Blu-ray Review “Arsenal”

Actors: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Adrian Grenier, Johnathon Schaech, Lydia Hull
Directors: Steven C. Miller
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Arsenal” is a really bizarre film to come out…and without little notice at all. Director Steven C. Miller has been getting a ton of low budget grade B/C/D action thrillers recently and this just feels like another notch on the belt of blandness. But what makes it bizarre is that brings back Nicolas Cage’s character from the 1989 film “Deadfall”, also a film that no one saw, remembers or asked for a semi-sequel at all. Listen when it comes down to it, I am a sucker for anything Nic Cage but to see him play another weirdo character suits me fine but this is not a memorable movie and like “Deadfall”, many people will most likely know that it doesn’t even exist.

Official Premise: The Lindel brothers, Mikey and JP, only had each other to rely on growing up. As adults, JP finds success as the owner of a construction company, and Mikey becomes a small-time mobster. When Mikey is kidnapped and held for a ransom by ruthless crime boss Eddie, JP turns to the brothers’ old pal Sal, who is a plain clothes detective, for help. JP must risk everything and unleash his vengeance against King’s relentless army of gangsters to rescue his brother.

“Arsenal” comes in a combo pack including a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer looks ok enough, even though the film feels cheap. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. With the special features, we are getting more than I honestly expected. There is an audio commentary with Director Steven C. Miller. There is a featurette going behind-the-scenes on the film in “Building an Arsenal”. Lastly there are some extended cast and crew interviews to check out. Like the film not great but not terrible either.

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Blu-ray Review “Collateral Beauty”

Actors: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris
Directors: David Frankel
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: March 14, 2017

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Collateral Beauty” is a mystery of a film. They packed such a stellar cast into this film but it fails on every level and honestly is pretty unwatchable. I watched to see the talent do their thing and hoped that they could save the film after it’s terrible trailer but it just failed flat on its ass. This will disappear from all existence in a blink of an eye. Sorry Will Smith.

Official Premise: When a successful New York ad executive suffers a personal tragedy and retreats from life, his friends devise a drastic plan to reach him before he loses everything. Pushing him to the very edge, they force him to confront the truth in surprising and profoundly human ways. From Oscar-winning director David Frankel, this thought-provoking drama explores how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of beauty, and how the constants of love, time and death interlock in a life fully lived.

The film comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet copy. The 1080p transfer looks great with sharp details and the colors are super rich. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also sounds great with the scope of the film but the score is completely forgettable. There is only one special feature included which is a 15 minute chat called “A Modern Fable: Discovering Collateral Beauty”, which features the cast talking about the film.

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Blu-ray Review “War on Everyone”

Actors: Alexander Skarsgård, Michael Peña, Theo James
Directors: John Michael McDonagh
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Run Time: 98 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“War on Everyone” has what should be considered a hot young cast. Alexander Skarsgård is hot fresh off the heels of “The Legend of Tarzan” and Michael Peña is everywhere after his small role in “Ant-Man”. Pena has been making some bad choices with his last few movies. With this and recent “CHiPS”, he has been falling out of the spotlight. This film is fun and the cast is great like I said but it is lacking that theatrical value that you would want in a film like this. And its choice of casting Caleb Landry Jones just ruined it for me.

Official Premise: Terry (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob (Michael Peña) are two crooked cops who frame and blackmail criminals all over town. Looking for the ultimate pay-off, they try to extort a strip-club manager (Caleb Landry Jones) and his eccentric, junkie boss (Theo James), but get more than they bargained for when their hair-brained scheme uncovers a bigger, darker secret.

“War on Everyone” seems like it should have been a big theatrical film but the studios didn’t expect a mega fortune from this and took a gamble releasing it limited and direct-to-Blu-ray. I have no complaints with the Blu-ray presentation. The A/V is on par for the type of film and delivers a great experience. On the downnote, there is only one featurette included in the special features called “Everyone Sounds Off: The Quirky Cast of War on Everyone”, which features the cast talking about the movie.

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Blu-ray Review “Patriot’s Day

Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan
Directors: Peter Berg
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Run Time: 133 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Patriot’s Day” featured the teaming up (AGAIN) of Mark Walhberg and director Peter Berg. There first team up was “Lone Survivor”, which had great success…but followed up by “Deepwater Horizon”, which was not. This film really didn’t draw any interest at all to see it despite the cast and director and hence was a big disappointment the box office. I remember the events that the film showcases here and did I think it would benefit from a dramatic movie? No. Is the movie terrible? No. But not something that I am going to re=watch probably ever again.

Official Premise: In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.

The 1080p transfer looks solid. Director Berg knows how to use scale in his films to make them seem grander and this one looks big. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 also delivers the action perfectly. I would be interested to see how the 4K presentation steps up this Blu-ray. The special features are worth checking out made mostly of featurettes. “Boston Strong: True Stories of Courage Vignettes” feels like a TV special on the events. “The Boston Bond: Recounting the Tale” has a generic EPK feel with interviews, with included within “The Cast Remembers”. Lastly, “Actors Meet Real-Life Counterparts: A 2-Part Series” brings the cast together with real-life people.

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Blu-ray Review “Office Christmas Party”

Actors: Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jillian Bell, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Aniston
Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Run Time: 105 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 star
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Office Christmas Party” packs some serious talent including Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jillian Bell, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, Jennifer Aniston. Kate McKinnon steals the show again like with this year’s “Ghostbusters”. The movie is rude, crude and in your face! Jokes filled through making this raunchy comedy a well rounded experience. Even though Christmas is nine months away, this film can be watched anytime and delivers some fun anti-holiday cheer.

Official Premise: When an overbearing CEO (Jennifer Aniston) decides to close her hard-partying brother’s failing branch, he (T.J. Miller) and his fired up co-workers (Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, Kate McKinnon) decide to throw an epic office party to land a big shot client and save everyone’s jobs. Fueled by booze and bad decisions, things quickly spiral out-of-control in one of the craziest nights of their lives.

There are two versions of the film available to check out. There is the Unrated version of the film as well as the Theatrical. I watched the Unrated and enjoyed it thoroughly. More raunchy jokes throughout. “Office Christmas Party” comes with a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. The special features are solid and worth checking out. There is a fun commentary track from the directors Josh Gordon & Will Speck. The provide some fun stories from the production. “Throwing an Office Christmas Party” is a fun behind-the-scenes look into the film. Lastly there are some more Outtakes and Deleted & Extended Scenes included.

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Eight Fun Mobile Games to Play When You are Really Bored

We’ve all been there, bored out of our wits, stuck at home, waiting for the train or traveling with the bus, and we have all wished to be relieved of that boredom. So, what can be done about it? There are actually lots of things you can do. One of them is playing online casino games, and if you don’t already then we suggest giving it a try. It is an amazing way to deal with boredom. There are so many games on offer, meaning, so many ways to kill time.

  • Neo Monsters. Let’s start with a real old-school game, we are talking about Neo Monsters, available on both iOS and Android, it is monster collecting battle with cool graphics reminscient of Game Boy and old Super Nintendo. We are very happy to recommend this game for all of you.
  • Townsmen. This is an awesome game, reminiscent of the game settlers, which was a big thing a few years back. It’s a simulator, where the goal is to create a town, by using resources and by creating new ones. The idea is to be strategic as well as a good tactician, in order to complete different assignments with respects to the town you are building, in order to succeed.
  • Jackpot Paradise. It is not possible to recommend games to kill the boredom, without recommending this extraordinary Casino site, this is quite a new name in the online gambling world, and yet, it is already well known and well liked. The site offers a great Welcome Bonus for new players. How about 10 free Slots and up to £200 matching bonuses? Go to Jackpot Paradise and check it out.
  • KleptoCats. One might argue that this is a game for children, however, we couldnt disagree more. Who does not love cats? And why cannot an adult play game be both cute and funny? Why not play a game where you own a bunch of adorable cleptomaniac cats that will bring you all kinds of stuff for your room? Sounds weird? It is, but we promise you will also find it interesting and hilarious. The game is available on both iOS and Android.
  • Bet365. There is no way presenting a list of hilarious and fun online games without mentioning Bet365. This is a great Casino and Sports Betting site that offers its own Casino application. The site’s Casino app is powered by Playtech, and as such, it offers some of the best games around. There are Slots as well as Live Casino games on offer, such as Roulette and Blackjack.
  • Trivia Crack. Here is yet another great game, fun to play, together with your friends. This is an application, a multiplayer application in reality, that offers a trivia game concerning completely useless information. We liked it a lot when trying it out, it gave us quite a few laughs. If you have great remote friends, then this is the game for you, and you will most likely share a lot of laughters from afar.
  • Lucky Nugget. We present to you, yet another great Casino appliction. This is a great site with a good reputation that has been around for more than 10 years in total. When the site receantly launched its own Casino application few were surprised as it was a great way for it to notch up its success a bit. Lucky Nugget is powered by the amazing Microtech and installing on your mobile device unlocks 50 free spins for real money.
  • Twofold. This beautifully designed puzzle game is a real mental challenge, it offers great gameplay as well as lots of fun. For those of you that have played Candy Crush, this game is the perfect continuation of your gaming career. However, the game is a bit tricky from the get go and it requires a little bit of getting used to. The tutorial is great though, and so with lots of help, the players are eased into the role of Twofold-players.

 

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Free Advance Screening for “Ghost in the Shell” in Orlando, FL

Calling Florida moviegoers, below please find the codes for the screenings of “Ghost in the Shell”. If you want to see this film before ANYONE else! Hurry fast and grab tickets below and spread the word to your friends as well! They will go VERY fast! Enjoy and be sure to leave comments below after the film!

MIAMI- March 29 AMC SUNSET PLACE 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMMia

TAMPA- March 29 AMC VETERANS 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMTampa

WEST PALM BEACH- March 29 AMC City Place 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMWPB

ORLANDO- March 30 AMC ALTAMONTE 7:30PM  http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMOrl

In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals.

Director: Rupert Sanders
Writers: Masamune Shirow (based on the comic ‘The Ghost in the Shell’ by), Jamie Moss (screenplay)
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano

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Blu-ray Review “Assassin’s Creed”

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Matias Varela
Director: Justin Kurzel
Rated: PG-13
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 21, 2017

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Assassin’s Creed”, which first started as a video game, was a game that I liked but never really loved. Cool idea, deep mythology behind the characters and events of the games. Unfortunately nothing I just mentioned there was transferred into the feature film version of the game. Very disappointing in fact. I was not only uninterested in the film but flat out bored at parts. Usually, Fassbender’s roles interest me much more but this was a lame attempt all around. Who knows, if you are a die hard fan of this game, you might dig this (or hate it much more than me) but it was long and yet at the same time didn’t deliver anything worthwhile to fill that time well.

Official Premise: Cal Lynch travels back in time to 15th-century Spain through a revolutionary technology that unlocks the genetic memories contained in his DNA. There, he lives out the experiences of Aguilar de Nerha, a distant relative who’s also a member of the Assassins, a secret society that fights to protect free will from the power-hungry Templar Order. Transformed by the past, Cal begins to gain the knowledge and physical skills necessary to battle the oppressive organization in the present.

Blu-ray presentation is impressive for sure. The 1080p transfer looks solid with the visual effects but I believe that the 4K presentation would be the better way to go if you truly need to see this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track also delivers the goods with action scenes, when they show up. Special features are light in addition. First up is “Take the Pledge: Behind the Scenes of Assassin’s Creed”, which is a complete behind-the-scenes coverage of the film. Fairly in-depth. Lastly there is a feature called “Conversations with Director Justin Kurzel” and a large amount of deleted scenes included.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Miss Sloane”

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, Alison Pill, Jake Lacy, John Lithgow
Director: John Madden
Rated: R
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 21, 2017
Run Time: 129 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

I am not sure what is going on with Jessica Chastain recently. “Miss Sloane” is a film that I didn’t even hear about much until it hit Blu-ray. I mean this woman is easily one of my favorite female leads. I love her range and she just really act. Chastain’s performance in “Miss Sloane” is on par with that except the film overall didn’t interest me at all. But not honestly surprised with a topic like lobbying…zzzz. I guess that’s why you have to look for films with content not just good roles cause this film will become forgotten in no time flat.

Official Premise: Jessica Chastain gives a Golden Globe®-nominated performance in this suspenseful story set in the high-stakes world of American politics. Brilliant, ruthless Elizabeth Sloane (Chastain) is Washington’s most sought-after lobbyist. But when she faces her most formidable opponent yet, she risks everything – even her career – in this illuminating story about power and the desire to win at all costs.

Te film is well shot, so the 1080p transfer looks solid for what it is. Same goes for the audio DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Both solid. The special features are lacking and flat like the film. There is only one featurette included called “Lobbying: Winning at Any Cost”, which features behind-the-scenes content and interviews. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

 

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    Blu-ray Review “Silence”

    Actors: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano
    Directors: Martin Scorsese
    Rated: R
    Studio: Paramount
    Release Date: March 28, 2017
    Run Time: 160 minutes

    Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

    I feel for the movie “Silence”. It was Scorsese’s big film that he’s been trying to get made for a decade. It packs a solid cast including Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver.Scorsese is a directing genius and a legend but the film never grabs the audience. Obviously everyone is aware that this film is nearly 3 hours long and since the film is titled “Silence” don’t expect any dance/musical sequences in here or pretty anything a lot of anything. It is well done don’t get me wrong. It looks beautiful and the acting is superb but not a film that audiences want to see cause the enjoyment level is not high here, folks.

    Official Premise: Silence tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield) who travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) at a time when Christianity had been outlawed. Captured and imprisoned, both men are plunged into an odyssey that will test their faith, challenge their sanity and, perhaps, risk their very lives.

    “Silence” comes as a combo pack with a UV digital copy and definitely carries Scorsese’s signature look to it and the 1080p transfer shines in terms of visual aspects. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 also carries the rather quiet film well and gives it a good narrative. The special features are a let down for sure, like I am sure the film ‘s success was to Scorsese. There is only one extra included. “Journey Into ‘Silence” is a 20+ minute trip into the production and road to getting this film made over the decade Scorsese was trying.

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    Blu-ray Review “Sing”

    Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton
    Directors: Garth Jennings
    Rated: PG
    Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
    Release Date: March 21, 2017
    Run Time: 108 minutes

    Film: 4 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

    “Sing” is a film that like a fine wine has grown better with age. When I saw this in theaters from the makers of “Despicable Me”, I was quite disappointed. I wanted more, more, more from them…but my four year old loved it in fact. She kept asking to listen to the soundtrack non-stop and after a few more viewings of the film. I have to admit, I am big fan now. I love the tunes and I have grown to love this film. It is not the best picture to come out of Illumination Entertainment but it is still certainly better than turds like “Hop”, ouch. Get your families together, cook up some popcorn and make this film your Saturday night movie night choice and you will not regret it.

    Official Premise: From Illumination Entertainment, the studio that brought you The Secret Life of Pets comes an animated comedy about finding the music that lives inside all of us. Sing stars Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an eternally optimistic koala who puts on the world’s greatest singing competition to save his crumbling theater; Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, an overworked and underappreciated mother of 25 piglets desperate to unleash her inner diva; Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a punk rock porcupine with a beautiful voice behind her prickly exterior; and Taron Egerton as Johnny, a young gangster gorilla looking to break free of his family’s felonies. Sing is the musical comedy event of the year!

    The 1080p transfer is beautiful with the CG animation and vibrant colors. The Dolby Atmos works perfectly with 85 hit songs that the film has throughout. I loved music in this film. Just so much fun and the track works so well with it. To kick off the special features, there are three new mini-movies, which has become a staple for Illumination Blu-rays. The first focuses around Gunter, the next around Miss Crawly and the last around Eddie. Honestly, these are fun and worth checking out for sure if you like the film. There is also a short featurette called “The Making of the Mini-Movies” included.

    Other than the shorts, there are a few short featurettes included. The first is a behind-the-scenes look into the film in “The Making of Sing”. “Finding the Rhythm: Editing Sing” focuses on the editing process. There are Character Profiles for each character. There are a ton of music videos including some lyric videos. Lastly there is a five-part collection of promos called “The Sing Network” and a clip collage called “The Best of Gunter”, which I believe the studio realized is the fan-favorite character in the entire film. Gunther is definitely our household’s favorite.

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    Blu-ray Review “Live by Night”

    Actors: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller
    Directors: Ben Affleck
    Rated: R
    Studio: Warner Brothers
    Release Date: March 21, 2017

    Film: 3 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

    I was flat out surprised with the lack of success around Ben Affleck’s “Live by Night”. Personally, I think it was affected by his nonstop headlines with his role of Batman. Fans are torn on him now between popularity. This film I enjoyed. I love Affleck in it as well as his script and his direction. Affleck does best when he is in control of his story and shots. I also loved the supporting cast including Elle Fanning and Brendan Gleeson. This film also came out a tough time of the year during award season. The studio wasn’t pushing this film for awards hard enough and it ended up hurting the film as it disappeared like other missed attempts like “Silence”.

    Official Premise: Taking fatherly advice is not in Joe Coughlin’s nature. Instead, the WWI vet is a selfproclaimed anti-establishment outlaw, despite being the son of the Boston Police Deputy Superintendent. Joe’s not all bad, though; in fact, he’s not really bad enough for the life he’s chosen. Unlike the gangsters he refuses to work for, he has a sense of justice and an open heart, and both work against him, leaving him vulnerable time and again—in business and in love. Driven by a need to right the wrongs committed against him and those close to him, Joe heads down a risky path that goes against his upbringing and his own moral code. Leaving the cold Boston winter behind, he and his reckless crew turn up the heat in Tampa. And while revenge may taste sweeter than the molasses that infuses every drop of illegal rum he runs, Joe will learn that it comes at a price.

    Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson (“The Aviator”, “Hugo”) captures the film’s time setting perfectly within its 1080p transfer. Surprisingly this film has a Dolby Atmos available to choose from, which don’t get me wrong is amazing but seems overkill. There is also a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. The special features are lacking including the rather boring of the audio commentary track with Ben Affleck, Director of Photography Robert Richardson and Production Designer Jess Gonchor. There are three featurettes focusing on the characters, cast interviews and the car chase scene. Lastly there are some deleted scenes included optional commentary.

     

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    Blu-ray Review “Man Down”

    Actors: Kate Mara, Shia LaBeouf, Jai Courtney, Gary Oldman, Clifton Collins Jr.
    Directors: Dito Montiel
    Rated: R
    Studio: LIONSGATE
    Release Date: March 7, 2017
    Run Time: 90 minutes

    Film: 2 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

    How did a film like “Man Down” sneak onto Blu-ray with no one really knowing. This film packs a solid cast with Jai Courtney, Gary Oldman, Kate Mara, and Clifton Collins Jr…and yeah I guess Shia LaBeouf is the star but he just honestly urks me these days and he is just too damn weird. The only thing that interested me in this is because it is set in a post-apocalyptic America but neither the talent or the setting can save this rather bland/boring film.

    Official Premise: When U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer (Shia LaBeouf) returns home from his tour in Afghanistan, he finds that the place he once called home is no better than the battlefields he fought on overseas. Accompanied by his best friend Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney), a hard-nosed Marine whose natural instinct is to shoot first and ask questions later, he searches desperately for the location of his estranged son, Johnathan (Charlie Shotwell), and wife Natalie (Kate Mara). In their search, the two intercept Charles (Clifton Collins Jr.), a man carrying vital information about the whereabouts of Gabriel’s family. As we revisit the past, we are guided in unraveling the puzzle of Gabriel’s experience and what will eventually lead us to finding his family.

    The combo pack comes with a Blu-ray + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer looks good enough for this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works well with the action/suspense. The special features are boring and empty like the film. There is only an audio commentary included with the director Dito Montiel and Military Advisor Sergeant Nick Jones Jr.

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    Blu-ray Review “Solace”

    Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell, Matt Gerald
    Directors: Afonso Poyart
    Rated: R
    Studio: LIONSGATE
    Release Date: March 14, 2017
    Run Time: 102 minutes

    Film: 3 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

    “Solace” was originally supposed to be a sequel to the 1995 film “Se7en”. I guess when they realized that it wasn’t up to the par of its predecessor they dropped the connection. They are only giving it a push now because of the fame that Jeffrey Dean Morgan brings from “The Walking Dead”. Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell co-star and along with Morgan they all give great performances but the film itself isn’t very memorable.

    Official Premise: When FBI Special Agent Joe Merriwether (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is unable to solve a series of homicides, he enlists the help of a former colleague, Dr. John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins), a retired physician with psychic powers. Soon, Clancy realizes that his exceptional intuitive powers are no match for the extraordinary powers of the vicious murderer (Colin Farrell) on a mission.

    The combo pack comes with a Blu-ray + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer presented with an aspect ratio of 2.41:1 looks perfect for this cat/mouse thriller. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 also nails the suspense down pat! The special features are a bit of let down only featuring an audio commentary track with Director Afonso Poyart and a short featurette called “Visions and Voices: The Making of Solace” and a trailer.

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    Blu-ray Review “Moana”

    Actors: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement
    Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams
    Rated: PG
    Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
    Release Date: March 7, 2017
    Run Time: 107 minutes

    Film: 5 out of 5 stars
    Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
    Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

    “Moana” is one of my favorite movies of 2016. I love the story, the music, the characters. Everything about it is perfect. I have not stopped listening to the soundtrack since before the film came out. This is one strong female character film as well. With having a nearly five year old daughter, this is very important. My daughter as well hasn’t stopped dancing around the house to the songs from this film and even has a full Moana costume that she frequently dresses up in. We need more films like this!

    “Moana” stars Auli’i Cravalho as the voice of Moana, Dwayne Johnson as the voice of Maui, Temuera Morrison (“Once Were Warriors”) as Moana’s father, Chief Tui; Rachel House (“Hunt for Wilderpeople”) as Moana’s Gramma Tala; and Nicole Scherzinger (Grammy®-nominated singer) as Moana’s mother, Sina; Jemaine Clement (“What We Do in the Shadows,” Flight of the Conchords) voices the crab, Tamatoa; and Alan Tudyk (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Big Hero 6”) voices the rooster Heihei.

    Official Premise: From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana”, an epic adventure about a spirited teen who sets sail on a daring mission to save her people. Along the way, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once mighty demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together they cross the ocean on a fun-filled, action-packed voyage. Bring home the movie full of heart, humor and oceans of bonus extras!

    Disney is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. I love the use of colors in this film. It is so bright and vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 also works perfectly with the film’s beautiful songs and score. The special features are amazing like the film itself. There are two shorts included. The first was the theatrical short film “Inner Workings” that premiered before the film. There is also an all-new Maui mini-movie called “Gone Fishing”, which is a blast to watch.

    The rest of the special features are just incredible. “Voice of the Islands” looks into how the Pacific Island people and cultures inspired the story. There are features about the cast/stars, the musical team Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina and Lin-Manuel Miranda and the making of the music also. There is a fun hidden images throughout the film in “Fishing for Easter Eggs”. “The Elements of” is a series of short behind-the-scenes in the production.

    There is a deleted song called with “Warrior Face” with introduction by songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. There are a bunch of deleted scenes with intros from the directors. There is a music video for “How Far I’ll Go” – Performed by Alessia Cara as well as a Multi-language collection of the song. Lastly there is a must-listen audio commentary track again with directors with great insight view into the production from all aspects.

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    Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, moana, review
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