Into the Blu

After Dark Horrorfest, commonly known as “8 films to die for” is an annual horror festival that began in 2006 and features eight feature length horror films. Since the initial Horrorfest in 2006 it has become somewhat of a cult hit, each year cranking out more thrills and chills. Unlike a typical film festival, Horrorfest doesn’t take place at just one location; it actually plays in dozens of theatres across the country, with more being added all the time. Continue Reading

It’s always great seeing a Steven Spielberg film get released on Blu-ray and although his sci-fi endeavors may seem better suited for the format it’s great to see his dramatic efforts get some attention. Does the re-release breathe new life into this classic film or was this simply a product of its time?

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February 22nd, 2011 Releases…

• Megamind
• Due Date
• Memento (10th Anniversary Edition)
• Weeds: Season Six
• The Stieg Larsson Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / The Girl Who Played with Fire / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest)
• 48 Hrs.
• Nurse Jackie: Season Two
• All-Star Superman
• Get Low
• Fish Tank (Criterion)

All college hoop fans are surely aware of the Big 5, the collection of 5 Philadelphia area based colleges that have been playing basketball in their own association since the 1950′s. It is unique and there is nothing else like it in college basketball. There is another Big 5 out there as well, at least according to film historians and that is the 5 films that form the foundation of the Disney Empire. Those films are Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Bambi and Dumbo. The first three of this so-called Big 5 have already made their way to Blu-ray. The fourth, Bambi, is finally making its debut on Blu-ray as well. Continue Reading

February 15th, 2011 Releases…

• Unstoppable
• Waiting for “Superman”
• You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
• Rain Man
• Moonstruck
• All the President’s Men
• Network
• Chaplin (15th Anniversary Edition)
• Last Tango in Paris
• The Stranger

The good old days. I am sure that we have all at one time hankered back for what we think were the Good Old Days. You know, when life was simpler, the food better and the music too. Perhaps even films? The funny thing about the good old days is that we sometimes look back at them through a filter and they are not really as good as we thought them to be. I was giving this subject some thought before I popped the subject of this review, Dances With Wolves, into the Blu-ray player. Continue Reading

Some directors go to the same well over and over again, making films with the same basic formula with different settings and actors but the same basic plot. Once a film is successful, the natural inclination is to repeat that formula so long as it remains box office gold. Whether the films are any good or not is irrelevant. The only issue is will it make money. Well, that is the case with the film that is subject of this review, Due Date, which is brought to us by the same team that brought us the widely successful (at least at the box office), The Hangover, looking to repeat that box office gold. Continue Reading

There is no doubt that is great that we are seeing all of there 20th and 30th and beyond anniversary releases of some truly classic films on Blu-ray. However, there is a downside for any of us, like yours truly, who were around when some of these films hit the theater for the first time. They really remind us how fast time is flying by, whether we are having fun or not. Holy cow, Batman, has it really been 20 years since Thelma & Louise first hit the screen? Has it been 20 years since Mr. Angelina Jolie i.e. Brad Pitt, first hit the screen and had all those ladies cooing in their seats? Well, unfortunately is is true. We are now all 20 years older. Just how does Thelma & Louise hold up all these years later? I am pleased to report, quite well. Quite well indeed. Continue Reading

In watching the film that is the subject of this review, a number of sports cliches came to mind. You know, like “You’ll get them next time”, “You can’t win them all”, ‘Even a .300 hitter makes an out 7 out of t0 times.” For the sake of cliche completeness, you can also thrown in “Nobody’s perfect”. Well these cliches are all certainly applicable to the film that is the subject of today’s review, Woody Allen’s latest film, “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger”. Woody, as my dad would tell me when I struck out in Little League, better luck next time. Continue Reading

One of the often far too overlooked aspects of the Blu-ray disc format is the audio. The video is great and all with those beautiful 1080p images but the audio is just as good, giving us the opportunity to experience at home, audio that is bit for bit identical to the studio master. While that is great for films, it is probably even better for music lovers, as it provides a way to get audio in the home that is identical to the studio tape for the first time. As a life long audiophile, I find that fantastic. While there are very few if any strictly audio Blu-ray releases around, there are quite a few Blu-ray concert discs available. Continue Reading

February 8th, 2011 Releases…

• Life as We Know It
• Paranormal Activity 2
• You Again
• I Spit on Your Grave (2010)
• I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
• Thelma & Louise (20th Anniversary)
• For Colored Girls
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story
• Middle Men
• My Soul to Take

As I had admittedly gushed about my appreciation for Elvis in prior reviews, I could be viewed as somewhat prejudicial in my viewing of Jailhouse Rock.  Although Elvis on Tour was disappointing, I thoroughly enjoyed Viva Las Vegas and was hoping this other “young Elvis” film would deliver an equally lightweight and enjoyable cinema experience.

I was somewhat curious about reviewing my first “true” black and white film (Young Frankenstein was the first I had reviewed), and was equally curious to see how much charisma the relatively young Elvis of 1957 possessed. Continue Reading