Savages
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on July 6th, 2012
When I first saw the trailer for Savages I was more than a little unimpressed; in fact I was beginning to accept that there were no more great films to come from one of the directors I believe was in the top five working directors of the 80s and the 90s. Over the past decade he’s managed to churn out some decent films, but nothing that can measure up to Platoon, JFK, The Doors, Natural Born Killers or Nixon. With Alexander he took a big gamble and it was a commercial bomb, and since then it seems he’s been playing it safe.
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Kasabian Live!: Live at the O2 (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on July 5th, 2012
Even though by many standards, I am probably considered old, I would like to think I can still experience new music, especially when it comes to me for review. Of course, you are also reading the guy who loves to annoy others driving down the street with Whitesnake and Motley Crue. Anyway, I was definitely interested to take a gander at this blu-ray that showcased the talents of a band called Kasabian who performed in late 2011 at the O2 Arena in London. Let’s take a look.
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American Independence Week Contest # 6 Spec Ops: The Line From 2K Games XBOX
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on July 4th, 2012
It’s time to take out even more bad guys!
To help us celebrate Independence week we’ve got some kick-butt gaming for you. 2k Games has been a leader video games for years. As you know, they gave us a PS3 game to give away. You XBOX players must have felt left out. So, here’s a copy for you. To enter to win this action-packed video game, 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 why you think you can handle this action.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Michael Scott
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.
The American Dream
Posted in No Huddle by J C on July 4th, 2012
Have found footage films jumped the shark? (If the answer is yes, someone’s going to have to hunt down the beast that ate the shark-jumping cameraman so we can retrieve the tape and see exactly what happened.) Though the genre dates all the way back to 1980’s Cannibal Holocaust, it saw a spike with 1999’s Blair Witch Project and has become the horror delivery vehicle du jour thanks to recent hits like The Devil Inside and the Paranormal Activity films. To be fair, The American Dream doesn’t completely qualify as a found footage film — as far as I can tell, no one finds the protagonist’s camera — but the movie is a sign that the genre may have already seen its best days.
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Mirror Mirror (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on July 3rd, 2012
Mirror mirror on the wall, which is the fairest Snow White movie of them all? (Or at least 2012.) Well, if we’re going by box office receipts and critical reception, the winner is Snow White and the Huntsman, the gothic, snarlier twist on the classic tale starring Kristen Stewart (everything starring Stewart is automatically snarlier), Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth. However, if we’re going by costumes, production design and general shiny-ness, Mirror Mirror easily wins. I realize that sounds like faint praise, but this family-friendly take on Snow White has its quirky charms.
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American Independence Week Contest # 5 Titanic: The Complete Story On DVD From A&E/History
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on July 3rd, 2012
Our friends at A& E and History continue to help us celebrate our nation’s birthday. We’re still giving away stuff every day for the next week. For this contest we have another copy of Titanic: The Complete Story on DVD to give away. It’s been 100 years since the Titanic disaster. Get the complete story in this 2-disc set.
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 what you think is the worst disaster in American History.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Connie Lewis
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.
Deliverance (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 3rd, 2012
“Squeal like a pig…”
It’s one of those lines that you know even if you’ve never seen Deliverance. The line and film have entered our pop culture and have been referenced in hundreds of films that followed. Along with the iconic rendition of Dueling Banjos, taken from the traditional piece Feuding Banjos, well… you might feel like you’ve seen the film even if you haven’t. Deliverance is a film about Americana that has itself become a large part of Americana. Most of us have found ourselves in a situation where we start hearing those familiar notes in the back of our heads. The truth is, they just don’t make them like this anymore.
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Black Limousine
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on July 3rd, 2012
The opening scene of Black Limousine is highly dramatic and highly deceptive. We open on a space station beginning to explode and disintegrate in orbit as a female astronaut tries to revive a seemingly dead male crew member. The music swells as the explosions beginning to trigger and expand. The credits roll. We see David Arquette sitting in a crowded theater watching the screen. He then lingers outside the theater looking at a movie poster and trailing his fingers across the words “Music by Jack McKenzie”
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The Amazing Spider-Man
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on July 3rd, 2012
“There’s rumor of a new species in New York.”
It would be easy to say that The Amazing Spider-Man is a remake of the first Sam Raimi Spider-Man film. It certainly looks that way. After just a single decade Sony Pictures has decided to go back to the origins of the popular comic character and pretty much start over. This film takes us back to the proverbial origin story. Once again we get to see young Peter Parker, this time played by Andrew Garfield, get bitten by that nasty spider and find himself with wonderful powers, and of, course great responsibilities.
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Independence Week Contest # 4 The Presidents From A&E/History
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on July 2nd, 2012
Our friends at A& E and History continue to help us celebrate our nation’s birthday. We’re going to be giving away stuff every day for a week. For this contest we have another copy of The Presidents on DVD to give away. Celebrate our nation’s history in style.
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 you think the greatest President was.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Kathleen Gereg
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.
Independence Week Contests #3: Win A Copy Of Spec Ops: The Line From 2K Games
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on July 1st, 2012
It’s time to take out some bad guys!
To help us celebrate Independence week we’ve got some kick-butt gaming for you. 2k Games has been a leader video games for years. Many of you have been wanting a new Spec Ops game. Now it’s here and we’ve got a PS3 copy to give away to one lucky Upcomingdisc reader. We have Spec Ops: The Line Premium Edition and it can all be yours. To enter to win this action-packed video game, 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 why you think you can handle this action.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Edwin F.
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.
Mac & Devin Go to High School (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 30th, 2012
“Now, if you’re unfortunate right now and don’t have any weed, I’m sorry. But please stop this movie right now — it just won’t work if you can’t watch this without no weed.”
Did I mention that this disclaimer at the start of Mac & Devin Go to High School comes from a profane talking joint named Slow Burn (voiced by rapper Mystikal)? Anyway, I can’t say I wasn’t warned.
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Independence Week Contests #2: America: The Story Of Us From A&E/History
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on June 29th, 2012
Our friends at A& E and History continue to help us celebrate our nation’s birthday. You get all the presents. We’re going to be giving away stuff every day for the next week. For this contest we have another copy of America: The Story Of Us on Blu-ray to give away. Celebrate our nation’s history in style.
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 what you think is the most significant event in American History.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Joseph Menard
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.
Bullhead (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by M. W. Phillips on June 29th, 2012
“Sometimes things happen in life that turn everybody silent. So silent that nobody dares to talk about it anymore. To no one. Not even themselves.”
Who knew there was a hormone mafia in Flanders (not Homer Simpson’s neighbor, but Flanders is part of Belgium, but unique with its own dialect and culture)? Evidently, shady criminals sell illegal experimental hormones to farmers so they can fatten up their livestock. In Bullhead these are brooding crooks that sit and talk about their problems a lot and seem to resent cows a great deal. The one with the biggest problems happens to be the biggest man among them, Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts)
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TED
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on June 29th, 2012
What if your favorite childhood toy were to not only come to life but also be your best friend for life? This is the scenario writer/director Seth Macfarlane (creator of Family Guy and American Dad) set out to explore in his first live action venture behind the lens in this summer’s comedy Ted. With the freedom of an R rating I was curious to see what Macfarlane would bring us and what I came away with was something of a surprise.
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Exclusive Interview With Ariel Gade Of Some Guy Who Kills People
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on June 28th, 2012
I had a chance to talk to young actress Ariel Gade about her recent film Some Guy Who Kills People. We’ve got a review coming soon. The film hits DVD on July 3rd. While you’re waiting check out my conversation with the bright rising star. Bang it here to listen in: Ariel Gade Interview
American Independence Week Contest: WWII In HD on Blu-ray From A&E/History
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on June 28th, 2012
Our friends at A& E and History know how to celebrate our nation’s birthday. You get all the presents. We’re going to be giving away stuff every day for the next week. For this contest we have another copy of WWII in HD on Blu-ray to give away. Celebrate our nation’s heroes in style.
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 what you’ll be doing/did on July 4th.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Michael Grammer
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.
Franklin & Bash: The Complete First Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 28th, 2012
“The law was made by rich white people. Our job isn’t to follow the law. Our job is to make the law.”
TNT brings us a different kind of legal drama with the first season of Franklin & Bash. These are a couple of young lawyers who don’t let the courtroom rules get in the way of helping out their client. They’ve gotten themselves quite a reputation, and it’s finally paying off.
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The Jerk Theory
Posted in No Huddle by J C on June 26th, 2012
The notion that nice guys finish last — or that girls tend to gravitate toward bad boys — isn’t exactly the most original idea in the world. There have been many cinematic examples that both support (The Last American Virgin) and debunk (Bridget Jones’s Diary) this theory. The Jerk Theory — a totally formulaic, surprisingly watchable “teen” comedy where most of the actors are pushing 30 — wants to be the movie that proves not every girl in the world wants a bad boy. Instead, the movie inadvertently makes the point that every girl in the world (except maybe one) wants a bad boy.
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Wrath of the Titans (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 26th, 2012
“In ancient times the world was ruled by gods and monsters…And now the time of the gods is ending.”
It appears that Greek mythology has become the fodder for a ton of movies of late. From young adult films to the hardcore action movies, audiences are getting their fill of the familiar gods and beasts from mythology lore. Some are calling it a trend or hot phase, like vampires and robots. Whatever it is, it isn’t a phase, and it isn’t merely passing through.
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Dog the Bounty Hunter: Taking It to the Streets
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on June 26th, 2012
In 2004 DOG the Bounty Hunter first took to the airwaves. On the surface it looked like yet another one of those reality cop shows where camera guys followed the men in blue as they took down the bad guys. Dog wasn’t a cop; in fact he’d spent a part of his life on the other side of the law. Still, he was decked out in a Kevlar vest with a badge hanging from a chain around his neck. The cameras followed him around as he kicked in doors and stalked his criminal prey.
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Exit Humanity
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on June 25th, 2012
It’s been six years since the end of the Civil War, and zombies have managed to overrun the landscape. Had this been the actual turn of events, I believe more kids would surely enjoy digging into their history books, but as we all know this is not the case. But this is the “what-if” scenario that writer/director John Geddes portrays for us in his new Canadian horror film Exit Humanity.
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Brave
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on June 24th, 2012
“The ancients spoke of it. It is the heart of this fierce land. It is carried in the wind. Born of our legends, and when we are put to the test, it is the one thing that we must always be.”
Readers of this site already know that I have a particular fondness for most of the films that have come from Pixar. The studio pretty much invented the computer-animated feature film, and they’ve been setting the bar higher with each new release. I’ve always thought it was rather fitting that the studio ended up as part of Disney. After all, it was the Mouse House that invented the animated feature to begin with.
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Pixar Delivers A Brave Witch’s Brew
Posted in Random Fun by Gino Sassani on June 23rd, 2012
As promised, here’s more in our weekend coverage of Pixar’s Brave. On Sunday we’ll be posting a review. In the meantime check out this Witch’s Brew.
Best Laid Plans (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on June 23rd, 2012
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
That famous proverb comes from a couplet in the Robert Burns poem “To a Mouse.” (“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft agley”) Simply put, it means that even the most carefully prepared plans can go wrong at any time. The line also provided the title for John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”, the classic 1937 novella that has since become required reading in many high schools, along with “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “The Great Gatsby” and others. Steinbeck tells the tragic story of slow-witted Lenny and his friend/protector George, two migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression. I imagine Steinbeck’s best laid plans probably didn’t involve his story becoming the basis for a British cage fighting movie.
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