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The Rambler Blu-ray review

  • Actors: Dermot Mulroney, Lindsay Pulsipher
  • Director: Calvin Reeder
  • Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: ANCHOR BAY
  • Release Date: June 25, 2013
  • Run Time: 99 minutes


  •          This sophomore feature from filmmaker Calvin Reeder solidifies his stature as a blatant David Lynch copycat. From the jarring editing and a nonsensical narrative to the surreal characters and dream-like situations, The Rambler doesn’t just seem to borrow from films like Mulholland Dr. and Lost Highway as much as poorly imitate. Like The Oregonian, Reeder’s first feature, The Rambler is purposefully confounding in both narrative and the unconventional yet intentionally jarring manner in which the story is presented. Even the worst of Lynch was more interesting and more coherent than this muddled misstep, but fans of experimental horror may enjoy the unsettling images and editing compiled in The Rambler. Others may find that this 99 minute film feels much, much longer.   

     

             The basic plot of The Rambler seems impossibly simple, and perhaps this is because the feature film is actually based on a 12 minute short that Reeder completed in 2008. Dermot Mulroney stars as the nameless rambler, on his way cross country to work with his brother on a horse ranch after being released from prison early for good behavior. He makes a brief appearance back home, but after discovering the unfaithfulness of his wife and the bleakness of this existence, he makes plans to join his brother for a peaceful existence in Oregon.

     

             This peace is not easily found, as the rambler quickly discovers how quickly random violence occurs on the road. As he hitches rides across the country with his guitar in tow, rarely seeming to lose his hat and never parting with his sunglasses, this expressionless traveler comes across a cornucopia of quirky characters that range from harmless to homicidal. Oddly combining both of these attributes is the film’s more compelling character, a mad professor played by James Cady. He has a device which is said to copy dreams onto VHS, but it has a bad habit of exploding the subject’s heads instead.

     

             This type of shock gore occurs randomly throughout The Rambler, as it did in Reeder’s debut, but I would not place in the category of horror. It seems an appreciation of horror may be necessary to enjoy this film, however, if enjoyment is indeed intended. There is a sincerity missing from Reeder’s material, which makes it difficult to tell whether this film is intended to have meaning or simply meant to aggravate and infuriate the audience. Or perhaps the filmmaker has no clue what any of it means, choosing to stylistically steal from other directors without figuring out what any of it means. Honestly, I could care less either way. Sincere or not, I didn’t enjoy The Rambler, but that has less to do with the gore or confounding filmmaking. By the end I was just bored. This material was better suited for 12 minutes.

     

             The Blu-ray is void of special features, though there are technical aspects of the filmmaking which are inarguably enhanced by high definition. You don’t have to like it to appreciate the talent that went behind the nonsense.

     

    Entertainment Value: 4/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 3/10

    Historical Significance: 1/10

    Disc Features: 0/10

     

     

    In Old Arizona Blu-ray review

  • Format: Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, Full Screen, NTSC, Restored, Subtitled
  • Language: English (Mono)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: 20th Century Fox
  • Release Date: June 4, 2013
  • Run Time: 99 minutes


  •  

            With the arrival of the “talkie,” sound pictures were quickly integrated into each studio. In one short year, the new technology had spread across the industry and into each genre. Some films were later in arriving to the world of sound than others. Musicals and dramas filmed on studio lots and sets were first to be wired for sound, whereas it took a bit longer for the films shot on location.

     

            One of the defining characteristics of a western is the wide open terrain of real locations. In Old Arizona was not only the first western sound feature, but it was also the first “talkie” shot outdoors. Granted, much of the exterior action happens on a small set, very rarely showing the expansive terrain westerns were known for. There is one main robbery sequence at the beginning of the film which takes place completely outdoors. This is some of the poorest sound in the film, but it is also history in the making. Looking back at some of the first digitally created special effects is also comical now, but at the time it was impressive. I can only imagine what the film industry must have looked like in 1929.

     

            The story is a simple love triangle set in the west, though the film’s ending is far more daring than anything you would expect to see in a mainstream film. In some ways the narrative seems to have the sentimentality of a film noir, set in a cheerful western. A charming and friendly bandit named The Cisco Kid (Warner Baxter) coincidentally makes friends with the very sheriff (Edmund Lowe) trying to kill him. In a ploy to destroy the “bad guy,” the sheriff enlists the help of The Cisco Kid’s unfaithful lover (Dorothy Burgess).

     

            This woman is the infamous bandit’s one weakness, although she is vain and self-serving. More interested in proving that she can get any man she wants than staying faithful, The Cisco Kid’s woman quickly jumps into bed with the sheriff in a plan to kill the bandit and steal his loot. Directed by Raoul Walsh and Irving Cummings and featuring an Oscar-winning performance by Baxter, In Old Arizona is a clunky little western offering endless enjoyment despite its flaws. The Blu-ray release transfers what I can only assume is the best existing print, though not much restoration seems to have been done. The sound and picture go in and out depending on the scene, due to aging and typical wear.

      

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 10/10

    Disc Features: 1/10

     

     

    12 Rounds 2: Reloaded Blu-ray review

  • Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: English, French, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: 20th Century Fox
  • Release Date: June 4, 2013
  • Run Time: 95 minutes


  •         WWE Studios has a bad habit of continuing every franchise, regardless of whether the narratives match up or any of the original cast members are willing to return. They simply see the opportunity to latch on to any minor previous success in order to completely bleed it dry of profit. All of the straight-to-home-entertainment sequels from this studio have a recycled production line feel about them, making the product a shadow of the original product.

     

            The one perk that the studio has found from using a fresh cast with the sequels is the opportunity it provides for more “professional” wrestlers in the WWE lineup. 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded is Randy Orton’s turn to step into the action hero role, with a terrorist-type storyline that is similar to the original 12 Rounds. Paramedic Nick Malloy (Orton) is pulled into the sick games of a psychopath (Brian Markinson) seeking revenge for an incident in the past, resulting in the title rounds. These rounds are not referring to the ammunition of a weapon, but instead reference the levels of the game that Malloy is forced to play in order to protect the one he loves.

     

            A premise such as this provides an opportunity for endless creativity, especially since the film is not tied down by anything from the original movie. It would seem that they could have had a lot of fun with the action sequences, but much of this movie instead quietly plods along the expected routes, hardly even making proper use of the set-up. Even for a sloppy sequel, too much of the film’s action is completely forgettable.

     

            The Blu-ray release includes a commentary track with director Roel Reiné and editor Radu Ion, along with a featurettes about Orton, the locations and the action in the film. The package also includes a DVD and digital copy of the film. 

           

    Entertainment Value: 4/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 3/10

    Historical Significance: 1/10

    Disc Features: 6/10

     

     

    The Emperor's New Groove and Lilo and Stitch Double Feature Blu-ray reviews

  • Actors: David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick
  • Director: Mark Dindal
  • Writers: Mark Dindal, Roger Allers, Matthew Jacobs, David Reynolds, Chris Williams
  • Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
  • Dubbed: French, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: G (General Audience)
  • Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
  • Release Date: June 11, 2013
  • Run Time: 78 minutes


  •         There are two periods of Disney animation features which are generally considered to be the golden eras. The 1930s all the way through the 1950s were spectacular for the studio, and the 1990s saw a revival of this success. There are also periods of films which are neglected and seen as sub-par for Disney standards. Lilo and Stitch and the Emperor’s New Groove fall into this secondary class, and for this reason their release on Blu-ray is padded with the straight-to-video sequel.      

     

            The Emperor’s New Groove follows the tradition which Disney had long implemented, adapting a well-known fable into a family friendly animation. The story of the emperor and his vanity’s ability to blind him from the fact that he is naked is turned into a story about the spoiled Emperor Kuzco, who is turned into a llama by his sinister advisor, Yzma.

     

            Stranded outside of his palace and his body, the emperor is forced to rely on a peasant to help him restore normalcy. Along the journey, Kuzco is forced to grow as a person as humility is required for his new form. Relying on the help of those below him is something that the emperor is accustomed to, though being forced to acknowledge these contributions is new to the ruler.

     

            The second film in the set is Kronk’s New Groove, which plays up the scene-stealing character that is Yzma’s lumbering henchman voiced by Patrick Warburton. The story doesn’t develop much in terms of plot, though it can be said that the return of the original voice talent does help a great deal.

     

            Both of these films are combined on the Blu-ray disc, with the second and third discs being the DVD copies of each film. The special features are also on the DVD copies exclusively, allowing for a three-disc package with only one new disc to manufacture. The special features missing from the Blu-ray are nothing new as a result, but just the same ones previously released.

     

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance: 6/10

    Disc Features: 2/10

     



  • Actors: Chris Sanders, Daveigh Chase, Tia Carrere, Ving Rhames, David Ogden-Stiers
  • Directors: Chris Sanders, Dean Deblois
  • Writers: Chris Sanders
  • Format: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Animated
  • Language: English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
  • Dubbed: French, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Disney
  • Release Date: June 11, 2013
  • Run Time: 85 minutes



  •             The small creature at the focus of the film, the Stitch to Lilo and Stitch, was actually conceived by director Chris Sanders in 1985, and the film itself seems to be a throwback to those old days of Disney. Released in 2002, you would think that Lilo and Stitch was released prior to the Pixar craze, but that’s what made the film original at the time. While computer animation was starting to take over, Lilo and Stitch had watercolor backgrounds, a throwback to the days of Dumbo (1941). This was the first time this method had been used in over sixty years by Disney, but also implemented computer colorization and other technological advantages which make the film something of an anomaly.

     

            The film was originally meant to take place in Kansas, but in keeping true to the Disney effort to change location and culture with each animated film, Lilo and Stitch was moved to Hawaii. It is important that the island which they put the characters on is Kauai, because the alien Stitch is designed to find and destroy large cities, and there are none on this specific Hawaiian island. Stitch is an alien, sort of. He is a creature created by an alien scientist, and his only purpose is destruction. He is the cartoon pet equivalent of the destructive dog, Marley, content only in ruining things.

     

            The other half of Lilo and Stitch is a character common throughout every generation of Disney animation; the orphaned child. Lilo is not alone after the death of her parents, thankfully still in the custody of her struggling older sister. Before Stitch comes along, Lilo has few friends and an aptitude for destruction of her own, but she looks to be well-behaved in comparison to the little monstrous pet. The fact that Lilo and her sister have been visited by a CPS officer named Cobra Bubbles, threatening to take Lilo away if the home situation doesn’t improve, does not improve Stitch’s chances of blending in. He is forced to stay with Lilo as a way to keep out of alien grasp, but the destruction he is trained to enact must be stifled if he is to become a part of the family.

     

            As was the case with the Emperor’s New Groove package, the straight-to-video sequel is included on the Blu-ray disc with the original film, with the DVD of each as the second and third discs in the set. Special features are nothing new and remain only on the DVD copies.

     

    Entertainment Value: 8.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

    Historical Significance: 6/10

    Disc Features: 3/10

     

     

    Killing Lincoln Blu-ray review

  • Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (DTS 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: 20th Century Fox
  • Release Date: June 11, 2013
  • Run Time: 120 minutes


  •  

            With Ridley Scott and the late Tony Scott as executive producers, Killing Lincoln is a documentary which is approached with the expertise of a Hollywood Blockbuster. Few re-enactment sequences are this polished and visually compelling, not to mention being done with more than a modicum of convincing acting. This paired with an intimate narration from Tom Hanks makes Killing Lincoln one of the hippest presentations of accurate American history available. 

     

            The film is based on the best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard and was originally aired on the National Geographic Channel. Billy Campbell from TV’s “The Killing” plays President Abraham Lincoln, though he is hardly the star of this recreation documentary. The emphasis remains on a John Wilkes Booth’s angry journey to the first Presidential assassination in American history, played by Jesse Johnson.

     

            There are many elements within Killing Lincoln which work well. In fact, an argument could be made that each of the elements on their own are fine, but none of them seem to go together. Some of the actor’s underplay the drama, while other over-do it. The film looks fantastic, but relies on the narration of Hanks to tell us everything we are seeing, as we are seeing it. Then it often repeats it again, over-simplifying material to the point that it is almost comically suspenseful. The end result is something that I would show to an elementary student in order to keep them entertained in history, but wouldn’t recommend it for many discerning fans of history or the book.  

     

            The Blu-ray release includes an audio commentary with executive producer and screenwriter Erik Jendresen, as well as an interview with O’Reilly. There is a making-of featurette and a whole slew of promotional material made to pump up the anticipation for the television debut.

     

    Entertainment Value: 5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 5/10

    Historical Significance: 5/10

    Disc Features: 5/10

     

     

    Brooklyn Castle DVD review

  • Actors: Pobo Efekoro, Alexis Paredes, Justus Williams, Rochelle Ballantyne, Patrick Johnston
  • Directors: Katie Dellamaggiore
  • Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG
  • Studio: Millennium
  • DVD Release Date: June 4, 2013
  • Run Time: 101 minutes


  •         If you are feeling down after watching the unfortunate outcasts being bullied in Bully, throw this documentary on as a companion piece. Brooklyn Castle is about an inner city junior high school where the smart kids who play chess are actually the popular kids. When you are successful, the bullying seems to stop. Usually smart kids must wait until they have grown and become fully educated in order to see this kind of respect obtained, but an inexplicable amount of success playing chess brought it a little early for some of these Brooklyn pre-teens.

     

            The game of chess itself is not that thrilling to watch, especially considering the matches can last up to three hours. What makes Brooklyn Castle a successful documentary isn’t even the game itself, but the participants. The personal struggles each of the individual students share with the camera are far more compelling than how they rank, and the fight that the teachers must make in order to keep the program afloat amidst harsh budget cuts has more impact than the final result of tournaments.

     

            Each student seems to have their own individual goals and reason for playing the game, especially in a program which is so advanced that it offers up to seven classes a week. Winning is addicting, and the level of dedication that is expected of the students makes it clear that they treat chess as more than a game. The DVD includes deleted scenes.

           

    Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7/10

    Historical Significance: 6/10

    Disc Features: 3/10

     

     

    Falling Skies: The Complete Second Blu-ray review

  • Actors: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight, Seychelle Gabriel
  • Producers: Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Remi Aubuchon, Greg Beeman
  • Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • Release Date: June 4, 2013


  •         If you like “The Walking Dead” but want more sci-fi and less horror, “Falling Skies” may be the show for you. If you repeatedly watch “Battlestar Galactica” but don’t find the melodrama cheesy, “Falling Skies” may be a perfect fit. For all of the rest, this show may have too much melodrama and sci-fi geekiness to overcome. It may sound as though I’m being harsh on the show, but it is on-par with TNT programming, and it is better than some of the other alien projects Steven Spielberg has attached himself to in the past decade.

     

    Though the storyline has some similarities to “The Walking Dead,” this show is heavy on sci-fi and gets even more entangled in other-worldly characters by the close of the second season. Soon there will be as many alien characters as human ones. Noah Wyle heads up the cast as a former history teacher who has learned to become a leader with the alien invasion. He and his sons fight the aliens with their group, but season two complicates the battle.

     

    There are several types of aliens, including the typical tall and lanky ones who are the main invaders. They first attacked and stole many of the human children, so that they could be harnessed and made to integrate into the invader’s army. The second season makes it clear that the other type of alien doing destruction on earth are actually harnessed from another planet. The close of season two brings the arrival of yet another species or race of aliens to earth.

     

    Though the direction of this storyline is rather obvious, season two takes its time getting anywhere with the new revelations. Human advisors and leaders refuse to believe that any of the aliens can be there to help, postponing an inevitable alliance against the invaders. There are many frustrating aspects to the narrative, including some annoying melodrama, but the good mostly outweighs the bad.

     

    The Blu-ray release of season two includes all ten episodes on two discs, along with special features. There are several featurettes, including behind-the-scenes and set tours. There is also a preview of season three and audio commentaries on select episodes. One of the more creative features is an animated trailer for the second season which was created by Dark Horse Comics.

           

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance: 5/10

    Disc Features: 8.5/10

     

     

    Adventure Time: The Complete First and Second Season Blu-ray review


  • Actors: Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Hyden Walch, Tom Kenny
  • Directors: Larry Leichliter
  • Format: Animated, Blu-ray, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Region: All Regions
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: Cartoon Network
  • Release Date: June 4, 2013


  •  

            “Adventure Time” is in that new category of animation on the cartoon network which I find confounding, albeit remarkably entertaining. It seems as though this is a straightforward kid’s show, but it gets remarkably close to being edgy enough for adults at moments. There is always a ripcord to pull, quickly pulling the narrative back to safety in time for the episode’s close, but watching this show with children present often makes me nervous. Perhaps this is partly due to the high octane, bizarre, and often psychedelic nature of the show which often makes me feel as though I’m on drugs.

     

            The story follows the adventures and misadventures of a human boy named Finn and his brother, a dog named Jake. Finn was adopted by Jake’s parents and they roam the magical land looking for adventures. Along the way they come across a number of regular characters, both good and evil. The villains include Marceline the vampire and the Ice King, and their main ally and adventure companion is Princess Bubblegum.

     

            Both seasons one and two have been released on Blu-ray, providing a high definition presentation of the popular animated insanity. There is only the 2.0 audio track which was used from the DVD, and the special features remain the same from the DVD releases as well, but the picture has never looked sharper or more vibrant. Each season has 26 episodes, which are ten minutes long each. There are select commentary tracks on the season one episodes, and on all 26 of season two. Other features include interviews, featurettes and some behind-the-scenes footage of the actors and the animation.

     

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance: 6/10

    Disc Features: 8/10

     

     

     

    Pretty Little Liars: The Complete Third Season DVD review

  • Actors: Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Holly Marie Combs, Lucy Hale, Ian Harding
  • Producers: I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, Leslie Morgenstein
  • Format: AC-3, Box set, Dolby, Dubbed, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Thai, French
  • Dubbed: Chinese, English, French, Spanish
  • Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 5
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: June 4, 2013



  •                 Even though there are slight differences to the characters and setting, “Pretty Little Liars” has been done before. It is “Desperate Housewives” for the “Gossip Girl” age group. The mystery and the melodrama surround a group of young looking but sexually promiscuous teenage girls. They are accurately portrayed to be rather idiotic, but what makes no sense is how stupid all of the adults are in the show. It feels like a series written for teens by teens, reeking of naivety and unoriginal storylines from decades past.

     

            Based on the bestselling book series by Sara Shepard, I am mostly just concerned with the crap that pre-teen girls read and watch these days. The Twilight craze has had quite an effect, but I wouldn’t argue it to be a positive one. In this series there are four teen friends. When we joined these characters in season one, one of the teens is having an affair with her teacher (“Dawson’s Creek” in reverse), another is desperately trying to convince her religious boyfriend to take her virginity, a third flirts with her new lesbian friend while eyeing the brother of an enemy girl, and the last trashy little teen can’t seem to stop stealing her sister’s boyfriends.

     

            Lying and cheating are the norm for these girls, but the show weakly tries to justify their awful behavior. At one time they had a fifth friend, who was the cruelest of them all. This friend disappeared in a mystery none of the girls will talk about, though they begin receiving messages from their old friend once her body is found. This storyline does not move nearly fast enough, because there is too much relationship junk to wade through. It took two seasons to discover who was sending mysterious messages, pretending to be the deceased friend, and in season three we are still getting bits of flashback of Alison’s final days alive. At least “Desperate Housewives” knew to leave the dead behind after a season or two.

     

            There are other new storylines, but it all begins to sound like the same old dribble. The 24 episodes from season three are all included in this set, along with more than a few special features. There is a gag reel and deleted scenes, not to mention a bonus webisodes and an alternate ending to an episode. There are also a few featurettes best suited for die-hard fans.

     

    Entertainment Value: 2/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 2/10

    Historical Significance: 2/10

    Disc Features: 7/10