Archive for August 2014
Enchantment (1948) DVD Review: Everlasting Loves, Friends, and Lovers Divine
David Niven and Teresa Wright headline a WWII romantic drama about lost love.
Read MoreRaffles (1930) / Raffles (1939) DVD Review: Because Cricket Doesn’t Pay
Two rare versions of the same story about an even rarer combination of English gentleman, jewel thief, and cricketer.
Read MoreBook Review: Steven Spielberg’s America by Fredrick Wasser
A really great read about a really a great director.
Read MoreWillow Creek Blu-ray Review: A New Horror Classic
A surprisingly eerie twist on a now tired genre.
Read MoreOut of the Past (1947) Blu-ray Review: Lightning Captured in a Bottle
The very epitome of film noir – and the femme fatale that goes with it – receives a jaw-dropping HD upgrade from the Warner Archive Edition.
Read MoreSin City Blu-ray Review: Almost Everything Is Black and White
Jackie-Boy was unprepared for what Sin City had in store and the results were not good. Don’t make the same mistake
Read MoreWizard World Chicago 2014: You Can Go Home Again
Chad Derdowski returns to Wizard World after a long hiatus…but is there any magic left?
Read MoreBlandings: Series 2 Is the Pick of the Week
P.G. Wodehouse’s wonderful characters make it to the small screen.
Read MoreCircle the Wagen DVD Review: Definitely Worth Watching
Two guys, one bus, and the road trip they never expected to take.
Read MoreAdventure Time: Princess Day and Regular Show: Rigby Pack DVDs Review
For those who enjoy these small releases or want to sample the series, I recommend them…and so does my mom.
Read MoreAdventure Time: The Complete Second Season DVD Review: One of the Best Shows on TV
A welcome addition to the collection of any fan of animation.
Read More2 by Ken Loach: Riff-Raff (1991) / Raining Stones (1993) Blu-ray Review: Depressingly Fascinating
Two low-key, very sincere movies about everyday, average people get a Hi-Def release from Twilight Time.
Read MoreRegular Show: The Complete Third Season DVD Review: Another Eggscellent Season
For those who enjoy laughing and cartoons on a regular basis, The Complete Third Season is highly recommended.
Read MoreA Young Doctor’s Notebook DVD Review: And You Thought Don Draper Was a Dark Character
Dead babies, botched amputations, and lots of laughs.
Read MoreA Very Honorable Guy (1934) DVD Review: A Lighter Look at Dark Humor
Few men will lay their life on the line, but Joe E. Brown is one of ’em in this Vitaphone rarity.
Read MoreBoredom DVD Review: A State This Documentary Won’t Leave You
A very entertaining, but logical depiction of a worldwide epidemic.
Read MoreYou Said a Mouthful (1932) DVD Review: Pre-Code and Pre-Politically Correct
A tale of “sink or swim” with Joe E. Brown and a barely-recognizable Ginger Rogers.
Read MoreTo Be Takei Movie Review: To Somewhat Boldly Go
Charming portrait of courageous, good-humored George Takei that nevertheless lacks the urgency and conflict that the best documentaries can provide.
Read MoreTie Me Up! Tie Me Down! Is the Pick of the Week
This week sees two foreign releases from Criterion and some excellent television.
Read MoreBroadminded (1931) DVD Review: Pre-Code Comedy with…Wait, Bela Lugosi?!
Ever wondered what cinema’s most famous Dracula would have looked like wooing Thelma Todd? Look no further.
Read MoreDivergent Blu-ray Review: Shailene Woodley Has a Dauntless Task
The film stays faithful to the lessons and themes of the book, which are not just for young adults.
Read MoreRiffTrax Live!: Godzilla (1998) Review: Catastrophic Laughs
RiffTrax makes lousy movies so much better.
Read MoreThe Buddy Holly Story (1978) Blu-ray Review: And I Suppose You’re Mary Tyler Moore?
Even when cast as a legendary rock and roll icon, Gary Busey still looks friggin’ nuts.
Read MoreFollow That Dream (1962) Blu-ray Review: Elvis Presley Stands His Ground in Florida
One of The King’s better-known lesser-known works goes HD thanks to Twilight Time.
Read MoreBatman: Assault on Arkham Blu-ray Review: Better than Its Straight to Video Release Implies
Who needs Batman when you’ve got the Suicide Squad?
Read MoreGrateful Dead 2014 Meet-Up at the Movies: Beat Club 4/21/72 Review
Live from Bremen. It’s the Grateful Dead.
Read MoreTo Be Takei Director Jennifer Kroot: The Past and Present of a Cheerful Bulldozer
“I just couldn’t figure out how the U. S. Government could have imprisoned Mr. Sulu as a five year old.”
Read MoreThe Other Woman (2014) Blu-ray Review: An Average Comedy That Needed to Push the Envelope a Lot More
Just knowing the basic plot, most people will be able to tell how everything’s going to play out.
Read MoreBattling the Bear: Reflections on Robin Williams (1951-2014)
It is important to focus on Robin Williams’ life and the whole picture of who he was, not how he died.
Read MoreInsomnia (1997) Criterion Collection Review: An Influential Thriller
Psychological thriller spins a tale without darkness.
Read MoreThoughtful & Abstract: The Killing: Season Four Gets Sent Off
The fourth season of The Killing tries to go out with a bang.
Read MoreFavorite Robin Williams Performances
Did your favorite make the list?
Read MoreThe Secret of Santa Vittoria Blu-ray Review: Because Nothing Brings a Town Together Like Booze
Stanley Kramer’s wonderful World War II comedy/drama is an absolute must-see.
Read MoreMan Hunt (1941) Blu-ray Review: Ein Film von Fritz Lang? Oh Heck, Ja!
America’s late wake-up call to World War II receives a lovely upgrade from Twilight Time.
Read MoreWizards and Warriors: The Complete Series (1983) DVD Review: Long Overdue
The cult, short-lived, tongue-in-cheek 80s adventure/comedy finally hits home video.
Read MoreThe Railway Man Is the Pick of the Week
I’m always interested in seeing the films Colin Firth is in because even if the film’s rubbish, you can count on his performance.
Read MorePreviewing Epic Ink, A&E’s New Tattoo Series
A&E’s new show about Area 51 Tattoo and its artists who specialize in all things nerd, geek, and pop culture.
Read MoreGMO OMG Movie Review: Where is the H.O.P.E
Jeremy Seifert informs but also manipulates in this documentary.
Read MoreBlue Ruin Blu-ray Review: An Intense, Visceral Experience
A ferociously brilliant, new American classic.
Read MoreGrace Kelly Collection DVD Review: From a Queen to a Princess
“You know, I just love Grace Kelly.” – Jimmy Stewart, from his eulogy
Read MoreTo Catch a Thief DVD Review: Crime Never Looked So Good
Hitchcock delivers a high quality film that combines romance and intrigue.
Read MoreBeyond Westworld: The Complete Series DVD Review: …Where Everything Went Wrong!
So it’s a television spin-off set between the original film and its sequel, but which wholly ignores them and is set in a weird unannounced alternate reality. Got it.
Read MoreBook Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History by Andrew Farago
A must-have for fans and highly recommended for pop-culture aficionados.
Read MoreOrphan Black: Season Two Blu-ray Review: Attack of the Clones
Tatiana Maslany continues to impress in her multiple characters, but the show has cooled.
Read MoreRansom! (1956) DVD Review: “And Introducing Leslie Nielsen”
Glenn Ford sets the stage for Mel Gibson’s 1996 remake (and shows that young buck how to do it in the process).
Read MoreThoughtful & Abstract: An Awesome Mix of Ideas about Guardians of the Galaxy
The current state of the Marvel film empire is considered.
Read MoreRadio Days (1987) Blu-ray Review: Twilight Time Strikes Gold(en Age of Radio)
Woody Allen bridges a couple of generational gaps with a heartfelt look at growing up.
Read MoreChildrens Hospital: The Complete Fifth Season (2013) DVD Review: So Darwin Was Right, Apparently
A natural selection of comedic evolution if I ever did see one.
Read MoreCommunity: The Complete Fifth Season is the Pick of the Week
It’s a reasonable bet that I’ll be buying it on DVD sooner or later.
Read MoreThe Dog (2014) Movie Review: What Really Happened on a Dog Day Afternoon
The story of the brash man who robbed a bank for love…so he says.
Read MoreDom Hemingway Blu-ray Review: A Seedy and Sordid Bit of Charm
Jude Law taps into his inner savage brute for the latest from Richard Shepard.
Read MoreBook Review: The Killing: Uncommon Denominator by Karen Dionne
A prequel novel every bit as addicting as the TV show.
Read More1948 Film Noir in Review: Three Thrillers from Poverty Row’s Monogram Picture
The Warner Archive Collection unleashes a handful of B film noir tales.
Read MoreThe Warner Archive Presents Alan Ladd, Cinema’s Very Own Napoleon
From way out west to war in the east, a little Ladd goes a long way.
Read MorePeter Gabriel: Back to Front: Live in London Blu-ray Review: A Concert to Put in Your Eyes and Ears
Peter Gabriel and Eagle Rock Entertainment have released another winner.
Read More