Anchor Bay unleashes ‘Girls Against Boys’ on Blu-ray
New to DVD and Blu-ray from Anchor Bay Entertainment is the revenge thriller “Girls Against Boys”. The newest film from writer/director Austin Chick, Girls against boys features Danielle Panabaker in a rare bad girl role after she takes drastic actions after a sexual assault is not followed up on accordingly by the police. So how does Girls Against Boys hold up to other twisted tales of revenge?
Girls Against Boys
Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberte, Liam Atkin, Michael Stahl-David and Andrew Howard
Written and Directed by Austin Chick
After Shae (Panabaker), a college student that is having an affair with an older married man, is assaulted by several men in a matter of days she reaches her breaking point. Shae is drawn into co-worker Lu’s (LaLiberte) twisted plan for revenge against all men. (more…)
WWE’s ‘The Marine 3’ falls short on delivering the goods
WWE Films brings its newest installment in their “Marine” series of films to Blu-ray and DVD via Fox Home Entertainment this week with “The Marine 3: Homefront” This time the role of marine is filled by WWE wrestler Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, inheriting the role from John Cena and Ted DiBiase Jr, playing the character of Jake Carter. Each new Marine film stars a new marine, character and actor, so how does Jake Carter and the Miz stack up in the series?
Marine 3: Homefront Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, Neal McDonough, Ashley Bell, Michael Eklund and Jared Keeso
Written by Scott Wiper and Declan O’Brien
Directed by Scott Wiper
James Bond reboots with ‘Skyfall’
Skyfall Blu-ray (2013)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Bérénice Marlohe, Ben Whishaw with Albert Finney and Judi Dench
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan based on characters created by Ian Fleming
Directed by Sam Mendes
Now available on DVD and Blu-ray from Fox Home Entertainment is the latest entry in theJames Bond saga, Skyfall. Ian Fleming’s iconic creation celebrates its 50th year in film with this new entry. Starring the enigmatic and some argue best bond of the series, Daniel Craig, Skyfall doesn’t just serve to continue the series as much as reboot the franchise around Craig in order to establish Bond for another 50 year run, or so Fox and MGM studios hope.
In Skyfall, James Bond’s (Craig) loyalty to M (Dench) is tested as her past returns to haunt her. We open in the middle of an important lifesaving operation that goes drastically wrong. (more…)
Seijun Suzuki’s ‘Tokyo Drifter’ drifts into the TIFF Bell Lightbox
Playing Mar 22013 at 10pm, as part of theTIFF Bell Lightbox’s Spotlight Japan celebration from the ‘Tokyo Drifters: 100 years of Nikkatsu’ series, come the classic 1966 gangster film from Seijun Suzuki, “Tokyo Drifter”. The film is a smorgasbord of camera and film styles as Suzuki was clearly influenced by the changing cinema from the west from the 1950’s to the 1960’s.
Tokyo Drifter
Starring: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Ryuji Kita and Hideaki Esumi
Written by Kôhan Kawauchi
Directed by Seijun Suzuki
Tetsu (Watari) has joined his yakuza boss in going straight, and is determined to stay straight, after his boss has disbanded his gang. But when a rival gang threatens to bring them back into the gang wars (more…)
The Madagascar crew return for a dvd quickie in ‘Madly Madagascar’
Just in time for Valentine’s Day our friends at Fox Home Entertainment bring us a new short movie from the Madagascar crew, Madly Madagascar. The half hour special deals with Valentine’s Day in the African jungle with familiar characters Alex the lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo along with the Penguins and lemur King Julian, this time around not voiced by Sasha Baron Cohen.
Madly Madagascar DVD Review
Starring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Danny Jacobs and Taraji P Henson.
Written and Directed by David Soren.
Alex’s (Stiller) favorite holiday, Valentine’s Day, has arrived and the entire gang is excited. Melman (Schwimmer) plans a big surprise for Gloria (Pinkett Smith) (more…)
Andy Lau and Well Go USA bring ‘A Simple Life’ to blu-ray
A Simple Life Blu-Ray Review
Starring Andy Lau, Deanie Ip, Pik Kee Hui, Paul Chun, Elena Kong with Anthony Wong, Sammo Hung Raymond Chow and Tsui Hark
Written by Susan Chan and Yan Lam Lee
Directed by Ann Hui
New on Blu-ray February 26 from Well Go USA is the multi-award winning drama about a lifelong servant and the relationship she develops after a life altering incident: A Simple Life. The film stars Andy Lau and Deanie Ip in a tale that covers many similar themes to director Michael Haneke’s Amour, but from a much less dour place, as this film is a mostly about the blossoming of their relationship that is years old but has never fully developed into the family it becomes.
Roger (Lau) is a successful movie producer. Ah Tao (Ip) has worked for Roger’s family as a nanny and maid over the course of four (more…)
Steve Austin vs Dolph Lundgren on Blu-ray in ‘The Package’
New to DVD and Blu-ray from Anchor Bay Entertainment is the latest action opus from former wrestler turned actor ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and “Expendables” star Dolph Lundgren, “The Package”. The Package is directed by veteran stuntman turned director Jesse V. Johnson, so it should come as no surprise that the film is heavy on action and stunt work and light on plot. But how does the film measure up to other action fare in the Stone Cold/Dolph Lundgren cannon?
The Package Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Darren Shahlavi, Eric Keenleyside and Lochlyn Munro
Written by Derek Kolstad
Directed by Jesse V. Johnson
Helen Hunt bares all on blu-ray in ‘The Sessions’
The Sessions Blu-ray Review
Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood, Annika Marks, Adam Arkin
Written and Directed by Ben Lewin, based on the original article by Mark O’Brien
New to Blu-ray and DVD from Fox Home Entertainment is the inspiring true story of Mark O’Brien in The Sessions. The biopic is the brainchild of writer/director Ben Lewin, himself suffering from polio as a child which has resulted in him requiring crutches to maneuver with for the rest of his life. The similarities between Lewin and O’Brien’s backgrounds gave Lewin a unique and experienced vision in which to craft the film.
Paralyzed and confined to an iron lung since childhood after being stricken by polio, poet-journalist Mark O’Brien (Hawkes) (more…)
Night of the Living Dead re-enacted for real? A review of the meta-horror Memisis
Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Allen Maldonado, Lauren May Shafer, Jana Thompson, Gavin Grazer with Courtney Gains and Sid Haig.
Written by Douglas Schulze and Joshua Wagner
Directed by Douglas Schulze
Mimesis, the word meaning ‘mimicry’ or ‘imitation’, is the beginning of what the filmmakers hope to be a series of films in which the premise is that a group of ‘thrill seekers’ set out to recreate classic horror films and play them out their way. The first of these films, Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead, comes to DVD and Blu-Ray Feb 10 from Anchor Bay Entertainment.
The Trailer Park Boys get ‘Drunk and on Drugs’ on dvd
The Trailer Park Boys are back, well sort of, with a new DVD out in store Feb 12 from Anchor Bay Canada, “The Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour”. The 6 episode series, presented here as a 2 hour 40 minute continuous movie, is a demented and twisted take on classic variety shows like “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, “SCTV” and “Little Britain”. Being the main creative force behind the show this time around, the Trailer Park threesome has a more invested in its success, but will they be able to capture the same audience that made “Trailer Park Boys” a massive hit?
The Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour DVD Review
Starring: Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay, Robb Wells, Jay Baruchel, Amy Sedaris, Pat Roach and Maury Chaykin.
Written by Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay and Robb Wells
“The Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour” show stars former Trailer Park Boys actors John Paul Tremblay (more…)
TIFF’s Spotlight Japan series gets gritty with ‘Rusty Knife’
Screening Feb 9 2013 as part of TIFF’s Spotlight Japan celebration and part of the 100 Years of Nikkatsu series is the 1958 noir classic “Rusty Knife”. The setting of Udaka, a post-war city in the heart of the rebuilding phase and corporate development after the war, is a place that corruption has already taken hold. This setting provides a unique look into Japan during the rebuilding phase after the war while providing the necessary background for director Masuda to deliver a noir piece to rival the French and North American noir pieces dominating the box office at the time.
TIFF Spotlight Japan: Rusty Knife
Starring: Yûjirô Ishihara, Mie Kitahara, Akira Kobayashi, Naoki Sugiura, Shôji Yasui and Masao Shimizu
Written by Shintarô Ishihara
Directed by Toshio Masuda
A persistent district attorney desperately attempts to arrest and convict Katsumata (more…)
Walt Disney’s ‘Peter Pan’ goes diamond with a blu-ray special edition
Peter Pan Diamond Collection Blu-Ray
With the voices of Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Paul Collins and Tommy Luske
Written by Ted Sears, Erdman Penner, Bill Peet, Winston Hibler, Joe Rinaldi, Milt Banta, Ralph Wright and Bill Cottrell based on the play by Sir J.M. Barrie
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske and Jack Kinney
The classic animated feature film from Disney, Peter Pan, hits its 60th ‘Diamond’ anniversary this year and celebrates with a brand new, fully loaded Blu-ray release in stores this week. The timeless tale of Peter and his ‘lost boys’ in considered one of the greats from Disney’s golden age of hand drawn animation and is based on the 100 year old stage play from Sir J.M. Barrie. As a young child, Walt Disney saw a travelling production of the play and it stayed with him for decades until he was finally able to produce his own version.
The story has been told many times. (more…)
Stephen Dorff is a ‘Officer Down’ in a new police thriller
New this week on DVD and Blu-Ray from Anchor Bay Entertainment is the crime drama/thriller “Officer Down”. The story of a once corrupt cop now trying to walk the straight and narrow path packs a stellar cast for director Miller, a veteran of the direct to DVD action scene, led by Stephen Dorff and James Woods.
Officer Down Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Stephen Dorff, Dominic Purcell, David Boreanaz, Stephen Lang, Walton Goggins, Tommy Flanagan, AnnaLynne McCord, Laura Harris, Elisabeth Rohm and James Woods.
Written by John Chase
Directed by Brian A. Miller
The story of “Officer Down” begins a year prior, when a boozy, cocaine addicted dirty cop, David ‘Cal’ Callahan (Dorff), was shot in a shakedown gone wrong. (more…)
Explore the ‘Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis’ on DVD today (review)
New to DVD on Jan 22, from Anchor Bay Entertainment, is the Starz Encore Originals presentation of “Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis”. The documentary features interviews with a multitude of famous actors and directors who all talk about Jerry’s influence in their careers and on show business in general. Director Barson covers the entire gamut of Lewis’ career, interspersing classic footage from Jerry’s past with the interviews and new footage of Jerry on the road still touring in his 80’s. Whether you know Jerry as the ‘muscular dystrophy’ guy, one half of Martin and Lewis or for his own multitude of films, “Method to the Madness” provides a fascinating portrait of the man known worldwide for his comedy.
Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis DVD Review
Starring Jerry Lewis
Directed by Gregg Barson
The son of a famous Vaudeville performer, Jerry’s first exposure to the spotlight came as an 8 year (more…)
‘Life’s Too Short’ for Warwick Davis on DVD (review)
Life’s Too Short Season 1 DVD Review
Starring Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Rosamund Hanson, Steve Brody and Jo Enright
Series created by Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Written and Directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
The team behind The Office and Extras, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, are back with another HBO/BBC co-production: Life’s Too Short, now available on DVD from HBO Home Entertainment. Life’s Too Short stars Warwick Davis, star of Willow and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, as he plays an egotistical and self centered version of himself. Returning to the faux documentary style with great success in the Office, the question remains will that style work for them a second time in Life’s Too Short?
The seven episode series centres on Warwick Davis, or a fictional version of him, who is one of Britain’s preeminent dwarf actors, or at least (more…)
Found footage horror gets parodied with ’30 Nights of Paranormal Activity’ (review)
Veteran of two other straight to DVD parody films, Writer/Director Craig Moss brings us his third parody film with 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (for the rest of this article known as 30 Nights for the sake of brevity). 30 nights is a take on the recent found footage horror craze, as well as some other current films. So how does 30 Nights compare to other parody films?
30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo DVD Review
Starring: Kathryn Fiore, Flip Schultz, Olivia Alexander, Danny Woodburn andFrench Stewart.
Written and Directed by Craig Moss
30 Nights is the tale of the Galen family. Parents Dana (Fiore) and Aaron (Schultz), aping Katie and Micah from Paranormal Activity, along with their teenaged daughter Liz, looking exactly like Rooney Mara (more…)
‘Lightning Bug’ illuminates on blu-ray (review)
Making its debut on Blu-Ray this week from Anchor Bay Entertainment is the 2004 filmLightning Bug. The story of a young special effects wizard in a small town, Lightning Bug has been out on DVD for years, but Anchor Bay has now gone back and remastered the film to reissue it on Blu-ray. Based on the true story of writer/director Robert Hall’s own life, the make-up effects master behind almost 90 different projects according to IMDB, the real question is how does the now 8 year old film hold up to a Blu-ray transfer and is the film any good?
Lightning Bug Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Bret Harrison, Laura Prepon, Kevin Gage, Ashley Laurence and Lucas Till.
Written and directed by Robert Hall.
Green Graves (Harrison) is a frustrated teen, with a gift for creating grisly monsters, who dreams of one day escaping his miserable life in a small Alabama town for a special effects make-up job in Hollywood. His dreams may soon be in reach (more…)
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis ‘Won’t Back Down’ on blu-ray (review)
New this week on DVD and Blu-Ray from Fox Home Entertainment comes the ‘Inspired by a true story’ of rebellion and revolution in the US school system “Won’t Back Down”. The story of two mother’s fight for a better education for their children seems to be ripped straight from the headlines and fodder for a splashy cable television movie. So was “Won’t Back Down” worth the theatrical release and Blu-Ray release it has gotten?
Won’t Back Down Blu-Ray Review
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Issac, Rosie Perez, Emily Alyn Lloyd, Dante Brown, Lance Reddick, Ving Rhames and Holly Hunter.
Written by Brin Hill and Daniel Barnz
Hard working single mom Jamie Fitzpatrick (Gyllenhaal) is concerned that John Adams Elementary is letting her daughter Malia (Lloyd) down. Teaming with a caring teacher (Davis) who wants the best future for her own son Cody (more…)
Taken 2 fights it way onto blu-ray (review)
Taken 2 Blu-Ray Review
Starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Leeland Orser, Luke Grimes and Rade Sherbedgia
Written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen
Directed by Olivier Megaton
New to Blu-Ray and DVD this week from Fox Home Entertainment is the sequel to the surprise smash hit from 2008, Taken 2. Returning as retired CIA operative Bryan Mills, Liam Neeson is back in action, but this time around HE’S getting taken. Writer/Producer Luc Besson brings aboard protege Olivier Megaton to direct, taking over from Taken director Pierre Morel, but is Megaton able to deliver the goods?
As a retired CIA agent with a very particular set of skills, Bryan Mills (Neeson) stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim (Grace) from Albanian kidnappers in the original Taken. Now two years later, the father of one of the (more…)
`Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days` fails to rouse from mediocrity on blu-ray
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Blu-Ray
Starring Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Peyton List, Grayson Russell, Laine MacNeil, Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn
Written by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky
Directed by David Bowers
Back for their third outing are Greg, Rowley, Fregley, Greg’s brother Rodrick and the rest of the family for Dairy of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. The new release from Fox Home Entertainment is aimed squarely at the teen and preteen set, focusing on physical humor and teaching a lesson or two. But is there enough in the film for the entire family?
School’s out and Greg (Gordon) is looking forward to enjoying the best summer of all time. But when his dad (Zahn) decides that some father-son bonding is in order, directly opposing Greg’s plans for video games and hanging (more…)
Are the “Simpsons” still relevant with the “15th Season DVD”
Simpsons Season 15 DVD Review
With the voices of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria
Created by Matt Groening
The longest running primetime show in American television history, the Simpsons, is world renowned and beloved. They also produce some of the most influential and feature packed DVD sets on the market place. New to DVD from Fox Home Entertainment comes the 15th season of the series. So how does season 15 stack up with their already impressive library?
In Season 15 the show welcomes guest voice performances from Jerry Lewis, Jennifer Garner, and Oscar De La Hoya in this season’s hilarious (more…)
Is “Ice Age: Continental Drift” worth the trip? (Review)
Ice Age: Continental Drift Blu-Ray
Starring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Wanda Sykes, Drake, Aziz Ansari, Nick Frost and Peter Dinklage
Written by Michael Berg, Jason Fuchs and Lori Forte
Directed by Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier
New to Blu-Ray and DVD this week from Blue Sky Studios and Fox Home Entertainment is the latest chapter in the now decade spanning series of Ice Age films, Ice Age: Continental Drift. What started out as one of the solo Scrat short adventures, entitled Scrat’s Continental Crack-up, now been expanded into a new adventure for the entire Ice Age gang and they are bringing along a slew of new characters to join them. But has the series run its course with the fourth installment of the franchise?
In Ice Age: Continental Drift Scrat’s nutty pursuit of the cursed acorn (more…)
Blood in the Snow 2012: Devil’s Night Review
Starring Danielle Harris, Steve Byers, Shawn Roberts, Robbie Amell and Boyd Banks
Written and Directed by Christopher Harrison
Back in 2007 Director Harrison along with his cast and crew set out to make an indie film that played as a horror homage to the films he grew up watching in the 1980’s. After filming was completed the film’s rough cut was turned into a feature that was edited, marketed and released under the name Left for Dead. After a five year wait while other projects took precedence and the film was shelved for a bit, Harrison has finally delivered his final version of the film, Devil’s Night. Devil’s night made its Toronto theatrical premiere at the Blood In the Snow Canadian Film Festival this past weekend.
The College students of a nondescript Canadian town throw wild parties (more…)
Add ‘Silent Night’ to your holiday non-festivities this year…(Blu-Ray Review)
Back in 1984 a small budget slasher film caused a major backlash in theaters across North America. People picketed, officials banned it and film critics panned it, calling for the heads of both the director and producers. But through it all the film became a success and spawned 4 sequels. The film, considered a camp horror classic by genre fans, has now served as the basis for a ‘inspired by’ remake released on Blu-Ray and DVD this week from Anchor Bay Entertainment called simply Silent Night.
Silent Night
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Jamie King, Donal Logue, Ellen Wong, Brendan Fehr and Lisa Marie
Written by Jayson Rothwell
Directed by Steven C. Miller
In a small sleepy suburban town, Sherriff Cooper (McDowell) and Deputy Bradimore (King) (more…)
MOVIE JUNKIE TO'S Entertainment Fix 