, I’m the resident video game expert on the site. Which means? I play lots of video games. So by default, whenever something video game related comes to this site, it goes to me. Good, bad or indifferent. Many video games these days do the cross-promotion thing whether it would be books, movies or even games before the actual game. One of these I received recently was Dead Space: Aftermath on Blu-ray to promote the launch of Dead Space 2.
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Howl (Blu-Ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on January 22nd, 2011

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Allen Ginsberg is often regarded as one of the most important poets of the 20th century. He is seen as a symbol of the Beat Generation and contributed to the San Francisco Renaissance. His most important work, Howl has created both worldwide controversy and praise. It escalated into a 1957 obscenity trial of the poet and Lawrence Ferlinghetti who had published Howl along with other selections from Ginsberg. The film is a celebration of Ginsberg’s life as well as the results of this trial.
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Raging Bull (Two-Disc 30th Anniversary) (Blu-ray)

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

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“Give me a stage where this here bull can rage.”

Under normal circumstances and certainly under less skillful hands the story of Jake La Motta would not be one worth telling. His life is a story without heroes. It’s a life of abusive behavior and an almost unredeemable personality. The only way he was ever capable of expressing himself was in the boxing ring. Even there he was doomed to feel inadequate most of his life.
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Buried (Blu-ray)

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

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“Dear Screenwriter,

“Here’s your writing prompt: You are to write a feature-length screenplay with only one on-screen character. This character is to remain in only one location for the entire duration of the film, and that one location must be a 2′ x 7′ wooden box. You cannot use flashbacks, cut-aways, or any other narrative device that would take the action outside that box. Sound impossible? It’s not. In fact, all this exactly describes the film BURIED.”

Or how about this one.
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Universe: Complete Season 5 (Blu-ray)

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

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“In the beginning there was darkness. And then bang, giving birth to an endless expanding existence of time, space, and matter. Now, see further than we’ve ever imagined. Beyond the limits of our existence. In a place we call The Universe.”

Up until now these History releases have been season sets of the documentary series. This release is the first which appears to be a planned series of specific subject titles. It does create a bit of confusion when you see a series called The Universe and all of the episodes on the set deal with our own back yard
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Dances with Wolves (20th Anniversary Extended Cut) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 19th, 2011

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There’s no doubt that Kevin Costner’s name has been attached to some pretty crappy projects during his career – Waterworld, The Postman, and 3000 Miles to Graceland to name a few – and it’s unfortunate, because the aforementioned dirt loafs have tarnished the fine film that we’re here to discuss, Dances With Wolves. Heck, even I had horrid recollections of the film from viewing it years ago in theaters. However, this review forced me to check the film out again and I actually found myself…enjoying it – and enjoying it immensely.
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Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan (Blu-ray)

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

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When I first started watching the new comedy concert by Kathleen Madigan, I grew somewhat fearful. She was introduced by Lewis Black, who appears to be one of her closest friends. That scared me more than a little. Lewis Black is nothing but an angry old man who preaches tolerance of anyone who agrees with him. If you don’t agree with him, you are subject to the most venomous of attacks of hatred I’ve ever seen from a stand-up. If Kathleen Madigan was going to be a female Lewis Black, this was going to be a long hour, indeed.
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The Broken / The Butterfly Effect 3 (Blu-ray)

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

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“You have conquered and I yield. Yet, henceforward art though also dead – dead to the world, to Heaven, and to hope. In me did thou exist – and, in my death, see by this image, which is thy own, how utterly thou hast murdered thyself.” – Edgar Allan Poe

The last of the Lionsgate / AfterDark double features covers the middle of the road. The films both deal more in science fiction or alternate realities than they do in any form of horror, one with the idea of a menacing world of doppelgangers and the other with changing the past through time travel.
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