Bad Turn Worse
Posted in No Huddle by J C on January 15th, 2015
“There are 32 ways to tell a story, but there’s only ever one plot…that things are not what they seem.”
Early on in Bad Turn Worse, a character mentions this maxim credited to writer Jim Thompson (“The Grifters”, “The Killer Inside Me”) apropos of almost nothing. It’s kind of a clunky, inauthentic interjection, but the message is clear and crafty: directors Simon and Zeke Hawkins know they’re not re-inventing the wheel in terms of plot, so where they really hope to grab your attention is in how they present their stylish, well-acted feature film debut.
Read More
Banshee: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 14th, 2015
“There will be casualties”
Alan Ball got my attention in 2001 with HBO’s black comedy Six Feet Under. It was one of the most original shows I had ever seen, and to this day I find it hard to characterize the series when asked to do so. It was there that he also introduced me to Michael C. Hall, who continues to amaze me in the role of Dexter over at Showtime. When Six Feet Under left the airwaves, Ball didn’t waste very much time in bringing his quirky style back, this time to the horror genre
Read More
Tyrant: The Complete First Season
Posted in No Huddle by J C on January 13th, 2015
“Those who are feared make peace. Those who are kind get killed.”
Both temperaments are well represented throughout the first season of Tyrant, FX’s Middle East-set family drama. I say “family drama” because even though the show features plenty of political power plays and double-crosses, Tyrant is at its best when it focuses on the rotting and crumbling of the central Al-Fayeed clan. Call it Godfather-lite.
Read More
Annabelle (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 13th, 2015
“Since the beginning of civilization, dolls have been beloved by children, cherished by collectors and used in religious rites as conduits for good and evil.”
The Conjuring was one of the best horror movies to come along in years. Why? Because it was a good scare with a story that didn’t totally insult our intelligence or leave us scratching our heads too many times. The movie also dealt with its own red herring of sorts in a possessed doll kept under wraps by that film’s hero couple.
Read More
Men, Women & Children (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 13th, 2015
The internet is destroying everything. It seems crazy, but it’s true, and most people know it. I mean that so many businesses have been destroyed by the tremendous growth of the internet and its insidious and unchecked influence. The newspaper business, music business, broadcast business and probably the movie business have been fundamentally and permanently altered. Men, Women and Children addresses how it affects each and every one of us on a daily basis. We’re all aware of this. It’s our lives now, and it wasn’t 10 years ago.
Read More
Girls: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on January 12th, 2015
“Writers are a ridiculous class of people who make everything about themselves.”
For many, the current face — and oft-naked body — of “writers who make everything about themselves” is Lena Dunham, the creator/star/writer/director of HBO’s Girls. The equal-parts brilliant and maddening quarter-life crisis comedy became one of the most polarizing shows on TV over its first two seasons, as self-involved heroine Hannah Horvath sought love and a career as a writer in NYC. At the start of season 3, Hannah has both of those things…which is why I’m astounded — and, frankly, pretty impressed — that she remains as egotistical as ever.
Read More
Exclusive Interview With Hannah New Of Black Sails
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on January 12th, 2015
Anyone who has seen the Starz pirate drama Black Sails knows who Hannah New is. She plays the feisty Eleanor Guthrie. Eleanor runs the Island where all of the pirates sell their booty. It’s a powerful position for a woman of 1715. Hannah New is up to the challenge and I had a chance to chat with her recently about her role on Black Sails. She’s just as much fun as her character. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Hannah New. There are a few clicks in the audio which were an unfortunate result of our telephone connection. It’s worth the patience.
Selma
Posted in The Reel World by J C on January 9th, 2015
“We negotiate, we demonstrate, we resist.”
Early on in Selma, Martin Luther King Jr. succinctly summarizes his preferred method for affecting change during the Civil Rights Movement. The film then proceeds to effectively dramatize each bullet point in that mantra. Selma sometimes looks like the typical “Great Man” biopic and it is very much a period piece rooted in a specific time and place. But the film still manages to feel alive and relevant today by embracing the deeply humane — and deeply human — spirit of Dr. King’s righteous work.
Read More
Dinosaur 13 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 9th, 2015
Even though in this documentary we may not get to experience T-Rexes chasing after unfortunate paleontologists while running amuck in a theme park, Dinosaur 13 still manages to be an engaging adventure from start to finish. This is a film that reaches out to all the young kids inside all of us who while growing up dreamed about what life was like when dinosaurs once ruled the world. It taps into that adventurous bug that was once inside all of us as kids about exploring and discovering worlds that have not yet been discovered and creatures that now can only survive in our imaginations
Read More
I Am Soldier
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on January 9th, 2015
British Special Air Service (S.A.S.), the British special forces training. Becoming the elite is easier said than done, and I Am Soldier demonstrates that quite well. The transition is not just about physical strength and ability; as it turns out the mental aspect is more essential than that, for it takes great willpower and resilience to battle the trials and tribulations, the ability to push on while the rest of you is begging to stop. Inside this film, possibly for first time, we are treated to the training that goes into becoming S.A.S.
Read More
Looking: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on January 6th, 2015
The most remarkable thing about Looking might be how thoroughly unremarkable it is. This is a double-edged sword for HBO’s dramedy, which follows the love lives of three gay friends living in modern-day San Francisco. The series sidesteps the headline-grabbing sensationalism that accompanies many other shows that prominently feature gay characters. (Looking at you, Ryan Murphy.) On the other hand, Looking is often low-key to the point that it bypasses being funny or particularly entertaining. What the series does have on its side is a naturalistic tone that makes the show more engrossing and immersive as the first season progresses.
Read More
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 12: Dance Academy: Season 1
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 5th, 2015
On The Last Day Of Christmas New Video gives to you:
Dance Academy: The Complete First Season. I hope our Christmas giveaways were enough to make you dance for joy. If not, we’ve got something that will at least get you dancing. We finish our gift-giving with the Teen Nick classic.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- What will make you get up and dance in 2015?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Melissa Fowers
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
Field Of Lost Shoes
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 5th, 2015
“Every year a parade is held at the Virginia Military Institute to honor cadets who gave their lives at a turning point during the American Civil War. On May 15, 1864 seven friends marched into the Battle of New Market. Only four came out.”
There have been many films made about the Civil War, from the classic Gone With The Wind to the docudrama Gettysburg. It’s a story that deserves being told and thereby remaining in our memory now that none of the principals are alive to tell the story. Field Of Lost Shoes doesn’t really fit the classic or docudrama categories
Read More
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 11: Cartoon Network: Holiday Collection
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 4th, 2015
On The Eleventh Day Of Christmas Cartoon Network gives to you:
Cartoon Network: Holiday Collection. Episodes of Adventure Time, The Regular Show & The Amazing World Of Gumball help you keep that Christmas Spirit just a little while longer. There are a couple of bonus episode to give you 6 cartoons in all. It’ll be on its way to a lucky Upcomingdiscs winner.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- What did you do to bring in the New Year?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Tara Braun
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 10: China Beach Season 1
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 3rd, 2015
On The Tenth Day Of Christmas Time Life / Star Vista gives to you:
China Beach Season 1. We’ve got a special treat for you. Summer may be a long way ahead but we decided it was time to hit the beach once again, China Beach, that is. They’ve given us a copy of China Beach Season 1 on DVD and we’re giving it away to you. Catch Dana Delany, Marg Helgenberger and Robert Picardo before Desperate Housewives, CSI or Star Trek: Voyager. China Beach paid tribute to the vets of Vietnam. You can thank those wonderful elves over at Timeless Media and Star Vista.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- Have you ever won a prize from us, if so what? Did you enjoy your prize? Winning in the past will not change your chances of winning here. The winner will be selected totally by random. We use a computer random number generation program to pick our winners. I’m sure some of you have won more than once. We do not limit the number of times you can win here. We merely want to see how many of our past winners are out there these days.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Brenda Donoho
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 8: The Definitive WWI & WW II Collection
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 1st, 2015
On The Eighth Day Of Christmas A&E gives to you:
The Definitive WWI & WW II Collection. We wanted to start the new year with a huge prize and our friends at A&E had just the thing. This massive DVD collection offers 20 discs of episodes from History & A&E’s best World War shows. You get The World Wars, 100 Years Of WWI, 70 Years Of WW II and WWII In HD. We’re talking 44 hours of non-stop war documentaries. Start 2015 with an instant World War History Collection.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- We’re planning a little remodeling in 2015. What do you like best about Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Jason Vancil
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
Tusk (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 1st, 2015
What if two radio guys sat around and made up a movie on the air? In this case it actually wasn’t radio guys, because they weren’t broadcasters, but podcasters. I guess the fine distinction between broad and pod is that pod goes out to the world through the internet. It’s kind of like Indie radio. Kevin Smith is a very indie guy and even calls his podcast a smodcast. Smith and his buddy, producer Scott Mosier, were doing their smodcast and talking about a post on GumTree.uk about roommate advertisements. It evolved into crazy talk about what might happen.
Read More
The Devil’s Hand
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on January 1st, 2015
OK, so I have a confession to make, ever since I was a kid and saw Children of the Corn, I’ve been terrified of the Amish. Does this fear make any sense whatsoever? Of course not, but I figure I can’t be too crazy, since people are afraid of numerous things like rabbits. I still remember the day my parents hung a large picture frame filled with B&W photos of seemingly innocent Amish folk partaking in their day to day activities. This frame I hold responsible for numerous night terrors and only reinforcing my fear. When it came time to settle in and watch The Devil’s Hand, little did I know this would only reignite a fear I felt I had conquered.
Read More
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 7: Duck Dynasty: Season 4-6
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 31st, 2014
On The Seventh Day Of Christmas A&E gives to you:
Duck Dynasty Seasons 4-6 on DVD. There’s 29 episodes on 8 discs and a limited edition full-sized beard so you can look just like the guys. You also get the Christmas special Duck The Halls. Here at Upcomingdiscs we’ve got you covered… with a fake beard, that is.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- We’re planning a little remodeling in 2015. What would you like to see us change at Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Bill Grover
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on December 31st, 2014
It’s just about impossible to not know who Grumpy Cat is; the loveable grumpy-faced cat that has been the subject of numerous memes has become an internet sensation that has its own product line. I love cats, so I didn’t see anything wrong with the celebrity this feline has gained, but the moment I heard Grumpy Cat would be getting to star in a movie – well, I was about to say maybe a movie would be a bit much…then again I was easily reminded that such pop culture dregs such as the Kardashians have their own show; perhaps a film about a cat would be a step up from them.
Read More
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 6: Lifetime Christmas Movie Collection
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 30th, 2014
On The Sixth Day Of Christmas Lifetime gives to you:
A Christmas movie collection. Get a head start on next Christmas by entering to win this 6-movie collection from Lifetime. One lucky winner takes home 6 holiday films on DVD. You get Home By Christmas with Linda Hamilton, Holiday Switch with Nicole Eggert, The Road To Christmas with Jennifer Grey, Recipe For A Perfect Christmas with Carly Pope, His & Her Christmas with Dina Meyer and Will You Merry Me with Cynthia Stevenson. It’s hours of family entertainment and it could all be yours.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- How did you first hear about Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Kathe Pease
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
Exclusive Interview With Zack Andrews and Bobby Roe From The Houses October Built
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on December 29th, 2014
On Jan 6th, 2015 Image Entertainment will be releasing The Houses That October Built on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s a found footage film that chronicles a group of friends who take to the road to visit independent haunted houses (haunts) during Halloween season. It’s a frightening tale that leads them to the ultimate fright. The film was written by Zack Andrews and Bobby Roe. Roe also directed the film. Both of these guys also appear in the film. I recently had the opportunity to chat with both creative talents about the upcoming film. Now you can check out what they had to say. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Zack and Bobby.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 5: Power Rangers Megaforce the Mysterious Robo 2
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 29th, 2014
On the Fifth Day Of Christmas Lionsgate gives to you:
Power Rangers Mega Force: The Mysterious Robo Knight on DVD. This DVD contains 4 classic Power Rangers adventures. It also features a Mega Bloks Micro-Figure toy. The fight is on to protect Earth from the evil insectoid monsters. You can bring one home for your youngster if you’re the lucky winner.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- What was your favorite post on Upcomingdiscs in 2014?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Corey Olomon
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 4: Mama’s Family: Season 4 On DVD
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 28th, 2014
On the Fourth Day Of Christmas Star Vista and Time Life give to you:
Mama’s Family The Complete Fourth Season on DVD. How long has it been since you’ve spent some time with Mama over the holidays? It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 25 years. Our good friends at Time Life and StarVista have decided that it’s just been too dang long. Of course, we’re talking about the television classic Mama’s Family starring Vicki Lawrence. We’re teaming up to give you a good deal of time to spend with Mama… an entire season to be exact.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- How often do you visit us here at Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Buddy Garrett
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 3: Awkward: Season 3
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 27th, 2014
On the Third Day Of Christmas MTV gives to you:
Awkward Season 3. It looks like it’s going to be a television Christmas this year. It’s Junior year for Jenna and she has to start thinking about the future. Make it an Awkward holiday. Enter to win a copy of the third season on DVD.
To enter just follow these instructions:
- Fill out your name and email address in the comment form below – your email address will remain private and visible only to us.
- Do not post your address as an actual comment! Instead tell us- How long have you been visiting Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is tallcapp
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.