Blu-ray Review “Get Out”

Actors: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root
Directors: Jordan Peele
Rated: R
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 23, 2017
Run Time: 108 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Get Out” is a once in a decade hit. It cost nothing, came from a first time director, had no well-known cast and yet destroyed the box office and all other films in its path. Hollywood is going to spend the next decade trying to replicate this one. I personally have loved Jordan Peele in his sketch comedy show “Key & Peele” but this film is SO MUCH different. It is a social satire mixed with a horror film. Totally original and different. “Get Out” is an excellent film that will leave you holding her breath in terror and at the same time laughing out loud. This is no question one of the best films of 2017.

Official Premise: Now that Chris (Daniel Kaluuya, Sicario), a young African-American man, and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams, “Girls”), a young white woman, have been dating for several months, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate at her family’s upstate home with parents Missy (Catherine Keener, Captain Phillips) and Dean (Bradley Whitford, The Cabin in the Woods). At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined.

I knew of the film’s lead, Daniel Kaluuya, from his role in the BBC series “Black Mirror”, which he stood at boldly. He was amazing in this film and I see really big things coming to him in the near future. Also VIPs in this film were veterans Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich) and Bradley Whitford (“Billy Madison”). When you are watching this film you will find it hard to take your eyes off the screen. I cannot wait to see what Jordan Peele has planned next (I hear it is another social satire and couldn’t be more psyched). This is a movie not to be missed for sure.

Universal delivered the film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy included. The 1080p transfer works perfectly for the film. It is super sharp and the film which has a specific look to it ends up looking sharper than it should. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is simply haunting. From the score to the stirring of the damn spoon, this track lures you into deeper into the sucken place with our actors.

The special features are a little lighter than hoped but still some decent content included here. First we have an Alternate Ending with optional Jordan Peele commentary. Solid but I am still happier with the theatrical ending. There is a crazy total of nearly 25 minutes of Deleted Scenes included also with optional Peele commentary. “Unveiling the Horror of Get Out” is a quick behind-the-scenes look into the film. Lastly there is a short Q&A Discussion with Writer/Director Jordan Peele and the Cast, as well as an audio Commentary with Writer/Director Jordan Peele, which is a must listen for sure.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Wonder Woman: Commemorative Edition”

Actors: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, Marg Helgenberger
Directors: Lauren Montgomery
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: May 16, 2017

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

“Wonder Woman: Commemorative Edition” is a cash-in re-release of the 2009 animated film from Warner Brothers to ride in on the release of the new live-action “Wonder Woman” movie. This was the fourth film in the DC Animated Universe that is now up to twenty-eight films and counting. The new “Commemorative Edition” isn’t the WOW release that I was hoping for. It packs the same video as the 2009 Blu-ray and a slightly upgraded audio track. There are few new extras but also some missing from previous release. Also I would have loved them to include an exclusive action figure or something to make this extra special.

Official Premise: On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a princess of untold beauty, grace and strength – Diana. When U.S. fighter pilot Steve Trevor crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares (the God of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge by starting a World War that will last for centuries and wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with the Amazons. It is up to Diana to save her people and the world – by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman!

“Wonder Woman: Commemorative Edition” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet copy included. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is a step up from the previous Blu-ray release. There is really only one new short special feature included here: “What Makes a Wonder Woman” which dives into the overview of the character. The only new extra is a “Sneak Peek at Batman and Harley Quinn”, which is an upcoming DCU Animated feature.

Other special features taken from previous release are “Wonder Woman: A Subversive Dream”, which runs nearly 30 minutes as does “Wonder Woman: Daughter of Myth”, which go deeper into the mythology of the character. Lastly there is a a commentary track from the creative team on this film. Sadly though we lost the two bonus Justice League Episodes (“Paradise Lost” parts 1 and 2, “Hawk and Dove”, and “To Another Shore”) from the last release. So its a toss up for me. If you have never seen this film and looking to get the digital copy, this might be for you if you own it already, no need to repurchase.

Blu-ray Review “The Blackcoat’s Daughter”

Actors: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, Lauren Holly, James Remar
Directors: Osgood Perkins
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

“The Blackcoat’s Daughter” is a film that premiered back at TIFF back in 2015 and has sat on the shelf since then without getting a proper release. This film is a great mix of creepy slow-burn almost Hammer like atmosphere with a solid horror angle mixed it. It has a solid cast including Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, James Remar, Lauren Holly, and Lucy Boynton. Great talent here. Worth checking out on a lazy weekend for sure for a few good jumps.

Official Premise: Beautiful and haunted Joan (Emma Roberts) makes a bloody and determined pilgrimage across a frozen landscape toward a prestigious all-girls prep school, where Rose (Lucy Boynton) and Kat (Kiernan Shipka) find themselves stranded after their parents mysteriously fail to retrieve them for winter break. As Joan gets closer, Rose watches in horror while Kat suffers terrifying visions and becomes possessed by an unseen force.

“The Blackcoat’s Daughter” comes as combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. The 1080p transfer works with the dark and creepy feel for the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track delivers the eerie score perfectly and adds to the Gothic feeling of the film. The special features include an audio commentary track with Writer-Director Osgood Perkins as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette “The Dead of Winter: Making The Blackcoat’s Daughter”.

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Blu-ray Review “Rock Dog”

Actors: Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan Thompson
Directors: Ash Brannon
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: May 23, 2017
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Rock Dog” is the latest in the cheap animated films that get zero promotion and then slapped with an American cast. This one does actually pack some talent with Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J.K. Simmons, Lewis Black, and Kenan Thompson but unfortunately the film is just completely forgettable and not worth your time. Young kids might like the music but parents will tear their hair out.

Official Premise: When a radio falls from the sky into the hands of a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff, he leaves home to fulfill his dream of becoming a musician, setting into motion a series of completely unexpected events.

“Rock Dog” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD and Digital HD copy included. The Blu-ray specs are solid. The 1080p transfer is solid for the CG animation and the colors are vibrant though doesn’t make it feel any less cheap. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is a great track for the music in the film and works well.

The special features includes are not as bad as I would have expected. There are four featurettes included. The first “Finding the Fire: The Making of Rock Dog” takes us through the production. “Mic Check: Casting the Voices” looks at the cast. “A Rockin’ New World: Animating Rock Dog” shows how our characters were made. The last “Rock Dog and Roll: Exploring the Music” focus on the tunes in the film. Lastly there is a music video included for the track “Glorious”.

Blu-ray Review “Fifty Shades Darker”

Actors: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes
Directors: James Foley
Rated: NR
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 9, 2017
Run Time: 131 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I do not understand the thrill of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series. The first film is a melodramatic turd and the second film is honestly worse. The “steamy scenes” in the film are not sexy at all and nearly laughable. Watching this film was petty painful to be honest. Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are fine in the film and do what they can with this mess but I wouldn’t waste my time on this…just watch a damn porn, LOL. The production though is decent and you can tell that they were trying harder this time but it’s a hard pass for me…and to think there is still another sequel coming.

Official Premise: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon. When a wounded Christian tries to entice a cautious Anastasia back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple. Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) and Elena Lincoln (Kim Basinger) join the cast, determined to destroy the couple’s hopes for a future together. This time there are no rules.

This Blu-ray includes an unrated cut of the film. Personally the film is long enough running 117 minutes but this new cut expands it out to 131 minutes. If you enjoyed the film you might be interested in more, but I’m not. Despite whether or not the film is worth watching, the A/V presentation is extremely solid. The 1080p transfer looks amazing and really crisp colors. The real shocker here is definitely the DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. Normally, I would say a film like this wouldn’t need a track like this but it really does sound great. From the film’s music to the subtle sound effects throughout. It is really solid.

“Fifty Shades Darker” comes with some solid special features including contains six featurettes, a two short deleted scenes, and a preview for the next film, “Fifty Shades Freed”…very short. “Writing Darker” features the author E.L. James talking about the book and the film. “A Darker Direction” features cast and crew talking about this sequel. “Dark Reunion” looks deeper into the characters. “New Threats” looks at the films new characters. “The Masquerade” looks at the films party sequence. Lastly “Intimate with Darker” looks at the sex scenes both filming and physical meaning.

 

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Blu-ray Review “The Red Turtle”

Directors: Michael Dudok De Wit
Rated: PG
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Run Time: 81 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli, “The Red Turtle” marks a change for the company. This is not an original film from them but instead a French film acquisition. It is also a wordless film yet also a beautiful film. Put it this way, I watched this film with my 5 year old and she was interested the whole time, even without words. The story was beautiful and the animation was gorgeous. Not your typical Ghibli film but definitely a different one and quite enjoyable.

Official Premise: Marking the much-anticipated return of Studio Ghibli, this masterfully animated fantasy film tells the story of a man shipwrecked at sea who becomes stranded on a beautiful but desolate island. He learns to live in isolation, seemingly tormented in his efforts to escape the island by a giant red turtle. Miraculously, he soon comes upon a young woman also lost at sea and they create a family together.

The 1080p transfer looks solid. The animation is well represented here and the colors are vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works perfectly with the films score and sound effects, which gracefully drive the film along. The special features are a little light. There are two featurettes going behind-the-scenes including “The Birth of The Red Turtle” and “The Secrets of The Red Turtle” as well as a AFI Fest Q&A with Director Michael Dudok de Wit. This is a solid interview with a lot of great details though.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Orange Is The New Black: Season Four”

Actors: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Michael Harney, Nick Sandow
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: May 9, 2017
Run Time: 778 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras’: 2.5 out of 5 stars

The fourth season of Orange Is The New Black proves this show gets better and better with each new season. It is darker, gritty, funnier, crazier! Just all around great! This show is showing no signs of slowing down at all. The cast is all simply amazing together. The story for this season just brings this show to a whole new level of great. I can’t wait to see what is in store for season 5!

Season 4 Premise: New faces and old resentments make for a potentially volatile blend, especially now that Litchfield is a for-profit business. Overrun with new inmates and overseen by inexperienced guards, the prison undergoes an unprecedented culture war.

The 1080p transfer of the episodes looks great. The colors are crisp and even though the prison is drab. The flashbacks and outside scenes are well represented. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works as well with no issues and spotlights the movie well. The special features are not the best to be honest, There are only two audio commentary tracks include as well as a tour of Litchfield and a gag reel included.

 

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Blu-ray Review “A Dog’s Purpose”

Actors: Britt Robertson, KJ Apa, John Ortiz, Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad
Directors: Lasse Hallstrom
Rated: PG
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Run Time: 100 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love animals?! This movie looked really cute film about a dog through many lives to help its original owner. I enjoyed it overall. I don’t see myself raving about it though to anyone else, especially after the controversy came out about the production. But I do like the message over and how it was setup. Dennis Quaid pops in for a few minutes and does his confused look thing. Dog lover will probably love it if they if they don’t know about what happened during the production. Otherwise, this is a one-timer.

Official Premise: Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, from director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The Hundred-Foot Journey), shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love.

Like all Universal releases, this one is no different impressive audio and video included, though nothing spectacular worth mentioned for this film. It comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital copy included. The special features are very light the are two production featurettes including “Lights, Camera, Woof!” and “A Writer’s Purpose”. There are also Deleted Scenes and Outtakes included.

Blu-ray Review “La La Land”

Actors: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie Dewitt, Finn Wittrock
Directors: Damien Chazelle
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 25, 2017
Run Time: 128 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I was highly anticipating “La La Land”. I told myself I wasn’t going to hear a note of the music before seeing the film. Funnily enough after my first viewing, I felt really let down. Afterwards, I spent time listening to the soundtrack and since have fallen absolutely in love with the music and the film itself becoming one of my favorites from 2016. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are/and also sound amazing. I love them singing and I love them together. A must see for sure!

Official Premise: Winner of 6 Academy Awards® including Best Director for writer/director Damien Chazelle, and winner of a record-breaking 7 Golden Globe® Awards, LA LA LAND is more than the most acclaimed movie of the year – it’s a cinematic treasure for the ages that you’ll fall in love with again and again. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star as Mia and Sebastian, an actress and a jazz musician pursuing their Hollywood dreams – and finding each other – in a vibrant celebration of hope, dreams, and love.

The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. I love the look and the way that this film was shot. I feel like it speaks true to Hollywood today. Since this is an musical, you would assume that the sound of this Blu-ray is very important. Well Lionsgate films does not disappoint. They have delivered us with an epic Dolby Atmos track as well as a Dolby TrueHD 7.1. So two great options way to enjoy this beautiful film and its beautiful songs!

The special features are solid. There are about over 10 featurettes focusing on all aspects of the production bringing nearly 80 minutes of content. There is an informative audio commentary with Writer/Director Damien Chazelle and Composer Justin Hurwitz. I love these two together on this track. “Damien and Justin Sing: The Demos” is a look at two demos for the track “What a Waste of a Lovely Night” and “City of Stars”. Lastly there is a gallery and trailers.

Blu-ray Review “Rings”

Starring: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden, Bonnie Morgan, Vincent D’Onofrio
Director: F. Javier Gutiérrez
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

“Ringu” aka “The Ring” originally was a great Japanese horror movie. Honestly didn’t need an expensive US remake. Still, the remake was decent and worth working. “The Ring 2” is hardly. When I heard report of “Rings”, I thought “yeah sounds cool, it’s been some years now and what could they do with all this new technology etc”. Well this was just another boring reboot of the original film with nothing worth wild here at all. Samara is not scary at all and all her scenes could have been taken scene for scene from the previous films and you wouldn’t have realized.

Official Premise: A new chapter in the beloved RING horror franchise. A young woman becomes worried about her boyfriend when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before…

“Rings” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD+ Digital HD cop included. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is solid for this film I do have to give credit there! The special features are bland and pointless like the movie. There are two featurettes “Terror Comes Full Circle” and “Resurrecting the Dead: Bringing Samara Back” about the production and creating Samara again, respectively. “Scary Scenes” is a stupid cast reaction to horror. Lastly there are nearly 20 minutes of deleted/alternate/extended scenes, cause you can tell this movie was chopped up to hell and was probably an entirely different film before it was released!

Blu-ray Review “Gold”

Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Corey Stoll, Bryce Dallas Howard
Directors: Stephen Gaghan
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Run Time: 121 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

For the talent involved you would have thought that a film like “Gold” would have gotten a lot more notice. This film stars Matthew McConaughey (“The Dark Tower”), Bryce Dallas Howard (“Jurassic World”), Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”), as well as veterans Stacy Keach (“American History X”) and Bruce Greenwood (“Star Trek”). Talent-wise this film is a score. I enjoyed watching it, thought it would be a film that I would never see again for sure. Not my kinda movie.

Official Premise: “Gold” is the epic tale of one man’s pursuit of the American dream — to discover gold. Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey stars as Kenny Wells, a prospector desperate for a lucky break, who teams up with a similarly eager geologist, and they set off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street.

“Gold” comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD included.  The 1080p transfer is typical. Doesn’t stand out. Doesn’t suck. Looks solid enough. Same goes for thhe DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which delivers great sound especially for the title track by Iggy Pop and Danger Mouse. The special features includes an audio commentary with director Stephen Gaghan as well as a deleted scene, a featurette on the film’s locations and a behind-the-scenes look at Matthew McConaughey’s character.

Blu-ray Review “The Girl With All The Gifts”

Actors: Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close, Sennia Nanua
Directors: Colm McCarthy
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 25, 2017
Run Time: 111 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Who knew that six-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close’s next film was going to be a post apocalyptic zombie film, I would have said “Hell no!” But she kicks some major ass in “The Girl With All The Gifts”. This British zombie flick definitely stands out among the flood of non-stop entries into this popular genre. In this film the flesh-eating beasts are called “hungries” and are teachable like pets (sort of). Very cool flick. Great performance from the underappreciated Gemma Arterton and stealing the show is the newcomer Sennia Nanua! She was amazing and I hope to see much more of her!

Official Premise: Humanity has been all but destroyed by a fungal disease that eradicates free will and turns its victims into flesh eating “hungries.” Only a small group of children seems immune to its effects. At an army base in rural England, these unique children are being studied and subjected to cruel experiments. When the base falls, one little girl escapes and must discover what she is, ultimately deciding both her own future and that of the human race.

Lionsgate is delivering the film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. Unlike the film, the special features are disappointing. There is only one featurettes included here called “Unwrap the Secret World of The Girl with All the Gifts”, which is a pretty standard brief behind-the-scenes look. Was hoping for a commentary track to get a little deeper into the subtext of the film itself.

Blu-ray Review “Monster Trucks” [BD/DVD/Digital HD Combo]

Actors: Rob Lowe, Barry Pepper, Thomas Lennon, Lucas Till
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Run Time: 104 minutes

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

“Monster Trucks” is a film that should have been a big hit by just its legacy that precedes it since it is based on the Hasbro product that every child (or at least boys) has played with in their life. Unfortunately, it was made into what seemed like a “Transformers” rip-off with a huge budget and no big names in the cast. The film is too family friendly to be enjoyed by anyone over the age of 10 and not interesting enough to draw in the younger crowd. The film is also fairly short and still drags, no torque in these “Monster Trucks”.

Official Premise: Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp (Lucas Till), a high school senior, builds a monster truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste and a talent for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town with a most unlikely friend.

I know this film had sat on the shelf for sometime since Paramount knew what a turd it had on its hands. Still though, the Blu-ray presentation is solid. The film comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. The 1080p transfer looks great. With the visual effects and action sequences, there is a lot to view on the screen and the colors really pop. Surprisingly enough, the soundtrack is also a win delivering a quality Dolby Atmos soundtrack.

There are three main short featurettes making up the special features. First is called “Who’s Driving the Monster Trucks?” and features the cast discussing the film. “The Monster in the Truck” mixes visual and practical effects. “Creating the Monster Truck” looks deeper into Tripp’s truck. “Production Diaries” gives a decent look inside the film. Lastly there are some deleted scenes included and a decent length gag reel.

Blu-ray Review “The Founder”

Actors: Michael Keaton, Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson
Directors: John Lee Hancock
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 18, 2017
Run Time: 115 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

There is one reason why I saw this film Michael Keaton. I do not eat McDonald’s and I am generally not a fan of bio-pics but this one drew me in. Other than Keaton, this film has a stand up cast including Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, Laura Dern and also John Carroll Lynch, Nick Offerman, who were simply outstanding. I am not one of steal a quote but when I left this screening the first time I saw it someone walked out and said “Keaton’s best villain role since “Beetlejuice”” and I cannot say it better than that! This film ended up being out of my favorites from 2016. Must see!

Official Premise: The Founder features the true story of how Ray Kroc (Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Writer Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) details how Kroc maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.

“The Founder” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. There are four featurettes included in the special features look at the story, Keaton’s role, the original brothers and the production design. There is also a cool lapse video focusing around building a McDonald’s as well as a Press Conference with Filmmakers and Cast included. Pretty solid and enjoyed overall.

Blu-ray Review “Teen Titans: The Judas Contract”

Starring: Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer, Taissa Farmiga, Jake T. Austin, Kari Wahlgren, Sean Maher
Director: Sam Liu
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Running Time: 84 min
Rated PG-13
Release Date: Apr 18, 2017

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

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” is the sequel to “Justice League vs. Teen Titans”. The DC Universe animated original movies have been stepping up their games. This one had a slightly more grown-up feel for our Teen Titans. The voice cast is great Stuart Allan returns as Robin, Taissa Farmiga as Raven, Brandon Soo Hoo as Beast Boy, Jake T. Austin as Blue Beetle, Kari Wahlgren as Starfire and Sean Maher as Nightwing. Some new talent includes Christina Ricci as Terra, Miguel Ferrer as Deathstroke, which is also his last role since he died earlier this year, Gregg Henry plays Brother Blood, Meg Foster as Mother Mayhem and even Kevin Smith plays himself in the film. It was a fun film and “Teen Titans” as a product is very hot right now! I give it a thumbs up for sure!

Official Premise: Led by Starfire, the Teen Titans – Beast Boy, Raven, Blue Beetle, Robin and the just-returned Nightwing – have built a cohesive team in their never-ending battle against evil; but their newest teammate, the mysterious, and powerful Terra, may be altering that dynamic. Meanwhile, an ancient evil, Brother Blood, has awakened, and familiar foe Deathstroke is lurking in the shadows – both waiting to pounce. Ultimately, the Teen Titans will need to battle their enemies and their own doubts to unite and overcome the malicious forces around them, in this twisting tale of intrigue, adventure and deception.

“Teen Titans: The Judas Contract” comes as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet combo pack. Special features are not jam-packed but worth taking a look. First up “Titanic Minds: Wolfman and Perez” is a documentary exploring the relationship of Marv Wolfman and George Pérez talking about Teen Titan history. “Villains United: Deathstroke” is a short featurette on the villain. There are two bonus cartoons in “From the DC Comics Vault”. Lastly, there is a sneak peek at the next DC Universe Original Movie, “Batman and Harley Quinn”, with the creators and voice cast.

 

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