Into the Blu

The live action Scooby-Doo franchise always felt fine where it was, they were silly films that captured the slapstick humor, mysterious monsters and overall tone of the classic cartoon… So when I found out that they’ve rebooted the series with a direct-to-video prequel with a completely new and unheard of cast I was a bit weary… How’d it pan out?

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Some films are so bloated with an undeserving budget it’s sickening. Such is the case with Taxi, a loose remake of a French film of the same name. Somewhere amidst the many exploding cars, flying bullets and random bikini shots is a lifeless script trying to be resuscitated by a feeble cast. Abandon all hope… Continue Reading

Every now and again, a real gem of a film is overlooked by the critics and the general public as well. These films feature a fine cast, fine performances and a very creatively presented story. Perhaps it is the creativity of the storytelling that is the problem or the subject matter, which may put off off too many. Whatever the case may be, these little gems deserve a wider audience. Just such a film is the subject of today’s review, De-Lovely. Continue Reading

While new films seem to be what most of the Blu-ray buying public is looking for, I also really enjoy the back catalogs, even the deep back catalogs. It gives me a chance to get a fresh look at films I never had the opportunity to see, didn’t know about or haven’t seen in a long time. One such film is the subject of this review, Moonstruck which I hadn’t seen since its original theatrical run in 1987. I really loved it then. Would I love it just as much now all these years later? The answer is an unqualified yes. 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 a time where M. Night Shymalan has been hit with some pretty negative criticisms with his past few original ideas, this marks the first real adaption (minus Lady in the Water) that the director has undertaken. Does a movie directed by M. Night that isn’t written by him any better?

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Arguably one of the most iconic films in the horror genre, Poltergeist now nearly 30 years old, is filled with numerous recognizable and often parodied scenes. Poltergeist has since been made into a trilogy of films and a remake is currently in talks; but let’s face it nothing has or will come close to competing with the original. Directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist was nominated for 3 Academy Awards in 1982; a rare feat for a horror film. But not all good has come from this film, as much of the current day press around the film comes in form of The “Poltergeist Curse.” The curse surrounding the film has supposedly taken the lives of four cast members; aged as young as 12 years old. One murdered, the rest taken by illness it is unclear to me the reality of this curse but one thing is for sure; it surely has added to the already spooky aura around the film. Continue Reading

It’s no surprise that the Matrix sequels took so long to get individually released on Blu-ray, with the box set selling well on the strength of the first film and the Animatrix and those who felt the sequels were under-performers who refuse to own the sequels taking advantage of the first Matrix’s individual release, we are now given the option to own the second of the trilogy. Is it worth it?

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Of the top three baseball based films of all time, only 2 have made their way to Blu-ray, Field of Dreams and The Natural, at least until now. While I love both of these films, the very best baseball themed film is Bull Durham, which fortunately, was finally released on Blu-ray this week. While I was more than pleased with the look and sound of The Natural, Field of Dreams was another matter altogether and was a disappointment in the video department. Would Bull Durham prove to be more like The Natural or more like Field of Dreams. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray release of Bull Durham is as disappointing as Field of Dreams. Continue Reading

Marked for Death was made at the peak of Steven Seagal’s popularity. The year it was released, it was one of 20^th Century Fox’s top grossing films next to Home Alone. It may not be Seagal’s best film, but looking back I remember it having its moments. However, after 20 years, does it still hold up?

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One of my most cherished Christmas presents as an adolescent was a boxed set of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.  To the fertile mind of a 12-year old, these were the best books ever, igniting a life long affinity for fantasy literature.  What made the books even more special is the prose used allowed a reader to form strong visions in their own mind of the characters, places, and action contained therein.

After reading the books, I was excited to discover that an animated version of the book existed, and lobbied hard to get my buddies to rent it when we were having a movie night.  And after we all sat back and viewed the movie, we looked at each other with the same expression on our faces: “What in heck was that?”

So the question is, after 28 years of watching various forms of animation, have I gained a new appreciation for Ralph Bakshi’s labor of love?  Does being on Blu-ray make the movie any better? Continue Reading

There have been a plethora of films made over the years about Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Virgil and Morgan and their roles at the shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone in the then Arizona Territory back on October 26, 1881. For the most part these films had the history wrong and never told the true story of what really happened leading up to the gunfight as well as the aftermath, detailing who the parties were as well as their motivations, along with providing a more well rounded, fleshed out and historically accurate (at least by Hollywood standards) account of some very complex personalities. That is what the film Tombstone sets out to do, all the while providing and interesting an entertaining experience for the audience. Do they succeed? Continue Reading