Blu-ray Review: The Last Tycoon
Based on the unfinished F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name, 1976’s The Last Tycoon marks the first time Robert De Niro played an even remotely likable character. Set in the 1930’s, the film follows Monroe Stahr (De Niro, a thinly veiled Irving Thalberg) a young Hollywood mogul as he navigates studio politics as […]
The Night of the Generals (Blu-ray)
An English language film about World War II told from the German perspective, The Night of the Generals isn’t about combat, but murder. Based loosely on a novel of the same name by German author Hans Hellmut Kirst. Due to apparent legal issues with the book, writer James Hadley is given a credit as well. […]
Escape from New York (Collector’s Edition) (Blu-ray)
While John Carpenter’s place in cinema history is secure—Halloween alone would have made him an important figure in the horror genre—there’s no denying that his star has dimmed quite a bit since the 1980’s. This is partly due to the fact that a considerable amount of his work has been mediocre at best—Ghosts of Mars […]
Blu-ray Review: Halloween – 35th Anniversary Edition
On October 25, 1978, an independent horror film, made for just $325,000, opened in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Initially dismissed by many critics, few would have predicted that Halloween would go on to tally $70 million worldwide—equivalent to nearly $240 million as of 2012—and change the face of the horror genre forever. Given its success, Halloween spawned various […]
Blu-ray Review: Halloween 5 – The Revenge of Michael Myers
It’s one year after the events of Halloween 4. Michael (Donald L. Shanks) has survived the shootings, and October 31st he returns with a vengeance, determined to take care of some unfinished business. His young niece Jamie (Danielle Harris) who hasn’t spoken a word since that horrible night is in a mental hospital under the […]
Blu-ray Review: Halloween 4 – The Return of Michael Myers
After the forgettable mess that was Halloween III: Season of the Witch, producer Moustapha Akkad decided to return the series to its origins and bring back the series’ illustrious villain. Set on October 30, 1988, ten years after the fiery ending of Halloween II, Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) has been convalescing in an insane […]
Blu-ray Review: Cul-de-sac
Similar to his earlier film Knife in the Water, Roman Polanski’s Cul-de-sac is a subtle exploration of shifting power in a mismatched threesome. Polanski’s decision to set the film in a single, claustrophobic space, results in a revealing black comedy about class and gender struggle. Donald Pleasence and Françoise Dorléac play George and Teresa, newlyweds […]
DVD Review: Escape to Witch Mountain (Special Edition)
I absolutely loved Escape to Witch Mountain as a child, so I was pretty excited when I heard it was being released on DVD again. The release is undoubtedly timed to coincide with the remake, Race to Witch Mountain starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Alexander Ludwig and AnnaSophia Robb. Judging by the trailer, the remake […]