Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on September 30th, 2014
It’s been quite some time since The Chappelle Show went off the air, and it would appear Comedy Central has finally found its replacement. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the show is on the same par, but what Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele bring to the small screen is something that has piqued my interest and shows some potential. Both Key and Peele got their big break from working on the sketch comedy show MADtv, and it would seem they are taking their talents and what they learned to bring us something that is a little familiar but still fresh and keeps its audience laughing.
The biracial pair takes chances with their show which is a hybrid of live bits in front of an audience and filmed sketches. Whether they are poking fun at Django Unchained, racial stereotypes or Latino gangsters, Key and Peele manage to keep it entertaining.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 29th, 2014
"Prisoners of the ARC, hear me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable."
It's 97 years ago and nuclear holocaust has made life on Earth unlivable... at least that's what most people believed. Fortunately, for humanity, several countries had space stations in orbit. These various stations eventually came together to pool resources hoping for a better chance at survival. The ragtag collection eventually became the ARC. Now, nearly a century later they have created a civilization ruled by the dire necessity of their situation.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 26th, 2014
"And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, "Come and see." Then, behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."
No, this is not a Johnny Cash song or a bible study post. Believe it or not, we're talking Ichabod Crane from Washington Irving's famous story The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow. Fans of the tale will recall that Ichabod came to encounter the headless horseman in one of the first American horror tales ever written. Irving was a contemporary of our founding fathers, including another Washington who happened to play a big part in a little skirmish with the Brits that came to be known as the American Revolution here and the Great Colonial Rebellion over there. Thanks to the new series Sleepy Hollow, we discover that the British weren't the only ones we were fighting. It's a story of independence we hadn't heard before. It's a fresh take on an old idea that dates back to Kolchak: The Night Stalker. It's out on Blu-ray now, and I recommend you check it out. Just don't mix it up with that American history text. We history teachers frown on that kind of thing, you know.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 25th, 2014
"There is a town in Maine where every storybook character you've ever known is trapped between two worlds, victims of a powerful curse. Only one knows the truth, and only one can break her spell."
ABC has had a very important asset going for it for years. It's one that the network has seldom taken any advantage of. That asset is its parent company. You see, ABC is part of the Walt Disney family. With the rich history of stories the studio has in its arsenal going back to the 1920's, it was only a matter of time before some clever people decided to find a way to use that rich history into a television series. That time has arrived, and the result is Once Upon A Time. It's the most clever and original series to hit the tube in a long time.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 24th, 2014
"The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day were to lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
Marilyn Burns, Paul Partain, Allen Danziger, Teri McMinn, William Vail and Gunnar Hansen individually may not be that well known. Collectively, many people might confuse them with some group of lawyers or something. But film history has afforded them a higher place in memory past their initial endeavors. You see, back during the middle of a particularly oppressive heat wave in 1973 Texas, this group, directed by a then-fledging auteur in Tobe Hooper, combined to make what is widely regarded as one of the best films in horror movie fame, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on September 23rd, 2014
"You should never stop thinking about a life you’ve taken. That’s the price you pay for taking it."
In 2010 David Michod directed his first full-length feature Animal Kingdom. It was a critical success, and he went on to pick up a Best Director award with the Australian Directors’ Guild. Now Michod has completed his sophomore effort, The Rover, which does explore some familiar ground with criminal families, but the film takes a more introspective approach to life and what matters most in the world when you believe you have nothing left to lose.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on September 22nd, 2014
Sibling filmmakers Howard J. and Jonathan Ford seem to be huge believers in the “Location, location, location” real estate adage. The duo — collectively known as The Ford Brothers — previously made The Dead, which was billed as “the first zombie road movie set against the spectacular scenery of Africa.” I actually wasn't a fan of that flick, but saw enough technical skill and enough potential in the concept to make me curious about a follow-up. With The Dead 2: India, the Ford Brothers have once again transplanted old-fashioned zombie thrills to an exotic, under-explored location. Only this time, they brought a story and more engaging performers along for the trip.
The Dead 2: India features an all-new cast and a plot that is mostly unrelated to its predecessor. (The most we get are radio transmissions that allude to the African zombie crisis from the first film.) This time around, the action follows American turbine engineer Nicholas (Joseph Millson), who finds himself hundreds of miles away from pregnant girlfriend Ishani (Meenu) when the zombie epidemic begins to spread through India. Ishani and her family — including disapproving father (Sandip Datta Gupta) — find themselves trapped near the slums of Mumbai as Nicholas fights his way to the city with the help of a young orphan named Javed (Anand Krishna Goyal, making a nice feature film debut).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 18th, 2014
"Oh boy, zombie apocalypse!"
No, it's just South Park. But it has invaded pop culture as much as zombies have over its amazing 18-year run. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been walking a tightrope for over 18 years now, and it just doesn’t get old. One of the reasons the show doesn’t grow stale is their ability to make such a quick turnaround on current events. Because the show takes literally days to write and produce, they are quite often always the first to address an issue. They had an election-night episode on literally the next day in last season. That means the ideas stay as fresh as the headlines.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on September 18th, 2014
In case you’ve been hiding beneath a rock the past few years, The Big Bang Theory isn’t just a hit TV show, but instead it’s a show that has ingrained itself into pop culture. You can go out to most major retailers and find shirts with “Bazinga”, and I’m willing to bet at least one of your Facebook friends has posted a GIF on their feed about the show. It’s a show I told myself I wouldn’t get caught up in because I was so sure it was nothing more than a fad. It took being sick with the flu a couple years back and a determined friend lending me the first four seasons of the show for me to sit back and give it a chance. Before I was finished with the first season I found myself embracing the show and just feeling like a dunce for waiting so long. After all it’s a show about movie and comic book geeks, aka “my people”. In other words, for those who have missed out on this show, believe the hype; it really is that good.
It’s been seven seasons since we first met roommates Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and\ Sheldon (Jim Parsons) along with their beautiful neighbor across the hall, Penny (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting). Over the years we’ve watched these characters evolve and take leaps in their relationships and other avenues in their lives. Sure, we’ve all been on board for the rollercoaster relationship between Leonard and Penny, but for fans the most shocking was when Sheldon (who just may be one of the funniest quirky characters written in years) finds himself in a relationship with Amy (Mayim Bialik).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 18th, 2014
"The city still needs saving. But not by the Hood. And not by some vigilante who's just crossing names off a list. It needs... something more."
That someone, that something more ...that something else is the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Not to be confused with the same-colored Hornet or Lantern. In season 2 Oliver Queen finally sheds the name and reputation of the Hood or Vigilante. He has vowed not to kill, and he no longer has the list to guide him. His job now is to go after any bad guys in Starling City.
