Archive for October 2014
Rifftrax Live: Anaconda Movie Review: A Slithering Halloween Treat
Come sail down the Amazon with the Rifftrax crew!
Read MoreA Handful of de Havilland: Three Obscure Olivias from the Warner Archive
Olivia de Havilland encounters the plights and perils of a gold rush, a wartime rush, and rushed productions in a trio of forgotten films.
Read MoreEarth to Echo Blu-ray Review: Steven Spielberg’s Lawyers Ought to Be Happy
A nostalgic family film that wants to remind you of classic ’80s adventure movies, but instead made me chuck things at my TV.
Read MoreGood People Blu-ray Review: Good People, So-So Movie
Not as good as its cast might imply.
Read MoreDr. Katz Live Album Review: The Classic Animated Comedy Live and on Stage
There’s no squigglevision, but the laughs are as strong as they ever were.
Read MoreSnowpiercer (2013) Blu-ray Review: Off to See the Wizard
Intelligent, thought-provoking sci-fi drama with winning performances and production design.
Read MoreMy Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks Blu-ray Review: Entertainment for the Entire Family
Equestria Girls proves that friendship and music really is magic.
Read MoreLooking for Johnny: The Legend of Johnny Thunders DVD Review: Even in Death, He Still Slings Six-strings
Spanish filmmaker Danny Garcia unravels the mysterious sadness of a guitar god.
Read MoreGallagher: I Am Who I Pretend to Be Album Review: A Final Farewell from a Once Great Comedian
A reminder of how great Gallagher once was.
Read MoreDeliver Us from Evil (2014) Is the Pick of the Week
Surprisingly, it’s a weak week for scary movies, but a good one for everything else.
Read MoreMaleficent Blu-ray Review: Gorgeous to Look at, but Hard to Watch
It is an entertaining, well performed, family film that lacks a coherent vision and feels like it was made by a committee instead of a filmmaker telling a singular story.
Read MoreThe Blues Magoos: Psychedelic Resurrection Album Review
Psychedelic Resurrection is the first album from garage rock band the Blues Magoos in four decades.
Read MoreOne Night at Susie’s DVD Review: Makes a Hardened Man Humble
The Warner Archive presents vintage film enthusiasts with one of the few surviving films of actress Billie Dove.
Read MoreHorns Movie Review: Daniel Radcliffe Can’t Handle the Truth
Harry Potter trades his magic wand for a devil’s pitchfork in a horror movie providing scares and chuckles before turning loony-cartoony
Read MoreJohn Wick Movie Review: Keanu Reeves Gets His Wick Debt
A nice change of pace action/thriller that will hopefully inspire others to emulate instead of imitate.
Read MoreOh, Sailor Behave DVD Review: Olsen and Johnson Liven a Dud to Death
They don’t make ’em like this anymore. And an entire nation – if not universe – can sleep soundly with that assurance.
Read MoreThe Lusty Men DVD Review: An RKO Rodeo Picture
Robert Mitchum and Arthur Kennedy are two wild studs that only Susan Hayward can handle.
Read MoreBegin Again DVD Review: Sorry, Once Was Enough
Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley trapped in a sappy, predictable music industry backstager from the maker of Once.
Read MoreShoot-Out at Medicine Bend DVD Review: The Feel-Good Flick of ’57
OK, so Randolph Scott, Bret Maverick, and the Green Hornet walk into a bar dressed as Quakers…
Read MoreBook Review: Lit Up Inside: Selected Lyrics by Van Morrison: You’ve Heard the Songs, Now Read the Lyrics
Have I told you lately that I love Van Morrison?
Read MoreSon of a Gunfighter DVD Review: Sundown of the American Gundown
The Warner Archive brings us the home video debut of an odd, early Euro western prototype.
Read MoreBook Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 1 & Issue #3 by John Byrne
Byrne’s work is like watching a long-lost episode play before our eyes.
Read MoreLovejoy: Series 2 DVD Review: Ian McShane Is Back for More Antiques, Crime and Fun
Ian McShane is charming and funny and even a little bit tough when necessary. He is wonderful as Lovejoy, and his show is as charming as its star.
Read MoreBook Review: Percy Crosby’s Skippy: Daily Comics 1931-1933: Long-forgotten Magic
With any luck this collection will bring Skippy back to the public consciousness – it certainly deserves it.
Read MoreUnder Fire (1983) Blu-ray Review: Nick Nolte Knows How to Shoot (a Camera)
Twilight Time’s new Blu-ray release is most assuredly the best possible way to experience this underrated gem.
Read MoreSupermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon Movie Review: An Amazing Documentary
The story of entertainment manager, Shep Gordon, who does business a little differently.
Read MoreThe Two Faces of January Movie Review: Sex and Suspense from Three Strong Actors
Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac in an entertaining tangle of greed, lust, and guilt from Patricia Highsmith.
Read MoreThoughtful & Abstract: The Walking Dead: “No Sanctuary”
In which we start with blood and end with fire. In between Carol kicks ass.
Read MoreSnowpiercer Is the Pick of the Week
This week’s releases include a highly acclaimed science fiction movie, several complete television collections, an HBO special, and more.
Read MoreSilent Witness: The Complete Season One and Seventeen DVDs Review: Ch-ch-ch-changes
BBC Video releases the earliest and latest seasons of the long-running crime drama series.
Read MoreThe Adventures of the Wilderness Family Triple Feature DVD Review: The Off Grid Trilogy
Those lovable stinkin’ hippies return in a compressed, single-disc/three-feature release for those of you on the cheap.
Read MoreAlabama & Friends at the Ryman CD/DVD Review: Celebrating 40 Years
Highly entertaining from beginning to end.
Read MoreYoung Justice Blu-ray Review: A Super(hero) Show from Warner Archive
While using teenage main characters could have led to a series best suited for children, the realistic characters and smartly plotted stories make it accessible for all.
Read MoreBook Review: Owsley and Me: My LSD Family by Rhoney Gissen Stanley with Tom Davis
Making music, love, and enough LSD to get the whole world high.
Read MoreClassic Shorts from the Dream Factory, Volume 3 DVD Review: The Lost Stooges
The Warner Archive brings us six rare pre-Code shorts featuring The Three Stooges, including a previously thought-to-be-lost short rediscovered in 2013.
Read MoreThe Believers (1987) Blu-ray Review: That Old Black Magic Has Me in Its Spell
Martin Sheen is in trouble, for he does not practice Santería. Nor does he have a crystal ball, for that matter.
Read MoreSteven Spielberg Director’s Collection Blu-ray Review: Finally, Duel in HD!
Universal unveils the HD debuts of four of the iconic director’s works in this eight-film set.
Read MoreThe Honorable Woman DVD Review: A Slow, Dense and Immensely Entertaining Thriller
A densely plotted drama that loses none of its depth while remaining thrilling to watch.
Read MoreThe Vanishing (1993) Blu-ray Review: So Bad That It Actually Becomes Good
That smudged printing on Jeff Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland’s résumés can be seen in a much clearer light now.
Read MoreThe Adventures of Marco Polo DVD Review: “The Princess Bride” of Its Day?
The Warner Archive re-releases a highly enjoyable epic of a box office bomb from 1938.
Read MoreAre You Here Blu-ray Review: Never Fleshes Itself Out
Owen Wilson and Zach Galifianakas blow smoke for emotional growth in Matthew Weiner’s feature-film debut.
Read MoreAudrey Rose Blu-ray Review: An ‘Exorcist’ for the Neil Simon Crowd
Twilight Time brings vintage horror movie lovers a misaligned tale of reincarnation and possession.
Read MoreX-Men: Days of Future Past Is the Pick of the Week
The film matched all of the promise of the concept.
Read MoreThe Blob (1988) Blu-ray Review: Everybody’s in the Pink Now
Twilight Time delivers a dazzling HD re-release of the cult favorite ’80s remake and it’s swell, kids!
Read MoreFather Brown: Season One DVD Review: Uninspired Priest Detective Series
Catholic priest detective isn’t particularly Catholic, nor much of a detective, in this BBC series.
Read MoreInspector Manara: Season Two DVD Review: Crime and Amore
Luca’s intuitive yet iconoclastic approach to crime-solving is a lot of fun to watch, but it is the romance of Luca and Lara that is sure to keep viewers interested and involved.
Read MoreCamp X-Ray Movie Review: Exploring the Gray in Guantanamo Bay
Kristen Stewart finally shows her talent in this thought-provoking drama.
Read MoreBook Review: The Art of John Alvin by Andrea Alvin
You know his work. Now get to know the man.
Read MoreIn the Flesh: The Complete Season Two DVD Review: The Undead Return. Again.
Because who doesn’t long for a BBC drama that includes gay zombie love?
Read MoreChef Blu-ray Review: Not the Easiest to Digest
Many small scenes that work by themselves but when strung together they do not connect even though on paper they should.
Read MoreSpenser: For Hire: The Complete First Season (1985-86) DVD Review: Great ’80s Neo-Noir
The criminally neglected cult ABC TV series starring the late great Robert Urich returns courtesy of the Warner Archive.
Read MoreLa Bamba (1987) Blu-ray Review: Lou Diamond Phillips Debuts as Ritchie Valens
The film that made you rue the day Los Lobos first started saturating radio airplay returns in High-Definition.
Read MoreThoughtful & Abstract: Sons of Anarchy: Season 3
SAMCRO travels to Ireland and gets a baby back, people get kidnapped and rescued and old vendettas are addressed.
Read MoreTV Review: The Flash (2014): ‘City of Heroes’
Recommend for superhero fans.
Read MoreThe Wonder Years: Season One DVD Review: A Great Combination of Comedic Moments and Poignant Drama
The quality may not be perfect but the content is very close to it.
Read MoreThoughtful & Abstract: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: “Heavy Is The Head”
Touch it! Touch the Obelisk.
Read MoreThe Great Race (1965) Blu-ray Review: Blake Edwards, How Great Thou Art
A failure upon its release, this epic adventure makes a beautiful HD comeback via the Warner Archive Collection.
Read MoreThe Prosecution of An American President DVD Review: Former Manson Prosecutor Takes on George W. Bush
The Prosecution of An American President should make you angry, no matter what side of the political fence you are on.
Read MoreSleeping Beauty: Diamond Edition is the Pick of the Week
I can’t wait for my little girl to grow up with me and movies.
Read MoreNosferatu in Venice (Prince of the Night) DVD Review: When Art Becomes Trash
A rarely seen bad movie becomes even worse thanks to a marred English audio track.
Read MoreThe Desert Song (’43 and ’53 Versions) DVDs Review: Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things
The Warner Archive presents two tales where the heat is hot and the ground is dry, but the air is full of sound.
Read MoreTodd Ford Wants to ‘See You in the Dark’
The book offers a selection of his reviews from the past two decades and reveals where his passion for film has taken him during that time.
Read MoreSleeping Beauty (1959) Diamond Edition Blu-ray Review: Same Great HD Presentation, but Less Features
A brilliant restoration of a now Disney classic.
Read MoreThese Are a Few of My Favorite Saturday Morning Shows
Return with us now to those thrilling Saturdays of yesteryear.
Read MoreGrindhouse Trailer Classics, Volume 1 DVD Review: Seven Years Later…
Indie label Intervision presents American viewers with a collection of classic previews that has been out in the UK for over half of a decade now.
Read MoreFrom Dusk Till Dawn: Season One (2014) Blu-ray Review: Why, God, Why?
Imagine a 108-minute film shamelessly and mercilessly expanded into an unwanted, unnecessary, uncalled-for ten-hour-long series.
Read MoreThe Killer Elite (1975) Blu-ray Review: The Wrath of Caan
Sam Peckinpah sets his bloody sights on a tale of covert government agents and stealthy ninja assassins. What’s not to love there?
Read MoreSalvador (1986) Blu-ray Review: Oliver Stone Finds His Calling
Twilight Time revives the controversial director’s first (notable) film back for another haunting round.
Read MoreLolly-Madonna XXX (1973) DVD Review: More Than a Name on a Postcard
A rare type of film that precariously teeters between sleazy exploitative trash and fine underrated art.
Read MoreMy Name Is A by Anonymous DVD Review: A Horrifyingly Real and Daring Expose
A despairing, sickening, and all-too-real descent into lost youth
Read MoreUniversal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection (1931-1956) DVD Review: Too Little, Too Late
Cinema’s iconic creature features are re-released yet again in another SD-DVD
set.