OPPO UDP-203 Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 16th, 2017
The young Ultra High Definition Blu-ray market has pretty much been a limited competition between a couple of players. Upcomingdiscs obtained an early version of the Samsung player in order to get UHD 4K reviews to our readers. The player allowed me to do that but had so many limitations that those reviews certainly suffered. The most obvious was an inability to provide codec bitrates. All of that changes now that Oppo has entered the UHD market. Oppo is no stranger to 4K. Previous models that we’ve reviewed here already provided rather sweet 4K upconvert options to early adopters of 4K televisions. We received our unit during the holidays, and I have been putting it through some serious paces. Needless to say this will be our go-to unit going forward. However long you think the UHD market has been out there, it truly begins with the release of the Oppo UDP-203
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Star Trek: Enterprise: The Complete Series
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 16th, 2017
“It’s been a long time getting from there to here.”
35 years, to be exact. Enterprise is the fourth spinoff from the original 1960’s hopeful series. The Earth is finally ready to send its first starship to explore the vast galaxy. This first starship Enterprise is smaller than the ships we’ve become used to. There are no shields or photon torpedoes. The transporter has only been cleared for inanimate objects. Not that this stands in the way of its occasional “emergency” use. The ship is very much like the cramped spaces of today’s submarines. It adds an even greater sense of reality to the show. The crew is composed of Captain Jonathan Archer (Bakula), First Officer and Vulcan High Command liaison, T’Pol (Blalock), Chief Engineer Charles (Trip) Tucker (Trinneer)
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The Accountant (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 16th, 2017
It would seem as though Ben Affleck is finally starting to shed the stigma of doing bad films. He’s been on a roll since he took on the role of George Reeves in Hollywoodland and has also in the process become an accomplished director. When the trailer first dropped for The Accountant, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but as you look at the laundry list of talent that fills the cast, it quickly became a film I had my eye on. What is surprising is despite there being franchises that seem to cover the same territory i.e.: Jack Reacher and the Jason Bourne films, is there room for another lone-wolf killing machine film? Before going into this it was a question that bothered me; heck, I’m already burnt out of the Jason Bourne films, and with a new Jack Reacher film on the horizon, the saturation is noticeable.
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The Orphan Killer
Posted in No Huddle by Dan Holland on January 16th, 2017
When a movie makes a bold claim such as being “a tour de force murder flick that defies classification,” it is inviting a hefty amount of preconceived criticisms prior to anyone actually viewing the film. It’s like titling a horror film This Will Scare You. Naturally, your first thought would be something along the lines of “Yeah, whatever, movie.” Needless to say, that want to criticize burns within you until you watch it. Then, with all the satisfaction in the world, you get to say “No, that wasn’t scary at all.” In the end, you are stuck with a movie that wasn’t what it promised to be, but realistically, you knew that would be the case anyway. It is a cheap marketing ploy that entices you to watch for all the wrong reasons.
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Patriots Day
Posted in The Reel World by J C on January 13th, 2017
Too soon? That’s a question filmmakers looking to tackle a real-life tragedy from the recent past must ask themselves. The past several months have nevertheless brought us a mini-run of movies based on true calamities. Clint Eastwood’s Sully used the “Miracle on the Hudson” to explore the nature (and context) of heroism. Peter Berg’s Deepwater Horizon painstakingly chronicled the events that led to the famous oil rig disaster on the Gulf of Mexico. But the best movie of that bunch is Patriots Day, Berg’s visceral, all-encompassing, and thrilling account of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
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Interview With Ice Cube For Fist Fight
Posted in Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on January 11th, 2017
On Feb 17th, 2017 Warner Brothers will release the comedy Fist Fight starring Ice Cube and Charlie Day. The two teachers come into conflict when one gets the other fired. An old-fashion afterschool fist fight between the stars is the consequence. I’ll have a chance to tell you my thoughts on the film when it comes out. I had the rare opportunity to sit down with Ice Cube to talk about the film. Fortunately, he didn’t challenge me to a fight after our talk. You can check out the film in Feb. Click here to watch the video with Ice Cube
Girls: The Complete Fifth Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on January 11th, 2017
“I don’t want to be in this relationship anymore, and I don’t know how to get out.”
A TV show’s fifth season is around the time it starts to feel like you have to see things through to the bitter end. I mean, it seems downright irresponsible to ditch a series after five years of investing in its characters’ lives, no matter how flawed and frustrating they are. And there’s no doubt the self-absorbed millennials on HBO’s Girls are among the most flawed and frustrating people on TV; so I was delighted to find that the series produced one of its strongest seasons as it nears its conclusion.
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Blair Witch (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 10th, 2017
In 1999 The Blair Witch Project was released, and it was a horror film that created a stir like I had never seen before. I remember going to Tampa Theatre to see it opening week. The line was wrapped around the building for the sold-out screening. Discussions were going on in the line about the film actually being real, some even talking about how they heard the bodies of the three filmmakers were never found. It’s this kind of mindset going into the film that made it such an impact as I walked out of that first showing. At the time I knew I had seen something unique, but I never would have expected it to spawn an entire style of genre filmmaking that would be copied over and over again.
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Sleepy Hollow: Season 3
Posted in No Huddle by Gino Sassani on January 10th, 2017
“Evil has returned to Sleepy Hollow.”
With the big bad finally destroyed and an apocalypse averted, the dynamic duo of Sleepy Hollow have gone their separate ways. Abby is now with the FBI, while Crane has gone into seclusion and ends up in jail for trying to sneak an artifact into the country from his homeland of Scotland. Abby gets him out of trouble only to discover that the tablet Crane found in his family crypt back in Europe holds more prophesy for the pair of witnesses. The two have to come back together to save the world from yet another end of times
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Tuesday Round Up: January 10, 2017
Posted in Tuesday Round Up by J C on January 10th, 2017
We’re only a couple of weeks away from the start of tax season, so it won’t hurt to have your trusty accountant nearby. Fortunately for us, Warner Bros. was kind enough to send a copy of The Accountant, the action hit that stars Ben Affleck as a math savant/killing machine. Elsewhere, Comedy Central yuks it up (and lights up) with Broad City: Season 3.
One last reminder before signing off for the week: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon — maybe a present or two — and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
31 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 9th, 2017
There is something about a Rob Zombie film that will always be a draw, and it is always the realism that he brings to the screen. Whether it’s The Devil’s Rejects or his version of Halloween, he always presents it in a way that I feel is grounded in reality. Perhaps it’s also because I live in Florida, and there are some small towns that you don’t want to break down in at night for fear of crossing some crazed backwoods types. To put it out there, I was a fan of Rob Zombie before he was putting out movies, and I have all of his albums; he’s just a guy who does stuff that I really dig. That being said, I can be objective in saying his films have been a bit all over the place, but Lords of Salem was a piece of work that I simply loved, and I felt it showed a lot of growth from his previous films and worked well as a slow burn.
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The Ultimate Legacy
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on January 9th, 2017
And the Ultimate Legacy makes three, marking the third installment in what will undoubtedly become known as the “Ultimate” series. Please don’t misunderstand my meaning; I say that as a good thing. Granted, before I watched the film I would have likely said that sardonically, but I must admit to being genuinely touched by the story and have gained an appreciation for the message behind it. Given this is the third go-around for the franchise, the themes and some of the cast is already well established by this point, which opens it up to becoming boring and stagnant; however, despite those obstacles it remains fresh and engaging. It is definitely a movie that should be shared with the whole family.
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12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 12: Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe By Robert Matzen
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 5th, 2017
On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas GoodKnight Books Gives To You:
Mission: Jimmy Stewart And The Fight For Europe. You’ve been hearing a lot about this wonderful book by Robert Matzen. I had the opportunity to talk with him. You can revisit that chat Here. We also made it one of our unpaid Holiday Gift Guide Spotlights. Now you’re going to have a chance to win a copy for yourself. We truly saved the best for last. Thanks to our new friends at GoodKnight Books I have a hardbound copy to give to one Upcomingdiscs reader. If you enter just one of our contests this year, make it this one.
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! Instead tell us – What was the best Christmas/Holiday gift you ever got.
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Rosalie
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.
The Killing of America (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on January 4th, 2017
“America is the only industrialized nation with a higher murder rate than countries at civil war.”
2016 might technically be in the rearview mirror, but it feels like last year left an indelible mark on the psyche of the United States. In addition to the most polarizing presidential election in a very long time, last year was marked by the deadliest shooting in U.S. history about an hour away from where I’m currently sitting, along with other highly-publicized instances of gun violence. So it feels like an appropriate time to revisit The Killing of America, a 1981 documentary that was never granted a commercial U.S. release after being deemed too exploitative.
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12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 11: The Odd Couple: Season 1 On DVD From CBS
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 4th, 2017
On The Eleventh Day Of Christmas CBS Gives To You:
The Odd Couple: Season 1 on DVD. First it was Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau. Later it would be Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. An early 1980’s black version featured Ron Glass and Demond Wilson. In 1998 the original pairing of Lemmon and Mathau reprised the roles. Now it’s Thomas Lennon and Matthew Perry. Of course, I’m talking about Felix Unger and Oscar Madison from Neil Simon’s brilliant The Odd Couple. CBS has brought back the popular concept now heading into second season. They’ve given us 2 copies of the complete first season to give away to a couple of Upcomingdiscs readers.
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! Instead tell us – Are you the OCD Felix or the sloppy Oscar?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winners are Dawn Ballo & Judy Hunting
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.
Tuesday Round Up: January 3, 2017
Posted in Tuesday Round Up by J C on January 3rd, 2017
The first Tuesday Round Up of 2017 is getting the New Year off to a spooky start. Lionsgate ventures back into the woods to meet up with the Blair Witch, while Fox makes us lose our heads thanks to Sleepy Hollow: Season 3. Finally, Reel Gore Releasing has a bloody good time with The Orphan Killer. Meanwhile in non-horror news, Cinedigm leaves behind The Ultimate Legacy, while HBO takes us back to the Big Apple (with a detour to Japan) to hang out with Girls: Season 5.
It might be a new year now, but you’re going to get the same weekly reminder before we sign off for the week: if you’re shopping for anything on Amazon and you do it through one of our links, it’ll help keep the lights on here at UpcomingDiscs. See ya next week!
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 10: Noma & Entertainment On Blu-ray From Magnolia
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 3rd, 2017
On The Tenth Day Of Christmas Magnolia Home Entertainment Gives To You:
Noma: My Perfect Storm & Entertainment on Blu-ray. Magnolia has been a powerhouse this Christmas for Upcomingdiscs and for all of you guys. I have 1 copy each of these films on Blu-ray. Noma: My Perfect Storm: Noma is the name of the award-winning Copenhagen restaurant operated by Chef Rene Redzepi. The film dips into Redzepi’s origin story. Entertainment: An aging comedian ends up on a tour of dive venues while attempting to re-connect with his estranged daughter.
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! Instead tell us – Which title would you want?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winners are Jim Gardner & John H
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.
Never Open The Door (Blu-ray)
Posted in No Huddle by Brent Lorentson on January 2nd, 2017
Since we are knee-deep into the holidays, it would only be fitting to discuss the independent horror film Never Open the Door; after all it takes place on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a shame we don’t have more horror films to watch during turkey day, but for some this new title may be a nice fit to change all that. When I picked up the title I hadn’t heard a peep about it, but I’m a sucker for horror, and seeing that it was shot in B&W just made it all the more enticing. Now, when I watch a title like this, one thing has to work. It has to have a story that engages me; story is what matters with these smaller films, because the budgets tend to not have room for big makeup FX or big-name actors. The limitations placed upon the filmmakers seem to force their hand and have them get more creative with the execution of scenes, whether this means creative camera work or unique storytelling.
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Road To The Well
Posted in No Huddle by Dan Holland on January 2nd, 2017
Road to the Well is about what you would expect from an independent thriller: atmospheric and character-driven, sporting a slow pace. While the pacing was indeed slow, it was most certainly deliberate and aided in the storytelling. I can’t necessarily say that I would watch the film again, but I can say I understand why it has won awards while on the festival circuit, especially given the fact that it is writer/director Jon Cvack’s first feature length film. It is a good movie. It satisfies. And even though good movies have their faults, Road to the Well succeeds in balancing its failures with tremendous amounts of successful feats.
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12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 9: Blu-rays & DVD’s From Magnolia
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 2nd, 2017
On The Ninth Day Of Christmas Magnolia Home Entertainment Gives To You:
It’s another huge bag of goodies from Magnolia. They’ve given me copies of the following titles on Blu-ray and DVD: The Last King. Imagine if Three Men and a Baby was remade with just two guys, a baby, a battle axe, and a bunch of arrows. Despite its exceedingly generic Americanized title, The Last King has a little something different to offer action-weary movie watchers. Then there is A War. This one is about a Danish commander and his weary, overwhelmed young soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Finally we have Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The True Story Of National Lampoon. That’s six total winners for this contest. Odds look pretty good thanks to our Holiday heroes over at Magnolia Home Entertainment.
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! Instead tell us – What movie are you most looking forward to in 2017?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Leslie Crosbie
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.
Thanks to John Ceballos for some of the prize descriptions.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 8: National Geographic DVD’s From Fox
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on January 1st, 2017
On The Eighth Day Of Christmas Fox Home Entertainment Gives To You:
A huge collection of National Geographic television DVD sets. You get Mygrations Season 1, which follows a group of humans migrating across the Serengeti. In Return From The Dead Dr. Steven Laureys investigates death and the human brain. When Sharks Attack Season 3 continues to look into shark attacks across the world. Animals Gone Wild Season 3 takes us from jungles to the depths of the ocean where animals reveal fierce natures. Finally there’s Missing Dial which looks into the case of Cody Roman Dial, who vanished in 2014. It’s all going to one lucky winner thanks to Upcomingdiscs and Fox Home Entertainment.
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! Instead tell us – What would you like us NOT to change here at Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Forrest Johnson
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.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 7: Time Life Bag Of Goodies
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 31st, 2016
On The Seventh Day Of Christmas Time-Life Gives To You:
A wonderful bag of vintage entertainment. One lucky winner is going to receive Bob Hope: Hope For The Holidays on DVD. It’s the 1993 special where Bob Hope looks back at some of his classic holiday moments. You also get The Red Skelton Hour In Color. This 3 DVD set features full color episodes of the classic show. Guests include John Wayne and Mickey Rooney. Add Hee Haw Salute, which gives you another 3 DVD set this time featuring vintage moments from the old show featuring performances by Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. Finally, it’s The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson Featuring Jerry Seinfeld. Catch some wonderful moments with Johnny and Jerry. It’s where the star got his start. You get all of this free thanks to our wonderful friends at Time-Life.
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! Instead tell us – What would you like to see changed here at Upcomingdiscs?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is Darla
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.
Snowden (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on December 30th, 2016
It’s been just about four years since Savages (2012) hit the big screen. For me Savages was Oliver Stone simply having a blast, shooting an over-the-top action film fueled by sex, drugs, and violence. Now it seems Stone has stepped back into the paranoid, government-conspiracy form that he seems to be best known for with Snowden. Whether you view him as a traitor to the United States or a self-sacrificing lamb to expose the government and its illegal wiretapping, it’s a choice that is up to you going into this film. Personally, while I feel his intentions were good, still, he did betray his government and committed treason. What I had hoped with this film is that Oliver Stone would capture both sides of the coin, but as the title would suggest, Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is front and center on this ride, and that’s not my only problem here.
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12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 6: Greenleaf Season 1 From Lionsgate
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 30th, 2016
On The Sixth Day Of Christmas Lionsgate Gives To You:
Greenleaf Season 1 on Blu-ray. Greenleaf is a show that points out that even the most righteous and respected have their flaws, and we get a glimpse at how this family confronts these indiscretions for better or for worse. You can check out Brent’s review Here. Then enter to win a copy for your family. Thanks to the happy elves over at Lionsgate.
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! Instead tell us – What was the best television show of 2016?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winner is J
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.
12 Days Of Christmas Giveaways – Day 5: Presenting Princess Shaw & Sunset Song On DVD From Magnolia
Posted in Contests by Gino Sassani on December 29th, 2016
On The Fifth Day Of Christmas Magnolia Home Entertainment Studios Gives To You:
Two titles on DVD. First up is Presenting Princess Shaw, the amazing story of struggling musician Princess Shaw, who made her dreams a reality by inspiring a Youtube star to work with her and change both of their lives. The second title is Sunset Song, based on the heartwarming novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. It tells the story of a young woman’s struggles against the world of World War I Scotland. I have two copies of each film to give away thanks to our Holiday pals at Magnolia Home Entertainment.
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! Instead tell us – Which film would you like to win?
- Only those comments that answer our question will be considered.
Contest is now closed Winners are Alyssa Christian & Nancy
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.