Blu-ray Review: “The Marksman”

  • THE MARKSMAN
  • Starring: Liam Neeson, and Teresa Ruiz
  • Directed by: Robert Lorenz
  • Rated: PG 13
  • Running time: 1 hr 48 mins
  • Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Jim (Liam Neeson) s a former Marine who lives a solitary life as a rancher along the Arizona-Mexico border. But his peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when he tries to protect a boy on the run from members of a vicious cartel. And that’s pretty much the story here. Though Neeson gives a solid performance, the story may be a bit too formulaic. 

Jim basically has had some rough times. He lost his wife to cancer, and his property is being foreclosed. All of this happens in the beginning of the film, so it’s hardly a spoiler. Jim spends his days sport hunting with his canine companion, Jackson. He’s excellent with a rifle, which earned him a medal in the Marine Corps. Jim reports anything suspicious to his step-daughter, a border patrol agent, whilst hunting on the grounds. A woman and her son are on the run from the Mexican drug cartel and Jim gets involved. What I do appreciate about this film is that it’s a road film. Like Rainman,” most of the film takes place on freeways, highways and small town bi-ways. And with the cartel in hot pursuit, you can rest assured that it’s going to be a helluva commute.

 Now Jim’s life has taken a turn. He’s on the run with a kid (Miguel) who is stunned into silence due to his mother being shot by the cartel. Jim makes a promise to the kid’s mother to take him to her sister in Chicago. Unbeknownst to Jim, the cartel can track his whereabouts every time he uses his debit card with a sophisticated computer system. And so what follows is a series of close calls with the cartel and the bonding of Jim and Miguel.

Much of the film is uninspired as we have seen it before and as I previously mentioned, a bit formulaic. Screenplay is weak but the more interesting scenes are when Jim and Miguel are bonding. As I also mentioned, I personally love  road films and “The Marksman” is a road film indeed. Here Neeson does put on a good performance with what little he’s been given. It’s just Liam fighting the baddies. They are now calling his films “Your yearly Neesoning”. Overall it’s worth a rental but it comes up short in comparison to “Honest Thief” and “The Commuter.”

SPECIAL FEATURES

Making of “The Marksman” featurette.

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Blu-ray Review: “The Father”

  • THE FATHER
  • Starring:  Anthony Hopkins and Oliva Colman
  • Directed by:  Florian Zeller
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  1 hr 37mins
  • SONY Pictures Classics

I turned 60 last September and, as I get older, one of my biggest worries is that I’m going to slowly lose my faculties.  As someone that loves to write and communicate, I think that would destroy me.  I preface this review with that statement because that MIGHT be what’s going on in THE FATHER.

Anthony (Hopkins in an Academy Award winning performance) likes to relax in his flat, listening to music and taking occasional glances out the window.  He is looked after by his daughter, Anne (Colman) and things appear to be well.  Until one afternoon when Anne informs him that she will be hiring a caretaker because she is moving to Paris to be with the man she loves.  At least Anthony thinks this is what she told him.  Things get more puzzling when the next moment Anne’s former husband appears, but claims to be her current husband for the past eight years.  What the hell is going on here?

A true psychological thriller, “The Father” is a very non-linear descent into what could either be madness or gas-lighting.   Director Zeller leaves it up to the viewer to decide which it is.

The film is brilliantly acted, with, as noted earlier, Hopkins winning his second Best Actor Oscar for his performance.  Colman, herself an Oscar winner – and a nominee for her work here – matches him beat for beat.  Supporting work by Imogen Poots and Rufus Sewell, among others, carry the story along smoothly.

With theatres opening up to usher in another summer of fast cars and explosions, take a moment to stay home and watch “The Father.”   

Special Features:

  • Homecoming: Making “The Father”
  • Perception Check: Portrait of “The Father”
  • Deleted Scenes

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Enter to Win a Copy of “The Marksman” Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To celebrate the Blu-ray Combo Pack release for “The Marksman”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one of five Blu-ray combo packs of BOTH “The Marksman” and Liam Neeson’s also recent title “Honest Thief”. If you want to win one of these great prizes, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite Liam Neeson film. This giveaway will remain open until April 23rd at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Oscar® nominee Liam Neeson is Jim Hanson, a former Marine turned rancher who defies the law to save a young boy’s life from a group of merciless cartel assassins in the suspenseful and powerful action-packed film, THE MARKSMAN, available to own for the first time on Digital April 27, 2021 and Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on May 11, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
 
From Open Road Films and Briarcliff Entertainment, THE MARKSMAN is a tense thriller that follows one man and the boy he promised to protect on a dangerous cat-and-mouse race across America that leaves audiences on the edge of their seat from start to finish. The film is directed by Academy Award® nominee Robert Lorenz (American Sniper, Mystic River) and showcases remarkable performances by Neeson (Taken franchise, The Grey) and the film’s supporting cast including Katheryn Winnick (The Dark Tower, “Big Sky”), Juan Pablo Raba (Peppermint, “Narcos”), Teresa Ruiz (“Narcos: Mexico,” “Here on Earth”) and Jacob Perez (Papa Bear, Willy Goes Way Back). Featuring never-before-seen bonus content with cast and crew, THE MARKSMAN on digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes piece that dives deeper into the deadly cross-country road trip of the captivating story.
 
Ex-Marine and hardened Arizona rancher Jim Hanson (Neeson) simply wants to be left alone as he tries to make a living on an isolated stretch of borderland. But everything changes when he witnesses 11-year-old migrant Miguel (Perez) and his mother (Ruiz) fleeing from a band of assassins sent by a ruthless drug cartel. After being caught in a shoot-out, Miguel’s mother begs Jim to take her son to the safety of their family in Chicago. Defying law-enforcement, Jim and Miguel hit the road and slowly begin to forge an unlikely friendship, while the cartel’s relentless assassins blaze a bloody trail, hot on their heels.

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Blu-ray Review: “Honest Thief”

  • HONEST THIEF
  • Starring: Liam Neeson and Kate Walsh
  • Directed by: Mark Williams
  • Rated: PG 13
  • Running time: 1 hr 39 mins
  • Universal Home Video

The film opens with Carter (Neeson) pulling off a final heist, in which he is very meticulous in his methods. In fact, he’s been nicknamed “the In & Out Bandit”. Carter then ventures into a storage facility to store personal items and “some of the funds”. He’s wise not to put the money all in one place. But here’s when our protagonist or antagonist, depending on where in the film you’re referring to him, makes his complete 180 degree turn. At the storage facility, Carter meets a woman and falls in love. So now he no longer wants to rob banks and wishes to give back the money and turn himself in. Hence he is now earned his title character, “Honest Thief”.

The film is directed by Mark Williams, who has worked on the television series “Ozark” (which I haven’t seen) and “The Accountant” with Ben Affleck (on both of those projects Williams also served as a producer). Set in Boston, the movie also stars Kate Walsh, Jeffrey Donovan, Jai Courtney, Anthony Ramos and Robert Patrick.

In this film Liam Neeson is not the good guy we’re used to seeing. This isn’t Taken nor The Commuter. He’s a bad guy that wants to do good. So Carter informs the FBI of his crimes and they don’t believe him. Who robs banks and now wishes to turn ithemselves in? Someone who has met the right woman. And as one character put it, “that’s got to be some woman.” Carter’s girlfriend is portrayed by Kate Walsh, who is caught up in the chase towards the 9 million dollars that Carter wants to turn in.

The film has some great action scenes including a house explosion that I loved! Carter is also a demolition expert, something he learned in the Armed Forces, which is how he blows the bank vault. Narrative in the film moves at a brisk pace. When Carter is on the run, he gets into some scuffles where I wanted to see the fighting skills Neeson is famous for in other films, but this isn’t “Taken.” He just knows how to blow up things. The baddies in the FBI are atypical. One has a heart change and the other is bent on getting that $9 million. Robert Patrick makes an appearance as an FBI supervisor (you will definitely remember him from Terminator 2 as the villainous T-1000).

I watched the film on Blu Ray where the sound and picture were crisp and clean. “Honest Thief,” to me, was a slight let down at first because my expectations were too high. I was looking for “Taken” or even “The Communter” but that’s okay. It just shows that Neeson is more than one dimensional. He has an amazing range and can play various roles.

There are no extras included in this set.

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Blu-ray Review: “Psycho Goreman”

  • PSYCHO GOREMAN
  • Starring: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre
  • Directed by: Steven Kostanski
  • Rated: Unrated
  • Running time: 1hr 39 mins
  • RLJE Films

     As the mark of a full year of shutdowns and quarantines goes sloth-crawling by and we begrudgingly re-examine (for the thousandth time) the trials we’ve survived (however barely) … there’s still a piece of us constantly looking for a beacon of hope. There’s questions to be asked. Will you continue to mask up and socially distance or are you moving to Texas? Will you be getting the vaccine or waiting it out? If you’re a monster kid… you have one more important question: are you going to rent Psycho Goreman or buy the damn thing and watch it on loop until you break your Blu-ray player?  Your answer better be BUY because this movie is that good. Except Psycho Goreman ‘PG for short!’ isn’t a blinding beacon of hope… he’s a foul-mouthed alien overlord sent here to destroy the universe and resurrect the creature feature genre.

     Canadian Director/Writer Steven Kostanski, who previously delivered the Lovecraftian THE VOID in 2016, clearly has a tremendous affinity for practical effects and eccentric storytelling. Psycho Goreman takes us onto the battlefield in a crazy war of good vs. evil and evil vs. evil — with blood, guts and meme-worthy Gigaxian one liners flying everywhere. Ninety nine minutes  that plays like an R-Rated visit with Power Rangers in the most hilarious and bonkers capacity imaginable. Psycho Goreman drop kicked exactly what I needed into my lap when I genuinely COULD NOT handle a single extra day of “2020 Part 2″‘s regularly scheduled SNAFU lineup.

I hereby present to you…my wish list for movies from BEFORE Psycho Goreman came to earth:

[✓] A resurgence of credit-roll theme songs. This was one of the greatest things about the 80s and 90s. Remember when they commissioned artists to write completely asinine lyrics and roll them into absolute BANGERS? It’s musical slapdash that I’m, honestly, 105% here for. Calling it now — this will be the next thing to make a comeback in cinema of a certain brand.

[✓]  Millennial 80s/90s nostalgia vibes…with heart. Not something that feels like a filmmaker googled ‘what were the late 80s like?’ and used an immersion blender to make an on screen disaster. I’m honestly so exhaustively far past being done with branded cookie cutter faux 80s-kid content. I want someone and something to bottle the feelings I felt watching shows after school but bigger, grosser and more fucked up… because I’m not six, I’m thirty six. I’ve humbly traded in Pogs and Gushers for IcyHot and Tums and so NOW I want to see body parts flying. I want kids using bad language and monsters who talk dirty. I want to root for a kid who is authentically and effortlessly cooler than I ever was and a monster who is sexier than I’ll ever be able to be.

[✓]  Practical effects out the yinyang. I don’t care what the story is… CGI in horror, generally, should be outlawed. Go big. Then bigger. Keep going. Did everything explode all over the place? Turn it up to eleven. More alien guts! Look at these costumes! We’re almost there. Make me look up who did the fx work. “Give ALL these people a raise!”  Ahhh. That’s perfect. If this is the only redeeming element then so be it… but if it works in tandem with a story that makes me want to suspend disbelief in every capacity then all the better. I’m in.

[✓] A soundtrack that I need to buy, like, yesterday: I consume a lot of tunes and I appreciate the greatest cinematic needle-drops as much as the next dweeb but good lord, there is something to be said about an original score that lets me live my own personal version of on screen adventures with outrageously, bombastic earworms. I’m there. You wanna release it on vinyl in deluxe packaging? Take my money. I want you to deliver to my ears… big hair, big drums, big synth, big aural explosions and none of this Stranger Things nonsense. I don’t like being manipulated. Bring those things and mean it because I very much am paying attention to the man and the noise behind the curtain.

(https://waxworkrecords.com/collections/all/products/pg-psycho-goreman in case you want to buy your own.)

[✓]  Yo, literally just anything to be excited about? I don’t have the mental or emotional bandwidth anymore to recreationally consume anything that requires work. I want something that’s easily digestible and leaves me feeling amazing. I’m just getting back to the point where I’m willing to roll the dice and try to connect with something media-wise but, directly, I’m telling you that I’m looking for lightning in a bottle. So much of what we’re getting now is just more of the same thing we’ve just recently seen: major IP fatigue up in my brain. Show me something new and weird and make him ugly but charming so I can do a hard swipe right. Give me light and snappy. Let me cheer for and also laugh at and with him. Anything that makes me feel bad is getting turned off.

[✓] Make me want a whole line of action figures and a series of school supplies. I need a trapper keeper with gay-friendly alien monsters and a thermos to take soup to work in. Why are things meant for adults never flashy or covered in drippy, neon, monster madness? I’m sad that I’m not represented.

[✓] Give me a monster-kid I identify with and hey… it’s 2021 so it better be a girl and no one better be sexualizing her. We’re done being here for that purpose. I want a little girl on screen who I believe, with every fiber of my being, could save or destroy the universe with her death-glare and smart mouth alone. Not a single super power required.

[✓] Make me LOVE this movie. I want to authentically insist that the people I care about see this movie so they’ll be able to have the same magical feelings I did. I’ve spent much of my adult film-watching experience itching for just one more opportunity to dip my toes into the syrupy pool of Spielbergian kid-adventure but that’s not really where I’m at anymore. You never TRULY outgrow the things you loved in your formative years but now, as a parent, I think I’ve dropped the desire for a newly packaged version of that.  I want to see what someone like MY kid would do with an E.T. like experience. My daughter isn’t the Elliot type and, if we’re being honest, I never was either.  Maybe if an alien comes to earth, I don’t want it to be a sob fest. Maybe I want it to be a party. Maybe I want to see aliens play rock music? Quick…add that to the list.  [✓]

     There’s a fine line when you expect originality. There’s formulas that flourish because they’re dependable. The Hero Cycle’s Call to Action will forever exist because deep down most of us want to be emotionally guided to a promised feel-good moment. We want to feel like our however-fleeting emotional investment to characters and their story has contributed to our own personal journey… and temporarily that’s totally fine.

     For those of you who find your viewing habits to be influenced by the current social atmosphere, there’s absolutely something to be said about returning to things-familiar. Sharing a moment, or ninety, with characters who are in the time of their lives before developing a sense of reflexivity is really comforting. Envy inducing. I think we’ve all had many moments during this past year where we wish we were in our childhood and entirely unconcerned with adult stressors or problems. Re-examining things we loved as children seemed right and safe because we knew what to expect. However as movie fans we have to encourage the continuation of new storytelling. Steven Kostanski had the opportunity to go big and went huge. I think someone must’ve told him to go nuts and he really went for it. In a time when so many things within the genre lean hard into serious, dark and emotionally exhaustive arthouse-horror… this was a bold move that at this moment in time I’m incredibly grateful for. He made something new and he made it really damn fun. Fun: Little word. Means everything in this moment.

     The world is seriously scary enough right now but that doesn’t mean we can’t still like horror. I’m happy someone lightened things up by making it weird, gross and thrilling. Go watch Psycho Goreman and keep an eye on Steven Kostanski. And Steven, (if you see this) can we make sure this toy line happens? We’re all here for tiny, plastic hunky boys!

PSYCHO GOREMAN, available on DVD and Blu-ray starting March 16. 

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Blu-ray Review: “News of the World”

  • NEWS OF THE WORLD
  • Starring:  Tom Hanks, Helena Zendel and Ray McKinnon
  • Directed by: Paul Greengrass
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  1 hr 58 mins
  • Universal Pictures

News is everywhere today.  Back in my day, you needed to watch television to learn what was happening, both locally and around the world.  Or subscribe to a newspaper.  Today there are 24 hour television news networks, Facebook, Twitter and all other assortments of way to get the word out.  So imagine having to gather in a darkened room, pay ten-cents and have someone read you the news.  If you can then allow me to introduce you to Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd.

Now that the Civil War has ended, Captain Kidd (Hanks, outstanding as usual) earns his living traveling the country on horseback, picking up newspapers along the way.  He is known as a “News Reader,” and his choice of stories, and the way he tells them, earn him a decent living.  It’s 1870 and tonight we find him in the town of West Falls, Texas preparing for an evening of reading.  As he continues on his travels he comes across a young girl named Johanna (Zendel) who had been raised by Kiowa Indians but is now being sent to live with her remaining living relatives (her parents having been killed). Kidd takes her to the local settlement but is told by the authorities that he can either wait with her for three months – when the necessary people are scheduled to arrive – or take her to her family himself.  She is now his responsibility.  Determined to reunite her with her relatives, Kidd sets out with Johanna into the wild Texas wilderness.

Though well-paced, “News of the World” is not the type of film I expected from Paul Greengrass, whose amazing action work includes three “Bourne” films, “Captain Phillips” and the heart-wrenching “United 93,” which earned him an Academy Award nomination as Best Director.  Along the way to San Antonio (where Johanna’s relatives have settled) the pair run into all kinds of problems, including a band of no-goods who at first try to buy Johanna then decide to take her with violence. But Captain Kidd is a sharp guy – and a hell of a good shot.  As the film progresses, Kidd and Johanna form a bond.  He is protective of her as a father would be and she does her best to help him with his business, imploring those interested in Kidd’s news service to ante up a dime. 

Hanks is his usual excellent self, seemingly able to inhabit any character he plays, much like Jimmy Stewart did in his career.  Ms. Zendel is equally outstanding.  Already the youngest actress (she is currently 12 years old) in history to win the Lola for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” at the German Film Awards for her performance in 2019’s “System Crasher,” her inability to speak English only intensifies her work as most of her communication is done through body language and with her eyes.  It’s plain to see that Johanna has seen plenty in her young life and Ms. Zendel lets you see it on screen.

The film is beautifully photographed, with much credit due to Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (“Sweeney Todd,” “The Martian”).  He shoots the Texas landscape beautifully and a scene where Kidd and Johanna are caught in a sandstorm is breathtaking.  

The film has been released on home video to coincide with the Academy Award nominations, of which it received four: Original Score, Production Design, Cinematography and Sound. Surprisingly, besides containing one of Hanks’ best performances, the actor was not nominated.

The disc also comes with plenty of extras, including Deleted Scenes,several Featurets and an Audio Commentary by director Paul Greengrass.

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Enter to Win a Copy of “News of the World” Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To celebrate the Blu-ray Combo Pack release for “News of the World”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one Blu-ray combo pack. If you want to win this great prize, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite Tom Hanks movie. This giveaway will remain open until March 31st at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Embark on an adventure of epic scope and sweeping scale through the merciless terrain of the West in NEWS OF THE WORLD, available to own for the first time on Digital March 9, 2021 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on March 23, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Based on the best-selling novel by National Book Award Finalist Paulette Jiles and starring Academy Award®–winner Tom Hanks, NEWS OF THE WORLD is “a classic true-grit Western” (Entertainment Weekly) and “towering piece of moviemaking” (Deadline) reuniting Hanks with BAFTA Award®-winning and Oscar®-nominated director Paul Greengrass for the first time since Academy Award®-nominated CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. 

Nominated for two Golden Globe® Awards and two Screen Actors Guild® Awards, the critically acclaimed and Rotten Tomatoes “Certified Fresh” film is available to own for the first time featuring exclusive bonus content, including deleted scenes, feature commentary with co-writer/director Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips, Bourne Franchise), an inside look into the relationship between movie veteran Tom Hanks and newcomer Golden Globe®-nominee Helena Zengel and much more.

Five years after the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips, Saving Private Ryan) moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with a 10-year-old girl (Helena Zengel – Systems Crasher, Die Tochter) taken in by the Kiowa people and raised as one of their own. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place they can call home in an “extraordinarily moving” (Washington Post) and “visually stunning film” (Associated Press).

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Enter to Win a Copy of “Promising Young Woman” Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To celebrate the Blu-ray Combo Pack release for “Promising Young Woman”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one Blu-ray combo pack. If you want to win this great prize, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite revenge thriller. This giveaway will remain open until March 19th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Driven by a mysterious and tragic event in her past, a young woman seeks out vengeance in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story about a delicious new take on revenge in PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, available to own for the first time on Digital on March 2, 2021 and Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on March 16, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Proclaimed as “absolutely brilliant” (Matt Goldberg, Collider) PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is the riveting, genre-bending must-own dark comedy of the year that combines masterful filmmaking with an unapologetic look at female empowerment and social justice with a deeply powerful twist. Hailed as “a game-changing masterpiece,” (Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment) and “revenge, served red hot” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), the edgy thriller is the directorial debut of groundbreaking filmmaker Emerald Fennell (“Killing Eve,” “The Crown”) who wrote the vibrant, twisted and suspenseful story. Showcasing an incredible ensemble cast lead by Academy Award® nominee Carey Mulligan (An Education, Drive) and with an iconic soundtrack, fans can now go behind-the-scenes of the provocative and sensational film with exclusive bonus content on the Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital including featurettes with the cast and crew taking fans deeper into the edge-of-your-seat story that has everyone talking.

Dazzling critics and audiences alike, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN offers a gripping and foreboding comedic look at toxic culture norms that permeate throughout society and has earned an extraordinary 91% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes®. Hailed as “the best film of the year” (Mara Reinstein, US Weekly), the captivating film has won over an impressive 48 awards to date and has racked up over an astonishing 165 award nominations to date. Garnering four Golden Globe® nominations including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and Best Screenplay, the film has also earned six Critics Choice Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, BAFTA longlisted in 13 Categories including Best Film Outstanding British Film, Director and Original Screenplay, a 2021 SAG Award® nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, a 2021 Writers Guild Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, nine Hollywood Critics Association Award nominations and was named one of the Top Ten Films of the year by the National Board of Review.

Everyone said Cassie (Mulligan) was a promising young woman…until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story. Featuringincredible must-see performances from the entire cast, the bold and gritty PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is led by critically acclaimed Mulligan who received the Los Angeles Film Critics Best Actress award for her role and has a phenomenal supporting cast including Bo Burnham (Eight Grade, The Big Sick), Alison Brie (Sleeping With Other People, “GLOW”), Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Thor: Ragnarok), Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde, American Pie), Laverne Cox (“Orange Is the New Black,” Grandma), Connie Britton (“Dirty John,” “Friday Night Lights”), Alfred Molina (Frida, Spider-Man 2), Adam Brody (Shazam!, “The OC”), Max Greenfield (“New Girl,” The Big Short), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Kick-Ass), Chris Lowell (The Help, Up in the Air), Sam Richardson (“Veep,” “New Girl”), and Molly Shannon (“Divorce,” Superstar).

By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, the astonishing film is packed with daring and thought-provoking moments from beginning to end by writer-director Fennell delivering a “delicately-wrapped bonbon laced with arsenic” (Keaton Bell, VOGUE). From Academy Award®-winning production company FilmNation Entertainment and the filmmakers behind The King’s Speech, Arrival and The Big Sick andalongside LuckyChap Entertainment producers Margot Robbie (I, Tonya, Dreamland), Tom Ackerley (Dreamland, Terminal) and Josey McNamara (Dreamland, Terminal) the “funny, sexy, smart and absolutely terrifying” (Kate Erbland, IndieWire) PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is a must-own film with a profound message for all.

With the purchase of PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on disc or digital, fans are eligible to earn points towards special rewards via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, signed collectables, box sets, win exclusive prizes and more! For FREE registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.

BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:

  • A Promising Vision – Writer/Director Emerald Fennell discusses her inspirations for writing this bold, genre-bending film.
  • Two-Sided Transformation – A look at why Carey Mulligan was the perfect choice to play “Cassie” and how filmmakers used wardrobe, hair, and makeup to express the balance between light and dark.
  • Balancing Act – Cast members discuss their unexpected reactions to the careful balance of levity and tragedy in director Emerald Fennell’s take on female revenge.
  • Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Emerald Fennell

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN will be available on Blu-rayTM, DVD and Digital.

  • Blu-rayTM unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
  • Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
  • MOVIES ANYWHERE is the digital app thatsimplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. MOVIES ANYWHERE is only available in the United States. For more information, visit https://moviesanywhere.com.

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Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: bluray, combo, copy, enter, pack, promising, ...

Enter to Win a Copy of “The Croods: A New Age” 4K Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To celebrate the 4K Blu-ray Combo Pack release for “The Croods: A New Age”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one 4K Blu-ray combo pack. If you want to win this great prize, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite Croods character. This giveaway will remain open until February 26th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

DreamWorks Animation presents THE CROODS: A NEW AGE, a colorful story, brimming with heart and hilarious moments, that is guaranteed repeat viewing for the whole family. Join Grug, Eep, Guy and the rest of the Croods as they face off against the more-evolved Bettermans, releasing on Digital February 9, 2021 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray™ and DVD February 23, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Keep the adventure going with THE CROODS: A NEW AGE and go beyond the film with two exclusive animated shorts, a gag reel, deleted scenes and activities the whole family can enjoy together, this fun and entertaining adventure is the must-own family movie of the new year!

Join the animated family comedy adventure of the year that is brought to life with a star-studded cast, including Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy, Deadpool),  Emma Stone (La La Land, The Amazing Spider-Man), Nicolas Cage (Face/Off), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII) and Leslie Mann (Blocked, Knocked Up). THE CROODS: A NEW AGE is directed by Joel Crawford (Trolls Holiday) and produced by Mark Swift (Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Captain Underpants, Penguins of Madagascar).

The first prehistoric family is ready for another rocking adventure! The Croods have survived fanged beasts, natural disasters, and even young love, but now they must face their biggest challenge yet: another family! In search of a new home, the Croods discover a walled-in paradise created by the sophisticated Betterman family (emphasis on the “better”). As they try to coexist, the differences between the two families escalate into a full-blown feud, but when a new threat forces both families to embark on an epic adventure, they must all learn to work together…or they’ll all go extinct!
BONUS FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd, BLU-RAYTM, DVD and digital:

  • DEAR DIARY: WORLD’S FIRST PRANKS – In this exclusive original short film, Eep reveals how a comical accident led her and Dawn to discover the joys of tricking their families and set about performing “the world’s first pranks”
  • FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: LITTLE RED BRONANA BREAD – In another exclusive original short, join the Croods as they settle down for a very prehistoric family movie night experience. With shadowy figures around every corner, Eep must keep Gran and her delicious Bronana Bread safe from punch monkeys.
  • GAG REEL
  • TO: GERARD – In this original DreamWorks animated short, an elderly man brightens the day of a little girl through magic.
  • DELETED SCENES
  • THE CROODS’ FAMILY ALBUM – Meet the actors who portray the Croods and their new cast members, the Bettermans. What makes them tick, how do they resemble their characters and what lessons have they learned from making the film.
  • THE EVOLUTION OF… – In this fun making of, we hear from the filmmakers and stars of THE CROODS: A NEW AGE about the evolution of the Croods franchise.
  • HOW TO DRAW: CAVEMAN STYLE – Join one of DreamWorks talented illustrators inside the cave as they demonstrate how to draw our favorite characters.
  • FAMILEAF ALBUM – Inspired by the prehistoric family album given to guy by the Betterman’s, we create a fun video showing you how to make your own using real leaves or green construction paper for pages and string (or even dental floss!) to hold it all together.
  • STONE AGE ATTACK – A three-part featurette highlighting fun, easy to make recipes that kids and parents can make together.

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Enter to Win Blu-ray Combo Pack of “The War with Grandpa”

To celebrate the release for “The War with Grandpa”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one of 15 Blu-ray’s. If you want to win one of these, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite Robert Deniro film. This giveaway will remain open until December 28th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

It’s the wise guy vs. the pint size when Robert De Niro gears up for an epic prank battle in the hilarious and heartfelt family comedy The War with Grandpa.  Featuring an all-star cast including Rob Riggle, Jane Seymour and Christopher Walken, ring in the holiday season and get ready to laugh-out-loud with The War with Grandpa now yours to own or gift on Digital and on Blu-ray and DVD on December 22nd from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

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Blu-ray Feature “I Spit on Your Grave: Collector’s Edition”

Who doesn’t love amazing box sets? Especially when it comes it horror fans, we love our collector’s editions. Ronin Flix might be responsible for making 2020 suck a little bit less as they are releasing a new 3-Disc Collector’s Edition of “I Spit on Your Grave”. This new box set features a new 4K scan and restoration of the original uncut feature film as well as the 2019 sequel, “I Spit on Your Grave: Deju Vu” and feature length documentary film “Growing Up With I Spit on Your Grave”.

The Collectible Box Set doesn’t just end with the movies though also included is a deluxe custom slipcase with original artwork by Adam Stothard, a Newly Commissioned 44 Page Book featuring exclusive historical photos and liner notes by horror writers Michael Gingold and Meagan Navarro, 2 collectible fold out mini-posters (16×20) and replica VHS box-style magnets. Ronin Flix spared no expense here and delivered a rock solid collection of goodies for us horror fans.

Official Premises: In 1978, one film changed the face of cinema forever: I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. Camille Keaton stars as Jennifer Hills, a young and beautiful career woman who rents a back-woods cabin to write her first novel. Attacked by a group of local lowlifes and left for dead, she devises a horrific plan to inflict revenge in some of the most unforgettable scenes on film. 42 years later, the sequel, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE: DEJA VU, sends successful writer Jennifer Hills (Camille Keaton) back to where it all began to face the wrath of the families of those she left for dead. Kidnapped along with her daughter Christy (Jamie Bernadette), it’s a tense game of hunt or be hunted against a ruthless gang of degenerates overseen by a violently unhinged matriarch Becky (Maria Olsen). Additionally, this box set includes, GROWING UP WITH I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, an exhaustive analysis of the film’s history directed by Meir Zarchi’s son, Terry Zarchi.

Just in time for the holidays, this features a new 4K scan and restoration of director Meir Zarchi’s 35mm original camera negative of “I Spit On Your Grave”, along with a newly restored original mono soundtrack and for the first time on Blu-ray in North America, “Growing Up With I Spit On Your Grave”. Additionally, there is a collection of special features including a new location featurette hosted by writer Michael Gingold,  Audio Commentary with writer / director Meir Zarchi, Audio Commentary with Film Critic Joe Bob Briggs, new cast interviews and deleted scenes, an exclusive making-of featurette, rare and behind-the-scenes photos from the set, home movies, reversible cover art (“I Spit on Your Grave” only).
  
Ronin Flix is proud to present this commemorative box set as its second release, following a highly praised first release of “Hardware”. The 3 disc Collector’s Edition “I Spit on Your Grave” Blu-ray Box Set will be available for pre-order exclusively on roninflix.com now. The initial print run will be limited to 5,000 copies. So shouting out to all horror fans, this is a must own and a great gift for this holiday season and a very reasonable price.

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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Announces Tenet for Blu-ray & DVD

ARRIVING ON 4K UHD BLU- RAY™ COMBO PACK, BLU-RAY™, DVD AND DIGITAL FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Burbank, CA, November 5 – “Tenet,” the must-see motion picture event, playing now on the big screen wherever theatres are open, will arrive on 4K, Blu Ray, DVD and Digital on December 15 in time for the holidays. Written, directed and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“Inception,” “Dunkirk”), “Tenet” opened globally beginning in August 2020 and has grossed $350 million to date, with the much-anticipated theatrical openings in the major markets of New York and Los Angeles still to come. “Tenet” will be available to preorder from digital and physical retailers beginning November 10.

“Tenet” features an international ensemble cast led by John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman,” TV’s “Ballers”) as the Protagonist.  The film also stars Robert Pattinson (the “Twilight” films, “The Lighthouse,” upcoming “The Batman”), Elizabeth Debicki (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “The Great Gatsby”), Dimple Kapadia (“Angrezi Medium”), Martin Donovan (“Ant-Man,” “Fahrenheit 451”), Fiona Dourif (“Cult of Chucky”), Yuri Kolokolnikov (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard”), Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”), Clémence Poésy (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“The Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Michael Caine (“Inception,” “The Cider House Rules,” “The Dark Knight”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Dunkirk,” “Murder on the Orient Express”).

The film was produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan. Thomas Hayslip served as executive producer. 

Nolan’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Jennifer Lame, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher. The score is composed by Ludwig Göransson.

SYNOPSIS

Armed with only one word—Tenet—and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist (John David Washington) journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel. Inversion.

4K AND BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“Tenet” 4K UHD Combo Pack and Blu-ray contain the following special features:

  • Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of “Tenet” – An hour-long exploration of the development and production of the film as told by the cast and crew.

BASICS

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

4K UHD Combo Pack                                                              $44.95

Blu-ray                                                                                    $35.99

DVD                                                                                        $28.98

4K, Blu-ray, DVD and EST Street Date: December 15, 2020

Preorder date: November 10

DVD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, English-ADS, Canadian French

BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, English-ADS, Brazilian Portuguese

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

BD Subtitles: English, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese

Running Time: 151 minutes

Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language.

THE CREDITS

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

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Blu-ray Review: “Back to the Future – the Ultimate Trilogy”

In the summer of 1985 a film made it’s way to theatres rather unexpectedly. I was a theatre manager when “Back to the Future” opened up and the two things I remember best about the film was that it was released earlier than planned (I have buttons announcing the film opening on July 19th. However, with nothing to show in theatres during the coveted Fourth of July period, Universal dropped it on July 3rd) and that, when the film was over, the credit card read THE END. Not exactly. “Back to the Future” would go on to spawn two sequels and a legion of fans and I couldn’t think of a better day than today, October 21 – the day Marty goes back in time – to rave about the new Blu-ray release of “Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy!”

The story in a nutshell: Marty McFly is a “slacker” who loves playing guitar and riding his skateboard. His friendship with Doc Brown ends up sending him back in time to 1955, where he meets the young boy and girl who will become his parents. Hijinks ensue. In BTTF II Marty and Doc actually go into the future – JAWS 19 anyone – and back. Part III takes them to the old West. But no matter what century they’re in, the story is top notch and the two characters beloved.

But Mike, you’re saying, I already have these films on Blu-ray. Why should I get the Ultimate Trilogy? Besides the amazing video and audio, there are a lot of bonus goodies carried over from the 30th Anniversary Edition but you can now watch these new amazing extras:

A tour of the “Back to the Future” exhibit at the Hollywood Museum

A three-part feature that takes you behind the scenes on “Back to the Future: The Musical,” with a couple of music videos from the show.

Audition tapes of other actors considered for the film, including C. Thomas Howell and Ben Stiller reading for Marty McFly, Kyra Sedgwick autidioning for Jennifer Parker and Billy Zane and Peter DeLuise auditioning for Biff (Zane would make the film as a member of Biff’s gang).

All this and great extras on all three films, including Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Commentaries and much more. Sadly, no Eric Stoltz footage, though when I interviewed Bob Gale (one of the writers/producers) he told me they haven’t released the footage because they felt it would reflect badly on Stoltz. There are plenty of photos of Stoltz on the set but the only footage I’ve ever seen is a quick shot of him walking across the street. However, if you’re sharp eyed, you’ll see that it is Stoltz’s hand that punches Biff in the soda shop. Look even closer and you’ll see it’s clearly the side of Stoltz’s head. I wonder if he gets residuals.

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Enter to Win a Copy of “Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy” 4K Blu-ray Combo Pack!

To celebrate the The Ultimate Trilogy 4K release for “Back to the Future”, Media Mikes would like to give our fans a chance to to win one 4K Blu-ray combo pack. If you want to win this great prize, please leave a comment below or email us with your favorite film in the Back to the Future Trilogy. This giveaway will remain open until October 20th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

Great Scott! In 1985, Director Robert Zemeckis, Executive Producer Steven Spielberg and Producer/Screenwriter Bob Gale embarked on a three-part journey through time that broke box-office records worldwide and catapulted BACK TO THE FUTURE into one of the most beloved trilogies in motion picture history. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the 35thAnniversary of the groundbreaking first film with BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY available on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever on October 20, 2020-just in time to celebrate “Back to the Future Day” on October 21!This collection is loaded with bonus material including a bonus disc that comes with over an hour of brand-new content such as rare audition footage from Hollywood stars Ben Stiller, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Cryer, Billy Zane, Peter DeLuise and C. Thomas Howell, a tour of the film’s props and memorabilia hosted by co-writer/producer Bob Gale, a sneak peek at the new musical show, and a special episode of the popular YouTube Series “Could You Survive The Movies?” Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a time traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space-time continuum!

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY will include all three movies in collectible disc book packaging plus a bonus disc including all-new bonus content. For the first time, the past, present and future collide in eye-popping Ultra HD resolution for a time-traveling celebration. New 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray™ deliver the highest quality picture, more colors than ever before, and immersive, multi-dimensional sound. From filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, this unforgettable 35th anniversary collection features hours of bonus features and is an unrivaled trilogy that stands the test of time making this a must-own for everyone’s movie library. All three BACK TO THE FUTURE films will also be available on 4K Ultra HD digitally for the first time ever and BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY will also be available on DVD.

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Blu-ray Review “The Outsider: The Complete First Season”

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

After the success of “IT”, there has been a full flow of Stephen King’s novels being adapted into film or TV being kicked into production. “The Outsider” is based off of King’s 2018 book. The show is backed with a great cast packed with great twists and turns that will keep you gripped to the TV until the climax. Ben Mendelsohn has made his name playing lead baddies in “Rogue One” and “Ready Player One” recently. It is nice seeing the other side of him in this series. Jason Bateman nails the dramatic angle again for sure after “Ozark”. This show was a big hit for HBO’s being labeled as its most watched new series in the last three years. So expect a second season in the works very soon!

Official Premise: Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Outsider is a new drama series that follows a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a local boy. When 11-year-old Frankie Peterson’s body is found mutilated in the Georgia woods, police detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) sets out to investigate – with eyewitnesses and physical evidence pointing to Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), a popular high school teacher, Little League coach, doting husband and father. While the case appears ironclad, Ralph is baffled by the emergence of contradictory evidence that places his suspect in a neighboring city at the time of the murder. The mysterious set of circumstances surrounding this horrifying crime leads Ralph, a seasoned cop still grieving the recent death of his own son, to bring in unorthodox private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo), whose uncanny abilities he hopes will help explain the unexplainable.

The incredible cast of The Outsider includes Emmy®- and Golden Globe nominee Ben Mendelsohn (“Bloodline,” “Ready Player One”), Tony Award winner and Oscar® and Golden Globe nominee Cynthia Erivo (“The Color Purple,” “Harriet”), Bill Camp (Emmy®-nominee for “The Night Of”), Mare Winningham (Oscar® nominee for “Georgia”), Paddy Considine (HBO’s upcoming “The Third Day”), Julianne Nicholson (HBO’s upcoming “Mare of Easttown”), Yul Vázquez (“Divorce”), Jeremy Bobb (CINEMAX’s “The Knick”) and Marc Menchaca (“The Sinner”), with Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman (“Ozark,” “Arrested Development”) as Terry Maitland.

The 1080p transfer of the episodes are sharp, like “Castle Rock”, this show does not have an 4K Ultra HD release. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks work perfectly with the score leading these episodes with great suspense. In addition to all 10 exhilarating episodes from season one, The Outsider: The Complete First Season the Blu-ray features over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus content including the all-new featurette “EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER.” In this never-before-seen featurette you dive deeper into the real-world origins and supernatural abilities of the being at the center of The Outsider with interview from the creators and cast. The rest of the featurettes are worth taking a look at but nothing too stunning to jump out at you. “Invitation to Set” takes you through a tour of the show’s shooting locations. We have brief interviews with Stephen King and Jason Bateman. Lastly, “Adapting The Outsider” talks about bringing the story to life from the book to small screen.

BONUS FEATURES

  • EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER – All New Featurette
  • Invitation to Set
  • Stephen King and The Outsider
  • Jason Bateman and The Outsider
  • Adapting The Outsider

10 ONE-HOUR EPISODES

  1. Fish in a Barrel
  2. Roanoke
  3. Dark Uncle
  4. Que Viene el Coco
  5. Tear-Drinker
  6. The One About The Yiddish Vampire
  7. In the Pines, In the Pines
  8. Foxhead
  9. Tigers and Bears
  10.  Must/Can’t

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