Back to the Future: 30th Anniversary Trilogy Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Crispin Glover

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Format: Digital_copy, Blu-ray, Box set, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: French, Spanish, English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 4

Rated: PG

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

 

        These days it is common practice to film several sequels at once, but it was still a daring decision when Back to the Future utilized this method. This is one of many ways that the time-travel franchise predicted the future. Back to the Future: Part II was released in November of 1989, with the end of the film containing a trailer for the third film set to be released in the summer of 1990. This was prior to the splitting of every final book in a series, before trilogies were planned out without the success of the original release, and when there were still few enough blockbuster franchises for these films to be culturally significant. 30 years later and the dynamics of the industry have drastically changed, but the influence of these films has stood the test of time.

 

The Benoît Jacquot Collection Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Fabrice Luchini, Isabelle Huppert

Director: Benoit Jacquot

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Color, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 274 minutes

        Not only are the three films included in The Benoît Jacquot Collection all from the 1990s, they each have a connection in themes and characters, especially when considering the commonalities in the young female roles. I can’t decide whether the approach is feminist or merely a representation of how the beauty of youth is coveted by an endless stream of middle-aged men in all three narratives. Either way, the ideas from these movies only work because of the enigmatic and captivating performances from Jacquot’s leading ladies, each balancing somewhere between girlishly adolescent behavior and the maturity of womanhood.

 

A Special Day Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni

Director: Ettore Scola

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: Italian

Subtitles: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Criterion Collection

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Run Time: 107 minutes

 

 

        The title of Ettore Scola’s film could be interpreted several ways, as the events of the narrative take place during an important day in Italian history but may have even more significance for the two leading characters for completely different reasons. A Special Day takes place during Adolf Hitler’s visit to Italy and Benito Mussolini in 1938, which remains at the center of the narrative despite nearly the entire film taking place at a working-class apartment building. After the film opens with 6-minutes of actual newsreel footage, we remain distanced from these events, despite the constant radio broadcast as the background soundtrack to the narrative. 

 

Northern Limit Line Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Lee Wan, Jin Goo, Lee Hyun Woo

Director: Kim Hak-Soon

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: Korean

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 130 minutes

 

 

        Northern Limit Line is sure to resonate for South Korean patriots and family members of soldiers, though the film loses impact as an import. This is somewhat true because of the specific relevance this event has on Korean history, and expecting the impact to be the same outside of the country would be like Hollywood anticipating a film about 9/11 doing well in European theaters. More importantly, the approach to Northern Limit Line is transparently one-sided, with the North Koreans coming off more like villains from a James Bond film than fully fleshed out characters. This makes for a patriotic piece of South Korean Navy propaganda, though not as convincingly as a piece of art.

 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula Blu-ray Review

Actors: Tom Waits, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Producers: Francis Ford Coppola,  Charles Mulvehill, Fred Fuchs

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, AC-3, Dolby, Limited Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: French, English, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Region: Region A/1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Rated: R

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 127 minutes

 

        I’ve always found Bram Stoker’s Dracula to be a fairly unexciting narrative, if only for the fact that its story has been told enough cinematically to remove any element of surprise. Francis Ford Coppola does his best to remedy this, though he does so by vamping up the art direction and campy sexuality rather than the story. Sadly, the lush photography and over-indulged practical effects does not save the film from the amateurish acting by the younger cast members and the decision to make Dracula a protagonist in search of a lost love. While many movie monsters inspire sympathy in the audience, this has always worked much better with Frankenstein’s monster than with Dracula, and it takes away from the frightening elements of the genre.

 

My Favorite Martian: The Complete Collection DVD Review

     Actors: Bill Bixby, Ray Waltson

Creator: John L. Greene

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 3000 minutes

 

 

        ‘My Favorite Martian” was a trailblazing series, laying the groundwork for many popular fantasy sitcoms over the years. Without this show, there might never have been “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “ALF,” or even “Mork and Mindy,” not to mention all of the other fantasy shows with genies and witches rather than aliens. All three seasons and 107 episodes of this classic 1960s series are available for purchase in this complete collection, along with an expansive compilation of new and old special features.

 

Don Rickles: The Ultimate TV Collection DVD Review

  

Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 8

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: Time Life/WEA

DVD Release Date: October 20, 2015

Run Time: 1328 minutes

 

 

        Though this box set with 8 discs of Don Rickles entertainment collects some of the performer’s most memorable television moments in one set, there is only one disc which has not already been released individually. Along with all 37 episodes from the 2 seasons of “CPO Sharkey,” this set also includes 4 uncut specials and plenty of unedited bonus footage of the “nice guy who finishes first.” These plus plenty of additional extras make for a wonderful box set, perfect for the dedicated fans of Don Rickles and classic television.

 

Call Me Lucky Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Barry Crimmins

Director: Bobcat Goldthwait

Format: Multiple Formats, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: October 13, 2015

Run Time: 105 minutes

 

 

        It is remarkable how many successful comedians come from tragic loss and a traumatic past, but not nearly as amazing as what comedian Barry Crimmins used this pain to accomplish, on and off stage. Call Me Lucky gently allows this narrative to unfold, never forcing or exploiting the material. Director Bobcat Goldthwait appears briefly among many other comedians to tell his own personal connection to Crimmins, but his handling of the subject is always distanced and respectful, never contrived or emotionally manipulative.

 

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Thomas Mann, Nick Offerman, Rj Cyler

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 106 minutes

 

        Finding the delicate balance between sentimental and realistic, with humor bridging the gap, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl often feels like independent cinema’s answer to films like The Fault in Our Stars. With the most expensive acquisition of any film to be bought at the Sundance Film Festival, there is a crowd-pleasing quality to Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, regardless of the dark humor utilized in the cumbersome title. Try as the film might to stay away from the cliché trappings of the familiar narrative, it ultimately cheats in order to remain original as long as possible while still providing many of predictable plot points for this type of narrative. Regardless of constant assurances through voiceover, this film goes exactly where it is expected to go, even wrapping the narrative up neatly with the cliché voiceover of a letter written to a college admissions department.

       

In the Courtyard Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Catherine Deneuve, Gustave Kervern, Feodore Atkine

Director: Pierre Salvadori

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: R 

Studio: Cohen Media Group

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

        I’m struggling to write this review, because I’m worried that my words won’t adequately represent the subtle charms of a film like In the Courtyard. Although it is extremely French at its core, the film’s themes are universally relatable, with performances from the leads most effective through the silent expressiveness of their faces. There is a lot about the structure of this narrative which aligns with the dramedy style found in a majority of American independent cinema, combing awkward humor and familiar pangs of realistic struggle. This is recognizable in any language, regardless of ethnicity or nationality.

 

Insidious: Chapter 3 Blu-ray Review

    Actors: Stefanie Scott, Dermot Mulroney, Angus Sampson, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell

Director: Leigh Whannell

Producers: Jason Blum, Oren Peli

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Ultraviolet, AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Dubbed: Spanish

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2018

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

        I’m not sure I understand how a film titled “Chapter 3” can be considered a prequel to the first two chapters, though this is not nearly as disappointing as the lack of ambition within the narrative. While it does an adequate job capturing the essence of what made the first two films successful, the thrills and entertainment feel far more obligatory than they did under the direction of James Wan. Longtime horror collaborator and screenwriter Leigh Whannell gives his first attempt at directing after years of providing the scripts for Wan, but it simply feels like he is attempting to imitate this style rather than establishing a voice of his own.

 

Landmine Goes Click Review

 

        There isn’t a narrative that requires more commitment from the audience to the material than the revenge film. The basic structure always begins with an endurance test of emotional torture forced upon the viewer, typically with relentless physical abuse on an undeserving victim. Without this connection, the justification for revenge would not be prevalent, and the purpose of the genre seems to rely upon the audience’s participation in the primal urge for vengeance. Landmine Goes Click succeeded in dragging me along on this affecting journey through the emotional ringer, with the help of Levan Bakhia’s confidence as a director and the raw commitment in the performances of his cast.

 

Manglehorn Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Chris Messina

Director: David Gordon Green

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 97 minutes

 

 

        Manglehorn has a familiar plot structure, one which is not too far off from similar roles that Al Pacino has played recently (especially Danny Collins), but the sincerity in the material and his performance swept me up and allowed me to forgive any shortcomings in storytelling. Director David Gordon Green applies his type of unsentimental honesty to the familiar narrative, which is what made him a force in the world of independent cinema early in his career with films like George Washington and All the Real Girls. It is refreshing to find that both Pacino and Green returning to the type of art which showcases the talent which made them famous in the first place, and Manglehorn is easily the best thing either has done in years.

Dead Rising: Watchtower DVD Review

     Actors: Meghan Ory, Jesse Metcalfe, Keegan Tracy, Virginia Madsen, Dennis Haysbert

Director: Zach Lipovsky

Format: Multiple Formats, AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: English

Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 118 minutes

 

        With the zombie sub-genre so fully saturated, both in blockbusters and these lower budget attempts, and the poor track record of movies based on video games, I was certain that Dead Rising: Watchtower was going to be a trying viewing experience. While it didn’t exact blow me away with any original ideas on the material, I was shocked to find that I never had the urge to fast-forward through the content, despite an uncharacteristically lengthy running time. Not only does the film have enough strength to survive the weaker aspects of the zombie narrative, this may be one of the more faithful video game adaptations.

 

We Are Still Here Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Barbara Crampton, Andrew Sensenig, Larry Fessenden

Director: Ted Geoghegan

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region A/1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Dark Sky Films

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 83 minutes

 

 

        Part of the problem I have always had with haunted house movies is the logic behind the family’s refusal to simply move out when the haunting begins, and We Are Still Here sidesteps this by confining the horror action to the film’s climax. Once the truth about the house is revealed, it is too late to escape and an hour of slow build-up finally pays off with a chaotic final act. If only the journey to get to the explosive ending were a bit more competently made, I would have an easier time recommending We Are Still Here. As it stands, the last twenty minutes make a great short film, while the first hour feels like amateur filmmaking.

 

Tremors 5: Bloodlines Blu-ray Review

Actors: Jamie Kennedy, Pearl Thusi, Brandon Auret, Ian Roberts, Natalie Becker

Director: Don Michael Paul

Writers: Woodrow Truesmith, M.A. Deuce, John Whelpley

Producer: Ogden Gavanski

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Color, Widescreen

Language: Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Italian (DTS 5.1), German (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Thai (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (DTS 5.1)

Subtitles: Arabic, Portuguese, Cantonese, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Swedish, English

Region: All Regions

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Number of discs: 2

Rated: PG-13

Studio: Universal Studios

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Digital Copy Expiration Date: May 2, 2016

 

 

        There is a difference between a good film and a fun film, and it is possible to be one without the other (explaining the success of movies like Sharknado). I expected the direct-to-home fifth installment of Tremors to be fun, with no anticipation of quality filmmaking. Perhaps it helped that I went into Tremors 5: Bloodline with such low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised at equal balance of quality and campy fun.

 

The Timber Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Mark Caven, Josh Peck, James Ransone

Director: Anthony O'Brien

Format: Multiple Formats, Blu-ray, Dolby, NTSC, THX, Widescreen

Language: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Run Time: 80 minutes

 

        I don’t know if I was more bored or confused by The Timber, but both were a result of poor filmmaking. The screenplay is too smart for its own good, leaving the audience in the dark in a pretentious attempt at forcing them to piece together plot rather than providing exposition. The direction could also be blamed for failing to convey the story adequately amidst the purposefully sparse dialogue, with the editing also easily faulted for the incoherence of the film’s minimal action sequences. This is a film full of technical shortcomings, which destroy the attempt at intelligent storytelling. 

 

Black Coal, Thin Ice Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Fan Liao, Xuebing Wang

Director: Diao Yinan

Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Well Go USA

Release Date: September 29, 2015

Run Time: 110 minutes

 

 

        The magnificence of Diao Yinan’s abilities as a filmmaker lie in his ability to keep a film absolutely riveting, even in the moments where it is difficult to follow the narrative. Black Coal, Thin Ice is not a perfect film, but I wouldn’t change a thing about Yinan’s approach to the material. Every scene kept me engaged, and even if the screenplay demands more attentiveness from the audience than your typical neo-noir, this is only further reason for repeat viewings. And Black Coal, Thin Ice is a film I would not mind watching more than once.  

A Murder in the Park DVD Review

     Actors: Dexter Hammett, Dan Nachtrab

Directors: Christopher S. Rech, Brandon Kimber

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 29, 2015

Run Time: 91 minutes

        True crime stories are extremely popular right now, with the explosion of popularity behind the Serial podcast showing that an unbelievable narrative told well can often be more exciting than an action film. A Murder in the Park takes a unique approach, evolving from an investigative crime procedural to a story about corruption and deceit. To say that this story plays out in a satisfying way would be a stretch, though it remains consistently fascinating throughout every twist and turn.

 

Soul Boys of the Western World DVD Review

     Actors: Tony Hadley, John Keeble

Director: George Hencken

Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen

Language: English

Region: Region 1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: NR (Not Rated)

Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO

DVD Release Date: September 29, 2015

Run Time: 111 minutes

 

 

        Some music documentaries have the ability to tell human interest stories which are elevated beyond mere fan appreciation, to provide a narrative that can be fascinating to those unfamiliar with the band as easily as those who own all of their CDs. Soul Boys of the Western World is not one of those movies, instead made in a way that is likely only to appeal to those with a sense of nostalgia for this music. Though I was familiar with a few hit songs, my knowledge of Spandau Ballet prior to watching this film was virtually nonexistent. More importantly, after watching the documentary, I am no more a fan than I was before I wasn’t even sure who they were.