Blu-ray Movie Reviews

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flash Gordon
Chris Chiarella  |  Sep 04, 2020  | 
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Star Wars imitators were both inevitable and plentiful in the late 1970s. The Buster Crabbe science fiction/adventure serials of old were a strong influence on that blockbuster, and whereas Buck Rogers was destined for a television reboot, mega-producer Dino De Laurentiis had already acquired the movie rights to Flash Gordon years prior. And so the space-faring hero returned to the big screen, reimagined in a lavish international production.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flawless 1080p? ParaNorman on Blu-ray
David Vaughn  |  Apr 16, 2013  | 
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In many ways, Norman Babcock is a typical kid trying to find his way in the world. He enjoys watching TV with his grandma, gets bullied at school, and what he wants more than anything is acceptance. Unfortunately, Norman has a certain ability that seems to turn people off—he can see and speak with the dead. In fact, his grandma has been dead for a while, and whenever he mentions to his family that he enjoys spending time with her, Mom and Dad kind of freak out. Poor Norman is considered the town freak of Blithe Hollow because of his ability, but little do the townspeople know that the young man is about to save them from a witch who was executed more than 300 years earlier and is seeking her pound of flesh.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flight
Corey Gunnestad  |  Jun 19, 2013  | 
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Director Robert Zemeckis makes his dramatic return to live-action feature films with Flight after a decade-long foray into performance-capture animated films like The Polar Express, Beowulf, and A Christmas Carol. His last live-action film before this was Cast Away with Tom Hanks in 2000, which either coincidentally or ironically also featured a crashing jetliner.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flight of the Phoenix (Blu-ray)
Tom Norton  |  Apr 09, 2007  | 

This 2004 remake of an early 1960s B-picture was underappreciated when it first came out, and with good reason. The original starred Jimmy Stewart. A remake of any film starring an icon from Hollywood's golden age has a very steep hill to climb.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flipped (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Nov 24, 2010  | 
When Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) moved in across the street in the second grade, July (Madeline Carroll) knew he would be her first kiss. Over the next six years her infatuation grows but he doesn't seem to notice her. One day something changes and Bryce takes notice of the young lady, but did he wait too long?

Based on the book by Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped is a charming picture of two kids discovering that beauty is more than skin deep. Rob Reiner coaxes great performances out of the young leads and this is one of the best live-action family films I've seen in years.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Flyboys (Blu-ray)
Tom Norton  |  Apr 09, 2007  | 

The critical and box office verdicts on <I>Flyboys</I> weren't exactly glowing. Full of clichs with the usual assortment of standard characters…the dull subplot about the lonely American pilot falling for a beautiful young French girl…wooden dialog...a decidedly old-fashioned tone. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Fool's Gold Fool's Gold
David Vaughn  |  Jun 23, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/foolsgold.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Ben "Finn" Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey) is a fortune hunter whose obsession with discovering the Queen's Dowry, a treasure that mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in 1715, has consumed him to the point of ruining his marriage to Tess (Kate Hudson). Discovering a clue that he believes will lead him to the cache, he must charm his way into the pocketbook of billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland) in order to finance the expedition.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Footloose
David Vaughn  |  Sep 28, 2011  | 
City-boy Ren (Kevein Bacon) moves to the small Midwestern town of Beaumont and quickly learns that dancing and popular rock music has been banned. He befriends Ariel Moore (Lori Singer), the daughter of the popular preacher who's leading the charge for the "no fun zone," and a line is drawn in the sand between hometown values and teenage fun.

Footloose is one of those 80's films that stir-up a lot of memories for people in my age demographic. Back in 1984 it was wildly popular due to the hip music, fun dancing, and anti-establishment message. There wasn't a guy I knew who didn't want to be like Ren, but I'm positive I wouldn't approve of my teenage daughter dating a guy like him today!

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Forbidden Planet (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Sep 09, 2010  | 
Captain John J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) leads a crew of 18 to the planet Altair to investigate the mysterious disappearance of some settlers. Upon arrival, the crew is warned not to land (which they ignore) and are greeted by Robby the Robot. The only two survivors left on the planet are Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his beautiful daughter Altaira (Anne Francis), but what happened to the rest?

While the special effects are nothing special and the pacing is on the slow side, I found the story is entertaining. You can see how Gene Roddenberry was influenced by this and many other 1950s sci-fi films for Star Trek. While the human actors do an admirable job, Robby the Robot steals the show and went on to become one of the most famous robots in movie history appearing in an additional 20 movies and TV shows over the past 50 years.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Ford v Ferrari
Chris Chiarella  |  Mar 20, 2020  | 
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The true story of sports car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles' partnership with the Ford Motor Company to challenge legendary Ferrari and perhaps win racing's ultimate test of endurance, the 24 hours of Le Mans, is can't-miss Hollywood gold. While not quite a David v Goliath tale—we learn that cash-strapped Ferrari was something of an underdog—the results here are a heartfelt ode to cars, speed, second chances and next chapters, and good old American ingenuity.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
David Vaughn  |  Sep 29, 2008  |  First Published: Sep 30, 2008  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/sarahmarshall.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>When his TV-star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), leaves him for a famous British rock star (Russell Brand), Peter Bretter (Jason Segal) sees his life fall to pieces. He decides to take a trip to Hawaii to forget about his troubles and runs into Sarah, who is on vacation with her new beau. Peter splits his time between stalking her and hanging out with the hot hotel receptionist (Mila Kunis), who, for some unknown reason, is attracted to him.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Forrest Gump
David Vaughn  |  Nov 06, 2009  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/forrest.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Winner of six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, <i>Forrest Gump</i> was the second-best film of 1994 in my opinion, right behind <i>The Shawshank Redemption</i>. Regardless, Paramount's third entry in its Sapphire Series is a hit with outstanding audio and video and a kick-ass DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Four Christmases (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Nov 30, 2009  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/4xmass.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>No one enjoys the holidays more than Brad and Kate. Every December 25th, this happily unmarried, upscale San Francisco couple embark on a holiday tradition they have shared every year since they met - ditching their crazy families for a relaxing, fun-filled vacation in some sunny exotic locale. There, sipping margaritas by the pool, they toast the season, knowing they have once again avoided the chaos and emotional fallout of their four respective households: divorced parents, squabbling siblings, out-of-control kids and all the simmering resentments and awkward moments that are the hallmarks of every family Christmas. But not this year. Shorts and sunglasses packed, Brad and Kate are trapped at the San Francisco airport by a fogbank that cancels every outbound flight. Worse yet, they are caught on camera by a local news crew, revealing their whereabouts to the whole city...and to their families. With no escape and no excuses, they are now expected home by Brad's father. And Kate's mother. And Brad's mother. And Kate's father. "Four Christmases" in one day. </i>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Fracture
Kris Deering  |  Jun 23, 2009  | 

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/fracture.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT><i>Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) brutally murders his wife and calmly waits for the police to arrest him. With the weapon and a signed confession in hand, Deputy D.A., Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), believes a conviction is a slam dunk; that is until the case completely unravels. Now, with little evidence, Beachum goes head to head with the cunning Mr. Crawford in a desperate search for the truth and the answer to one burning question: How is this guy getting away with murder.</i>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Frankenweenie
David Vaughn  |  Jun 19, 2013  | 
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Coerced into playing baseball by his father, Victor connects with the hit of his life and sails one over the fence. His beloved dog, Sparky, thinks it’s a game of fetch, races after the ball, is hit by an oncoming car, and dies. Terribly depressed and lonely, Victor is inspired by his science teacher to bring his dog back to life. Successful in his task, his home-sewn creature draws the attention of an evil classmate when he escapes, and Victor is forced to reveal his secret on how to raise the dead. All hell breaks loose when the town is suddenly overrun by reanimated pets, and it’s up to Victor and Sparky to save the day.
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