Into the Blu

Hot Rod

Posted on 06. Jan, 2009 by Kristina Kehler.

Hoping to make the jump from Saturday Night Live to the big screen Andy Samberg stars in Hot Rod, yet another film about an immature young adult following his heart without using his head. While for some of you these movies are wearing thin, they always seem to strike a chord with certain audiences, which usually include me. With all the talks of recession, bail outs and unemployment maybe we could use a stupid movie for some stupid laughs. My only concern is the ability of Samberg to keep me entertained for more than a three minute skit on Saturday nights. Those that have made the jump from SNL to the big screen have done it convincingly, but let us not forget the failures of Chris Kattan, Jimmy Fallon, and… well many others. So is this comedy going to be another run of the mill failure or supply some good laughs and physical comedy? [...]

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Last Holiday

Posted on 06. Jan, 2009 by Kristina Kehler.

For those of you old timers, you might recognize the title from the 1950 film of the same name, which ultimately has the same plot with a female taking the leading role. That female being the respectable Queen Latifah along with a supporting cast including LL Cool J and Timothy Hutton. I must admit, initially I am quite sceptical about Latifah carrying a comedy film on her own, she doesn’t have the best track record in comedies (Taxi, Beauty Shop, Barbershop 2). However Last Holiday does have a morbid angle and the Queen has belted some great dramatic performances in her day (Chicago, Stranger Than Fiction, The Secret Life of Bees) so I’m going to head into this one with some half decent expectations. [...]

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MirrorMask

Posted on 05. Jan, 2009 by Gregg Senko.

Our dreams are often distorted, sometimes twisted recollections of past experiences.  In other cases they are the work of our subconscious wandering down an unfamiliar path, conjuring events that have not yet occurred.  MirrorMask is a very unique and artistic film that combines both such concepts into this PG-rated work.  In the beginning of the film, we find a woman running the ticket booth of a circus she and her husband own and operate.  In a bit of haste before showtime, she abandons the duty to seek out her daughter Helena, a juggler in the show.   [...]

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Friday Night Lights

Posted on 04. Jan, 2009 by Brian White.

I really did not want to like this movie.  The thought of anything non-NFL-related usually turns me off right from the start.  You can ask anyone that knows me.  I have never watched a full college football game, whether alone a high school football game.  I went into this late-night viewing of Friday Night Lights (on a late Saturday night) with absolutely no expectations whatsoever, and to say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.  This movie has heart where it counts the most.  It’s not about winning or losing…it is about playing the game you love and knowing that you did your absolute best.  This is the modern day story of David vs. Goliath…this is Friday Night Lights. [...]

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Shinobi - Heart Under Blade

Posted on 03. Jan, 2009 by Gregg Senko.

Take the X-Men, combine them with Romeo and Juliet and mix in a little Richard Chamberlain Shogun and what do you get?  Shinobi: Heart Under Blade.  This Japanese production is indeed a hybrid of those three creations and caught my interest some time back.  It wasn’t until recently that my friend Goran reminded me of the movie and let me borrow his copy.  So, I kicked off my New Year’s Blu-ray-watching with this foreign film (English subtitles included).  Shinobi is set in Japan in 1614 where peace seems to finally be at home across the land.  Meanwhile, small pockets of people continue to go about their daily lives, living in hidden villages, far out of sight from the Shogun ruling Japan.  These are no ordinary folk, however.  These are the Shinobi…individuals born with extraordinary powers who are trained for nothing more than the ultimate fight (not all that dissimilar from mutants in the Marvel Comics universe).  [...]

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The Heartbreak Kid

Posted on 03. Jan, 2009 by Kristina Kehler.

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that two little known brothers from Rhode Island decided to put a spin on the typical and arguably tired romantic comedy genre. That was nearly fifteen years ago, and the launching movie was Dumb and Dumber, which has since etched the Farrelly Brothers into the upper echelons of comedy screenwriters and directors. Over the years their slapstick antics and gross out humor has been a staple in the comedy corner of Hollywood. With classics like There’s Something About Mary, Kingpin, Shallow Hal, Me Myself and Irene, and many others, I eagerly anticipate their latest films. But it hasn’t always been laughs, and like with all things good come the well, not so good. With flops like Say It Isn’t So and the short running TV show Unhitched, the Farrelly Brother’s reputation isn’t completely unscathed. Is this film going to break out hearts, or captivate our minds like kids? [...]

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The Cheetah Girls: One World

Posted on 02. Jan, 2009 by Kristina Kehler.

Growing up musical movies really captivated me, as they do most children. It’s something everyone can appreciate and have a good time with, however, call it growing up if you want, but Disney just hasn’t been on stride with musicals as of late. Sure the success of High School Musical and others can debate that, but there just hasn’t been that pizzazz that I yearn. But I open my eyes and mind going into The Cheetah Girls: One World, hoping for a nostalgic journey to when these films captivated my imagination. Is Cheetah Girls going to impress, or just be another contemporary drag? [...]

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Awake

Posted on 30. Dec, 2008 by Brian White.

“Each year, over 21,000,000 people receive general anesthesia.  The vast majority go to sleep peacefully.  They remember nothing.  30,000 of these patients are not so fortunate.  They find themselves unable to sleep.  Trapped in a phenomenon known as anesthesia awareness.  These victims are completely paralyzed.  They cannot scream for help.  They are awake.”  [...]

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Good Luck Chuck

Posted on 28. Dec, 2008 by Brian White.

Given my love for actress Jessica Alba it only make sense that I take a few minutes to write about a delight in my life, entitled Good Luck Chuck.  This film has been out for almost a year now on the Blu-ray format and I am sure all my educated readers have already read their fair share of reviews on this title.  If you are in the majority right now you are probably already scratching your head at the high scores I have given to Good Luck Chuck.  If you have not seen this movie, then you are probably pondering is it really as good as he says it is?  Or you may be thinking is this reviewer so infatuated with the looks of Jessica Alba that he has completely gone against the grain of society in popular opinion?  Let me be the first to tell you there is more than meets the eye in this film, a phrase I am sure all you fan boys are quite familiar with.  I have to compare this movie directly with the likes of Bad Santa.  Here you have two very raunchy films at times, but strip away the exterior and devote yourself to the feature, and what you really have on the interior is a film warm in heart.  [...]

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Mamma Mia! The Movie

Posted on 24. Dec, 2008 by Brian White.

Mamma Mia! The Movie was slated to be second on my to-do agenda after my next Blu-ray review was finished.  With repeated requests from my mother to finally write this review I decided to bump this one up on my list of reviews to get done.  Like all good stories there is a prologue.  My parents came over the evening December 13^th to watch The Dark Knight on Blu-ray.  After being overwhelmingly satisfied with The Dark Knight my mother petitioned for an encore Blu-ray presentation.  She eyed the Mamma Mia! The Movie Blu-ray she saw sitting on my media shelf, still sealed in the retail shrink-wrap, knowing full well that she would get to see her favorite movie of the year before its video release date.  I was reluctant to follow-up The Dark Knight with a screening of Mamma Mia! The Movie, but I pondered why not, I had to watch and review it sometime.  I figured at least if I did not enjoy it someone else would.  So without further ado here is my initial Blu-ray experience with Mamma Mia! The Movie. [...]

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Sharkwater

Posted on 22. Dec, 2008 by Gregg Senko.

Captain Planet.  That’s what some of my coworkers call me as I’m always on the lookout for discarded plastic bottles and aluminum cans that others throw away when the recycling bin is but a few steps farther.  Yup, champion of the environment.  That’s me.  So when I came across a documentary earlier this year about sharks, I was ecstatic.  To see sharks in their natural habitat in high definition would be a wonderful thing.  Without further ado, I made my online purchase of the film known as Sharkwater. [...]

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Casino

Posted on 22. Dec, 2008 by Gregg Senko.

I can’t believe it’s already been well over a decade since the 1995 release of Martin Scorsese’s Casino. As they say though, time flies when you’re having fun and Casino is indeed one fun ride.  Scorsese’s mid-90’s masterpiece was based on true events surrounding real life figure, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, known in the film as Sam “Ace” Rothstein played by the irrefutable Robert De Niro.  Rosenthal was a numbers guy of very respectable stature in the gambling business and speaking of the gambling business, being a numbers guy didn’t mean he was a good accountant.  Quite the contrary, Rosenthal garnered more than enough attention and respect to become one of the most notable oddsmakers in the country.  After all, no one rigs your car to explode if you’re a nobody.  [...]

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Serenity

Posted on 21. Dec, 2008 by Brian White.

Want to talk about a huge gamble? Serenity is based off the short-lived 2002 television series Firefly. Firefly barely lasted half a season on television. However, Firefly became a huge seller on the DVD format when it was released. I am still scratching my head about this one. So Universal Studios thought it was worth the gamble to invest money in a defunct television show hoping for some box office magic as they green lit Joss Whedon’s screenplay. Serenity opened in 2005 to mostly positive critical reviews but fell short in earnings, failing to cover what it cost to make the movie. Despite the lackluster success at the box office, Serenity went on to receive much praise as it won many awards in the sci-fi community. [...]

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Blackalicious: 4/20 Live in Seattle

Posted on 21. Dec, 2008 by Kristina Kehler.

While it’s been a while since I’ve dabbled into the rap game, I do know a thing or two about a thing or two. Admittedly I no longer listen to the genre, but I do have a sense of appreciation for certain artists, and am going into this one with my mind open and with a sense of anticipation. [...]

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Meet Dave

Posted on 21. Dec, 2008 by Kristina Kehler.

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that when Eddie Murphy released a movie people actually anticipated it eagerly. With a string of hits extending from the late 80’s well into the 90’s, there was a time that we couldn’t get enough of his antics. But in the last decade Murphy has been met with lukewarm reception at best, with every second movie almost making the grade, it just hasn’t been enough. But the potential is still there and not all of his outings as of late of been complete write offs. Here’s to hoping that Meet Dave is more like Nutty Professor than Norbit. [...]

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Stranger Than Fiction (Special Edition)

Posted on 21. Dec, 2008 by Kristina Kehler.

Like most of you, I have come to expect Will Ferrell in stupid comedy movies that no matter how ridiculous, will always be a guilty pleasure to watch. With Stranger than Fiction Marc Foster (Monsters Ball) broadens the horizon a bit, with a sweet and innocent take on a rather grim premise. The real question is can Will Ferrell escape the shackles of type casting and deliver a movie with feeling? [...]

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I Am Legend (Ultimate Collector’s Edition)

Posted on 18. Dec, 2008 by Jeremy Frost.

Not only is this the second Blu-ray release of I Am Legend, it is also the third time the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend has been adapted to film. The first time was The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price, still the best version in my mind to date. The second attempt was the cult classic The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston, although major portions of the adaption were changed from the book. Finally we have are third version, this 2008 release of I Am Legend starring Will Smith.

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