“Of course I have issues; that’s my father.” 

When I walked out of the theater in 2014 after seeing Guardians of the Galaxy, I knew I had just seen something special, and knowing a sequel was already guaranteed had me excited to see what was next for this band of misfits.  Since the release in 2014 the film hasn’t just become my favorite Marvel film; it is one of my favorite films, period.  So as photos and trailers began to trickle out, I began to wonder if Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 could actually hold up to the first.

There is a dying breed of musicians in the deep south that are the last remnants of the roots of the Blues. Many of them are gone and those that do remain are in their 80's and 90's. Someone needed to get down there and capture this treasure before it's gone forever. That somebody turns out to be Daniel Cross, who put together the visceral and emotional documentary I Am The Blues. He spent time with these musicians. He listened to their stories and their songs. I had the opportunity to talk with Daniel and he shared those experiences. You really have to hear what he discovered. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Daniel Cross

You can also find out more about the film and see extra footage by banging it here: I Am The Blues

A few minutes of watching the news lately will reflect an ongoing division in race, but the one divide that seems to be more prevalent is the one between blue- and white-collar Americans. The Purge franchise has tapped into this and the exploitation of the classes being ramped up to a high degree. But personally I feel that’s a franchise that still is missing a rawness that never quite allows you to feel that it is real; it’s like a dark fairytale of what may come in the distant future. Union Furnace, instead, takes a more grounded approach to the upper class taking advantage of those in need and presents what could be a terrifying reality going on in small town America.

It was 50 years ago this year that Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In first appeared on NBC. It quickly took the country by storm. The show added such pop culture staples as Sock It To Me, You Bet Your Bippy and Here Comes The Judge. The show managed to attract the biggest names in entertainment of the era. The cast have gone on to become household names. It's where stars like Goldie Hawn, Arti Johnson and Lily Tomlin got their starts. And it all started with the mind of George Schlatter. After all of those years George still has quite a bit of spunk left. I had the honor to spend nearly a half hour talking to him. Now you get to hear what he had to say. Bang it here to listen to my chat with George Schlatter.

You can also find out more about the complete series of Laugh-In by going Here.

In one corner you have U.S Attorney Chuck "The Scholar" Rhodes, played by Paul Giamatti. He's the reigning world champion with a record of 80+ to 0. In the other corner is Bobby "Axe" Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis; he could also be considered undefeated. He runs a sexy brokerage firm. Both of these guys walk and talk like champs. There's a lot of trash-talk between them, but both have very lurid and potentially devastating skeletons in their perspective closets. This season finds them each willing to risk anything just to get to the other.

"Welcome back to New Orleans."

The most recent member of the NCIS family enters its third season. There are some changes, but not just in the show's cast. I have noticed a concerted effort to use the term NOLA by both the characters and various signs and symbols displayed throughout the new season. It's a bit odd, because at one point a character chastises an outsider that the locals prefer New Orleans. Minutes later that same character uses the term NOLA. The crew now even wear lanyards that say NCIS:NOLA on them. I have not been to New Orleans post-Katrina, so I'm not up on whatever local thing might be going on with the name.

Everyone's favorite rag-tag team of rollicking a-holes is back for another adventure. And no I'm not talking about myself and the rest of the UpcomingDiscs staff...Disney's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 arrives in 4K! But that's not the only ultra-HD title we're bringing you this week: Warner Bros. reboots one of the world's most famous stories with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (4K). Meanwhile, Lionsgate hops in the backseat with The Lincoln Lawker (4K), while Cinedigm shoots straight with Hickok (4K). Paramount steps into the ring with Chuck, CBS visits the Big Easy with NCIS: New Orleans — Season 3, and Showtime goes for broke with Billions: Season 2. Meanwhile, Metropol Pictures turns up the heat with Union Furnace, while Fox pages through the Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul and visits South America for the Amy Schumer/Goldie Hawn kidnapping caper Snatched.

But wait...there's more! Friday brings a pair of new theatrical releases for us to review: we'll let you know if it's safe to check out The Hitman's Bodyguard and spend a day at the races with Logan Lucky, Steven Soderbergh's new heist comedy. One last reminder before signing off for the week: 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!

Suspenseful, intriguing, and exciting, The Lincoln Lawyer makes the legal system entertaining.  With all the TV attorney shows pushing for top ratings, this film comes at the right time.  A strong cast, excellent direction, and a riveting storyline make The Lincoln Lawyer a must-see. Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) keeps his legal business close to him, in his car.  Defending the lowlifes or whoever desperately needs legal assistance, Mick turns down very few clients.  While working on a questionable case, his confidant Val Valenzuela (John Leguizamo) gives him the name of Beverly Hills playboy Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe).

"It is, I think, going to be a very harsh and unpleasant kind of business and will, I think, require an extremely harsh and unpleasant kind of man to see to it." 

That man, of course, is John Wayne. They called him The Duke, and he was indeed western cinema royalty for six decades. He represented the American ideal of the tough guy who stood up for the weak and didn't shy away from a fight. His characters usually worked hard, and they played just as hard. He had a unique way of turning a phrase and has been one of the most widely impersonated Hollywood voices. By the time the 1970's rolled around, Wayne was coming to the end of a long career.

"For centuries man and mage lived side by side in peace until the rise of the mage sorcerer Mordred. Turning his dark ambition against man, he marches on the last remaining stronghold: Camelot."

So it finally happened: I found a Guy Ritchie film that I didn’t enjoy. I wasn’t expecting much from King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, but it is worth noting that I got even less than I expected. I know that sounds cruel, and I will admit that there were a few things that I did enjoy, but the number of things that went wrong versus what went right is not a close margin.