Movie Info:
Writers: Stephen King, George Goldsmith
Director: Fritz Kiersch
Cast: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, R.G. Armstrong, John Franklin, Courtney Gains, Robby Kiger, AnneMarie McEvoy, Julie Maddalena, Jonas Marlowe, John Philbin
Rating: R
Studio: Anchor Bay/Starz

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: August 25, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $12.99

Late 70s and 80s horror films are some of the best horror films that have ever been made. Perhaps I can say that because I am partial, having been born in the late 70s and raised in the 80s. Still, when I am looking for something to scare me or to give me a good laugh, I always go back to my favorite 80s scare flicks. These are movies I’ve seen hundreds of times. Movies like Child’s Play, A Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Bad Dreams, and of course Children of the Corn. These are movies that, like most horror, you have to suspend your belief in reality to enjoy. However, if you are willing to do so, in most cases, it is worth the trouble.

I’ve loved Children of the Corn since my first viewing as a child. These days I have found that it’s more of a cult favorite in terms of its fans. People either love this movie or they hate it. Most critics hate it. I love it. In fact, I love everything about it, right down to the horribly cheesy effects at the end (you know what I mean if you’ve seen this). Written by Stephen King when he was the master of all things psychotic, CotC is a story unlike most others. There is something interesting about a bunch of religion obsessed kids that worship the god of corn.

Along with the inventive storyline the acting pushes the story along nicely. The main actors (though there are technically quite a few) include John Franklin, Courtney Gains, Linda Hamilton, and Peter Horton. While Hamilton and Horton work well as the somewhat concerned adults, the real stars here are the kids. Franklin plays the part of the more than creepy cult leader. His raspy voice and his controlling ways all help to build the main character. However, it is never Franklin’s character that becomes truly frightening (even though that hat he wears is pretty scary). Instead, it is Gains’ character that stands out as the creepy, overindulgent murderer that you hope never comes to your town. Despite it being one of his first roles, Courtney Gains showed us that he has the making of a cult leader’s henchman. Even now, years after this movie was made and the cast had all moved on, “Outlander” is still used in reference to the lanky red-headed boy sent to do the bidding of his leader.

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

Writers: Greg Mottola
Director: Greg Mottola
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Kristen Wiig, Margarita Levieva, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Martin Starr, Jesse Eisenberg
Rating: R
Studio: Miramax

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 3, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 25, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $25.99

Reviewing movies gives me a certain advantage over others. I see a lot of trailers I wouldn’t usually see. For example, I never happened to catch advertising for Adventureland on television, but I saw the trailer so many times on other Miramax DVDs I reviewed, it guaranteed I knew about this movie. I was intrigued by the trailer. It looked funny, had an 80s vibe, and didn’t seem to be too cheesy.

Let me say it now. I was disappointed. Adventureland had great potential. It had a great setting, a semi-interesting story and potentially interesting characters. The one thing it didn’t have was the ability to come through on all this film promised to be. It ended up dragging on, building up to nothingness, and fading into oblivion even before the ending of the movie came.

The first problem is that while the film is set in the 80s, and there are some obvious signs of the 80s, it isn’t 100% 80s. It was like Greg Mottola said, “Let’s throw in Ronald Reagan, “Rock Me Amadeus,” a few 80s dance moves, a few 80s outfits and we’ll call it 80s.” Truthfully, it isn’t 80s enough to capture the 80s vibe the way it should have. The most 80s character is Lisa P. She is actually pretty funny, but everyone else just sort of wears t-shirts and jeans, which might have been 80s, but it’s also popular today, so I felt like the film was set today with a few 80s caricatures, if that makes sense.

The second problem is the plot. The plot revolves around James Brennan. Initially, he’s involved in a triangle with Em and Mike Connell, but then it turns into a quadrangle with Lisa P. coming into the picture. This entire he/she/he/she love affair thing dragged the movie down. The triangle made the movie interesting, but the entire inclusion off Lisa P. into the relationship aspect of the movie was ridiculous. Honestly, I liked her as the mysterious, untouchable, cool 80s girl who loved to dance in that 80s way. Letting her have excessive amounts of dialogue kind of ruined the mystique.

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics, his religion (Hellenic Reconstructionism) and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.

Writers: Daniel Berendsen, Michael Poryes
Director: Peter Chelsom
Cast: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Mitchel Musso, Moises Arias, Lucas Till, Vanessa Williams, Margo Martindale, Peter Gunn, Melora Hardin, Jared Carter, Barry Bostwick
Rating: G
Studio: Disney

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 10, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 18, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

I don’t understand the tween culture at all. Of course, that is likely the case because when I was a “tween” we weren’t called tweens. We were kids. In fact, we remained kids until we were teenagers. If we referred to ourselves as pre-teens or any other ridiculous adjective based on our age, our parents laughed at us. However, in the last decade the soccer mom’s have come out in full force and they encouraged these idiotic fads; like tween-dom.

Tweens (or between child and teenager) are a market group these days. They influence television, movies, and even music. Normally, I would say that this is fine. The problem is that these tweens have little to no taste in nine out of ten cases.

Hannah Montana is an excellent example of the lack of taste that these kids have when choosing celebrity entertainment. For those of you living under a rock Hannah Montana is a Disney Channel show about a pop star that is a normal girl to her friends and a rock star to the world. The best thing about her is that it shows how the world around her is truly moronic. I mean, after all, the difference between the country bumpkin and the music superstar is a wig. One is blonde (poorly so, at that) and the other is brunette. Otherwise, they look and sound alike. The show, which is supposedly a comedy, is about balancing the best of both worlds. If you think it sounds asinine or unworthy of being on television you’re right.

Billy Ray Cyrus fans would probably tell you that through his daughter’s show and career, he has managed to revive his “Achy Breaky” stint in stardom, too. All three fans are decidedly giddy I am sure. The rest of us are forced to deal with it by turning Disney whenever the horrid comedy comes on and by switching the radio station every time the screechy, annoying “Climb” hits the airwaves.

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

Movie Info:
Writers: John Hamburg, Larry Levin
Director: John Hamburg
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Sarah Burns , Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, Jane Curtin, J.K. Simmons, Andy Samberg, Rob Huebel
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: March 20, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 11, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.99

I mention in every comedy movie review that I write that I am not a huge comedy fan. On the whole, I prefer the dramas. Still, as I saw the promotion for I Love You, Man through trailers and other assets both online and on the television, I couldn’t help but want to see this movie. It looked funny, but I was hoping that the funniest moments weren’t stuck to just what was available in the trailer, which I found can be true of a lot of comedies out there.

John Hamburg, the writer, director and producer of this movie, calls it a smart comedy, and I think that’s a fair description. For the most part, the humor is funny, but not stupid. Sure, there is some crude, adult humor, but this is about guys and what is funny to a guy isn’t always as mature as what is funny to the ladies (granted, I know a few girls who like the crude humor, but on the whole men tend to be cruder then women). I found a message in this movie dealing with how we perceive genders, what is right and what is wrong for a person based on their gender, cliches, and stereotypes.

Hamburg rips away all those stereotypes. He makes the gay male masculine, in touch with his manly side and just one of the guys. On the other hand, the straight male who is obviously in love with his girlfriend, takes on those roles we normally see as effeminate. Seriously, real men are supposed to be oblivious to the concerns and needs of women, so when a guy is a listener, thoughtful and can fit in with a group of girls better than he can the guys, he’s often looked upon as either gay or weak. Gender isn’t always black and white. People act how they act, and this movie points out exactly why society shouldn’t set such stringent gender roles.

Beyond all the philosophical stuff, I Love You, Man is actually rather funny. Women will want to go and see it for the underlying love story, and the humor, and men will be in it for the humor. I found myself nodding my head (or shaking it) throughout most of the movie. It is a smart comedy. It has the ability to make you think, and yet the message is subtle enough that it is not preachy. It’s just the kind of comedy I like.

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics, his religion (Hellenic Reconstructionism) and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.

Movie Info:
Writer: Billy Bob Thornton
Director: Billy Bob Thornton
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter, Lucas Black, Natalie Canerday, James Hampton, Robert Duvall, Rick Dial, Brent Briscoe
Rating: N/a
Studio: Miramax

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: November 27, 1996
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.99

I remember hearing a lot about Sling Blade during its Oscar hype. There was a virtually unknown man that wrote, directed, and acted in this movie about a mentally disabled man that just got out of the mental hospital. The story was about how he befriended a young boy and proceeded to live his life free of the institution, with his new friend at his side. It almost sounded like a more redneck, less commercial version of I Am Sam (without seeing it, that is). In the beginning I had no interest in seeing Sling Blade. At that point, it seemed like movies with guys that were “slow” was all the rage. Sure, each of them were different, but they were out in abundance for a few years. This one seemed to be the most odd to me. Sam had heart and Forrest told one hell of a story, but Karl…all he did was grumble his speech and eat biscuits and mustard. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed.

Then I learned that John Ritter was in the movie, starring as a homosexual Dollar Store manager named Vaughan. I have loved Ritter since I was a child, watching him as the insanely funny (and adorable) Jack Tripper on Three’s Company. I rarely, if ever pass up a chance to see his work. So, I had no choice but to watch Sling Blade once I learned that he had a part in the movie. While Ritter was subtly brilliant, as always, it was not his performance that surprised me, as much as it was the film as a whole. Sling Blade caught me by surprise. It started with a slow feeling that the movie was pretty good and before I knew it I was totally immersed.

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

For the first time, Disney/Pixar’s Monsters Inc. will be available in a Blu-Ray Hi Def Two-Disc + DisneyFile Digital Copy Set!

This set is slated for distribution on November 10, 2009. Here is all the information you need to know about this upcoming Blu-Ray release. We’ll be sure to provide more information as it becomes available to us here at Blu-Ray Authoritay.

Estimated Retail Price: $45.99 USD

TECHNICAL ASPECTS:

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Video: 1080p, Widescreen
Sound: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 5.1 Dolby Digital English, French, Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

BONUS FEATURES NEW AND EXCLUSIVE TO THIS BLU-RAY:

* Filmmakers Round Table: Filmmakers Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla Anderson, and Bob Peterson reflect on the creation of the film, and share their most memorable anecdotes.

* MONSTERS, INC. RIDE AND GO SEEK: BUILDING MONSTROPOLIS IN TOKYO

* A sneak peak of the newest Monsters attraction in Tokyo Disneyland, with exclusive interviews of the artists and engineers behind the ride.

* ROZ’S 100 DOOR CHALLENGE (INTERACTIVE GAME)

* Think you have what it takes to be a Monsters, Inc. employee? Roz will be the judge of that with her 100 Door Challenge. Deal with whatever is behind each new door. It could be a puzzle, a trivia question, a mini-game . . . it could be crazy! Do your best. Your future employment at Monsters, Inc. hangs in the balance.

* BD-LIVE FEATURES

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

Movie Info:
Writers: Susannah Grant, Steve Lopez
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Nelsan Ellis, Tom Hollander
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Dreamworks Video

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 24, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

As a mother of a child suffering from mental illness I was particularly interested in seeing The Soloist. While my son’s mental illnesses are different than the ones that are portrayed here in this film, I still looked forward to it from the moment that I heard about it. The idea that someone can go from a loving home to the streets because of a mental illness is a sad, but common fact. What’s also sad is that many of these people (all of them really) have at least one thing that make them special. Often these things are ignored because the harsh life on the street takes its toll. Of course, if I was not in this situation there would still be a few things that drew me to this movie.

One of those things is Robert Downey Jr. I have been a fan of Downey Jr.’s for decades. The first movie I ever really remember seeing him in was Less Than Zero. I have been all but hooked on him ever since. There was a brief period where he disappeared off the face of the Earth (or so it seemed), but lately his acting talents have been unstoppable. It’s hard to not want to see the movie from an actor that has starred in such hits as Tropic Thunder, Ironman, and Zodiac, to name a few.

Of course, adding Catherine Keener and Jamie Foxx into the mix certainly doesn’t hurt. It’s hard to dismiss the talent of either of these actors. I have been a long time fan of Keener and her work in movies like Into the Wild, Capote, and An American Crime. Foxx, on the other hand, really managed to catch my eye as a serious actor in blockbusters like Ray and The Kingdom. The cast is round out with an intelligent and thoughtful bunch of supporting actors that handle their respective jobs and roles with ease.

The Soloist is an uplifting film. Knowing that there is a man out there that would go to the lengths that many would pass over just to be another man’s friend manages to make you feel good somehow. On the flip side, it’s also a very sad movie. It’s sad because you see the devastation of life on the big city streets. While LA is shown, it’s easy to assume that other big cities are equally as ravaged by homelessness, drugs, crime, and mental illness. It’s sad because you see some good people out there and yet you can’t do anything to protect them when they refuse to protect themselves. That is one of the lessons learned, but not easily followed in The Soloist; sometimes you have to just suspend logic and be someone’s friend when they need it. Rules do not apply. Sometimes friendship is what a man truly needs to get by.

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

Movie Info:
Writers: Matt Lopez, Mark Bomback
Director: Andy Fickman
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Carla Gugino, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Everett Scott, Chris Marquette, Billy Brown, Garry Marshall, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann
Rating: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Video

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: March 13, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $25.99

Growing up, I loved the Witch Mountain movies. As cheesy as the effects were, the acting was great and the story was never boring. Disney went all out with these two movies, offering jobs to the likes of Christopher Lee, Bette Davis and even Donald Pleasence. I was born in the 80s, so I only saw these films in reruns on the Disney Channel or another, family friendly station. I had no idea how popular the movies were. As a kid, I thought I’d found this unknown treasure of film, the first time I saw Escape to Witch Mountain. Little did I know, the series would continue with a remake in the 90s and even a new interpretation.

I like Dwayne Johnson. He’s probably the best wrestler turned actor there is. He’s actually made a career for himself, and that is because he has realized the area where he shines the most is his comedic timing. That’s why Disney has a fondness for him. He’s a big, strong, muscled, funny man. You don’t expect guys like him to be funny. You expect them to be doofy, but this guy is actually really smart and creative.

When I heard Dwayne Johnson would be in the latest Witch Mountain film, I worried the movie wouldn’t do the other films justice. Luckily, this wasn’t a remake. There was already a dreadful, made for TV remake of Escape to Witch Mountain that aired in the 90s and starred Mad Men’s Peggy Olson. Despite giving the kids other names, this followed the original story almost perfectly, except it’s hard to replicate the chemistry between Ike and Kim, especially when it’s Peggy Olson with the kid who went on to star in a surfer show called Brink. Either way, I hoped Race to Witch Mountain would not suffer the same fate.

I was pleased with the fact that this story is original, delves into it’s own unique storyline, and reinterprets the entire idea of people coming from another planet. I also like how much work director, Andy Fickman, put into honoring and paying homage to the original films. From the Deranian reference to the obvious throwback to the original film’s Winnebago, he did a nice job of making fans of the old series comfortable in their knowledge of how much he respected these old Disney classics.

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics, his religion (Hellenic Reconstructionism) and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.

Movie Info:
Writer: David Loughery
Director: Steve Shill
Cast: Idris Elba, Beyoncé Knowles, Ali Larter, Jerry O’Connell, Bonnie Perlman, Christine Lahti
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Sony Pictures

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 24, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $25.99

I am rarely surprised by movies, but every now and then one comes along and surprises me. Obsessed is one of those movies that had me surprised. For starters, Beyonce is in this and doesn’t sing. It’s like seeing a John Travolta movie where he doesn’t dance. The entire event is one that leaves people shocked. While it’s a rare thing, Beyonce manages to excel in her role as a strong and confident wife and mother that is willing to stop at nothing to protect her family.

This was not the thing that surprised me the most though. The movie itself was quite surprising because the trailer did a good job at deceiving viewers, or at least they managed to deceive me. I’d planned to see Obsessed from the first viewing of the trailer, but after seeing the movie I realized that I didn’t know as much about the film as I originally thought. If you go into this film thinking that it’s going to be about infidelity then you will be wrong. The plot actually has a much more demented, confused tone to it. I mean that in the best of ways. Obsessed was actually better than I had thought it was going to be, and I thought I was going to like it from the beginning.

One of the best things about this movie is Ali Larter’s character. I’ve always found Larter to play in some interesting roles. The fact that she exudes sex appeal does not hurt either. Larter plays the obsessed, Lisa, a temp worker at a law firm that needs some serious psychiatric help. Calling her a fruitcake would be putting it mildly. Of course, in true movie fashion she doesn’t just sit around on her own. She sets out to infect the world with her madness. Two of the people she infects the most are Derek Charles (Idris Elba) and his wife Sharon (Beyonce).

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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.

Movie Info:
Writers: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler
Director: Frank Coraci
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk, Jerry Reed, Rob Schneider, Larry Gilliard Jr.
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: November 6, 1998
DVD Release Date: August 4, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $25.99

Adam Sandler is one of the best comedians making movies today. His best comedies were in the 90s. Prior to making films, he was on SNL, which is how he became famous with skits like Canteen Boy, Opera Man, Cajun Man and the gay beer guy. Sandler was on SNL with a great group that included Dana Carvey, David Spade and Chris Farley to name a few, but Adam went on to become the most famous in the movie industry. It’s not that the others failed, but it didn’t help much when Chris Farley died, and David Spade sort of faded into oblivion as a result.

Sandler is still making movies, but not all of them are straight shooting comedies like his work from the 90s. He’s expanded into family comedies (Bedtime Stories), more serious roles (Reign Over Me), politically-inspired comedies (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan) and even the occasional flop (Click). I still love what Sandler is doing, but in a different way. In the 90s, it was all about the laughs, and that’s what makes the comedies he made in this time period classics. It was a simple formula: Be Funny and the Audience will Laugh…and we did!

The first Adam Sandler film I remember seeing was Mixed Nuts, though I didn’t really realize that was Adam Sandler until much later on. He also wasn’t the main character. The first actual Sandler film I saw was Happy Gilmore. This movie was absolutely hilarious. From there, I watched The Waterboy, The Wedding Singer, Billy Madison and Big Daddy. All of these films were funny in their own way and Adam only helped to enhance the funniness of the film. Today, I have DVDs of every single Adam Sandler 90s comedy. They are just too good not to own.

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics, his religion (Hellenic Reconstructionism) and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.