Steve Geise

Ivan’s Childhood Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review:  War is Hell, but Looks Superb

Stunning craftsmanship elevates this meditation on the effects of war as experienced by a child

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56 Up Movie Review: Still Going Strong After Nearly 50 Years

Acclaimed director Michael Apted continues his legendary documentary series in its latest seven-year installment.

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Cinema Sentries

TV Review: Doctor Who: The Snowmen

This year’s Christmas episode has a disappointingly lame villain but an extremely effective setup for the Doctor’s newest companion.

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The Hour Series 1 Blu-ray Review: Would Have Been Better at That Length

First series stretches a glacially-paced tale over six hours.

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Beasts of the Southern Wild Blu-ray Review: An Acquired Taste

Indie darling of the year is indie for a reason: it’s defiantly non-commercial.

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Purple Noon Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: The Talented Mr. Delon

Alain Delon is a dashing, magnetic force in this early adaptation of novelist Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley”.

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Ice Age: Continental Drift DVD Review: Drifting into Murky Waters

Scrat is still the star. Too bad he can’t support an entire film on his own.

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Call the Midwife: Season One Blu-ray Review: Call a Doctor, My Retinas Are Burned

Lushly produced UK period drama takes a nauseating look at a profession I’d prefer to ignore.

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Kaijudo: Rise Of The Duel Masters: Creatures Unleashed DVD Review: Rise of the Enjoyable Merchandising Tie-In

Not in the top tier of today’s best animated series, but a worthwhile and enjoyable monster-fighting show with decent plots and artistry.

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La Jetee / Sans Soleil Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Stay for the Stills, Run from the Motion

Chris Marker’s black and white still film runs rings around his pretentious color full-motion travelogue.

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Hawkins: The Complete TV-Movie Collection DVD Review: Jimmy Stewart, TV Star

Screen legend Jimmy Stewart upholds his legacy with an effective TV turn as a Southern defense attorney.

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DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk DVD Review: New Series Soars Above the Competition

Exceptionally high production qualities and writing elevate TV series above toon standards.

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The Watch Blu-ray Review: The Don’t Watch

There’s a funny story to be mined from the concept of hapless neighborhood watchmen, but this isn’t it.

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Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable DVD Review: Astonishing Cassaday

Joss Whedon’s conventional alien war story fails to impress, but John Cassaday’s artwork shines in simulated motion.

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Rashomon (1950) Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Restoration Shows Improvements, Not Perfection

Early tandem between legendary director Akira Kurosawa and actor Toshiro Mifune yields this undisputed classic film.

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Vera: Set 2 DVD Review: Murder, She Grumbled

Brenda Blethyn’s feisty and frumpy detective shows the whippersnappers how to solve crimes.

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Thundercats Nintendo DS Video Game Review: Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats NOOOOOO!

Generic and difficult side-scrolling hack-and-slash adventure is an unfortunate throwback to 16-bit gaming days.

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Flight Movie Review: Robert Zemeckis and Denzel Washington Soar, Script Crashes

Robert Zemeckis returns to live-action direction in a heavy drama with a light script.

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Copper: Season One Blu-ray Review: Dodge This Bullet

BBC America’s first original scripted series misses the mark in spite of the stellar track record of its creative execs.

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The Walking Dead Video Game Review: A Scary Good Time

Well-written video game jettisons familiar characters in favor of a new cast and new situations set in the same vicinity of the original property.

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Kingdom: Season One DVD Review: No Treasure Here

Stephen Fry is charming as a country solicitor, but his show is a snooze.

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The Forgiveness of Blood Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Nik Full of Angst

Joshua Marston’s first full film since Maria Full of Grace explores an Albanian blood feud and its impact on a teen boy.

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Moonrise Kingdom Blu-ray Review: Love in the Time of Eccentricity

Wes Anderson’s unmistakably heavy-handed style threatens but fails to derail innocent love story.

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Waterloo Road: Series 1 DVD Review: The Headmaster Ritual

The marketing blurb’s most popular drama series; seems a bit farfetched based on this uninspired material.

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Cinema Sentries

Tomorrow Never Dies Movie Review: Enter The Dragon

The addition of martial arts star Michelle Yeoh kickstarts the franchise and breaks the mold of the typical Bond girl.

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Rock of Ages Blu-ray Review: Overstuffed Rock That Lasts Ages

“Oh, the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on”; Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey.

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Wallander Series 3 DVD Review: No Loki, Still Heavenly

Kenneth Branagh returns for his third tour of duty as Sweden’s most famous inspector.

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Children of Paradise Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Cinematic Paradise

Exceptional new restoration of classic French film enhances an already monumental work.

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Vexed: Series 1 DVD Review: A Brief Burst of Genre-Bending Hilarity

Buddy cop show seeks laughs instead of clues.

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Sacrifice (2010) DVD Review: Not Worth Your Time Sacrifice

Veteran director Chen Kaige hampered by bad editing and lackluster acting.

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Injustice (2011) DVD Review: The Vigilante Barrister

James Purefoy shines as the morally ambiguous lead character in this British crime procedural miniseries.

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Quadrophenia Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: We Are the 5.1 Mods

Sparkling new restoration delivers an engaging audiovisual feast.

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Once Upon a Time: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Review: Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before

Familiarity breeds contempt in this series that rehashes rather than innovates.

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Third Star Movie Review: Benedict Cumberbatch Leads the Way

Boring and uninspired buddy movie deals with impending death by mostly ignoring it.

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True Wolf Movie Review: Don’t Be Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

Documentary recounts the full life of a wolf raised by humans.

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Astonishing X-Men: Torn DVD Review: More Astonishing Motion, Less Astonishing Story

Better motion comic effects but a lesser story make for a fun if unastonishing hour of entertainment.

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Jay and Silent Bob Get Old: Tea Bagging in the UK DVD Review: Friendship Never Gets Old

Three full performances of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes chatting on stage in the UK.

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The Bourne Legacy Movie Review: Renner 1, Gilroy 0, Mistakes Aplenty

New lead Jeremy Renner delivers the goods, but his screenwriter/director doesn’t.

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Misfits: Season One DVD Review: They’re No Heroes

Super-powered teens fully earn misfits label in this raunchy, occasionally hilarious series.

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Le Havre Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: A Light-Hearted, Surreal Take on a Serious Subject

Maverick director Aki Kaurismaki delivers a surreal, lighthearted take on a seemingly deadly serious immigration story.

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Mansome Movie Review: Lots of Comedians, Little Comedy

Documentary ace Morgan Spurlock misses the mark with this uninspired take on male grooming.

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Suez DVD Review: For Hardcore Tyrone Power Fans Only

Lame script and near absence of Loretta Young make this purely a Power vehicle.

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Metropolitan Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review: Two Decades Later, I Still Don’t Get It

More than 20 years after its theatrical release, it’s just as alien and off-putting as ever.

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Wrath of the Titans (2012) Blu-ray Review: Wrath of the Critic

Sequel nobody wanted proves to be just as hapless as its predecessor.

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Love Is News DVD Review: The News Is Good

A charming romantic comedy starring Tyrone Power and Loretta Young.

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Midsomer Murders: Set 20 Blu-ray Review: Crime and Bemusement in the English Countryside

Retiring star John Nettles is the best reason to watch these uninspired mysteries.

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LEGO Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu: Season One DVD Review: A Fun but Lightweight Extended Toy Commercial

Show serves as a marketing vehicle for successful Ninjago toy line but fails to serve as serious entertainment.

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The Samurai Trilogy Criterion Collection DVD Review: Mifune in His Physical Prime

Director Hiroshi Inagaki and acting legend Toshiro Mifune combine to tell the epic story of folk hero Musashi Miyamoto.

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American Reunion Blu-ray Review: Reunited and It Feels So Good

The American Pie gang reconvene to celebrate their 13th high school reunion.

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Doc Martin Series 5 DVD Review: Baby Makes Three, Doesn’t Spoil the Chemistry

The good doctor and the rest of his neighbors in Portwenn continue to produce a charming show.

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