There is that unmistakable, rhythmic hum that has carried on through the years, associated with westerns.  It elicits this ominous sense like you’ve just been backed into a corner by the baddest dude in town.  Perhaps some tumbleweed brush rolls across the main dirt road that leads to the general store as the tune plays.  If I could somehow mimic that music here in text, you’d immediately know what I was referring to.  If you want to know where it originally came from, look no further than what is considered arguably the grittiest western of all time; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Continue Reading

There have been several cast members from Saturday Night Live that have gone on to bigger and better things…or at least have tried.  Eddie Murphy and the late Chris Farley are two examples of SNL stars that hit it big after they left the show.  Amy Poehler has had modest success as far as films go, and Rachel Dratch somewhat less.  In Spring Breakdown, the two pair up along with Parker Posey for a comedy about women who are leading mundane lives, trying to relive their past through spring break. Continue Reading

What an intro paragraph this is going to be.  There’s nothing like raw brutal honesty to create a catalyst spark.  With that being said welcome to my 42^nd Blu-ray review.  So let’s cut out the pleasantries and be real here.  Seth MacFarlane’s Cartoon Cavalcade of Comedy: Uncensored! was one of the worst Blu-rays I have ever had the displeasure to sit down to watch, not because of the horrid picture/audio quality, but because of the lackluster content.  To say the content was a bore would be an understatement.  To put it into quantitative terms, it translates to 54 minutes of my life that I can never get back.  I know you are probably thinking what a way for me to start off a review.  Quite frankly, unless you have dire interest in this Blu-ray release, I encourage you to stop reading this review right now or else it could equate to 5 minutes of your life you’ll never reclaim, and I honestly don’t want to bear that burden.  Continue Reading

Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters! Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Call me crazy, but I view Ghostbusters as an all time classic American film. It is one of the few films I have obtained on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD and now Blu-ray. I was never happy with the video presentation on any of the previous home video releases of the film and was hoping that the release of the film on Blu-ray will finally do the trick. Does it? Well for that opinion, you will have to keep on reading. Continue Reading

While First Look Studios is not one of the better known studios (at least to me!), they have released some interesting films such as War, Inc., King of California, Priceless and The Proposition. Of the recent films they have released. my favorite is Transsibberian, an action thriller which takes place on the Transsiberian railroad on a trip across China and Russia when American missionaries get caught up in a Russian drug deal. When I received word that their most recent film starring Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas would be released on Blu-ray, I was anxious to check it out. After all, with Morgan Freeman starring in it it has to be good, right? Continue Reading

Anime, (Japanese-style animation), or ‘Japanime’ as it is sometimes called, is a very specific genre that has amassed quite a following worldwide.  With its bigger titles such as Ninja Scroll and Ghost in the Shell, anime continues to see a multitude of financial success.  Entering the fray in this category but on a slightly different level is The Sky Crawlers. It combines traditional Japanese animation with a fair amount of CGI (computer generated imagery).  So will The Sky Crawlers soar above the competition or will it stall on the runway?  Let’s suit up and find out!

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Shop to you drop. It wasn’t all that long ago that many of us had that mantra, and would trek over to the mall to buy a lot of things we really didn’t need but wanted nonetheless or even worse, couldn’t afford. Then game the economic meltdown, which has effected us all. It is against this backdrop that the film Confessions of a Shopaholic was released which, while played as a comedy and to extremes, contains some lessons we may all benefit from. However, despite the lessons and social commentary contained therein, does it work as a film? Continue Reading

Having made its rounds on primetime cable television in its 12 years since release, Anaconda has acquired a small cult following and even spawned a couple of sequels. But for whatever reason every time I’ve had the opportunity to watch the film I’ve opted for something else, partially because both of the stars of Anaconda (Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez) have gained their notoriety as musicians. I was initially skeptical of what kind of movie this was going to be, but watching on I was surprised to see Jon Voight and then lesser known Owen Wilson gracing the screen. But ultimately creature films are real finicky in terms of quality, but Anaconda seems to have a decent plot and cast. Will Anaconda prove to be well worth the wait, or will it slither out of sight and mind?

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Whoever said that money can’t buy love? While the debate on that continues to wage on, we can get a little insight into the story of the eternal battle of love, fidelity and morals. During its 1993 theatrical run Indecent Proposal took in over 250 million dollars worldwide on a modest budget, and essentially challenged the idea of prostitution in marriage. While the topic is still tossed around to this day, upon its release Indecent Proposal got people talking about morality and the exciting question; would you sleep with so and so for a million dollars? What I can guarantee is you will find out if Demi Moore would sleep with Robert Redford for a million dollars. But beyond that, you’ll have to watch on for yourself. Continue Reading

There is no question that Stanley Kubrick was a cinematic genius. He has created many amazing films with incredibly diverse subject matters such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange which have really stood up to the test of time, retaining their relevance decades after their release. For me, the best of Mr. Kubrick’s films remains Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, a controversial and thought provoking film both upon its release in 1964 as well as today. Continue Reading

Bride Wars respectably grossed over 100 million dollars, with mixed reviews I was skeptical about checking it out in the theater, but have eagerly anticipated its release on Blu-ray. While the idea of two best friends ripping each others throats out to further their own agenda isn’t exactly the first thought that comes to mind when you think of a comedy film, I think Bride Wars looks to be a winner. Starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson Bride Wars boasts a rather decent supporting cast as well which includes Candice Bergen, Kristen Johnston, and Chris Pratt. Continue Reading

Released in 2001 and partially based upon the book War of the Rats, tied in with the historical battle of Stalingrad in World War 2. While Jude Law’s character of Vasily Zaytsev is identified as a real person all other events of the film remain unconfirmed and have since almost become folklore. I find it hard to believe that Enemy at the Gates is 8 years old, and although it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it, every time since I watched it in the theater in 2001 it has seemed too deteriorated in quality and enjoy ability. Maybe that’s just me getting older and actual analyzing and comparing movies, or its appeal fading into a sea of like movies.  Regardless I look forward to watching Enemy at the Gates again, as I once considered it a great movie. Continue Reading