I'm an avid watcher of films and I just love discussing and sharing them with the world. I enjoy horror, sci-fi and mostly any genre under the sun, plus I have a slight obsession with Blu-ray's and the whole high definition craze.
Steven Soderbergh's experimental male stripping film Magic Mike took most by surprise when it ended up being one of the most popular (and successful) films not only of the summer, but of the year. Star Channing Tatum has been on a roll lately, with The Vow and 21 Jump Street both proving that his name attached to a film means something. Soderbergh's R-rated Magic Mike went on to clear $100 million domestic on a scaled back budget and a specific target audience.
Rupert Sanders' Snow White and the Huntsman is a bloated mess that is plagued with pointless scenes and a non-ending that will leave most furious. The Blu-Ray receives high marks, but only because Universal gave it their all transferring the film to high definition. The disc makes for a cold rental at best.
John Gulager's Piranha 3DD is a far cry from Alexandre Aja's gory, fun and campy horror flick from 2010. The sequel tries being even more over-the-top, but ends up sinking in its own cheap budget and rushed production.
John Hughes' Sixteen Candles still remains a classic coming-of-age tale that resonates now just as well as it did in the 80s. This Blu-Ray release features a soft video transfer, a so-so audio mix and a small amount of bonus content, but it is still worth the purchase because this is one film that you'll want to own, regardless of transferring issues.
Nicholas Stoller's The Five-Year Engagement is a disappointing entry in an otherwise impressive list of films featuring his frequent co-collaborator Jason Segel. Emily Blunt and Segel do have excellent chemistry and comedic timing, but the film hits a slump at the halfway point and never manages to fully recover.
Rock of Ages might be one of the biggest summer bombs of this year, but just how bad was it? I never bothered seeing it, mostly because I don't care for musicals, but also because the film just looked horrid. Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Paul Giamatti led an all-star cast that also included a cameo appearance by Tom Cruise.
Eduardo Sanchez has proven his worth and his inability to direct a proper horror film with Lovely Molly. His lack-of-reveal style doesn't add up in this scare-less waste of time.
The Focus Features branch of Universal Studios will be releasing Lorene Scafaria's end-of-the-world dramedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World on Blu-Ray in October.