Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on January 8th, 2016
America was once a primitive expanse where only very small groups of hardy hopefuls ever tried to venture across. It was a vast and endless wilderness that was mostly a mystery. This was the land of roving Indian tribes and undiscovered species of animals. This was a land of all kinds of danger. Life was one long hunt and endless battle against every kind of predator and natural enemy. There are so many remarkable moments in The Revenant that I will start with the bear attack. It is an unbelievably harrowing event that cannot be described in words that will in any way convey what you see on the screen. That one sequence alone is worth the price of admission. The story is based on a true life pioneer and fur trapper, Hugh Glass, who Leonardo DiCaprio plays in the film. The bear attack that is central to the film is believed to have occurred to the real Hugh Glass. It is not just the bear attack that is brutal and shocking, but the ordeal of the entire film. It is unlikely that any film you have ever seen about early America has so completely depicted the relentless savagery of survival. The events that surround Glass are the stuff of legend in which various embellishments and conjectures were made over the years, muddying whatever truth might be found.
Director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman) immersed himself in the story and fashioned his own version of events. This story is about endurance taken to the limits of the imagination. It should be noted that the film has become legendary itself with tales of abuse of the actors and crew. It is widely acknowledged that DiCaprio might have endured the greatest hardships personally and willingly, including sleeping in a dead bear carcass. The film is over two and a half hours of hardy men in the wilderness, which then focuses on Glass surviving alone with massive wounds and broken limbs. The film becomes a revenge film that outstrips the intensity of all previous revenge films. It probably takes that intensity to extremes that most people cannot even endure watching. This is aided by the amazing and singular cinematography of Iñárritu’s long-time collaborator, Emmanuel Lubezki. It is entirely possible that Lubezki will win his third straight Oscar following Birdman and Gravity. The depiction of every sequence which includes numerous battle scenes is unlike any other. It has a flowing handheld immediacy while rivaling the look of the most ravishing IMAX presentations. Many long, protracted fights are depicted in long orchestrated takes. The cinematography alone distinguishes the film, but that is only one element of the collaboration that Iñárritu achieved. It is widely believed that DiCaprio will finally get his Oscar for this. He deserves it. I don’t know how he is as a person. I hear he is something of a party boy, but when he works, he has few rivals in going to any lengths and enduring any hardships to achieve the ultimate. At times he shows almost too much range.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on January 8th, 2016
“I just have this sick feeling that something awful is going to happen.”
I pride myself on being able to keep a reasonably open mind when I pick up a new title to review. But sometimes I can’t help but judge a crappy movie book by its cover. That was actually the case with Kill Game, featuring an androgynous Michael Myers-lookalike brandishing a bloody knife on its cover. I was fully prepared to roll my eyes through this movie, which also nods to Saw, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Big Chill (a little). Much to my surprise, I found myself kinda-sorta getting into this twisty, nasty, low-budget slasher.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on January 8th, 2016
“Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Romans 5:20
The quote above imparts a spiritual message which I will get back to. First, I want to talk about one of the stars of this movie, David Oyelowo (pronounced “oh-yeh-lo-wo”). Oyelowo is best known for playing Martin Luther King in the film Selma. Oyelowo had previously racked up an impressive number of supporting roles in high-profile films like Jack Reacher, Interstellar, The Butler, The Paperboy, Lincoln, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Help, A Raisin in the Sun, and A Most Violent Year. In a short amount of time he has demonstrated that he is one of the most skilled actors working today. He will get more and more starring roles in the future, and like many up-and-coming stars like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Saoirse Ronan, and Mia Wasikowska, he has a name that can be a challenge to pronounce. His co-star, Kate Mara (The Martian, The Fantastic Four), is also on a run of high-profile projects. She has a sister, Rooney, who is also a fast-rising star (nominated for this year’s Golden Globes for Carol). I mention this because the caliber of actor is usually a good sign of the quality of the project. There is another factor here. This film is technically what is considered a faith-based project, and many of those types of films are not highly regarded because they are almost looked upon as propaganda. Captive seems that it is a notch above the more predictable fare in that genre. Captive tries to transcend the niche market of the genre and become something more real and substantive.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 7th, 2016
"A good family business is not the same as a good family."
You can say that again. The television landscape is changing, at least on cable. Ray Donovan is the latest in the string of new shows that are attracting talent once thought out of reach for television. A show starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight: this Showtime series looked to be something very special... and it has gotten better... perhaps a lot better.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on January 7th, 2016
“Ballet is the ultimate optical illusion. We make effort appear effortless.”
If ballet dancers make the seemingly impossible look graceful and elegant, then Flesh and Bone similarly soars when it doesn’t try quite so hard to conjure drama. The best version of this provocative Starz miniseries explores the psychological toll that ambition, competition, and the (impossible?) quest for creative perfection can take. Unfortunately, the series also introduces way too many subplots and distractions during its 8-episode run.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by BABY on January 7th, 2016
Baby here. I'm the German Shepherd/Chow who handles security here at Upcomingdiscs. You know what puts the scowl in my growl? I'll bet you guys all had a lot of fun over the Christmas holidays. There were probably a lot of parties to go to. We had one here at Upcomingdiscs, but don't ask me how it was. That's because they locked me upstairs in a bedroom the whole time. That's right, the chief of security was locked up. Apparently I can't be trusted when people are walking around with a lot of food. They trust me to guard thousands of dollars worth of home video equipment. I keep those Fed Ex/UPS guys in check every day. But a meatball or a potato chip? I don't quite make the grade. At least they seem to trust me enough to continue to review the dog films that make it past those delivery guys. If I can lay enough guilt on these guys, I might even get to go see Star Wars. OK, I made that last part up, but a dog can dream, can't she?
The first thing you need to know is that this movie has nothing to do with next year's animated film Robo-Dog with Ron Perlman. The name is just the same. You humans call a lot of stuff the same thing, don't you? That movie will come out soon, and I hope I get to see it. This film is a direct-to-video title that doesn't quite make the grade.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on January 7th, 2016
I previously reviewed season 4 of The Nanny, and now it’s time to review season 5. If you are interested in the overview on everything about The Nanny and season 4 in particular, then you will have to go back and look for that review. This all about season 5, which I might suggest is the climax of the 6-season series, for whatever that’s worth. The relationship between Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield had been on a slow burn for four seasons, but the time was coming for a reckoning. Will Fran’s persistence and patience pay off? I don’t want to make this too dramatic, since The Nanny is probably one of the silliest sitcoms ever made, and that’s taking into consideration that there are hundreds and hundreds of silly sitcoms. But The Nanny also had a heart, hidden, frequently, under a garish exterior. When I say garish exterior, I am describing some of the most startling and colorful outfits ever worn this side of a circus. These outfits were frequently explosions of color. Fran Fine, or actress Fran Drescher, was always very attractive, despite crazy hairdos and a signature foghorn voice. The show was supposed to be about a clash of cultures, with Mr. Sheffield depicting the height of sophistication and Fran representing the brash lower class.
The whole thrust of the entire series was that Fran saw the opportunity to marry up into the upper class. As a nanny, Fran was a surrogate mother figure for Mr. Sheffield’s three children. At one point in season 5, we see the late Mrs. Sheffield (Bess Armstrong) come back to talk to Maxwell about his desire to marry again. She gives her approval, because she wants his happiness. When I say there was a heart to the show, Fran was always a well-intentioned person ultimately, and a positive influence on the children. When the time came to be honest and truthful, she ultimately always was. Like Lucille Ball before her, Fran could be ditzy and somewhat deceptive, but she always showed a good nature and positive character. I say that this season was climactic, and that should already be known to fans of the show. The whole point of this staggered DVD release is for those fans who are nostalgic for the show and want to add it to their collection.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 6th, 2016
Between 2002 and 2008 Jason Statham made a name for himself playing Frank Miller in three Transporter films. Miller was a former special ops expert who became a high-end black market transportation expert. He used his skills to transport anyone or anything from point A to point B for a hefty fee. He had a few rules that governed his business: the deal never changes once it's made, no names, and he doesn't want to know what he is transporting. The business made for some nice action films that gave Statham a chance to show off that particular skill set. The films brought in a modest box office, averaging around $35 million each. It was barely enough to keep three films going in the franchise. It all ended in 2008, and Statham moved on to bigger and sometimes better things. That should have been the end of the story. It isn't.
Editor-turned-director Camille Delamarre decided to take a run at a reboot, of sorts. Game of Thrones actor Ed Skrein takes over the Frank Miller role, and the film picks up the character already established. It's a grey area on what to call Transporter: Refueled. It's not entirely a reboot. The character is established, as are the rules and general formula. But it is a rather new take on the material. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of heart in this attempt, and the wheels might have gone completely flat on this franchise.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on January 6th, 2016
There is so much to enjoy when it comes to Mercury Plains. It is the first time I have seen Scott Eastwood in a starring role, Nick Chinlund provides a brilliant performance as the philosophical Captain, and each of the characters are engaging. To be clear, Scott Eastwood is the main character of the film, but his comrades have very interesting character arcs that make them unique. In fact, I think that is what I enjoyed the most from this film: the details that are not spoken directly to the audience. There are so many instances where the details in the character arcs (even Eastwood’s) are so minute, you could very well miss them.
Mercury Plains tells the story of Mitch (Eastwood), a young man who has just been released from a prison in southern Texas. Rather than begin working for his family, he finds himself confronted with a lucrative “opportunity” after a night spent drinking across the border in Mexico. A man known as the Captain (Chinlund) is prepared to offer Mitch five thousand dollars to join his crew of mercenaries, taking out the drug cartels before police have a chance to. Soon, Mitch realizes this crew is comprised of troubled teenagers, housed in a military-like camp. As the Captain begins to send the young men on new missions, Mitch realizes his objectives are becoming more dangerous, and more criminal.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 6th, 2016
Scott Adkins is one of those actors that I’m surprised hasn’t quite hit the mainstream success he deserves. In the late 80’s and 90’s this is a guy who would have been an action superstar who would have crushed such icons as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It seems that somehow Adkins has been lost amongst the glut of superhero films; he’s one of the true great tough guys who even does most of his own stunts, which is surprising, since some actors these days can’t function on set without their own personal chef and have stand-ins when their face is not on screen. Close Range is the new release for Adkins that once again shows off his martial arts skills while leaving a high body count in his wake.
Close Range kicks things off in high-action fashion as Colton Macready (Adkins) goes on a one-man rescue mission to save his niece from the clutches of some Mexican drug dealers. In the process of rescuing Hailey (Madison Lawlor), Colton accidently pockets a flash drive that contains some highly sensitive information for the drug cartel. The theft of this drive causes the head drug lord Fernando Garcia (Tony Perez) to send out all his top men to retrieve the drive by any means necessary.
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