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A Nightmare on Elm Street (Blu-ray) (2010)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 8th, 2010

When Wes Craven delivered his first Nightmare On Elm Street film back in 1984, there wasn’t much expectation for the film to do anything but deliver a little profit for the new independent studio New Line Cinema. The film did quite a bit better than that. It made the small studio into a player in the industry with the budget to make mainstream films that would have never been possible if not for Craven’s little Nightmare. You could say that The Lord Of The Rings owes its very existence, at least in the form of the Peter Jackson films, to Freddy Krueger.
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Toy Story 3 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 4th, 2010

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“The Toys Are Back In Town”

That’s right. All of your favorite toys are back in Pixar’s latest great film Toy Story 3. This time the toys are dealing with the inevitable. Andy (Morris) is about to go off to college. It’s been a long time since he’s played with his friends, and they are getting desperate and worried they will get tossed away. Although Andy bags them to be stored in the attic, a misunderstanding sends them to the curb and a date with the garbage truck.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Mirrors 2 (Unrated Edition) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2010

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Anyone who is looking for a direct sequel to the 2008 sleeper hit with Kiefer Sutherland or even a connection to the original Asian ghost film might tend to be disappointed in the direct-to-video Mirrors 2. This is absolutely one of those films where the name is used merely because of its franchise value, and the film’s associations are mostly just a few familiar names. Add the same basic idea of a haunted mirror at the center of it all, and you pretty much have all of the connections this movie makes to either of the original projects. With that said, there is a bit more to like about Mirrors 2 than you might suspect on the surface.
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Predators (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2010

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In June of 1987 many of us took to our local theaters to watch two future state governors tackle an alien creature in the jungles of southeast Asia. Director John McTiernan had combined the Rambo mercenary-styled film with that of a creature feature. The result was an impressive $60 million on a mere $15 million budget, and a franchise was born. From its first reveal in those Asian jungles, the Predator was an impressive sight. The creature was highly intelligent, to be sure, but it possessed those baser instincts of hunting and survival. It was a monster, but one who utilized advanced technological weaponry to accent its own fearsome brutal nature.
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Disneynature: Crimson Wing – The Mystery of the Flamingo (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010

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“The flamingo is said to be the inspiration for the crimson-winged Phoenix, the ancient symbol of transformation and rebirth. At the end of its life, the Phoenix is consumed by fire. It is then reborn from the ashes.”

In one of the more specific full-length documentary features that I’ve seen in a long time comes Disney Nature’s The Crimson Wing. Here the focus is on one species of bird.
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Disneynature: Oceans (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2010

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“A boy comes running up, and he asks: ‘what exactly is the ocean?’ ‘What is the sea?’ You could hit him with a lot of statistics and Latin names. But the answer isn’t something you’ll find in a book. To really know what the ocean is, you have to see it for yourself. You have to hear it. And taste it. You have to feel its power. To really know the ocean, you have to live it.”

And live it you will with Disney Nature’s latest entry into their award-winning series of natural documentaries. Walt Disney Studios is no stranger to the world of nature.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 18th, 2010

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“I never wanted a war. I just wanted people to know what happened here. 98 men, women, children … my husband. And yet no one believed. They rebuilt the town. Life went on. But I was already dead inside. I never wanted a war.”

In October 2007 30 Days Of Night was unleashed at the box office to less than stellar numbers. In fact, the film took in only $39 million off of a $30 million budget. That’s not usually a good sign for any potential franchise. But the film was received very well by the folks who did like it. I was one of those people. I found myself defending the film to a lot of others who were obviously not so impressed with the take on the vampire legend.
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Beauty and the Beast (Blu-ray) (Diamond Edition)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2010

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The legacy of Walt Disney and the studio he created requires little explanation. The studio invented the idea of a feature-length cartoon and has been on the cutting edge of animation since the 1930’s. No other studio can claim ownership of as many animated classics as Disney. From Mickey Mouse to Pixar, the studio has churned out one masterpiece after another for over 60 years. What tends to get lost in this great body of feature-length classics is that the studio was also producing some very high-quality shorts over these years.
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Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 24th, 2010

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Jon Favreau’s Iron Man was one of the happy events of 2008. It was a superb piece of super-hero entertainment, one that handled lightning-quick shifts in tone (grimness in Afghanistan, hilarity in Malibu) with a deftness that made the very hard work look very easy. It also reassured comic fans and mainstream audiences alike that there were still terrific movies to be made based on Marvel characters, reassurance that was sorely needed in the wake of the dire Spider-Man 3. So, the question with Iron Man 2 is, given the returning director and cast, was that same magic recaptured? The answer is a delighted yes.
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Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 22nd, 2010

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“Some people say that fairies are the stuff of fantasy. They think the world is just what you can touch and hear and see, while others say the tales and legends cannot be dismissed. They believe with all their hearts that fairies truly do exist. Through all of time, human beings and fairies never met, till one special summer that we shall not soon forget.”

Tinker Bell has been a Walt Disney icon almost since its inception. The character has gone way beyond her appearance in Peter Pan. In the decades since, she has come to represent the magic of Walt Disney and its many incarnations.
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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2010

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“It is said some lives are linked across time. Connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages. Destiny.”

The Prince Of Persia is not some new phenomenon sweeping the country. The original video game goes back quite some time to the pre-high-definition consoles of the late 1980’s. Over the years the title has had some major staying power and has continued to flourish across several platforms and generations of graphics and game play. Today video games are more and more like movies themselves. Many of these games carry budgets as high as blockbuster effects-laden tent-pole films. It’s big business.
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Why Did I Get Married Too? (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2010

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I did not see Tyler Perry’s moderately successful 2007 film, Why Did I Get Married. I never thought that would present much of a problem with his recent Why Did I Get Married, Too. I’ve seen plenty of Perry’s films and think that I have a pretty good grasp of where he’s coming from. Early this year I watched and reviewed I Can Do Bad All By Myself. It was a new direction for Perry and, while he did include his famous Madea character, the film wasn’t really about her usual antics. I guess I expected this film to follow in the footsteps of that rather impressive effort. Unfortunately, I may have misjudged my ability to follow this film without having seen the first.
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Marmaduke (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by BABY on September 7th, 2010

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Gino likes to listen to some guy named Warren Zevon who says that all of the werewolves are in someplace called London. He also sings a song that says “Don’t knock on my door, if you don’t know my Rottweiler’s name”. Well … I ain’t no stinkin’ Rottweiler, and you know my name; it’s Baby. But I wouldn’t knock anyway, ‘specially if you are trying to deliver more of these movies. I don’t know what the Rottweiler’s planning to do, but I promise I’m not going to lick you, and that spells B I T E. Don’t you guys know we got too many movies in here already?
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 10th, 2010

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“Okay, first of all, let me get something straight. This is a journal, not a diary. Yeah, I know what it says on the cover. But, when my mom went out to buy this thing, I specifically told her not to buy one that said ‘diary’ on it. This just proves that Mom doesn’t understand anything about kids my age.”

I guess I missed out on the phenomenon. Apparently in 2007 a guy named Jeff Kinney created a sort of crude comic book. The figures are little better than stick men, and the wit is something from the sixth grade.
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James and the Giant Peach (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 4th, 2010

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“This is James Henry Trotter. He lived with his mother and father in a cozy little house by the sea. It was a wonderful life. They had each other, and they had their dreams. Then, one day a terrible thing happened. An angry rhinoceros appeared out of nowhere and gobbled up his poor mother and father…”

Pretty bizarre for a kiddie flick, wouldn’t you say? Not when Roald Dahl is penning the story. Roald Dahl was no stranger to children’s movies. Some of the most beloved classics in that genre were once just a thought in Dahl’s rather eccentric and delightfully twisted head
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Kick-Ass (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 3rd, 2010

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“I always wondered why nobody did it before me. I mean, all those comic books, movies, and TV shows. You’d think that one eccentric loner would have made himself a costume. I mean, is everyday life really so exciting? Are schools and offices so thrilling that I’m the only one who ever fantasized about this? Come on. Be honest with yourself. At some point in our lives, we all wanted to be a superhero. Who am I? I’m Kick Ass.”

You have to give the folks at Lionsgate some serious credit for the way they promoted Kick Ass. The film was generating a lot of buzz almost a year before it actually came out.
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Cop Out (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 27th, 2010

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I get this terrible knot in the pit of my stomach whenever I discover that I have to review a Kevin Smith film. I know there are a core of solid fans out there who appear to get the inside joke. It’s long been my belief that he must have the best blackmail file in the industry to keep getting studio deals to release films. It’s not like any of his films have broken any box office records. Still, he keeps getting work. So, it was with that admitted prejudice and knot with which I approached my viewing of Cop Out. My shoulder had developed this nasty twitch as the disc menu took forever to load.
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The Bounty Hunter (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 19th, 2010

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In an attempt to win over more of the male viewers into their audiences, filmmakers of the romantic comedy genre have tried many tactics. To date, very few of them have worked to any great extent. The problem appears to be getting the mixture just right. Too much of the guy stuff and you’ll turn away your core “chick” audience. Too little and you’re really not reeling in too many guys. Of course, we go anyway to please the ladies in our lives.
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Hot Tub Time Machine (Unrated) (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 15th, 2010

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The name says it all. With just those four words, you can pretty much figure out everything you need to know about Hot Tub Time Machine. This is very much a party film in the tradition of the Saturday Night Live alumni movies of the 70’s and 80’s. With the release of this movie, you no longer need to travel back in time to 1986 to watch a film that relies almost entirely on sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll for most of its situational comedy. The rest gets filled in with your standard toilet humor. I’m not sure exactly when it happened, or who exactly I should blame
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The Crazies (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 7th, 2010

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Mention the name of George A. Romero to anyone even remotely familiar with horror movies, and the first thing they’re going to think of is zombies. Why shouldn’t they? It was Romero who made what might be the first little film that could. Long before Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, Romero set out with his trusty 16 mm camera and a crew of pretty much local Pittsburgh friends, to make Night Of The Living Dead. With this film and the ongoing “Dead” franchise, Romero has pretty much written the rule book on zombies. He is no doubt the zombie king.
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Alice in Wonderland (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 7th, 2010

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“I try to believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Count them, Alice. One, there are drinks that make you shrink. Two, there are foods that make you grow. Three, animals can talk. Four, cats can disappear. Five, there is a place called Underland. Six, I can slay the Jabberwocky.”

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
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Invictus (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 25th, 2010

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“On Robben Island, in Pollsmoor Prison, all of my jailers were Afrikaners. For 27 years I studied them. I learned their language. Read their books, their poetry. I had to know my enemy before I could prevail against them. And we did prevail, did we not?”

Leave it to Clint Eastwood to make even rugby look interesting. Of course, Eastwood himself would correct me and observe that Invictus isn’t really about rugby. As the words of Nelson Mandela above suggest, this movie wasn’t really about rugby at all.
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The Spy Next Door (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 19th, 2010

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“It doesn’t look like they have chicken tenders here.”

How can you not like Jackie Chan? If there has been a more versatile action or martial arts star, I haven’t heard from him. The man made a name for himself in China’s film industry as a remarkable martial arts performer. For decades he’s been the closest thing the film industry has seen to Bruce Lee. But, unlike Lee, Chan wasn’t content with being the best in a single genre. When he finally came to Hollywood, he decided it was a good idea to work a bit more lightheartedness into his films,
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Tooth Fairy (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 18th, 2010

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“You, sir, are guilty of disseminating disbelief. Killing dreams. Committing first-degree murder of fantasy, which by Fairy Law, in order to pay your debt to humanity, you are hereby ordered to serve time as a Tooth Fairy. The normal sentence is one week, but because you have the nerve, the unmitigated gall, to actually call yourself a Tooth Fairy, thus making a mockery of everything we stand for, I’m sentencing you to two weeks Tooth Fairy duty.”

Dwayne (once The Rock) Johnson has made a bit of a new career move over the last few years.
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Edge of Darkness (Blu-ray)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 17th, 2010

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For most of this last decade Mel Gibson might as well have vanished from the face of the planet. The once extremely popular actor had charmed the world. Women found his childish grin to be irresistibly sexy, and men bought into the “kick ass and crack a joke” style that made the Lethal Weapon films such a romp of fun. But lately, you expect him to be the subject of a “Where Are They Now” segment from a late show on television. It’s no secret why Gibson climbed so quickly out of the public eye. I’m sure everyone still remembers the drunk-driving arrest where Gibson compounded his already serious case of bad judgment with even worse judgment.
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