Omar Sharif (1932-2015)
July 10, 2015
July 9, 2015
Blu-Ray Giveaway: THE LONGEST RIDE
What would you do for the love of your life? Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment invites you to grab the bull by the horns in THE LONGEST RIDE, which releases on Blu-ray and DVD July 14. Up-and-coming stars Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood will tug at your heartstrings as they bring Nicholas Sparks’ beloved novel to life.
THE
LONGEST RIDE Blu-ray comes packed with 45
minutes of extra features that will take you further into the film’s
two central love stories. Join Eastwood on the ranch as he learns
from the world’s best bull riders to control the beasts and learn
more about the production with audio commentary from director George
Tillman, Jr. and star Oona Chaplin.
THE LONGEST RIDE:
Famous Bloodlines
The Longest Ride has won hearts
everywhere with its lovely and talented cast including young actors
Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Oona Chaplin, and Jack Huston and
the accomplished Alan Alda. In celebration of the Blu-ray/DVD
release, we present to you this lineup’s family lineage extending
through years and years of hit movies and colossal careers.
Scott Eastwood
Known for having inherited his father’s
iconic good looks, Scott Eastwood broke hearts everywhere as the sexy
cowboy in The Longest Ride. If you haven’t guessed yet, his
dad is the legendary Clint Eastwood. He became a movie star through
classic films such as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Dirty
Harry, and Escape from Alcatraz among many others.
Oona Chaplin
Oona burst onto the scene as the doomed
Talisa Stark on Game of Thrones and can now be seen as the
charming Ruth on The Longest Ride. Her famous lineage descends
from the incomparable Charles Chaplin who is considered as one of the
most pivotal stars from the early Hollywood era. Her mother is the
talented Geraldine Chaplin and her father is the Spanish
cinematographer, director, and writer Patricio Castilla. Her
legendary family heritage does not end there, however, she is Eugene
O’Neill’s (considered one of America’s greatest playwrights)
granddaughter and actor James O’Neill’s (known for early films
such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Grain of Dust)
great-granddaughter.
Alan Alda
Alan Alda played the sweet older Ira in
The Longest Ride, but he has had a long and successful career
that has spun seven decades. His father is Robert Alda who, like his
son, had a lasting acting career with films such as Rhapsody in
Blue, Imitation of Life, and Cloak and Dagger.
Jack Huston
Jack Huston has seen his career kick
off in the recent years with roles in Boardwalk of Empire,
American Hustle, Kill Your Darlings, and The Longest Ride. His
fast-growing resume is most surely a characteristic of the Huston
family, for his family lineage is made up of many Hollywood elite.
His great-grandfather is the Broadway star Walter Huston who,
coincidentally, starred in Desire Under the Elms, which was
written by Oona Chaplin’s grandfather Eugene O’Neill. Jack is
also John Huston’s grandson; John was considered a Hollywood titan
and acted as director, screenwriter, and character actor for films
like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The African
Queen, The Asphalt Jungle, Moulin Rouge, and Moby Dick. Jack
is the nephew of Danny Huston (known for American Horror Story,
Big Eyes, Wolverine, Children of Men, and The Aviator) and
Anjelica Huston, who has starred in The Addams Family, Addams
Family Values, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Ever After: A
Cinderella Story.
July 8, 2015
Nakatomi Plaza comes to life in the DIE HARD Limited Edition Collection October 13
Own All Five Explosive DIE HARD Movies On Blu-ray Housed in a Replica of the Iconic Building – Available October 13.
Ever wanted to scale Nakatomi Plaza with John McClane, just like in the first Die Hard? On October 13, fans can do just that with the NAKATOMI PLAZA: DIE HARD COLLECTION! Featuring all five of the franchise’s action-packed films in a replica of the legendary Los Angeles tower, this limited edition collection is McClane-approved and like nothing you’ve ever seen before, making it the perfect gift for action and Die Hard fans everywhere.
Every limited-edition set comes with all five films on both Blu-ray and Digital HD as well as an explosive hour-long featurette that celebrates this iconic franchise with filmmakers and talent interviews. The Nakatomi Plaza also honors Hans Gruber and the vanquished villains from the series with collectible cards only found in the box set. And if that wasn’t enough, check out the 32-Page, behind-the-scenes book on all the secrets of the movies that even the most die-hard fans may not even know!
NAKATOMI PLAZA: DIE HARD COLLECTION FEATURES:
- Blu-ray & Digital HD Versions
- Die Hard
- Die Hard 2: Die Harder
- Die Hard: With A Vengeance
- Live Free or Die Hard (includes Unrated Version)
- A Good Day to Die Hard (includes Unrated Version)
- Blu-ray Bonus Disc: “Decoding Die Hard”
- 5 Exclusive Villain Collectible Cards
- 32-Page Behind-The-Scenes Booklet on the Franchise
July 2, 2015
Blu-Ray Review: JOE DIRT
SONY
I never liked David Spade. Of all the Saturday Night Live alumni who moved on to bigger things, he's probably the most obnoxious and least talented (okay, maybe Jim Breuer is worse). I never found him funny or even likable. His brand of smarmy, sarcastic humor was always lost on me, be it SNL sketches or the few movies I bothered to watch. Joe Dirt wasn't among the latter. I couldn't stand him as a co-star; why would I subject myself to anything where his was the sole name above the title? But this one remains near-and-dear in the hearts of a lot of people, probably because they were 14 when they first saw it, an age when seeing someone using a spatula to pry a dog's balls from a frozen porch is the height of humor.
Finally seeing it 15 years later, most of my assumptions about Joe Dirt were accurate. It's lowest-common-denominator filmmaking...blatantly dumb and stupidly crude. Its threadbare plot, where the title character tells an LA shock-jock of his journey to find the parents who abandoned him years before, is mostly a clothesline to hang various episodic sketches, none of which are remotely clever or funny, despite over-the-top efforts to make them so.
 |
| Joe Dirt weighs his foreplay options. |
Yet, though it hurts to say so, I kind of liked Joe Dirt. Sure, it's stupid, predictable and devoid of any gags that would amuse a right-thinking high school graduate. Still, the title character is oddly endearing, which I did not expect. I previously assumed Dirt was simply a white trash caricature (not exactly the most difficult stereotype to poke fun at), yet this might actually be Spade’s greatest performance, where he stops being ‘David Spade’ just long enough infuse the character with a surprising amount of depth and congeniality. He’s not gonna make us forget Forrest Gump (or even Pee Wee Herman), but he makes us care enough about his similar, episodic journey to see it through to the end.
While no modern classic in the purest sense, Joe Dirt manages to rise slightly above the usual celebrity schtick featuring former SNL stars (including most of Adam Sandler’s filmography). If you haven’t yet seen it, you’ll owe your brain an apology afterwards, but probably won’t hate yourself.
EXTRAS:
- Commentaries by Dennie Gordon & David Spade
- Outtakes/Bloopers
- Deleted Scenes
- Original Trailer
- "Joe Dirt: The Return" (short featurette which mostly has cast members gushing about the original film)
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD...LIKE CAT CHOW...WITH EXTRA POOP
June 29, 2015
Blu-Ray Review: LAST KNIGHTS
LIONSGATE
Last Knights is a lot better than its generic title suggests.
Clive Owen stars as Raiden, a fiercely-loyal military commender who, along with his elite soldiers, protects a kingdom run by nobleman Bartok (Morgan Freeman), which is part of a much larger empire. When Bartok refuses to give-in to the unreasonable tax demands of minister Geza Mott (Aksel Hennie, in a wonderfully despicable performance), he is executed for treason by the emperor, leaving Raiden and his men disavowed (knights without a master, no longer part of any clan). These men go their separate ways, yet Mott is obsessed with the certainty Raiden will seek revenge.
Meanwhile, Raiden himself retreats back to his early days of drinking and alienating those close to him, to the point where everyone (including his wife) has written him off as a sad drunk who's given up on life. Of course, anyone familiar with the tale of the 47 Ronin (or any other film based on the legend) knows there's plenty of revenge in store, just bubbling under the surface.
 |
| Reservoir Dogs...the early days. |
As such, for yet-another movie which more-or-less skipped a wide theatrical release, Last Knights is a surprisingly entertaining take on the classic 47 Ronin tale, weighted by another solidly-stoic turn by Owen. He's supported by an able cast, although Morgan Freeman fans may be disappointed that his scenes are all regulated to the first half-hour or so. The film tends to drag a little longer than necessary during the middle act, But once the climactic action begins (preceded by an expected-but-fun plot twist), Last Knights is rousing and enjoyable, despite the fact we've seen it all before.
EXTRAS:
- Featurettes: "Behind the Scenes of LAST KNIGHTS"; Cast/Crew Interviews; Special Effects Featurette
- Trailers
- Digital HD Copy
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.
June 26, 2015
Blu-Ray Review: THE GUNMAN
UNIVERSAL
Early in The Gunman, we see main character Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) surfing off the African coast. The first thing that popped into my head was, "After all these years...Spicoli finally found the perfect wave!" I don't know if this throwaway scene was intended to reference Penn's iconic, starmaking role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but I'd like to think so. After all, despite a decades-long career of bucking the mainstream and taking on challenging roles, there are those of a certain age who will always most-fondly recall him as the likeable, long-haired high school stoner of days past.
How time flies. Now here he is, part of the old guard, joining the likes of Liam Neeson and Kevin Costner as a middle aged action hero in The Gunman. It isn't quite as much dumb fun as Taken - helmed by the same director (Pierre Morel) - but it's still cool to see a traditionally 'serious' actor kicking ass and blowing shit up. Here he plays a government assassin whose last job (killing a prominent figure in the Congo) requires him to disappear, leaving behind the woman he loves, Annie (Jasmine Trinica). Eight years later, everyone on his team involved in the assassination are being killed off, prompting Terrier to resurface in order to confront those who might be responsible, including former friend Felix (Javier Bardem), who has since married Annie.
 |
| Mr. Penn reacts to the latest episode of Uncle Grandpa. |
Considering his resume and formidable acting abilities, seeing Penn in such a standard action film is somewhat surprising (maybe even disheartening to some). Still, he brings his usual intensity to the role, which helps us overlook the fact the story itself is rather generic and perfunctory. As Felix, Javier Bardem delivers his usual A-game to a relatively thankless role that doesn’t figure too much into the plot. But despite the impressive cast and murky plot, what ultimately matters is the action, which The Gunman mostly delivers. While not as rousing & kinetic as any single scene in Taken (which benefits from a less complicated story), Penn is a suitably-scowling badass, even when displaying vulnerability.
It’s unlikely Sean Penn will follow Liam Neeson’s latter-day career of geriatric ass-kicking, but The Gunman, while no classic, is a nice change-of-pace from his plethora of serious roles. Despite a lackluster performance at the box office, it’s an entertaining action film worth checking out and deserving of a second life on home video. Plus, we finally get to see him surf.
EXTRAS:
DVD & Digital Copies
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD...LIKE CAT CHOW.
June 25, 2015
DVD Review: MUTANT WORLD
SONY
When a meteor strikes Earth, causing global catastrophe, a bunch of survivalists retreat to an underground shelter to escape the devastation. 10 years later, after an earthquake causes a life-threatening power outage, a small squad of them (led by mousy Holly Deveaux) venture topside to repair the damage and search for supplies. What they find instead are vicious, slobbering green-eyed mutants.
Some other survivors come to their rescue, offering shelter and gasoline in exchange for additional protection from the mutants at night. Meanwhile, a mysterious woman known only as The Preacher (Ashanti), buzzes around on a motorcycle, expertly kicking ass without bothering to take names. She's a total badass, though I guess we aren't supposed to question why she never became a mutant, or that her costume appears to have been purchased during a $3000 shopping spree on Rodeo Drive while everyone else looks like they've been living under a bridge.
Nor are we supposed to question how Deveaux begins the movie as a horny 17 year old, only to emerge 10 years later as an order-barking super soldier, though she still looks like she'd be more-at-home on her own Disney Channel show. And I guess it goes without saying we shouldn't question why, late in the film, one mutant inexplicably decides to rescue a young girl by moving her out of harm's way. And who are we to question why our heroes would efficiently dispatch scores of mutants in one scene, then stand around helplessly (still armed to the teeth) as their friends are killed?
 |
| "Where the hell did we park?" |
These questions probably wouldn't have popped up until the movie was over if Mutant World was any good. But alas, it's another SyFy cheapie which looks like it was made on-the-fly, repeatedly ignoring logic and its own established rules to keep things moving. And Ashanti fans take note: Despite her prominent billing and character build-up, she has relatively little screen time and serves no real purpose other than to look good, kill a few people and give one heartfelt speech (as heartfelt as Ashanti is capable of, anyway) before being unceremoniously removed from the story.
Admittedly though, considering the Swiss cheese script, cheap CGI and overall non-acting, Mutant World is just fast-paced enough that you'll likely see it through to the end (though considerable eye-rolling will ensue, especially Deveaux's supposedly-symbolic costume change for the final scene).
EXTRAS: None
KITTY CONSENSUS:
MEH.
June 23, 2015
Blu-Ray Review: MERCHANTS OF DOUBT
Sony
I love my parents. Besides my own family, they mean the world to me, though our worldviews are decidedly different. It wasn't until well into adulthood that I noticed, not only how politically conservative they are, but how liberal I'd become. They keep up on current events through Fox News, while reading Huffington Post is part of my daily morning routine. We both rely on sources which tell us exactly what we want to hear and believe those who think differently are woefully misguided, even though the actual truth of any given issue is probably somewhere in the middle.
On occasion, my mom and I have tried to set each other straight, to no avail, of course. While she has attempted to convince me to take Bill O'Reilly's views seriously by reading one of his books, claiming his utter objectivity and philanthropy, I can't get past my opinion of him as a jingoistic hate-monger. Similarly, if I were to insist she watch Merchants of Doubt, she'd likely assume director Robert Kenner is just another conspiracy theorist with an alarmist liberal agenda.
 |
| "Wait'll ya see the centerfold..." |
And indeed, Merchants of Doubt does preach to the converted, confirming what they've always suspected about powerful corporations and the charismatic, articulate spin doctors hired to contradict (or at least call into question) scientific findings regarding various health-related or environmental issues, mostly climate change. To its credit, Merchants of Doubt generally doesn't focus on climate change itself, but the measures taken by those who have the most to lose economically (mostly oil companies and those in-bed with them). It provides a strong argument, especially when interviewing those who once assumed the idea climate change was the work of a bunch of Chicken Littles, only to change their stance over time as the evidence mounted. However, I can imagine this same film being equally fascinating those who don’t buy into climate change, hackles raised just like mine are when occasionally tuning into Fox News on days I’m in the mood to feel morally outraged.
All which makes Merchants of Doubt the best kind of incendiary documentary, taking one of the world’s most controversial issues and purposely stirring both sides of the pot. Though decidedly one-sided, it’s extremely well made and offers a compelling argument that nothing presented in the media should be taken at face value. Conservatives will likely hate the message, liberals will love it, but neither will be bored, which is ultimately the bottom line.
EXTRAS:
- Deleted Scenes
- Featurette: "An Evening at the Toronto International Film Festival with Robert Kenner"
- Audio Commentary
- DVD Copy
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR...THE PERFECT FILM TO RUIN A FAMILY REUNION
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