Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Fifth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 16th, 2009
Grey’s Anatomy follows the life and tribulations of a group of interns at Seattle Grace Hospital. There’s certainly nothing original about the premise, except that the story is told by one of the more unlikely characters, Dr. Meredith Grey (Pompeo). As a lead she’s really not all that remarkable, but the show doesn’t put everything on her narrow shoulders. The series is populated by a solid supporting cast, giving it all a far more ensemble feel despite the title. James Pickens, Jr. is perhaps the most extraordinary actor in the show.
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Martini Movies: Wave 3
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 16th, 2009
“One part sex. One part rebellion.”
That’s how Sony describes their Martini Movies. The films come from that time in the 1960’s and 1970’s when there was a lot of unrest in the country. It was a time of protests and questioning of authority. It was the time of free love and a socialism experiment in communes all across America. Now, what exactly all of this has to do with martinis, I’m not exactly sure. In fact, there’s not a lot of drinking in most of these films. It’s more likely just a blanket way to release some obscure films in their catalog.
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Dare to Play the Game
Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 16th, 2009
Playing Games from the Backside, Tecmo editing their Wiki & Used Game sales driving New Ones? – Welcome to the column that tried to edit its own Wiki page before they realized they weren’t important enough to have one known as Dare to Play the Game.
Another week, another column. This past week, I was happy to get in some normal gaming that didn’t involve me huddled on an airplane staring at a tiny screen and making my character turn every which way but loose.
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High Crimes (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2009
Claire (Judd) and Tom (Caviezel) appear to have it made. Claire is a successful attorney and Tom is ex-Army. They are happy and very much in love, trying to have their first child. Suddenly while out on the town an FBI SWAT team surrounds them on the street at Union Square. Tom is taken into custody. Claire soon discovers that Tom wasn’t the man she thought he was. In fact, his name isn’t even Tom. He is Sergeant Ron Chapman, and he’s been a fugitive for 12 years, wanted by the Army for murder. Now the military court is seeking the death penalty. He is accused of killing civilians in a raid gone wrong.
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M*A*S*H (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2009
“Attention: Tonight’s movie has been M*A*S*H. Follow the zany antics of our combat surgeons as they stitch their way along the front lines operating as bombs and bullets burst around them, snatching laughs and love between amputations and penicillin, as they put our boys back together again.”
M*A*S*H began life as a novel written by an actual Korean War Army surgeon under the pen name Richard Hooker. He based the character of Hawkeye on himself and most of the other characters on actual personnel that were stationed with him at a real M*A*S*H unit.
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Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2009
“England. August in the year 1940. Again – A time for valor. A time of whispered events, now faded with the passing years.”
In 1971 what had not faded in the 7 years since its release was the enormous success of Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins. With its charming story and characters and the breakthrough special effects that the studio had developed, the film was a milestone for the entire film industry. I suppose it isn’t too surprising that the folks at Disney would want to try to recapture that success all over again.
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Harper’s Island
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 15th, 2009
“Harper’s Island is 37 miles off the coast of Seattle. 7 years ago, 6 people were murdered here, presumably by a man named John Wakefield. They were the first ever recorded murders in the history of the island. They will not be the last.”
Whap, Gurgle, Snap. No, that’s not the sound of the latest craze in breakfast cereals. It’s three episode titles to the limited run series, Harper’s Island. This is one of those one season high concept shows that crop up from time to time.
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Girl Next Door, The (Unrated) (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on September 14th, 2009
My senior year in high school was just the same as my junior year: stranger in a strange land. When looking back at the time that was spent, I spent more time with my nose in books and running from jocks. The reason why the jocks were upset at me more often than not? I was looking at their girls. In an attempt to find myself, I would pretend to be solving a Calculus problem (which eventually explained why I had to retake it in college) and instead fantasize about what it would be like to be with Miss Popular. I would eventually stop caring, the bruises would heal but I often thought what would have happened?
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Ghost Cat
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on September 13th, 2009
This Canadian made-for-TV movie from 2003 is about to be released on DVD. It stars a young Ellen Page (Juno, Hard Candy) which, I suspect, is the reason it is being released on DVD after all this time. The changes to the cover art support this theory. The original displayed much of the cast, with the titular cat featured in the foreground. The new and improved cover features a large picture of Ellen Page above the cat, with her name featured prominently above the title. I’m not sure if Miss Page has the kind of wide appeal to warrant basing a marketing campaign around, but sometimes you have to toss out every pitch you know and hope one of them gets over the plate.
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Wedding Bros
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on September 13th, 2009
Originally titled, The Marconi Brothers,it has been retitled in what looks to be an attempt to leech off of the success of Wedding Crashers years after the fact (the DVD case even sports the tagline “The Original Crashers.” Whatever the title truly is, this film is about a pair of brothers who stumble from the mediocrity of being heirs to an independent, family-run carpet installing business to the mediocrity of video-taping weddings for a living. Such low ambitions in our protagonists breed boring results in this clunky comedy.
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CONTEST: Celebrate Revenge Of The Fallen With a Transformers Giveaway!
Posted in Contests, Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on September 11th, 2009
Paramount has graciously given us four copies of Transformers on DVD to give away.
To enter to win a copy of this F/X feast, just follow these two steps…
- 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- just tell us why you would like to win this release.
Contest is now closed: The winners were: Gary, Jennifer G., Connie Lewis, and Daniel M.
Congratulations.
If you are one of the winners you got an E-Mail, if you did not, check your SPAM filter.
Thanks for entering.
Win A Copy Of “Barney: Jungle Friends”
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on September 11th, 2009
Lionsgate Home Entertainment has graciously given us TEN copies of Barney: Jungle Friends on DVD to give away.
To enter to win a copy of these rainforest discoveries and fun animal adventures, just follow these two steps…
- 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- just tell us why you would like to win this release.
Contest is now closed. Winners are: Alexia, Chris L, Richard L, Maria Leach, Carol, Lana E, Anne Taylor, Dianne G, Steve, and Matthew Lewis.
Congratulations!
If you did not get an E-Mail notification, check your Spam filter and contact us here at Upcomingdiscs.com.
After 2 weeks, all unclaimed prizes will go toward our Christmas/End of the year Super Santa Contest.
Fringe: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 11th, 2009
“For those of you just joining us: What you are looking at is the work of ZFT, a terrorist organization responsible for at least a half a dozen biological attacks over the last several months. Everything we know thus far can be found in your packets (or Blu-rays), including a copy of their manifesto which elucidates their ideology and their methods. Which boils down to the following: Attempting to provoke or prepare for a war. With who? That’s the question, isn’t it? What we do know is that these bizarre acts seem to be increasing in frequency and that their targets are unpredictable and therefore unprotectable. Those of you assembled in this room now have a clear-cut goal…”
That goal is to rush out and pick up the high definition, Blu-ray release of the first season of JJ Abrams latest television enigma
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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – The Ninth Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 11th, 2009
“Happy 200th, everybody. Only 75 shows in the history of television have reached 200 episodes. Only 4 other shows currently on the air have produced 200 episodes, and of those only 2 feature live actors. And, it’s worth noting that both of those shows were in the top of the Nielsen ratings before CSI came along and knocked them off of that perch.”
And, after 9 years and over 200 episodes, CSI has enjoyed an almost unprecedented near decade as the number one show in the country. It’s a rare thing to go so long and keep the core of your team intact. Up until now CSI has added characters, but has not lost a major character. But things are about to change.
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Dare to Play the Game
Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 9th, 2009
Nigerian Government upset over the PS3, A New Bonk & Kicking your WoW Habit for 14k? – Welcome to the column that wants to know who to contact to get rid of this Peggle addicition known as Dare to Play the Game.
This last week has been a rollercoaster of sorts. I made the journey from Texas to Tennessee to help my folks move. They are in that retirement age bracket and plan to only work a couple of more years.
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The Golden Boys
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 8th, 2009
If someone told you there was a movie out there starring David Carradine, Bruce Dern, and Rip Torn as three retired sea captains sharing a house together, what would your expectations be? I personally would expect a raucous production with colorful characters and a whole lot of the kind of scenery-chewing that those three guys are known for. However, set it at the turn of the century, fill it with unmemorable supporting actors, and change its title from Chatham (not a great title I admit) to the far more generic The Golden Boys, and it doesn’t take a perch in the crow’s nest to see that this schooner is close-hauled and tacking into the wind. See what I did there? I cleverly used nautical terminology to illustrate the disappointing quality of a movie about sailors. Now I feel like a big-time reviewer.
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Scrubs: The Complete Eighth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 6th, 2009
When we left J.D., Turk, and the rest of the staff of Sacred Heart Hospital at the end of their seventh season, there were good reasons to believe we had seen the last of Scrubs:
1) The show had suffered the lowest ratings in its history.
2) It was widely considered to be the show’s least funny season, at times treading perilously close to levels of cloying sentimentality not seen since the last few seasons of M*A*S*H*.
3) NBC had announced that they would not be renewing the show.
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The Poker House
Posted in Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on September 5th, 2009
This is the story of three young girls who live in squaller with their strung-out, prostitute mother and a lineup of pimps, hookers, and johns parading through their home and lives. They attempt to maintain some sense of normality in their day-to-day but are ultimately seeking escape.
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Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: Season One, Vol. 3 – Hello Mummy
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 2nd, 2009
Scooby Doo has spanned generations and over 40 years. Since the 1960’s the name and conventions have become a part of the pop culture. The original cartoon series had a series of conventions. The Scooby Gang would drive around in their green Mystery Machine van and solve ghostly mysteries. Fans of the show quickly grew to learn that these spirits and goblins were usually just normal people using scare tactics to get revenge or make a profit. The cartoon classic spawned music albums, live action movies, and several new shows and animated features.
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Boot Camp
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on September 2nd, 2009
“The following is based on a true story: There are currently over 200 boot camps similar to the tough love facilities in the world, housing tens of thousands of children. They operate with virtually no government regulation or oversight. Since the beginning of the tough love rehabilitation movement in the 1970’s hundreds of thousands of kids have gone through these or similar programs. There have been over 40 deaths in the camps. There are no statistics on how many lives have been irreparably damaged.”
The following review is based on a true viewing. Well… not exactly
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Dare to Play the Game
Posted in Dare to Play the Game, News and Opinions by Michael Durr on September 2nd, 2009
Addictive EA Sports Games, 250GB Xbox 360 & Sexual Achievements? – Welcome to the column that played a game for over 200 hours and then was told he couldn’t visit the petting zoo anymore known as Dare to Play the Game.
Kinda like last week, my gaming time was spent with two titles: Peggle and Shadow Complex. I’m about halfway through the Adventure mode again and I still feel confident about 20 million points. I’ve also taken the time to earn some of the Xbox Live achievements and actually beat some fellow players.
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The Haunting of Molly Hartley
Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on September 1st, 2009
Already languishing in the $6.99 bin at my local Blockbuster, and with dismal reviews on its release, my hopes for The Haunting of Molly Hartley were not high. However, after viewing the DVD I can safely report that the movie falls firmly into the ‘not anywhere as awful as I thought it was going to be’ category.
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Criminal Minds: The Complete Fourth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 1st, 2009
To the point, Criminal Minds is very compelling television. Ever since The Silence Of The Lambs and perhaps long before, we have been fascinated by serial killers and the profilers who try to get inside their heads. To see evidence of the continuing trend, one needs only look toward the success of films like Zodiac and shows like Dexter. Of course, serial killers are not the only prey this FBI team pursues, but they are certainly the marquee item on the agenda. To be sure, there are equally disturbing subjects such as arsonists, bombers, kidnappers, and rapists to give the show a touch of variety, but let’s face it, it’s the killers that keep us tuned so attentively
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Brothers and Sisters: The Complete Third Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 1st, 2009
Ken Olin is truly a great talent that I’ve followed back when he played the snotty detective Garibaldi on Hill Street Blues. Since then he’s done some wonderful work behind the camera, and Brothers & Sisters certainly shows his influence; however, this is not some of his best work. The show often leans on clichés and gets awfully lazy in moving forward at times. I do see the great family of characters they created here, but fail to find them interesting beyond the life breathed into them by their performers.
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Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 1st, 2009
The residents of Wisteria Lane have become household staples in the last four years. Even after watching the show, I’m still not sure I understand what it’s about, but I’ll try and give my take on it anyway. It would appear to this reviewer that the show owes at least part of its genesis to the HBO hit Sex And The City. There is the same narrative angle, this time by a deceased member of the group. Still, that narrative contains many of the same kinds of observations as the HBO show and appears to imitate it as often as not. The show also deals with the exploits, often sexual, of a group of women. This time they are married, but that doesn’t seem to stop the flings, or at least the fantasies any.
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