Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
Sheba, Baby isn’t one of Pam Grier’s great movies from the blaxploitation era but it’s still an entertaining and cheesy romp between the 1970s style, soundtrack and all around acting particularly on the part of D’Urville Martin and some of his cohorts (“that’s right”). This Blu-ray released through Arrow Video offers good video and audio transfers and a so-so selection of bonus material.
Blood Rage is by no means a great horror flick but it is kind of typical of the 1980s. The acting is mostly awful and the plot isn’t exactly top notch, though I suppose as a relic of the era it might be worth some time, including checking out the Nightmare at Shadow Woods versions also included in this 3-disc set.
The Mutilator isn’t a very good movie, that’s for sure and even compared to others from that era, it’s below par, which said, watching it with a group of friends is probably the only way to go as its all kinds of fun, but on its own, it is pretty lackluster. All of that said, this release from Arrow is fantastic.
Extraction is exactly what I thought it would be and so much less. It’s yet another direct-to-video (or very limited release) from Bruce Willis who is not only somehow second billed in spite of making a cameo appearance but billed behind Kellan Lutz, tells you everything you need to know.
Where the Sidewalk Ends isn’t the most well known film noir from the era or even from Otto Preminger’s resume, but it’s a compelling drama with solid performances from Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney.
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“Falling Skies” was a bit of an uneven series but I can’t say over the course of its five seasons I can’t say any of them were particularly ‘bad’ and had many entertaining moments. The series was also efficient with its budget and featured some impressive effects, both visual and make-up, while the acting all around was quite good headed by Noah Wyle as well as Will Patton.
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I Knew Her Well isn’t something I normally watch and I wasn’t especially invested with the story or the character but it’s hard to deny the performance from Stefania Sandrelli was excellent and in the end I at least found it well made with a moving final scene.
This “Double Feature” release from Shout Factory is the definition of a mixed bag. While Millennium was pretty darn good with a compelling story and respectable acting, R.O.T.O.R. is the exact opposite in every regard and easily is one of the worst films I’ve seen in some time if not ever.
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Speechless has a nice spin on the classic romantic comedy formula (opposites attract and all that) and Michael Keaton and Gena Davis share some nice chemistry and as a bonus for geeks, we do get to see Keaton and Christopher Reeve share a scene.
Love the Coopers has an impressive cast but below par script. It’s not all that entertaining despite having the likes of John Goodman, Diane Keaton, Marisa Tomei and Alan Arkin (not to mention Anthony Mackie in a thankless role) and with some snips could easily air on TBS to fill airtime around Thanksgiving or Christmas.
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While The 33 certainly tells a compelling story, this film adaptation of it is a bit too paint-by-numbers and doesn’t come close to living up to the actual news coverage which from my recollection was nearly 24/7.
Secret in Their Eyes is a decent if not horribly disappointing movie considering the amazing cast. Although the three main actors turn in perfectly fine performances, with Chiwetel Ejiofor being the best of the trio exuding enough charm to overcome story and editing issues, this is not a film that has much if any replay value and is at best a Saturday night rental, nothing more.
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Our Brand is Crisis isn’t a bad movie per se but it’s one with some identity issues. Personally, it might’ve worked far better as a satire on American politics but they decided to use the country of Bolivia as a stand-in. This is the type of movie that screams rental, not much more.
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Trumbo is a well made movie that probably will be more remembered for its performances, specifically by Bryan Cranston who received an Academy Award nomination for his great performance as Dalton Trumbo. Outside of the acting, though, I don’t think this was an especially memorable flick but well worth checking out.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs isn’t one of my favorite of Disney’s animated classics but it is a movie to behold for not only the style but its historical significance to the Walt Disney Company, the cornerstone to what it is today.
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