Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 6th, 2017
"Turns out we've had a hellish night. Peyton, kidnapped by Seattle's criminal kingpin, saved by a new amnesiac version of Blaine, which doesn't seem to be sitting well with Ravi. Major, suffering because he promised a zombie named Natalie she'd wake up to a new and beautiful world. And now he can't find her. And poor Clive. 48 hours ago, he had no idea that zombies were a real thing. What I need to tell him may send him over the edge."
And by now you might be either over the edge or at the edge of your favorite television seat. But if you're just confused, it's because you missed the first two seasons of iZombie, and this is not where you want to start your journey. Check out our reviews of Seasons 1 & 2, then watch the episodes and join us back here once you're caught up. Bang it Here for my look at the first two seasons.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 6th, 2017
In 2008 Taken first exploded on the big screen and not only created an action franchise but also took Liam Neeson from being a respected dramatic actor and transformed him into an action star. It’s been nearly a decade, but now the action franchise is getting the television treatment where we get to see the revenge-fueled CIA agent in action before retirement. Remember the now infamous line, “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you…” The television series aims to show us just how he developed those skills, and the possibilities seem quite awesome, but does it deliver?
Clive Standen steps into the role of Bryan Mills, a younger version of the character Neeson once played. Let’s face it, not many actors can be as smooth as Neeson and just ooze the badass persona Neeson has seemed to have mastered over the span of his career, but Standen is a suitable option to hopefully see mold into the character we’ve grown to love. The series kicks things off as Bryan is travelling with his younger sister, who is tragically killed in the opening moments of the show. Bryan takes it upon himself to discover who is responsible for her death and in the process is recruited by a special ops group in the CIA run by Christina Hart (Jennifer Beals).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 6th, 2017
“In our conversation, he seemed relaxed, unfailingly candid, earnest, and trustworthy. That is his talent and his curse.”
You probably know the name Bernie Madoff, the notorious fraudster who used a Ponzi scheme to steal almost $65 billion dollars from his victims. (Yes, that's “billion” with a B!) But if you were hoping to gain some insight into the man and his methods, this HBO film isn't really the place to look. The Wizard of Lies features a fantastic cast, some effective directorial touches, but is too often guilty of telling rather than showing.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 5th, 2017
“This is a corpse infected with the plague. It is uncaring, unfeeling.”
When it comes to the overwhelming majority of zombie fiction, it’s all about brains (or rather, BRAAAINS!!!) It’s what the undead hunger for, and a well-placed headshot is usually the only way to kill them (again). And that doesn’t even cover the popular device of using the walking dead as an allegory for an increasingly mindless society. Warm Bodies stands out because it’s more concerned with an entirely different bodily organ. Based on Isaac Marion’s popular novel of the same name, the zombie romantic comedy deals directly with matters of the heart.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 4th, 2017
"And now, folks, it's sock-it-to-you time."
Few television shows have had as much influence on the pop culture as did Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. The brainchild of George Schlatter the series has left behind a rich legacy. Even if you've never seen an episode of Laugh-In, you've heard the catch-phrases, or you've watched another show that was directly influenced by it. Lorne Michaels, who created the iconic Saturday Night Live, began as a writer on Laugh-In, and once you've seen Laugh-In, you are going to instantly recognize many of the same ideas. Shows like Hee Haw and the British Benny Hill have admitted to taking material directly from Laugh-In. Best of all, it was a family show that didn't need to be on at midnight so the kids wouldn't be around. Laugh-In thrived for six seasons in prime time, and I can still remember evenings where the entire family gathered to watch. It was something none of us had seen before but we all have seen since. But as the old song goes: "Ain't nothing like the real thing". And Time-Life put it all together in one massive box set. All 140 episodes on a massive 38-disc set. And don't forget that holiday shopping begins soon. Don't worry; I suspect we'll find a way to remind you.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 4th, 2017
31 Nights Of Terror continues with a third straight contest. Some folks like their horror a little on the wacky side. That describes the King Of Schlock Lloyd Kaufman quite well. Troma has delivered the best of the worst for decades. They don't come any worse than The Toxic Avenger, the film so bad they made a ton of sequels. We've got The Toxic Avenger Part III & The Toxic Avenger IV on Blu-ray for one lucky Upcomingdiscs follower. The discs include a ton of absurd extras. Just the thing for a Troma fan.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 4th, 2017
“This may seem a peculiar request...but could someone explain why I'm here?”
That question is posed slurred by Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp's perpetually sloshed swashbuckler, during his very first appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Given that this is the fifth film in a faded franchise — and that Depp probably needs the money — the answer for why any of this is happening appears to be painfully obvious. Which is why I was delighted (and frankly a little shocked) by how much fun I had watching this latest entry, which manages to entertain while openly plundering the original movie's winning formula.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 3rd, 2017
We haven't forgotten the little ones this 31 Nights Of Terror. Disney knows how to make even the Halloween scares a little bit less frightening and a little more fun. They've given us a copy of Mickey Mouse Merry & Scary on DVD to help celebrate the spooky season. It's a mash-up of Christmas and Halloween You get The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktaular. Mickey tries to tell the ultimate scary story. You also get Duck The Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special. Donald is resisting the call to migrate south but he finds out shivering in December might not be all it's quacked up to be. You also get 5 bonus short features. It's a Holiday Collection extravaganza and one faithful Upcomingdiscs follower is going to get the goods.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on October 3rd, 2017
Yo-ho, yo-ho, it's a pirate's life for us here at UpcomingDiscs HQ! Lucky for us, we didn't have to plunder Disney's treasure chest...the Mouse House was kind enough to send us some of their most valuable booty on their own. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales arrives in both 4K and on Blu-ray this week. Elsewhere, Shout! Factory mines drama out of the When Calls the Heart 6-Movie Collection and prepares for the worst with The Survavilist. Cohen Media Group relives one of the world's darkest hours with Churchill, Acorn goes searching for Loch Ness: Season 1, and Warner Bros. shuffles along with iZombie: Season 3. Finally, HBO examines the downfall of Bernie Madoff with The Wizard of Lies.
This is the start of a new month, but I'm going to give you the same ol' 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: No Huddle Reviews by J C on October 2nd, 2017
“You love this type of drama.”
When Fox’s Empire premiered in early 2015, it became an instant sensation that re-wrote the ratings record books. The show’s mix of high drama and hip-hop obviously struck a chord with an underserved segment of TV viewers. Of course, that sort of otherworldly buzz and ratings success was never going to be sustainable. So while Empire has inevitably lost some of the sizzle from its unprecedented debut, this unapologetically over-the-top soap rap-era continues to entertain by leaning into its Twitter-shattering craziness.
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