Movieman's Guide to the Movies
The Final Word on Physical Media
Gravity is certainly one of the better movies, though not the best, to come out of 2013 and between the technological achievements by Alfonso Cuarón and the VFX crew, a taut story and Sandra Bullock’s performance, it’s one heck of a journey that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s not a movie for everybody and admittedly Cuarón utilization of symbolism is at times a bit laughable, I still recommend this movie.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre celebrates its 40th Anniversary which for the Blu-ray compiles a fine selection of bonus material including two new commentary tracks and a slew of featurettes ported over from previous releases..
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Silent Night, Deadly Night certainly has its moments especially the creepy scene between young Billy and his grandfather telling the boy Santa Claus was going to kill him, but some decent moments and kills, although it doesn’t quite stack up with other horror films from that era.
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The biographical drama Che! is kind of laughable with some shoddy performances, though not so much from Omar Sharif as Che but instead someone felt it was a good idea casting someone like Jack Palance as Fidel Castro.
Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest from Michael Bay and to be honest, it very well may be the worst, even worse than Revenge of the Fallen if only because it clocks in at an insane (and inane) 165-minutes and 40+ minutes could’ve been cut and not have been missed. Once again we get some bland human characters and a storyline that doesn’t make a heck of a lot sense.
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Transformers: Age of Extinction is the latest from Michael Bay and to be honest, it very well may be the worst, even worse than Revenge of the Fallen if only because it clocks in at an insane (and inane) 165-minutes and 40+ minutes could’ve been cut and not have been missed. Once again we get some bland human characters and a storyline that doesn’t make a heck of a lot sense.
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This Ghostbusters two-film set is not perfect but it’s pretty close with a decent selection of bonus material, though the MST3K-style commentary is still only a DVD exclusive but the audio and video transfers for both films are great. Given the low SRP, this is a set worth picking up if only to have it in one package.
“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.
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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.
“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.
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