Pain and Glory
Posted in The Reel World by John Delia on November 8th, 2019
Taking a lot of liberties while giving a cinematic interpretation of a time in his life, Pedro Almodovar’s movie Pain & Glory is as expressive as Roma. His directing and screenwriting is by far some of the best I’ve seen by the famous director, and yes, there’s a spark of surprise in this one, as in every one of his films. Taking extra liberties, he even shocks his audience at one point. That said, if you are a fan of Almodovar’s films, then you will not want to miss the amazing performances that bring the man’s film to the big screen. The story follows Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas), a screenwriter and director who has had huge success with his film Sabor. He has not written another for some time, yet he’s still known by many for his work. Now living in semi-seclusion, we find him working on a new project while visiting the past in his mind. In flashback, we see his life at an early age (Asier Flores) and his inquisitiveness that led him to become a great director. His darker side includes taking a turn with drugs and a gay lover from the past.
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Yellowstone: Season Two (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 7th, 2019
“This is where change begins.”
We’re a visual people, so most of you will recognize Taylor Sheridan from his role as a deputy chief of police in Sons of Anarchy when the controlled puppet regime had finally left the scene. It’s not a remarkable role, and it’s not a complete surprise that Sheridan found his calling more recently behind the camera. As a writer, his first script did hit it out of the park. Sicario is an awesome film populated with compelling and interesting characters who thrived on a broken system. That theme appears to have stuck with him, because the first season of Yellowstone appears to take us back in time to the days of open frontiers and cattle barons who struggled to keep their land amid lawless communities and raiding parties of American Indians who were portrayed as savage beasts who kill women and children in the middle of the night to become shadows of nightmares and the stories told to keep children in line. These themes are all there, but it takes place in a modern 2018 setting that does indeed make for an interesting new twist on an old idea. This is the dawning of the modern western where lands still stretch for miles and are still owned by a single family. It’s Bonanza in the 21st century, and Kevin Costner thought enough of the idea to star in this television drama series for The Paramount Network.
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A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on November 7th, 2019
Wonder what happened to Laura Marano from Austin and Aly? Well, she is following in the footsteps of fellow Disney Channel actresses, Hilary Duff and Selena Gomez, by starring in the latest incarnation of A Cinderella Story, and this time it’s Christmas-themed. On the one hand, I am wondering how many different ways this premise can be recycled. I mean, it has already gone from a theatrical release movie (the first film with Hilary Duff) to a home media release (the second one with Selena Gomez). Given that that the story revolves around a girl being mistreated by her stepmother and step-siblings, you would think that there would be nothing new to add to that idea. Apparently that is not the case, as the film does a good job getting the audience prepared for the upcoming holiday season. Also starring Gregg Sulkin (Marvel’s The Runaways) as her love interest, the film is sweet and manages to entertain, despite not really breaking new ground.
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Motherless Brooklyn
Posted in The Reel World by John Delia on November 7th, 2019
By John Delia, Jr.
During the 1950’s, being a private investigator wasn’t always a safe and sure way to make a living. But it was a popular way to make some cash for returning soldiers or ex-police officers. During these times things were beginning to modernize, and the world was becoming more dependent on advancement in the skyline. With these changes, corruption and deceit became more evident, and private investigators became more popular. When Frank Minna’s (Bruce Willis) agency gets a chance to make some real money, things begin to get ugly fast. In his crew there is Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), an orphan with Tourette’s syndrome that Frank took under his wing when Lionel was 13; they have been friends ever since. Then there is Tony Vermonte (Bobby Cannavale), Gilbert Coney (Ethan Suplee), and Danny Fantl (Dallas Roberts). Frank has known these guys for many years and trusts them with helping to investigate the cases for his company.
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Terminator Dark Fate
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on November 4th, 2019
“There’s just more to it than picking the right color. It’s the texture, the weight of the material. One wrong choice, it can destroy the look of the entire room.”
Film rights can be a tricky and complicated issue. Sometimes these rights aren’t quite clear and lead to popular titles never making it to the home video market, or at least suffering long delays as in the 1960’s Batman television series situation. Often rights are held for certain periods of time and end up moving from holder to holder. That’s been the case with the Terminator franchise. The result has been some sequels that pulled in different directions and failed to provide a nice linear history from film to film. Now those rights have reverted back to a favorable situation for the likes of James Cameron. The result is an attempt to get back to the original course of the first two films. Terminator: Dark Fate picks up from T2 and ignores any of the other films made since then. It’s very much like the path taken by the new trilogy of Halloween films we got a taste of last year. There isn’t any denying the fact that T2 was the best this franchise has had to offer. Something was always just a little bit off with the rest of the films. There’s a texture to all of this that James Cameron has a unique eye for. And while he didn’t direct this film, he created the story and produced the film. Like the new Halloween direction, this is also intended to be the first film in a new trilogy. The Terminator franchise appears to be back, and on track to please the legions of fans from the old to the new.
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Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on November 4th, 2019
This is a movie that does not hold up with time. Just in time for the release of the reboot comes Charlie’s Angels starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. I remember being quite enamored with this movie, or maybe it was Drew Barrymore I was enamored with. It would explain why I watched Santa Clarita Diet. Anyhow, this is the 2003 sequel to the 2000 film adaptation starring the lovely woman mentioned above. This film is joined by Bernie Mac replacing Bill Murray as Bosley, and Demi Moore as the film’s big bad. After rescuing captured US Marshal I’m Mongolia, Natalie (Cameron Diaz), Dylan (Drew Barrymore), and Alex (Lucy Liu) are recruited by Charlie to recover titanium rings that have been stolen from the Justice Department. These rings contain the names of people in the Witness Protection Program. While thwarting the assassin of a witness, the mission gets personal when Natalie and Alex discover that their partner, Dylan, is actually a protected witness.
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Veronica Mars (2019): Season 1
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on November 4th, 2019
Veronica Mars is truly a show with nine lives. Since ending its initial run in 2007, the series has returned in the form of a movie, thanks to a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. After the film, I expected that would be the end for everyone’s favorite sleuth. However, lo and behold, the series returns yet again with a eight-episode run courtesy of Hulu. I was very excited to hear of this return; I wasn’t completely satisfied with the way things ended in the movie. Sure, the resurrection of Love (the coupling of Logan and Veronica) was great, and I was glad to see that Logan made something of himself. The story just didn’t feel complete, especially with the way they left things with Weevil. Thankfully, the new season provided me with the answers I needed, though they were bittersweet.
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It’s a Wonderful Life (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 1st, 2019
Every generation has had its Christmas classics, films that have become as much a part of the holiday family traditions as Christmas trees and candy canes. For me it has been the more modern A Christmas Story with ol’ Carl Kolchak himself, Darren McGavin. Kids today have taken more of a shine to even more recent films, but for more than one generation, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life. Since 1947 the film became a seasonal fixture in neighborhood movie houses across the fruited plain. In the 1970’s the film temporarily fell into the public domain and was played relentlessly on local television stations as each holiday came and went. Unfortunately, these were usually prints in horrible condition, so that scratches and splice marks became a part of the experience, not to mention ads for department stores touting their early bird specials. It is with that experience that I, as did most from my generation, become acquainted with Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey. When the home video market began to bloom with VHS in the mid 1980’s, a better print resurfaced, so that the experience improved dramatically, along with the loss of those commercials. Of course, this new resource of home entertainment created a fight for the rights to the film to once again be restored to a single owner. It ended up being the film’s score that would allow the rights to be enforced once again. The crappy television prints disappeared, and by the early 1990’s, efforts to restore the film began.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” John Carpenter’s Vampires
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on November 1st, 2019
The folks over at Shout have done it again, finding a forgotten title and polishing it up for a nice Blu-ray under their Scream Factory release. This time they have pulled out the 1998 western/horror mash-up that is John Carpenter’s Vampires. It only seems fitting that a John Carpenter film gets covered for the 31 Nights of Terror, though this is definitely a title not many would expect to hear about. When I say this film wouldn’t even crack my top five Carpenter films, it may at first seem like a jab, but you’ve got to remember John Carpenter has one of the most impressive bodies of work, not just for a horror director, but for a director, period. Big Trouble in Little China, The Fog, The Thing, They Live, The Assault on Precinct 13, In The Mouth of Madness, oh, and then there was that little film everyone forgets about, Halloween…and seriously, there are numerous other films I didn’t even mention. I love the filmography Carpenter has given us, but I’m still hoping he’ll release at least one more classic before he hangs up his directing duties for good.
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Ultraman: The Complete Series – SteelBook Edition
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on November 1st, 2019
Ultraman is a huge part of Japanese culture and pretty much has been since the original live-action show in 1966. Perhaps Godzilla started the ball rolling, but Ultraman brought us these monsters on a regular basis. In Japan, Ultraman is like our Superman. He’s an iconic hero and a huge part of the pop culture. Since the 60’s he has appeared in many forms, most of them animated. But it is this 1966 series that made a ton of us kids fall in love with him and an entire genre. Yes, there were many from the era: Space Giants featured a giant fighting robot who fought monsters and sometimes converted into a spaceship (yes, before transformers were ever thought of); Johnny Socko had his giant robot; and the list goes on. But it was Ultraman who started it. Eiji Tsuburaya, who created the original Godzilla, formed a new company outside of Toho Pictures. Ultraman was pretty much the first thing out of the new shop.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Night Of The Creeps
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 30th, 2019
“Thrill Me!”
When it comes to catch phrases, at least in this household “Thrill Me!” is easily the most used, and it’s all because of Night of the Creeps. I’m not quite sure how many times I’ve seen this film, but for me, when you name off classic horror films, this makes my top 10. I was only six when this film first came out, and I actually discovered it in the mid-90’s upon realizing it was directed by Fred Dekker who was responsible for The Monster Squad (the movie I blame and love for my introduction to horror). What I’m trying to get at is, I’m not sure if it is possible for me to be “objective” with this film. Night of the Creeps is simply a film that is fueled with nostalgia, but I feel has aged better than most horror films from the 80’s. For those who are fans of the film, at least the ones I’ve met, can agree on the film’s awesomeness and its fun B-movie campy-ness that manages to toe the line perfectly between remaining fun while playing a homage to the old 50’s monster films while being a legit horror film. Also there is Tom Atkins, who is a legend in my eyes because of this film.
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The Lion King (2019) (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 29th, 2019
“From the day we arrive on the planet, and blinking, step into the sun, there’s more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than can ever be done. There’s far too much to take in here. More to find than can ever be found…”
There’s a period in the 1990’s that has often been referred to as the second golden age of Disney animation. The studio had fallen from its once mighty perch, and most film historians tend to agree there was a creative dark ages through the 1980’s. But the renaissance of the studio began with Aladdin in 1992 would go on to include such tremendous classics as Beauty And The Beast and The Little Mermaid. None of these films speak to the resurgence of the animated feature like The Lion King. The film set every animated record there was and holds some of those box office records today. It can be safely stated that the great flood of animated projects that followed can be traced to the impact of The Lion King. In 1996 Simba was the most popular name chosen for new housecats. Elton John saw his appeal extend to children, and there could be no mistake that the animated feature was back. That’s the legacy of The Lion King.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Three from Hell
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on October 29th, 2019
When it comes to Rob Zombie, his films are a bit hit-or-miss. Halloween and The Devils Rejects are his biggest commercial successes, but when he delivers films like Halloween 2, fans tend to be unforgiving. Now we have 3 From Hell, the final chapter in his Firefly family saga that began way back with House of 1000 Corpses and followed up by The Devils Rejects. While many fans have been excited about this third film, I’ve been on the fence wondering if this is really something I want to see. The Devils Rejects is a dark and mean little film that delivers one of the most satisfying endings for a horror film. It’s so good I have my doubts that it could ever be topped. But in Hollywood, if there is potential to make more money off a “franchise”, then there is going to be a sequel whether you want it or not. It’s been 16 years since the franchise began. How does he wrap it up? Well, buckle up, it’s a bit of a bumpy ride; that’s for sure.
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The Current War: The Director’s Cut
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2019
We take it for granted. Every day our lives depend on the flow of electricity to our homes, workplaces, entertainment venues, and hospitals. Living in Florida where you might brush the occasional hurricane, it’s the thing I dread the most when a storm approaches. I don’t worry so much about damage to my home as I do the inevitable five days without power. No AC. No television. No refrigeration for the food. We are so dependent that it’s hard for me to comprehend that I grew up knowing people in my own family who lived before there was any electricity service at all. In another 70 years people will be saying the same thing about the internet. We all know Al Gore invented the internet. But who got us connected with this whole electric power grid? Like most things in a capitalistic society, there was fierce competition. Companies fought for the ability to bring electricity to your home. City by city, the contest endured until eventually the entire country could bask in the glaring glow of the world’s first light bulbs. The Current War: The Director’s Cut takes us inside that struggle to win that race. It’s a compelling story, and even if it doesn’t all ring quite true, it’s an entertaining journey to the moment in time when everything changed.
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Black and Blue
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 28th, 2019
“Murder is Murder. Don’t matter who you are.”
Naomie Harris lives by these words as she finds herself hunted by her own in Black and Blue. Fortunately, she is not alone, as Tyrese Gibson is also there to lend a hand in this real-life commentary that pulls no punches. We all know that there is a brotherhood within the police force. They are a family, and family looks out for family. This film examines what happens when family crosses a line that they cannot come back from. Harris portrays a rookie police officer who stumbles across an execution by her fellow cops. In that moment she goes from being blue to black. Joining her on the cast is Gibson, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter, and Black Lightning’s Nafessa Williams in a role that will make you hate her.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Tampa Theatre: Here There Be Ghosts
Posted in Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2019
If you are planning a trip to Tampa, Florida you may already have a list of places you’d like to visit while you are here. I’m sure most of those lists are pretty much the same. Unfortunately, few of those lists likely contain the Tampa Theatre. Who wants to visit a movie theater on their vacation, anyway? You do. Yes, it’s a beautiful historic building dating back to 1926. Of course, you can grab some popcorn and soda and enjoy both recent releases and classic films there. The pipe organ performances alone are worth the price of admission. It was the first commercial building in Tampa to have air conditioning (man-made air, it was advertised at the time), so it’s never a bad idea to get out of the heat. And if you’re into those haunts and ghosts that have populated our 31 Nights of Terror, then you absolutely can’t afford to miss Tampa Theatre. You see it’s also been described by more than one international paranormal expert as the most haunted site in town. Do I have your attention now?
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Exclusive Interview With Sara Karloff
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2019
One of the joys of my life has been some of the people I have met and developed a relationship with over the years in the film industry. I regret that I never had the opportunity to meet some of the actors who are no longer with us. At the top of that list is Boris Karloff. To me, there is absolutely no equal in horror filmdom. Over the years I’ve had quite a few chances to hang out with Sara Karloff, his daughter. I’m happy to count her a friend. She was very instrumental in getting me some attention for my tribute song Man Created A Man. She has inherited that kind generosity that Boris was so known for. I had the chance to talk with Sara again. Thanks to the Universal release of the great Universal Monsters Collection on Blu-ray, we got together once again to chat about Boris Karloff. This time you get to eavesdrop, and you won’t even have to swear out a warrant. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Sara Karloff: Sara Karloff Interview
Check out the Karloff tribute song I wrote and presented to Sara back in 2000 here: Man Created A Man
Make sure you visit Karloff Enterprises where the legacy of Boris Karloff lives on. Karloff Enterprises
The new Universal release contains 30 classic films starting in the 1930’s with Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolfman, The Invisible Man, Creature From The Black Lagoon and all of the films in each of those franchises. Creature From The Black Lagoon and Revenge Of The Creature are also included in 3D. You also get the Abbott And Costello Meet the monsters films. We’ll be talking more about this collection throughout October.
Bakugan: Battle Planet – Origin of Species (S1V1)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on October 26th, 2019
Bakugan was originally a toy first envisioned by an inventor named Aldric Saucier, who thought he could fit a small action figure inside a marble. He then presented the idea to Spin Masters, who accepted it eagerly, as they were in search of a marble for the 21st century. Ultimately they sent the idea to Sega Toys in Japan, who came up with the concept to turn it into a game complete with cards and miniatures. From there it was only a matter of time before Bakugan became a cartoon show as well. Today, we are reviewing Bakugan: Battle Planet, the newest series to feature these bio-mechanical creations in their animated form.
“31 Nights Of Terror” Contest: Win Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2019
This will be our last giveaway for 31 Nights Of Terror. We’re giving away Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein on Blu-ray. Bela Lugosi returned to the role of Dracula for the 2nd and last time for this farce. It was also the final appearance of Lon Chaney, Jr. as The Wolf Man. It marked the end of an era and it’s going out to one lucky winner.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
- 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! What is the worse horror film you ever saw?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Betsy Frank
Winners are notified by E-mail. If you did not get a confirmation E-mail from us, check your Spam filter and contact us. Any prize not claimed in 2 weeks will be forfeit and be placed in the end of year contests next Holiday Season.
Upcomingdiscs NEVER sells or shares your information with anyone.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on October 25th, 2019
“I was really hoping the whole “maze” thing was just a metaphor.”
Following Superman’s most recent run of animated movies, the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) is turning to Wonder Woman for its next installment, which acts as an origin story for the Amazon princess. In Bloodlines, Princess Diana (Rosario Dawson) leaves Themyscira to become a guardian of peace in what is coequally called man’s world. Joined by Air Force Captain Steve Trevor (Jeffrey Donovan of Burn Notice fame), Diana faces enemies both superhuman as well as mythical in this welcomed addition to the DCAU. In my humble opinion, the animated realm is the main place that DC is having success over Marvel, as they maintain a steady stream of content. This is not a jab against the original series dominating the CW network, which are also good (some better than others. Arrow < The Flash). Though it does take a second to pick up in the beginning, once it does, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines delivers an engaging and action-packed story, which will undoubtedly help further DC animated universe.
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“31 Nights Of Terror” The Lighthouse
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on October 25th, 2019
When it comes to writer/director Robert Eggers, despite only directing The Witch, he’s currently one of the most divisive directors working today. Personally I loved The Witch and feel it’s one of the best horror films in the past decade, while others openly loathe the film and consider it a snooze-fest. Eggers has a style that really isn’t for everyone, but for those who are fans (myself included), he’s a breath of fresh air to the horror genre, though his style is very much a throwback to the times before computer graphics and his films rely heavily on atmosphere, where his stories take time to develop as he wants us to be like a fly on the wall as we watch his characters fall apart. The Lighthouse is very much a claustrophobic character piece that will once again divide audiences, but one thing I believe we can all agree on: the performances of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are phenomenal and deserve all the recognition that will be coming their way.
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007: The Daniel Craig Collection (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
It was 1962, and Ursula Andress emerged from the tropical island surf sporting a provocative swimsuit, and a tradition was born. The seductive scene would become the first iconic image in a line that has lasted a half a century and counting. Fifty years; 23 movies makes it the longest running film franchise in motion picture history. He had many faces over those 50 years: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby, and even David Niven, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen in a 1967 spoof. For the last three films, he’s been played by Daniel Craig. They all had somewhat different styles. They all had a line of beautiful women. They all faced different challenges and foes. But they all shared the same name: Bond…James Bond.
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Scarface (1983) The World is Yours Limited Edition (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
“In May 1980, Fidel Castro opened the harbor at Mariel, Cuba with the apparent intention of letting some of his people join their relatives in the United States. Within seventy-two hours, 3,000 U.S. boats were headed for Cuba. It soon became evident that Castro was forcing the boat owners to carry back with them not only their relatives, but the dregs of his jails. Of the 125,000 refugees that landed in Florida, an estimated 25,000 had criminal records.”
One of those refugees was Tony Montana
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“31 Nights Of Terror” Satanic Panic
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on October 23rd, 2019
If presented with the choice whether to see Ready or Not versus Satanic Panic, see Ready or Not. Their premises are relatively similar: a young woman at risk of being sacrificed by a satanic cult. However, their executions are vastly different, as the former has a better story and better comedic timing. Satanic Panic is a dark comedy that failed to get a chuckle out of me due to its stale execution, which was a pity, as I was expecting far more with familiar faces like Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn. The film delivers in the gore department, which makes it great candidate for 31 Nights of Terror, but is lackluster in the department of a horror comedy.
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Night Hunter (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 23rd, 2019
When it comes to gritty detective films, Seven and Zodiac are two that help define the genre. It seems like there are so many films that are attempting to piggyback off the style, but so many films fail because they are trying so hard to copycat the films, or they simply pull their punches with the material. Night Hunter is the newest film to make an attempt but sadly just falls apart. There is a lot of potential in this film, with Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) taking the top billing; then there are Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci, and Nathan Fillion filling out the cast. The cast and the storyline give this the potential to be a great thriller, but unfortunately the delivery ends up being something just a little better than an episode of Law and Order.
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