Hit by Lightning is kind of what you’d expect it to be based on its DTV status and the ridiculous front cover. It does have its moments and Jon Cryer makes for an affable main character, and Stephanie Szostak is as gorgeous as ever. But that said, it’s not a great movie, probably something you’ll find airing on TBS one day with some editing.
U Turn is not one of Oliver Stone’s strongest films, although it is one of my favorite of his (taking into consideration I’ve never been a big fan of his), but features a great cast and fantastic performances by Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez. The Blu-ray distributed by Twilight Time might be limited in features but the video and audio transfers might make it a worthwhile purchase, though as usual, it’s not a cheap release.
It’s another solid release (well re-release) of a classic film from Twilight Time with Journey to the Center of the Earth. The film does come across as dated not so much for its effects, which are still impressive for its time, but the pacing isn’t the best.. Even so, it’s still a fun flick to check out and one of the better Journey film adaptations.
Behind Enemy Lines isn’t particularly well made and the performances are so-so, but it is somewhat entertaining and has its moments, though at times it looks like a product of the 1980s. The Blu-ray released by Olive Films is mixed. The video is acceptable but the audio has much to be desired as does the lack of bonus material.
I know Bio-Dome has its fans but it’s a weak imitation of Dumb and Dumber just with jokes that don’t land and two leads that are more annoying than funny. So it’s a strange movie to get the HD treatment on Blu-ray and for such a high price, $20 retail at the time of this writing, is a bit (i.e. very) extreme considering the video is just OK and the audio is substandard.
Always Woodstock is a well intentioned film but it’s falls into many of the tropes seen in so many character dramas (as mostly recently as This is Where I Leave You) but the lead actress, Allison Miller is so damn charming and almost makes the entire movie well worth at least one viewing… almost.
I don’t think anyone is under any illusion that these Ghoulies movies aren’t cheesy and all around C-movie 1980s crap, yet for it’s cheap production and questionable acting, it’s got a certain charm and both films would make for a fun Saturday night double feature with friends; watch it alone and you’ll probably feel a bit silly…
Stranger at My Door is actually a well made crime-western-drama. The acting from Skip Homeier and Patricia Medina were both great and shared some darkly charming chemistry. The Blu-ray released by Olive Films is pretty basic with no bonus material yet the audio/video transfers were both nice, however at a premium $20 price tag, it might be too steep for some.
Final Prayer is yet another found footage film that might have a couple scares but it’s no different than any of the others that permeate the market every year. The acting is so-so and the camera work is jolting, probably to mask the film’s limited budget. I suppose if you enjoy the sub-genre or even collect them, this might be worth a watch, otherwise skip and wait until it airs on SyFy.
This Double Feature set from Scream Factory is mixed. For one, instead of getting De Palma’s original version of Carrie we instead receive the weaker 2002 TV movie. However, on the plus side, especially for fans, The Rage: Carrie 2 is the second feature and is a sequel to De Palma version, so for completions sake, this might be worth picking up (especially if you also own the remake).
Solomon and Sheba is a so-so Biblical war-drama with some good performances by Yul Brynner and Gina Lollobrigida and fine cinematography giving the film an epic feel. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers good video and audio transfers however the bonus material is relatively sparse so considering the high $30 price point, unless you get it on sale, probably not worth it.
Song One is a simple romantic-drama that, albeit not wholly satisfying like Once or Begin Again, still features solid performances by Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn and Mary Steenburgen. The Blu-ray released by Cinedigm offers good video and audio transfer while the bonus material is disappointing with no commentary or even making-of featurette.
After watching The Better Angels, it comes to no surprise this not only was produced by Terrence Malick but was written and directed by his editor of To the Wonder and Knight of Cups, A.J. Edwards. Full disclosure, I am not a Malick fan and Edwards more or less copies his mentor’s style making for a downright dull and boring film.
First Men in the Moon is hokey for sure but it’s also a fun flick with some impressive special and visual effects work that still, for the most part, hold up today and especially in high-definition where flaws can be highlighted.
The Master might be homage to the old school martial arts film but it’s not very well made, the acting is spotty and the unnecessary dubbing is distracting. The DVD released by Lionsgate is weak with no bonus material and so-so video and audio transfers.