There is no getting around the fact that plot takes a back seat in Haywire, an action flick centered on MMA fighter Gina Carano. That’s not to say it’s a bad movie, not at all, but like many great action films, the fight scenes and are front and center and the plot is simply written around them. The fact that Stephen Soderbergh directed this one, you can be certain that…
Rookie Blue is one of the best cop dramas that we have reviewed. I believe that the dynamic between the different members of the force is further fleshed out with the episodes of the second season, and eOne has provided the box set for individuals that missed these episodes the first time. For those that have not watched the show, Rookie Blue is a tremendously tout bit of television that…
Air and Space Collection (DVD Set) / 2012 Smithsonian Channel / http://www.smithsonianchannel.com / This is the perfect collection for anyone that is interested in the skies, whether they be relatively close (air flight) or something beyond that (space). These four documentaries provide an exhaustive and up to date view on aeronautics; the value of America’s Hangar, Concorde: Flying Supersonic, History in HD: America in Space and Space Shuttle: Final Countdown…
Image Entertainment is providing viewers with a panoply of classic films on Blu-Ray for the first time. They have made the cost of these films eminently affordable (pre-orders for both titles can be found for $10.99), and the library in which these titles are drawn will not dry up. The Odessa File is absolutely stunning. This 1974 film, starring Jon Voight, Mary Tamm and Maximilian Schell), is a high-energy…
Occult Academy – Complete Series Premium Edition / 2012 NIS America / http://www.nisamerica.com This is the authoritative Occult Academy release. For those that have not seen it, it is the third effort by Anime no Chikara (So Ra No Wo To, Senko no Night Raid). In the show, 2012 sees the destruction of the world. Time travellers are sent back to 1999 to fix the issues that lead to the…
When bad songs happen to good people. The Scottish-born singer/songwriter Donovan has a slew of remarkable songs, inspired everyone from Jeff Beck to World Party (he even taught John Lennon how to finger pick on the guitar), and easily moved from folk, to pop, to jazz to psychedelic. But to many people, he is simply that guy who sang “Mello Yellow,” that acid-drenched, tie dyed novelty song that sounds exactly…
Simply put, The Wicker Tree is much better than The Wicker Man. This is a messed up film, and I mean that in the best possible way. The Wicker Tree focuses on two faithful Christians (Henry Garrett and Brittania Nicol) and their trip to Scotland. Deciding to take a small amount of time in Tressock, these two have their lives turned upside down. Everything seems to be on the…
Angel’s Crest is a movie that has been ripped from the headlines; it focuses on a town’s desire to find a lost child. The film begins with Ethan (Thomas Dekkar) and his three-year old child playing; the children is missing after playing in the snow. This initial act leads to the different motivations and character developments that are found in the film. Everything begins to unravel for the father…
This film is a perfect film to watch in a youth group or other Christian praise organization. This is because it contains a solid moral base while pushing viewers towards properly restoring their relationship with Jesus. This is not what one expects from Christian movies – the cast and crew give it their all. One can tell that they believe in this movie, and I believe that this is…
Animeigo has placed together the five Shogun Assassin films in a Blu-Ray set, ensuring that the films have been restored to their original levels. The clarity of each of these films is utterly fantastic; this is perhaps the cleanest that anyone has seen these films since they were originally in theatres. Aside from these films, Animeigo have added a number of features to the mix. There is an interview conducted…
Thanks to the new Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie, the late 60’s/early 70’s vampire soap Dark Shadows is finally getting some much needed mainstream pop culture love. Granted there have been some diehard fans over the past few decades, but the proto-goth TV series has never had the opportunity to reach such a wide audience before now (despite some unfortunate reboots of the series). So it makes perfect sense that the…
This drama will play on viewers’ heartstrings. It is not just the roles turned in by Vanessa Williams, Rolanda Watts, or Amenha Dymally, but rather the sheer applicability of the events in the film to viewers’ lives. I believe that anyone that has been hurt in their life will be able to identify with Regina (Watts). Regina has to deal with a drug-addled daughter (Monica, played by Salina Duplessis), a…
David Simon and Eric Overmyer – best known for HBO’s The Wire – were under tremendous pressure to follow up that critical darling with their second HBO outing: Treme. Despite the obvious moans about it being too different from The Wire, the Post-Katrina take on the locals trying to go about life in New Orleans was one of the best things on TV when it debuted two years ago. Proving…
A little backstory: Long Day’s Journey Into Night is a film that was based off of a 1956 radio drama by Eugene O’Neill. This play was presented in a number of productions; Laurence Olivier took a turn at it in the National Theatre’s run in 1971. This film is an adaptation of the National Theatre’s version, and seems to have a little better quality of actors (the aforementioned Olivier, Denis…
Lionsgate has included three features in this movie pack: Doctor Strange, The Invincible Iron Man, and Planet Hulk. These releases are as clean and as sharp as they were in their original releases, but they have been bundled into a Blu-Ray pack for a cheaper price ($19.99, but can be found cheaper on online retailers). These movies showcase both the larger and smaller characters in the Marvel Universe. While everyone…
There is no denying how popular Elmo is o the audiences that watch eir. However, I feel that the increasing focus of Sesame Street on this character has made the show into a substantively different beast that it was when I was watching. That is neither good nor bad; I feel that the presence of Elmo allows for the younger set to understand and properly receive different messages and morals,…
This 1993 footage (recorded in Belgium at the Peer Blues Festival) looks absolutely stunning. The amount of work that Eagle Rock has done to this source is astounding, with a crispness present that rivals even Blu-Ray releases. Fans of the Jeff Healey Band will hear all of the act’s hits, whether it be taken from Feel This, See The Light and Hell to Play. Purchasers will be happy to hear…
This film is part of the Nikkatsu collection; Nikkatsu’s films were picked up for US distribution by Impulse back in 2010. Ryoto Watanabe’s turn as Ami showcases a desire for Japanese softcore to have more of a story than comparable American releases; Ami is a woman that is not satisfied with her life. Wanting to make a change, Ami is able to find contacts in the Madame Machiko Society…
Miracle of Marcelino (Blu-Ray) / 2012 VCI Entertainment / http://www.vcientertainment.com This is the restored 1955 version of Marcelino pan y vino. The video quality of this restored title is simply fantastic, allowing for individuals to be immersed in the film’s storyline in a way previously impossible unless you had watched a theatrical screening of the title. VCI has restored all aspects of Miracle of Marcelino, ensuring that the sharp picture…
There have been a number of distinct movies and documentaries that have been made about the Titanic, but few have been able to have a current and contemporary take on the events alongside eyewitness testimony. Waking The Titanic succeeds because it is able to provide some sense of the terror that existed on the ship along with solid scientific and historical reporting of the events. I liked the way…