Arrow Video Announces ‘Robocop’ 4K UHD/Steelbook and ’12 Monkeys’ 4K UHD Re-Issue Dates

Courtesy: Arrow Video

Arrow Video is scheduled to re-issue Orion Pictures’ 1987 crime/action thriller Robocop again next month, along with a new re-issue of Universal Pictures’ 1995 movie 12 Monkeys.

The company’s re-issue of Robocop is scheduled for release April 12 on 4K UHD steelbook and will come more than two years after the company’s most recent re-issue of the movie. Robocop centers on a Detroit police officer who becomes half-man-half robot, all crime fighter after he is gunned down by members of a notorious gang. Ashe fights crime on the streets of his beloved city, there is also strife within the department, which is owned by an equally notorious group, known as OCP. While not a gang, it still exerts its own influence on the department and city. Arrow Video’s forthcoming 4K UHD steelbook re-issue of Robocop will retail for MSRP of $49.95. A trailer for the movie is streaming here.

Courtesy: Arrow Video

Arrow Video’s 12 Monkeys 4K UHD re-issue is scheduled for release April 26. The movie stars Bruce Willis (Die Hard 1-5) as a convict named James Cole, who has to travel back in time from 2035 to 1990 in order to stop the outbreak of a plague that wiped out most of the human race, but no animals. If Cole can stop the plague and the group associated with the plague, he will win his parole. When Cole is imprisoned in a psychiatric Ward for his warnings, things get even more difficult. 12 Monkeys will retail for MSRP of $49.95. A trailer for the movie is streaming here.

Both titles are available to order here.

More information on these and other titles from Arrow Video is available online now at:

Website: http://www.arrowfilms.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArrowVideo

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArrowFilmsVideo

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘Death Becomes Her’ Has Plenty Of Life And Laughs

Courtesy: Scream! Factory/Universal

Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep, and Goldie Hawn are about as far apart as three actors can get from one another in terms of their bodies of work.  Willis is largely known for his work on 20^th Century Fox’s hugely popular Die Hard franchise.  Hawn largely made a name for herself in the 1980s and ‘90s in movies such as Overboard (1987), Private Benjamin (1980), and The First Wives Club (1996).  Streep on the other hand has remained one of Hollywood’s top draws to this day, exhibiting her broad range of talents in the likes of The Devil Wears Prada (2006), The River Wild (1994), and Julie and Julia (2009) just to name a few of her entries.  She also singlehandedly saved the otherwise lackluster biopic The Iron Lady in 2011 and spread her wings just as much (if not more) in the 2002 indie flick Adaptation.  So it goes without saying that when the trio teamed up in 1992 for Universal’s Death Becomes Her it was anybody’s guess how the movie would turn out.  The original reception to the movie was lukewarm at best.  And sadly it has remained a relatively forgotten and underappreciated title for all three actors.  Yet now thanks to Shout! Factory it has gotten a new lease on life in a new “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray re-issue.  It proves in its new re-issue to be well-deserving of a second chance.  That is especially the case considering how little Hollywood has to offer in theaters today.  In shorter wording, its story alone makes it well worth that second chance.  That will be discussed shortly.  The special effects that were utilized in the movie are just as important to note as the movie’s story.  Last but hardly least of note in this movie’s presentation is the work of its cast.  Willis, Streep, and Hawn are surprisingly entertaining together.  Their work rounds out the movie’s most important features.  Of course one can’t ignore the new “Making Of” featurette included in this presentation of the movie.  It is not what would be considered one of the movie’s main elements.  But it is an interesting bonus in its own right.  Keeping this in mind, each of the elements noted here is important in its own right to the movie’s new re-issue.  Altogether they give a whole new life to this undervalued offering from Universal.

Shout! Factory’s new re-issue of Death Becomes Her breathes new life into what has been an otherwise forgotten flick from Universal.  It proves in the long run to be a movie that was then and is now an undervalued offering from the studio.  This is exhibited in large part to the movie’s writing.  More specifically it is exhibited in large part through the story at the heart of the movie.  The story is centered on a rather familiar plot—a love triangle leading to murder.  It’s the basis of so many movies (especially Lifetime movies) and episodes of Dateline and 48 Hours.  Yet in the case of this movie the writing team of Martin Donovan and David Koepp has given that familiar plot quite the paranormal twist of sorts here.  Rather than just letting Madeline (Streep) stay dead, Donovan and Koepp prove that indeed sometimes they come back again.  Yes, that was in itself a bad pun, for any other movie buffs out there that get it.  Thanks to a magical potion Madeline comes back to life after supposedly being killed by Ernest (Willis).  This leads to a confrontation with Ernest’s ex-wife Helen (Hawn) and the revelation that Helen had also taken the potion, leaving both women immortal.  After a brief conflict the pair reconciles and agrees that they both now need Ernest in order to remain in pristine condition due to his talents as a mortician.  The result will leave anyone with a real sense of humor laughing right to the story’s final scene.  The story itself is dark.  But it is still funny in its own right.  It also is just the surface of what makes the movie’s story so entertaining.  As is discussed in the new “Making Of” featurette included in the movie’s re-issue, the real story at the heart of the story is the story of Hollywood’s shallow, self-centered nature.  This will be explained in more depth later.  Getting back on track, the twist that Koepp and Donovan put on an otherwise all-too familiar plot line makes the movie’s central story a breath of fresh air especially when compared to the stories currently being churned out by Hollywood’s Big Six studios.  The movie’s story is just one element that makes it worth the watch.  The special effects that are incorporated into the movie are just as important to note as the movie’s allegorical story.

The story at the center of Death Becomes Her is in itself both funny and thought provoking.  That makes the movie well worth the watch in its new re-issue.  It is just one of the elements that makes the movie so entertaining.  The special effects that are incorporated into the movie are just as notable as its dual-pronged story.  This is another topic tackled in the new “Making Of” featurette included in the movie’s new Blu-ray re-issue.  The use of computer generated special effects was a relatively foreign concept at the time in which Death Becomes Her was filmed.  This is another topic tackled in the new “Making Of” featurette included in the movie’s new Blu-ray re-issue.  It will be discussed later, too.  Staying on the subject at hand, the special effects that were used to bring Madeline and Helen back to life are collectively a wonderful touch to the movie.  That is not just because of their use but because of their look, too.  There is almost a certain cartoonish look to the special effects in question that audiences will love.  One moment in which this is exhibited comes as Helen hits Madeline over the head with a shovel.  Madeline’s head is pushed into her shoulders, making her look like a turtle.  It is in fact a bit that has been used by quite a few cartoons.  Madeline pulling her head out of her shoulders and straightening it is just as familiar and funny.  In another equally entertaining scene, Madeline throws a pole through the hole that had only minutes earlier been blown in Helen’s body when Madeline shot her.  The action itself, and Madeline’s reaction are both priceless.  It’s one more way in which the special effects prove so important to the movie’s overall presentation.  It isn’t the last, either.  Audiences will be interested to learn that as Ernest hangs precariously from a gutter pipe late in the movie, he is not as high up as it seems.  There was obviously some move magic going on there.  But thanks to the work of those behind the scenes, it actually looks believable.  It isn’t just one of those scenes where a subject is splashed up against a blue (or green) screen with a random background haphazardly thrown in.  It really does look like Willis is hanging high atop the building so close to his own demise.  And even as he falls from the building (not to give away too much) the corridor of sorts through which he falls is clearly computer generated.  Yet it still doesn’t look anywhere as bad as similar sequences used in other movies both before and since.  That is a real tribute to the work put in by those responsible for handling the movie’s special effects.  It is yet another way in which the movie’s special effects show themselves to be so important to the overall presentation of Death Becomes Her.  There are plenty of other moments that could be cited, too.  When those moments are set alongside the moments noted here, the whole of said moments gives the movie just as much “life” as its story.  Keeping this in mind, the story at the center of Death Becomes Her and the movie’s special effects make this movie quite the entertaining horror/comedy hybrid.  They are not the movie’s only notable elements.  The cast’s work in front of the cameras is yet another notable part of the movie’s whole.

The story at the center of Death Becomes Her and the special effects that are incorporated in to the movie are both key to the movie’s overall presentation in their own way.  The story takes an all too familiar plot and gives it a funny albeit dark, almost Tim Burton-esque twist.  The cartoonish special effects that are used add even more enjoyment to the movie.  That is because they show neither the cast nor crew took themselves or the movie too seriously.  They will leave any viewer laughing at their look.  Both elements in themselves are hugely important to the movie’s presentation.  Collectively they show why this movie deserved to have been resurrected (bad pun fully intended).  As important as they are they are not the movie’s only important element.  The cast’s work in front of the cameras should be noted, too.  It was previously noted that Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, and Goldie Hawn each come from a very different background.  That is in reference to the films in which they have starred.  Considering this one can only imagine the uncertainty in bring the trio together on camera.  Yet surprisingly all three actors worked quite well together.  Bruce Willis, at that time, was known largely for his action roles.  Yet he actually pulls off quite well the role of Ernest.  Ernest’s alcoholic, somewhat neurotic persona comes through expertly thanks to Willis’ take on the character.  Again, considering that this was something of a departure for Willis, he is to be commended for his work here.  One of his best moments comes as Madeline and Helen are fighting in the background.  The camera focuses on him and he says something to the extent of, “If anyone needs me I’ll be upstairs.”  Willis’ deadpan delivery of the line is a great contradiction to the chaos behind him.  And his reaction early on when he discovers that Madeline is alive when she should be dead is just as funny.  For those who are familiar with the classic horror comedy Arsenic and Old Lace Willis channels a little bit of Cary Grant in this moment.  It is just one more of so many great moments from Willis in the movie and just one more way in which the movie’s cast proves so entertaining.  Meryl Streep is wonderful to watch in her own right as Madeline Ashton.  One can’t help but wonder in watching her take on the self-centered, egotistical woman, if perhaps she channeled a little bit of her for her role in The Devil Wears Prada.  That is inferred from early on as she pushes her assistant aside in her dressing room.  Her constant verbal abuse of Ernest hints at her character as an influence for Miranda Priestly, too.  Goldie Hawn is just as entertaining as Helen.  This is especially true early on as Helen resides in a mental ward.  The deadpan manner in which she says, “Yes, I want to talk about…..Madeline Ashton” is perfect.  Her timing of the line is just as expert.  The reaction of the other actresses in the scene makes the moment all the funnier.  They obviously did not want to hear about Madeline Ashton again.  Her reactions to her body falling offer just as much entertainment as do so many other moments.  Between those comical moments and those presented by her cast mates, the overall work of the movie’s cast offers plenty of laughs from the movie’s opening scene to its end.  They show in whole that the cast’s work is indeed just as important as that of the movie’s writing team and those behind the lens.  All things considered Death Becomes Her proves in the end to be an undervalued and underappreciated movie and one that more than deserved its new life.

Death Becomes Her is an undervalued and underappreciated cinematic work.  Looking at everything that it has to offer it is clear that it more than deserved its new life.  This is exhibited through the work of the movie’s writing team, its crew, and its cast.  As important as these elements are to the movie one would be remiss to ignore the bonus “Making Of” featurette that is included in Shout! Factory’s new BD re-issue of the movie.  It offers new interviews with both writers and the cast that offer a whole new insight into the movie and what makes it so undervalued.  The movie’s original “Making Of” featurette is also included alongside the new feature.  The two features together paint quite an interesting picture not just of the movie but of the cast and crew then and now.  It shows that little has changed in terms of the opinions held by the cast and crew.  With any luck, audiences that perhaps have seen the movie before will take that into account along with the movie’s story, its special effects, and the cast’s work on camera, and have their own change of opinion to the positive should their opinions previously have been more negative.  With any luck said viewers (and those new to the movie) will see in its new re-issue just how undervalued and underappreciated it is and that it indeed deserved the new life that it has received thanks to Shout! Factory.

It should be clear by now that while not a major hit Death Becomes Her is an undervalued and underappreciated movie.  It is a work that more than deserved a new life.  It is evident in the movie’s writing.  It is just as evident in the movie’s special effects and the work of the movie’s cast.  The new bonus “Making Of” featurette and the companion original “Making Of” featurette partner to enrich the movie’s viewing experience even more.  All things considered, Death Becomes Her shows in the end to be a movie with plenty of life and that deserved new life.  It is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-comedy/death-becomes-her-collector-s-edition.  More information on this and other titles from Scream! Factory—Shout! Factory’s horror division—is available online now at:

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com/tentpoles/scream-factory

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ScreamFactoryDVD

Twitter: http://twitter.com/scream_factory

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

G.I. Joe Sequel Another Of 2013’s Worst Movies

Courtesy: Paramount Studios

2013 has been a rough year for the movie industry.  It has been either feast or famine for the big studios.  That is thanks in large part to the glut of sequels churned out by the industry’s major studios.  From the upper echelons all the way down to the general movie-goer, those same studios have been lambasted for their increasing reliance on sequels.  The latest movie in the G.I. Joe franchise justifies those darts even more.  Sure it has lots of flash-bang-boom action sequences and its share of special effects, and an easy to understand storyline, it doesn’t have much else.  Some might consider this a good thing for an action movie.  But the reality is because of this, it turns out to be one more movie that won’t take long to end up in the discount bins at retail outlets now that it is officially out on DVD and Blu-ray.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation isn’t the worst of the year’s movies.  It isn’t the worst of the record thirty-seven sequels that will have hit theaters by the year’s end.  But it isn’t one of the year’s best movies, either.  The question remains then, what is it about this movie that has left it in movie limbo so to speak?  To answer that isn’t easy.  But it isn’t impossible, either.  The best place to begin with the movie is its writing.  The story’s writing is for the most part, relatively simplistic.  It is also very predictable.  Right from the story’s opening minutes, audiences learn that at the end of the franchise’s first flick, Cobra Commander and Destro had both been captured and placed in special suspended animation tanks of sorts.  It is pretty obvious from this point where the story would progress.  It doesn’t get much better.  From here, audiences are introduced to the story’s secondary plot, the evil twin plot headed by the evil Zartan.  Simple math, right?  Yes.  Two plus two equals four.  Yet another world domination plot on the part of Cobra, which at least goes along with the old cartoon series from the 80s and early 90s.

The predictability of the story in G.I. Joe: Retaliation is just one microscopic part of the problem with its writing.  Just when one thinks the writing couldn’t get any worse, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick make the story even more convoluted by adding in a third storyline involving Snake Eyes’ (one of the few remaining Joes after Cobra’s attack on the Joes) hunt for his arch nemesis, Stormshadow.  Snake Eyes has to nab Stormshadow and bring him back to answer for the murder of his sensei, of which he was accused of committing as a child.  This additional storyline really wasn’t necessary to the overall outcome of the movie.  Wernick and Reese must have known this as they tried to justify it by making sure that only Stormshadow would know the full extent of Cobra’s evil plans this time out.  They could have still had him be a key player without the extra drama.  Had all of this extra fluff been cut, it would have saved a lot of time and maybe even made all of the movie’s over-the-top fight scenes and explosions justified.  But no, they couldn’t leave well enough alone.  Instead, they left it in.  And to make matters even worse, they made the story drag on even more by adding in unnecessary elements of melodrama both on the part of Stormshadow and the remaining Joes.  There is the whole aspect of Stormshadow having to come to terms with Zartan being the real killer and tricking him when he was a child.  And then there is Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson) coming to terms with taking over the Joes after Duke’s (Channing Tatum) death early on.  Let us also not forget Lady Jaye’s own drama involving her father issues, too.  It’s all extra fat that could have been trimmed from the whole thing to make it at least more bearable.

Had the unnecessary elements noted above been removed from the movie’s final script, that removal would have made G.I. Joe: Retaliation more bearable.  Sadly, that didn’t happen.  Even the choice of the movie’s title is problematic.  The very inclusion of the word “retaliation” in the title hurts the movie even more.  It’s an ambiguous subtitle.  That’s because in reality, both Cobra and the remaining Joes are retaliating against one another for everything that had happened in the course of the franchise’s first film.  More than likely, the intent was for the subtitle to be aimed more at the retaliation of G.I. Joe against Cobra for its actions against its forces.  But again, the ambiguity is there; too much of it in fact to make such a subtitle work.  And along with the already poor writing, it reduces the movie’s credibility even more.

There is so much that went wrong with G.I. Joe: Retaliation.  However, it would be unfair to ignore the only shining rays of hope that this largely forgettable Summer action flick does have.  Those rays of hope lie in the movie’s really cool gadgets and its action sequences.  Again, had the gadgets and action sequences been left with the predictable writing, the movie would not have been half as bad as it turned out to be.  But because that didn’t happen, the action sequences come across as little more than an excuse to try and distract viewers from the poor writing.  This is most clearly evident in the ironic fact that the most exciting of the action sequences was one that itself might not have even been necessary.  It involves Snake Eyes and his protégé, Jinx, facing a horde of ninjas along a sheer cliff face after having recovered Stormshadow in the aforementioned equally unnecessary extra story line.  As impressive as this sequence was, the only way that it (and its companion story line) could be justified is the fact that so many of the cast members from the previous film didn’t return this time out for whatever given reason.  So something was needed (in the minds of the writers) to advance the storyline.  Thus this sequence and its associated story line were inserted.  Had both elements been removed in the end, G.I. Joe: Retaliation still could have survived.  Sure it probably would have still ended up being forgotten in the grand scheme of things.  But it still would have survived and even taken more seriously.  As enchanted as studio heads continue to be with franchises, it would be no surprise if audiences eventually see another sequel or even a franchise reboot already.  When either of these scenarios plays out, one can only hope that whoever writes its script will learn from all of this and will make a movie that will return honor to the name and legacy that is G.I. Joe.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Honey Boo Boo, Bruce Willis, The Bachelorette Focus Of Us Weekly This Week

Courtesy: Us Weekly Magazine

 

Courtesy: DKC Public Relations

The latest edition of ABC’s hit reality dating show, The Bachelorette is winding down.  Its finale will air on Monday, August 5^th.  As audiences count down to this season’s finale, Us Weekly magazine takes an in-depth look at the upcoming season finale for its cover story.  One of the big revelations from this season’s last episode is that of her final three suitors, contestant Desiree Hartsock will see one of the trio depart the show before the rose ceremony.  Making matters even more interesting for viewers is that the the departed contest in question was the object of Hartsock’s affections.  And in learning of the subject’s departure, Hartsock was left quite broken-hearted.  An insider with The Bachelorette was quoted of saying about this season’s final episode, “Des didn’t see it coming.”  When asked about how she felt about seeing herself in the upcoming finale, Hartsock told Us Weekly, “No one’s excited to see themselves cry.”  The new edition of Us Weekly hits newsstands tomorrow, Friday, July 26^th.

Also in this week’s edition Us Weekly, Adam Levine’s fiancé, Behati Prinsloo, dishes on the couple’s engagement and upcoming nuptials.  Prinsloo notes in her interview with Us Weekly that she is still trying to get acclimated to all of the changes.  “It was a surprise,” she said.  “It hasn’t even sunk in yet!  Last night, I forgot I slept with my ring on.  I woke up and went, Oh hello!’”  Levine proposed to Prinsloo only three weeks after the couple had gotten back together. 

In movie news, Us Weekly sits down with actor Garrett Hudlund in this week’s new issue and discusses his choice to not star in the upcoming big screen adaptation of author E.L. James’ novel 50 Shades of Grey.  The magazine has confirmed that Hudlund turned down the lead role of Christian Grey in the interview.  According to a source close to the film, Hudlund turned down the role because “doing a possible trilogy was too big a commitment and producers wouldn’t let him do just one film.”  Fans can check out the new issue of Us Weekly for all of the details on who might take Hudlund’s place in the series’ lead role.

Us Weekly also sat down with veteran actor Bruce Willis for a very candid interview about his image on screen versus who he is away from the cameras.  Willis joked about being a gentleman when asked about his Red 2 co-star Mary-Louise Parker.  “I don’t know if I’m a real gentleman. I would say I’m an OK gentleman.”  Willis proved he was a gentleman as Us Weekly caught him using a prop gun to shoot a blank at a bee that came too close to Parker.  “Yeah, that’s a real thing that happened,” he admitted.  “I shot it in the wing and it spun to the ground. But I did not kill the bee. No bees were injured.”  When he was asked about his role of dad to his four daughters, Willis said, “I love making my kids laugh.  I even try to make my youngest daughter laugh now [Mable, 16 months].  She can’t really run away, even when she doesn’t like my jokes!”

And in what has to be one of the most interesting features in this week’s issue of Us Weekly, June Shannon, Honey Boo Boo’s mom, sits down for an interview and shares her thoughts on parenting.  Us Weekly asked Shannon about her thoughts on keeping her kids from smoking and dressing inappropriately.  When asked about keeping her kids from smoking, she said, “It’d be hard because I did it when I was a teenager.”  When asked about her children’s attire, she had this to say.  “The s—t don’t happen in my house.  I don’t want my girls showing off too much.  I don’t allow [spaghetti strap] tank tops or short shorts.”  Here Comes Honey Boo Boo recently aired a special season premiere that allowed audiences to use a scratch and sniff card to smell certain items throughout the episode.  Leading fragrance guru Sean O’Mara discussed the promotion by TLC; specifically the experience of smelling the pork and beans.  O’Mara said of this experience, “This smelled more like roadkill than pork and beans. I would have played up the barbecue sauce.”  He also shared his comments on smelling the butter in the season premiere.  He said of this one, “It was meant to be butter, but smelled like cake frosting. I wouldn’t use it on a baked potato.”

These stories and much more are all in this week’s new issue of Us Weekly magazine.  It will be available Friday, July 26^th on newsstands everywhere.  And for even more from Us Weekly readers can “Like” the magazine on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UsWeekly or check out the Us Weekly official website at http://www.UsMagazine.com. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Die Hard 5 Even More Fun In Its Home Release

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

A Good Day to Die Hard was met with less than critical acclaim with it premiered in early 2013.  The fifth movie in the Die Hard franchise, viewers and critics alike largely panned the movie.  Critics and viewers gave reasons that largely centered on the movie’s writing and its general story as the reason for its lack of entertainment value.  The reality is that there was nothing wrong with the story or the writing behind Die Hard 5.  The real reason that it largely failed to garner big numbers is one that people refuse to admit to for whatever reason.  The real reason that it fell short can be summed up in one word.  That one word is relevance. This critic personally noted when Die Hard 5 premiered, that had this installment in the series traded places with its predecessor, it might very well have been released to much bigger response.  That is because relevance brought down both movies.  Die Hard 4 was ahead of its time.  And because director John Moore and company were paying homage to the original movie in the Die Hard series, most audiences and critics could not relate.  Most of those same audiences and critics likely hadn’t seen the original Die Hard, either.  So, that might explain that much.  Those that are more familiar with the series maybe simply couldn’t see the forest for the trees.  That would be the most sensible explanation for that faction of viewers.  Now that Die Hard 5 has been released to DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, maybe those same audiences and critics will give this movie the second look that it deserves and see it for the valuable addition that it is to the Die Hard series.

Die Hard 5 is a fun trip down movie memory lane.  Audiences that know the series’ history and already have an appreciation for this movie will agree to this.  Those that are new to the series and those that perhaps saw this movie for what it was, will hopefully see this especially in watching the bonus features of the new Die Hard 5 home release.  The best point at which to start in this argument is the making of feature, aptly titled, “Making it Hard to Die.”  This hour-long plus feature goes into massive depth, showing just how much work went into bringing this story to life.  Viewers are taken behind the scenes and behind the cameras in an in-depth discussion of everything from the movie’s special effects and visual effects to the weaponry and even aircraft used this time around.  There’s even a section of this feature that, led by obvious fan boy and director John Moore, discusses the use of actual explosions and stunts versus the full on use of CGI.  It was wonderful to hear Moore note just how important it was to the movie in the grand scheme of the Die Hard franchise to use actual stunts and explosions in balance with the green screen instead of simply going entirely the green screen/CGI route.  Understanding this, audiences will hopefully gain at least some appreciation for this movie and everything that went into its creation.  It is, of course, just one of the bonus features that make the movie even more enjoyable the second time around.  Another factor that will hopefully help add to the movie’s appreciation is the feature on the movie’s big car chase.

The discussion on the early chase scene between John, Jack, and his Russian counterparts will instantly conjure thoughts of Steve McQueen’s famed car chase scene in Bullitt.  Just as interesting in this feature is the notation that the sequence was both physically and digitally storyboarded.  This is so impressive in that so many studios have done away with actual physical storyboarding and gone digital.  It is nice to see that hand drawn art still has at least some place in the movie industry today.  All of this is one more step back in time and one more element that creates even more appreciation for this latest installment in the Die Hard franchise.  If this and the extensive making of feature are not enough, then audiences can also check out the “New Face of Evil” feature that focuses on Kamarov and his daughter or the feature, “Two of a Kind” that focuses on the relationship between John and Jack or even “Back in Action”, which focuses on the development of John McClane from the original Die Hard to this point decades later.  All of these bonus features come together with the story to make Die Hard 5 a movie that while it isn’t the best of the series, is still a fun movie.  And hopefully after seeing it, those same people that criticized it before will agree that it’s so fun that it’s worth well more than just one watch.  It’s a movie worth watching any time audiences want a real action movie.  It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered from the 20^th Century Fox store at http://www.foxconnect.com.

Die Hard 5 Better Than Many May Think

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

Action movies are meant to be an escape from the rigors of everyday life.  They are meant as a chance for audiences to turn off their brains if only for a couple of hours and be taken into the world of the fantastic.  Keeping this in mind, one has to wonder if the masses of audiences and critics who panned the latest installment in the Die Hard franchise went in with an open mind or with an agenda and a preconceived notion set in their minds.  While it can be agreed that A Good Day to Die Hard–or as it will henceforth be known, Die Hard 5 or DH5–is not the best of the Die Hard franchise, it also is not the series’ worst. None of the series’ movies is really the worst per se.  Die Hard 4 was a movie ahead of its time.  It came out at a time when cyber terrorism wasn’t necessarily a worldwide problem yet.  So considering this, had Die Hard 4 and 5 switched places, audiences might have been more receptive to both movies, even with the character of Jack McClane (Jai Courtney) still being an issue.

If one goes into Die Hard 5 with an open mind and the ability to suspend one’s disbelief, then one will see just how much it got right.  That’s not to say that it was perfect.  Again, there was the lingering issue of explaining away Jack.  But the script’s writers, Skip Woods and Roderick Thorp do make a valiant attempt to explain away that plot hole.  Anyone who has watched the bonus features in the recently released 25th anniversary Blu-ray set will recall that the previous Die Hard movies were each penned from completely separate literary sources.  More than likely this movie was, too.  So taking that into account, the issue of Jack’s noted absence throughout the previous films can be forgiven.  Now, having gotten past that issue, the only real issue that perhaps got in the way of Die hard 5’s success was its rapid fire pace (no pun intended).  The story starts rather abruptly, and never really slows down.  The constant action and the twists and turns peppered throughout the story might have been enough to leave some viewers dizzied and confused.  That in turn might have been enough to justifiably leave some audiences turned off.  While it is justified, it is the only factor that can be said to be a justified negative to Die Hard 5.

Having gotten the only justified negative out of the way from this movie, one will see just how much writers Skip Wood and Roderick Thorp got right.  As fast paced and dizzying as the story is, those who go into the movie with an open mind and a desire to escape will appreciate the twists and turns peppered throughout its near two hour run time.  There are just enough twists and turns to keep audiences think they know what’s going to happen, only to go in the exact opposite direction.  And while many prematurely called the very premise of John McClane going to Russia unbelievable, let alone him facing a terrorist from the Cold War era USSR.  But again Wood and Thorp did quite the job explaining this away.  Again, a big part of being able to believe this goes back to having seen Die Hard 4.  Had Die Hard 4 and 5 switched places, this plot element might have been easier for audiences to accept.  As soon as audiences understand and accept all of what has been noted, it makes enjoyment of the movie–explosions and all–that much easier.  In turn, it makes the movie as a whole that much greater of an escape.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Die Hard BD Set A Great Anniversary Gift For Franchise’s Fans

Courtesy: 20th Century Fox/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Detective John McClane is coming back to theaters one more time in only a matter of days in a brand new installment in the Die Hard franchise.  In celebration of the upcoming adventure, 20^th Century Fox and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment have released a somewhat new collection of McClane’s adventures.  The new Die Hard 25^th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection is an excellent addition to the home library of any action film fan that doesn’t yet have the franchise’s films or the previously released eight-disc Ultimate Collection.

Die Hard fans get in the new Blu-ray Collection much of what was included in the aforementioned DVD set with a few minute changes.  Those changes show up mainly in the removal of the unrated versions of the movies that were included in the original eight-disc DVD set and a couple of bonus features from Live Free or Die Hard.  But 20^th Century Fox and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment have more than made up for that with seven brand new in-depth features included in their very own disc in the set, thus keeping this set as entertaining as the previously released mega set.  Included in this new five-disc set are features that any true movie buff and Die Hard fanatic will appreciate.  It starts with the bonus feature, “Reinventing the Action Genre.”  This feature provides a glimpse into how each one of the Die Hard movies came to life.  It’s interesting to learn from this feature that the series’ first two movies actually came from two totally separate books that were adapted into Die Hard and Die Hard 2: Die Harder.  Even more interesting to learn is that the author of the book which became Die Hard originally didn’t like the idea of his book being turned into the franchise’s base.  And that book in question was actually the sequel to another book that had been turned into a movie starring Frank Sinatra.  When asked about doing a movie adaptation of that book’s sequel, Sinatra turned down the chance, and thus Die Hard was born.  There is plenty more here for audiences to enjoy; so much so that there is neither time nor space to go into it all.  That’s something that audiences will have to discover for themselves.

The very first of the set’s new bonus features alone makes for plenty of extra insight into this landmark franchise.  It includes interviews with cast and crew of each movie, as well as each movie’s writer.  From here, audiences are taken on a journey behind the scenes of the movies’ special effects, the action sequences, the fights, and even McClane’s sidekicks and so much more.  This is just one part of what makes the new Die Hard 25^th Anniversary Blu-ray Collection worth the money for any true Die Hard fan.

Also making this new set just as positive as the DVD set is its packaging.  Whereas the previous set was contained in a rather large, bulky box, this set is contained much like that of 20^th Century Fox’s 2010 Blu-ray release of the Alien Anthology on Blu-ray and Paramount’s recently released Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures on Blu-ray.  The set’s packaging is something of a book that is far slimmer than the previously released DVD set.  As impressive as the new set’s packaging is, it should be considered for any new box set released as part of the home release of It’s A Good Day To Die Hard later this year.  The discs are placed into sleeves of sorts, rather than regular disc “trays.”  This isn’t an entirely bad thing.  It isn’t without its concerns.  But considering that a new box set is highly likely upon the home release of the franchise’s latest installment, one can only hope that this single con will be turned into a positive in the next box set’s release.

Keeping in mind everything noted about this new Blu-ray box set, there’s no denying that it is well worth the money for any true hardcore fan of the Die Hard franchise.  It’s available now in stores now and can be ordered online direct via the 20^th Century Fox store at http://www.foxconnect.com/die-hard-25th-anniversary-collection.html.

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.