DVD/Blu-ray Reviews

“That’s what it is all about: rust and decay, ya know. But within that are warm houses and cars.” Originally released in November of 1999, American Movie, director Chris Smith’s documentary about Wisconsin-based filmmaker Mark Borchardt’s trials in getting his feature length independent  ...

1989 would see the last of a trilogy of films that Halloween fans now dub The Thorn Trilogy. This would be the last Halloween film to feature the character of Jamie Lloyd (not played by Danielle Harris sadly) and the first sequel to bring back original Halloween kid Tommy Doyle (with Ant Man  ...

What a month! Not only did I get to extol the virtues of The Lost Boys on UHD this Halloween, but what should arrive in the mail but Tom Holland’s equally classic 1985 vampire flick, Fright Night. The 80s is known for many classic horror flicks, most of which—including this one—have been remade ...

“Please let me keep this memory, just this one.” What do you get when you combine the weird and innovative nature of a Charlie Kaufman script with the daring visuals of director Michel Gondry? Obviously, the only answer is the cult classic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. With its totally ...

“You must, in fact, stand in front of the public and God and obliterate yourself.” Sixteen years after the release of his acclaimed film Little Children, Todd Field has finally returned to the director’s chair. This time he presents the audience with a very surprising yet beautifully crafted piece  ...

There’s a lot of pain in Till, the heartbreaking story of the history-changing lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till. A lot of pain, sorrow, and anger. And it’s not seen only on the face of Emmet’s devastated mother, Mamie (Danielle Deadwyler, The Harder They Fall). We feel it too. It is an extremely  ...

It seems impossible that there was any year where I didn’t see Chevy Chase litter his house with enough Christmas lights to be seen from space. But I was in fact fourteen when this now Christmas staple debuted in 1989 (a stellar year for classics of the future). Being a little Aussie, the concept  ...

Shot on video and completely off its futureshock rocker, Todd Sheets’ Moonchild, in which a werewolf super soldier joins forces with an army of dim-witted kung-fu warriors in the search for his messiah-like son, just won’t stay dead and buried! ...

On again, off again. In love, out of love. Going back to school, starting a new job. Everything is fluid and everything is changing in the whimsical and lustful drama from French director Jacques Audiard. Capturing the residential district of Les Olympiades in beautiful black and white photography ...

And now, thanks to the fine folks over at Paramount, we finally get the 4K transfer of  Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, a masterwork of filmmaking ...

Back in the early nineties, Kevin Costner was at the zenith of his cinematic reach. With the likes of Bull Durham, The Untouchables and his Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves under his belt already, the man could (and did) write his own ticket. In these happy times, a star with that pedigree  ...

There is nothing more alluring to me for a night at the movies than a good old-fashioned man versus beast tale. My favourite film has always been Spielberg’s Jaws and forever will be. Even the most ill-advised and derivative of this sub-genre usually end up an easy watch for me. So long ...

When a film, not particularly well-liked at the time by critics, goes on to earn back four times its budget, there had to be something to it. Road House is the go-to for many Gen-Xers (myself included) for a bit of dumb fun. It’s ridiculous, set-your-brain-to-neutral, action fare; the kind made for (and seemingly  ...

With a deadline looming over the troubled sailors, Hal Ashby’s The Last Detail makes the film’s numbered days last as long as possible with its simple plot and generous humanity. Starring Jack Nicholson as the rough and rugged Billy “Badass” Buddusky, Otis Young as the sensible and strict  ...

At the turn of last century the superhero genre was on the cusp of a major elevation in output. Despite Batman and Robin crashing and burning that franchise, films like Blade, X-Men and Spider-man were all in various stages of production and would go on to embolden the now saturated superhero  ...