Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
“The Originals”: The Complete First Season might not be the most refreshing new series or anything but as far as spin-offs go, especially to a series like “The Vampire Diaries” which is (to me) on the decline in quality, it’s a successful launch. The ensemble cast, even outside the holdovers, are all great and the storylines are just interesting enough to keep one’s attention throughout the season.
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This Star Trek “The Compendium” 4-disc set is certainly a cash-grab by Paramount but with a low SRP, those who don’t already own either set might be swayed to get this one as it contains a plethora of bonus features and for big fans, about 30-minutes of IMAX footage on Star Trek Into Darkness. However, if you already own either movie, skip this altogether especially since I’m sure there will be a trilogy set once the third film is released on home video.
Godzilla version 2014 isn’t a bad movie, not by any stretch, but it didn’t quite meet its full potential. The visual effects are great and when Godzilla finally shows up on screen, 59-minutes in no less, the energy picks up only to get bogged down again with the human element which, despite some good actors, feels like a waste of time with minimal payoff either emotionally or thematically.
“Batman: The Brave and the Bold” is certainly the strangest incarnation for the Caped Crusader but is a fun callback to the old 60s and 70s comic book and allows the normally glum character to interact with an eclectic bunch of other DC and Warner properties. It’s also a series that both kids and adults can enjoy if you know what you’re getting into.
Continue reading “Batman: The Brave and the Bold: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Review”
The Battery actually is a well made indie horror-drama with more emphasize on drama with only a few zombies thrown in, but instead focuses on the two main characters and their day-to-day interactions.
Delivery: The Beast Within is just the latest in the well overdone found footage subgenre. Now, it’s not terrible but it’s also not exactly a thrilling or horrific film either with more dull moments than anything suspenseful. The DVD released by Cinedigm does have some OK bonus features and the audio/video transfers aren’t bad.
“The Vampire Diaries”: The Complete Fifth Season quality-wise isn’t great but still has some entertaining moments even (or especially) when the dialogue is either corny or laughable. Still, this season never really lost my attention as the actors, for the most, are at least fun to watch, though the absence of Klaus and Rebekah is noticeable.
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They Came Together might not quite come together, no pun intended (really) like the filmmakers wanted, and not close to Wet Hot American Summer, but there is a certain charm in its spoofing of the romantic comedy genre mainly due to the comedic timing of Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler.
“Person of Interest”: The Complete Third Season is another good, even great, run for the Jonathan Nolan-created series. The acting is nearly top-notched but most of all, the stories are captivating and fresh, trying new things and presenting different antagonists (this year an organization named “Vigilance”) to challenge our heroes.
Continue reading “Person of Interest: The Complete Third Season Blu-ray Review”
Despite its age, going on nine seasons, “Supernatural” is still a well made series with a good balance of fantasy, drama and dark comedy and storylines that is keeping the series fresh.
Continue reading “Supernatural: The Complete Ninth Season Blu-ray Review”
“Bitten”: The Complete First Season isn’t a horrible nor is it unwatchable, mainly because of star Laura Vandervoort, but I’ve seen this story countless times on better produced series like “Supernatural,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “True Blood”… Well, two out of the three anyway.
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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.
Night Moves is not a movie for everybody. It’s a slow-burn crime-drama with some fine performances, particularly by Jesse Eisenberg yet you also have to be patient for the plot to play out with the first 20-minutes or so is all set-ups with the final 80-minutes used for the aftermath of the characters’ actions.
The Quiet Ones actually isn’t a completely awful film and I wouldn’t be hesitant to at least recommend a Red Box rental, but the problem is what started off with some truly dark and spooky atmosphere devolved into the supernatural crap seen numerous times before. That being said, Jared Harris at least isn’t bad and with a short running time, it’s not a chore to get through.
“Now and Again” was lauded by critics and audiences alike but never quite caught in the ratings in no small part due to a network unsure where to place it, thus it was a one-and-done series that finally got to see the light of day with a relatively impressive DVD release. The audio and video transfers are more than serviceable, though it does show its age, while the bonus material is well done as this could’ve easily been a cut-and-paste, featureless, release.