Gridiron Gang (Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on July 22nd, 2014
“There are over 120,000 juveniles incarcerated in detection centers across the United States. Upon release 75% will either return to prison or die in the street. What follows is based on the true story of Camp Kilpatrick and the people there who tried to make a difference.”
The Rock — sorry, Dwayne Johnson, sure has come a long way from his melodramatic days as a WWE superstar.
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The Junior Spy Agency
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on July 22nd, 2014
by Normandy D. Piccolo
“Magnum, Rockford and Marlowe never had to rake leaves before a case.”
~ Sam Steele Junior
Whoever said homework can’t be fun never met Writer/Director Tom Whitus. Mr. Whitus has donned the fedora once more and penned another adventurous Sam Steele detective movie aimed at children. The Junior Spy Agency (2014) (aka: Sam Steele and the Crystal Chalice (2011)) follows in the gumshoes of Mr Whitus’ previous work, Sam Steele and the Junior Detective Agency (2009).
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Sabotage (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on July 22nd, 2014
– “Are you some kind of big deal?”
– “Yeah, I’ve been around.”
The box office has not been kind to Arnold Schwarzenegger ever since he stopped being “The Governator” and started headlining movies again. Not counting his Expendable glorified cameos, Ahnuld’s three movies — The Last Stand, Escape Plan, and Sabotage — are among the lowest domestic grossers of his career. It’s clear that not a lot of people are seeing these movies, which is kind of a shame.
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Exclusive Interview With Lukas Kendall – Co-Writer Of Lucky Bastard
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on July 21st, 2014
A while back we reviewed the film Lucky Bastard. (Review) Since that time the film’s creative folks have taken a little heat. The film is rated NC-17 but it’s neither particularly violent or pornographic. Naturally, these guys have something to say. I ended up talking to Lukas Kendall, one of the co-writers. He had some really interesting things to say. He was great fun to talk with. This is one of our liveliest interviews. You don’t want to miss what he has to say. Don’t take my word for it. Bang it here to sit in on my chat with Lukas Kendall
If you’re interested in checking out his petition to the MPAA make sure to bang it here, as well: Fix The MPAA Rating System
Transcendence (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 21st, 2014
“Maybe it was all inevitable. An unavoidable collision between mankind and technology.”
Just about any project that Christopher Nolan has any attachment to is going to get my attention. And from the first glimpses of the film in the early teasers, Transcendence always felt like a film Nolan would seem right at home making. Instead, taking the helm for the first time as director is Wally Pfister. Though this may be his first time in the director’s chair, Pfister is no stranger to working on pictures of large scale; after all, he’s been Nolan’s director of photography since Memento back in 2000.
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Donnie Brasco (Theatrical Cut) (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 21st, 2014
Pacino and Depp in a mob drama about an undercover fed and his unknowing Mafioso mentor? Fuggedaboudit. Donnie Brasco is based on the true story of F.B.I. agent Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp, Blow), who spent six successful years undercover in the New York Mafia, as one Donnie Brasco. The film opens with Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino, Heat), an aging made man, connecting with Donnie about a diamond ring. Donnie’s cover is he’s in the jewelry “business”, and Lefty wants to unload a ring some guy …gave him as payment for a debt.
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Exclusive Interview With Declan O’Brien – Director Of Joy Ride 3
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on July 20th, 2014
Once again I caught up with director Declan O’Brien. We talked with him after he had finished Wrong Turn 4. We reviewed Wrong Turn 5 where Declan continued to impress. He is one of the best when it comes to dealing with budgets. He makes sure every cent is on the screen. He did it again with Joy Ride 3. Yet another franchise saved. Most car crash films spend more on one stunt than Declan had for the entire film. Yet, he delivered again. Sit in with my latest talk with Declan O’Brien. Bang it here to join the conversation: Declan O’Brien
Last Action Hero (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 20th, 2014
“Let me know when the governor gets here.”
Well, he’s in the house, and I’m going to get a lot of razzing for this review of Last Action Hero. The person who thought I should see a shrink for looking forward to the next Saw film is going to be calling for my outright commitment to an institution dedicated to covering walls with nice padding so we won’t hurt ourselves. I know this film is generally considered “bad” by critics and moviegoers alike.
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Antboy
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on July 20th, 2014
Not to be mistaken for the much anticipated Ant-Man that should release next year from Marvel, Antboy is the latest import out of Denmark that shows that the worldwide box office is becoming a more level and diverse playing field. For the longest time foreign films were a thing that belonged in art house cinema and found in a tiny section at the mom-and-pop video store. Now in a generation of the internet and most notably Netflix, the wide range of foreign cinema is being made available, and in my opinion this is a great thing.
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Anaconda (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 20th, 2014
“Tales of monstrous, man-eating anacondas have been recounted for centuries by tribespeople of the Amazon Basin, some of whom are said to worship these giant snakes. Anacondas are among the most ferocious and enormous creatures on Earth.”
Today Anaconda would have most certainly been made as a “found-footage” film. All of the makings of one of these trending movies are there.
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Tosh.O – Collas plus Exposed Arms
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on July 19th, 2014
Here comes Volume four of this clip commentary comedy show (CCC could catch on as a sub-genre title couldn’t it?). This time we get two seasons worth of episodes; the “Collas” and “Exposed Arms” entitled seasons, as it were. Very little is different as far as format or new segments are concerned since the last time I wrote about this show.
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How It All Began: Origins of Master Mantak Chia
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on July 18th, 2014
by Normandy D. Piccolo
“We are that which we are really seeking.”
Back in the early 80‘s, Grandmaster Mantak Chia stepped outside of traditional Chinese rule and shared a very guarded secret with the world. The Universal Healing Tao System. Where the body, soul and spirit learn to live in balance and harmony with the universe through an understanding of energy
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The Purge: Anarchy
Posted in The Reel World by J C on July 18th, 2014
What a difference a year makes. It was just last summer that The Purge came out of nowhere to become an unexpected smash. The film piqued my interest with a killer marketing campaign that smartly sold its outrageous concept: for one night out of the year, any and all crime is legal in the U.S. Unfortunately, the filmmakers squandered that novel idea by making the most cliched, claustrophobic thriller imaginable. A little more than a year later, this follow-up arrives under considerably different circumstances. Instead of canny summer counter-programming, The Purge: Anarchy is the latest sequel in a summer that seems particularly heavy on franchise films.
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Rio 2 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on July 17th, 2014
“Who cares about a bunch of birds?”
Well, judging by the fact that the original Rio grossed $484 million worldwide, it seems more than a few people were invested. The avian adventure from Blue Sky Studios may not have soared as high as Disney/Pixar or DreamWorks Animation’s best efforts — or even Blue Sky’s own Ice Age juggernaut — but it proved to be a dazzling, lucrative diversion in the spring of 2011. This charming sequel, which arrived almost three years to the day later and grossed a near-identical $487 million worldwide, retains the disposable, toe-tapping charm of its predecessor.
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How the West Was Won: The Complete Second Season
Posted in No Huddle by J C on July 16th, 2014
“The West — once a land of awesome but tranquil beauty — had become a battleground for a hundred diverse reasons.”
The “second” season of How the West Was Won — and I’ll explain in a bit why the word “second” deserves to be in quotation marks — does a strong job dramatizing the myriad dangers of the Old West. This batch of episodes showcases vengeful gunfighters, greedy gold prospectors, a taxing cattle drive, and the tenuous relationship between frontiersmen and Native Americans. Of course, at the center of it all is one particularly intrepid clan.
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Under the Skin (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 15th, 2014
There is nothing wrong with your monitor. Jonathan Glazer controls all that you see and hear. That tiny speck of light you see is just the beginning. The beginning of an experience you will not soon forget. The light appears distant…cold… foreboding. It’s coming closer to us, or we are coming closer to it. The distant star grows while you are assaulted with some of the most bizarre sounds you have ever heard. It’s somewhat uncomfortable. You squirm in your seat.
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Stage Fright (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 14th, 2014
“Isn’t it wrong to sing and dance when someone has just died?”
When I first hear a film is going to attempt to be a horror musical, all I can do is simply shake my head at the thought of how bad this may be. But that’s not to say that I couldn’t be very wrong. Repo! The Genetic Opera was a rock opera that I had a blast with, and I’m not ashamed to admit I even purchased the soundtrack after the release.
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Nymphomanic Vol 1 & Vol 2 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on July 14th, 2014
Nymphomaniac I and II are 117 and 124 minutes, respectively. There is a longer cut that may be released next year closer to 5 and ½ hours. The story is simple. It chronicles a conversation between two people. Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is found bloody and beaten in an alley by an older man, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard). He takes her to his sparse flat to care for her and help her. What takes place is a long conversation full of intellectual digressions about Joe. It slowly reveals what led to her downfall. Seligman is a sheltered bookworm who has a detached curiosity about her story.
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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on July 11th, 2014
“Apes together strong!”
When French author Pierre Boulle first wrote his novel Monkey Planet, I’m sure he never imagined a film like Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. While I was enjoying the five films that made up the original franchise run, I couldn’t have imagined a movie like Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. When Tim Burton made his pitiful attempt to revive the franchise, it was downright impossible. In fact, the franchise appeared dead and gone by the time that film ran its destructive course
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Welcome Normandy D. Piccolo To Upcomingdiscs!
Posted in Site News by Gino Sassani on July 9th, 2014
Join me as we welcome Normandy D. Piccolo to the Upcomingdiscs family.
Normandy’s an experienced writer, to be sure. She’s the author of Bullycide: To Whom It Concerns as well as many magazine articles, ads for country music stars, children’s books and television cartoons. We’re excited to have her share her talents with us. We look forward to a lot of reviews in the future. Be sure to follow her work here. Let her know how she’s doing in the comments section. I know she’ll be happy to hear from you.
Welcome aboard, Normandy.
No Clue
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on July 9th, 2014
by Normandy D. Piccolo
“She’s the damsel. He’s in distress.”
What happens when a stand-up comedian turned actor writes, stars in and produces his very first murder/mystery movie? Either a timeless classic or a case of wishing Colonel Mustard had greeted him in the Conservatory with a Candlestick before typing the title page. Actor Brent Butt (Corner Gas/Hiccups) and director, Carl Bessai (Sisters and Brothers/Hiccups) have teamed up once again for, No Clue, a campy murder/mystery set in present day with a 1950’s feel.
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Infliction
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on July 9th, 2014
With all these found-footage films that seem to be coming out week after week, I wonder just how audiences will react when they finally get a scene that is shot on a tripod. It will be hailed as a revelation, I’d imagine, and finally the world will be able to watch a film without pondering if they should have double-dosed on their motion sickness pills. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Infliction is yet another entry into the canon of found-footage films and is also another example of why it is a style that is not meant for everyone to try or to use as an excuse for a low budget.
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Elton John: The Million Dollar Piano (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 9th, 2014
Few musicians have enjoyed the career that Elton John has enjoyed. From the release of Your Song in 1969, he hasn’t seen many years without hit records. He’s had number one songs in every decade since that day, and the hits continue to roll in. When the music industry changed, Elton managed to change enough to keep up with the times, yet hold on to the poignant songwriting that has made his songs stand out. I’ve been a fan since the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road days of 1973.
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Watermark (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on July 8th, 2014
Anyone who ever sat through an elementary school science class knows that about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. We’ve all heard the spiel, but I don’t imagine most of us spend much time contemplating how truly staggering that figure really is. Watermark seeks to convey the many different ways humans and the planet’s water supply affect one another. The documentary is maddeningly scattered, but it also manages to capture and convey a small part of the world’s awe-inspiring bigness.
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Once Upon a Time in Vietnam
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on July 8th, 2014
Any time I see a film released with the words Once Upon a Time (insert location), I feel the film is already setting itself up for failure. There are numerous classics that boast that title; Once Upon a Time in the West as well as Once Upon a Time in America are two that come to mind that are classics in their genres. But then you have Once Upon a Time in Mexico, which for me was a lackluster conclusion to the El Mariachi trilogy. Now we have the release of Once Upon a Time in Vietnam and, well, despite its attempts to be a big sprawling epic, the film just doesn’t deliver.
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