I just wanna get up to my shack and get drunk

Blu-ray review: Piranha (1978)

Blu-ray review: Piranha (1978)

2010 saw Kelly Brook nakedly parade around and Ving Rhames literally legless in what was a lose remake of Joe Dante’s 1978 original. It’s taken a while, but that original has now found its way onto Blu-ray in what is a fairly pleasing transfer with some tasty behind-the-scenes footage of the production. Pirahna is, above all else, an entertaining...

Review: The Impossible

Review: The Impossible

Regardless of the praise or controversy surrounding the latest real-life tragedy depicted on the big screen, The Impossible is undoubtedly token Oscar fodder, but less crass in comparison to last year’s inclusion of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, that’s for sure. Even though Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona bases the true story on...

Review: Gangster Squad

Review: Gangster Squad

The aftermath of mass media panic halted Ruben Fleischer’s third feature from a September 2012 release, after succumbing to moral obligation to remove a cinema shooting, and reschedule for an early 2013 one. In truth, the omission of this infamous scene isn’t missed or seemingly required in the context of the film in its newer cut, but all this...

Blu-ray review: Total Recall

Blu-ray review: Total Recall

Inevitable comparisons to Paul Verhoeven’s fantastic original sci-fi epic will be made, and even though it was released twenty two years previously, Len Wiseman has a lot to live up to if he wishes to satisfy existing fans and entice new ones. Conceptually, the vision and premise are intriguing: the film begins with slick exposition of how the dystopian,...

Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

NOTE: this review tackles the 2D, 24fps version. Echoes of a collective groan emanated from the deepest, darkest bowels of the Internet when it was announced that Peter Jackson’s latest tackling of Tolkien literature would be split into three (yes, three) separate films. Rightly or wrongly jeered, there are always a number of  Jackson certainties a film of...

Blu-ray review: The Expendables 2

Blu-ray review: The Expendables 2

Having been severely underwhelmed by the Stallone-fronted first film back in 2010, the inevitable sequel is no doubt what the original should have been. With a muscle-bound cast including Lundgren, Li, Willis, Schwarzenegger and The Stath, the ingredients from the first movie are still here, but this time instead of taking itself way too seriously, director...

Blu-ray review: Arthur Christmas

Blu-ray review: Arthur Christmas

Having hit cinemas just over a year ago, Aardman’s first venture into computer animation after  established stop motion success is rather exciting, especially for its audience. Released just in time for Christmas, Arthur Christmas is the type of film families can watch annually, as they do with other classics such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home...

Blu-ray review: Southern Comfort

Blu-ray review: Southern Comfort

To the  delight of fans, the Walter Hill classic is on its way to Blu-ray. The 1981 film has undergone a pleasing transfer to the HD format, but as an entire package it doesn’t quite suffice with the demands of home cinema audiences, and let me explain why… Firstly, I’d never seen the film until now, let alone heard of it until a few mere...

Blu-ray review: Excision

Blu-ray review: Excision

Besides a mere trailer for what can only be described as batshit horror/drama with a splash of erotica, there’s been little else in terms of marketing or promotion for Excision, other than the semi-recognisible face from E4’s 90210. AnnaLynne McCord fronts this modern Carrie-like pseudo-high school drama/horror, with a quite magnificent performance as...

Review: Skyfall

Review: Skyfall

There are several reasons why you can’t not know about the release of the new Bond flick. Firstly, it coincides with the 50th anniversary since Connery wooed us with his suaveness in Dr. No, thus prompting the ‘Bond 50′ Blu-ray release. Secondly, you must be living in a batcave to have avoided the unbearable amount of tie-in...