The No Tell Motel set is another budget release from Mill Creek and outside maybe Vacancy, are not very good movies, but if you enjoy these types of movies then it might be worth picking up in the sub $10 range.
This is a case of quantity over quality here, though there are a couple of decent films like Vacancy and I Know What You Did Last Summer (if you like late 90s slasher horror) but otherwise these are movies previously released by Mill Creek re-packaged together.
I’m not exactly sure why Underworld: Blood Wars was necessary and especially with the knowledge a sixth one is in the works, but as much as I disliked the previous entries (finding Awakening tolerable apparently, though I can’t remember one damn thing from it), this is probably the worst of the bunch.
it’s not hard to see why The Disappointments Room had trouble getting released until Rogue Pictures eventually dumped it to theaters with a loud thud grabbing a mere $2.4 million. Unfortunately this wasn’t some ignored gem and instead a mess of a supernatural horror film.
Underworld is a rather dated sci-fi horror film that took a lot of influence from the then fresh Matrix yet there’s still some entertainment value and Kate Beckinsale makes the most with the material she was given… and it’s never a bad thing seeing her in tight clothing.
These three sets are more bargain releases for Mill Creek Entertainment with titles previously on DVD and in some cases Blu-ray so unless you don’t already own these, it might be worth picking up at $10 a pop, though don’t expect any frills and the video and audio transfers are so-so at best.
While Stonehearst Asylum never quite reaches its full potential, the film does succeed with an admirable cast and fine performances from Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale and, especially, Ben Kingsley who alone is well worth the time investment. The Blu-ray itself has good video/audio transfers but does falter with only one basic featurette.
Total Recall “mastered in 4K” Blu-ray, as with the others, provides both excellent and top notch video and audio transfers so if you like the movie and have the proper equipment, maybe it’s worth the premium price, but that’s a big maybe as the current price is around $25. Personally, I wouldn’t double dip on this and really wish Sony had at least repackaged the other discs with features because it is a steep price for what is essentially a bare-bones re-release.
There are many reasons I should denigrate the action sci-fi remake Total Recall, but despite all its problems, I still found it moderately entertaining. That being said, it’s not a movie I’d highly recommend and would instead say it’s at best worth a rental rather than purchase for multiple viewings.
Serendipity stands out thanks in most part to its two stars. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale overcome a clichéd-filled script; to be fair it’s hard not to be clichéd in the romantic-comedy genre. The supporting cast with Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon and Bridget Moynahan also help out in making this a memorable film that has stood the test of time (at least in the genre)
Although not as bad as I had imagined going in, Whiteout sadly just isn’t a special suspense-thriller. Indeed it does have a good moment or two but with a story that doesn’t exude feature film quality.