The Intruder seems like the kind of “old school” thriller that would come out of the 1990s back in the day but nowadays probably would be featured as a Lifetime made-for-TV feature, just with a more recognizable and respectable cast.
Kin is a nice little drama-science fiction flick but is a victim of a bit of overreaction based on its initial trailer. That said, it is enjoyable enough even when you get a finale that felt like the end of the pilot episode.
Suspect is actually a pretty good 1980s suspense/thriller featuring good performances by Cher and Dennis Quaid, as well as Liam Neeson.
A Dog’s Purpose is a schmaltzy and oft manipulative family fantasy drama that features a few decent performances, including Dennis Quaid, but honestly, even as a dog lover, I found the film to be tedious to sit through especially having to constantly listens to Josh Gad’s annoying voice-over.
Dreamscape is a sometimes cheesy 1980s sci-fi thriller but incredibly fun featuring a great cast from a young Dennis Quaid to veterans Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer. Not sure how much replay value it has but it was enjoyable enough.
I give a brief breakdown on Mill Creek’s June 7th multi-movie pack releases, specifically Streets of Fear and Midnight Movie Madness. None of these movies are of high-quality and are mainly remembered for the stars sometimes in smaller roles. At basement bargain prices, these might be worthy for collector’s of these cheap sets.
Innerspace is a fantastic sci-fi comedy that not only has a fun story but excels courtesy of the cast relying on each of their strengths to make for a good time; and not to be outdone, the effects work is still impressive decades later. The Blu-ray released by Warner is rather basic porting over the features from the previous DVD while the video/audio transfers were both well done.
Breaking Away is a well done coming-of-age drama featuring four solid performances from up-and-comers and excellent direction by Peter Yates. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers adequate video/audio transfers and a nice commentary track in the bonus material department.
Any Given Sunday is an engaging movie that many sports, especially NFL, will enjoy and not only holds up today, but kind of predicts a few trends that have permeated college and pro football. The Blu-ray released by Warner is a retread of the previous release only adding a single bonus feature which, while nice, is hardly worth the price of a double-dip.
I enjoy Playing by Heart for what it is, a fun, if not overly dramatic, ensemble with some good performances as well as clichéd storytelling, especially in one of the storylines. That being said, this is the poorest excuse of a Blu-ray release I’ve ever come across. The video has interlacing issues not to mention dirt and scratch marks while the audio is, at best, average and that’s being generous. The only way I’d recommend picking up this release is if it’s cheap (i.e. <$5) and you don’t already own either of the DVD releases.
The Words may not be as special of a film as it things it is, but there are many aspects which I did like from the multi-level story to some good performances including Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, and especially, Jeremy Irons who deserves far more attention than he’s received. And despite any problems I had with the screenplay itself, I still found the film mostly compelling and at least worth a look if only once.
The Words may not be as special of a film as it things it is, but there are many aspects which I did like from the multi-level story to some good performances including Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, and especially, Jeremy Irons who deserves far more attention than he’s received. And despite any problems I had with the screenplay itself, I still found the film mostly compelling and at least worth a look if only once.
Cold Creek Manor wasn’t as awful as it’s been portrayed over the years but in no way is it very good either. Mike Figgis is normally a competent filmmaker but here the script is half-baked and the acting subpar especially Dennis Quaid who primarily sleepwalks his way through. The Blu-ray at least offers above average video and OK audio.
Even with some necessary suspension of disbelief, Frequency is a well crafted film with fine performances from Jim Caviezel, Dennis Quaid and Andre Braugher. The story is finely written and the premise is certainly interesting and above all else, original. The Blu-ray offers up more than adequate audio and video transfers while the features have all been ported over from the DVD release.
Traffic still is as engrossing today as it was the first day I saw it in the theaters 11 years ago. The performances all around are fantastic while Soderbergh’s style, now a standard for him, was unique and beautiful. When it comes to the Criterion Blu-ray release, I’d say it’s on par in the video and audio realm as the Universal release but obviously this is the edition to go with as it contains several featurettes and commentaries.