Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 19th, 2014
"You're either gettin' or gettin' got".
It's very tricky to make an historical drama. Writers and directors have to carefully balance the needs of entertainment over facts and authenticity. There comes the inevitable moment when they will be in conflict, and a decision must be made as to which direction will have priority in the telling of the tale. It might have been an unfair expectation on my part, but when an historical drama mini-series comes to a place like The Discovery Channel I tend to look for any conflict to be resolved in the favor of historical accuracy. If you were hoping for the same from The Discovery Channel's first scripted production Klondike...well...you'd be, shall we say, inaccurate. We got "gotten".
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 13th, 2014
"It's a different world out there."
You can say that again. The television landscape is changing, at least on cable. Ray Donovan is the latest in the string of new shows that are attracting talent once thought out of reach for television. A show starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight, this Showtime series looked to be something very special... and it almost is.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 12th, 2014
"You got a chapter in one of those books on jumping to conclusions?"
It's easy to jump to conclusions with a name like True Detective. The moniker conjures up images of the true crime pulp magazines of the 40's and 50's. You might get a sense that this is one of those "based on a true story" type of shows. There was even a second when I expected we might have our first "found footage" television shows. Whatever ideas you have going in, expect your perceptions to change. Whatever else it is or is not, True Detective is one of the most unique and atmospheric shows I've had the pleasure to watch. And that's just the opening credits.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 9th, 2014
For most who have heard about the West Memphis Three, it is because of the HBO documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It was a documentary that sparked the interest of many and fueled a movement to free Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley for the murder of three young boys in 1993. It was a documentary that attempted to expose the trial as a witch hunt in which the only things the boys were guilty of were listening to heavy metal, wearing black and participating in Wiccan practices. Numerous documentaries later and with the support of Hollywood A-listers such as Johnny Depp and Peter Jackson and musicians like Metallica, Marilyn Manson, and Eddie Vedder, the West Memphis Three finally were freed from prison in 2011. As for the answers to who is responsible for the murders, many will theorize, but it would seem only the child-killers would know what really happened that night. As for Devil’s Knot, just what does this film present to us, the viewers? Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to carry the same emotional punch as the documentaries, despite the impressive cast that it boasts.
Colin Firth plays Ron Lax, an investigator who comes into the case against the West Memphis Three and attempts to help the defense team as best he can, while Reese Witherspoon comes in playing the role of Pam Hobbs, a parent to one of the deceased children. The film balances back and forth between the characters and how they are dealing with their grief and the investigation, yet despite the efforts of these two Oscar winners, both fail at getting the viewer to care at all about them.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 5th, 2014
“Our planet, our war.”
Those four words neatly summarize the overriding theme for the third season of Falling Skies, TNT’s earnest alien invasion drama. While the show still takes its broad thematic cues from the American Revolutionary War, this batch of episodes directly references some of the uneasy alliances formed during World War II. So in between the numerous instances of human characters shooting at aliens — and at each other — the show explored the question of whether the enemy of my enemy really is my friend.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 4th, 2014
Before getting this season to review, my exposure to the show was fairly limited; I had seen a few episodes on Comedy Central, but that was about it. Now that I’ve had a chance to kick back and take in the shenanigans of Blake (Blake Anderson), Adam (Adam DeVine) and Anders (Anders Holm) I can say it was a disservice to myself to hold out for so long. For those that are unaware of the show, I see it as a bit of a hybrid between It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Office Space, as it follows three friends who live together and work together at a telemarketing company. Thankfully this is a show that doesn’t require seeing the previous seasons and can be picked up and watched at any point.
Picking a favorite episode is an easy one for me; not that the other episodes are not funny, but “Beer Heist” is a solid standalone episode that brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. The guys run into a group of sorority girls who are on a beer run. The guys concoct a plan to impress them, and it involves hopping in the back of a semi-truck to steal beer. Their plan quickly unravels as the truck takes off with Blake and Adam still in the truck. As their troubles escalate, the rationale a character uses to explain why his friend doesn’t understand their actions because he’s simply not horny enough is just the right kind of explanation for this show.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 3rd, 2014
“I don't know why death still surprises me.”
As someone who's seen every single episode of True Blood, I suppose nothing should surprise me by now. HBO's vampire drama has given us more than its share of head-turning sex scenes and a hearty helping of over-the-top violence. However, the further the series ventured from Bon Temps and its core group of characters, the more it seemed to lose its way, even as a satisfying guilty pleasure. This penultimate season still relied on an overly-crowded cast of supernaturals. But it was ultimately an encouraging sign that the show might get back to basics as it prepares to end its run this summer.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on May 19th, 2014
“If we act like we belong, they'll think we belong.”
You never know who could be watching when you post something online. Sophia Grace Brownlee is a perfect example of how to become a “star” in this decade. In 2011, the 8-year-old Brit starred in a video of herself singing Nicki Minaj's “Super Bass” alongside her silent, hype man cousin Rosie McClelland. The clip went viral and caught the eye of Ellen DeGeneres, who has repeatedly featured the diminutive duo on her daytime talk show over the last few years. I suppose it was only a matter of time before Sophia Grace and Rosie jumped to the big screen; well, the straight-to-DVD screen anyway.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 15th, 2014
"This is the story of a man who won by choosing love over fame, fortune and countless adventures..."
Danny McBride managed in inhabit the role of Kenny Powers to such an extent I do appear to have trouble keeping them separate. Now the countless adventures continue for McBride who is going to have to get us all to see him in a new light as he leaves troubled Powers behind and moves on to other things. For fans it's a bittersweet goodbye to Eastbound & Down. The final episodes have aired and now they are available on this 2-disc Blu-ray swansong.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on May 5th, 2014
When it comes to the feud between Marvel and DC film adaptions, I think we can all agree Marvel at this point may be winning the battles on the big screen, but when it comes to the animated films DC has been delivering hit after hit. Perhaps it’s because the landscape in animation is virtually unlimited and comes with a significantly smaller price tag to deliver. With the new animated release from Warner Brothers we get a new Batman film that goes where we haven’t seen the caped crusader go, and that is into the shoes of fatherhood. Before you get to thrown by the idea, this isn’t a costume hero version of Three Men and a Baby, but instead something much darker and well deserving of its PG-13 rating.
The League of Assassins are in the middle of training when we first meet Damien (voiced by Stuart Allen); he’s the grandchild of the leader of the league as well as a long standing foe to Batman Ra’s al Ghul. Damien hasn’t simply lived the life of luxury, but instead has lived a life training to be a deadly assassin. I’d love to see this kid in public school dealing with school yard bullies, but this isn’t that story. His mother, Talia al Ghul (voiced by Morena Baccarin) is firm but loving, and her true nature comes through as the temple is attacked by an army of armed ninjas. The battle is intense, and despite all the training by the League of Assassins, they are simply no match for the firepower that is unleashed. Damien isn’t one to run and hide; he doesn’t hesitate to pick up a weapon and fight. Leading this hostile takeover is Deathstroke (voiced by Thomas Gibson); he’s filled with rage and wants to rule the league and kills Ra’s al Ghul in the process.
