By: Evan J. Thomas

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are stories that just hit you in different ways.  Project Hail Mary is everything you want from a sci-fi film, and then some. It’s smart, emotional, funny, and packed with edge-of-your-seat moments that never let up. From the very beginning, the story pulls you in with its mystery and high-stakes premise, and it only gets better as the layers unfold.  I haven't had this type of emotional rollercoasters in a movie in a long time.  I admit I teared up a handful of times throughout.  

What really sets this film apart is its balance between science and heart. The concepts are fascinating without ever feeling overwhelming, and the human element hits just as hard as the spectacle. There are moments of tension, moments of humor, and even moments that genuinely catch you off guard in the best way.
The lead performance by Ryan Gosling was at his best as he carries the film effortlessly, bringing both vulnerability and wit to a character you can’t help but root for. And visually, it’s stunning—space has never felt so vast, beautiful, and terrifying all at once.  Many of the scenes just focus on Gosling's character and "Rocky", a non human character that was a CGI phenomenon. 
But the real magic of Project Hail Mary is its message. It’s a story about resilience, patience, connection, and the lengths we’ll go to for survival, not just of ourselves, but of others.
This isn’t just a great sci-fi movie, it’s one of the most engaging, heartfelt, and memorable films in years.  I'm predicting will be seeing Project Hail Mary's name in the Oscars for 2027.  

FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

By: Philip Sayblack

This coming May, 20th Century Studios will bring the third installment of its Avatar franchise to home physical release.  The movie, which is streaming now via Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, is an over the top work that simply put, will only appeal to the most devoted fans of this movie series.  There is sadly little to say to the positive about this movie, save perhaps for its production.  This will be discussed shortly.  That is sadly not saying much considering the expansive nature of this three-hour-plus story, even with all of the bonus content that tries to apologize for the story.  Speaking of the bonus content, it is perhaps about the only other positive, if one can even say that three plus hours of extras is a positive.  Keeping all of this in mind, this latest installment of the Avatar series is, again, a presentation whose appeal is going to be extremely limited.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment in 20th Century Studios’ ongoing movie franchise, is not a presentation for everyone.  Nor is it a movie that is going to appeal to everybody.  The one thing that perhaps will appeal widely among audiences is its production.  Throughout the course of its three hour, 17 minute run time, the production deserves its share of applause.  This is primarily in regard to its look and sound on Blu-ray and 4K UHD.  Both platforms look and sound quite impressive in their playback on a 4K UHD television.  From the scenes beneath the wave to those in the skies of Pandora to the many other parts of the planet, the colors are rich and the details of every landscape are just as vivid.  The sound, from the soundtrack to the general sound effects, is just as immersive.  Audiences do not even need a sound bar to be immersed by the movie’s sound.  Keeping all of this in mind, the overall production that went into this movie is its main saving grace. 
While the production values exhibited throughout Avatar: Fire and Ash deserves some applause, it is sadly about all that audiences have to appreciate here.  The story here is so expansive that it is easy to feel the desire throughout to just hit the fast forward button.  That is because it feels like the writing team, headed by the series’ creator, James Cameron, did not seem to know exactly where they wanted to go from one point to the next.  At the center of the whole is the human boy, Spider. Spider lives among the Na’vi, just like Sully did in the franchise’s first movie and not to spoil too much, but he ends up being accepted by the Na’vi in the end, essentially making this movie just a rehashing of the series’ first movie.  As the story opens, it picks up shortly after the events of the conclusion of the second movie.  Jake [Sully] and his wife decide that Spider cannot live among them because he is not one of them and that he would never be one of them.  He would only draw the humans to them time and again, according to Jake.  So, they decide to let another group of Na’vi take Spider back to his own people, but Jake’s biological children resist, leading the whole family to join the voyage, which quickly turns bad after yet another tribe, the so-called Ash People, attacks the traders, who were taking the family along for their voyage.
This is where things really become problematic.  The Sully family is separated as a result of the Ash People’s raid.  When Jake’s son spots the Ash people attacking his people through the scope of his gun, he cannot bring himself to just shoot and kill them.  This could have ended things nice and quickly, but obviously Cameron was not about to let that happen.  So, as a result, the family ends up on an even more expansive journey that results in the Ash People partnering with the humans to attack the Na’vi.  The “whale hunt” from the second movie is back here, too, though its use does not even become front and center until the third act.  It feels like Cameron and his writing team just added it in because they did not know how to really progress the third act, so they just tossed it in.  It feels like this is just thrown in as a random plot device to bring the Sully family back together for the movie’s big, climactic final battle.  That battle, by the way, plays out so much like the final climactic battle from the series’ first two movies.
The Na’vi obviously come out on top, but here is the thing: Varang, the head of the Ash People, escapes capture and even death and just runs away in the end while Quaritch, the big bad military guy who everyone thought died at the end of the second movie, dies (or so we are led to believe) again this time.
As if everything noted is not enough, there is even more problem with the story as Spider, who could not originally breathe Pandora’s air, loses his mask along the way, and is “saved” by one of his Na’vi “siblings” and miraculously is able to suddenly breathe the planet’s air.  A later diagnosis of what happened leads him to become even more a point of interest for the humans because of his changed physiology.  Yet somewhere along the way, Spider goes back to having to have a mask while he is underwater, but then as the story ends, he is able to breathe like the Na’vi again.  This back and forth for Spider and its impact on his role in the bigger story complicates things even more because it makes this aspect feel contrived in its own right.  All things considered, the story that was crafted for this movie is so all over the place, that a person is going to need a program to know what the heck is going on.  To that end, it drastically detracts from the viewing experience, hurting the presentation all the more.
Knowing how much the story at the heart of this movie does to hurt the presentation, there is perhaps one other “saving grace” (if one even wats to call it that) in the form of the bonus content.  The bonus content’s total run time exceeds three hours itself.  So that along with the movie’s expansive run time means a total run time in excess of six hours.  No one is going to sit that long for all of that.  The bonus content takes audiences deeper in to the creation of this latest Avatar movie, from the special effects to the costumes, to the set design and related concept art, and even various other story elements and more.  It is a lot, simply put, and because it is so much, it is a presentation that, again, only the most devoted fans of this franchise will appreciate.  Everyone else will be able to watch a little bit and get enough.  Keeping this in mind, the bonus content that accompanies Avatar: Fire and Ash works with the movie’s overly expansive story to make the whole a presentation that really only appeal to the noted most devoted of the franchise’s fans.  To that end, this movie is just another typical Hollywood blockbuster whose home release is coming along just in time to give audiences a way to stay indoors as temperatures start to rise nationwide.
Avatar: Fire & Ash, the third entry in director James Cameron’s ongoing Avatar movie franchise, is not a presentation for everyone.  It is a story that will appeal to a very targeted audience base.  This is proven largely through its overly expansive story.  Between the far too faceted primary story and the equally multi-faceted secondary aspects, there is so much going on from beginning to end that this story is just too vast.  It is too much for itself.  The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its home release further expands on that note because of how much time it spends on so many aspects of the movie.  Yes, it adds some background to the movie to say the very least, but it adds so much that people are going to want to only watch but so much in one sitting.  The only real positive is the production.  The movie actually looks and sounds impressive from beginning to end.  The picture and sound are crystal clear but that sadly is not going to be enough to save this movie.  To that end, this latest installment of the Avatar movie franchise is proof of the old adage that just because we can do something does not mean that we necessarily should.
Avatar: Fire & Ash is streaming now.  It is scheduled for home physical release May 19.  More information on this and other titles from 20th Century Studios is available at:
Website: https://20thcenturystudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Avatar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/20thcentury

​

By: Philip Sayblack

​VCI Entertainment is bringing two classic B movies back to life with a new double feature release.
The company will release The Crawling Hand and The Slime People Apr. 21 on separate Blu-ray and DVD presentations. Both movies were released in 1963 by Joseph F. Robertson Productions and were even featured in episodes of the timeless television series, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Released within only weeks of one another in September 1963 — The Crawling Hand was released first, on Sept. 4 while The Slime People followed on Sept. 18 — both movies would end up bombing, but have gone on to become cult favorites because they are so bad that they are great. Co-written by Bill Idelson, Herbert L. Strock, and Cranston, and directed by Strock, The Crawling Hand centers on the possessed arm of an astronaut who died in an explosion. The explosion happens when the space capsule in which he was riding is intentionally destroyed by scientists after it is discovered something from the lunar surface has possessed him. A college student named Paul Lawrence (Rod Lauren — Terrified, The Young Swingers, Black Zoo) and his girlfriend, Marta Farnstrom (Sirry Steffen — The Beverly Hillbillies,The Tom Ewell Show, Inter Nos) finds the arm and brings it home, leading to lots of bad things happening when the arm comes to life on its own, clearly possessed by whatever had possessed the astronaut. The arm ends up possessing Paul, leading to even more problem. The Crawling Hand also stars Alan Hale, Jr. (Gilligan’s Island, The Giant Spider Invasion, Hang ‘Em High), Peter Breck (Shock Corridor, The Big Valley, The Sword and the Sorcerer), Kent Taylor (Half Past Midnight, Sued For Libel, Four Girls in White), and Allison Hayes (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, The Undead, Gunslinger).
The Slime People, co-written by Blair Robertson, Vance Skarstedt and directed by Robert Hutton, centers on Tom Gregory (played by Hutton, who also starred in movies, such as They Came From Beyond Space, Hollywood Canteen, and The Steel Helmet) as the head of a group of people who fights up the evil “Slime People” who have come to the surface world to take over the city of Los Angeles. Among those who help Tom fight the slime people are Tom’s daughter, Lisa (Susan Hart — Dr.Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, City in the Sea, Ride The Wild Surf), Professor Galbraith (Robert Burton — The Big Heat,Cry of the Hunted, I was a Teenage Frankenstein), and writer Norman Tolliver (Les Tremayne — King Kong vs.Godzilla, The War of the Worlds, North by Northwest).
Both movies feature a full feature=length audio commentary as an extra, as well as movie poster, collectible booklet, and two-sided box art.
More information on both of these movies and other titles from VCI Entertainment is available at:


Website: https://vcientertainment.com


Facebook: https://facebook.com/VCIClassicMovies

By: Philip Sayblack

​The need for connection, for human companionship, is among the most basic of human needs.  It is such a need that in Japan, there is even such thing as a “rental family” industry.  The industry actually rents out actors who pay the part of friends and relatives at social events so as to make people feel less lonely at such events.  Having started in the 1990s it has become such a lucrative industry, that there are now more than 300 rental family businesses in Japan, and now there is even a new drama starring actor Brendn Fraser (yes, an actor playing an actor) that is centered on that industry.  Having made its theatrical premiere in November 2025 through Searchlight Pictures (a division of 20th Century Studios), it started streaming last month and is set for physical release this coming Tuesday, Feb. 17 on Blu-ray/digital combo pack.  Rental Family (yes, that is actually its title) is an intriguing presentation that deserves to be watched at least once.  That is due largely to its story, which will be discussed shortly.  While the story does plenty to engage and entertain audiences it is not a perfect presentation.  Its writing and pacing do become problematic as it nears its end.  It is not enough to doom the movie but does have a notable impact on the presentation.  Knowing it is not enough to doom the presentation, there is one more positive to examine, that being the work of the movie’s cast.  When the cast’s work is considered alongside the movie’s story, the pairing makes Rental Family further proof of the importance of independent movies in an age of nothing but prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events.
Rental Family, Searchlight Pictures’ new independent picture starring Brendan Fraser, is a presentation that is well worth watching at least once.  That is especially in comparison to so much of the otherwise unoriginal content that Hollywood’s major studios continue to churn out to this day.  The movie’s appeal comes in large part through its featured story.  Co-written by Stephen Blahut and director Hikari, the story centers on actor Phillip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser – The Whale, Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle The Mummy, etc.), an American living in Tokyo for the past seven years.  His biggest claim to fame is a toothpaste ad in which he played the part of a super powered toothpaste-based hero.  Since then, he has found only menial parts while auditioning for much bigger roles.  One day, Phillip is invited to work for one of the many rental family businesses in Tokyo, having no idea or real care for it at first.  However, as Phillip gets to know his “clients,” he finds himself inexplicably caring for them, perhaps too much, as he even ends up turning down a coveted acting role for a show in Korea because he becomes so attached to a young girl named Mia (played by newcomer Shannon Mahina Gorman) as he takes on the role of her father.  The result therein will not be spoiled here.  It will be left for audiences to discover for themselves.
That is not his only foible.  He also plays the part of a journalist who is interviewing elderly former actor named Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto).  As the pair gets to know each other more throughout the story, Phillip becomes so attached to Kikuo that he defies the wishes of Kikuo’s daughter and takes him back to his childhood home, a long way away.  As a result of caring so much Phillip ends up almost getting himself prosecuted and deported from Japan, if not for the help of his friends at the rental family agency. 
Meanwhile, the story goes back to Mia (again) as she discovers that Phillip was not her real father, leading to even more story involving her relationship with her mother.  This is where things start to become problematic for the overall presentation.  The movie’s run-time, not counting the end credits, is one hour 43 minutes.  At least a good 20 minutes or so of that time comes at the end as it feels like neither Blahut nor Hikari could fully figure out how to wrap up the story.  In other words, it drags on at the end with several points that could have been solid endings.  As a result, many viewers may find themselves checking their watches as the story finally nears its end more than once.  To that end, the story (and movie) is not perfect, even being worth watching.  The one negative noted here is not enough to completely doom the presentation but certainly did not help it, either.
Knowing that the writing and pacing issues that arise in the story’s final act are not enough to doom the movie, there is at least one more positive to note from the movie, that being the work of Fraser and his cast mates.  The character development that Fraser displays throughout the course of the movie is subdued and nuanced.  It is obvious when things change for him, emotionally, after Mia gives him a mobile that she made in school.  In that moment it would have been so easy for him to overact, but thankfully with his experience, he handled the moment and what came after expertly.  On the same note, his interactions with his cast mates (most notably Emoto and Gorman) allow them to fully exhibit their talents, too.  In the case of Emoto, he does such an admirable job of slowly opening up to Phillip a little more with each interaction.  At first, he is tentative about letting Phillip interview him, not even questioning Phillip’s real identity.  But as the duo’s friendship grows, audiences slowly see more vulnerability from Kikuo, to the point that Kikuo finally indirectly admits that he knows he is developing dementia and just wants to go home one last time before he dies.  Why he wants to return home and the sequence thereof makes for one of the most bittersweet of the story’s items.  This will also be left for audiences to discover for themselves.  Emoto is to be highly commended for his work alongside Fraser.  It easily makes him such a sympathetic character.
In the case of Gorman, even being a newcomer, audiences would not know this about her if they did not watch the movie’s bonus behind the scenes featurette.  The innocence that she brings to Mia is so endearing in its own right.  That anger that she exhibits as Mia first meets Phillip (whose character in this case is named Kevin) is fully believable.  What child would not lash out after being without a parent for so many years?  The way in which she gradually opens up and her pained reaction as she discovers Phillip’s secret tugs so much at the heartstrings.  Her interaction with Phillip in the story’s finale is just as believable as she basically reintroduces herself to him.  It is another heartwarming moment that when considered along with so much else from her performance adds even more to the appeal of the acting.  When her work, that of Emoto and Fraser is considered collectively, the whole therein makes for reason enough for audiences to watch this movie.  When the acting and story are considered collectively, they make for plenty of reason for audiences to take in Rental Family at least once.  This even considering the one issue of the writing in the final act.
Rental Family, Searchlight Pictures’ new human drama starring Brendan Fraser, is a touching new offering that proves itself worth watching at least once.  That is proven in part through its story.  Yes, the story is based on something real, it is not based on actual events.  It is an original work that is full of heart and wonderful acting.  The only real negative is the writing and pacing in the story’s final act.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make Rental Family further proof of the place and importance of independent standalone movies in an age of otherwise forgettable movies from Hollywood’s major studios.
Rental Family is streaming now and will be available on BD/digital combo pack Tuesday through Searchlight Pictures.  More information on this and other titles from Searchlight Pictures is available at:
Website: https://searchlightpictures.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/searchlightpics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/searchlightpics

By: Philip Sayblack

​Secrets can be killers.  That seems to be the central message of Dark Sky Films’ newest paranormal thriller, The Arborist.  Set to make its streaming debut Saturday, this roughly 95-minute movie is a gripping tale of ghosts not only in the literal sense but also in the figurative sense, ghosts of the past.  Keeping this in mind, the story featured in this movie proves itself a work that paranormal fans in general will agree is worth watching at least once.  The cinematography and acting round out its most important elements, working with the story to make the whole a unique offering further showing the place of independent movies even in today’s cinema world.
The Arborist, the forthcoming new paranormal thriller from independent movie studio Dark Sky Films, is an interesting presentation that fans of the genre are certain to agree is worth watching.  This is proven in large part through its story.  Written and directed by Andrew Mudge, this unique story centers on a middle-aged, alcoholic, single mother, Ellie (Lucy Walters – Get Shorty, Shame, Here Alone) and her teen son, Wyatt (Hudson West – Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Klaus, General Hospital).  Ellie has been hired by recluse, Arthur Randolph (Will Lyman – Mystic River, The Other Guys, The Siege) to clear some trees from his property.  Ellie questions the hiring, but having been paid $3,000 by Arthur to fell the trees reluctantly agrees to do the job.  As she and Wyatt start in on the job, strange things start to happen, specifically to Wyatt.  The reason Wyatt is experiencing the phenomenon is eventually revealed as the story unfolds.  As it turns out, Wyatt just so happens to very closely resemble Arthur’s vile first cousin, Victor, who as it turns out was killed by Arthur when the two were boys.  Victor’s death came only after Victor himself killed a group of orphans visiting the Randolph estate, using gas.  He essentially killed them through carbon monoxide poisoning and did so purely out of jealousy because he was jealous of the attention that the children received from Arthur’s father.
As it turns out, Arthur hired Ellie and Wyatt not by chance but choice, as it is revealed they are indirectly related to him and Victor.  Arthur admits he wanted to get to know the duo, but now something very unexpected and scary has happened: Victor’s angry spirit has come after Wyatt with the intent of possessing him and using him to kill Arthur.  Victor is not the only angry spirit on the property.  The spirits of the children killed by Victor are also there and they are driven to kill Wyatt/Victor purely out of vengeance, complicating things even more.
Just as it seems like Victor has been defeated once and for all, one more secret is revealed at the end of the story’s final act, and it directly ties back to a secret that he (Wyatt) too has kept for quite a while.  It is a secret that almost causes Ellie to lose him. The secret is tied directly back to the loss of another of her children, her daughter Rachel.  That loss has “haunted” her and through Wyatt’s confession, no longer haunts either of them, allowing them to escape the estate and the spirits once and for all.  So, while yes, this story is a ghost story, it is also an allegory of sorts.  It is an allegory about the impact of keeping secrets and how those secrets can both literally and figuratively haunt us in the long term.  Keeping this in mind, that duality therein makes this story an interesting presentation that proves itself worth watching at least once.
The story at the heart of this movie is just one part of what makes it so interesting.  The cinematography plays its own role in the overall presentation.  That is proven through its subtle use throughout the movie.  At first when Ellie and Wyatt arrive at Arthur’s estate, all is good.  The sun shines through the trees but at the same time there is a certain darkness looming around it all.  As mother and son spend their off time in the property maintenance person’s quarters (which are conveniently unoccupied at the time), viewers will not the use of light and dark within the building.  That limited use of light both in day and night is symbolic of what is building.  Eventually Ellie is brought into the mansion in which Arthur lives alone.  Audiences will note the limited lighting in many rooms, especially in the house’s crawlspace.  It is at this moment in the crawlspace in which Ellie discovers the dark past of the estate that the lighting situation gets even darker, reflecting where the story is going.  It is a prime example of the importance of the lighting.
It is not until the story’s finale, in which Ellie and Wyatt return to the property, now destroyed, that the light has returned.  The mansion has been torn down and snow covers everything but the sun is shining.  It is like the past is all gone and the sun shining is reflective of the positivity that surrounds Ellie.  It is the hope for the future.  Yes, that sounds cliché, and yes it sort of is cliché.  That is because so many filmmakers have done much the same in so many other movies, whether it be paranormal thrillers or dramas in general.  Either way, it is still a solid way to let audiences know that the story is over and everything has been wrapped up, everything is OK.  Keeping that in mind, when one examines this and the rest of the cinematography, especially as it relates to the lighting, the whole throughout adds to the emotional impact of the story, making for that much more engagement and entertainment.
Putting the final touch to the movie is the work of its cast.  Walters shines as the story’s lead protagonist here.  Having lost her daughter Rachel some time prior, Ellie has clearly been struggling to come to terms with the loss.  Yes, she has been trying to use therapy but it clearly has not worked, as she has also been self-medicating through the use of alcohol and actual medications.  Walters does an impressive job of bringing out the impact of Rachel’s death on Ellie.  She is trying to hide alcohol in water bottles and is even called out for it by her own son.  Even as she works, the trauma is there as she tries to protect Wyatt from accidentally harming himself and when he is attacked by the evil spirit of Victor, she loses it, really showing the pain she still holds inside.  It is a powerful presentation from beginning to end.
Speaking of Wyatt, Hudson is to be applauded for his performance therein.  He is spot on as the typical moody teenager early on, going so far as to go goth and tell his mother how he wants to be buried.  Going back to Ellie’s trauma, that scene hits her hard but Walters does such a good job of maintaining Ellie’s control even there.  As Victor’s spirit continues to harass Wyatt and eventually possess him, Hudson does a good job of bringing out Wyatt’s fear and the anger as Ellie initially does not believe him.  It builds well on that parent child dynamic, further immersing audiences in the story.
One would be remiss to ignore the work of fellow cast member Will Lyman.  Lyman’s performance as Arthur is important because of the mystery that he maintains about Arthur.  As the secrets of the past start to come to light (again, literally and figuratively) his persona as he faces down the spirit of his cousin is spot on.  He is the perfect counter to Ellie throughout, giving just enough to her that he is still a suspicious figure until it all comes out in the final act.  His work, alongside that of his cast mates, makes the trio’s work in whole plenty of reason in itself to watch this movie.  When the acting is considered alongside the cinematography and the story itself, the whole therein makes The Arborist a paranormal thriller worth watching at least once.  Additionally, it is further proof that in an age of big studios churning out the same stuff year in and year out (prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events), standalone movies are still there to offer audiences valid alternates to what the major studios offer.
The Arborist, the forthcoming new paranormal thriller from independent movie studio Dark Sky Films, is a presentation that paranormal fans and even those wanting something with real content will find worth watching.  That is proven in large part through its featured story.  The story is important because while on the surface it is a ghost story, there is something deeper.  It is also an allegory about keeping secrets and how doing that will haunt people in more than one way.  The cinematography, as it pertains to the lighting, plays its own part to the presentation.  That is because the lighting is directly connected to the story’s development, making the presentation all the more immersive.  The cast’s work puts the finishing touch to the whole.  Each actor’s work does its own share to make the movie engaging and entertaining.  That is because each actor brings just enough to each performance.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make The Arborist a presentation worth watching at least once and a valid alternative to Hollywood’s endless sea of prequels, sequels, reboots, and movies based on books and actual events.
The Arborist is scheduled to make its streaming debut Saturday.  More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
Website: https://darkskyfilms.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DarkSkyFilms
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darkskyfilms

By: Philip Sayblack

​Horror and supernatural story fans will get a new offering next month from Dark Sky FIlms.
The independent studio announced Monday through a news release, it will start streaming The Arborist Feb. 6, with an advance screening to be held this Wednesday. According to information provided in the news release, the movie runs one hour, 40 minutes.

The movie’s script follows an arborist named Ellie (Lucy Walters — Get Shorty, Shame, Here Alone) who has been hired by a reclusive man named Arthur Randolph (Will Lyman — Mystic River, The Other Guys, The Siege) to fell a number of trees on his estate. Ellie is joined by her son, Wyatt (Hudson West — Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Klaus, General Hospital), who starts acting very strangely. This leads to increasing tension as Wyatt starts suffering from hallucinations, a haunting starts happening and Randolph finally admits why why he really hired Elly and her son.

The movie’s trailer is streaming here.
More information on this and other titles from Dark Sky Films is available at:
Website: https://darkskyfilms.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DarkSkyFilms
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darkskyfilms

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

By: Philip Sayblack

​For those who may not have already heard or read, Walt Disney Studios will release the latest entry in its Tron cinema franchise – Tron: Ares – next month.  Released to streaming outlets Fandango At Home, Amazon Prime TV, and Apple TV Dec. 2, it will see the light of day on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD Jan. 6.  This latest entry in the franchise is yet another mixed bag offering from the studio and is worth watching at least once.  In all honesty, the one best aspect of this movie is in fact some very particular acting.  This will be discussed shortly.  On the negative note, there is far more to note, beginning with the all too familiar story.  Additionally, there will be a 3-movie Tron set released alongside Tron: Ares, but if information is to be believed, it will only be available on one platform.  This will be addressed a little later.  Even with all of this in mind, there is still one more positive to note herein, that being the movie’s soundtrack, provided by none other than Nine Inch Nails.  When the soundtrack is considered alongside the noted specific acting, the whole leaves Tron: Ares a less than stellar entry in this franchise, which leaves the door wide open for yet another sequel (and even series) in its finale.  Should either a sequel or new series happen (God forbid), hopefully it will make up for all of the problems posed by this movie.
Tron: Ares, the latest entry in Walt Disney Studios’ decades-long Tron cinematic series, is hardly the best entry in the franchise.  That honor still belongs to the franchise’s original 1982 movie.  In all honesty, this movie is something of a mixed bag, very much like its predecessor, Tron: Legacy (2010).  It suffers from a multitude of problems, but also has at least some positives, the most notable being the acting of star Evan Peters (X-Men: Apocalypse, X–Men: Days of Future Past, X–Men: Dark Phoenix) as Julian Dillinger, the grandson of Ed Dillinger, the villain of the original Tron movie.  Dillinger was played by the late, great David Warner (Titanic, In The Mouth of Madness, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze) in that movie.  To be frank, Peters’ performance as the younger Dillinger is spot on throughout the movie.  Between his acting and his look, the immediate comparison that comes to mind is to fellow actor Jesse Eisenberg’s work as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and in Justice League.  To a similar note, Peters’ work here can also be compared to that of another fellow actor, Cillian Murphy in some of his works.  The way that Peters brings out Dillinger’s absolute almost Ahab-esque obsession with beating Encom and the pained result of his obsession makes it so easy to despise Dillinger.  In all frankness, his work outshines that of most of his cast mates, including one Jared Leto.
On a related note, while she is only a foil to Peters, Gillian Anderson (The X–Files, the Fall, The Last King of Scotland) is just as wonderful as Julian’s mother, Elisabeth Dillinger.  She is that voice of reason opposite her son, who keeps trying to talk sense into him and clear his mind.  Anderson shows that she knows she is in a supporting role here, and she makes the most of it, too, complimenting the work of her young co-star in the scenes in which she appears.  Not to give away too much as per the story, but even as she pays the ultimate price for Julian’s obsession (how it happens will not be revealed here so as to avoid too many spoilers) Anderson handles the moment so tastefully.  The reaction that Peters provides to the moment makes it just as powerful, especially considering what follows in the movie’s final act.  The pair’s work on screen is the high point of this movie that sadly is otherwise forgettable largely due to its script.
The script is the most glaring issue for Tron: Ares.  The script is so problematic because it honestly comes across as being so formulaic. Yes, the script (penned by Steven Lisberger, Bonnie MacBird, and David DiGilio) does center on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) and basically does continue what started some 45 years ago with Tron, but at the same time offers little new content.  The whole matter of the AI gaining sentience (in this case one Jared Leto – Morbius, Suicide Squad, Mr. Nobody) has been done to death for decades.  And in this case, that Ares turns face and protects the Eve (Greta Lee – St. Vincent, Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse, Past Lives) is way too easily compared to how the Terminator (basically an AI) went from being killer in the original Terminator (1984) to savior of sorts in its sequel, Terminator 2 (1991).  The only difference between the two characters is that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator turned good guy in the sequel because he was programmed to save John Connor in that movie.  In the case of Ares, he was a computer program that became sentient and realized the error of his way.  Either way, both characters are essentially AI type figures who go from bad guy to good guy, so to that end, the comparison is inescapable.
On another layer, the script feels somewhat preachy because it presents the whole equally familiar matter of whether AI should be used for good or bad.  On the “good guy” side is Eve and her desire to use AI to improve the world.  On the “bad guy” side is Julian and his desire to use AI for militaristic purposes and for his own personal greed.  He obviously ends up losing, as so many figures of his ilk often do in film and television in favor of that more peaceful-minded protagonist.  The preachy nature of this plot element detracts even more from the script’s appeal. 
Add in that so much of the script makes this movie feel like another cash grab by Walt Disney Studios, what with all of its throwbacks to the original Tron movie meant to play up the nostalgia of that movie’s original audiences, and the script becomes even more problematic. 
This is just one more concern for the script.  For those who perhaps might be unaware, allegations have come out since Tron: Ares’ debut back in October that the script presented in this movie was in fact not the original story.  According to the allegations that have come out, the original script involved Kevin Flynn’s son Sam (who was the star of Tron: Legacy) far more.  One can only wonder how different that script may be or have been from this script.  In this script, Sam is quickly written off in the opening credits through a “news report” claiming he had stepped down as head of Encom “for personal reasons.”  It is never mentioned again anywhere in the movie.  Rather all of the attention was focused on Kevin Flynn and the “permanence code” that he allegedly had created decades ago.  It is at the center of this whole thing as both Eve and Julian compete to get the code first.  It is that central conflict point that is sadly overshadowed by no less than four extensive chase scenes that take up so much of the movie’s roughly two-hour run time.  The chase scenes are, honestly, so overpowering, one cannot help but make comparison to Marvel Studios’ 2014 movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier what with all of its own action/chase scenes that make up so much of that movie.  This should come as no surprise considering that Marvel Studios is owned by Disney.
All things considered the issues raised through the script detract greatly from the ability of audiences to immerse themselves in the movie.  Moving on to another concern, now that this movie is set for release next month of 4K, one would think that Disney would release it and both of its predecessors on a full Blu-ray and .or 4K UHD box set.  The studio is not going that route.  Instead, the company has opted to package all three movies in a DVD box set.  If artwork provided to media outlets is to be believed, that 3-movie DVD set will not include any bonus content with the movies.  To that end, if no bonus content is included, audiences will do better to just hold onto their movies and wait for this movie’s 4K presentation to drop in price.
On a related note, those who are less concerned with bonus content still have another issue with which to concern themselves, the movies’ production quality.  How will the movies look when they are upscaled from DVD to 4K?  Yes, this is an aesthetic issue but still one very much of concern.
Speaking of bonus content, the bonus content featured with this movie does little to improve the viewing experience.  From the standard behind-the-scenes featurette to the slightly longer feature on each of the vehicles featured throughout the movie (it’s a surprise none of the vehicles have been marketed as toys to children considering the number of PG-13 movies out there marketed to children over the years), to the lack of any discussion on the story even with all of the nonstop talk about the soundtrack, crafted by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the bonus content just adds nothing to the presentation. 
Speaking of that soundtrack, which is addressed indirectly in each of the bonus features, it is really the only other shining point for this movie.  The soundtrack is so notable because while it is a soundtrack, it is also essentially another full Nine Inch Nails album and it puts Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ talents on full display.  As has been recently noted by Phil’s Picks, the 24-song soundtrack presents arrangements that at points throw back to Nine Inch Nails’ 1999 album, The Fragile.  At other moments, audiences can hear songs that intentionally or not, pay homage to work that Daft Punk did for the Tron: Legacy soundtrack.  At others still, there are arrangements that sound like they were perfect fits for the soundtrack to the original Tron movie.  Those songs, their sequencing, and their production make the soundtrack an item on which all audiences can agree in relation to this movie.  It is a presentation in itself that all audiences will agree is a standout presentation and another powerful work from Nine Inch Nails.  When it and the earlier noted specific acting is considered collectively, that whole makes Tron: Ares a movie that while otherwise forgettable, is still worth watching at least once, just sadly not much more.
Tron: Ares, the third entry in Walt Disney Studios’ decades-long Tron cinema franchise, is a largely disappointing offering from the studio that broke so much ground nearly 50 years ago when it premiered Tron in theaters nationwide.  It suffers so badly for a variety of reasons, beginning with its story.  The lack of any really impacting bonus content with the movie hurts the presentation even more.  Add in that the movie will be part of a trilogy set that will allegedly be released only on DVD and audiences get a presentation that does anything but pay tribute to the legacy of Tron.  To the positive at least there is some acting that helps the movie’s presentation, as does the soundtrack.  Those two items are the movie’s only matters that cannot be argued.  To that end, this movie proves itself, even in its new and upcoming home release, largely a forgettable entry in the Tron franchise.
Tron: Ares is streaming now through Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime TV and Apple TV.  It is scheduled for release on physical media Jan. 6.  More information on this and other titles from Walt Disney Studios is available at:
Website: https://waltdisneystudios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaltDisneyStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneystudios

By: Philip Sayblack

​Superhero movies are big business in today’s cinema world.  That was not always the case, though.  Going as far back as 1994 and Marvel’s then earliest Fantastic Four movie, the superhero genre was not a big draw until somewhere in the early 21st century, so when New Line Cinema released its cinematic adaptation of Image Comics’ hit title, Spawn in 1997, the movie was met with a mixed response from audiences.  In the nearly three decades since it made its theatrical debut, Spawn has actually gone on to achieve cult status and thanks to Arrow Video, will get new life next week on a new 2-disc 4K set and separate 2-disc Blu-ray set.  This in itself is important in its own important way and will be discussed shortly.  The movie’s sound and video quality – its production – also plays into the appeal.  This will be discussed a little later.  Rounding out the most important of the new re-issue’s most important elements is its bonus content.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of the movie’s new re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn a welcome offering from Arrow for the most devoted fans of this now modern cult classic.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s 1997 superhero cinema flick Spawn is an example of a re-issue done completely right. In a year when so many movie re-issues have come up short and/or just outright failed, it makes that statement all the stronger and important.  Set for release Tuesday, the movie’s forthcoming re-issue succeeds in part through its general presentation.  As noted, it will be released separately on a 2-disc 4K and 2-disc Blu-ray platform.  The discs in each set are the movie’s separate theatrical and director’s cut, with the director’s cut being the “darker, more violent” cut than the theatrical cut that ended up being PG-13 instead of “R”.  On one hand, one could look at this and ask why Arrow Video did not just combine all four discs into one full, 4-disc collection.  That is a valid question.  The immediate response however, is that had the company gone that route, it would have made such a set quite expensive. 
In looking at prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers (the movie was not listed through Best Buy and Books-A-Million), the 4K’s average price is $37.87 while the Blu-ray’s average list price is $30.24, with Barnes & Noble Booksellers having the most expensive listing for both releases.  Now, taking those prices into account, imagine having the Blu-ray and 4K sets all together in one set.  Odds are the average price of such a box set would be even more especially considering that Arrow Video is a British boutique label, making all of its re-issues imports.  To that end, the release of both sets separately is actually a good thing.  Sure, it would have been nice to have had both sets in one collection for audiences who are considering buying 4K tech but who still have Blu-ray players.  The thing is that 4K tech is still so price restrictive and Blu-rays honestly look and sound nearly as good as 4K releases (if not as good as those offerings).  Keeping that in mind, Arrow Video has gone the proper route in this case in regard to the general presentation.
The general presentation of Arrow Video’s Spawn re-issue is just one of its positives.  Another positive worth noting is its production (IE the video and audio quality).  The audio and video quality alike are impressive in their own right.  This applies in the 4K and Blu-ray presentation.  This is evidenced from the movie’s beginning to its end.  The soundtrack (composed of so much metal and nu-metal) expertly compliments the dialogue, the explosions and everything else while the video clearly has been touched up.  The grain of the original film is still evident.  That is obvious.  At the same time, it is not overpowering.  The result therein is a great sense of nostalgia among viewers while also giving a relatively clear picture along equally clear audio.  To that end, the production presented here builds on the general presentation to make for even more for audiences to applaud.
Rounding out the most important of the elements in Spawn’s 4K and Blu-ray re-issue is the bonus content.  The bonus content is the accent on top of the “structure” that is this re-issue.  That is because audiences get not just the bonus content featured in the original DVD and Blu-ray releases, but adds to that content with even more new material that adds so much to the viewing experience beginning with the new feature-length audio commentary from podcast host and comic book expert Dave Baxter.  At times Baxter’s commentary does feel a little bit scripted.  That cannot be denied but at the same time he also manages to make it feel fluid.  Audiences will be impressed as Baxter compares the original Spawn comic book to the cinematic adaptation, pointing out so many similarities and differences.  That he does this throughout the course of the movie is sure to lead to plenty of discussions on the pros and cons of those similarities and differences among certain circles.  That means that Baxter’s discussion on this matter alone makes for plenty of engagement and entertainment.
Baxter also takes on the special effects presented throughout the movie in his commentary.  The special effects are especially important because they are really a cornerstone of the movie’s visual presentation.  As Baxter points out, the visual effects used here were at the time a fledgling technology.  To that point, yes, the visual effects are questionable but keeping in mind their use in the cinema industry at the time, it makes their presentation ahead of their time.
Speaking of the visual effects, the VFX team of special makeup effects artists Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero discuss those effects at more length in their own lengthy discussion.  The duo points out the infancy of the tech that was used for the movie’s special effects, and even points out in the process that they actually did not want to use as much of the tech as was used.  There is note of how the pair went so far as to make a “prosthetic” cape for lead actor Micheal Jai White but because it was so bulky, ended up going the CGI route instead.  The same applied for the sequences involving the “devil.”  The duo discusses having actually made a model of the evil figure to use instead of a CG big bad. 
On yet another note, the duo’s discussion White’s prosthetic suit was so heavy and bulky that when they got him out of the costume, they had to actually dry it off because it caused him to sweat so much.  This is in line with White’s own comments in the new interview with him that sees him discussing exactly that topic.  In his new extra, White also talks about some other interesting aspects, beginning with the revelation that before joining the Spawn cast, he had actually been tapped to play the character Jax for yet another New Line movie, 1995’s adaptation of Sega’s Mortal Kombat game.  As White explains it, right around the time that he was tapped to become Spawn, the writers behind Mortal Kombat were reducing the role of Jax in that movie, so White still won out in the end, this even though he did not know anything about Spawn’s back story.  As White closes out his interview, he echoes the statement made by Spawn’s creator, Todd McFarlane in one of the original extras, that being the frustration of how  the MPAA handled the movie’s rating and that he thought an “R” rated cut should have been released regardless.
White is not the only one who discusses that treatment of the movie.  Bringing everything full circle, Baxter also addresses how the MPAA handled the movie’s treatment just because of its “darkness” since so few if any other movies at the time had been like Spawn.  It serves as a reminder of just how the MPAA (now MPA) uses what feels like bias in its rating system.  This is just one more of so many items that Baxter addresses and in turn adds so much to the viewing experience here.
On yet another note, Baxter also adds a lot of enlightenment to the movie as he explains Todd Mcfarlane’s time with Marvel comics and specifically his role in the creation of Venom in the company’s Spiderman series, and how that tied into the look of Spawn in the comics series.  Less seasoned comics fans will certainly appreciate this little six degrees of separation so to speak.  There is just so much more from here but not enough time or space to go into it all.  Putting things simply, Baxter’s feature length commentary adds so much appreciation to this modern cult classic alongside White’s interview.
As if everything noted is not enough, the movie’s nu-metal soundtrack also gets its own new in-depth examination and so does the editing.  Editor Michael Knue will entertain and engage audiences right from the outset of his interview as he discusses his dislike of having worked as an editor on the 1996 Alliance Films/Dimension Films sequel to The Crow, The Crow: City of Angels.  He said of that experience that it was so negative that he made him look for anything better, leading him to become part of the crew on Spawn.  It would be interesting to learn what made that experience so negative, working on The Crow: City of Angels.  His calm, matter of fact demeanor as he recalls his experience working on Spawn is enlightening.  It really brings the movie to audiences in a rarely addressed avenue so to speak.  This adds a whole new layer of appreciation for the final product.
Putting the final touch to the bonus content is its new companion booklet.  The notes, penned by John Torrani, coincide with everything discussed by Baxter.  From audiences’ dislike of the CG effects to the casting rumors (which will really surprise a lot of readers – thank goodness those rumors were just that) to the role of Spawn in rejuvenating the comics industry both on the printed page and on screen, and more, his insight completes the bonus content showing once more the importance that said content plays in the home presentation of any movie.
When all of Spawn’s expansive bonus content (the original and new collectively) is considered along with its production values and its general presentation, the whole therein makes the overall presentation that is this re-issue one of this year’s top new movie re-issues if not its best so far.
Arrow Video’s forthcoming re-issue of New Line Cinema’s Spawn is one of the most welcome surprises of this year’s movie re-issue field, along with its re-issue of Dark City earlier in the summer.  This re-issue shines in part because of its general presentation, which delivers the movie on two separate 2-disc sets, one being Blu-ray and the other 4K.  This is actually a money saving move by Arrow Video, believe it or not.  The production (the look and sound of the re-issue) adds to the appeal because of that presentation.  The expansive new bonus content that pairs with the original releases extras, puts such a rich finishing touch to the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the movie’s re-issue.  All things considered they make the forthcoming re-issue of Spawn one of the year’s best in the movie re-issue community and more proof of why Arrow Video is currently the leading company in home video releases.
Spawn is scheduled for release Tuesday.  More information on this and other titles from Arrow Video is available at:
Website: http://www.arrowfilms.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ArrowVideo
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArrowFilmsVideo

By: Philip Sayblack

​October is going to be a busy month in regard to physical media releases.  Early on, Warner Brothers is going to release a brand-new Blu-ray box set featuring 40 classic Peanuts television specials.  Also early in the month, Arrow Video will re-issue New Line Cinema’s classic comic book adaptation of Image Comics’ flagship series, Spawn in a new 4K restoration.  Roughly two years after its then most recent 4K release, Clue will get another 4K release, the previous re-issue being delivered via Shout! Factory in 2023.  This latest re-issue will come via Alliance Entertainment in a new 40th anniversary presentation that boasts absolutely nothing new this time out in comparison to Shout! Factory’s 2023 release.  Later this month, one of the most exciting new releases will come (Oct. 28) in the form of the long-awaited home release of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which saw a very limited theatrical release in late 2024.  This critic was lucky enough to see this surprisingly enjoyable movie, too, and has been waiting ever since for its official home release. 
As if all of that is not enough, one more movie, Marvel Studios’ latest reboot of The Fantastic Four is set for release Oct. 7, in the form of The Fantastic Four; First Steps.  This latest iteration of “Marvel’s First Family” on the big screen is an interesting but imperfect presentation.  To the good (and bad) is its story.  This will be discussed shortly.  On a related note, the bonus content that accompanies the movie’s home release (including its current streaming presentation) is something of a negative as the lack of one key item as an extra definitely detracts from the viewing experience and the appreciation of the story.  This will be examined a little later.  Knowing that this issue is not enough to make Fantastic Four: First Steps unwatchable, there is one more positive to note, that being the collective work of the movie’s main cast.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the movie.  All things considered they make The Fantastic Four: First Steps a work that while enjoyable, is still far from the best of Marvel Studios’ MCU offerings to date.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest entry in Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), is an interesting new presentation that even with its interest, is imperfect.  It is a presentation that proves worth watching at least once.  That is due in large part to its story.  The story clocks in at just under two hours (roughly one hour, 54 minutes to be exact – not counting end credits).  That is rare for a Marvel movie to say the very least.  It is a welcome change, considering the last time audiences saw a Marvel Studios offering that short a movie was in 2013 in Thor: The Dark World.  Actually, that movie is the shortest MCU movie to date at one hour, 52 minutes.  That is something to keep in mind especially considering the ability of that movie to keep audiences engaged versus this movie’s ability to do the same.  In just under two hours, The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ story accomplishes everything that it set out to do.  Kudos to the writing team of Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson and Jeff Kaplan as they succeed in doing what James Gunn honestly failed to do with his new Superman project for his DCU project.  The trio establishes the F4’s history solidly while managing just as easily to jump right into the group’s story, with Reed and Sue Richards celebrating the pending birth of their baby, who would later gain the name Franklin in the opening scene.  What is interesting in this moment is something that so many families will appreciate, the struggle of the couple to have children.  The subdued conversation puts that topic on the table without being preachy about the matter.  There are so many parents out there in this world, the real world, who face the same struggle.  They will appreciate how Friedman, Pearson, and Kaplan tackled the matter.  The trio also wastes little time getting to the heart of the story, that being the coming face off between the Fantastic Four and Galactus, the world eater.  The transition from all the happiness to this sudden sense of gloom and fear is handled so smoothly.  The fluidity of that transition is more proof of why the writing team is to be commended.
On another note, the way in which the trio ties Franklin’s pending introduction into the story at the center of the whole makes for its own share of interest.  It is also where some of the problems come into play.  For those less familiar with the Fantastic Four’s various story arcs, Franklin was in fact part of the family’s story early in the franchise’s history.  In doing research on Franklin, it turns out Franklin was indeed introduced into the Fantastic Four comics series way back in the 1960s, so that and the look of this film are a great pairing.  However, it was not until 2012 in Jonathan Hickman’s time on Fantastic Four, that Franklin and Galactus (this movie’s big bad, and a longtime foe of the F4), become entwined.  Franklin actually resurrected Galactus in Hickman’s time on the comic in order to get help battling a group of Celestials bent on world domination.  The pair ironically uses the exact same bridge tech used here that also stopped Galactus, in order to stop those Celestials.
This is where the story’s most glaring problem comes into play.  For those not so familiar with Franklin’s story, having this “chosen one” story at the center of the whole can be very problematic.  That especially considering Franklin’s rich history in the Fantastic Four comics history.  Franklin’s incredible power does not even come into play until the end of the story’s third act.  How this happens will be left for audiences to discover for themselves, but in reality, having that power not displayed until the story’s finale leaves audiences wondering the whole time what Galactus knows about Franklin and why he is so important.  The reasoning for withholding that information does make some sense in hindsight, but the writing team could have given audiences (especially those more casual audiences) at least a little something.
Staying on that same note, at no point in the bonus content is Franklin’s back story examined.  It is not even discussed in the bonus feature length audio commentary.  As a matter of fact, the majority of the discussion on that bonus audio track is about the movie’s production values (E.g. special effects, acting, etc.)  Sure, the deleted scenes’ standard inclusion helps make for some appreciation.  That is because each scene clearly was better left on the cutting room floor, but the other features, which focus on the cast and the special effects, is secondary to the importance of that one key bonus that was lacking here.  Having that extra retrospective would have done so much to make the viewing experience all the more enjoyable for audiences in general.
Staying somewhat on that same note, there is also no bonus content addressing the post credits scene involving the Fantastic Four’s appearance at the end of another recent Marvel movie, Thunderbolts*.  The scene in question finds the Thunderbolts relaxing in what used to be Avengers Tower when an alert comes up and the F4 shows up in its rocket on screen coming into their universe.  Nowhere in this movie does that come into play, though one Doctor Doom does come into play in this movie’s post credits scene.  That scene will not be spoiled here, but one can only hope that the two post credits scenes will meld together in the coming Avengers: Doomsday movie since it was revealed the Fantastic Four will be part of the forthcoming expansive multiverse movie.
Knowing that the lack of the Franklin’s history and how it was tied into this story is problematic but not enough to doom the movie (and the lack of anything explaining the family showing up at the very end of Thunderbolts*), there is at least one more positive to note, that being the work of the movie’s cast.  All four members of the superhero family – Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn – is deserving of praise.  Pascal, as Reed Richards, is impressive as he presents on one side, a figure who on the surface is so calm and collected.  As a scientist, there is almost an obsessive quality that Pascal brings to Reed’s persona.  As things progress, Pascal does just as well to bring out Reed’s vulnerability, his less confident side.  Audiences see a man who is in essence, like so many men out there, someone who tries to be strong for everyone but deep down is likely fighting to keep it all together.  This is something that so many people need to appreciate and take into note.  The duality that he brings to Reed is to be commended because it would have been so easy for him to just ham it up but instead, he gave an outstanding performance throughout.
Kirby meanwhile is just as impressive as she displays a woman who is both vulnerable and confident in her own right.  At the same time, her motherly actions are to be lauded by every female viewer.  She shows the lengths to which a mother will go to protect her family.  This especially, as she battles Galactus in the story’s final act.  The look of anger, determination, etc. in her eyes as she uses her powers to push Galactus toward the bridge says more than any words could ever speak. 
Ebon Moss-Bachrach deserves his own kudos as he brings Ben to life.  What audiences get from him is a guy who just wants to live his life but also knows that when it’s time to go to work, it is time.  Whether it is interacting with a group of young children to entertain them, working to help the family escape from the gravitational forces of a black hole, or being that “fun uncle” to Franklin at points, Moss-Bachrach brings the best of Ben to the screen.  He shows such great versatility in his own right and is just as deserving of praise.
In regard to everyone’s favorite “hot head” (yes that horrible pun was intended), Johnny Storm, Joseph Quinn so wonderfully channels Chris Evans’ time in the role while also bringing his own touch to the whole.  That sense of bravado is there, but when he gets serious, such as when he finally confronts the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) with the voices of those whose worlds were destroyed, his serious nature is just as impressive.  Again, his ability to so expertly show both sides of his character is impressive in its own right.
While the noted performances are memorable in their own right, they are not the only stars of this movie.  Herbie, the family’s robot friend, is the real star of this movie.  Voiced by Matthew Wood and controlled by a team behind the scenes, kids will absolutely love Herbie.  There is something about his presence that is so innocent.  It conjures thoughts of another famous little robot, none other than R2D2 (of Star Wars fame).  All involved in bringing him to life on screen deserve their own praise, too.
Whether it be the performance of all noted on screen, the work of those who crafted this movie’s story or even those who gave the movie its impressive look, there is a lot to applaud here.  At the same time, there are some concerns herein, too.  In hindsight they do detract considerably from the viewing experience, and in turn appreciation for the movie.  Even with those concerns noted, the movie still proves itself a mostly positive addition to Marvel’s MCU that is worth watching at least once.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is scheduled for home release Oct. 7. More information on this and other titles from Marvel Studios is available at:
Website: https://www.marvel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marvelstudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marvel

By: Philip Sayblack

More than 40 years ago, Walt Disney Studios took a chance on a little movie titled Tron and since then, that movie has essentially created a whole cottage industry.  From cult status to major mainstream franchise, Tron has since gone on to spawn a sequel, a short-lived animated series and a whole following of audiences the world over.  Now today as those audiences and a whole new generation of audiences await the release of that movie’s second sequel, Tron: Ares (which is scheduled to make its theatrical debut Oct. 10), the movie that started it all and its sequel, Tron: Legacy have gotten new life in brand-new 4K steelbook re-issues.  As anticipated as these two re-issues have been among the franchise’s most devoted audiences, they are in reality largely disappointing.  That is because other than the story in the original 1982 movie, there is only one other positive to these presentations, that being their general production, and even that is a minimal positive.  This will be discussed later.  The bonus content featured in each movie greatly detracts from the appeal of either set, too.  This will be discussed a little later.  When it and the sets’ packaging are considered collectively, the result is two movie re-issues that are just as disappointing as those from the studios owned by Walt Disney Studios.
Walt Disney Studios’ brand-new 4K UHD steelbook re-issues of Tron and Tron: Legacy are sadly nothing for audiences to get excited about.  That includes the most devoted of the franchise’s fans.  The reason being is that the re-issues give audiences next to nothing to praise despite the years-long anticipation of the re-issues.  If any one thing can be noted of either movie, it is the story behind the original 1982 movie.  The story in question is a political commentary about autocratic rule and stopping it.  That commentary is set against the backdrop of a hacker who gets pulled into a cyber world that matches said commentary what with its clear militaristic look and feel.  Along the way, our main protagonist, Flynn, works with the computer program, Tron, to defeat the big bad cyber dictator, Sark and return freedom to the cyber world.  It is an allegorical tale that is just as pertinent today as it was more than four decades ago when this movie first premiered in theaters nationwide.
As if that is not enough, the movie’s look at that time was just as important to its presentation.  That is because no other movie at the time was using computer graphics at all.  For this movie’s heads to go that direction was a huge risk.  This is discussed at more length in the movie’s bonus content, which has been carried over to the new re-issue.  Speaking of which, the bonus content featured in the new 4K re-issue of Tron: Legacy has also been carried over, offering audiences nothing new there, either.  This will all be discussed later.
Getting back to the subject at hand, Tron remains in important part of Walt Disney Studios’ history and that of modern cinema.  Its dual-pronged story, which is one part science fiction epic and one part political allegory that is still as relevant to day as then and its first of its kind special effects make that clear.  By comparison, the story featured in Tron: Legacy is the exact opposite.  Much in the vein of Blues Brothers 2000, it is a virtual rehashing of its predecessor.  In this case, Kevin Flynn’s son, Sam, goes in search of his father, who has been missing since Sam was a boy.  Not to give away too much for audiences who have yet to see the movie, it turns out that Kevin essentially got trapped in the grid.  This is where the problems begin.  Throughout it all, this movie becomes more about its visuals than its story.  That is because the story is so basic. It finds one of Kevin’s original Clu programs having turned evil dictator (sound familiar?) and leading a massive army to try and come into the human world in order to take over.  Yes, this has been done before.  To that end, the story here is essentially a retelling of the first movie, with the protagonist intentionally going into the grid this time instead of accidentally, as in the first movie.  All the while, the light cycle sequences are there but this time are accented by new vehicles that take center stage but little other reason to watch.
The matter of Clu turning bad becomes even more of a concerning plot device.  That is because those who have watched the original Tron will recall, again, that Kevin Flynn created a number of Clu programs, so which Clu program is this?  What happened with all of the other Clu programs that he wrote between the ending of Tron and this movie?  Where are they?  Are they all part of this Clu’s army?  For that matter, how did the movie’s titular character turn bad along with Clu?  This is never explained, either.  Keeping all of this in mind, Tron: Legacy offers becomes just another special effects extravaganza than anything memorable.
Moving on from here, there are plenty of concerns, not the least of which being that the bonus content featured in the movie’s most recent Blu-ray releases – both of which released in 2011 – were carried over to these 4K steelbook re-issues.  There is no new bonus content included in either movie’s new presentation.  The special effects extra, “The Speed of Light” is the anchor for those extras as it focuses on each of the noted vehicles and special effects sequences that are the real center of attention in this movie.  On a related note, the “Digital Imagery” extras and the “Making of” featurette included in Tron’s new 4K re-issue are the most notable of that movie’s extras.  Keeping that in mind, audiences who already own the movies’ previously released Blu-rays would be well-served to stick with those copies.  The same applies to audiences who do not own one or the other.  All involved will be saving roughly the roughly $40 price tag on each; $40 that could and should go to something else.
While the issues raised by the bonus content is hugely problematic for each re-issue, there is at least one more positive to note, that being the sound and video quality.  Each movie’s sound and video quality has been improved in its presentation.  Now, on the surface this may seem like a good thing.  However, even in this case it is not necessarily a winning item.  That is because even Blu-ray discs upscaled through a 4K player and played back on a 4K television look and sound quite impressive in their own right.  They honestly look and sound almost theater quality, especially when a sound bar or nice sound system is part of a viewer’s home entertainment system.  Even without the extra audio equipment the viewing experience for the Blu-ray presentation on the 4K television is still reason enough for audiences to hold off on these 4Ks.  To that end, neither set really gives audiences any motivation to own them.  They become, like so many other 4K steelbook re-issues released by Disney and the studios owned by the company, forgettable.
Walt Disney Studios’ brand new 4K steelbook re-issues of Tron and Tron: Legacy are presentations that audiences have anticipated for years.  However, in examining both movies’ new re-issues, audiences will agree that they do not live up to expectations.  The story in the sequel still does not hold up to that featured in the original movie.  The bonus content featured in each re-issue is the same presented in the previously released Blu-ray presentations, each of which was released in 2011.  The movies’ production is positive but only to a point when one considers the sound and video quality in Blu-ray presentations upscaled on 4K players and televisions.  Keeping all of this in mind, these re-issues do not live up to expectations and end up being as forgettable as other 4K re-issues released this year by Walt Disney Studios and the studios that it owns.
Tron and Tron legacy are available now on their own 4K steelbook presentations.  More information on these and other titles from Walt Disney Studios is available at:
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