The Encore of Tony Duran, which has been around for a few years floating around the Interwebs, finally sees a DVD release and although not polished, still has some charm with its star, Gene Pietragallo. The DVD itself is a bit weak with so-so video/audio transfers but the video commentary makes for an interesting enough listen.
Absolute Beginners isn’t great but the performances all around are well done and some of the songs were at least catchy. The cinematography was also impressive as was the camera work especially the opening which looks like a one take, though there were a couple places for splicing.
I hate reality TV and I’m tired of zombie movies and Fight of the Living Dead manages to combine the two to make for an annoying series that I’m sure a certain segment will like, myself I won’t think about it ever again. The DVD released by Cinedigm is light on substantive features but I guess it’s better than nothing.
State of Grace might not be the most well known drama especially in Sean Penn’s extensive filmography but it is a well done, if not overdrawn, flick worth checking out mainly for the performances especially by Gary Oldman who is at his finest. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time has sufficient audio/video but is limited in the special features department.
The Night of the Generals isn’t the most well made WWII film but it is certainly different from others giving it a murder mystery spin to the formula. However, the cast is impressive with Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif and Donald Pleasance each giving good performances. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time is basic with good video and audio transfers but lacks in the special features department.
Both Tentacles and Reptilicus speak to a specific niche crowd, fans of the old creature-features so while I myself wasn’t overly impressed, it is nice to get both on one disc looking and sounding better than ever. Even though this release falters in the bonus feature department, it might be worth picking up for fans.
Five Easy Pieces might not have been my cup of tea as it is slow moving and no real plot to speak of being a character study, but Jack Nicholson’s performance, in one of his first lead roles, is fantastic and it is a fairly well written film with one iconic scene.
Scarecrows isn’t a great supernatural horror but it has its moments with a few impressive make-up effects and a well rounded cast of scumbags to get their comeuppance. The Blu-ray released by Scream Factory is fairly impressive with decent to fair video/audio transfers and a decent selection of bonus material.
Private Number is just the latest in a long line of cheap DVD releases destined for the cheap bin at Wal-Mart and even then it’s not worth that kind of money. It’s a shame as there was some good elements bogged down by bad writing and a really stupid third act and it’s another movie with Tom Sizemore being prominently displayed on the cover but having little to do with the plot.
Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland isn’t a good horror movie and honestly kind of dull, though some of the kills are at least unique (i.e. the lawnmower) but by today’s standards, and this is nothing against this film in particular, it is rather tame in all areas from sex to the violence. Even so, I guess big horror fans, and fans of the Sleepaway Camp movies specifically, might enjoy otherwise it’s a forgettable sequel.
Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers is absolutely not a very good movie but in fairness, I don’t think the filmmakers or cast thought they were making high horror art. The performances are mostly throwaways though Pamela Springsteen does make for an effective psycho, I suppose. Personally I didn’t care that much for this movie, and wasn’t that fond of the first one outside of the now well-known “twist”, but horror fanatics might treasure this sequel.
Asmodexia is the latest exorcism movie and, with the likes of so many others… isn’t very good. The plot has been seen before in some fashion and the acting isn’t the best though the make-up effects weren’t altogether bad. Unless the genre is your thing, it’s not even worth a rental. The DVD itself only has a trailer while the video and audio transfers are merely adequate.
It’s something else, but Camp X-Ray manages to show that Kristen Stewart isn’t a half bad actress (though she still employs the eyes half closed look) and her co-star, Payman Maadi delivers a fine performance as well with the pair sharing a nice on-screen chemistry. The Blu-ray released by IFC is rather basic with thin bonus features while the video and audio transfers are both excellent.
“The Mentalist” season seven isn’t great but still a nice sendoff for a fun, if not uneven, series. The ensemble cast share good chemistry, including the one newcomer, and Simon Baker is as charming as ever while the cases are generally interesting enough. The DVD released by Warner, like the previous season sets, are rather basic and unfortunately we don’t get a nice retrospective featurette on this series’ run.
“Boardwalk Empire” is yet another great show from HBO and although it’s not up to par with “The Sopranos,” “Deadwood” or “Game of Thrones,” that standard is hard to meet. That being said, I will say the ensemble cast ranging from Steve Buscemi to Michael Shannon is one of the best and the performances all around, in conjunction with quality writing beginning with Terence Winter, is top notch.