4K UHD Review: Babe – Pig in the City
With a decidedly darker tone than its beloved predecessor, Babe: Pig in the City has George Miller in the director’s chair (yes, of Mad Max fame), who presents a world somewhere between make believe and a nightmare. Instead of the relative kindness of the farm—where killing geese for dinner is normal—the urban jungle of the […]
Blu-ray Review: The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Based on the hard-hitting novel of the same name by James A. Michener, The Bridges at Toko-Ri is set in 1952, during the Korean War. Rear Admiral George Tarrant (Fredric March) commands Task Force 77 aboard a Naval aircraft carrier. When bomber pilot Lt. Harry Brubaker (William Holden) ditches his wounded plane and lands in […]
Blu ray Review: Girl Crazy (1943)
The last of the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland Backyard Musicals, Girl Crazy was preceded by Babes in Arms (1939), Strike Up the Band (1940) and Babes on Broadway (1941). Each movie allowed the young stars to show off their singing, dancing and comedic talents. Mickey and Judy where always eager to “put on a show,” and […]
Blu ray Review: Strike Up the Band
Strike Up the Band was the second of four Backyard Musicals Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland made together between 1939 and 1943. When the film was released in 1940, Rooney was in the midst of a three year reign as the top box office star in the country (Garland ranked 10th that year) and, so it’s no […]
The Grace Kelly Collection (DVD)
[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B00JF81XBS”]Though her career only spanned six years and eleven films, Grace Kelly is considered one of the most iconic, fashionable stars in cinematic history. Just shy of what would have been Grace Kelly’s 85th birthday, Warner Brothers has released The Grace Kelly Collection, a DVD compilation of six of her most notable and memorable […]
Blu-ray Review: The Otto Preminger Collection (Hurry Sundown/Skidoo/Such Good Friends)
Otto Preminger directed over 35 films in a film career that spanned more than five decades. Throughout his career, Preminger wasn’t afraid to attract controversy dealing with taboo topics of the era such as drug addiction (The Man with the Golden Arm, 1955), rape (Anatomy of a Murder, 1959) and homosexuality (Advise & Consent, 1962). […]
Blu-ray Review: Lady and the Tramp 2 – Scamps Adventure, Special Edition
While none of Disney’s direct-to-video sequels have been as successful as the originals, they’ve generally been well done and offered impressive animation. Released in 2001, Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamps Adventure isn’t terrible, but even fans of the original may wonder why this sequel was even made; it just feels unnecessary. Picking up where […]
Blu-ray Review: Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)
David O. Selznick’s first independent production, 1936’s Little Lord Fauntleroy continued the producer’s penchant for bring “classics” to the screen. Adapted by Hugh Walpole from the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the film is a remake of two earlier versions, released in 1921, and 1914 respectively. The screen rights to the book were actually owned […]
Blu-ray review: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
As Blu-ray becomes an increasingly popular format, the major studios have really begun to see that the true classics of cinema make their way to high-def. I for one couldn’t be happier. One of Paramount’s latest classics to make a stunning Blu-ray debut is Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Audrey Hepburn […]
Blu-ray Review: The Fox and the Hound / The Fox and the Hound II – 30th Anniversary Edition
Disney’s 24th animated film, The Fox and the Hound began production during a time of transition at the studio. Although the two surviving members of Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men” began work on the project in 1977, they soon stepped aside, passing their duties to a new generation of animation masters, among them Don Bluth. […]