Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on August 21st, 2017
If you've visited our site at any point throughout the last five years, you know who Brent is. Besides being our resident gorehound and an invaluable contributor to this website, Brent is also the fifth member of the 500 club here at Upcomingdiscs! If you haven't already, be sure to check out his past reviews...and keep an eye out for what he has to say about your favorite movie in the near future.
Here's to the next 500 reviews!
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on August 21st, 2017
“My name is Chuck Wepner. You don't know me...well, you do know me, but you don't know you know me.”
Unless you're a hardcore boxing fan (or a Jersey boy/girl), chances are you don't know the name Chuck Wepner. On the other hand, you don't have to be a sports buff or a movie buff to know the name Rocky Balboa. Wepner is a former heavyweight boxer, and his 1975 title bout with Muhammad Ali served as the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's Oscar-winning classic. Originally titled The Bleeder (my two cents...they should've stuck with that title), Chuck is the story of “The Real Rocky.”
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on August 18th, 2017
- “It’s my job to keep you out of harm’s way.”
- “I am harm’s way!”
In The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Samuel L. Jackson is the very definition of badass as contract killer Darius Kincaid. Which begs the question: why would a prolific hitman need a bodyguard? That question is a great source of entertainment throughout the film’s duration. Needless to say, the bodyguard is not necessary, but no one could ever doubt that the pairing of Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds is comedic gold. The Hitman’s Bodyguard is without question one of the best films of the summer.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on August 18th, 2017
It’s not that hard to understand why Hollywood icon Goldie Hawn came out of semi-retirement to star in Snatched alongside comedian Amy Schumer. The South American-set mother/daughter comedy filmed in picturesque Hawaii, and Schumer was a hot box office commodity coming off the successful Trainwreck. (Holy oxymoron!) I just wish Hawn’s first movie in 15 years — a co-headlining gig, no less! — wasn’t such a wildly uneven effort. Because even though Snatched doesn’t fully utilize the talents of its legend, it’s apparent that Goldie’s still got it.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on August 18th, 2017
Reboots are all the rage in Hollywood, in case you haven't heard. Even a relatively low-key property like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cinematic Universe series isn't immune. Based on the wildly popular books by author Jeff Kinney, the first three movies featured the same core group of likable actors and become rock solid hits made on modest budgets. So you can understand why Fox would want to keep the series going, even if original star Zachary Gordon became too old to play the perpetually put-upon (and middle school-aged) Greg Heffley. This latest offering features an all-new cast, but too much of the same cringeworthy and juvenile humor; it'll make you wish someone had hidden the reset button from this franchise.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 17th, 2017
“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.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on August 17th, 2017
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
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 17th, 2017
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.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on August 15th, 2017
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.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 15th, 2017
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.
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