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 15: Tammy and the T-Rex
Vinegar Syndrome is a very interesting boutique label of Blu-Ray’s. Not in a bad way, but in I can’t believe they put this on Blu-Ray and it is awesome! In 2016 they released a midnight favorite of mine Jack Frost (about a killer snowman, not the Michael Keaton one), and in 2019 they released the almost too insane to make up Tammy and the T-Rex.
Tammy and the T-Rex, or how the opening credits call it, Tanny(?) and the T-Rex. Stars Denise Richards and Paul Walker, who are high school sweethearts Tammy and Michael. Tammy likes Michael but there is a problem, Tammy’s jealous ex-boyfriend Billy!
Also there is an evil scientist with an animatronic Tyrannosaurus who wants to put a brain in it to do something! Bwahahaha!
One night, Michael sneaks into Tammy’s room. Billy finds out and arrives at Tammy’s house with his gang. Michael escapes at first but is captured and taken to an animal rescue where he is mauled by a lion and on death’s door!
While in the hospital Michael is in a coma but alive, this gives the evil Dr. Wachenstein a brain to place in his T-Rex! The doc kidnaps Michael, cuts out his brain and places it in the T-Rex. And now the T-Rex is alive and pissed! Carnage ensues, charades are played by a Tyrannosaur and Tammy is on a quest to save Michael and his brain.
Nope the description of Tammy and the T-Rex is not made up. It is a real movie. As you watch it you can’t help but think, “Is this real?” And the answer is “yes”. It’s not a good movie at all. Tammy and the T-Rex does get by on the absolute insane plot and scenes. I was never really sure what the evil doctors intentions were, why did he want an animatronic T-Rex with a human brain? You will laugh at a huge T-Rex “hiding” at his/Michael’s funereal as it cries. Brad told me about this movie and everything he described was accurate and insane to watch. The only way you will enjoy Tammy and the T-Rex is if you turn of your brain and let the absurdity of it guide you. If you do that you will have fun, I promise.
Watching Tammy and the T-Rex, I cannot believe how great it looks. Seriously it looks stunning. The case says it’s a new 4K scan sourced from the original camera negative and boy it delivers. Colors and rubber on the dino pop and the disc has a great film quality to it. No crushed colors, every detail shines on this release.
While not as amazing as the video transfer, Tammy and the T-Rex definitely roars in high definition. It is a very loud movie, which it should be because there is a dinosaur in it. Dialogue is crisp and clear and can be easily heard.
Tammy and the T-Rex also has some tasty extras to bite into. The PG-13 cut is included, but it makes the movie almost unwatchable because the sheer craziness of this movie is taken away. It’s great that’s it’s included but watching it once is enough. An interview with the director Stuart Raffill is very interesting and worth a watch. An interview with Denise Richards is included and she talks about being emotional with a rubber dinosaur. Richards seems to have a fun time talking about this film. An interview with Sean Whalen is light hearted and fun. The best interview by far is with George Pilgrim, who is very candid and talks about the dangers he and other cast members were subjected to while working on the film. The other interviews are good but I love it when actors or crew members get real.
Tammy and the T-Rex has to be seen to be believed. From watching a Tyrannosaur stomping someone flat to seeing it shed tears at a funeral words don’t do the film justice. The movie isn’t great but the Blu-Ray by Vinegar Syndrome is top notch. Stunning video transfer and great features make this a must own for fans of weird, violent not good movies.
Film: C
Video: A+
Audio: A
Extras: A
Overall: A