Author: Michael Durr
Upcoming Reviews for November/December 2023
Hopefully all of you enjoyed my reviews from the middle of October until the beginning of November. I would like to say that I got more things to review from Upcomingdiscs.com but things do tend to get stalled during this time of year so unfortunately I do not. I did receive a note earlier this week that I might have two gift sets coming to me from Shout but that won’t be until sometime in December.
Those sets are the Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films Blu-ray set and Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time Collector’s Edition. Now, there is absolutely no guarantee I will get those sets, and I will frankly be surprised if they do show up on my doorstep especially with the holiday season. Even if I only get one of these two sets, I will be overjoyed as they are very nice collections. (More after the jump).
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Justice League X RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsman Part Two (4k UHD) Review
Hopefully, most of you reading this review enjoyed my breakdown of the 1st part in this series. I honestly haven’t been this vested in a two part series since Batman’s Long Halloween. That one had the added sting that we had to wait a full year until we got the complete 4k version. At least in the case of Justice League and RWBY, we get the full 4k splendor from the get-go. However, as I alluded to in the first review, there was certainly room for improvement. We shall see if the creators can correct those issues now that the series shifts into the Justice League’s world. Let’s take a look.
The original copy of this review can be found at https://upcomingdiscs.com/2023/11/07/justice-league-x-rwby-super-heroes-huntsman-part-two-uhd-blu-ray4k/
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Cracked (DVD) Review
Death is unfortunately something that comes to us all. It’s not something we can prevent even if we do all that is necessary to prolong it. In the same breath, we can control to some degree what we can pass on to our family and loved ones, whether it be our spouse, children, both or perhaps none at all. Whether it be wealth, property, movie collection (son, you have no idea) or perhaps some sentimental trinkets, a simple will and responsible caretaker should be all you need in order to pass it on. However, responsibility can sometimes be fleeting. Today, we look at a movie called Cracked where pieces of art are passed down from a father to a daughter with frightening results. Let’s take a look.
The original copy of this review can be found at:
The Night of the 12th (DVD) Review
Full disclaimer, I tend to watch probably too much true crime television. I’ve watched about every episode of Homicide Hunter (Joe Kenda), Forensic Files, and plenty of other detective shows based on real cases. I find them fascinating and my wife would seriously like to know what else is on our television. As a result, I tend to also gravitate towards real cases depicted in movies and documentaries as well. Today’s film, The Night of the 12th deals with a real case based in France. However, this one has a hook. Where as almost every case that we tend to see on television is solved and the murderer goes away to jail, this one has a very different ending. Let’s take a look and see if we can still enjoy this experience.
The original copy of this review can be found at:
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (4k UHD) Review
In 1995, I remember very vividly going to see Mortal Kombat on the big screen during my summer off from college (when very often I had nothing else to do). I was instantly wowed by all of the characters that I had played with in the first two video games and see them brought to screen. The music was absolutely fantastic (and still one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard). However, what I have carried with me most from that experience is my utter love of one character. Johnny Cage. Fast forward nearly thirty years and we finally have a film where he is the main character and no longer some sort of side gag by all those involved. Let’s go to the Cage Match! Join me, won’t you?
The original copy of this review can be found at
https://upcomingdiscs.com/2023/10/16/mortal-kombat-legends-cage-match-uhd-blu-ray-4k/
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Passion (Blu-Ray) Review
It’s a genuine rewarding experience when you find a new director that you find intriguing. Mostly because as the consumer, it’s then a research project to find everything that person has ever done and then dissect which films you can go find to watch immediately. When I watched Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, I had that experience instantly. I wanted to see more of Rysuke Hamaguchi’s films. So I bought a Criterion blu-ray copy of Drive My Car back in July. Shortly after that, I saw that his student film, Passion was going to be released by Film Movement on blu-ray and I was eager to get a copy. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long because the opportunity to review presented itself, even before the release date. Let’s dive into this film and see the early workings of a true master of the conversation.
The original copy of this review can be found at
Upcoming Reviews for October 2023
Unlike the previous month, this month when it comes to reviewing is almost certainly going to be way more productive. To this point, I’ve already snuck in two Film reviews for Paw Patrol and A Haunting in Venice in which I can’t remember the last time I went to the theater in two straight weeks. I don’t know if I’m going to sneak in any other movies but while I was at A Haunting in Venice, I did see posters for the re-release of A Nightmare Before Christmas and something called Inspector Sun as possible films to see with my wife and son. Obviously, if we went to the former, I probably would not write a review, but it’s still worth mentioning.
However, it looks like that I’m getting four discs from Upcomingdiscs.com to review this week. Most of it is from Film Movement, but I am getting one 4k as well. I don’t think I will be able to slide in any other reviews on my own (unless I go to the theater for something else), but it all depends on how quickly I finish these four first. I have also provided a link to more information if you are curious about these films and don’t want to wait for my reviews.
Passion (2008) – Blu-Ray from Film Movement – This one I have wanted since I knew it was going to be available. From the same director, I greatly enjoyed Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and need to watch Drive My Car (have the Criterion copy from the last B&N sale) but I just haven’t had the time. The added fact is that Film Movement rarely does blu-rays (I mention this all the time in my reviews) and so the fact that they are releasing this one in blu-ray is certainly something to take notice of.
The Night of the 12th (2022) – DVD from Film Movement – This is a French mystery film that looks 200% up my alley considering my reviews of such films like The Third Murder and Unidentified. Now thankfully if I do like it a lot, it has been released in Blu-Ray but I would have to import from the UK. It might surprise you but I do not own a region free Blu-Ray player and bypass region restrictions with my Panasonic 4k player which has a nifty top menu feature that gets around those things about 75% of the time. I’ve literally had a region free player on my Amazon wishlist for a very long time. Mostly because I have no idea where to put it. Anyway, should be an excellent film.
Cracked (2022) – DVD From Film Movement – Most of you know I don’t really review Horror movies. It’s not my thing, especially when there are a couple of people on Upcomingdiscs that are FAR more gifted with the genre than I’ll ever be. However, neither of them to my knowledge really want to dive into foreign horror films which is where I get the call so to speak. See my review of Seire earlier this year. So this is a Thai film about some scary pieces of art. Not sure what to think or even if I’ll like it, but it has an interesting premise and Asian horror films really are top notch typically.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (2023) – 4k from Warner Bros – One of these things is not like the others. But seriously, I have watched just about everything Mortal Kombat animation or live action since the very first movie in 1995. The animated features have always been something of a mixed bag but they always deliver on the action and really make use of the 4k format. This should be no different and also deals with my favorite character not named Scorpion in Johnny Cage. Cage was the unsung hero of the first live action film (and what they did with him in the 2nd film was absolutely ridiculous), and I can’t wait to see this one. I know picture and audio will most likely not disappoint but I’m hopeful that the story is interesting enough. I still need to see Snow Blind by the way, that should be a Black Friday type title somewhere for sure.
Anyway, thought I would share those four with the regular readers of this site. Feel free to drop your comments below and enjoy!
A Haunting in Venice Film Review
When it comes to watching films at the theater, often I will want to see a movie sometimes three, four weeks into their release. The crowds have quieted down and I can often focus on the movie rather than the person next to me who might be munching on their popcorn a little too loudly or on their cellphone. However, with many films not sticking around as they should, it can often be difficult to make that work. This past Sunday, I was fortunate enough to go with my dad to see A Haunting In Venice, a film that opened in mid-September to honestly rather tepid box office earnings. I had seen Murder on the Orient Express on 4k disc and Death on the Nile with my wife in theaters, so I certainly wanted to see the third film in the Kenneth Branagh’s version of Hercule Poirot. So quality time aside, was this film actually worth our matinee dollar or was it better spent at the local sandwich shop? Let’s take a look.
This review can also be found at: https://upcomingdiscs.com/2023/10/09/a-haunting-in-venice/
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Kylie Minogue – Tension CD Review
Rating – 4 1/2 stars out of 5
The US music landscape can prove to be a somewhat odd one. Nobody can really figure out why certain songs, certain albums, certain artists can’t break into the Billboard charts no matter how amazing their music may be. They could be loved overseas and yet the US radio stations and other outlets won’t even lift their finger to play the best of tunes from a given artist but will play absolute trash from another. Thankfully, in the age of streaming, it’s super easy to find those performers and those songs. But sometimes, one of those artists creates a piece so amazing that even those normal channels have to rise up and take notice. Today, we take a look at Kylie Minogue’s new album, Tension.
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PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Film Review
The first Paw Patrol movie opened up in August of 2021 during the pandemic era where barely anyone wanted to go anywhere that wasn’t a grocery store (because somehow that was safe). It still managed to pull in forty million domestic and another hundred million internationally. With the built in audience from the television series, a sequel was almost a no-brainer. I remember taking my family to go see the first Paw Patrol (the theater was quite bare) and actually enjoying it quite a bit. It certainly helped to bring all of the key elements from the television series and produce something that wasn’t nauseating and over the top. However, sequels of movies based on popular properties often go the wrong direction. Let’s see what the Mighty Pups have in store for us in their second outing.
This review can also be found at: https://upcomingdiscs.com/2023/10/02/paw-patrol-the-mighty-pups/
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