Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
The Gumball Rally is a fun little movie from the mid-70s and while its carbon copy Cannonball Run is better known, and probably a better film on the whole, this is a gem still and well worth checking out if only for the impressive car stunt work.
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The Valachi Papers is a unique crime-drama vehicle for Charles Bronson and while not the most compelling film, still is entertaining enough for the cast. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers good video and audio transfers but lacks bonus features.
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The Pink Panther Film Collection Starring Peter Sellers is a nice set, well 5 out of the 6 movies anyway, showcasing Sellers physical comedic style and those around him. Outside of Trail of the Pink Panther, these are well worth checking out.
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The Bird with the Crystal Plumage to me isn’t a great giallo movie but is notable being Dario Argento’s feature debut and has great style to it even when character actions aren’t entirely believable. Still, any Argento or giallo fans will get a kick out of this film.
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The Quiet American is a well made, finely acted Vietnam-era war drama that is well worth watching, especially for fans of the genre.
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Life was one of the bigger disappointments for me this year with a respectable cast and interesting, if not familiar, story that clearly took cues from Ridley Scott’s Alien. But while the execution was okay, though I didn’t find anything all that’s suspenseful, the script was a mess and perhaps a good re-write could’ve made a difference.
Warner Archive’s release of Vision Quest may not wow you in terms of its technical aspects as both the video and audio transfers I’d term as above average, and the bonus material is lacking, but this is a decently made drama from the mid-80s that likely would ever look better.
The Lego® Batman Movie does have some funny moments and great scenes with inside jokes for any Batman fan out there. The downside is the plot is rather thin but the message is one that kids and adults could get something out of while the jokes do run a bit dry and the film could’ve been cut down.
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The Unholy is an uneven movie with some 1980s supernatural-horror charms but in spite of some spirited, so to speak, performances, this was a rather forgettable film from the era.
The Hearse has its moments but the combination of horror, supernatural, romance and mystery, didn’t quite gel for me, however actress Trish Van Devere does deliver for the type of movie this is.
Car Wash is an oft funny 1970s ensemble comedy with the likes of Richard Pryor and George Carlin making brief appearances but making the most of their limited screen time.
The Lawnmower Man Blu-ray released through Shout Factory has some good video/audio transfers and a nice selection of bonus features, though the movie itself is laughably bad and the 141-minute long director’s cut is quite tedious to sit through.
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Death Line was a bit of a disappointment for me with a story that somehow felt incomplete and characters, outside of Pleasence, not really making an impact. Still, there are some entertaining aspects and Donald Pleasence did seem like he was having a good old time.
This two-disc release from Arrow Films’ “Arrow Academy” line, Spotlight on a Murderer offers great video and audio transfers but falters a bit in the features department with only an older featurette, though the accompanied booklet is worth a read.
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Bambi honestly is not one of my favorite classic Disney animated films but it’s hard to become emotional over the journey for these characters and the positive message it presents that’s still more than relevant today that it was back in the day.
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