Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
New Year’s Evil is a ho-hum horror movie with little horror and the kills pretty standard. Save for the finale, this is a bore of a film that might have a minor following but for myself, little about this was enjoyable outside of Kip Niven’s creepy but fun performance. The Blu-ray released by Shout Factory has good video/audio transfers while the bonus material is somewhat thin.
The Aviators is a forgettable animated feature and for adults it might be tedious but kids will get something out of it even if the animation style isn’t anything to be blown over by and the voice casting isn’t that special either, though Brad Garrett gives it his best. The Blu-ray released by Cinedigm has average, unfortunately no features were included.
The Drop is a well made if not a bit ordinary crime-drama that excels with the main three actors headlined by Tom Hardy who continues to impress and there’s special interest with James Gandolfini being his final feature film and he gives his usual great performance.
John Wick is one of the surprise hits of 2014 and even though Keanu Reeves might not be a great actor, this role was tailor made for his skill sets in fighting and stunt work. Add to that, the story, albeit thin, is good enough to carry the 100-minute running time. The Blu-ray released by Lionsgate has great video/audio transfers and OK selection of bonus material.
Bandit Queen is a raw film highlighted by star Seema Biswas though from my reading, the accuracy of the picture is questionable so for those like me, you should go in with some skepticism. That being said, it’s a decent film worth a watch especially if the subject matter interests you.
Frankenstein vs. The Mummy is what it seems to be: a cheap direct-to-video schlock with (at best) so-so performances. This isn’t a great movie by any stretch and the only reason to even see it, and endure the lengthy 115-minute running time, is for those who want to check out B-movie material. The DVD is pretty basic from the menu design to average video/audio transfers.
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power is what you think it would: really dumb and it doesn’t pretend to be otherwise so on a certain level, for as bad as it might be, it’s a harmlessly bad flick that many can enjoy and at the very least has mock value to hold an “MST3K” movie night. The Blu-ray released by Universal actually has good video and audio transfers and a decent selection of special features.
Continue reading “Review: The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power BD + Screen Caps”
“Tom & Jerry Show”: Funny Side Up is an OK set for a decent series and is a fine companion for the previous released “Frisky Business” which contained the first 12 episodes. As it stands, for the family this is a fine purchase if you can nab it for under $10.
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Francois Herrmann’s The Bride Wore Black some call a homage to Alfred Hitchcock, though some experts disagree, is a unique film experience for sure featuring a dangerously mesmerizing performance by Jeanne Moreau and wonderful cinematography. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers good video/audio transfers while the bonus material was limited, though the commentary was interesting to listen to.
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Open Windows, written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, The ABCs of Death, V/H/S: Viral), is more or less an experimental film that’s been done more than a few times with the entire picture taking place via a webcam, and although a nifty idea, the execution wasn’t the best.
La Ciénaga is a compelling drama-comedy with great performances from its lead but beyond that, an engrossing story. It’s not normally my type of film, and has little replay value, and for some, as with a fair number of Criterion Collection releases, it’s not for everybody.
Continue reading “La Cienaga: The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review”
Annabelle might have been a good idea on paper and certainly had a built-in audience thanks to the breakout box office for The Conjuring, but its execution was lackluster with not that many scares and the creepy quotient also wasn’t up to par.
Revenge of the Green Dragons is an ambitious film for sure with a fascinating subject matter but in the end, it’s also uneven. The performances are least half-decent and the always reliable Ray Liotta lends it some weight, though the bulk of the picture is led by Justin Chon and Kevin Wu.
Continue reading “Revenge of the Green Dragons Blu-ray Review”
Henry V is yet another fine Kenneth Branagh Shakespearian drama with great performances all around including future Dame Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi and Emma Thompson while Christian Bale makes an appearance in one of his early roles. The Blu-ray released by Shout Factory has good audio, merely acceptable video but sadly no features.
7 Assassins is not the best martial arts film but the acting I guess isn’t bad and it does have admirable set designs, but the story doesn’t quite gel. That being said, it might be worth a rental if one can find it. The DVD released by Lionsgate is pretty basic with good video/audio transfers but unfortunately no bonus materials were included.