The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 3rd, 2013
All good things must come to an end, and so it was at Walt Disney Studios. The Golden Age of feature film animation had started with Snow White And The Seven Dwarves in 1937. By the end of the 1970’s it was all but gone. As the studio entered the 1980’s the things had gone from bad to worse. Walt was gone, and so it seemed was the magic. Most of The 9 Old Men had either retired or passed away. The studio leadership was considering closing the animated studio and moving on to live-action films only.
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Unfinished Song
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on October 3rd, 2013
“What makes a song beautiful is not always the quality of the voice but the distance that voice has had to travel.”
Well said, Mrs. Redgrave, well said. I should broach this subject early; I am not a fan of musicals or musically-themed films. That said, Unfinished Song is much more than a musical; it is a tale of an emotionally crippled man who has only formed one meaningful connection and about what you do when you lose that connection: do you lie down and die, or do you find a median to that will allow you to form new connections?
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Bryan Ferry: Live in Lyon (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on October 3rd, 2013
For a variety of reasons, fewer people seem to be retiring when they turn 65. That’s long been the case for legendary musicians like Bryan Ferry, who was at that milestone age when he filmed this concert in Lyon, France during the summer of 2011. Ferry has always combined his own “old soul” sensibility with a forward-thinking approach to creating music. So this show, with Ferry now an actual senior citizen, turned out to be an ideal time to check in on the former Roxy Music frontman.
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Exclusive Interview With Vicki Lawrence Of Mama’s Family
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2013
Time-Life and Star Vista have rescued Mama’s Family from home video oblivion. Finally, the entire series is available on DVD. We’re going to have more on that later. On Tuesday I had a chance to chat with the show’s star. That’s right. I talked with Mama herself: Vicki Lawrence. You might remember her from the Carol Burnett Show where Mama first started. You could even recall her talk show a few years back. Most of you will always remember her as Mama. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Vicki Lawrence
“31 Nights Of Terror” Tampa Theatre: Here There Be Monsters
Posted in News and Opinions by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2013
If you live in the Tampa Bay area you should already know about Tampa Theatre. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world to catch a film. It doesn’t matter if you’re into classic cinema or the latest art film. This is the place to go. The wonderful spires and classic trimmings make it the most atmospheric place to be. Organ music still entertains the crowds here. If you’re into horror films you can’t beat the mix of atmosphere and haunts. Then there’s the movies. Check out their October slate of films and events. Lose the trick. It’s time to treat yourself. Read on to see what they have in store all October.
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Family Guy: Volume Eleven
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on October 2nd, 2013
Family Guy has reached a level of impact upon the American pop culture where I believe the characters need little to no introduction. Is there anyone, really, that doesn’t recognize Stewie; after all he’s reached the status of icon and has even become a fixture of the Thanksgiving parade as one of the many floats. Where The Flintstones, then later The Simpsons were at one time the dominating animated family on the television tackling day to day struggles of the modern American (each in their own and unique way), Family Guy (love it or hate it) now seems to be the go-to animated family.
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Modern Family: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2013
We all remember Ed O’Neill as Al Bundy from Married With Children. It’s an iconic role that he’ll never be able to shake no matter what he does for the rest of his life. After that series ended its 11-year run, he even attempted to get out of comedy and take more dramatic roles. I’m sure there was a deliberate intent to try to distance himself from Al. It’s not that he likely didn’t love playing the role. He just wanted to avoid getting forever typecast in the mold. Those efforts weren’t all that successful. But now he’s back where he belongs again in a pretty solid sit-com
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Halloween (35th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2013
“I met him fifteen years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding; and even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes… the devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply… evil.”
In 1968 Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrell hit the American pop charts with the song Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing. They didn’t know it at the time, of course, but they were talking about John Carpenter’s original 1978 Halloween.
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South Park: The Sixteenth Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2013
“Toilet time is the last bastion of American freedom.”
In this case it’s toilet humor. I often have trouble believing that South Park has been around for as long as it has. It’s not just the passing of 16 years, but the sheer brilliance in the face of an increasingly politically correct society. It’s like watching old episodes of All In The Family. Who believes that Archie Bunker would have any chance of survival in the 21st century? It’s no wonder that Norman Lear has become involved in the series. It’s the last remaining vestige of a once great freedom to be ridiculous and offend
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The Neighbors: The Complete First Season
Posted in No Huddle by J C on September 30th, 2013
Suburbia has always been presented as an otherworldly place to city folk. In The Neighbors — ABC’s underrated gem of a sci-fi sitcom — a New Jersey family moves from the city to the suburbs and discovers their new community is comprised entirely of placid, color-coordinated aliens. Each episode delivers fish-out-of-water planet laughs and a lesson in what it means to be human, in all our imperfect glory.
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Don Jon
Posted in The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on September 29th, 2013
“There are only a few things I really care about in life: My body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, and my porn.”
I have to say, I didn’t see that last one coming the first time I saw the trailer. Another thing I didn’t see coming when I first heard about the film, that it was the feature film directorial debut for actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Quite the illustrious career Gordon-Levitt has had; I knew he had been around the block as far as acting goes, but I had no idea of his list of accomplishments until after I consulted IMDB; the man has over sixty acting credits to his name and has been part of some of the biggest and innovative films in recent years.
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Rush
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on September 27th, 2013
After first seeing the trailer for Rush the first thing that came to mind is how the film looked like nothing director Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Backdraft, Parenthood) had done before. Set in the world of Formula 1 racing where everything was about speed, style and sex, this seems like a world far removed from the wheelhouse we expect from Ron Howard. But upon watching the film, beyond the tremendous visuals on the track we are given a story that is more than just a simple rivalry, but a story about the drive to succeed at any cost whether it be by skill or obsession and envy; what matters to these men is to be number one.
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Enough Said
Posted in The Reel World by J C on September 27th, 2013
I honestly expected to be bummed watching Enough Said. The film marks the penultimate screen appearance by Sopranos icon James Gandolfini following his untimely death from a heart attack in June. So while I always looked forward to watching Gandolfini, there was an undercurrent of sadness in knowing this was one of the last new performances we’d ever be getting from the immensely talented actor. Thankfully, Gandolfini’s work here is as lively and funny as the rest of this romantic comedy, so you’re more likely to walk away with a smile on your face than a tear in your eye.
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Arrow: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 26th, 2013
“My name is Oliver Queen. For five years I was stranded on an island with only one goal: survive. Now, I will fulfill my father’s dying wish to use the list of names he left me and bring down those who are poisoning my city. To do this I must become someone else. I must become something else.”
That someone…that something else is the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Not to be confused by the same-colored Hornet or Lantern
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Dark Girls
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on September 25th, 2013
I am not a huge fan of documentaries, but I am coming around. Something about their format always reminded me of the educational films I would have to watch in school, and considering I spent most of my time trying to escape school, I suppose I was never willing to give proper documentaries the attention that they deserve. However I am much older (and mildly wiser) now, and I was able to give Dark Girls my full and undivided attention, and it proved to be worth every second of it
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The League: Season Four
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on September 25th, 2013
Football season is well on its way, and that can mean one thing; fantasy football players are at their computers making trades and setting up their lineups. For some fantasy football is nothing more than Dungeons and Dragons for adults who like football, but those that have their own league, well, you know how cutthroat things can get once your star receiver is injured and that perfect replacement just hit the waiver wire. The F/X (now I think FXX) show The League may take more than a few jabs at those who take fantasy football a little too seriously, but for myself this is one of my comedies on the air right now.
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2 Broke Girls: The Complete Second Season
Posted in No Huddle by J C on September 25th, 2013
Everyone on TV has nicer clothes and a bigger house than you do. And I’m not just talking about fictional doctors or lawyers. Even small-screen characters with relatively modest incomes manage to live in palatial apartments. Need proof? The 2 Allegedly Broke Girls in CBS’s hit sitcom live in an apartment that is literally big enough to fit a horse. (Hi, Chestnut.) Of course, the show isn’t exactly going for gritty realism. The most important thing here is the terrific comedic chemistry between stars Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, which continues to carry this uneven show.
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Iron Man 3 (Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by J C on September 24th, 2013
It’s easy to forget how important it was for 2008’s Iron Man to be great. After all, the film was only asked to A) properly introduce a B-list comic hero to the movie-going masses and B) successfully kick off what turned out to be Phase One of Marvel’s March Toward Global Domination Cinematic Universe. “Good” would’ve been a letdown; Iron Man needed to be great. Fortunately, it delivered in spades; its critical and commercial success paved the way for an unprecedented run of films that culminated with The Avengers last summer. With a release date for the Avengers sequel already on the horizon, Tony Stark and Co. have once again been asked to set the tone.
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Criminal Minds: The Eighth Season
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on September 24th, 2013
To the point, Criminal Minds is very compelling television. Ever since The Silence Of The Lambs and perhaps long before, we have been fascinated by serial killers and the profilers who try to get inside their heads. To see evidence of the continuing trend, one needs only look toward the success of films like Zodiac and shows like Dexter. Of course, serial killers are not the only prey this FBI team pursues, but they are certainly the marquee item on the agenda.
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Scenic Route
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on September 23rd, 2013
The idea of taking a long road trip with your loved one or best friend is something everyone has to do at least a few times in your life. There is something that occurs while driving down long lonely roads with nothing but music, scenery and good conversation to keep you company. The road trip film is almost a genre onto itself and can be funny like Plains, Trains and Automobiles, insightful like On The Road, or horrifying like Joyride. These films are so easy to relate to, because at some point we all share in these kinds of adventures, perhaps not so exciting but memorable nonetheless.
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A Letter to Three Wives (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on September 23rd, 2013
“To begin with, all the incidents and characters in this story might be fictitious, and any resemblance to you or me might be purely coincidental.”
Right off the bat, the unseen, all-knowing narrator of A Letter to Three Wives lets her audience know the characters in the film aren’t the only ones who are about to have their heads profoundly messed with. That sort of smart playfulness is one of the many reasons you should check out this terrific romantic dramedy from legendary writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz now that it’s on Blu-ray for the first time.
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Supernatural: The Complete Eighth Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 20th, 2013
“Welcome Back.”
“We’ve started seasons like this many times before. The Winchester Brothers have been separated by apocalyptic events, and someone has to escape from Hell, or in this case Purgatory, to get back to the comforts of Earth. It’s just business as usual. Another day at the office for the Winchester boys.
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Behind the Candelabra
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on September 20th, 2013
Even though director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s 11, Magic Mike) has an Oscar under his belt and numerous box office hits, the road to getting Behind the Candelabra was a difficult one. Originally Soderbergh had planned for the film to play in theaters, but every studio was afraid of the project believing it to be “too gay”. Sure, there have been numerous films in Hollywood that dealt with homosexual subject matter, and considering this was also a bio pic I’m still surprised the typically liberal studio system was so afraid of this project.
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Prisoners
Posted in The Reel World by J C on September 20th, 2013
“You made me feel so safe. You told us that you could protect us from anything.”
Prisoners poses a lot of provocative questions. Chief among them is, “Who ultimately bears the responsibility of protecting one’s family?” Is it enough to leave these matters completely in the hands of dedicated, but hopelessly overwhelmed law enforcement officials? And, in a life or death situation, would you ever take the law into your own hands to save someone you love? My favorite thing about Prisoners, one of the best movies I’ve seen this year, is that the film respects its audience enough to withhold any easy answers.
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Space Junk 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 19th, 2013
“After a half century of space exploration we’re now being faced with what’s long been a staple of science fiction: an orbiting junkyard of space debris.”
There’s an old saying that what goes up must come down. For most of human history that has been a pretty steadfast axiom. Of course any kid who has ever had a kite or a football stuck in a tree knows there are exceptions to every rule. But in the 1950’s we began to place objects in orbit about the Earth. In recent decades the practice has almost become a frenzy. We have all of those cell phones, television networks and GPS devices that require more and more satellite support.
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