Into the Blu

With all the so-called “Bieber-fever” going on, it was inevitable that the token feature film would debut. Here it is, 104 minutes of fan service for those still fawning over his one and only album (no remixes and acoustic version don’t count in this case). Continue Reading

At first glance Paranormal Activity 2 seems like an interesting blu-ray to review… I always tend to try and invest in titles that will flex the muscles of my home theatre and when we’re dealing with a film that is supposed to look like it was shot with a handheld camcorder it may seem like it’s a sure bet this will be getting a skip on the technical aspects, but if a film is valuable enough and caters to the right market it just might surprise us. Lets see how it does.

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It had all the right ingredients; a script by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, The Muppet’s creator Jim Henson in the director’s chair, a soundtrack by David Bowie and produced by George Lucas as well. Released in 1986, Labyrinth failed to find an audience in theaters, but did it deserve better? Continue Reading

Comedies have always been a great escape for audiences, time away from our daily grind to have a few laughs; after all they say laughter is the best medicine. But not all comedies are created equal as you well know, first off there are different branches of comedy; some prefer more sensible laughter like in a Wes Anderson film, others enjoy action mixed with their comedy, really the variations of the genre are quite limitless. Often times some of the most hysterical movies are the stupidest ones, the slapstick randomness and crude humor of movies like Old School, Animal House, and even this summer’s blockbuster The Hangover. While I hardly think I’ll be able to compare the lesser known Fired Up to some of these classics, I have in no way written it off and hope to find a few good laughs amongst this apparently absent minded comedy. Continue Reading

The Deep is one of those films that is probably better know and more famous for the appearance of the lead actress in the film rather than a the quality of the film itself. Those of you like yours truly who were teenagers when the film arrived in theaters know exactly what I am talking about, namely the stunning visuals of Jacqueline Bisset underwater in that tight white top! The Deep has now made its high def debut on Blu-ray. How does it and more importantly, Jacqueline Bisset look? Pretty darn good! 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

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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Having beaten out the likes of Apocalypse Now for the Best Picture Academy Award in 1979, Kramer vs. Kramer surely must be something special. With the former being a timeless classic, I have my doubts that Kramer vs. Kramer really should have taken away the statue all those years ago. But mind you, the film stars two of the most well respected and acclaimed actors of our time; Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Not only did the film itself take home the top prize, the aforementioned actors took home top honours in the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Supporting Role category. Continue Reading

The Pink Panther…um…what can I say?  It wasn’t that the movie was terribly awful, but it wasn’t particularly great either.  This one is definitely a fans-only release.  I think I lied when I wrote my Blu-ray review of The Rundown. I said that was going to be my shortest review, but I think this one might.  I find it hard to write a review about a movie that dulls the senses so much (that statement sounds strange coming from a guy who likes Dumb and Dumber so much).  I do admit to chuckling a few laughs during the film.  One scene in particular, I let out a muffled chuckle and my wife turned to me and said “Seriously?”  She has no patience or tolerance whatsoever for The Pink Panther, although she also admitted to having never seen the beloved 1960 Pink Panther classics. Continue Reading

In the year 1420, King Henry V of England and King Charles VI of France signed the Treaty of Troyes.  This treaty arranged the inheritance of the French throne by Henry V upon the death of Charles VI.  The events that would ultimately undermine this agreement were the deaths of each man in 1422, just two months apart from one another.  In years soon to follow, both empires would be plunged into war as England invaded France and a tumultuous history between the two would ensue.  It wasn’t until the rise of Joan of Arc, a peasant girl steeped in the Catholic faith, that the English would soon realize she was a force to be reckon with.  Continue Reading

Did you ever judge and neglect a book by its cover, only to be pleasantly surprised later by its content?  That is the case with Open Season 2 and myself.  Not only is the movie a direct-to-video release, but also the cover art looks like a film only a kid could possibly love.  The truth of the matter is that I actually liked the film after my initial viewing.  Like most animated releases of the modern day, the subject matter is much more adult than the studios will ever admit.  I am afraid most of the inside jokes and content will go completely over a kid’s head.  It makes me wonder just how many animated features, growing up as a kid, that I missed out on the true meaning of them because I was not old enough to understand.  Anyway, let’s move on and discuss the animated film, Open Season 2, in greater detail.  Shall we? Continue Reading

As the title implies, this really is a movie about zombie strippers. With that being the case, the movie really is as absurd as the title sounds. And yes…I love it! I have not been this excited to watch a Blu-ray again since my initial viewing of another future cult classic film, in my opinion, Doomsday. Zombie Strippers is a 2008 comedy horror film, written and directed by Jay Lee. The movie features legendary horror star Robert Englund and ex-porn star, the Heartbreaker, Jenna Jameson. These two really need no further introductions. Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz also stars as a bouncer in the film. If you can lower your standards a bit by making it past the first fifteen minutes of this film and don’t mind excessive gratuitous nudity, then you will be in store for a very fun and titillating time. After awhile you just become so numb from the nudity that it feels alien when the girls are clothed. We had some great conversations about this film today around the office water cooler. Continue Reading