Jojo Rabbit (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on March 3rd, 2020
“Over the next two days you little critters will get to experience some of the things that the mighty German army goes through every day, and even though it would appear our country’s on the back foot and there really isn’t much hope in us winning this war, apparently we’re doing just fine.”
The book Caging Skies was written in 2000 by Christine Leunens. The book became more the inspiration for the film JoJo Rabbit rather than the source material, as they are very different animals indeed. The book is a rather sober look at the indoctrination of a young generation of boys and girls in Hitler’s infamous Hitler’s Youth organization. It was pretty much like the Boy Scouts of America, except, you know, for young Nazis. When director Taika Waititi got his hands on the material, it became somewhat a dark or black comedy with entire concepts added to the storytelling that were not a part of the original novel. Waititi is pretty much known as a comic director who has managed to intertwine his particular sense of comedy with other genre films with relative success. A prime example, of course, is his foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Thor: Ragnarok, which became one of the oddest entry in that film franchise. Expect more when we get to see his work again with that old God of Thunder when the next Thor installment Thor: Love And Thunder is released soon.
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The Invisible Man (2020)
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on February 29th, 2020
It wasn’t all that long ago that Universal was seriously attempting to develop a Dark Universe for their classic monsters. Things changed after the releases of Dracula Untold and The Mummy after their poor box office showings, but having seen those two films, I feel fans were spared in the long run from a disaster that could have been. Then in 2019 word got out that Blumhouse was going to be doing The Invisible Man, and this somewhat reignited the talks of a Dark Universe project. When I first heard Blumhouse was backing the film, I was cautiously optimistic about the project; where the company does have its hits like Happy Death Day and Get Out, there are plenty of duds as well. It’s when Leigh Whannell got attached and I had some hope for the film. For those unfamiliar with the name, Whannell is the writer responsible for the Saw franchise as well as the Insidious franchise. Now the wait is over and the film has been seen; how does it turn out?
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Frozen II (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 29th, 2020
It’s been six years since Frozen became somewhat of a surprise hit out of Walt Disney Studios in 2013. No one was surprised it made a good haul at the box office, but I suspect that even the masterminds at Disney never saw this billion-dollar baby when it was first being born. It’s become the biggest original hit out of Disney since the original Lion King set animated feature records in the 90’s. I’ll give the studio credit. They didn’t rush out and try to cash in on the momentum as quickly as other studios would have. They took their time and assembled the same team of directors and songwriters and allowed the process to follow a six-year process with the intent of doing it right rather than doing it fast. For the most part I think that strategy paid off, and while this film will never be the classic the original has become, it will fit rather snugly into the franchise and will delight children, while possibly cursing the adults who are fated to watch the film over and over again. This is absolutely one of those kinds of movies.
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Ford v Ferrari (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by John Delia on February 26th, 2020
by John Delia, Jr.
“There’s a point at 7,000 RPM… where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. Just disappears. And all that’s left is a body moving through space and time. 7,000 RPM. That’s where you meet it. You feel it coming. It creeps up on you, close in your ear. Asks you a question. The only question that matters. Who are you?”
The film is based on the competition created between Ford and Ferrari during the years from 1959 till 1969, and is centered on the 24 hours of Le Mans race. The 24 hours of Le Mans, started in 1923, is a car race in France that occurs during the month of June and consists of part permanent track and part public roads. After Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) won the 1959 Le Mans race, becoming the second American to ever win the race, he retired from racing. He then begins to invest in all types of cars and forms his own racing team. He also starts a sports car dealership with his friend and mechanic, Phil Remington (Ray McKinnon). Carroll has always been intrigued with fellow racer Ken Miles (Christian Bale) because of his determination to always find a way to win, which creates an interesting friendship.
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Snatchers (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 25th, 2020
You can argue that the teen slasher genre is mostly a cautionary tale about premarital sex and using drugs and alcohol. After all, a majority of the time the “final” girl was typically the “good girl”. In a lot of ways, the horror genre is basically a cautionary tale for the viewers, though many of us fans of the genre seem to take delight in seeing the bad decisions people make and the consequences that follow. Teeth and It Follows are a pair of my favorite cautionary-tale horror films that deal with sex and the consequences in a fun and unique way. Snatchers I was hoping would follow and be a welcome addition to these modern cult favorites, but for me, it didn’t quite stick the landing. Sara (Mary Nepi) is doing what she can to keep up with her popular friends in high school, which means she’s willing to do what she can to hold onto her jock boyfriend, Skyler (Austin Fryberger), even if it means losing her virginity with him. Unfortunately the consequences arrive swiftly as she discovers she is pregnant. Things only get worse when two days later Sara wakes up with a bulging pregnant belly and no one to turn to. Feeling as though she has no other option and no one to talk to, she reaches out to her former best friend, Haley (Gabrielle Elyse). The chemistry between Nepi and Elyse is a big factor as to why this film works, and this chemistry is what will keep many viewers engaged when normally they would have given up on the film.
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The Call of The Wild (2020)
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on February 22nd, 2020
Jack London’s 1903 novel The Call Of The Wild has become a great American classic that hasn’t been out of print ever in over 100 years. There have currently been over 1000 editions in every major language of the world. One of the aspects of its endurance is that it has such wild appeal. I read the book first when I was around 10 years old, and the imagery has remained throughout my entire life. I still consider it one of the best novels I have ever read. The novel also has great appeal among older readers because of the story’s engaging adventure elements, and, of course, the story is about a dog. London managed to bring the canine character alive with wonderfully visceral accounts of the dog, Buck’s life of adventure that includes both tragedy and triumph. The story has been to the screen both large and small several times to date including a classic 1935 film staring Hollywood legend Clark Gable. Every generation before and since (there was an earlier 1923 version) has witnessed at least one new version of the film. The most recent was a 2009 3D release that made it a kid film with Christopher Lloyd and Timothy Bottoms. Now The Call Of The Wild returns to the big screen as the first Disney release under the newly acquired Fox purchase to sport the entity’s new name, which drops the Fox name and is now merely 20th Century Studios. It’s somewhat the perfect film to bridge the old Fox with Disney, as this is very much a family film.
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Shutter Island: 10th Anniversary Steelbook (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 21st, 2020
“This is a mental institution, Marshal. For the criminally insane. Usual isn’t a big part of our day.”
When I first saw Shutter Island ten years ago, I thought it was a good movie. I didn’t think it was a great movie. Like many Martin Scorsese fans out there, I have developed certain expectations from his films. It isn’t at all fair, but as I’ve said here many times, expectations are killers. I bathed too often in Scorsese’s modern mob mythology that I think it took seeing The Irishman and being royally disappointed and then getting to see Shutter Island again thanks to this wonderful new steelbook 10th anniversary release on UHD Blu-ray in 4K. I also never thought Shutter Island could ever improve with age. It’s got a wicked twist that occupies the final 40 minutes of the film, and no matter how good the performances might be, how could it possibly get better when you know what’s coming? But again, I recall it being a good movie, so I welcomed the opportunity to revisit it after 10 years in 4K. Why not, right? I’m glad I did, and no matter how good you thought it was the first time, it’s better the second time through. And I was absolutely wrong in my first evaluation.
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21 Bridges (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on February 20th, 2020
“We got twenty-one bridges in and out of Manhattan. Shut them down. Three rivers. Close them. Four tunnels. Block them. Stop every train and loop the subways. Then, we flood the island with blue.”
Chadwick Boseman looks to be trying to bring back the days of Dirty Harry in this film as a cop known to kill cop killers. 21 Bridges is an action-packed film where nothing is really what it seems. Also featuring Sienna Miller, Taylor Kitsch, J.K. Simmons, and Keith David, I have to admit that some of these cast members’ appearances were more like cameos, as the action primarily focused on Boseman as he attempted to hunt down his target by any means necessary. Sorry, I just always wanted to say that, but for the context of this movie it rings true, as from the quote above, you can see the extent he was willing to go to.
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The Twilight Zone (2019): Season One (Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on February 20th, 2020
“You’re traveling through another dimension. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of the mind. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition. And it lies between the pit of one’s fears and the summit of one’s knowledge. You are now traveling through a dimension of imagination. You’ve just crossed over into The Twilight Zone.”
It would be very hard, indeed, to argue against the impact that The Twilight Zone has had on television. To say that the series was a milestone in that medium would be an understatement of the worst kind. When Rod Serling brought his landmark series to CBS in October of 1959, television was still very new. No one was quite sure what the future held for that magical box. But that box was part of an invasion. The television set would change the face of the world. It would become the social center of our homes. It would influence who we choose as our leaders. In 1959 those fortunate enough to already have television sets in their homes would become the first to see that future.
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Swamp Thing: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 19th, 2020
It only took Warner Brothers five days to pull the plug on this series after it debuted the first episode on their streaming service. This was crushing news for fans who had been looking forward to the series that had seemed to be a promising adaptation of the comic material and bringing it to life. I was one of those fans. I’m a fan of Swamp Thing, even the cheesy Wes Craven film from back in the early 80’s to the short lived series in the early 90’s. It’s a character that has struggled to find life and longevity over the years, mostly because the finances and the technology were never really there to make it as good as it could be, but when James Wan came along with his lofty idea to bring this series to life and keep it true to the comics and keep it geared to adults, well, I had hope. Already the Warner Brothers/ DC Universe streaming service has delivered with their iterations of Titans and Doom Patrol, and if Swamp Thing was to follow in their footsteps, then this was going to be a show to get excited about. Now that I’ve seen Season 1 and all the plot threads that had been set up to extend the series for future seasons, all I can think is that the cancellation of this series is an undeserved gut punch to fans of the comic and those that will watch this first season, because it builds something that could have been so great but will not be brought to fruition.
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Donten: Laughing Under the Clouds – Gaiden: 3-Film Collection (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 18th, 2020
Getting thrown into the middle of a film or television series is a daunting task, especially when you can’t just reach out and grab the source material. For example, today’s review are three films that are set after a manga book collection as well as a 13-episode television series that is available on Blu-ray, but by another production house and would cost me thirty bucks. Hardly an ideal situation, but one I wasn’t going to back down from. Donten: Laughing Under the Clouds – Gaiden is our review today and tries to tell us in nearly three hours what happens after the Yamainu take down the Orochi and the struggle to lead normal lives in the wake of such a cataclysmic event.
Cicada Song
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on February 18th, 2020
I’m always cautious when I approach a low-budget independent film. It’s not that I don’t expect them to be good. I have found countless gems over the years that not only exceeded my expectations but have been placed on a must-watch-again list. The thing I’m most cautious about is the level of ambition a limited experience director might shoot for. Obviously there has to be a great amount of drive and ambition to even try to make a movie. I know many filmmakers think reviewers are frustrated and failed filmmakers. I’m not one of them. I have a great deal of respect for anyone who puts together a story and a crew and often risks their own resources to make a film. I’m talking about the ambition in the film itself. As I was watching Cicada Song for the first time, I started to worry about just that. This is a very ambitious film that tries to tackle a lot of things at one time. Yet writer/director managed to pull it off and deliver a film far more compelling than I was expecting.
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A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 18th, 2020
“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood. A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?”
Anyone who was a kid from the 1960’s to the 1990’s and beyond recognizes Mr. Rogers and his neighbor song. The man defined children’s programming for television, and he did so from a small studio tucked away in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania for almost 40 years. There aren’t many people living in this country who don’t at least know who Fred Rogers was. It would be a complete waste of my space and your time to tell you very much about the man in these lines. Truthfully, you’ll make the kinds of discoveries into the nature of who he was by spending a short 90 minutes watching the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor that appeared last year. It will be time well spent no matter how little or much you think you know about him. But now hot on the heels of that incredible documentary comes a film staring Tom Hanks as the lovable neighbor we all used to wish we had. Recently Ancestry.com confirmed that Tom Hanks and Fred Rogers are related. Of course you have to go back the pre-revolutionary days of 1734 to find this elusive relative. But you won’t have to time travel to spend a magical time with Mr. Rogers and Tom Hanks. In 2019, they happen to be the same man.
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The Hunt for Red October: Collector’s Edition Steelbook (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 18th, 2020
This is the film that literally started a trend. Within a decade, submarine films would make a huge comeback in the big-budget film industry. Titles like Crimson Tide, U-571, and K-19: The Widowmaker all took a little from Red October. Maybe the Cold War is over, but our fascination with that modern version of cowboys and Indians doesn’t seem to have waned much in the last nearly 20 years. While our relationship with Russia might be up and down over the last two decades, there is still a part of our culture that can’t seem to let go of that classic game of good guys and bad guys. It’s not unique to the former Soviet Union by any means. World War II has been over for more than 60 years, but the occasional Nazi bad guys still make their presence known from time to time. Maybe it’s those accents. Whatever the reason, the seemingly dated subject matter of Red October is never a liability to the film. When Red October came out, the Soviet Union had just fallen a mere two years earlier, and there were some who suggested the film was an inappropriate reminder of those recent bygone days and might even be considered a slap in the face to the new regime in Russia. Fortunately this was not one of those instances where Hollywood let its often hypocritical sense of political correctness get in the way of a great film.
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Photograph
Posted in The Reel World by John Delia on February 18th, 2020
“When I saw the photo he took of me, I didn’t see myself. I saw someone who looked happier than me.”
This little romance, The Photograph, tugs at the heartstrings and should work well with a female audience. Lost love and missed opportunities set the tone for this storyline, and the complications resonate with today’s social values. The film plays out like a Saturday matinee, where a release on Lifetime would have been a better choice. While the theater experience is the norm, the budget for the movie would have fared better had they chose a more apt venue. The acting is very good, direction pinpoint, but the storyline is ordinary to timeworn. Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield), a writer for The Republic, is doing a story on Christina Eames (Chante Adams), a famous photographer who had recently died, for his column. To get some background he interviews her daughter Mae (Issa Rae), who lives in New York City. Their romance gets steamy and genuine, but Mae is cautious so she won’t get hurt.
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Last Christmas (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on February 14th, 2020
This movie truly took me by surprise; I was expecting another vapid romantic comedy tale without any original thoughts or concepts, but actress Emma Watson showed that she had something else in mind for this story that she penned herself. Based on the popular song by Wham! (yes, the exclamation point was necessary), Last Christmas follows the story of a girl who goes in the opposite direction of a new lease on life following a confrontation of her own mortality, and it takes a handsome stranger to help her see and appreciate the gift that she has been given. I know that it is not one hundred percent original, but it isn’t a premise that has been beaten to death, and there are some elements that keep it fresh. The manner in which the story unfolds is unique, and there is a twist that that took me by surprise. Not only did it take me by surprise, it utterly devastated my wife, who become a little bitter afterwards. Despite the effect the twist had on her, she couldn’t deny that this film starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding was very enjoyable. Writer/Actor Emma Watson also rounds out the cast as Clarke’s mother from the old country.
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Warner Brothers Archive Round-Up: Roswell, New Mexico Season 1, You Season 1, Hanging With Mr. Cooper Season 3
Posted in Super Round-Up by Archive Authors on February 14th, 2020
“Every small town has a story. But my hometown has a legend. Roswell was a sleepy cowboy settlement in postwar America. Full of farmers and military men, until one day something extraordinary happened, or so the legend goes.”
Roswell High was a series of 10 books written by Melinda Mentz in the young adult genre. That’s the same place where book franchises like Harry Potter and Hunger Games thrived. These books were first adapted in 1999 on the CW as Roswell. Developed by Jason Katims, the series ran for three seasons and 61 episodes. The series didn’t quite catch on in its first season, but the few fans the series did have were rather vocal. It’s somewhat ironic that a Star Trek-like campaign involving fans sending bottles of Tabasco sauce to network executives gave the series its first reprieve. That’s when Ronald Moore, a veteran of Star Trek, joined the team and brought the series into more respectable numbers. The relationship stuff was pushed to the back burner, and more of the aliens and their science fiction stories carried the series. But it also took the show more away from the books. The ratings bump just wasn’t enough to save the day, and like the original Star Trek, it lasted just three seasons.
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Gunsmoke: The Complete Eighteenth & Nineteenth Seasons
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on February 13th, 2020
The setting for Gunsmoke was the by-now-famous Dodge City, circa 1870’s. Phrases like “get out of Dodge” would enter the popular lexicon as a result of this resilient series. Marshall Dillon (Arness) was charged with keeping the peace in Dodge City. The only other character to see the entire 20-year run was kindly Doc Adams (Stone). Star Trek’s own Doc, Leonard McCoy, took many of his traits from Doc Adams. He was the humanitarian of the city, always looking to help someone. Like McCoy, he had a taste for bourbon and a soft heart underneath a rather gruff exterior and was always ready with free advice. Dillon’s love interest throughout most of the series was Miss Kitty Russell (Blake). While there were certainly a few romantic undercurrents, the romance never came to fruition. Miss Kitty was a prostitute on the radio and was likely one here as well, but CBS chose to underplay that aspect of her character as a “saloon girl”. Finally Dillon’s faithful sidekick deputy was Chester (Weaver). Chester often found himself in trouble and was the naïve son figure to Dillon.
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White Snake (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 12th, 2020
A common thread in fairy tales and stories of long ago is for there to be a perfect female that is amazingly romanced by a not-so perfect male. In fact, he is usually average, clueless, and clumsy beyond belief. During the narrative, we realize that the female is only perfect on the outside and is somehow flawed on the inside. In the end, they live happily ever after. The story changes sometimes in details, genders, and other minor pieces of information, but is overall the same in theme. Today, we explore White Snake, which is a prequel to the Chinese fable, Legend of the White Snake. Let’s take a look.
Doctor Sleep (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 11th, 2020
It would seem like audiences are suffering from a bit of Stephen King fatigue, as 2019 saw three theatrical releases of his films and each of them seemed to under-perform at the box office. Pet Sematary was a lackluster adaptation, and It Chapter 2 was fun, but still disappointing when considering how good the first was, and then there was Doctor Sleep, the long awaited sequel (depending who you ask) to The Shining. When it comes to The Shining, I’m a fan of both King’s book but also of Stanley Kubrick’s take on the material. King has always had his problems with the Kubrick version due to the many liberties taken with the material, and many people tend to forget how personal that story was for King and how it dealt with his own personal struggles with alcohol and addiction. Because of all this, I believe it’s why the announcement of Doctor Sleep as a book and eventually a film was so shocking and even polarizing for some. When I read the book, it was a fun and unexpected journey that eventually leads back to the Overlook, but most enjoyable was the journey on getting there as King created a sequel that delved more into what “the shining” is rather than simply return to a haunted hotel. So how was the film, and how does the director’s cut differ from the theatrical cut?
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Playing With Fire (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 11th, 2020
John Cena is following in the footsteps of many wrestlers making the transition to be film actors. Previously we’ve seen him in Bumblebee and in the comedy Blockers. It’s a good move to attempt to show he’s more than a just wrestler with beefy muscles, but comedy is a tough nut to crack even for the seasoned veterans. With Playing With Fire, we get to see Cena in the role of a smokejumper who leads his team of ragtag misfits into fires by leaping out of helicopters and into the middle of the blaze. Unfortunately, having “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars does nothing but take away all the tension of the scene despite all the heroics and danger on display. But really, the opening simply sets the tone for what’s ahead in this film, and it is not necessarily a good thing. When the story gets back to the station, most of the smoke-jumping crew is bailing on Jake Carson (Cena) so they can go fight fires with another crew. This basically leaves Carson with Mark (Keegan-Michael Key), Rodrigo (John Leguizamo), and Axe (Tyler Mane).
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Birds of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on February 8th, 2020
“I’m the one they should be scared of! Not you, not Mr. J! Because I’m Harley Freaking Quinn!”
For too many years now, the DCU (DC Universe) of films has been guilty of an overwhelming sense of foreboding and darkness. Of course, Chris Nolan pretty much started the trend, while Zac Snyder completely embraced the idea. The Chris Nolan Dark Knight films were a great success, and they should have been. The darkness works wonderfully with a character like Batman. But then Snyder and his DC film gang allowed this brooding darkness to inhabit all of their characters in feature films and never quite appeared to understand why the sometimes camp of the Arrowverse (The TV DC Universe) is so much more appreciated by fans. Wonder Woman stands out as the lone exception to this trend, and that’s why it’s so much better than the others. Now it seems the folks at the DCU are attempting to showcase their ability to be more flexible and less cookie-cutter.
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Exclusive Interview With Michael Starr: Director, Writer & Producer Of Cicada Song
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on February 7th, 2020
Michael Starr is the director, writer and producer for the new drama feature film Cicada Song. The film stars Lindsey Lantz as Karen, a small town woman who asks the wrong questions and finds herself struggling to survive. It’s a powerful film with a limited budget but not a limited imagination. It’s an ambitious film, to be sure. The man behind it all is Michael Starr, a fellow musician who just might have hit it out of the park with his first feature film. I had a wonderful time with Michael talking about the film. He provided some nice insights into Cicada Song and the filmmaking process itself. You can listen in on our conversation. Just bang it here to hear my interview with Michael Starr.
After the interview make sure you check out the film.
Check out the film’s Official Website
Harriet (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on February 7th, 2020
“You’ll die right here. On a frozen, blood-soaked battlefield, the moans of a generation of young men in your ears, dying in agony around you, for a lost cause. For a vile and wicked idea! For the sin of slavery! Can you hear them? God don’t mean people to own people, Gideon!”
Harriet Tubman, born Araminta Ross, is a staple of black history. Her deeds have been told and retold in history books for generations as one of the most successful conductors of the Underground Railroad, a network of anti-slavery activists and safehouses. Aside from her contributions to history, I knew very little about her individual history; that is a failing of mine. I’m not sure that an autobiographical film is the best avenue to correct this failing, given the propensity for things to be altered and sensationalize in order to draw crowds. However, even a sensationalized film has to have some basis in fact. Therefore, I am glad that this film made it into my queue, as it gave me a better understanding of Tubman’s accomplishment than I had previously. Bad Times at El Royale’s Cynthia Erivo takes on the monumental task of representing the historical figure on the silver screen, joined by Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae.
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Summer Days with Coo (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 6th, 2020
One of my main pet peeves in my life are the people who seem to hang on a celebrity’s every word, or worse, a reluctant celebrity who gets pushed into the limelight because of a heroic deed or misdeed. I have little desire to be famous (except to be published and recognized as a writer), but if I were, I am pretty sure I would labelled as a recluse and shun the public eye constantly. Today, we explore Summer Days with Coo, a tale about a Kappa who is found by a boy after centuries of being fossilized. Then suddenly he gets thrust into the limelight with some unfavorable results. Let us see what this one has to offer.