4DX Review: Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Godzilla is a franchise larger than life (both in terms of the title character and the breadth of films made with the iconic daikaiju-hero), and this makes the largeness of the spectacle something special in the right format. This could not be truer of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which has a collection of monsters to behold, as homage to the original Toho Studio films that the Legendary has adopted into their “MonsterVerse” (Kong is absent from this one, to be seen in a show-off teased during this film’s post-credit sequence), including King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra.  Along with the integration of additional giant monsters from the Japanese counterpart, the film cleverly includes the use of the original weapon used to destroy Godzilla in the classic 1954 film

4DX Review: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Part of the excitement of a new cinematic format is the discovery of its potential, and these are often dependent on the creativity and innovation of their use. With 4DX, part of the expansion of limits comes with the choice of films to pair the technology with. Before attending a screening of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 4DX, it occurred to me that four out of the four films I had previously seen in the format had belonged to the superhero genre. This is certainly due in part to the tendency to utilize the format with high-profile Blockbusters, and the industry’s simultaneous obsession with the ever-profitable comic-book-adaptation franchises. Whatever the reason, I had already spent a great deal of time in the moving seats of 4DX theaters as they simulated flight, underwater exploration, and spider-web swinging. In John Wick 3, I found an entirely different experience; one that was much more grounded, even to the point that the practice of being thrown to the ground was repeatedly simulated.

Glass 4K Ultra HD Review

• Actors: James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sarah Paulson, Samuel L. Jackson
• Director: M. Night Shyamalan
• Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
• Producers: M. Night Shyamalan, Jason Blum, Marc Bienstock, Ashwin Rajan
• Disc Format: 4K, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   Parents Strongly Cautioned
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: April 16, 2019
• Run Time: 129 minutes

        Unbreakable was somewhat of a disappointing film for audiences, especially after the extreme success M. Night Shyamalan saw with The Sixth Sense. Looking back now, it is clear that Unbreakable was ahead of it’s time, but the conclusion in Glass feels equally dated and unnecessary. This may have something to do with the 19-year-gap between the films, not to mention the onslaught of superhero films that have saturated the market in the meantime.

Welcome to Marwen Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monae
• Director: Robert Zemeckis
• Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Caroline Thompson
• Producers: Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Cherylanne Martin
• Disc Format: NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby TrueHD 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   Parents Strongly Cautioned
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: April 9, 2019
• Run Time: 116 minutes

        It is strange to see Steve Carell in a film as contrived and emotionally manipulative as Welcome to Marwen in the same year that he made Beautiful Boy. Both are based on true stories and deal with sincere pain, and somehow Welcome to Marwen still feels like it was thought up by a studio executive capitalizing on someone else’s suffering. No matter how much Carell has been able to make odd characters loveable onscreen in the past, Marwen’s Mark Hogancamp mostly just made me uncomfortable.

The Great Buster: A Celebration Blu-ray Review

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• Director: Peter Bogdanovich
• Disc Format: NTSC
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Cohen Media Group
• DVD Release Date: April 2, 2019
• Run Time: 101 minutes

        Peter Bogdanovich has repeatedly proven his interest in film history through the subject choices in his narrative films (Nickelodeon, The Cat’s Meow), but fascination turns to adoration in The Great Buster: A Celebration. The film celebrates (as the title implies) one of silent film’s greatest stars, Buster Keaton. Bogdonavich clearly has a passion for the subject, and it is contagious, but the documentary may be better titled “An Introduction” rather than “A Celebration.” In other words, die-hard fans of Keaton are likely to be disappointed by the rudimentary nature of much of the information provided by the film.

I Like Scary Movies: Interactive Art Installation Opens in LA

For many people, scary movies are more than just something to watch near Halloween. As dedicated as the sci-fi and fantasy fans are, I would argue that the true horror fans still win out, which is why it is fitting that Ultra Productions has paired with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to bring a unique horror film experience to Los Angeles. Open now (as of April 4^th), The I Love Scary Movies Experience is located on the second floor of The Desmond and will run through June 16^th.

Choose Your Format: Captain Marvel

Deciding whether or not to watch a movie in theaters is only the first of many choices audience members now have, especially when it comes to the blockbuster releases. Which theater chain, where to sit, and what to snack on remain choices that have long existed, but now audiences have multiple options in regards to the actual presentation of the film. In an effort to help audience members make the best choice, we will discuss the specifics of each available option for Captain Marvel.

       

Second Act Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens, Treat Williams, Milo Ventimiglia
• Director: Peter Segal
• Writers: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Justin Zackham
• Producers: Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Justin Zackham, Benny Medina
• Disc Format: NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Subtitles: Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   Parents Strongly Cautioned
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: March 26, 2019
• Run Time: 103 minutes

        Second Act earned a certain amount of respect from me, but that had more to do with film history and marketing choices than the quality of the movie itself. Although the promotional material sold the film as a comedy about class differences, there are plot twists that quickly veer the narrative into more melodramatic territory. And I don’t use the word melodrama as an insult, but rather as the genre which was popularized in the 1940s, primarily dealing with stories of motherly love and loss. Sadly, Second Act is the rare exception of a film that doesn’t spoil these reveals in the trailers.

Mortal Engines 4K Ultra HD Review

• Actors: Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery
• Director: Christian Rivers
• Writers: Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens
• Producers: Zane Weiner, Amanda Walker, Deborah Forte, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
• Disc Format: NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   Parents Strongly Cautioned
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: March 12, 2019
• Run Time: 129 minutes

        Just in case anyone was asking for a landlocked version of Waterworld, Mortal Engines released into theaters with the odd expectations that there was an audience for this film. A big-budget theatrical experience if ever there was one (shown in 3D, IMAX and the usual perks offered to those willing to watch it on the big screen), Mortal Engines has all of the pieces to make up a blockbuster, except one. There is an apocalyptic sci-fi storyline (which has proven successful in multiple franchises), action, humor, romance, and plenty of special effects. The only thing missing was audience interest.

Green Book 4K Ultra HD Review

• Actors: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
• Director: Peter Farrelly
• Writers: Peter Farrelly, Brian Currie, Nick Vallelonga
• Producers: Peter Farrelly, Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Nick Vallelonga
• Disc Format: 4K, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2:1
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: March 12, 2019
• Run Time: 130 minutes

        Green Book is not the film I ever expected to see director Peter Farrelly make when I first watched There’s Something About Mary many years ago, and it certainly isn’t the film I expected to win Best Picture for this past year. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprise, considering this makes three years in a row that the Academy has given the award to a film about diversity and discrimination (The Shape of Water may not directly be about race, but I think the allegory is clear). Green Book seems far from the best film of the year, but it is a safe choice in terms of balancing audience enjoyment and social message.

Burning Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Steven Yuen, Ah-in Yoo, Jong-seo Jun
• Director: Lee Chang-dong
• Disc Format: Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   Unrated 
   Not Rated
• Studio: Well Go USA
• Release Date: March 5, 2019
• Run Time: 148 minutes

        I honestly had no idea what to expect from Burning, up until the credits started to roll. Although there are moments that the movie seems to resemble others, or starts to conform to genre conventions, this may all be red herrings and MacGuffins to the overall film experience. And I truly believe that the experience director Chang-dong Lee intended audiences to have is one of questions, not answers. It is fitting that the inciting incident of the film’s narrative involves the house-sitting of a cat that never shows itself. Many who have debated the meaning of the movie have argued the possibility that the cat doesn’t exist at all. I believe that the point is that the cat both exists and doesn’t exist, because the film itself feels like a cinematic representation of Schrödinger’s cat.

Rampant Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Jang Dong-Gun, Hyun Bin, Kim Joo-hyuk
• Director: Kim Sung-hoon
• Disc Format: Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: Korean (Dolby Digital 5.1), Korean (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   Unrated 
   Not Rated
• Studio: Well Go USA
• Release Date: February 26, 2019
• Run Time: 127 minutes

        There is a quote on the back of the Rampant Blu-ray comparing the film to “Game of Thrones meets 28 Days Later,” and while I know this was meant as a marketing selling point, it did more harm than good to have these preconceived notions in my head. For one thing, “Game of Thrones” already has zombies, so the addition of 28 Days Later to the comparison is redundant at best. Also, nearly every element that is can be compared to “Game of Thrones,” including swordplay, politics, and zombie-like attacks forcing the living to band together, has been done better by the HBO series. While the quote on the back of the Blu-ray may inspire additional rentals and purchases, it is also likely to lead to more disappointing viewing experiences.

Mary Queen of Scots 4K Ultra HD Review

• Actors: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, David Tennant
• Director: Josie Rourke
• Writer: Beau Willimon
• Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward
• Disc Format: 4K, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   R 
   Restricted
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: February 26, 2019
• Run Time: 124 minutes

        There is no question that Mary Queen of Scots is a good movie, well made in every technical aspect. The 4K Ultra HD edition highlights this fact, particularly in terms of the design elements. It is a good looking film, with a timely story (to the point that it occasionally feel on-the-nose) acted out by a handful of capable actors (albeit, many of which are made unrecognizable underneath too much stagy make-up), and yet there are also enough annoyances (as pointed out in these interruptions to the sentence) to prevent me from fully appreciating the quality. Mary Queen of Scots also has the misfortune of inevitable comparisons to The Favorite, a film which satirizes the very ideas that this film treats with melodramatic seriousness.

Ralph Breaks the Internet Blu-ray Review

• Actors: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch
• Disc Format: NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Dolby Digital 7.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Rated: 
   PG 
   Parental Guidance Suggested
• Studio: WALT DISNEY ANIMATION
• Release Date: February 26, 2019
• Run Time: 112 minutes

        Wreck it Ralph was a unique concept, but I wasn’t all that impressed with the film itself. While it had a colorful design and a helpful message for younger audience members, it didn’t have enough originality or cleverness to keep my mind occupied for the entire running time. Not only is Ralph Breaks the Internet a better film in nearly every regard other than the title, but I actually found myself appreciating it more with additional analysis. In short, Ralph Breaks the Internet may be filled with shameless Disney self-promotion and is clearly another cash-grabbing sequel, but it also happens to be a pretty great film.

Iceman: The Time Traveler Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Donnie Yen, Wang Baoqiang, Simon Yam
• Director: Raymond Yip
• Disc Format: Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Cantonese (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   Unrated 
   Not Rated
• Studio: Well Go USA
• Release Date: February 19, 2019
• Run Time: 88 minutes
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        What do you do when you make a film that ends with a cliffhanger, but absolutely nobody has any interest in seeing the resolution in a sequel because of how awful the original was? If you are the producers of Iceman, the 2014 martial arts action film starring Donnie Yen, you push forward with a sloppy sequel that makes the first look like a masterpiece in comparison. Even if you can get past the ridiculously bad CGI effects used throughout the film, the characters are silly and 2-dimensional, built for action scenes and dumb comedic relief rather than any true character development. Between Iceman and The Monkey King, 2014 was an awful year for Donnie Yen, and Iceman: The Time Traveler somehow surpasses both of those films as his worst.

Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Sonja Gerhardt, Milam Farooq, Tim Oliver Schultz
• Director: Michael David Pate
• Disc Format: Dolby, Surround Sound, Widescreen
• Language: German (Dolby Digital 5.1), German (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   Unrated 
   Not Rated
• Studio: Well Go USA
• Release Date: February 12, 2019
• Run Time: 89 minutes

        The origins of the horror genre can be traced back to Germany, and the most successful of early American horror films often imitated them. The success of American horror relied on the imitation of German filmmaking, so it is disheartening to watch Heilstätten, a film which simply feels like a cheap German imitation of The Blair Witch Project. Derivative in every aspect of filmmaking and narrative, Heilstätten has a few sincere scares but offers absolutely nothing new to the genre. Even in terms of the sub-genre of found-footage horror, it lacks any originality beyond a clever third-act twist.

Bohemian Rhapsody Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello
• Director: Bryan Singer
• Disc Format: Blu-ray, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   PG-13 
   Parents Strongly Cautioned
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Release Date: February 12, 2019

        Biopics have become as expected during award season as superhero movies during the summer (or any other time of the year, at this point), and Bohemian Rhapsody fits the bill perfectly. Not only does it have the usual narrative trappings of a musical biopic and a performance that carries the film, the last twenty-minutes of the film are basically just a recreation of Queen’s most iconic concert. It is also ironic that so much dedication was spent on accurately recreating this concert when basic life events are incorrect in the screenplay. Although this was most certainly done for dramatic effect, the very same people who would be most likely to appreciate the accuracy of the Live Aid section might also be annoyed by the changes made to Freddie Murcury’s life story.

Peppermint Soda Blu-ray Review

• Actors: Anouk Ferjac, Eléonore Klarwein, Odile Michel
• Director: Diane Kurys
• Producer: Serge Laski
• Disc Format: Blu-ray
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: 
   PG 
   Parental Guidance Suggested
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: February 12, 2019
• Run Time: 97 minutes

        Before Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, there was Diane Kurys’ Peppermint Soda, a French coming-of-age film in the tradition of The 400 Blows. Like many of the best coming-of-age films, it is largely autobiographical and therefore extremely personal, and yet there is also something extremely universal about the narrative. Despite being specific to the era that Kurys grew up in (the film takes place during the early 1960s) and made in the late ‘70s, there is something that will always be timeless about growing up.

Alita: A ScreenX Experience

        CJ 4DPLEX is a technology company that is probably best known for their 4D technology, which started in South Korea but has expanded across the globe with increasing momentum over the last decade. Although 4DX is certainly impressive enough, ScreenX is an even more recent innovation in the efforts toward a more immersive cinematic experience. I have heard ScreenX described as IMAX, but with the image being wider instead of taller, though this doesn’t quite do the experience justice. While IMAX may give you more to look at, ScreenX is more about utilizing peripheral vision in order to feel as though you are inside the film. I think a more apt description would be to compare it to 3D, without the need for glasses or the use of cheap gimmicks.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch 4K Ultra HD Review

• Actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely, Angela Lansbury
• Directors: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney
• Writers: Michael LeSieur, Tommy Swerdlow
• Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy
• Format: 4K, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: French, Spanish, English
• Region: Region A/1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: 
   PG 
   Parental Guidance Suggested
• Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
• Release Date: February 5, 2019
• Run Time: 86 minutes

        Maybe I’m the real Grinch, because I was instantly annoyed by the news that Illumination Entertainment had decided to adapt the classic holiday cartoon into a feature-length animated film. The material had already been stretched out before, for Ron Howard’s live-action version, which I was also an adamant critic of. Only the news of Benedict Cumberbatch providing the voice gave me hope that the film might have a deep English accent to remind me of Boris Karloff’s iconic narration. From the moment I heard Cumberbatch’s annoying American accent for the Grinch, I knew I was destined to hate the film. Equally disappointing was Pharrell Williams as the narrator, who sounds like a dad reading a book to his kids with the purpose of getting them to fall asleep.