Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
The Master might be homage to the old school martial arts film but it’s not very well made, the acting is spotty and the unnecessary dubbing is distracting. The DVD released by Lionsgate is weak with no bonus material and so-so video and audio transfers.
Aaliyah is yet another trashy “biopic” (loosely) that doesn’t really have much to offer. The performances aren’t anything exceptional (even Alexandra Shipp didn’t have the charisma) but I can’t place that much blame on the actors with a bad script and generic made-for-TV direction.
Exodus: Gods and Kings had the best of intentions especially in the technical departments from costumes, construction and visual effects, but for all the talk and lengthy running time, it all feels empty, void of any interesting actors not to mention some unintentional humor. The Blu-ray release offered by Fox is pretty basic with an OK commentary track and selection of deleted scenes, but little else given the bulk of features were reserved for the 3D Blu-ray combo pack.
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This Two-Disc “Diamond Luxe Edition” of Gravity is a quality release though this should’ve been what was released originally. What you get over the original version are a couple new features including a 42-minute historical featurette and the new Dolby Atmos audio track which is a fine upgrade, though the original DTS-HD MA 5.1 track was pretty darn good on its own and Atmos takes it to the next level.
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Killers is a well made foreign film with a good psychological underbelly to the blood, gore and torture pitting two characters against one another to the bitter end, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone in the States didn’t try to remake it in some fashion.
As with Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age Smackdown is another way for the WWE to reach a new generation which is smart business but the end game for casual viewers is pretty weak, though again, not a fan of the original show anyway…
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Halo: Nightfall isn’t a half-bad series with decent performances, though the visual effects, some anyway, look to be a step below something you’d seen in a SyFy Original Movie. I’m not big into games so I can’t compare this to any of the “Halo” games but on its own, it’s at least enjoyable if not throwaway entertainment.
The Divine Move isn’t a great foreign crime-drama but it is well made and at least entertaining especially in the revenge sub-genre. I will say, the English dubbing is laughable so make sure you select the original Korean language. In any case, the Blu-ray release offered by CJ Entertainment has decent video, average audio and a fluff featurette along with the trailer.
Double dips isn’t anything new from studios and no doubt this 30th Anniversary Edition of The Breakfast Club is no different where what’s different from the release five years might not be enough to warrant a purchase if you already own that version. However, at a good price, the upgrade to a new video codec from the original 35MM film print might make it worthwhile.
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Birdman might not quite be the home-run of a film some make it out to be, but no doubt Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s character-driven opus, with commentary on modern-day blockbusters, is anything if not original and features a fantastic performance by Michael Keaton who was deserving of the Best Actor award.
“Star Trek”: The Original Series is a cheap option for those non-Trekkies to get a few solid episodes from the three seasons the show aired. Of course, if you are a fan, you already have all of these, even in high-definition for the Blu-ray releases, you get nothing out of this “best of” collection.
Continue reading “Star Trek: The Original Series: Captain Kirk’s Boldest Missions DVD Review”
Life Partners isn’t a great movie but succeeds thanks to its cast, Leighton Meester and Gillian Jacobs in particular who have great chemistry together; it’s also a breezy film never overstaying its welcome.
The Humbling is a quiet and oft dull drama but Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig both give solid performances so for fans of either, with a couple good scenes, it might be worth a rental but nothing more. The Blu-ray released by Millennium Entertainment provides for good video and audio transfers but a throwaway making-of featurette.
Vice might’ve had an interesting premise but it was all thrown away from cheap action and clichés galore that borrows often from better movies. The acting, save maybe for Ambyr Childers, was so average (at best) and the direction merely went through the motions with a lot of ho-hum, even boring, action sequences.
Innocence isn’t awful and is passable entertainment but it’s the latest in the ‘tween vampire trend that began with Twilight. The acting is OK headlined by Kelly Reilly as the main villain and Sophie Curtis for her part wasn’t half bad the lead actress. Fans of this genre (or subgenre) might get something out of it, for others it’s destined for the Wal-Mart dump bin.