Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2009
Shrink is an exploration of loss. Henry Carter (Kevin Spacey) is a celebrity psychiatrist with an A-list clientele. Henry attempts to juggle his career with his ongoing personal battles and he begins to breakdown. The loss of his wife to suicide sends him into a downward spiral of alcohol and substance abuse. It is not until he agrees to his first pro bono case with a young girl (Keke Palmer) that Henry attempts to rebuild his life.
Kevin Spacey is a brilliant actor. His performances are usually always strong and he chooses roles that challenge his acting ability. However, with this film, he seems to have chosen poorly. There are good moments in his performance that do showcase his range. For example, his monologue at the intervention is very strong. Unfortunately, even Spacey cannot carry the entire workload for this film. The supporting cast is weak. Dallas Roberts is not believable as the Entourage inspired super agent and Mark Webber is flat as the struggling writer. However, Keke Palmer shines as the conflicted teenager. Her performance is understated and audiences will admire her strength.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 13th, 2009
What do a messy divorce and a clan of flesh eating cannibals have in common? Well, in both cases someone gets their heart eaten out. They also share plot points in Offspring. Lionsgate brings back their popular Ghost House Underground series from last October. The series title likely borrows a bit from the old Grind House Theater that Quentin Tarantino brought back to fashion in the last couple of years. I assume it is intended to denote a horror film that skirts the art house scene. So, how does Offspring fit into that mold?
If you’re looking for a plot, you really shouldn’t look at this one too closely. It’s more of a set up and then let the cannibal carnage begin. After a quick scare shot we’re introduced to a young family who live in a relatively isolated house in Dead River County, Maine. A friend has arrived with her young son on the run from an abusive husband who was about to get served his divorce papers today. Of course, he’s not taking it lying down, and phones to say he’s on his way. Mom’s got a restraining order, so the solution here is an easy one. Call the local cops. Unfortunately the local police already have their hands full. Another family has just been massacred. It seems an old trouble has returned to Dead River County. Enter former Sheriff George Chandler (Art Hindle). (To make things more complicated, the character’s name was apparently changed from George Peters. So, if you look up the character on the IMDb, that’s what you’ll get.) Chandler was Sheriff 11 years ago when he faced a nomadic clan of cannibals that rained down some serious carnage in the small county. He took care of ‘bidness and thought he sent them all to cannibal heaven. Now it seems there were survivors who had worked their way up to Canada and have returned for dessert. What remains of the clan are mostly young children and barely adults. Play ball.
![Offspring [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/offspring-blu-ray-large.jpg)
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2009
Written by Ashley Orr
Despite its over-animated cover, Battle for Terra, directed by Aristomenis Tsirbas, was a surprisingly interesting flick. With an all-star cast playing the voices, this movie takes animated sci-fi and marries the ideas of philosophy and entertainment in an unusual way.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2009
Written by Adrienne Ambush
Before there was American Idol, before there was So, You Think You Can Dance and definitely before there was Dancing with the Stars, there was Fame.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on October 13th, 2009
Written by Adrienne Ambush
Before there was American Idol, before there was So, You Think You Can Dance and definitely before there was Dancing with the Stars, there was Fame.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2009
“On the full moon of the seventh lunar month, the gates of Hell open and the spirits of the dead are freed to roam among the living” – Chinese Myth.
I wonder if there’s a roaming charge on that plan. Lionsgate brings back their popular Ghost House Underground series from last October. The series title likely borrows a bit from the old Grind House Theater that Quentin Tarantino brought back to fashion in the last couple of years. I assume it is intended to denote a horror film that skirts the art house scene and Seventh Moon certainly fits that description. This is absolutely the kind of horror film you might expect to encounter at Sundance or an independent horror film festival.
![Seventh Moon [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/seventh-moon-blu-ray-large.jpg)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 12th, 2009
Warner Brothers has come out with what I believe to be a wonderful new program to enhance their home video release catalog. Let’s face it. We all have a favorite film or television show that was never really a popular release with the general population. But that doesn’t matter to us, because we love it anyway. We wait forever in the hopes that the title will one day be available. Unfortunately, like anything else, video releases have to make money. If the studio does not believe that it will have broad enough appeal, the release will never see the light of day, nor your local favorite video store. The reality is very easy to understand. Millions of copies of a release have to be cut in order to make all of the preparation and processing viable. If that number isn’t a realistic projection, there isn’t going to be a release. But, now Warner Brothers has actually found a compromise and at last hope for your obscure “gotta have” title, if it is owned by Warner Brothers, of course.
The Warner Archive Collection offers up hundreds of obscure titles that the studio has evaluated and found not viable as a commercial release. The catalog is growing almost by the day. For a nominal fee, not more than a standard DVD release, you can order a copy of these hard to find titles. Warner will then cut a DVD-R of that title and ship it to you direct. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. This is going to look like that bootleg copy your cousin makes in his basement. Wrong. The DVD-R comes in a solid case with a printed insert, just like in the stores. The disc is silk-screened and in color. The video quality varies somewhat. I’m not going to tell you that the audio and video are wonderful, but they are in better shape than cousin Hector’s bootleg, that I promise you. The discs do not contain extras, and the films are not restored or processed much as transfers. Still, it’s an incredibly grand idea, one I hope that all of the other studios adopt soon.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Michael Durr on October 12th, 2009
The people at Warner Bros recently decided to adopt a new strategy when dealing with some of their back catalog. They would propose a printing on demand option or what they would dub the “Archive Collection”. This would allow collectors to own classics of long forgotten films and keep costs at a minimal to Warner Bros. One such movie was named Lightning Strikes Twice which came out in 1951 with Ruth Roman. Hopefully this one was a gem and not something that should be long forgotten back in the vault.
Richard Trevelyan (played by Richard Todd) has been convicted for murder of his wife. He is about to be executed when the jury becomes dead-locked and no decision can be made. He is then released where he decides to hide out at a Texas ranch where nobody can find him. Everybody is convinced that he did it and nobody seems that willing to stand by his side.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by William O'Donnell on October 12th, 2009
A monstrous emperor sets out his orcs to find an ancient item that would grant him enormous power. Goblins come out of the woodwork as the side of good assembles a small group of humans, elves and other species to seek out this same item and end the evil emperor's quest for domination. Sound familiar? It should, after all, this is the Fellowship of the...err...Knights of Bloodsteel.
Using what must have been the leftovers at the Lord of the Rings yard sale, the effects people have slapped on pointed ears and noises onto as many extras and actors they could find in an attempt to resurrect the enormous majesty of Middle-Earth (of course it goes by some other magical sounding, gibberish name here). Everyone babbles endlessly about elves this and goblins that to make the fantasy realm become more believable, but it becomes terribly inane tiresome by about the 18th time something “fantasy” is brought up in the first 5 minutes.
Posted in: News and Opinions by William O'Donnell on October 11th, 2009
What is it that makes us cheer for the bad guy sometimes? Is because the villain is often the most interesting character, such as Hannibal Lecter in anything they place him in? If so, can one construct this likeability? Rob Zombie is certainly making great efforts to make his “devil’s rejects” a super team of depraved serial killers who are also marketable enough to become action figures in the real world. If this is all true so far, then to what lengths of depravity should we allow our villains to go?
![The Devil's Rejects (Unrated) [Blu-ray] dvd cover art](https://upcomingdiscs.com/ecs_covers/the-devils-rejects-unrated-blu--large.jpg)
On The Web
Sponsors
