Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2018
"Tell me a story."
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the comic book character of Black Panther in 1966 for an issue of The Fantastic Four. He became the first black superhero in the comic world. He starred in Marvel's Jungle Action title before getting his own comic. The character was popular, but through an unfortunate set of circumstances he was at times thought to be related to the militant group of the same name that popped up that same year. For a short time he went by the name Black Leopard, but the original name rose above the unintended connection and continued to enjoy on and off success over the decades. Black Panther was introduced to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) with Captain America: Civil War. He's finally getting his own film, and with the release of Black Panther, the MCU is developing and evolving in new and interesting ways. It's all leading to the May release of the third Avengers film and eventually into an entirely new MCU. That's a lot to ask of a single film. Is Black Panther up to the task?
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2018
Meet the most dysfunctional crime family since The Sopranos. Not quite at the same level either on-screen or in quality, but once again we're drawn toward another dangerous clan with criminal intent. I guess we could call them The Baritones. Actually, Animal Kingdom is an apt description for television's latest baddies. They've now wrapped up their second season of mayhem on TNT where the series was the network's top ratings winner. Now that second season is out from Warner Brothers, and it's another crazy ride, of that you can be certain. It's based, rather loosely by now, on an Aussie film starring Guy Pearce.
Meet Josh Cody (Cole) His mother was a junkie who died of a heroin overdose. Josh called his estranged grandmother, who goes by the name Smurf, and is played by Ellen Barkin. Smurf takes him into her home, but it's not the Waltons. Smurf is a regular Ma Barker. She organizes criminal jobs that are carried out by her four sons. She collects the money and doles it out on an allowance basis. Her right hand is adopted son Barry, who goes by Baz (Speedman). He helps plan the jobs and is the only one with a family of his own. His girlfriend has mysteriously left him alone with a young daughter. If you saw the first season, you know what happened to her, and that secret is about to come out. Brother Pope (Hatosy) has just returned home from over three years in prison. He took the fall for the entire family, but he's off his meds and is quite crazy. He's by far the quietest brother, and the most dangerous. Brothers Darren (Weary) and Craig (Robson) are pretty much interchangeable bookends. They end up doing the heavy lifting, but they also are the hardest partiers in the family. From coke to jumping out of planes, these two do everything fast and furious. His uncles are not quick to trust Josh, and he has to find a balance with very little time to breathe.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on February 15th, 2018
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: single gal pals looking for love — among other things — in the big city. On television, the trope dates back to the days of Laverne & Shirley and continues with more contemporary entries like Sex and the City and Girls. The queens kweens of Comedy Central's Broad City have given that timeless story hook a funny, druggy and tremendously weird spin for the past four seasons. That includes this most recent batch of episodes, which is lighter on comedy than usual as it explores the origin of NYC besties Abbi and Ilana's relationship...and the way even the closest friends can inevitably drift apart.
Broad City chronicles the (mis)adventures of Abbi and Ilana (co-creators Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer), a pair of uncommonly attached best friends living and playing in New York City. Season 4 begins with a long-overdue flashback episode (“Sliding Doors”) that reveals how Abbi and Ilana met...along with a darker, alternative outcome for their friendship. (Abbi is saddled with the most unfortunate wig I've seen in a very long time.) The rest of the season still contains the bizarre flights of fancy that have become the show's signature. The most polarizing example is the half-animated Ep. 4/“Mushrooms,” which will feel like an especially bad trip if you're not on Abbi and Ilana's wavelength.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 14th, 2018
New cartoon series these days are a hard watch for me. Gone are the days of classic shows like X-Men, Batman: The Animated Series and even newer favorites like Regular Show which ended about a year ago. Now we get shows where it seems like it is one cheap joke after another including Teen Titans Go and that show about some kid named Steven. So, I wasn't too thrilled to get the newest incarnation of Ben 10 on my review desk a couple of weeks ago. That's when I decided to employ the talents of my 2 year old son, Keaton and see if he can offer some insight.
"Thomas"...no son, we can't watch Thomas (The Train) right now. We have to review Ben 10, there are twenty episodes on this thing, see if you like it or not. "BeNNN." Yep, I hand my son the dvd case. He breaks open the stark white case and gives me the disc. "Thomas" Used to this exchange, I go ahead and put the dvd in the player and it brings up the menu. I select English subtitles, and then go to play the first episode. My son blinks at the opening and decides to sit down on the couch with his thumb in his mouth. He points, "Elmo?", he asks inquiringly. "No, BeNNN." He doesn't say anything else at this point and keeps sucking his thumb while looking at the screen.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on February 13th, 2018
This week's Tuesday Round Up is turning back the clock and venturing into one of the most extravagantly seedy neighborhoods of the last century. HBO releases The Deuce: Season 1, which transports viewers to Times Square in the 1970s. The series is the latest effort from David Simon and crime novelist George Pelecanos, who previously collaborated on a little show called The Wire. In the spirit of keeping things in the (crime) family, Warner Bros. gets savage with Animal Kingdom: Season 2. Meanwhile, Cinedigm checks in with hospital thriller Inoperable.
You'll also want to visit us later this week when we offer our take on Marvel's latest superhero extravaganza Black Panther. And now it's time for your customary reminder: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on February 10th, 2018
Clint Eastwood has been at the top of the game both as an actor and a director, often both at the same time. There's no question that he still has the skills. Unfortunately, 15:17 To Paris isn't a great example of his direction skills. Don't get me wrong. There is a nice intense film in here, but it only lasts for about 10 minutes and hungrily screams out for more of the same. Eastwood's problem is much the same that he had in Sully. He doesn't really have enough material for a truly great feature film, so he is forced to fill the screen time with something he hopes will entertain us long enough to stay with him for the good stuff. But as Clint said once as Dirty Harry: "A man's got to know his limitations."
On August 21, 2015 a terrorist boarded a bullet train to Paris in Amsterdam. He carried several weapons including an automatic rifle with over 300 rounds of ammunition, enough to take out nearly all of the passengers on that route. He didn't get very far because of the heroism of some of the passengers aboard. Three of the passengers were friends taking a cross-continent backpacking trip in Europe. Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone, and Alek Skarlatos had been friends since childhood. They were instrumental in stopping the terrorist before he could cause too much damage.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on February 9th, 2018
The world’s most erotic novel series is coming to an end with the release of the final chapter, 50 Shades Freed. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan reprise their roles as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, as the pair enters wedding bliss. Their romance has been a whirlwind, going from meeting to marriage in what seems to be less than six months. However, when it’s right, it’s right; besides, it’s rare that you find someone with the same taste, if you know what I mean. Naturally, happily ever after won’t come as easily as our couple will have to face an old enemy and a new challenge that could threaten to tear the two of them apart.
The story wastes no time getting to the moment that the audience was waiting for, as we encounter the pair on their wedding day, exchanging their vows. From there, it is jet-setting across the world in what has to be the world’s most expensive honeymoon. However, their fairy-tale ending is still a long way off as Ana and Christian receive news that her former boss and predator, Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson), has broken into Grey Enterprises and set off an explosive. Christian is forced to reveal to Ana that Hyde appears to be obsessed with the Grey family and has been targeting them.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 9th, 2018
The notion of having one of comics’ famous costumed detectives face Jack the Ripper is simply one of those ideas I can’t help but smile with geeky joy thinking about. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight, takes the caped crusader back to the early turn of the 19th century, a time when Gotham City was in its early days, before skyscrapers flooded its landscape. This unique take does offer up some fun twists on the legend of the character ,but also takes many liberties of historical events that actually took place. This kind of revisionist history can be fun; take Inglorious Basterds for instance, but how much should you really play with actual history and set character mythology? This is definitely a new playground for the creators to play with, so how does the animated film shake out?
At the start of the film we meet (Poison) Ivy, who has taken a different career path than most may be used to. It is followed by her confrontation with the Ripper, and it doesn’t go so well. It’s an opening like this that lets the viewer know that the familiar cast of heroes and rogues are not safe in this world, so forget what you think you know, and try to sit back, relax, and try to enjoy the story that unfolds.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on February 9th, 2018
“There was a guy on TV the other night. Had a theory that nearly a quarter of all so-called fatal accidents were actually murders. That's ridiculous...it's only about 10 percent.”
It's one of the more familiar action/thriller tropes: an apparent suicide or accidental death that actually turns out to be an elaborate murder. Usually that story is told from the perspective of the murder victim's loved one, who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. What's cool about Accident Man — a stylish and rollicking action romp — is that it gives us an irreverent look at the cold-blooded killers who craftily carry out these cinematic crimes.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on February 7th, 2018
RLJE Films releases Kill Order this week on DVD. The film combines martial arts with science fiction to create a unique world of the future. The film stars Chris Mark who has been a stunt performer on a few big Hollywood films. This time he joins his brother James Mark who both wrote and directed Kill Order. So what was that like? I had an opportunity to talk to Chris about the film and working with his brother. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Chris Mark
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