Murder in the First: The Complete First Season DVD Review: Boring in the Second
By Mat Brewster |
Steven Bochco seems to have forgotten what decade it is and made a TV show from the late ’80s.
The Larry Sanders Show: The Complete Series Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us Larry Sanders, Cybermen, women in prison, midwives, Charlie Chaplin, Bette Midler playing Janis Joplin, and more.
Broadchurch: The Complete Second Season DVD Review: Weak Story, Emotionally Wrecking
By Mat Brewster |
Season Two is more confined by its genres, but delivers the goods with its characters.
Broadchurch: The Complete Second Season Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us the wonderful David Tennant, cyber hackers, Alzheimer’s dramas, cartoon burgers, lesbian vampires, and more.
Ghost Story: Turn of the Screw DVD Review: Should Have Turned It Off
By Mat Brewster |
A completely forgettable adaptation of a novel I’ll never read.
Inherent Vice Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us a P.T. Anderson film that isn’t as popular as I expected, a talking Bear that is, plus Mark Wahlberg, King Henry VII, and some bloody good bloody TV.
Book Review: Compound Cinematics: Akira Kurosawa and I by Shinobu Hashimoto
By Mat Brewster |
The screenwriter for some of Kurosawa’s best films discusses their collaboration and more.
Fortitude Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week’s new releases include a murder in the arctic, a sad Jennifer Aniston, Iranian vampires, Liam Neeson getting taken (again), and some arty foreign flicks.
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not DVD Review: A Movie So Nice You’ll Watch It Twice
By Mat Brewster |
A fun take on both the romantic comedy and femme fatale genres and so cleverly constructed that I never minded its flaws.
The Immigrant DVD Review: Finding Grace in the Worst of Times
By Mat Brewster |
If this is the American dream, why would anyone come here?
Maps to the Stars Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us new films by David Croneberg, Jean-Luc Goddard, and Tim Burton plus old films by Carol Reed and Preston Sturges and much more.
A Most Violent Year Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us the Netflix rabbit hole, the Fighters of Foo, The Immigrant, and some TV boxed sets.
The Imitation Game is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
It’s a big week for interesting new releases including an Alan Turing biopic, a big outer-space epic, Reese Witherspoon getting real, Hugh Grant being Hugh Grant and much more.
Into the Woods Blu-ray Review: Bringing out My Inner Theater Geek
By Mat Brewster |
Making me believe in big, bold musicals once again.
Into the Woods is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings a big Hollywood musical, a bigger battle for Middle Earth, a collection of documentaries, neatly packaged fury, and Angelina Jolie as a director.
The Soft Skin is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us early Truffaut, new Chris Rock, classic film noir, a silly sequel, and more.
The Sound of Music (50th Anniversary Edition) Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us a Bible story, a silly remake, a sillier b-movie, and hills coming alive.
Foxcatcher Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us a very serious Steve Carell, a not so humble Al Pacino, an old Robin Hood, and a gruff sheriff.
Lillies DVD Review: A Bittersweet Post-war Drama
By Mat Brewster |
With but one season in existence, Lillies makes a nice snack between larger television meals.
Whiplash Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week features two Oscar winners, two Criterions, and a quaint historical drama.
Serangoon Road DVD Review: It Might Be HBO but It Plays Like Broadcast TV
By Mat Brewster |
HBO Asia’s first foray into original programming brings forth an entertaining, but ultimately disappointing crime drama.
Crime Scene Cleaner DVD Review: A Job Ripe with Comedy
By Mat Brewster |
Seriously, Hollywood, take a cue from the Germans and make more shows like this.
Birdman Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week has us talking about has-been super-heroes, Japanese folk-tales, dumb comedies, and life itself.
Nicolas Le Floch Volume Two DVD Review: Sword Fights and Laughter
By Mat Brewster |
A silly French historical crime drama delivers good mysteries and some hearty laughs.
Marie’s Mind for Murder: Set One DVD Review: The German Mr. Monk
By Mat Brewster |
For detective genre fans, Marie’s Mind for Murder is a nice bit of diversionary television.
The Story of Adele H DVD Review: Of Love and Madness
By Mat Brewster |
The tragic true story of Victor Hugo’s daughter.
Nightcrawler Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us social commentaries, based-on true stories, foreign horror, and a drugged-up nurse.
International Settlement DVD Review: A Forgotten, Forgettable Film That Has Its Pleasures
By Mat Brewster |
A minor and forgotten B-picture winds up being surprisingly entertaining.
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Series 13 DVD Review: The Very End of Poirot
By Mat Brewster |
With these five movies David Suchet has now played the detective in every Poirot story Agatha Christie ever wrote.
John Wick Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
After missing a week I’m back talking about Keanu Reeves, the search for happiness, Australian nurses and more.
ANZAC Girls DVD Review: Ladies at War and in Love
By Mat Brewster |
The exciting true story of Australian nurses serving in WWI.
Above Suspicion: Complete Collection DVD Review: It’s No Prime Suspect, but It Ain’t Half Bad
By Mat Brewster |
It’s impossible not to compare it to La Plante’s other series, but it is well worth watching.
Gone Girl Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us David Fincher’s latest thriller, an empires final boardwalk, a Hendrix biopic, a space documentary and The Facts of Life.
Boyhood Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
After a week off I’m looking for movies about boys, girls, a former wizard growing horns, and Nick Cage in his most inexplicable role ever.
The Night Porter Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Nazi Love Story
By Mat Brewster |
It’s a thin line between exploitation and art.
Pride (2014) Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
It’s a slow week and I’m using that as an excuse to say very little.
Intruders (2014) DVD Review: Moody Paranormal Thriller Looks Good but Lacks Depth
By Mat Brewster |
An interesting premise that’s well executed but not entirely thought through.
Arrested Development: Season 4 Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
Another banner week of releases as Christmas comes near.
Book Review: Popeye: Classic Newspaper Comics, Volume Two 1989-1998: A Surprisingly Modern and Adult Take On The Classic Character
By Mat Brewster |
If you think Popeye is some silly kids comic from a bygone era, think again.
Guardians of the Galaxy Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us several Criterions; more Woody Allens; three TV collections; a talking, space-traveling raccoon; and so much more.
The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears Blu-ray Review: Bizarre, Incomprehensible, and Mesmerizing
By Mat Brewster |
A hallucinatory fever dream of a film that is surprising, strange and wonderful.
Austin City Limits Celebrates 40 Years Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
This week brings us an excellent concert series, some damn, dirty apes, short journeys, vampires, and more.
Drunk History: Seasons 1 & 2 Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
I’m taking a chance that an odd comedy will actually tickle my funny bone.
The Rolling Stones: From the Vault – L.A. Forum (Live in 1975) DVD Review: It’s Only a Concert Video, but I Like It
By Mat Brewster |
The band shows why they remain the very definition of rock and roll.
It Happened One Night Is the Pick of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
The Christmas season keeps bringing all sorts of great stuff.
Borgen: The Complete Series DVD Review: Danish Politics Fit for Americans
By Mat Brewster |
Borgen makes the incomprehensible Danish political system not only understandable but lots of fun to watch.
Saturday at Wizard World Tulsa 2014: My First Con Experience
By Mat Brewster |
My first ever Con found me checking out cosplayers and listening to James Marsters and William Shatner.
Lots of TV Series Sets Are the Picks of the Week
By Mat Brewster |
Halloween is over so its time for the Christmas season and with it lots of big TV collections.
Book Review: Puck: What Fools These Mortals Be!: Political Cartooning at its Finest
By Mat Brewster |
A collection of historic, important, and just a little bit esoteric political cartoons from a bygone era.