Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 14th, 2015
Typically I do not seek out modern war films for leisure watching. They may take great strides to make battles seem realistic, or just more extreme. Normally with the focus on cinematography and editing, the depth of the story is sacrificed in the process. Sure, you have a narrative to follow, but ultimately what satisfies is the visual masterpiece. For me, ’71 followed this pattern accurately, though I was pleasantly surprised with the visuals, as they went above and beyond my expectations.
Posted in: Tuesday Round Up by J C on July 14th, 2015
This week brings some truly eclectic offerings for Blu-ray and DVD aficionados of all stripes. Two of the year's best-reviewed films — sci-fi thriller Ex Machina and low-budget horror flick It Follows — make their home video debuts. (And I absolutely plan on getting my hands on both.) Movie fans can also pick up a pair of sequels (The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2), plan a date night with the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation (The Longest Ride), or check out the extended version of a summer blockbuster from last year (X-Men: Days of Future Past — The Rogue Cut.) Meanwhile, TV watchers can scoop up season 5 of Adventure Time or the debut season of superhero cop drama Powers.
Here at UpcomingDiscs, we'll be reviewing some additional titles that will be available on July 14. So be sure to check in for our takes on Clouds of Sils Maria, All Quiet on the Western Front: The Uncut Edition, WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete Third Season, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, Borderline, Singularity Principle, and a pair of double features in The Outing/The Godsend, and Cellar Dweller/Catacombs. We'd love to hear from you: which of this week's releases are you most excited about? And since we have stuff flying into UpcomingDiscs headquarters throughout the week, be sure to keep an eye on this post for updates.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on July 13th, 2015
“I wanna tell you something. I've been a bad man...I've been a very bad man most of my life. So, I decided I want to do one thing in my life. One good thing in my life before I die.”
Those words are spoken by elite contract killer John Alexander at the start of Absolution, a straight-to-DVD offering that is largely cobbled together from the spare parts of other junky action flicks. The film stars Steven Seagal, who was a very bad man on-screen during his early '90s heyday. John wants to do one good thing before his time is up; coincidentally, all I want is for Seagal to make one action movie that at least comes close to recapturing the spark that made him a star. Absolution is not that film.
Posted in: Tribute by J C on July 12th, 2015
“Truly, for some men nothing is written unless they write it.”
In discussing the ultimate departure of Omar Sharif — the legendary actor, born Michael Shalhoub, died Friday after suffering a heart attack at a hospital in his native Egypt — it's only fitting we talk about his most famous arrival. After becoming a star in Egypt, Sharif's first English-language film was the David Lean epic Lawrence of Arabia. Sharif — who earned his sole Oscar nomination for the movie — played Sheriff Ali, who makes one of the most indelible entrances in the history of cinema. The actor seemingly materializes out of thin air; it's meant to evoke a mirage, which is fitting because moviegoers could hardly believe their eyes.
His striking, exotic looks allowed him to play everyone from Genghis Khan to Che Guevara. Sharif went on to make a pair of other iconic films, taking on the title role in Doctor Zhivago and starring opposite Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl. On top of accumulating more than 100 movie and TV credits, Sharif cultivated a sophisticated, well-rounded image off-screen. (The actor once ranked among the top 50 bridge players in the world.) Needless to say, this was a man and a performer who charted his own path and wrote his own story. Join us in celebrating Sharif's work with a trip through the UpcomingDiscs archives.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on July 10th, 2015
It's Christmas in July because our good friends at ARC Entertainment just went crazy. Their insanity is your good fortune. They've given us a July Gift Pack of three films on DVD for one lucky winner. First up is The Squeeze. A young golf talent gets caught up with a ruthless gambler. All he wants to do is take care of his family and now it might cost him everything. It’s a mix of a con film with the added interest of golf. On second base is See You In Valhalla. It stars Sarah Hyland from Modern Family. A young girl must face some tough secrets when her brother dies and she returns home. It’s a heart-warming tale that also stars Connor O’Farrell, Emma Bell, Bret Harrison and Steve Howley. To complete the triple threat you get Bank$tas. Can you mine comedy out of a financial crises and the student loan issues in this country. You can if you’re Arc Entertainment. Play in the world of high finance with the likes of Alan Thicke and Supergirl herself Laura Vandervoort. It's all going to one lucky winner.
To win a copy, just follow these simple instructions.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 10th, 2015
I have often wondered how blood feuds got started in the western times. The Hatfield and McCoy feud is the most legendary, of course, except before long how the whole ordeal started just became a bunch of he said/she said. In the case of Echoes of War, it turns out that the feud that is sparked between the McCluskeys and the Rileys began over a just cause; however, the battle was bit one-sided and slow-paced for my liking. Not the mention the film does a bit of a 360 on me that really turns me against the person I spent the entire movie sympathizing with.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on July 10th, 2015
by Dustin P. Anderson
Jaden and friends are back for another semester at dual academy. Some friends have changed, like Syrus, who is now a Ra Yellow, and Cyrus’ brother Zane, who is now in the Pro League. This time, since Jaden’s old pal Chumley is gone, he is joined by another Ra Yellow student, Tyranno Hassleberry, a dinosaur dualist with a military mindset; however, with new friends comes a new evil for Jaden to fight, the light: a mind-controlling entity that is taking over the school, trying to take over the world, and has Jaden is in his crosshairs. Can Jaden save his friends, and save the world, without getting controlled by the light?
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on July 9th, 2015
Big blockbusters rule the summer. Sequels and reboots and remakes are demanded by a public that wants sure things. There are no sure things any more, but the big Hollywood studios try to form committees that take as much chance out of the equation as possible. But even in the middle of a summer ruled by big blockbuster, there is a school of thought that counter programming can work. You have to give the makers of Self/Less credit for releasing a non-sequel and one with such an odd title
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 9th, 2015
"There was a time when, if you told me werewolves existed that I would have laughed. I don't laugh at much anymore."
From the very beginning one can see there is great potential here. The show is based on a collection of books that appear to be popular. They're called The Outworld series, written by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong. The show avoids most of the standard clichés. There is no full moon reference at all here. The werewolves "change" at will or when emotionally charged (“you won't like me when I'm angry”). There are no silver bullets.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Archive Authors on July 9th, 2015
by Dustin P. Anderson
There is no real story here. This is set as a competition/reality TV Series. The goal is for one team of survivors to get out of an infected zombie prison. The twist is that the contestants are all YouTube personalities. They must first get out of the room they wake up in, then go to get an antidote, then give the antidote to a doctor, then get out of the facility. The concept for this was intriguing, but the application was sloppy at best. During the entire production you are reminded of how low-budget this series is, whether you are listening to the overly cliché horror music or getting motion sickness from the camera.
On The Web
Sponsors
