Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on May 7th, 2015
Who was John Evans? That is one of the many questions that American Interior addresses that you never knew you wanted to be answered. The more you learn about John Evans and his story, the more you will come to appreciate the beautiful intricacies woven into the tapestry that is our country’s history. In addition to a unique history lesson, the film also treats you to very stylized images and color schemes, keeping spectators engaged in both story and screen. Part narrative documentary, part concert film, part animation, and part music video: this charming film is a surprisingly pleasant ride with a Welsh musician and a dead-eyed puppet.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 7th, 2015
"An early computer command that sent the machine into a race condition, forcing all instructions to compete for superiority at once. Control of the computer could not be regained."
That command? It's Halt And Catch Fire. Television is very much like that. So many shows out there are competing for your attention. Even on the same network there's often competition for the resources of the studios and the sponsors who provide the paydays. Now AMC has added another original series to compete for your attention...and precious time. You guessed it. Halt And Catch Fire. Does it work? Let's find out.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on May 7th, 2015
“You will be severely punished for your disobedience.”
Yeah, there is plenty of that going on in this film. What a fragile construct the mind can be, or at least that is how it appears in Bedlam. As the movie progresses, it becomes harder to tell who is more mad, the patients or the people in charge. However, the film does teeter between the line of real insanity and comical insanity.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on May 6th, 2015
Prior to picking up this title from UpcomingDiscs headquarters, The Book of Negroes was a complete unknown to me on several levels. I wasn’t aware of the six-episode miniseries that aired on BET earlier this year, nor had I ever heard of the book of the same name by Canadian novelist Lawrence Hill. Even worse, I was completely unaware of the real-life historical document that served as the inspiration for Hill’s book and this miniseries. So while The Book of Negroes is buoyed by solid storytelling and capable performances, my favorite thing about it is that it shone a light on a part of history that hasn’t totally gotten its due in pop culture.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 4th, 2015
"When history looks back, I want people to know the Nazis weren’t able to kill millions of people and get away with it."
Those words were spoken by Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal was an architect living in Poland in the 1930's. He was witness to the systematic persecution, isolation and eventual slaughter of the Jewish population of which he was a member when Germany's Nazi troops invaded Poland. He and his family ended up in a concentration camp and into forced labor. When Hitler instituted his "Final Solution" most of his family members were killed. He barely survived after an unsuccessful escape attempt; he would have surely been killed if not for a sudden turn in the Nazi forces
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on May 4th, 2015
Well, it looks like Comedy Central is still searching for a viable replacement for the loss of The Chappelle Show almost a decade ago. The newest attempt to recapture the former fan base has to be Inside Amy Schumer. I must confess a blissful ignorance to Mrs. Schumer’s rise to fame; I had no knowledge of her existence in recent years, never glimpsing a cameo of her in a television series or movie (or least one that I was aware of), and then all of a sudden it was like she was everywhere.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Dan Holland on May 4th, 2015
If I were to tell you The Comedian is a dramatic character study, you would expect it to have some comedic elements, right? Unfortunately, that is the exact mindset I entered the film with. While the film does provide characters and concepts, it left me feeling disappointed. Written and directed by Tom Shkolnik, The Comedian tells the story of Ed (Edward Hogg), a middle-aged man who feels himself slipping away at his dead-end job. In order to cope with his unfulfilling lifestyle, he performs stand-up comedy at his local nightclub.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on May 1st, 2015
"It's called The Ultron Program."
Remember when you were a kid and one of your friends would come over and ask if you could come out and play? You would head for the door with a grin from ear to ear, because you knew you were about to have a blast. You might not have had any idea what it was you were going to do. Often you made it up as you went along. It didn't matter. You just knew fun times were on the other side of your front door. That's exactly how I felt going to catch The Avengers: Age Of Ultron. It was as if Joss Whedon had come to my house and asked me to come out and play.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on April 30th, 2015
“I need to know what you are worth when I leave you nothing.”
These are the parting words that Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) is left with from his dying grandfather. At first these words may seem a bit harsh, but the more time we spend with Bennett we start to understand the grandfather’s intentions. The Gambler, a remake of the 1974 film with same title, follows Bennett along his downward spiral as his gambling addiction drags him down to the point where death is imminent, yet death seems to be the escape Bennett so desperately craves. In other words, this is not exactly the film you watch to get into the holly jolly spirit of the holidays.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on April 30th, 2015
The Mentalist was once the highest rated drama on television. There was a lot to like here, as I'll discuss throughout this review. But I think most of us had gotten a little sick and tired of the Red John story. The show milked the single case for over five years, and the fan base had dissolved to the point that the once #1 show has been on the bubble for the last two seasons. Fans' patience had worn thin, but at long last the show's producers discovered what we've known since the second season.









