Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Wednesday Sale and Used updates - October 30, 2013


Here is the Wednesday Sale:

1-Disc Used:
Savages $6.99
Chicken Little $6.99
Sherlock Holmes $6.99
Gone Baby Gone $6.99

Brand New:
Lovely Molly $8.99
Simply Irresistible $7.99

Used update:
Metalocalypse Season 3
The Purge (Combo w/Slip Cover)

Used 1-Disc update:
127 Hours
Altitude
Atonement
Batman & Robin
Batman (DigiBook)
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Defendor
The Disappearance of Alice Creed
Due Date
Get Smart
Harry Brown
Jennifer 8
Kick-Ass
MacGruber
The Marine
Office Space
The Other Guys
The Pebble and the Penguin
Sharktopus
Surrogates (Bilingual)
Witchfinder General (UK Import)
Zombie Hunter

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25. 

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Weekend Sale and Used Updates


Here is the Weekend Sale:

1-Disc Used:
Gamer $6.99
Trespass $6.99
Faster $6.99
From Paris with Love $6.99
Hondo $6.99
Disturbia $6.99
Contagion $6.99
Superman vs Elite $6.99

Brand New:
Flatliners $6.99
Without Men $6.99

Used 3D Blu-rays:
World War Z 3D (3-Disc Combo) $16.99
Star Trek 2: Into Darkness 3D (3-Disc Combo) $16.99

Brand New 3D Blu-rays:
Resident Evil: Retribution 3D $19.99
Ice Age 4: Continental Drift 3D $16.99



Used 1-Disc update:
Billy Madison
Brave
Breaking Bad Season 5
A Bug's Life
Cats and Dogs 2
Death Race 3
Dexter Season 5
Don't be Afraid of the Dark
Echelon Conspiracy
A Few Good Men
Flypaper
Fright Night (Bilingual)
The Godfather Collection
Good Will Hunting
In Bruges
Iron Man 3
The Long Good Friday
The Lorax
Marmaduke
Oblivion
Peter Pan
Play it to the Bone
Project X
The Relic
Rock of Ages
Skyfall
Star Trek 2: Into Darkness
The Three Musketeers
Trespass
True Grit
We Were Soldiers
Wonderland
World War Z
Youth in Revolt

Used 3D 1-Disc update:
Clash of the Titans 3D
G.I. Joe Retaliation 3D (3-Disc Combo)
The Great Gatsby 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Iron Man 3 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Secret of the Wings 3D
Star Trek 2: Into Darkness 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Tangled (Bilingual) 3D
World War Z 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Wrath of the Titans

$4.99 Used update:
Old Dogs

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25. 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Wednesday Sale and Used Update


Here is the Wednesday Sale:

1-Disc Used:
Stone $6.99
Five-Year Engagement $6.99
Lady and the Tramp 2 $7.99

Brand New:
Mad Max 3 $9.99
Day Watch $9.99
New Orleans Concert $9.99
The Vans - Warped Tour $9.99


Used 1-Disc Update: 
21 & Over
Black Swan
The Brothers Bloom
A Christmas Story
Dark Skies
Hot Tub Time Machine
Inkheart
Jumper
The Power of Few 
Toy Story 2 3D

$4.99 Used 1-Disc Update:
Tinker Bell
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25. 

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Captain Phillips (Theatrical Review)

Captain Phillips (2013)
Action, Adventure, Biography, 134 minutes
Directed by Paul Greengrass
Starring Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed and Mahat M. Ali

I was a huge Tom Hanks fan in the 1990s and the early part of the 2000s, but it's been a while since he turned in an exceptional performance. I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, but Hanks hasn't been great since Cast Away 12 years ago. After hearing the early buzz about Captain Phillips, I was hoping one of my favorite actors would return to peak form.

Although Hanks didn't put a foot wrong, I came away a little disappointed. Let me explain why.

We meet Rich Phillips (Hanks) as he is driving to the airport with his wife, Andrea (Catherine Keener). This introduction is somewhat brief, and Catherine Keener plays no further part in the movie. What it does do is allow us to see how Phillips prepares for a trip. He's aware of the dangers of piracy, but he's an experienced man.


The next characters we meet are the pirates. This introduction is a much longer segment, and is extremely chaotic. We learn that life is hard for these Somali pirates and that they have bosses that they have to answer to. These people felt like standard villains to me, and we end up knowing little about them despite the length of time spent showing us their homeland. They talk in heavy accents when they do speak  English, and they have bad teeth. Yep, these are the people we are supposed to hate.

Some of the most impressive scenes in the movie happen near the beginning as we see Phillips go about his routine. Hanks is particularly good at playing understated roles, and he's completely believable. The tone changes when the inevitable meeting with the pirates occurs. If you were to sit down and guess what kind of things might happen from this point, you would probably be pretty close. I know the movie is supposed to be based on real events, so I can't deduct points for lack of originality, but there aren't many surprises.


I'm not going to delve into the plot beyond these scenes which all take place in the first 30 minutes. Anything more would venture too deeply into spoiler territory.

Paul Greengrass also directed The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, which are among the best action movies I own. If you are familiar with those, it won't surprise you to learn that Greengrass employs similar techniques in Captain Phillips. He tries to enhance the action by showing extreme closeups and point of view shots, intended to place us right in the middle of the action. You can also expect to see plenty of shaky cam effects. Although this worked quite well, it will definitely annoy some viewers.


Captain Phillips is a tense account of what can happen in dangerous waters. When you see all of the events transpire, you might be wondering whether it wouldn't be cheaper and safer to hire a few armed guards if you're transporting cargo through the region in question. The ultimate resolution was infinitely more expensive.

I'm happy enough with Captain Phillips, and will be adding it to my collection, but I'm still waiting for a role meaty enough to extract another Oscar-worthy performance from Tom Hanks. Don't avoid it, but temper expectations a little.

Overall score 3.75/5

Return to index of every review on the site.  




Saturday, October 19, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Weekend & Halloween Sale Oct 19, 2013


Here is the Weekend Sale:

1-Disc Used:
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone $6.99
The Artist $6.99
Glee - The Concert $6.99
Hitchcock $9.99
The Incredible Hulk $6.99

Used:
True Blood Season 1 $14.99
True Blood Season 2 $14.99

Brand New:
HD Moods Hawaii $4.99
HD Moods Deluxe $12.99
The Ides of March (US Version) $6.99
The Watch (Combo) $9.99
Behind the Candelabra $12.99


There are also more than 100 titles on sale for Halloween. Here's the full list.

Used 1-Disc update: 
2001: A Space Odyssey
The A-Team
Alice in Wonderland
Alpha Dog
Amadeus
The Amazing Spider-man (Combo)
Apparition
Army of Darkness
The Artist
Aviator
Battle Royale
Battle: Los Angeles

Boardwalk Empire Season 1
Brave
City of God
Contagion (Combo)
The Dark Knight Rises
Days of Thunder
Death Race 2
Dream House (Combo)
Fifth Element
Fight Club
Flashdance
From Dusk Till Dawn
Frozen Ground
Fun Size
G.I. Joe Retaliation
G.I. Joe Retaliation - Extended Action Cut (Combo)
Glee - The Concert
Hitchcock
The Hunt for Red October
Identification of a Woman (Criterion)
Incredible Burt Wonderstone
Iron Man 3
The Island of Dr. Moreau
Jack Reacher
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
The Last Airbender
A Letter to Three Wives
The Life of Pi (Combo)
Magic Mike
A Man Escaped (French Import)
Oblivion
Old Dogs (Bilingual)
Once Upon a Time in America
Paul (Combo)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2-Disc)
Planet Earth
Predators
Prometheus
Quadrophenia (Criterion)
Rango (Combo)
Rise of the Planet of Apes
Star Trek
Star Trek - Origins
Super Buddies
Taken
There Will Be Blood
The Thing (1982)
The Thing (2011) (Combo)
This is 40
Tower Heist
Uncle Buck
Walk the Line
Wolverine
The Woman in Black (Combo)
X-Men First Class
Young Guns 

Used 3D Discs: 
Conan the Barbarian 3D (Combo)
Final Destination 5 3D
Ghost Rider 2 3D
Immortals 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Men in Black 3 3D (3-Disc Combo)
Oz: The Great and powerful 3D
Prometheus 3D (4-Disc Combo)
Spy Kids 4 3D (3-Disc Combo) 


Used $4.99 update:
Night at the Museum
Night at the Museum 2
Too Big to Fail


Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).


Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25.

Return to index of every review on the site.  

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Weekend Sale - Oct 12, 2013





Brand New:
Galaxy Quest $9.99
The Pink Panther $6.99

Used 1-Disc:
Cleanskin $6.99
Despicable Me $6.99
Enchanted $6.99
Jack and Jill $6.99
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole $6.99
Oz: The Great and Powerful $8.99
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides $6.99
The Road Warrior $6.99

Used 3D Combo Pack:
G.I. Joe Retaliation 3D $16.99
The Great Gatsby 3D $16.99

Used 1-Disc update: 
Age of Heroes
Age of the Hobbits
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (UK Import)
Amadeus (Best of Warner Bros.)
Brave
Cars
The Colony
Company of Heroes
The Dark Knight Rises 
Doctor Who: Spearhead from Space
Epic
Finding Nemo
The Fugitive (Best of Warner Bros.)
Happy Feet 2
Home on the Range
Hostel Part 2
The House of Seven Corpses (Combo)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1 & 2
Iron Man 3
Iron Sky (Combo)
Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox
Looper (Combo)
Man with the Iron Fists
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Monster's Inc
Oblivion
Oliver & Company
Oz: The Great and Powerful
The Postman
Rio (Combo)
Rock 'N' Roll High School
Rock of Ages
Shoot ‘em Up
Star Trek 2: Into Darkness
Tangled
The Terror Experiment
The Tigger Movie 

Used $4.99 additions: 
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum 

Used 3D:
Brave 3D
Fright Night 3D
G.I. Joe Retaliation 3D 
The Great Gatsby 3D 
Hugo 3D
The Lorax (2012) 3D
Monster's Inc 3D
Tangled 3D
Thor 3D  

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25.

Return to index of every review on the site. 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Wednesday Sale - Oct 9, 2013

Wednesday Sale


Here's a link to the Wednesday Sale:

1-Disc Used:
Hangover $4.99
Hangover 2 $4.99
Battleship $6.99
Mass Effect $6.99
Bad Boys $6.99
Who Framed Roger Rabbit $8.99

Brand New:
Barenaked Ladies: Talk to the Hand $6.99
Silent Hill: Revelations (Combo) $9.99

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25.

Return to index of every review on the site.  

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Gravity - Theatrical Review

Gravity (2013)
Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller, 90 minutes
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, and the voice of Ed Harris

Many people don't take science fiction seriously, but here's a movie that might work for those who don't usually like the genre. There are no aliens, unknown worlds, monsters, or laser shootouts. This is a movie that's set in the real world, or more accurately, above it.

The story opens with a George Clooney voice-over. We meet astronauts working to repair a satellite. This shows how calm such a silent world can be. I reluctantly saw the movie in 3D, but this was one occasion that I came away feeling that it added to the experience. It almost made me dizzy seeing Ryan Stone (Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (Clooney) go about their routine business with Earth looming large in the background. Indeed, the cinematography was breathtaking throughout the 90 minutes.

I don't want to give away too many details, but if you have seen the trailer or even looked at the poster, you'll know that this movie is far from being a calm ride. An accident sends debris racing toward the astronauts like some kind of deadly shrapnel. What follows is a story about the strength of the human spirit, and the will to survive against all odds. Remember that the word gravity has more than one meaning.


While I enjoyed Sandra Bullock's performances in The Blind Side and Speed, I would hardly describe myself as a fan. However, I left the theater thinking that she carried the whole movie, and it's easily the most accomplished performance of her career.

Alfonso Cuarón directed Y Tu Mamá También, Children of Men, and the best Harry Potter movie (Azkaban), but this is comfortably my favorite from his impressive portfolio. The story is lean, gripping, thoughtful, thrilling, scary, breathtaking, beautiful, and emotional, and feels perfectly paced at every point. He doesn't insult us by giving too much exposition, and that draws us deeper into the story. His use of extreme close-ups is another reason we are drawn to these characters. It's hard to avoid feeling that you are a part of the movie.


As I watched, I thought of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Moon, Apollo 13, Cast Away, Alien, and a few other great movies. Cuarón lets us see his characters thinking, and that's a good thing. Remember that astronauts are not selected because they are stupid or incapable of adapting in extreme situations. I'm always impressed when I see a movie which takes the trouble to show how people really think. It's not an easy thing to do well. This choice works perfectly and helps the whole story succeed because it's so believable.


Although the visuals dazzled on a regular basis, my favorite shot in the whole movie was Sandra Bullock in the fetal position. It jumped out at me as being so appropriate for the scene, and it was a stroke of genius. You'll know what I mean when you see it. The opening titles remind us that there is no sound in space, just as Kubrick depicted almost 50 years ago.

I admire this movie so much that I would happily watch it again tomorrow. It's a wild 90 minutes. I left the theater feeling as if it was an effort to be back in the real world. I was totally immersed in the story to the point of being almost unable to function when it was over. I'm glad I had a long walk back to the car so that I could catch my breath.

There are so many reasons to see this movie, even if you hate science fiction. It won't be forgotten when the awards season arrives. See it immediately. I would even go as far to say you should see it in 3D.

Overall score 5/5

Return to index of every review on the site. 

Blu-Ray Bin Weekend Deals - Oct 5, 2013

Blu-Ray Bin Deals



Here are the latest deals from Blu-Ray Bin. You can sign up to receive them automatically on their website.

Use code freeshipoct2013 for free shipping on all used items (no minimum purchase).

Free shipping on anything to the US and Canada when you spend $25.

Weekend Sale: 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter $6.99
Alien $6.99 (My review)
Extract $6.99
Friday the 13th (2009) $4.99
Green Zone $6.99
The Guardian $6.99
The Incredibles (Bilingual) $9.99 (My review)
The Matrix $6.99 (My review)
Mr. Popper's Penguins $6.99
Pain & Gain $9.99
Paranormal Activity 3 $4.99
Planet Ocean $9.99

Deal of the Day:

The Hangover $4.99 

Used: 

The Cold Light of Day (Combo)
The Five-Year Engagement (Combo)
Invictus (Combo) (My review)
The Last Airbender (Combo)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Combo) (My review)
Snitch (Combo)
Special Forces (Combo)
Swamp Thing (Combo)

Used 1-Disc additions:

21 & Over
30 Days of Night 2: Dark Days
Aliens
The Campaign
Cyrus
Escape from New York (UK Import)
G.I. Joe Retaliation - Extended Action Cut
Get the Gringo
Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider 2
High School
How Do You Know
In Time
Iron Man 3
Jeepers Creepers
Kingdom of Heaven
The King’s Speech (My review)
The Lincoln Lawyer
Lion King 1 1/2
Lion King 2
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Love Me Tender
Moneyball (My review)
Movie 43
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Night at the Museum
Night at the Museum 2
Not Fade Away
Oblivion
Oliver and Company
Open Road
Pain & Gain
Planet Ocean
Promised Land (My review)
Set it Off
Star Trek 2: Into Darkness (My review)
Star Trek Next Generation: Redemption 
Stoker
Tremors
Trouble with the Curve (My review)

$4.99 additions:
 
Fast & Furious
Fast & Furious 2
Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast Five
Fast & Furious 4
I am Number 4 (Bilingual)
The Mummy 3
National Treasure 2
Wrath of the Titans

Return to index of every review on the site.