Into the Blu

The Simpsons, to me, had at least 10 seasons of being the best cartoon (and sitcom) on television. By season 11 and 12, it show signs of straining but persevered to put out more solid comedy. By the 13^th and 14^th season, the magic had faded and mediocrity reigned meaning that South Park, with the release of season 14 as well as currently airing their 15^th season, can take over as having more consistently hilarious seasons then those veritable cartoon comedy Gods, the Simpsons. Continue Reading

Cocaine was the drug du jour in the early eighties, and as stated in this film, if you did some during this time in the United States, there was an 85% chance it came from George Jung’s smuggling. This film chronicles the life of George Jung, as played by Johnny Depp, from his childhood, through his rise as millionaire drug smuggler, to his latest incarceration. Like many drug films, this one rides a fine line between glamorizing the lifestyle and depicting the horrible consequences of it. Continue Reading

Warner Home Video in Canada is releasing Wave II of their Limited Edition Steelbooks (available exclusively through Futureshop).  The first of five releases is Batman Begins (also being released are Goodfellas, Heat, 2001 & The Matrix).  While the differences between this release and the previously released version are slight (same A/V specs with only three new “additional footage” special features), it is the Steelbook packaging (with slick cover art) that makes this release stand out.   Most of this review will be ported over from our original review of Batman Begins (written by Brian White), with the new features highlighted for easy finding. Continue Reading

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

History has a funny way of repeating itself, especially when it comes to battles over the popular music of the day. When I was a kid, I remember my parents would complain about the music we were listening too, how it paled in comparison to the music of their youth, namely Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington just to name a few. They did have a point as that music, now referred to as American Classical music, has surely stood the test of time and has a prominent place in my music collection.

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When I looked at the cover of Altitude and immediately laughed at all the little details in the cover, not only is the plane seem out of control but some sort of Lost-esque smoke monster is reaching for the plane… and on closer inspection someone is dangling from a door on the plane. It’s clear that even though I’ve never heard of this movie before I had a very good idea as to what I was in store for… Was I right?

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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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Although I have enjoyed the music of Elvis since being a wee lad (and even being known for performing Suspicious Minds occasionally at Karaoke), it was very odd that I had never sat down and watched an Elvis movie.

My impression of the films was that they were fluff pieces, that Elvis wasn’t really much of an actor, and that they were really “teen exploitation” films (the logical successors of which include The Hannah Montana Movie).  So it was with some amusement that I sat down to watch Viva Las Vegas, curious to see just exactly what an Elvis film was. Continue Reading

We’re given two very different horror films in this double feature, one is a nineties slasher film that seems to emulate the formulas of the many slasher films of its time, whereas Otis seems to be an indie film that tries to be as different as possible. Unfortunately as it happens so many times, do these films’ reach exceeds their grasps?

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Harry Callahan is the forefathers of the modern action genre and in this double feature collection we’re given two sequels to the original classic that kickstarted the action/cop genre. Although the sequels can’t compare to the original Dirty Harry, how do Sudden Impact & The Enforcer stack up as a double feature.

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The packaging for a home video release can often be very telling, especially the movie reviewer quotes that are on the package. Generally, the few the quotes, the worse the film. Another rule of thumb is whether you have ever heard of the reviewers before. When there are only one or two short quotes from reviewers who are not exactly household names, well, look out. Even worse is when one of the actors in the film is not listed in the credits. Well all are in play with the release that is the subject of this review, When in Rome. Would it prove to be an exception to these rules of thumb? Continue Reading