“31 Nights of Terror” Borderlands 2 (Xbox 360)
Posted in Game Reviews by Michael Durr on October 14th, 2012
Rarely in my video game reviewing do I get the popular game. I seem to gravitate more towards the forgotten gem or the niche cult hit. I do not mind it of course, it has lead me to discover many awesome smaller games such as the Darkness or Mafia II. However, today the story is different. In my hands is a contender for the game of the year. A game that blends first person shooters with role playing and enough loot to make a Diablo player blush. The game happens to be the Gearbox Software smash, Borderlands 2.
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Legendary Amazons (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on October 13th, 2012
Ever wonder what a martial arts epic directed by Baz “Moulin Rouge” Luhrmann would look like? Me neither. But that’s pretty much what we get with Legendary Amazons, (loosely) based on the exploits of the Yang family during the Song Dynasty. The story has an intriguing hook — the men of the Yang clan are massacred in battle, leaving their women to throw on armor and take to the battlefield — but is ultimately bogged down by its cartoonish tone and embarrassingly bad production values.
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“31 Nights of Terror” Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on October 13th, 2012
“I thought this was a family show.”
“Well, it depends on your family.”
Quick, who is the highest-grossing stand-up comic in America? Well, if you follow the live comedy scene — or you can’t help but notice you’re reading a review for one of his shows — you probably know the answer is Jeff Dunham. The man has single-handedly made ventriloquism cool again. (Pause.) Well he’s made it astoundingly lucrative, anyway.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Sinister
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2012
“Bad things happen to good people, and they deserve to have their stories told.”
I have to say that the horror film market has disappointed me of late. With October in full swing, I expect to be exposed to all kinds of horror films, from unknown independent projects to the standard franchise entries that pop up every year around this time. The trouble is that the films I’ve seen at the theaters so far have either been very disappointing or not really horror films at all. Thankfully, Sinister is not disappointing,
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Argo
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on October 12th, 2012
Ever since Ben Affleck stepped behind the camera and took on the role of director, I’ve found myself not only becoming a fan of his work but believing the man has greatness ahead of him. When I first watched Gone Baby Gone, I was more than a little impressed; after all, it was his first time at the helm. But then Affleck released his follow-up film, The Town, and it blew me away. Sure, there were some great movies that came out that year, but the fact that it didn’t make the list of best picture nominees I just can’t understand. But with the release of Argo it would seem the Academy will have a chance to right that wrong and shower this film with plenty of adoration. Sure, this is pretty much a shoe-in for the best picture nomination, but not just because it’s great, but really, what is the competition?
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Magic City: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 11th, 2012
“Every ambition has a dark side.”
And that includes the world of the cable television series. The world of cable series has brought us some of the most ambitious and compelling television shows we’ve ever seen. There’s no censor board to answer to, so that means the shows have the freedom to expand into visual areas that have long been taboo on network shows. Nudity, sexuality, language, and even violence are often huge parts of these kinds of shows. Because there isn’t really a ratings pressure, the shows can also cater to more specialized audiences.
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Hoffa (Blu-ray) (Signature Series)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 11th, 2012
Among the more unjustly ignored performances was Jack Nicholson’s turn as union boss Jimmy Hoffa in Hoffa. Fox finally decided to put out the Danny DeVito-directed, David Mamet-written film on DVD. Mamet’s script seems to romanticize Hoffa, portraying him as more of a union man, as one who was forced to make deals that could compromise his integrity, but he overlooks his integrity in order to help benefit the American working man. The story is told in the point of view of Hoffa aide Bobby (DeVito), a fictitious character whose flashbacks are used to help us see how Hoffa perhaps should be viewed, as opposed to the punchline in some jokes we may make now.
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“31 Nights of Terror” Chained
Posted in No Huddle by J C on October 11th, 2012
Director Jennifer Lynch’s camera winds its way through a dingy house with tragically outdated décor during the opening moments of Chained. It’s almost as if the filmmaker is encouraging the audience to get nice and cozy with this depressing setting because we’re going to be spending a lot of time here.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Hypothermia
Posted in No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 10th, 2012
Ever since I first saw John Carpenter’s The Thing, I’ve had a soft spot for movies that take place in cold, snowy climates. I’m guessing it’s because living in Tampa, there is little to no chance of seeing the white stuff. Frozen was the last chiller-thriller that had me grimacing at the sight of what frostbite can do. So when I saw the title Hypothermia I figured it was time to crank up the A/C and warm up some Swiss Miss, because I was ready to check this movie out.
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French Connection – Signature Series (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
“Did you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?… Have you ever been to Poughkeepsie?… When you were in Poughkeepsie, you sat on the edge of the bed, didn’t you? You put your fingers between your toes and you picked your feet…. If I can’t bust you on this other thing, I’m going to bust you for picking your feet in Poughkeepsie.”
There can be no argument on this point. The 1970’s was a golden age for the cinema.
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The Mentalist: The Complete Fourth Season
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
“Mentalist: Someone who uses mental acuity, hypnosis, and/or suggestion. A master manipulator of thoughts and behavior.”
This time around Baker stars as Patrick Jane, a psychic who was riding high bilking folks out of their hard-earned money by playing on their desires to contact their deceased loved ones. He would justify his con as providing closure for his marks and never looked back. That is, until one day he makes a fatal mistake. He never fooled himself into believing any of it was real. He wasn’t psychic. He just paid close attention.
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Bonanza: The Official Complete Fourth Season
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on October 10th, 2012
Three-time widower Ben Cartwright (Greene) runs his famous Ponderosa Ranch with the aid of his three grown sons from three different mothers. There’s Little Joe (Landon), Adam (Roberts) and Hoss (Blocker). Set some time in the mid 1800’s, this long-running series followed the family’s many exploits. In the late 1950’s westerns accounted for six of the top ten programs on TV. Only Gunsmoke had a longer run than Bonanza. From 1959 to 1973, Ben Cartwright and his boys rode across the small screen.
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Courier, The (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 10th, 2012
Direct to Video movies is usually just a clever term to mean “We have a small budget and B-List stars so we are going to skip the theater and go straight to video and hope to capitalize on the people who might pick this up on a very slow Friday night.” Today’s review is about a man simply known as the “Courier”. It could be a ripoff of the Transporter. It might be a mailman who handles packages by day and the ladies by night.
Bad B-Movies aside, let’s see how this one plays out.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Hostel & Hostel II ( Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on October 9th, 2012
As a film, Hostel is in a class of its own. It takes the “disturbing gore” genre to a whole new level. There isn’t much in between ground for this film. You will either really enjoy the film or you will be very much disgusted. The plot of the film revolves around two college students and a friend they recently met as they journey across Europe. They are looking to have a good time and “meet” as many women as possible along the way. They journey from Hostel to Hostel.
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Demetri Martin: Standup Comedian
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on October 9th, 2012
Standup Comedian is the second hour-long comedy special Martin has released. I’ve watched numerous comedy specials over the years. I’ve seen many I’ve loved, cheered, and even loathed. When I first saw Martin go through his routine in a previous special, I simply shrugged it off and forgot about it a few minutes later. I figured he would be one of the many comedians that would fizzle away into obscurity. But then I found out this guy has a strong following, and I couldn’t understand it, wondering when did drawing pictures become comedy?
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Jeff Ross Roasts America
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on October 9th, 2012
Best known for his appearances on the Comedy Central Celebrity Roasts, Jeff Ross sets off on a cross-country quest to roast America in his new comedy special. Aside from his appearances on the roasts, I was not familiar with Ross or his stand-up act. Some may best describe him as rude, perhaps even offensive, but personally, I think the guy is hilarious. To kick off his tour we get to see Ross backstage with his family, and it just so happens that it is his nephew’s birthday, which makes him the first victim of the numerous speed roasts that are to follow.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Exclusive Interview With Darren Lynn Bousman Director of The Barrens and Saw II, III and IV
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 8th, 2012
Some horror directors just start out with a bang. That’s certainly the case in point for Darren Lynn Bousman. He directed Saw II, III and IV to start his career. He’s also responsible for the remake of Mother’s Day and the quirky cult favorite Repo! The Genetic Opera. This time around it’s True Blood’s Stephen Moyer in The Barrens. I had a chance to chat with Bousman last week. Check out what he had to say. Bang it here to listen to my talk with Darren Lynn Bousman
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on October 7th, 2012
“I don’t want to grow older, to become marginalized and ignored by society. I don’t want to be the first person they let off the plane in a hostage crisis.”
Normally, a movie has to have the words “Harry” and “Potter” in its title to attract the caliber of British acting talent assembled for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The characters in the film may be in the twilight of their lives, but the performers who play them are at the top of their game.
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“31 Nights of Terror” Bedevilled (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 7th, 2012
When I started to review this film, I thought I would come up with a hokey beginning to celebrate the 31 Nights of Terror. That might have worked if I had reviewed It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown or a Lindsey Lohan movie, but to be truthful there is not much humor in this movie to be had. So let us skip the theatrics for at least one review and go straight into reviewing Bedevilled.
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Contest: Win Dance Moms: Season 1 From Lifetime
Posted in Expired Contests by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2012
Our friends over at Lifetime have given us a copy of Dance Moms Season 1on DVD to giveaway. Dance the nights away in your own home with this reality series from Lifetime. Travel to the Abby Lee Dance Company and the ticket is on us and Lifetime.
To win 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 who is your favorite contestant on Dance Moms.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Amanda
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.
“31 Nights Of Terror” Pet Sematary (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2012
“Sometimes dead is better.”
From the rather twisted mind of Stephen King, Pet Sematary is actually one of my favorites of his horror novels. It’s scary to think the story was never meant to be published and only offered up to finish a contract with his earlier publisher. As has been the Stephen King plague at nearly every turn, something ends up lost in the translation. In the novel, the deeper subtexts that King is so adept at take several hundred pages to set up and ultimately pay off. Unfortunately a mere couple of hours of celluloid never …seem to scratch the graveyard surface soil
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Hart of Dixie – The Complete First Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on October 5th, 2012
“All the food here is fried. The whole town smells like mold. But they could use a good doctor; one who cares about her patients.”
And that’s how a cynical New York doctor courageously puts aside a few (mostly true) stereotypes about the South and decides to stick around fictional BlueBell, Alabama. I’m just grateful the people behind Hart of Dixie exercised some restraint and didn’t call their show Southern HOSPITALity.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Frankenweenie
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 5th, 2012
To his credit, Tim Burton has managed to keep the art of stop motion alive and well in Hollywood. He’s also proven that it can still be quite effective and just as commercial with such classics as A Nightmare Before Christmas. Since that time he’s had a modest number of hits and misses but nothing that has come close to the holiday staple…until now. Frankenweenie is destined to become a Halloween tradition at our house, and I suspect I’m not alone.
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Family Guy, Volume Ten
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on October 4th, 2012
I don’t believe anyone could have predicted not only Family Guy being on the air for over a decade but how big a power player Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy and American Dad) would become. With several shows currently in production, the release of his first live action feature Ted earlier this summer, and now the recently announced hosting of the upcoming Oscars, I believe it’s safe to say MacFarlane is about as big a name as Oprah. And to think he didn’t have to give his fans cars to do it; he’s just that talented.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” The Hole
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on October 4th, 2012
It took some time, but alas, Joe Dante’s movie The Hole is finally available for us all to see. The impact Dante’s films had on my childhood is something I am thankful for. I can’t imagine surviving the Christmas holiday without watching Gremlins. I’ll still never be able to look at a tilt-a-whirl without imagining it being a spaceship because of Explorers. Then there are the fond memories I have with Matinee, The ‘Burbs, Small Soldiers and few others. Basically I hold Dante with high esteem and believe he’s one of our best working genre directors from whom I wish we were seeing more.
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