Gripe Soda
Tuesday, 08 July 2014 12:35

Doogan’s Queue for July 8, 2014

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July is here and that means only one thing – San Diego Comic-Con is in the air. So many executives and filmmaking superstars, comic book artists & writers, bloggers, journalists and all the important personal friends they can get on the VIP lists for tickets flood the streets of that great SoCal city fighting to be the first that sees a trailer, buys an expensive book, toy and/or commissions a head sketch of their favorite superhero for 800 bucks. Ah, sweet, sweet commerce. And you know, there may even be a few legitimate fans if they were fast enough to get the 300 tickets available for them. Everyone else can just cosplay and stand around the Gaslamp Quarter waiting for trolleys to pass while girls in hot shorts hand out postcards to music venues with a mild sci-fi theme. You might think I hold this event in distain – I don’t. I’m just calling in what it is. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And with that, let’s look at this week’s releases to disc media, shall we? [Read on here…]

Jodorowsky's Dune (Blu-ray Disc)

Bad Words – There must be a “Bad” franchise I’m not aware of, because here Jason Bateman plays a middle-aged jerk who hates kids (Bad Teacher, Bad Santa) who ends up learning a thing or two by the end thanks to those same horrible younguns. I’ll watch it. When, I couldn’t tell you. Let’s say, soon though.

Don Peyote – This one is DVD only. Dan Fogler joins forces with Michael Canzoniero to shoot a passion project of theirs. The trailer looks weird as all get out. Reviews have been terrible. I’ll see it because it’s what I do. I watch crappy films. I don’t always like them, but I watch them.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 – I liked Bad Grandpa. This is the special feature that should have been on the Blu-ray. To charge money for this is a smack in the mouth to all who call themselves fans. It’s on Netflix “for free” so watch it there. If you watch it all the way through on Netflix, hidden on the additional suggestion page that pops up on the end is an additional bonus featurette – so get your fix that way.

Jodorowsky’s Dune – If you love filmmaking documentaries, just go buy this. It’s great.

Nymphomaniac: Volumes 1 and 2 – Jahnke’s going to be reviewing this soon, so he’ll be able to say more about them than I can. I want very much to see them and according to my Netflix queue – they are on route to me this week. Weeeeee!

Southern Comfort (Blu-ray Disc)The Raid 2 – This is a really good action film. I’ve been known to critique the flow of the first film for having the extraneous opening sequence saying the film should have just dropped us in on the SWAT van and started there. Well, I was wrong because this film picks up right where the last film ends, but without the opening to the original film, you wouldn’t understand the choices Rama makes to follow the twisted rabbit down the hole in this film all for the sake of squashing corruption. I can’t wait for the third film because there better be a third film.

Legend of Billie Jean: SE – I really like this film. A young woman (Helen Slater), her little brother (Christian Slater – no relation) and a couple of their friends (including Lisa Simpson) stand up to the bullies of their small Florida town and in effect become outlaw “rock stars” in the media. It’s a rather well-made film, and holds up rather nicely in all its eighties-ness.

Southern Comfort – Walter Hill will go down as one of the greatest under-appreciated directors ever – and if you haven’t seen this film, you’re missing out. Part Warriors, part Deliverance, part Predator even – Southern Comfort is a masterwork and it’s a welcome addition to Blu.

Stage Fright – Another eighties Italian horror film that I haven’t seen, but welcome to the upgrade format.

The Time Machine – In honor of my pal (and yours) Uncle Bob Burns, I draw your attention to one of his favorite films getting a nice upgrade: George Pal’s Time Machine is getting all Blu-rayed. If you’re a young film fan who hasn’t seen this one, this is another suggested must-see. Don’t question it – just do it.

And that’s it. Next week is going to be light with the biggest title (for me) being Scanners from Criterion. You will also get animated parrots, an alien ScarJo (I know she hates that name, but it’s cute) and the disc debut of one superbad animated muther... I’ll just shut my mouth until next week. Until then, keep spinnin’ those discs.

– Todd Doogan

 

 

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