4K UHD Review: Arrival
Contemplative science fiction with a heart, Arrival begins with a solemn voice over by Amy Adams. In just the first couple of minutes, it’s clear that this is going to be much more than just another movie about aliens. As the first few scenes indicate, Arrival, based on the short story, “Story of Your Life” […]
Southpaw (Blu-ray)
Despite being formulaic from start to finish, Southpaw manages to pack an emotional punch largely due to the performance of Jake Gyllenhaal, who really sunk his teeth into the material and explored the psyche of his character. Gyllenhaal clearly spent a lot of time at the gym, bulking up to play brash, confident, yet vulnerable […]
Ernest and Celestine (Blu-ray)
Very simple, yet undeniably charming, Ernest and Celestine is the story of two animals that are supposed to be enemies being friends. Based on a Belgian series of books by Gabrielle Vincent, the film opened in Europe at the end of 2012, but didn’t arrive in the United States until a year later; first in […]
Lee Daniels’ The Butler (Blu-ray)
Director Lee Daniels (Precious, The Paperboy) has never been known for his subtlety, preferring instead the direct approach, which while admirable, can be difficult to digest. His latest project, which spans more than fifty years of American history, could have easily been a jumbled mess, but Forest Whitaker’s moving performance in the title role gives […]
Blu-ray Review: The Color of Money
1986’s The Color of Money isn’t a sequel, exactly, but continues the story of “Fast Eddie” Felson (Paul Newman), began in the Robert Rossen 1961 classic, The Hustler. With acclaimed director Martin Scorsese at the helm, Eddie Felson is such a different type of character, it’s perhaps best to decouple the two films in order […]
Blu-ray Review: Good Morning, Vietnam (25th Anniversary Edition)
My first exposure to Robin Williams was during his Mork & Mindy days. I was such a fan of the show that my parents bought me a pair of Mork’s trademark suspenders. Goodness knows he’s one of America’s most gifted comedians, but his kinetic energy made one wonder if he could ever really make the […]
Dead Poets Society and Good Morning, Vietnam Heading to Blu-ray
Disney has officially announced that it will release on Blu-ray Barry Levinson’s Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), starring Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, and Tung Thanh Tran, and Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society (1989), starring Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Josh Charles. The two releases will hit retail shelves on January 17th. Special Features: […]
Blu-ray Review: Platoon
1986’s Platoon is a semi-autobiographical film. Writer/director Oliver Stone, who served as an infantryman in Vietnam, integrated several of his own experiences into the film. The main characters are based on people Stone served with. The lead and narrator, Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), is based on Stone himself. Of all of the great Vietnam epics–Apocalypse […]
Platoon Comes to Blu-ray May 24th
LOS ANGELES (March 23, 2011) – Catch a young Charlie Sheen in his breakout performance in one of the most iconic movies ever when PLATOON makes its stunning Blu-ray debut on May 24 from MGM Home Entertainment. The remastered, first-ever Blu-ray edition brings the sounds and images of Oliver Stone’s critically acclaimed Vietnam War drama […]