Happy Death Day 2U
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on February 16th, 2019
“The math is right. Something else must be wrong.”
Remember math class back when you were in grade school? Yeah, I know. Talk about your horror and nightmares. There used to be this thing called a Venn diagram. I imagine it was named after a guy named Venn. The idea was you had two circles. Inside the circles you had stuff. There were the things in circle A, the things in circle B, and then there were the things in a shaded area where the circles intersected like the Olympic rings. That’s the only way I can really describe the experience I had watching Happy Death Day 2 U. I had not seen the first film, so I borrowed a copy and watched it literally hours before I attended the screening for the new movie. I thought it was shaving things a bit close, but it turned out to be the most fortunate circumstances that could have happened. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen Happy Death Day. You need to watch these films as closely together as you can, because this isn’t a sequel, it’s a lateral move to another angle. And these two films are intersecting like crazy. These would have been Venn’s kind of movies.
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Widows (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2019
Steve McQueen has established himself as a rather talented director. 12 Years A Slave was one of the better films of 2013 and one of the few times I happened to agree with the Oscars’ choice for Best Picture. When he tackled the heist format, I expected something unique, and I wasn’t at all disappointed. McQueen managed to put a clever spin on a tired genre and provide us with a superior and inspired cast. It wasn’t all completely his idea, of course. The film is based on a Canadian miniseries that goes back to the 1980’s. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t found a way to imprint the material with his own style and bold choices. There’s a lot to love about Widows, but I have pretty low expectations for this film at the box office. More on that later. Let’s get down to it, shall we?
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Aircraft Carrier: Guardian Of The Seas (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 15th, 2019
“They have assembled here from the four corners of the earth. Fifty-five warships, among them the newest and most sophisticated ever produced. The United States is here. Great Britain, India, Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany. Twenty-six nations together; each will introduce the latest in naval technology in their arsenals.”
And this is actually the true subject and focus of the latest IMAX/4K release from Shout Factory. If you came strictly to spend 45 minutes on an aircraft carrier, you went away a little disappointed. But now that you can have it at home to watch in UHD whenever the mood strikes you, there’s less to be disappointed in here.
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They Shall Not Grow Old
Posted in The Reel World by John Delia on February 15th, 2019
I’m sure many of you reading this review have seen documentaries about war that have run on cable TV. The most prevalent is World at War that covers World War II and other American conflicts. Digging through archives of war museums could be a very difficult task and one that would have to be approved by the powers that be. Most of you also know Peter Jackson for his films, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. He also released the recent Mortal Engines that is currently in theaters. Well, put him in a room filled with British war movie film taken during World War I and he’ll come up with They Shall Not Grow Old, a documentary that shows the gritty battles of the Great War and the men who fought it. And It’s Utterly Amazing!
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Lu Over the Wall (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 15th, 2019
It is interesting to see two or more of a director’s works in a short period of time. One sees similarities, differences, and how the filmmaker hones his craft as they improve with every production. Masaaki Yuasa is certainly one of those directors, and if you enjoyed my review on Night is Short, Walk on Girl, then you will want to go ahead and read my review today on Lu Over the Wall. While there are similarities, I can safely say that is quite the departure from the previous film. Let us take a look in the animated world of merfolk and the people who live around them.
Suburbia (Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on February 14th, 2019
Shout Factory is at it again, releasing yet another cool and unappreciated film from the past, so hopefully a new audience can possibly embrace this fun, punk-rock, exploitation gem. Writer and director Penelope Spheeris, who created the brilliant documentary The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), followed her documentary with the 1984 film Suburbia. It’s no surprise that she would follow her punk documentary with a low-budget film that delves into the lives of kids who are entwined in the punk scene. Seeing how Roger Corman is listed as a producer on the film, it should come as no surprise that this is shot on a low budget; this is one of those times where cheap goes a long way in setting the tone for a film and keeps the look of the film honest. But is it worth taking a trip through Suburbia?
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Bohemian Rhapsody (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 12th, 2019
“Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?”
I think even Queen’s biggest fans might have trouble distinguishing between the two in the Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. And that’s absolutely OK. If you look at the film’s trailers, the movie looks less like a bio-film and more like a celebration, and that’s exactly the kind of experience you’re going to have from beginning to end. I’m sure that a lot of film and Queen fans shared more than a little skepticism over the project. I know that I certainly did. But all of that magically disappeared when the first trailer hit the internet and we all watched in amazement as actor Rami Malek appears to be channeling the manic spirit of Queen front man Freddie Mercury down to the smallest detail.
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Tuesday Release Round-Up For Tuesday Feb. 12th, 2019
Posted in Super Round Up by Gino Sassani on February 12th, 2019
Howdy there partners. It’s that time of the week again where we take a trip down to the bunkhouse and let you know what we’re going to be corralling for you guys this week. CBS breaks up the landscape with the first season of American Vandals. Fox will rock you with Bohemian Rhapsody on UHD/4K. Fox also leaves behind Widows also on UHD/4K. Up on the big screen Universal is dying for you to see Happy Death Day 2U.
And, Partners, don’t forget. If you’ll be making that video withdrawal from Amazon, lasso yourself one of our many links to get there. It helps keep us going here on the Upcomingdiscs ranch. Until next week, share some light with someone this week… television light, that is. Now let’s get those titles rollin’!
The Golem (2018)
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on February 11th, 2019
“When telling our story, it’s impossible to separate the truth from the myth.”
Isn’t that always the way? The Golem attempts to reach back deep into Hebrew history and update one of the world’s oldest monster stories. It’s a myth very much steeped in tradition and cinema history. A golem is a creature made from clay/dirt and animated as a means of revenge. Think of it as Pumpkinhead without all of the claws and teeth. The creature has been the subject of a few films going all the way back to the classic 1915 silent film of the same name. One of the more underappreciated versions of the story appears in the 1967 Roddy McDowall film It. Of course, the original story is a cautionary tale akin to the old saying that a man intent on revenge should begin by digging two graves.
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Sarah T: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 8th, 2019
As with probably most people in this business, I am indeed addicted to the concept of collecting movies. It should probably come as no surprise that I have well over 1,000 movies in all disc-based formats. Anybody with a rational mind should question why I have to own all the movies in a given series. Yes, I own Darkman 3, Hollow Man 2, and Bloodsport 4, among other strange and utterly awful movies. But somehow despite that completion-ist mindset, my addictions and OCDs pale in comparison to a deadly drug such as alcohol, a drug that can overtake your life and kill you in an instant. Our review today takes us to a TV movie from the 70’s named Sarah T: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic.
What Men Want
Posted in The Reel World by Jeremy Butler on February 8th, 2019
“With great power comes a responsibility to tell the truth.”
What do men want? For some it is money and fame; for others it may be power or prestige. However, for a majority I believe it is the love of a good woman. This debate is at the heart of the What Men Want, the Tariji P. Henson-led romantic comedy this guaranteed to have all the ladies running to the box office this weekend. I’m sure the title of this film sounds quite familiar, as it serves as a polar opposite to the 2000 Mel Gibson-led What Woman Want. Basically a rehashed plot and modernized from the female perspective, I expected the film to grow stale quite quickly, but despite my assumptions, I remained entertained the entire run of the movie, and that is due to charismatic performance of Henson and her chemistry with her love interest, the talented Aldis Hodge of Leverage fame.
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The Old Man And The Gun (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on February 8th, 2019
When Robert Redford first announced that The Old Man and the Gun was going to be the last film he was going to be acting in, it became a film that shot to the top of my must-see list. Since that announcement he’s backed off on his comment, but if this were his last film, this would be one heck of a way to close out an amazing career. What writer and director David Lowery has delivered here is sort of a love letter to all of Redford’s greatest hits, and by the time the credits end, well, you simply know you’ve watched something special. It’s a film from another era, when special FX didn’t come out of a camera and cinema just was different.
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Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (UHD Blu-ray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 7th, 2019
Bigger is not always better, and more is not always better. If the holiday season release of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch is a testament to anything, it is that those two ideas are absolutely true. The Grinch has everything that the 1966 How The Grinch Stole Christmas could never have hoped to have had. The film delivers on some of the best computer-generated animation that Hollywood studio money can buy. It had a $75-million budget. It will get a wide release with millions of more dollars put into a global marketing campaign. And it will make a ton of money. After all, the Grinch is the modern age Scrooge from Dickens’ classic story. These are the kind of stories that are timeless and popular. Still, there’s one thing this film doesn’t have over the 1966 television short, and that is that its heart is two sizes too small.
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Kidding: Season One
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on February 7th, 2019
“Every pain needs a name.”
Despite taking several cues from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the new Showtime series Kidding couldn’t be any further from the children’s TV show millions of kids grew up with. Instead, what Kidding offers is a front row seat where we see a man who embodies all that is wholesome, kind and optimistic dissolve into something that is emotionally broken as his sanity and life crumble around him. Kidding isn’t simply a dark comedy, but instead is the start of a man’s journey when he is confronted by tragedy and shown just how cruel the world around him is. While the show isn’t a complete romp of doom and gloom over its ten-episode first season, it still should be made clear this show is not for kids.
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The Game: The Complete Series
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on February 7th, 2019
Stemming from a backdoor pilot episode within the series Girlfriends, The Game is a comedy series about a woman (played by Tia Mowry Hardict) who gave up her career as a doctor in light of the success of her boyfriend’s being a star athlete (this is the first pang of misogyny, with more to come). The CW cancelled the series after the third season, and it was picked up by BET for it’s remaining years. The show was an absolute hit for a while and managed to score well with fans of Girlfriends. It was like getting an extra nine seasons of that show.
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The Cloverfield Paradox (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on February 6th, 2019
This was the big surprise during the 2018 Super Bowl halftime show; that this film that would be immediately available on Netflix after the game. As you can imagine, this was pretty significant for me, as I only had a vague knowledge of the film due to its limited promotion until this event. How apropos it is that this film be released around the same time of as the 2019 Super Bowl. Part of the Cloverfield Universe and armed with basically a who’s who of international talent, I can say that The Cloverfield Paradox is among my favorite of the movie franchise, based predominantly on the performances of the cast. The plot of the film tends to be a bit heavy on the science, which may make it difficult to follow for those who aren’t that well-versed with that subject.
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Gunsmoke: The Fourteenth Season
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on February 5th, 2019
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.
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Tuesday Release Round-Up For Feb. 5th, 2019
Posted in Super Round Up by Gino Sassani on February 5th, 2019
Howdy there, partners. Upcomingdiscs has a new look and a change in our cowhands as well. It’s all intended to make the Upcomingdiscs ranch better than ever. I’ll be handing out the round-up chow from this point forward. It’s time to head back to Dodge, and I’m not talking about no Ram Truck. It’s the 14th season of Gunsmoke, and it’s coming your way on DVD from CBS in a 2-vol. collection. Shout Factory animates our lives with Lu Over The Wall on Blu-ray. Shout Factory is also landing their Aircraft Carrier: Guardians Of The Sea from their IMAX collection in UHD Blu-ray. That’s a full 4K for you city slickers. Paramount is going to try and confuse things just a might with The Cloverfield Paradox out on Blu-ray. Universal still has the Christmas spirit with Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch also out in UHD Blu-ray in 4K.
And, Partners, don’t forget. If you’ll be making that video withdrawal from Amazon, lasso yourself one of our many links to get there. It helps keep us going here on the Upcomingdiscs ranch. Until next week, share some light with someone this week… television light, that is. Now let’s get those titles rollin’!
Contest: Win Playtime With Puppy Dog Pals On DVD From Disney Junior
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on February 2nd, 2019
Our friends over at Walt Disney Studios wanted to help us celebrate our brand new design here at Upcomingdiscs. They’ve sent over 2 copies of their DVD Playtime With Puppy Dog Pals. We’re going to pass them along to 2 lucky fans at Upcomingdiscs. This is a Disney Junior favorite. Join puppy brothers Bingo & Rolly as they get into the coolest adventures. There are 2 bonus episodes introducing new puppy dog pal Keia.
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 your favorite Disney character?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Daniel M.
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!
The Shield – The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on February 1st, 2019
When did it become mainstream to root for the bad guys? Certainly our pop culture has been propagated with colorful villains since Shakespeare, goons we love to hate or even just love. Still, the rule always seemed to be that the white hats always win and the black hats get what’s coming. Television once demanded that shows follow that simple code. When Alfred Hitchcock did his television show, the stories often ended with the bad guys appearing to win. To comply with the code, he developed a habit of offering us a usually humorous sidebar about the unfortunate fate of the stories’ bad guys. It became a trademark that was created to keep to a moral code. But when did all of that change? Was it with The Sopranos? We all became enamored by this lovable teddy bear of a guy in Tony. We don’t have to spoil it by pointing out he’s a killer, adulterer, and all-star criminal sociopath
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The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl (Blu-Ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Michael Durr on February 1st, 2019
I have had many story ideas in my head for quite sometime. Putting them on paper is indeed another thing. One such story is a road trip between some friends that starts out normally, but little by little it becomes unraveled until it represents a tremendous and crazy affair. Unfortunately, I only got through nine chapters, and it hasn’t seen a word since. Today’s review is focused on an anime that is named The Night is Short, Walk On Girl. It involves the story of a girl who starts a normal night drinking through town. However, little by little the people and events around her become more extraordinary and bizarre as the night carries on. Hopefully this one makes it well past the ninth chapter.
Secret Stories of Hitler
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 31st, 2019
“If the human features of Hitler are lacking in the image of him that is passed on to posterity, if he is dehumanized and shown only as the devil, any future Hitler may not be recognized simply because he is a human being.”
We have become so removed in time and experience from the evils of Nazi Germany that the entire experience has been cheapened. When politicians call another politician a Nazi or compare them with Hitler, it’s absolute proof that they have no idea of what they’re talking about.
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Dogs on the Job
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 31st, 2019
“They are working. They have been working for us for over 10,000 years. They have been called man’s best friend. Soft fur and wet nose. Smart and loyal. Aiding us in transportation, hunting, companionship, protection, and many more ways. They share a bond with us like no other animal. They are career dogs, and this is a look into the history, training, and duties: jobs that can only be filled by our four-legged friends.”
Dogs on the Job is a seven-part series that takes a closer look at the various breeds of dog and the kinds of jobs they were bred to perform. The first episode gives us a pretty good lesson on how dogs became to be associated with humans and why those early wolves would become so cooperative with humans.
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Family Guy’s 20 Greatest Hits
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on January 31st, 2019
Family Guy has reached a level of impact upon the American pop culture where I believe the characters need little to no introduction. Is there anyone really that doesn’t recognize Stewie? After all, he’s reached the status of icon and has even become a fixture of the Thanksgiving parade as one of the many floats. Where The Flintstones, then later The Simpsons were at one time the dominating animated family on the television tackling day to day struggles of the modern American (each in their own and unique way), Family Guy (love it or hate it) now seems to be the go-to animated family.
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Trail of Tears Collection
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 31st, 2019
“I have no motive, my friends, to deceive you. I am sincerely desirous to promote your welfare. Listen to me, therefore, when I tell you that you cannot remain where you now are. Circumstances that cannot be controlled which are beyond the reach of human law and render it impossible that you can flourish in the midst of a civilized community. You have but one remedy in your reach, and that is to remove to the West. The choice now is before you. May the great spirit teach you how to change. Your friend, Andrew Jackson”
With friends like that, who needs enemies, or so the saying goes.
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