Hi, Bryan Here….

On time for the last week of September.  Such a busy week and month.  It only gets better in October.  This week is a big week.  The Avengers is out and ‘American Horror Story’.   Let’s jump back right into all the goodies, shall we?   As usual in this article, you will get some info about the disc and the extras that come with the movie as well as a personal opinion about the movie and a picture-link to purchase the film over at AMAZON where you can save quite a bit of money, and it will give a small percentage kick back to this site so we can continue bringing you excellent stories and bizarre tales. So click on the pictures and start saving.

Enjoy and Here We Go!!

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: SEASON 1 (BLURAY)

This was such an AWESOME television series.  I am looking forward to the second season, which starts soon.  A family of three move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.  This has to be one of the creepiest tv shows I have ever seen.  Highly recommended.

EXTRAS

• Commentary on the pilot episode by Ryan Murphy
• The Murder House presented by Eternal Darkness Tours of Hollywood
• Behind-the-scenes featurettes

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (BLURAY)

I loved this movie.  This earnest, intelligent, and well-written romantic comedy is enjoyable and optimistic in classic Hollywood style, even if its idealism doesn’t seem quite so credible against the cynical political backdrop of the Nineties. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas), an unabashedly liberal Democrat, is just gearing up for re-election when he meets an attractive and sharp environmental lobbyist named Sydney Wade (Annette Bening). The two fall in love and the President must soon deal with the political repercussions (Sydney is trying to get legislation through Congress), as well as the cynical machinations of Republican opponent Senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss), who attempts to paint Sydney as a radical and use “family values” rhetoric to smear Shepherd. With the attacks affecting his standings in the all-important polls, and his love’s legislation causing him headaches in the Capitol, Shepherd must decide whether he can risk continuing his relationship. A rich supporting cast, solid characterizations by Douglas and Bening, and an articulate approach make this an appealing, if not particularly weighty, study of the tensions between public and private life.

EXTRAS

– Theatrical Trailer

ARACHNOPHOBIA (BLURAY)

Oh man.  I remember when this came out.  While it might not be super scary, it’s definitely terrifying.  Spiders creepy me the fuck out.  And these huge hairy spiders are very deadly.  I mean there is a giant flaming spider in the film that flies.  Luckily, we have John Goodman to help kill them.  Everyone is afraid of something…for Dr. Ross Jennings, his phobia is downright embarrassing. But when he moves his family to a small town, the one thing that bugs him most is now harming the townspeople at an alarming rate. For this unlikely hero, overcoming a childhood fear of spiders might just save the community, but it may already be too late!  Great to have this on bluray.

THE AVENGERS (3D BLURAY+2D BLURAY+DVD+DIGITAL COPY)

Joss Whedon’s Avengers is what every comic book geek and action film fanatic has dreamed of since they were a little kid.  Not only was it one of the most epic films ever shot on film, but Whedon used his wit and unique story telling to weave these iconic characters into a team that destroys evil.  You see, it’s not all about the people who form a team and save our planet.  It’s about a group of people from different times and different worlds, who necessarily don’t belong together, but realize that by teaming up, they form something bigger than themselves.  And notice that I don’t use the term superhero.  None of the Avengers refer to themselves or think of themselves as heroes, with the exception of Captain America, who really is the only hero in the story.  The final 40 minute fight scene is epic on a level that you can’t begin to imagine.  I’ve never seen anything like it before.  Avengers is definitely the most fun at a super-hero film you will have thus far.  It’s an incredible film too.  It’s got the wit, the character development, the intelligence, the dramatic tenstion, enough action sequences to last two films, and the best special effects I have ever seen. Oh, and stay after the credits to get a glimpse of who and what’s in store for the sequel.  You’ll scream with nerd joy.

EXTRAS

• Audio Commentary by Director Joss Whedon
• Disney’s Second Screen
• Assembling the Ultimate Team
• A Visual Journey
• Gag Reel
• Item 47 (Marvel One-Shot Short Film)
• 9 Deleted/Extended Scenes
• Soundgarden’s Live to Rise Music Video

BARRICADE (BLURAY)

What a different film for the WWE.  After the death of his wife, a father takes his two small children to a secluded cabin in the mountains to escape and seek solace. However, when a freak winter storm cuts off all communications to the outside world, horrific events begin to occur.  Check this out.  You might like it.  If this is the way the WWE films are going, I want more.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS PART 1 (BLURAY+DVD+ULTRAVIOLET)

Robocop does the voice of Batman.  Nuff said.  It is ten years after an aging Batman has retired, and Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now, when his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by Carrie Kelly, a teenage female Robin, Batman takes to the streets to end the threat of the mutant gangs that have overrun the city. And after facing off against his two greatest enemies, the Joker and Two-Face, for the final time, Batman finds himself in mortal combat with his former ally, Superman, in a battle that only one of them will survive.  One of the best Batman stories.  Get it.

EXTRAS

• The Dark Knight Returns digital comic
• Her Name is Carrie…Her Role is Robin
• Batman and Me: The Bob Kane Story
• Two bonus Batman cartoons from the WB vault
• Preview of The Dark Knight Returns: Part Two

BOND 50 (BLURAY)

BOND 50 showcases fifty years of Bond neatly packaged into one cool, sleek collectable box-set featuring all six iconic James Bond actors. Produced using the highest possible picture quality and audio presentation, the collection includes all 22 James Bond feature films from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace and more than 130 hours of bonus features including some new and exclusive content.  If you have the money, I suggest getting this.

EXTRAS

• Audio commentaries
• Featurettes
• Trailers and TV/Radio Spots
• Photo galleries
• Deleted, extended, and alternate scenes
• And much more!

• The World of Bond (New)
• Being Bond (New)
• Skyfall Videoblogs

CHEEKY (BLURAY)

One fucking weird film.  Only for the true cinephiles out there.  Will you be able to endure the sexy hilarity as Carla visits London? She’s a big hit with everyone except her boyfriend Matteo, who seethes with jealousy. With her skimpy skirt conveniently blowing in the wind, Carla attracts the attention of one and all. As she is having adventures with her real-estate agent Moira and Moira’s ex-husband Marion, Matteo jets over to put her in line. But finding himself surrounded by free-lovers in Hyde Park who remind him of his dalliances, he soon mends his ways.

DAVE (BLURAY)

Another great presidential film.  Academy Award-winner Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) stars in director Ivan Reitman’s comedy as Dave Kovic, a likable temp agency owner who bears a striking resemblance to President of the United States Bill Mitchell. After Mitchell goes into a coma during an extramarital affair, his staff tasks Dave with doubling for the President in order to avoid a national scandal. However, what begins as mere subterfuge quickly turns into something meaningful as Dave sets about using his newfound status to make the world a better place, an action that earns him the admiration of Mitchell’s wife (Sigourney Weaver, Ghostbusters) as well as the ire of his Machiavellian Chief of Staff (Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon).  Love this movie.

EXTRAS

• Featurette
• Theatrical Trailer

EATING RAOUL (CRITERION COLLECTION BLURAY)

Criterion knocks it out of the park.  A sleeper hit of the early 1980s, Eating Raoul is a bawdy, gleefully amoral tale of conspicuous consumption. Warhol superstar Mary Woronov and cult legend Paul Bartel (who also directed) portray a prudish married couple feeling put upon by the swingers who live in their apartment building; one night, by accident, they discover a way to simultaneously realize their dream of opening a little restaurant and rid themselves of the “perverts” down the hall. A mix of hilarious, anything-goes slapstick and biting satire of me-generation self-indulgence, Eating Raoul marks the end of the sexual revolution with a thwack.  Highly recommended.

EXTRAS

• Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Richard Blackburn, art director Robert Schulenberg, and editor Alan Toomayan
• The Secret Cinema (1968) and Naughty Nurse (1969), two short films by director Paul Bartel
• Cooking Up Raoul, a new documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with stars Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, and Edie McClurg
• Gag reel of outtakes from the film
• Archival interview with Bartel and Woronov
• Trailer
• A booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Ehrenstein

FREDDIE MERCURY: THE GREAT PRETENDER (BLURAY)

I love Freddie Mercury.  He was one of the greatest entertainers of all time.  Created by the same team behind the widely acclaimed ‘Queen: Days of Our Lives’ BBC documentary, ‘The Great Pretender,’ in similar vein, presents a compelling insight into its subject matter, unearthing previously undiscovered or rarely seen footage and presented for the first time in High Definition. Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, life-long Queen fan and expert (to the extent that Rhys famously broke the Mastermind all time record points score with a specialist subject of Queen), Rhys has this time turned his attention to the Freddie archive, going back as early as 1976 in search of vintage gems which reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie’s life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen. The extensive archive footage is drawn from rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballé, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong fan Matt Lucas and many more. From it emerges a portrait of a man who was very different to his flamboyant onstage public persona. Among the treasures to be anticipated, ‘The Great Pretender’ includes for the first time ever Freddie and Rod Stewart singing their demo for “Take Another Piece of My Heart,” an unreleased song from 1984, a snippet of the unreleased Michael Jackson / Freddie Mercury collaboration “There Must Be More To Life Than This”, and Freddie with the Royal Ballet 1979 – never seen in full before. Rhys, whose extensive scouting for lost material turned up a copy of the band’s first TV appearance among the belongings of late comedian Dick Emery, brings to the light Freddie’s earliest filmed interview from 1976 unearthed in Australia and another unseen interview from 1976 filmed by NBC in the USA. Rhys also found 10 cans of Freddie’s 39th Black and White birthday party in Mrs. Henderson’s nightclub in Munich in 1985. Originally filmed for the video for “Living On My Own,” and promptly banned by Freddie’s record company because of its cross-dressing theme, there’s much to be enjoyed in watching Freddie and his friends go full out in their efforts to help Freddie celebrate his last birthday before turning 40.  Highly recommeded.

EXTRAS

 
Outtakes from the video shoots for “I Want To Break Free,” “One Vision,” “Days of Our Lives,” “I Want It All,” “A Kind Of Magic,” “Princes of the Universe,” “Living on My Own,” Born To Love You,” “Great Pretender,” “Made In Heaven,” and “Who Wants to Live Forever.”

G.I. JOE: RENEGADES: SEASON 1 (BLURAY)

This is actually pretty good.  When a spy mission against Cobra Industries goes awry, a group of young G.I. JOEs is forced to hit the road as fugitives. Now the team members (Duke, Scarlett, Roadblock, Tunnel Rat, Ripcord and Snake Eyes) must use their wits and elite training to prove their innocence to the world before being caught by the authorities, Cobra or another elite military team called the Falcons.  You’ll like this better than the films.

EXTRAS

• 2 Featurettes
• 8 Audio Commentaries

KLOWN: THE MOVIE (BLURAY)

One of the funniest and strangest films of the year.  One of my favorites.  ‘Klown’ follows two wildly inappropriate friends (played by comedians Frank Hvam and Caspar Christensen) as they run amok through the Danish countryside plowing through social taboos, unspeakable debaucheries, and absurd sexual encounters. Misguided Frank kidnaps the nephew of his pregnant girlfriend in an eager attempt to prove his fatherhood potential while the sex-driven Caspar is determined to visit a world-renowned brothel.  Highest recommendation.

PIG/1334 (BLURAY+DVD)

For the truest of cinephiles.  This is not for everyone.  This is some fucked up shit.  Pig (1998) – When this film was made it became the inspiration of a new genre: torture film. Involves graphic violence with no use of special effects. 1334 (2011) – 13 years later a follow up was made, an underground ghost story which is based on true occurrences. 1334 is an apocalyptic vision of what is there after death.  Purchase at your own risk.

STRIPPERS VS. WEREWOLVES (BLURAY)

Haven’t seen this yet, however, how can you go wrong?  The Silvadollaz strip club usually rocks at night, but tonight, a private dance gets hairy and ends in exotic dancer Justice defending herself with a silver fountain pen to the brute s eye. The blood feud that follows pits STRIPPERS VS WEREWOLVES. When the corpse turns up, pack leader Jack swears revenge and sets his bloodthirsty boys on the scent. Unfortunately, his second-in-command, Scott, is engaged to sweet Justice and a love bite during a sexy interlude may end up turning her into a werewolf, as well. Strippers toting shotguns. Werewolves with low self-esteem. Bright lights, skimpy outfits, buckets of blood, and Robert Englund as a patriarch hound with a taste for the ladies. STRIPPERS VS WEREWOLVES is a sexy, raunchy, bloody good time.

EXTRAS

• Commentary with producers Jonathan Sothcott and Simon Phillips
• Behind the scenes featurette

That’s all for this week.  Stay tuned for next week, which is the start of October.  Halloween time means horror films.