Producers of the next Ninja Turtles film are looking to re-energize the franchise by swapping the Turtles’ mask colors.
Well, ladies and gents, four films are left, and there are only three more match-ups until we crown the Champion of Movie Madness.
Starting tomorrow, you — the dear listeners/readers/followers of the Reel Nerds Podcast — will have to make some very difficult decisions, because the four remaining films are some of the best ones ever made, period. Combined, they average an 8.5 rating on IMDB and a 96.5% score on Rotten Tomatoes; and all of them appear on the IMDB Top 250 list.
While our last match-up is technically still underway as I write this, here’s a look at the updated bracket:
As we enter the Final Films round, please note that I’ve updated the stats and done more of a head-to-head match-up analysis, along with predictions.
So, let’s take a look at our last four movies:
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Fiddler on the Roof 8-2 in the first round, then beat 3-seed Charade 11-6 in the Round of 8
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Juliet, Naked 17-3 in the first round, then beat 2-seed You’ve Got Mail 20-2 in the Round of 8
FULL MATCH-UP ANALYSIS:
Of the four remaining films, Casablanca has received the fewest total votes on the Facebook page. That leads me to believe that people might think it’s a bit overrated. Granted, 18 people total voted in the Round of 8 match-up between it and Charade; but that’s a bit on the lower end. The other three films’ match-ups have been averaging 20 to 22 votes each round.
Honestly, I think Casablanca is going to have an uphill battle against The Princess Bride tomorrow.
After The Dark Knight, The Princess Bride has the second-most total votes cast for it throughout the tournament. This makes sense: it’s much newer and more pervasive in current pop culture than Casablanca is. It was syndicated on cable all the time, and probably still is. (IDK for sure. I don’t watch cable anymore.)
Meanwhile, Casablanca has perhaps received The Godfather treatment: It’s an older movie everyone talks about constantly, and if you haven’t seen it you feel like you’re missing out. But then you actually do see it, you might think, “That’s it? What’s all the fuss about?” And those who haven’t seen it only know it for the quotes and the frequently parodied moments, a la Saturday Night Live or something.
But, of course, for whose of us who have seen it, we love it. And no doubt many voters have seen and love both movies, just like me. It really is a tough choice. Even I don’t know which one I’d vote for, if I vote at all. (I probably won’t unless it’s to break a tie.)
Ultimately, I think it’ll be a close one, but I anticipate The Princess Bride is going to get the W tomorrow and advance to the tournament championship.
###
Tournament Recap: Beat 3-seed Kung Fu Panda 15-3 in the first round, then beat 1-seed Princess Mononoke 19-7 in the Round of 8
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Wonder Woman 23-1 in the first round, and — as I write this — it’s beating 3-seed Iron Man 20-2 in the Round of 8
FULL MATCH-UP ANALYSIS:
Sorry, Spider-verse. The Dark Knight is winning this one.
Granted, Spider-verse has received a lot more support than I expected. I was a bit surprised that it beat 1-seed Princess Mononoke by such a wide margin. I realize Mononoke is a bit niche, but did that many people really see Spider-verse? Then again, everyone I know who’s seen Spider-verse has loved and enjoyed it — except my mom, who thought it was too confusing.
But, it doesn’t matter, because The Dark Knight has steamrolled over everything, including Iron Man, which edged out The Avengers in the first round. And, that’s saying something. I wouldn’t be surprised if it rolls over both Spider-verse and (probably) The Princess Bride to win the whole thing. It definitely has the momentum and — considering that it’s received the most total votes in the tournament thus far — the fan support to win the whole thing.
Right now, The Dark Knight is the movie to beat, and of the three remaining films, the only one I could see giving it any trouble is The Princess Bride.
But, we shall see.
###
So, which of these four is worthy of being crowned the Champion of Movie Madness?
You decide!
P.S. I’m not sure whether I’ll do any analysis preceding the final match-up on Thursday. That will depend on a variety of things. If I don’t, I think I gave you guys enough insight here as to how I think any given combination of final two films will go.
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
7. Crimson Peak (Arrow Limited Edition)
After her mother dies, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) marries the dashing Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). They move into Thomas’ home with his sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain). Soon Edith is terrorized in the home by ghosts from the past.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak is a throwback to gothic horror films of the 70’s. It is beautiful and haunting, relying more on atmosphere and tension then gore. Although it does get mileage out of its “R” rating from the terror on the screen.
Crimson Peak is beautifully scary, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. Throughout its nearly two-hour runtime you are kept on the edge of your seat as the mystery unfolds only to be slightly let down by the convoluted, somewhat silly ending. The performances are all on point, the music is awesome and the set design is second to none.
Crimson Peak was originally released on a pretty standard Blu-ray in 2016. Arrow has re-released it in a beautiful hard cardboard slipcase limited edition. The design of the case looks like a book that was written in blood. It’s designed disgustingly beautiful. It is a little over-sized but it fits the aesthetic of the film. Included in the package is a mini poster, double sided post cards, and a really great hardcover book with essays and photos. The coolest part of the book is the illustrations, it’s a nice look into the design of the house and ghosts.
(as of this writing the limited edition is sold out. You can get it on Amazon on a secondary market for $90. There is a standard edition that includes the movie and extras, just not the fancy stuff it is packaged in.)
Being a Del Toro movie, Crimson Peak looks amazing. The transfer on Arrow’s release is spectacular. Del Toro and his crew used colors and textures to great effect in the film and the blu-ray shines in that department. The blacks are never crushed and the blues are soft. This is a great looking movie.
Crimson Peak scares up a thunderous sound mix on blu-ray. In horror films, sound mix might be the most important aspect of the film and Crimson Peak delivers. The bass is not overbearing but used just right. Dialogue isn’t mixed so low that you have to fiddle with your remote back and forth between scary scenes being too loud and talky scenes not being loud enough. It is simply amazing.
Arrow continues to deliver some of the best designed physical releases with the best bonus features, and Crimson Peak absolutely comes packed. Besides the beautifully designed case, Crimson Peak haunts your collection with nearly 175 minutes of bonus features. All the previous bonus features from Universal’s blu-ray have been ported over. Arrow has added several new features. My favorite is the visual essay called “Violence and Beauty in Guillermo Del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films.” It just captures everything that makes Crimson Peak a cool film. For a more traditional look at the film, “The House is Alive” is a solid nearly hour making-of.
Crimson Peak is given an all-star treatment by Arrow. Del Toro is a great filmmaker and his films are perfect for physical releases. Arrow has done an outstanding job capturing the film with their limited-edition release.
Film: B
Video: A+
Audio: A+
Extras: A+
Overall: A
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
8. Double Impact
Twice the Jean-Claude Van Damme as the martial arts super star plays two roles in the early 90’s actioner Double Impact!
Chad and Alex are twin brothers who, after the murder of their parents are separated. Chad is raised in Paris. Alex is a crook in Hong Kong. The brothers eventually learn of each other and join forces in Hong Kong when the people responsible for their parent’s deaths is also Alex’s rival!
I love the late 80’s and early 90’s action films. They are usually way over the top, with gratuitous violence and gratuitous nudity. Double Impact delivers on both of those fronts. I mean there is literally a scene where Van Damme is pissed, getting drink thinking about his “twin” brother having sex with his girlfriend. This doesn’t actually happen literally, but Van Damme dreams it, so we watch about 3 minutes of simulated sex for no reason.
Van Damme is pretty great in the dual roles here. He actually does give each of the brothers different fighting styles and different attitudes. It’s not my favorite Van Damme movie but it is pretty damn entertaining.
Double Impact kicks its way onto MVD Rewind’s Collector’s Edition with a great transfer. The film retains its natural film quality while enhancing colors and textures. I haven’t seen Double Impact in a long time, but I don’t remember it looking this sharp.
You’ll feel the thumps on Double Impact thanks to a solid 2.0 track. Explosions and punches hit the right marks and the dialogue is clear. Solid all the way around.
MVD Rewind delivers some amazing bonus content on Double Impact. The best is two hours making off Double Impact. Divided into two parts, the behind the scenes look is great. The interviews are informative and also at times hilarious. Van Damme is also included on the bonus features which is a huge plus because he doesn’t always participate in them. Also included is an amazing amount of deleted scenes, almost an hour of them. There is also a vintage making of, and a handful of other older features. Van Damme also makes an appearance in the MVD promo, it’s short but great. The film also comes with a slip cover and a mini poster.
MVD Rewind delivers a knockout blow with this amazing release of a popcorn action fest. If you love Van Damme or silly 90’s action films, Double Impact is a can’t miss.
Film: B-
Video: A
Audio: A
Extras: A+
Overall: A
Eight films have been eliminated, but eight are still fighting for the honor of being voted the Champion of Movie Madness.
Tomorrow, the rubber is gonna meet the road and the cream is gonna rise as you — the dear listeners/readers/followers of the Reel Nerds Podcast — will begin crowning the winners in each genre as these remaining eight films face off.
While our last match-up is technically still underway as I write this, here’s a look at the updated bracket:
You’ll note the asterisk next to 2-seed The Avengers (2012) in the Round of 8. When I first posted this, it had a slight lead over 3-seed Iron Man. But, of course, Iron Man ended up winning. So, just ignore the Avengers thing on the bracket right now, and I’ll update it for the next round.
Right now, the films to watch out for are 1-seeds Casablanca, The Princess Bride and The Dark Knight. All of those won their first-round match-ups very easily (poor 4-seeds); and thus, each of them definitely has enough of a following to reach the finals. I have a feeling that Princess Mononoke will struggle against 2-seed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. I could see that match-up going either way on Sunday.
Alright, so let’s take a look at the Stats & Analysis for the Round of 8:
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Fiddler on the Roof 8-2** in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: Based on an unproduced stage play, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, and with Germans on his tail, Ilsa knows Rick can help them get out of the country.
Strengths: An incredibly popular and well-known film; memorable characters and quotes; people will probably vote for it even though they’ve never seen it simply because it’s “iconic”
Weaknesses: Has been called “melodramatic” and “overrated” by some; there are people out there who’ve heard about it and/or seen clips, but have never watched the full thing
** = Facebook poll results; Twitter results won’t be counted at all during this exercise because they are very low and half the time, I was the only person who voted in them
Tournament Recap: Beat 2-seed The 10 Commandments 6-2 in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: After Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) meets dashing Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) on a skiing holiday in the French Alps, she discovers upon her return to Paris that her husband has been murdered. Soon, she and Peter are giving chase to three of her late husband’s World War II cronies who are after a quarter of a million dollars the quartet stole while behind enemy lines.
Strengths: Stars Cary Grant AND Audrey Hepburn; very well-paced with lots of twists and turns; best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made
Weaknesses: Other than the Nerds, I don’t feel like a lot of people under 50 have seen it
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Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Juliet, Naked 17-3 in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: Based on the William Goldman novel, a fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her. They must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other.
Strengths: A classic beloved by millions; Mandy Patinkin is a national treasure; Cary Elwes should be in the Smithsonian — we’re going to steal him from England; mega-quotable; has elements of action/adventure and comedy so it’s not purely a romance/romcom
Weaknesses: One of my former coworkers had never seen it before and when she finally did, she thought it was overrated???
Tournament Recap: Beat 3-seed Sabrina (1995) 14-5 in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) hates Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other’s true identity.
Strengths: Stars America’s sweethearts Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan; has Greg Kinnear in a supporting role; 90s nostalgia; references Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice multiple times
Weaknesses: Romcom where a creepy and manipulative guy is “rewarded” with the girl at the end; 90s fashion
###
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Space Jam 14-8 in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: In the 14th century, the harmony that humans, animals and gods have enjoyed begins to crumble. The protagonist, young Ashitaka, is infected by an animal attack and seeks a cure from the God of the Forest. In his travels, he sees humans ravaging the earth, bringing down the wrath of wolf god Moro and his human companion Princess Mononoke. His attempts to broker peace between her and the humans brings only conflict.
Strengths: One of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films; beautiful imagery and complex story; memorable characters; amazing score and vocal performances; a well-crafted movie all around that tackles environmentalism in a complex way
Weaknesses: A little niche compared to popular Western animated films (Disney, DreamWorks, etc.); Billy Bob Thornton’s voice acting is … meh, but he’s not in the movie very much
Tournament Recap: Beat 3-seed Kung Fu Panda 15-3 in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: Bitten by a radioactive spider, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.
Strengths: One of the best animated films of all time – fight me; lots of layers and things to notice in multiple viewings; has made me cry every time I’ve seen it, which is at least five times; a variety of characters to love; has a great mixture of humor and heart; absolutely gorgeous animation and amazing vocal performances; soundtrack is legit good and I don’t even listen to modern pop music or anything; I seriously downloaded four songs from this movie
Weaknesses: My mom didn’t like it – she said it was confusing (for the record, IDK what she’s talking about)
###
Tournament Recap: Beat 4-seed Wonder Woman 23-1 (!!!) in the first round
Stats:
Synopsis: With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
Strengths: Amazing take on the Joker; Heath Ledger really brought that character to life in a memorable and unique way; I don’t think Aaron Eckhart gets enough credit for his Harvey Dent/Two Face, which is also amazing; I think Ledger’s Joker overshadowed him; great performances all around; expertly mixes tense scenes and big action set-pieces; did the ballsy move of killing off the love interest; I still can’t believe they did that; all around great superhero movie and great movie, period
Weaknesses: Before Endgame, comic book nerds wouldn’t shut up about this movie, and may have overhyped it for everyday people; like it’s good … but is it really that good?; it’s like The Godfather – keep talking about it enough and it’ll never live up to the hype
Stats:
Synopsis: A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is conducting weapons tests overseas, but terrorists kidnap him to force him to build a devastating weapon. Instead, he builds an armored suit and upends his captors. Returning to America, Stark refines the suit and uses it to combat crime and terrorism.
Strengths: one of the greatest superhero arcs of all time – don’t @ me; RDJ! Jeff Bridges!; so many great moments, it’s hard to pick; that whole first act where he escapes from the cave is so much better now post-Endgame; just an all-around amazing movie that’s aged pretty well over the past 12 years
Weaknesses: Obadiah kinda seems like a lame villain in retrospect; I mean, it worked for the movie at the time, but it’s the one part of the movie that’s aged the worst, IMO; also I don’t know why, but I never really liked Pepper as a love interest; maybe it’s because RDJ and Gwyneth Paltrow don’t seem to have much chemistry; or maybe it’s that she was his assistant and she was the only person he felt he had a real relationships with other than Rhodey, which isn’t super healthy; I can’t exactly put my finger on what it is between them, but I’ve never been a huge fan of their dynamic
###
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
9. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
After following his Uncle into the Subway, teenager Miles Morales is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider. Miles soon gains the abilities of Spider-Man.
The other Spider-Man, Peter Parker is murdered after he is critically wounded fighting the Green Goblin by The Kingpin. Miles witnesses this and soon finds out that there are other Spider-Mans/Womans out there in the Spider-Verse!
One of the most visually impressive films to ever be released Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one hell of a movie. It’s animated like a comic book come to life and is unlike anything I have ever seen. Spider-Verse also has great characters you really care about. And that is the most amazing thing about this film. It looks pretty and it has heart to spare.
What I really love is as a long time Spider-Man fan, the creators of Spider-Verse really gave us a Spider-Man we all could relate to. And Nic Cage finally has a superhero character and film he can be proud of. His take on Spider-Man Noir is hilarious and heroic.
Of course, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is stunning on UHD. The higher resolution brings out more textures and nuanced colors throughout the film. Already a stunner in theaters Spider-Verse leaps of your home screen with vivid colors and one of the best-looking films on UHD period.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse absolutely demolishes your sound system. The music in the film is a definite highlight and it is brought out crystal clear Dolby Atmos. Everything sounds great, dialogue, music and sound effects will but your sound system through a workout.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse features some pretty awesome features and actually puts two of them on the UHD disc, a fun commentary with the directors and writers delves into the making of the film and some funny ancedotes. Also, on the UHD is the Spider-Ham short, ‘Caught in a Ham” presented in Looney Tunes style this quick look at Ham as he fights Crawdaddy is fun.
On the included Blu-Ray you will find an Alternate Universe Mode which plays along while you watch the film giving you interviews and alternate scenes that blend into the film. Also included is about an hour of featurettes that spin you through the Spider-Verse’s web.
An Academy Award Winner for best Animated Film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an amazing achievement in storytelling and in the world of animation.
Film: A+
Video: A+
Audio: A+
Extras: A
Overall: A
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
10. Avengers: Endgame (Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook)
It’s been 5 years since Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the world suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Mad Titan Thanos. Thanos has successfully eliminated half of all life on Earth.
After the return of Scott Lang (Ant-Man) The Avengers believe they have a way to not only bring all the people they have lost, but to defeat Thanos as well. But will the fractured group put their differences aside to defeat Thanos?
The single most amazing accomplishment in movie history is Marvel’s 22 film woven narrative that culminated with Avengers: Endgame. Not only is the movie fun, it hits several crowd-pleasing moments in the heat of a climactic battle with Thanos.
The fact that Marvel pulled this off is amazing unto itself, the fact the Endgame is a satisfying and fitting conclusion is even more impressive. Nothing will replace the experience I had with this film on opening night, when (SPOLIERS!!!!!!) Black Widow sacrifices herself to possibly save the world. I will never forget looking at a woman sitting down and to the right of me bawling her eyes out. Also, I cried like a baby as well when Spider-Man made his triumphant return and everyone in the theater erupted in the loudest cheer I have ever heard in a movie. Avengers: Endgame was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had at a movie. The experience was not lessened at home, Endgame packs one serious punch.
Avengers: Endgame soars onto UHD with an impressive video for your home entertainment system. The movies scope is gigantic and CGI heavy, but the UHD transfer is sharp and full of detail. The colors pop and the textures look incredible.
Endgame blasts its way home with a sonic boom of Dolby Atmos. Everything crunches with clarity. Dialogue is heard and is crystal clear. The music soars and it’s like you can actually feel the punches.
The UHD does not contain any extras, but there is a second blu-ray disc that houses most of the bonus features.
Blu-ray disc one includes an intro from the Russo Brothers as well as a commentary that features the brothers and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. I highly recommend this track as it covers not only Endgame but walks you through the MCU process.
Disc two contains almost an hour of bonus material in the form of featurettes. The Stan Lee tribute is a favorite and tear jerker. What makes the bonus features unique is it spans not only Endgame, but focuses on Iron Man, Captain America and their journey through the MCU.
The Steelbook from Best Buy is slick looking with a big purple and gold Avengers logo behind the characters who survived Infinity War and a “snapped” away Avengers logo on the back with the heroes that were lost in Infinity War. If you get past the somewhat photoshop-y look of the package it is pretty solid.
Incredible movie, incredible UHD Avengers: Endgame is a most own.
Film: A+
Video: A
Audio: A+
Extras: A
Steelbook: B+
Overall: A
Only four days into this thing and we’re not even to the good stuff yet, peeps!
I’m still here courtside with more in-depth stats and analysis for the next four match-ups of the first round (AKA the Round of 16).
YOU, listeners/readers/followers of the Reel Nerds Podcast, must keep voting in the tournament to decide which of the 16 movies below is the best.
In case you missed my Sunday Selection Announcement post or forgot all the movies, here’s the full bracket (as of the start of the tournament on Thursday — some movies have been eliminated since then):
Tomorrow we start the match-ups on the right side of the bracket with 1-seed Princess Mononoke vs. 4-seed Space Jam, both in the Animation genre.
So, once again, before you go to the Reel Nerds’ social media pages to vote, take an in-depth look at the bracket’s Animation and Superhero genres, and make sure you know everything you need to about these eight films.
Stats:
Synopsis: In the 14th century, the harmony that humans, animals and gods have enjoyed begins to crumble. The protagonist, young Ashitaka, is infected by an animal attack and seeks a cure from the God of the Forest. In his travels, he sees humans ravaging the earth, bringing down the wrath of wolf god Moro and his human companion Princess Mononoke. His attempts to broker peace between her and the humans brings only conflict.
Strengths: one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most beloved films; beautiful imagery and complex story; memorable characters; amazing score and vocal performances; a well-crafted movie all around that tackles environmentalism in a complex way
Weaknesses: a little niche compared to popular Western animated films (Disney, DreamWorks, etc.); Billy Bob Thornton’s voice acting is … meh, but he’s not in the movie very much
Stats:
Synopsis: Swackhammer (Danny DeVito), an evil alien theme park owner, needs a new attraction at Moron Mountain. When his gang, the Nerdlucks, heads to Earth to kidnap Bugs Bunny (Billy West) and the Looney Tunes, Bugs challenges them to a basketball game to determine their fate. The aliens agree, but they steal the powers of NBA basketball players, including Larry Bird and Charles Barkley — so Bugs gets some help from superstar Michael Jordan.
Strengths: soundtrack is amazing; 90s nostalgia; any Bugs Bunny in the world is a good thing; did meta humor before Deadpool made it a ~thing~; when I rewatched it recently with my mom, she laughed so hard when Tasmanian Devil said “Lemony fresh”
Weaknesses: R. Kelly; Michael Jordan’s acting; Wayne Knight’s character is really annoying
###
Stats:
Synopsis: Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.
Strengths: one of the best animated films of all time – fight me; lots of layers and things to notice in multiple viewings; has made me cry every time I’ve seen it, which is at least five times; a variety of characters to love; has a great mixture of humor and heart; absolutely gorgeous animation and amazing vocal performances; soundtrack is legit good and I don’t even listen to modern pop music or anything; I seriously downloaded four songs from this movie; actually won the Oscar for Best Animated Film
Weaknesses: my mom didn’t like it – she said it was confusing (for the record, IDK what she’s talking about)
Stats:
Synopsis: Po might just be the laziest, clumsiest panda in the Valley of Peace, but he secretly dreams of becoming a kung fu legend. When the villainous snow leopard Tai Lung threatens Po’s homeland, the hapless panda is chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy and defend the Valley from attack. Training under Master Shifu, Po embarks on an epic high-kicking adventure as he sets out to thwart Tai Lung’s evil plans.
Strengths: very underrated animated film; just because it’s not a Disney or Shrek movie, everybody sleeps on this one; fucking amazing on every level; has made me cry multiple times; seriously, play “Oogway Ascends” at my funeral; my mom and sisters love this movie; we quote it all the time; “Noodles. Don’t noodles.”; lots of great messages for kids and adults to enjoy and appreciate; also has a great mixture of humor and heart; I too hate running up stairs, so I can relate to Po
Weaknesses: it was only nominated for Best Animated Film at the Oscars
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Stats:
Synopsis: With the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City. But when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos, the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
Strengths: amazing take on the Joker; Heath Ledger really brought that character to life in a memorable and unique way; I don’t think Aaron Eckhart gets enough credit for his Harvey Dent/Two Face, which is also amazing; I think Ledger’s Joker overshadowed him; great performances all around; expertly mixes tense scenes and big action set-pieces; did the ballsy move of killing off the love interest; I still can’t believe they did that; all around great superhero movie and great movie, period
Weaknesses: before Endgame, comic book nerds wouldn’t shut up about this movie, and may have overhyped it for everyday people; like it’s good; but is it really that good?; it’s like The Godfather – keep talking about it enough and it’ll never live up to the hype; no Rutger Hauer
Stats:
Synopsis: Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.
Strengths: lots of great scenes; amazing performances, especially Chris Pine’s; kickass theme for Wonder Woman; it was such a treat to see an iconic superhero finally brought to life in her own live-action film; I felt like, for the most part, they did the character justice; also, that fucking No Man’s Land scene, you guys!
Weaknesses: third act is very weak; villain spouts video-game dialogue at one point; effects are “eh”; killed off the hot guy; the whole bit in London feels off; weird pacing and/or editing sometimes; it has lots of speed ramps, which are sometimes OK and sometimes annoying; also doesn’t have Rutger Hauer, to be fair
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Stats:
Synopsis: When Thor’s evil brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), gains access to the unlimited power of the energy cube called the Tesseract, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a superhero recruitment effort to defeat the unprecedented threat to Earth. Joining Fury’s “dream team” are Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).
Strengths: this was seriously so cool to see in the theater — having all these superheroes come together on the big screen for the first time was truly incredible; of course, now it happens every three movies, but whatever; that theme when they do the 360 shot is so badass; BUM BA BA BA BUM BA BA BUM; Loki is a great villain
Weaknesses: seems a little blase now, to be honest; Infinity War and Endgame kinda made this movie obsolete; hell, even before that, Civil War made this movie obsolete; I love The Avengers, but I love all three of those movies more, even though The Avengers did it first
Stats:
Synopsis: A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is conducting weapons tests overseas, but terrorists kidnap him to force him to build a devastating weapon. Instead, he builds an armored suit and upends his captors. Returning to America, Stark refines the suit and uses it to combat crime and terrorism.
Strengths: one of the greatest superhero arcs of all time – don’t @ me; RDJ! Jeff Bridges!; so many great moments, it’s hard to pick; that whole first act where he escapes from the cave is so much better now post-Endgame; just an all-around amazing movie that’s aged pretty well over the past 12 years
Weaknesses: Obadiah kinda seems like a lame villain in retrospect; I mean, it worked for the movie at the time, but it’s the one part of the movie that’s aged the worst, IMO; also I don’t know why, but I never really liked Pepper as a love interest; maybe it’s because RDJ and Gwyneth Paltrow don’t seem to have much chemistry; or maybe it’s that she was his assistant and she was the only person he felt he had a real relationships with other than Rhodey, which isn’t super healthy; I can’t exactly put my finger on what it is between them, but I’ve never been a huge fan of their dynamic
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Then, on Friday, we will begin our Round of 8 matchups with 1-seed Casablanca vs. 3-seed Charade. I’ll have plenty more stats and analysis as we get closures, so be on the lookout for that.
In the meantime, keep voting, everyone!
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
Number 11: Spider-Man: Far From Home (Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook)
The events of Avengers: Endgame have taken their toll on the Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler. Burdened with the death of Tony Stark and returning to a world that thought he was dead for five years, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) just wants to be normal.
Peter decides to go abroad with his school. Along for the trip are his best bud Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his secret crush MJ (Zendaya). Peter thinks this is a perfect opportunity to tell MJ how he feels. All this is thrown for a loop when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) asks for Peter’s help as Spider-Man to stop The Elementals a powerful group of monsters from another universe.
Fury has enlisted Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and a super-hero known as Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) to help stop the threat. Peter balks, saying he isn’t going to help, but soon Peter must choose between having a social life or living up to his responsibility as Spider-Man when everything isn’t what it appears.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is another home run for Marvel and Sony. I am totally biased here but this movie is a helluva good time. Tom Holland is the best Spider-Man. His youthful playfulness and his sense of responsibility are captured perfectly in this film.
The world needed a Spider-Man movie after the amazing and emotional toll Avengers: Endgame had. Far From Home scales the scope back but never loses the weight that Peter carries.
Gyllenhaal is awesome as the hero(?) Quentin Beck/Mysterio. Although most comic book fans will see the twist coming, (he is the master of illusion after all) it is done in such a fun way that the whole time I was watching the movie I kept saying to myself, “Holy Cow, they actually pulled off Mysterio in a movie.”
The action is spectacular, the emotional beats are tear inducing, Spider-Man: Far From Home is an amazing adventure.
Spidey swings onto UHD looking sensational. The colors are vibrant and pop right off the screen. The level of detail on all the costumes can be seen, right down to Night Monkey’s fuzz on his costume. This is one of the best looking UHD’s of the year.
Spidey lands punches with some serious pop with a Dolby Atmos track the brings the thwips. Dialogue comes through crystal clear, especially when Mysterio launches his (spoilers!) attacks on Spidey. The score is one of my favorites from the year and the UHD disc brings the music to life.
Although it’s not quite as robust as I would hope, Far From Home does pack in a little over an hour of cool bonus features. The most fun being Peter’s To Do List, which is a short film comprising of cut footage that you might recognize as from the original trailer. It’s about 4 minutes and is a good time. All the other features give you a behind the scenes peek of making the film, from Spidey suits to the locations used in the movie. Also about 6 minutes of deleted and alternate takes round out the package.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is another winning Spider-Man film. A fun villain, great character moments and of course Spider-Man make this one of my favorite films from last year. The UHD release of Far From Home spins one fantastic web and Best Buy’s exclusive blu-ray although busy is looking is also sharp and a must for Spider-Man collectors.
Film: A
Video: A+
Audio: A
Extras: B+
Steelbook: A-
Overall: A
It’s a new year and 2019 has come to a close. I always like to reflect on my favorite physical releases of year. Consumers seem to be moving more and more to streaming services with the launch this holiday season of Disney Plus being the latest. However, 2019 was also a banner year for physical media as well. Several companies really stepped up their game with incredible packaging, extras and in some cases sparkling new transfers of classic films. I will always make the case of physically owning a copy of a movie because it is permanently in your collection, it won’t be dropped or eventually removed from your shelf.
Being that it is 2019, I decided to list my favorite 19 releases of the year. So sit back relax and let’s watch some movies!
Number 12: Fright Night (1985)
A vampire lives next door! His name is Jerry!
That’s what horror obsessed teenager Charley (William Ragsdale) believes. Of course, no one believes him. So, it’s up to him, his friend Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) his gal pal Amy (Amanda Bearse) to take down Jerry (Chris Sarandon).
Charley enlists the help of his favorite TV host Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall), who hosts a late-night horror show called “Fright Night” to defeat Jerry once and for all.
Fright Night is such a fun movie. It has gore, laughs and intrigue. The actors are all great, with Sarandon as the evil vampire Jerry and McDowall as the twitchy late-night fright host delivering the goods. Geoffreys as “Evil Ed” is also spot on, delivering his lines with over the top zest.
The practical effects are a lot of fun as well It’s always a blast returning to horror films from the 80’s and reliving the icky-goopy effects.
Fright Night was released in 2011 on a limited edition blu-ray from Twilight Time. Sony has now made this film available on demand for the masses and I couldn’t be happier. Twilight Time is a really neat boutique blu-ray company but they release such little quantities that if you miss out you’re pretty much S.O.L. unless you want to pay a ridiculous sum on the secondary market. Sony’s license for the film returned and they rewarded us fans with the definitive blu-ray of Fright Night.
Sony slays Fright Night with an impressive video quality. The tones are all sharp and retain a nice film quality throughout the picture. The effects really pop as well, seeing the cuts, the blood in crystal clear high definition.
Sony stakes its audio in the heart with a really front-loaded experience. Dialogue is clear and precise, the music thumps well. The mush of blood and transformations sound excellent.
Besides being a favorite 80’s film of mine, the biggest selling point of this blu-ray is the amazing set of extras that it contains. Carried over are some that have been previously available but I have never seen so the whole experience was new to me.
The best feature to sink your fangs into is the nearly 2.5 hour documentary, You’re So Cool, Brewster! It covers all areas of the film from the script, director and cast. It is a treat and could’ve been a separate release all on its own. Also included are two commentary tracks, a panel from Fear Fest 2, interviews with director Tom Holland, cast and crew members, a retrospective on the late actor Roddy McDowall, a feature called Choice Cuts with Shock Till You Drop and Tom Holland, a vintage EPK with behind the scenes, and a pair of trailers, a “G” rated one and a “R” rated one.
I can’t recommend this blu-ray enough. If you are a fan of the film this is a must own. If you like gory, funny movies this is a must own. Pretty much everyone should own Fright Night. Hats off to Sony for giving this cult-classic a worthy blu-ray. Although it’s part of Sony’s on-demand discs, you would not know by the sheer love and attention that this film has been given.
Film: A
Video: A-
Audio: B+
Extras: A+
Overall: A