Blu-ray Review: Conclave
A film squarely for adults, Conclave is based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name. While many of the films centered on religion have been fodder for the horror and thriller genres, Conclave explores the ancient, secretive process of selecting a new pope. Filled with surprising twists and turns, the film is respectful […]
4K UHD Review: Red Dragon
Based on the same novel as Michael Mann’s 1986 film Manhunter (which starred Brian Cox as Hannibal Lechter) Red Dragon finds Anthony Hopkins (Who won an Oscar for 1991’s Silence of the Lambs) returning to the titular role. Edward Norton co-stars as FBI profiler Will Graham. He is investigating a missing persons case that he’s […]
Blu-ray Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Criterion Collection)
[Portions of this appeared in a review of an earlier release of the film–RW] Wes Anderson is rarely accused of being boring or dull. The dollhouse aesthetic, hypersytilization, and droll humor are uniquely Anderson. His films often have an aura of timelessness about them, even if set in the present day. The dialogue may be […]
4K UHD Blu-ray Review: The Lego Batman Movie
[amazon_link asins=’B06W9GB1R6′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’moviegazetteo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f498e10f-560e-11e7-a66b-57904545dccf’] A spinoff of The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie gives the Caped Crusader an opportunity to loosen up a bit. The movie brings back Will Arnett as the gravelly voiced superhero and surrounds him with a familiar collection of friends and enemies well known to fans of the […]
Hail, Caesar! (Blu-ray)
An homage to Hollywood of the 1950s, the Coen Brothers’ Hail Caesar! likely won’t appeal to everyone, but for anyone with a taste for Hollywood of yesteryear, it’s a chance to relive several old style productions including scenes from a Busby Berkeley clone, a Gene Kelly-inspired musical, a Cecil B. DeMille-influenced Bible Epic and straight […]
The Grand Budapest Hotel (Blu-ray)
Wes Anderson is rarely accused of being boring or dull. The dollhouse aesthetic, hypersytilization, and droll humor are uniquely Anderson. You either get it, or you don’t; critics be damned. Anderson’s films often have an aura of timelessness about them, even if set in the present day. The dialogue may be updated, but the shot […]
Great Expectations (2013) (Blu-ray)
Around their fourteenth year, most students are required to read Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. Many will agree that the Victorian language can present a bit of a stumbling block. Kids reading the book will likely appreciate the ‘plain’ language of Mike Newell’s recent theatrical adaption. This isn’t a film that necessarily adds anything to a […]
Blu-ray Review: Skyfall
With the James Bond franchise celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2012, hopes were high that the 23rd official film, Skyfall would reinvigorate the series after a five year absence and the somewhat disappointing response to 2008’s Quantum of Solace. Thankfully, Skyfall manages to reinvent 007 in a story that has to rank as one of […]
Blu-ray Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Ultimate Collector’s Edition)
The first Harry Potter effort for director Peter Yates, Order of the Phoenix is probably my least favorite of the films. While the ending creates some excitement, getting there is ponderous to say the least, even after cutting the standard 200 pages from J.K. Rowling’s original text.
Blu-ray Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
Warner Bros. | 2010 | 146 min | PG-13 The decision to divide J.K. Rowling’s seventh novel into two separate films remains a controversial one, but director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves have taken full advantage of the opportunity the opportunity provided, and crafted a character driven drama unlike anything seen in the series […]