Traded (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by J C on August 11th, 2016
“The story of the American Frontier is a tale of conquest, but also one of survival, persistence, and the grit of the people.”
And the story of the American Western is a tale of quick draw competitions, fights aboard speeding trains, and other assorted horseplay. Each of those elements can be found in Traded, which inelegantly grafts the plot of Taken onto an Old West setting. The problem is that nothing here is executed particularly well.
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Peter – The Redemption
Posted in No Huddle by Archive Authors on August 11th, 2016
When I think of the Bible, I don’t think of northern Ontario. But there is an appetite for Christian-themed movies, and Canada is one of the most cost-effective places to produce movies. They have studios and sets up there, so it isn’t the worst idea in the world to go there to make any movie, even movies that take place in a very arid, hot, and dusty place. I have reviewed a group of Biblical films that Ted Turner produced for the TNT Network in the 1990’s. They were fairly well made, and, yes, they were made pretty close to the original locations. This new group of Biblical films is not quite up to those standards. I am reviewing The Apostle Peter: Redemption, but the same company has also produced Joseph and Mary, so we can probably expect more.
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Meet The Blacks
Posted in No Huddle by Jeremy Butler on August 11th, 2016
I fear our acceptance of A Haunted House has opened a door that we may never be able to close, as it would cause the disaster that is Meet the Blacks to be born. Parody films have the potential to be extraordinarily funny or incredibly bad. Can you guess what side of the scale this film falls on? Whether it be through overacting or jokes that attempted to play on every stereotype known to man, Meet the Blacks never really manages to get off the ground and make me laugh, which is equally disappointing given the sheer talent pool of comedians in the film: Mike Epps, Charlie Murphy, DeRay Davis, Lavell Crawford, Michael Blackson, Lil Duval, Paul Mooney, and the list goes on. As I said, this was a clear waste of talent.
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Upcomingdiscs Interview With Justin Raleigh: Make-Up F/X Wizard On The Knick
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on August 10th, 2016
HBO’s groundbreaking medical drama, The Knick is set at the turn of the 20th century. One of the highlights of the series has to be the graphic depiction of surgical techniques from 1901. From the splitting of the first co-joined twins to the second season finale where Dr. Thackery performs surgery on himself. Justin Raleigh leads the team that delivers on these extraordinary makeup effects. His methods have even led to the medical community calling on the team to create materials for actual doctors in training. He’s also the man behind the effects on Viral which John reviewed for us Here. I had a chance to talk with Justin for a few minutes. Now you have a chance to hear about these groundbreaking creations. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Justin Raleigh.
Tuesday Round Up: August 9, 2016
Posted in Tuesday Round Up by J C on August 9th, 2016
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Superman! (Wait a minute, that’s not right…let me grab my glasses and take a closer look.) I stand corrected…it’s actually Supergirl flying into UpcomingDiscs HQ this week! Thanks to Warner Bros., we’ll have a review of the CBS CW action-drama’s freshman season. Meanwhile, CBS/Paramount takes it (Big) Easy for Season 2 of NCIS: New Orleans and gets our hearts racing with Code Black: Season 1.
One last reminder before signing 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!
Blindspot: Season 1 (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 9th, 2016
“Everything just feels so out of control. I don’t remember who I am. Who I was. Whatever life I had is gone. Shattered into a million tiny pieces. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe.”
I have to credit Blindspot’s creator Martin Gero with providing one of the more memorable moments on television with the opening minutes of the series. Unfortunately, by the time we saw the pilot that image was already ruined by the countless spots used to promote the show’s premiere. We see a police officer in Times Square approach a bag with a sign on it that asks the FBI be alerted. The cop approaches the bag a bit frightened it might be a bomb and blow up on him at any time.
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Suicide Squad
Posted in The Reel World by Brent Lorentson on August 8th, 2016
In the days leading up to the release of Suicide Squad, over the internet there has been one of the most vicious attacks on a film before its release that I can remember. Sure, we had all the negative talk about Ghostbusters,but that was before anyone had ever seen the film, and as screenings came along, opinions seemed to sway. Now I was lucky enough to attend a screening Monday for Suicide Squad, and there were up to 150 people turned away at the door because the auditorium was filled to capacity. I mean, the buzz for this was high, and we DC fans were giddy, because this film was our hope that WB would be turning things around. I mention all this because now this has managed to become one of the worst-reviewed films of the year, and I’m just sitting here like WTF happened, did they see some other cut of the film?
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Keanu (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 8th, 2016
When I first saw the trailer for Keanu I wasn’t sure if what I was watching was a real trailer or simply a sketch from the Key and Peele Show. Thankfully this turned out to their first starring foray in taking their talents to the big screen. With one look at the trailer, I felt they were attempting to capture the over-the-top stylish action we got in most 90’s action films, Face/Off is the first that comes to mind, but really there are countless examples. But the real star of the film is little Keanu himself, the ball of feline cuteness that will either have you embracing the film from the start or have you rolling your eyes (yeah, I’m talking about those cat haters out there). Grab your Glock, and don’t forget the catnip, as we scratch a little deeper into Keanu.
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Viral
Posted in No Huddle by J C on August 7th, 2016
The setup for Viral is promising enough. Throughout the early part of the film, we get subtle yet effective hints at the escalating catastrophe that is about to infect the story. (We hear about someone’s mom coughing uncontrollably, plus a video of a bloody, unexplained elevator attack goes, well, “viral.”) So it’s a shame that this sci-fi/horror thriller is limited by both its micro-budget and (more importantly) a filmmaking team that only sporadically delivers the goods.
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Humpback Whales (UHD Bluray) (4K)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on August 3rd, 2016
“Our planet holds a kind of parallel universe. A place of wonder where giants roam free. For thousands of years, we could only wonder about humpback whales. Now, by exploring their world, we’re getting surprising glimpses into their lives.”
In 1986, Leonard Nimoy led Kirk, Spock and their mates back in time to collect a couple of humpback whales and bring them to the 23rd century where they are extinct. If the whales aren’t there to communicate with a deadly probe, Earth is in deep trouble.
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Tuesday Round Up: August 2, 2016
Posted in Tuesday Round Up by J C on August 2nd, 2016
This week’s Tuesday Round Up has me seeing Red. Don’t get me wrong…I’m not mad at anybody. I’m talking about Raymond “Red “Reddington, the criminal mastermind at the center of The Blacklist. And thanks to Sony, we’ll be checking off a review of The Blacklist: Season 3 very soon. Anchor Bay goes Viral with a new horror thriller, so it’s a good thing Cinemax is letting us check into The Knick: Season 2. Cinedigm saddles up for Traded and keeps the faith with Peter: The Redemption. And while Shout! Factory goes looking for Humpback Whales, Warner Bros. leaves its mark with Blindspot: Season 1 and kitty caper Keanu.
Here’s your weekly reminder as we kick off a new month: 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!
I Am Wrath (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on August 1st, 2016
Don’t let the artwork scare you off. Yes, the cover design for this disc may be the worst I’ve seen this year, but the movie actually isn’t half bad. John Travolta has hit a bump in his career, and it seems the big blockbuster projects just don’t seem to want to reach out to him. Sure, he has a habit of going over the top in roles, but for the most part he’s still one of the few personalities I still enjoy seeing on the screen who’s been around since before I was a kid. Then you’ve got Chuck Russell (Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Warriors and The Blob remake) dusting off his director’s chair to helm a film again, and, well, I Am Wrath quickly starts to become a film I can be excited about.
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Exclusive Interview With Jason Lockhart Of All American Bikini Car Wash
Posted in Podcasts by Gino Sassani on August 1st, 2016
We’ve got to have the cleanest cars in the country here at Upcomingdiscs. That’s because we keep going back to the All American Bikini Car Wash. I think we’re starting to lose a little of the paint. This time we stopped by to talk to Jason Lockhart who plays Vex in the film. Vex is kind of the free spirit who likely wants to be spending more time with those bikini girls and cars. Actually, Jason is also a writer and director with some impressive credits of his own. It appears he had a great time working on All American Bikini Car Wash and I had the chance to talk to him about that. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Jason Lockhart.
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Jason Bourne
Posted in The Reel World by J C on July 29th, 2016
Moviegoers tend to have better memories than amnesiac assassins, but I think it’s fair to say we’ve mostly put The Bourne Legacy out of our minds. Universal’s underwhelming, half-hearted attempt to spin off one of its more lucrative franchises all but guaranteed the eventual return of original star Matt Damon and two-time director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum). The duo has re-teamed for the entertaining yet inessential Jason Bourne, which — for better and worse — will feel extremely familiar for fans of the trilogy.
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The Invitation (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 29th, 2016
It seems there have been a lot of horror films involving dinner parties that have gone wrong. You’re Next may be the best example to take on this idea, and I have to admit to being a fan of the film. It was a fun hipster horror film that kept the story moving forward and delivered more than a fair share of violence and gore. Then there was last year’s creepy gem The Gift, a film that captured the horror of the past coming back to haunt you. When it comes to The Invitation, it’s a film that seems like a hodgepodge of both You’re Next and The Gift, but also a handful of other films. It’s a film that feels so familiar, but as you watch it manages to avoid many of the stereotypical film tropes viewers have grown used to over the years.
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The 100: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on July 28th, 2016
“We were born in space. They told us the ground was uninhabited, but they were wrong, and we’ve been fighting for our lives since the moment we landed. Some of us have been broken by it, but most of us are still here, trying to build something real and lasting out of the wilderness… a home.”
You should know the setup by now. If not, you can check out our previous reviews: Season 1 & Season 2. The show is based on a new series of books from writer Kass Morgan. The crew here has a little bit more room to operate than do most shows based on book series.
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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Blu-ray 3D)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Jeremy Butler on July 28th, 2016
“It’s time for the biggest gladiator match of all time. Son of Krypton versus Bat of Gotham.”
In a summer chock full of blockbusters that are expected to defy box office records, dare I say this may be the most anticipated one of them all? When news about this film was first released, opposition rang out on both sides of the spectrum. Some argued that films that feature two characters facing off rarely work, especially when it comes to two heroes. I have to admit that I found myself agreeing with this argument. In my defense, this appeared to me as a clear strategic ploy to fast-track the introduction of the much-anticipated Justice League franchise.
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Hellhole
Posted in No Huddle by Dan Holland on July 28th, 2016
They really don’t make horror films like they used to. I understand that each decade graces us with new, unique genre mechanics, but there is just something to be said about the horror elements found in 1980’s cinema. While Hellhole does not have any supernatural or modern science fiction qualities, it does carry the classic “mad scientist” narrative quite well. The film also boasts one of the silliest, yet terrifying, villains I have seen to date. Hellhole is a film that gracefully slips below the radar, but for the cult cinema connoisseur, the strong writing is really what makes this film a great find.
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Person of Interest: The Complete Fifth and Final Season (Blu-ray)
Posted in Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on July 27th, 2016
If there was a show I could recommend to someone who is looking for a smart thriller that doesn’t talk down to its audience, I couldn’t point to Person of Interest fast enough. It’s a show that may be labeled sci-fi for some, yet its science and technology may not be so far off. The idea of our government or private agencies using security cameras or our phones to monitor us is no longer just a rumor muttered around in circles of conspiracy theorists, but is quickly becoming a reality of day-to-day life. I kind of saw the show as a riff on the Batman story, subtract the cape and cowl and exchange it for a suit, then throw in a dash of George Orwell’s 1984, and you can see where the show got its start.
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Tuesday Round Up: July 26, 2016
Posted in Tuesday Round Up by J C on July 26th, 2016
It’s been well over a year since we started this Tuesday Round Up, so I like to think we’re beyond certain formalities. For example, I hope you all know that you’re welcome to stop by our fair site anytime you want. No RSVP necessary. That being said, Drafthouse Films was still kind enough to drop off The Invitation this week. Shout! Factory tumbles down a Hellhole while offering a howling good time with The Boy Who Cried Werewolf. Finally, Lionsgate unleashes the John Travolta actioner I Am Wrath.
One last reminder before signing off for the week (and for July): 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!
Exclusive Interview With Rob Hawk Writer/Director Of Fight Valley
Posted in Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on July 25th, 2016
The first rule of Fight Club is you never talk about Fight Club. So it’s a good thing we’re talking about Fight Valley instead. I got to hang out on the phone with Rob Hawk who both wrote and directed Fight Valley and the upcoming Fight Valley 2: Lockdown and we had a lot to talk about. The New Jersey native gives us an idea of what it was like to grow up on the tough streets of Jersey. Fight Valley tells the story of one woman who enters the underground female fight game to find out how her sister died. It’s lady’s night at the fights. You talkin’ to me? Rob Hawk did and it’s all here. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Rob Hawk.
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The Dark Horse
Posted in No Huddle by J C on July 25th, 2016
“You talk dreams to those kids, you better follow through.”
There’s a (not-so) grand cinematic tradition of white knights riding into rough neighborhoods and inspiring the disadvantaged kids who are seemingly stuck there. We’ve seen this plot applied in everything from Hardball and McFarland USA to Sister Act 2. (Hey…no one said the white knight *has* to be white). For the most part, these movies are as formulaic as they are enjoyable. So one of the many wonderful things about New Zealand chess drama The Dark Horse is that its white knight hero is a complex, damaged, well-meaning figure who’s actually in worse shape than the kids he’s trying to help.
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Exclusive Interview With Tom McLaren Of All American Bikini Car Wash
Posted in Uncategorized by Gino Sassani on July 25th, 2016
That’s right. We’re heading back to The All American Bikini Car Wash once again. Seems my car keeps getting dirty these days. This time we’re talking to the guy who started it all (in the film). Tom McLaren plays Professor Dugan. He’s the one who offers the extra credit if Jack can turn a profit with his car wash. Obviously, the prof. wasn’t expecting this… I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with Tom. He was also involved in the marketing which has driven this little title into the top 15 in home video sales. He talks about that and his many other projects. He’s got a wonderful book out with classic continuity pictures from the Fox vaults. It’s co-written with Angela Cartwright. You’re going to want to hear this. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Tom McLaren
Want to learn more about Tom?
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Lights Out
Posted in The Reel World by J C on July 24th, 2016
“Everyone is afraid of the dark…and that’s what she feeds on.”
Despite rumors to the contrary, I am a full-grown adult. That means I can’t in good conscience admit to being afraid of the dark. The most I’ll concede is a sense of uneasiness if I’m in a dark space because I might bump into something. And if I hear a strange noise in the middle of the night, my mind might start creating sinister shapes out of shadows. (Hold on…am I afraid of the dark?!) Either way, that primal and unshakable fear of what could be hiding just out of sight is what powers Lights Out, one of the leaner, nimbler, and flat-out most enjoyable low-budget horror flicks in recent years.
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Star Trek: Beyond
Posted in The Reel World by Gino Sassani on July 23rd, 2016
“Space… The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Every Star Trek fan knows the words by heart. For 50 years they’ve heralded the promise of something special. From the television show that couldn’t but did anyway to 12 feature films. Would #13 be the lucky one? The trailers left many of us worried that it would more than likely be unlucky. And we needed so much for this one to be great. Since the last film we lost Leonard Nimoy, who was most certainly the heart of the franchise on the screen.
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