Posted in: Tribute by J C on June 20th, 2016
It seems the Forever 27 Club, a collection of rock stars who didn’t live to see 30, isn’t exclusively for musicians. In something of a sad coincidence, the most recent onscreen role for Anton Yelchin — who died early Sunday morning after a freak car accident at his home — was Green Room, in which the Russian-born actor starred as…the leader of a punk rock band. While Yelchin has tragically left us much too early, the talented and prolific performer leaves behind a filmography with more than 60 credits. (And we’ll still be able to see his final turn as Pavel Andreievich Chekov in next month’s Star Trek Beyond.) In the meantime, join us in celebrating Yelchin’s work by taking a trip through the UpcomingDiscs archives.
Huff (2004)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on June 20th, 2016
Pop quiz! Which of the following titles belong to Shark Week specials, and which of them are the names of SyFy original movies? Zombie Sharks, Sharkageddon, Monster Hammerhead, Lair of the Mega Shark, and Sharksanity. (I'll give you a few seconds to mull it over...ok, ready to guess?) The answer, of course, is that *all* of those titles belong to Shark Week, Discovery Channel's long-running, wildly popular, and increasingly ludicrous summertime ritual.
The very first Shark Week aired in 1988, and its longevity is a testament to viewers’ enduring fascination with the majestic, sharp-toothed creatures. Of course, the flip side of that longevity is that coming up with new material each year is getting more and more difficult. Jawsome Encounters is a 13-episode DVD set that (mostly) features episode from 2014.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on June 19th, 2016
I've been spending a lot of time lately with our pals over at the All American Bikini Car Wash. It's not what you think. They've pitched in to send us a copy of the movie All American Bikini Car Wash to give away to one lucky Upcomingdiscs follower. It's coming out June 21st, just in time for summer, from Monarch Home Entertainment. That means one of you gets to hang out with our new pals, too. Look for some interviews and a review in the coming days. We've got this Car Wash covered.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on June 18th, 2016
If you recognize the name Jeremy Butler, it's because you've seen it hundreds of times...200 times, to be exact.
When he's not busy out there defending us from the bad guys... he's defending us from bad movies.
Posted in: The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on June 18th, 2016
“Be the hero of your own story.”
Not the funniest addition to Kevin Hart’s reign as the king of comedy, but still a welcome sight. This time around, Hart teams with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for Central Intelligence. I’ve been anticipating this movie since behind-the-scenes footage leaked earlier this year, and the official trailer did nothing but fuel the flames of my excitement. After watching it, I can say that despite a few predictable plot twists, I still found the overall product to be extremely funny and worthwhile.
Posted in: The Reel World by J C on June 17th, 2016
“What if I forget you?”
Ever since Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear rocketed onto the big screen in 1995's Toy Story, Pixar has assembled a wonderful stable of unforgettable characters. Ironically, one of the animation studio's most memorable creations is a blue tang fish who probably wouldn't remember you. Besides being a dazzling and heartwarming family classic, Finding Nemo was also one of Pixar's biggest hits. (Technically, it's actually the biggest.) So while it's a little surprising that it took 13(!) years for a sequel to swim into our lives, the fast and funny Finding Dory proves to be a completely worthy follow up.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on June 16th, 2016
“And away we go”
While I enjoyed the first season of Rick and Morty, I wasn’t all that sure about the show’s staying power with Adult Swim. I’d talked about the show with some friends, but for the most part this seems to be a show that finds its fan base more in their late teens. It’s fair to say it’s been more than a few years since I was a teenager, so perhaps it shouldn’t be much of a surprise I was a little hesitant with this season (feel free to check out my review of Season 1). Maybe I’m just more in touch with my inner teen, or maybe Rick and Morty has stepped out and into the realm of a broader audience, because Season 2 kept me laughing throughout. The show, for those who may be unfamiliar, is something of a blend between Back to the Future and more than a sprinkle of Futurama. If that sounds like a fun ride, well, then this may be the animated series for you.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on June 16th, 2016
“Ok, so hear me out…ever watch action movies?”
It’s clear that Canadian filmmaker Allan Ungar and practically everyone involved with Gridlocked have seen their share of action flicks. More specifically, this crew is out to recapture the raucous, rowdy, R-rated spirit of late ‘80s and ‘90s franchises like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. While Gridlocked doesn’t come close to matching the wit or winning formula of those action classics, this straight-to-DVD effort still manages to be a pretty fun throwback.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 16th, 2016
“He tasks me. He tasks me, and I shall have him! I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom and 'round Perdition's flames before I give him up!”
After its shortened three year run, it looked like Star Trek was dead and gone. A very short lived animation series was the first attempt to carry on. Before long it too was a thing of the past. Then something rather amazing happened. Star Trek found a home in syndication. The local television markets aired the shows in a somewhat edited form, and they were rewarded with record-breaking local ratings. It didn’t take long before Paramount saw the possibilities. By the mid 1970’s there were plans to bring the original crew back for a new television series. The development name for this show was Star Trek: Phase Two. Scripts were written, sets were designed and constructed, and all of the original cast except for Nimoy were on board. A new Vulcan science officer named Xon was added to the cast. The idea was that the new Star Trek would anchor a proposed Paramount Television Network. The network idea fell through, and Star Trek was in limbo. Then George Lucas came along with his space opera Star Wars. Fans were lining up for blocks to see the epic adventure. Science fiction had proven itself at the box office, and Star Trek was back on, this time as a major motion picture. Gene Roddenberry was back in the producer seat, and veteran director Robert Wise was at the helm. On December 7th 1979 I was in the Fox North theaters with seven friends from 10:00 AM until after 10:00 PM for an endless marathon of… But the film ultimately disappointed.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on June 16th, 2016
“I heard that if you don’t give him a name, he’ll turn the children into icicles.”
It has been a long time since I have seen a decent psychological thriller, and Altered Minds is a great film to bring me back to this type of film. To give readers a frame of reference, films like Identity or Session 9: they are most certainly part of the “psychological thriller” genre, but you are led to believe there are supernatural forces at work during the film. Then, just when you think the film will have a supernatural climax, you are offered a twist ending that is not supernatural and actually makes sense to the plot. I won’t say that Altered Minds is better than Session 9, but it is definitely on par with Identity in terms of how much I enjoyed myself while watching the film.
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