DVD Talk: July 2018 Archives

Some cool discs have been reviewed over the past week. Check out these recent entries: Rampage - a fun adaptation, they got the spirit just right, and Dwayne Johnson was the perfect choice for the lead role; The Last House on the Left (1972) - the film is brutally effective, and inspired a host of imitatorsâ€¦ horror fans are going to love Arrow Video's Limited Edition release, this three-disc set offers restored picture, exhaustive extras, a soundtrack CD and handsome packaging; and I Called Him Morgan - murdered at the age of 33 by his common-law wife Helen, legendary jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan is the subject of this solid documentary by Swedish director Kasper Collin. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Singles Collection

TV on DVD and Blu-ray remains very popular with more and more favorites being released. New TV reviews include: Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Singles Collection - a must-own... some of the show's absolute best episodes are included here, and the newly produced bonuses are worthy additions; and The Martian Chronicles - the three-part television miniseries adaptation of Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles is pretty weak, but the show has some good points that make it worth seeing once . Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVD Talk database.

There are some new titles coming out that might make it worth a trip to the video store. Check out these recent releases: Ready Player One - a layered mash-up of existing films, books, video games, and other stuff from the past 40-odd years, pureed together in an attempt to create something new and refreshing; A Strange Adventure - the A/V quality of this Kino release is superbâ€¦ beyond any doubt one of the most exceptional presentations of a film noir on Blu-ray to date ; and The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey - fans of director Vincent Ward will enjoy surreal nature and time-travelling fantasy elements of the film and Arrow has served up yet another rock-solid home video presentation that plays to the film's strengths. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Our reviewers have been busy this week, filling the DVD Talk Review Database more great entries. Some new reviews of note include: Bull Durham - a fun jaunt through late 1980s minor league baseballâ€¦ a film about people within baseball on the up and down slope of their careers; Pacific Rim: Uprising - a disappointing sequelâ€¦ This Steven S. DeKnight-directed actioner pales in comparison with Guillermo del Toro's 2013 original, and fails to match that film's action, heart, humor and effects; and The Hurricane Heist (4K UHD) - this actioner is a competent direct-to-video film that had a minor theatrical release... the 4K image will not blow you away, but the Atmos track might. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto home video recently including: The Good Place: Season Two - the funniest show about philosophy and ethics on TVâ€¦ after a slow go to start, the series corrected course and turned in another great season with the previous favorites still shining and some new additions bringing their A-game to the show; Black Lightning: The Complete First Season - not just another superhero seriesâ€¦ this is a thoughtful, inspired project from people passionate about a different type of superhero, a different type of community, and a different sort of perspective; and The Jericho Mile - an outstanding made-for-TV film, Michael Mann's debut is a social drama first and a "sports movie" second, shot on location in Folsom Prison among its guards and inmates. Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVD Talk database.

Sex, Lies, And Videotape: Criterion Collection

Another banner week for home video with the studios releasing some great films and boxed sets such as: Sex, Lies, And Videotape: Criterion Collection - Steven Soderbergh's debut film is a landmark of independent cinema and makes the absolute most of its limited budget; The Case of the Scorpion's Tail - stylish, suspenseful, and hellbent on subverting its audience's expectations, this movie is a worthy addition to Arrow Video's expansive giallo library; and Doom Asylum - a film that doesn't take itself very seriously, but instead emphasizes laughs as much as it does its horror movie elements. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (4K UHD)

This week the DVD Talk Review Database has some great new entries, including a few discs you may have overlooked. Recent reviews include: Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (4K UHD) - with a high-stakes adventure for Ethan Hunt and his team and breakneck direction by Brad Bird, the movie takes its place as one of the best-executed films in this series; The Curse of the Cat People - a one of a kind movie, perhaps the great anomaly of â€˜40s horror cinemaâ€¦ the gorgeous transfer alone justifies the cost of the disc; and Next Stop, Greenwich Village - the best film in Paul Mazursky's underrated oeuvreâ€¦ the pairing of a sharp script and a knockout cast of rising stars makes this one irresistible. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

There are a few new releases that you won't want to miss. Check out these hot titles: Under Capricorn - Alfred Hitchcock's 1949 historical drama was considered a failure by the director himself but the movie is not without interest and plays somewhat better if the viewer goes into it not expecting a typical Hitchcock thriller; Beirut - John Hamm stars as a handsome white guy must deal with trouble in a foreign hot spot and a traumatic past event; and The Addiction - this 1995 indie vampire flick is well-acted, strikingly photographed, and cleverly executed but hobbled by pretentiousness. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Some great DVD and Blu-ray reviews have been added to the the DVD Talk Review Database recently including: Mission: Impossible (4K UHD) - Director Brian De Palma's movie lacks the breakneck pacing and big action sequences of later movies in this series, but some strong performances and a solid screenplay mean this movie hasn't dated as much as one might think; Time to Die - the debut feature of Mexican iconoclast director Arturo Ripstein, this film has the economical plotting of a pulp B movie, but it boasts a richness of character and an unpretentious visual elegance that makes it stand out from the pack; and The Fencer - an underdog sports film that is a well-made, substantive, and engrossing drama hinged on its melancholy historical texture and gorgeous depiction of the sport itself Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

It'd be a good week to go to the movies. Here are DVD Talk's recent theatrical reviews: Ant-Man and the Wasp - Paul Rudd is charismatic, Michael PeÃ±a was back with his phenomenal character, the CGI was cool and the action flows nicely in this humorous sequel; and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - a special dose of dumbness that plagued this film from start to finish... bad choices all thrown together into a summer sci-fi flick. Check out these, and more, in DVDTalk's Theatrical Review section.

Some great TV shows have made their way onto home video recently including: Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series - a lively, colorful, whimsical, and engaging showâ€¦ this BR release is an SD upconversion, it's still the best version of the show you can get on home video; Gunsmoke: The Thirteenth Season - another terrific round of great Western drama, this thirteenth season provides many hours of quality entertainment and is worth the price; and Nickelodeon Favorites: The Great Summer Campout! - lukewarm summer entertainment with little more than a flimsy outdoor backdrop pasted on each show's standard formula . Want more? Check out all of the TV on DVD reviews in the DVD Talk database.

Several great movies and programs have come out recently, including a few that shouldn't be missed: The Banishment - exquisitely shot with a slow and steady pace, this movie captivates with its mysterious narrative and small cast of memorable characters; Disorganized Crime - the film is your basic heist comedy but there are a number of very good, against type performances that have more nuance and range than you'd expect; and Vigil (1984) - a prickly, turbulent drama that draws in viewers with its fantastic visuals and rewards those willing to read between the lines. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Check out the latest reviews that have been entered into the DVD Talk Review Database including: Jack the Giant Killer - Kino Lorber's excellent new Blu-ray offers a vastly improved high-def transfer that, frankly, turns what was pretty unendurable tripe on DVD into something that's actually pretty entertaining; Oh Lucy! - a funny, moving, bittersweet movie, anchored by an incredible lead performance that captures a range of emotions that rarely appear in the same film; and Graduation: Criterion Collection - carefully formulated, deeply analytical, and emotionally devastating, Cristian Mungiu explores the murky "do as I say, not as I do" world of parental morality in the context of modern-day Romania. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.