Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Disney/Buena Vista – 107 min – 1997 – Rated R -1080p – 1.85:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio

Many great films came out of the decade of the 90’s such as The Matrix, The Shawshank Redention and Pulp Fiction, but there were also some hidden gems that still stand out, and every time your flipping cable channels and you see that it’s on you will stop and watch it. Grosse Pointe Blank is one of those movies. For the last 6 years every other film has been released on Blu-ray, except for this one. Finally the wait is over and Disney/Buena Vista has opened its treasure chest to release Grosse Pointe Blank, calling it the 15^th Anniversary Edition. Grosse Pointe Blank is still a good movie, but this Blu-ray leaves a lot to be desired.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox – 111 min – 2012 – Rated R -1080p – 2.40:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

It seems that Hollywood is trying to make ‘alternate history’ their newest genre to capitalize on. Earlier this year Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter had our 16th President fighting the undead and attempting to unite the country. Now another famous figure in history, gothic author Edgar Allen Poe (who ironically is also in character in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) is given his own alternative twist in The Raven, released on Blu-ray by Fox. Poe was without a doubt one of the most influential literary geniuses of his time, but could he have also been a kick ass action hero?

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Sony Pictures – 136 min – 2012 – Rated PG-13 -1080p – 2.40:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio – UltraViolet Copy

Hollywood has found a new way to get an audience to cough up their hard earned cash without risking the studio’s bankroll on creating something new or original. It’s called the “reboot.” It’s a simple formula where if a movie was successful the first time, then all you need to do is wait roughly five years and then remake it again with different actors, writers and directors. It worked for Batman so of course it will work for another loved American hero…Spider-Man. Director Sam Raimi and actor Tobey Maguire did an incredible job with Spider-Man 1 and 2 (the second film being a classic)…but fell flat with the third film, leaving a bad memory for Spidey fans. Well now the Web-Head is back, and this time he’s The Amazing Spider-Man, which has arrived on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures. Was it too soon for Spidey to put his red and blue tights back on? Let’s see.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Fox – 105 min – 2012 – Rated R -1080p – 2.40:1 widescreen – DTS-HD 7.1 Audio – UltraViolet Copy

We all know that Abraham Lincoln was the 16^th President of the United States; we know that he ended slavery; we know that at 6’4” he holds the record as the tallest President; and we know that he was assassinated at the Ford Theater in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth; but did you know that Abraham Lincoln was also a vampire killer? This is the basis for the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which is based on the alternate history novel of the President by author Seth Grahame-Smith. The film is now available on Blu-ray from Fox, and even though it is far-fetched and as over the top as you can imagine, if you just don’t take it seriously (and yes that is hard) you can have fun with it.

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Warner Bros announced that the Dark Knight Rises is now officially coming this December. Check out the trailer and information below.

The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

Own it on Blu-ray Combo Pack or Digital Download December 4

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

20^th Century Fox – 105 minutes – 2011 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

The original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie, is without question one of the greatest cinematic achievements of the last fifty years, and opened the doors of imagination to the science fiction genre. It even paved the way for 20^th Century Fox to consider future blockbusters such as Star Wars and Alien. In 2001 director Tim Burton attempted to remake the movie, but failed, stalling any interest in he subject for another ten years. Finally the Hollywood machine realized this was a film that audiences would reject if it attempted to remake it, so they decided to re-imagine it as a prequel. The result is Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a movie that is actually well thought out and provides a unique vision for the “Ape” movies without stepping on the toes of the original.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer – 111 minutes – 1993 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS 5.1 Audio Mix

Back in 1991 in the wave of the black filmmaker explosion, one movie that stood out from the bunch was the urban crime thriller New Jack City, directed by actor Mario Van Peebles (the son of legendary black filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles). It got people interested in Peebles and temporarily pushed him to the A-list in Hollywood. Peebles would follow-up with 1993’s black cowboy film Posse, but made the mistake of making himself the star of the movie, and making you think it should have been called “Peebles” instead of Posse. Available for the first time in the high definition format, Posse is comes to Blu-ray from MGM.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Echo Bridge Entertainment – 94 minutes – 1999 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – DTS 5.1 Audio Mix

The first From Dusk Till Dawn movie became a cult film thanks to the names behind it, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriquez. The straight to video sequel, Texas Blood Money, did not have the cool factor of the original, but that didn’t stop anyone from making a third film. The latest film in the trilogy, which is actually a prequel, From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter comes to Blu-ray from Echo Bridge Entertainment. If you though the second film was a bad, just wait until you see this one.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

20^th Century Fox – 105 minutes – 2011 – Rated PG-13/Unrated – 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 – DTS 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

Most people have probably wished they could just take a pill and it would make them better. Not make the pain go away better, we’re talking a more superior human being. This is the premise for the thriller Limitless that dares to show you what could happen if the average person who only uses a small portion of their brain could unlock the rest of it. Limitless is available on Blu-ray from 20^th Century Fox, and dares you to be better than everyone around you.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Magnolia – 90 minutes – 2011 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.35:1 – DTS 7.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

It’s hard not to watch Vanishing on 7^th Street and not think it’s an M. Night Shyamalan movie. It does have similarities in the way it’s set up and how the characters are outlined, and even stars one of the actors from a previous Shyamalan film. Mr. Shyamalan has nothing to do with this production, so whether or not you like it or hate it, remove him from your thoughts. The dark thriller Vanishing on 7^th Street comes to Blu-ray from Magnolia, hoping to creep you out in all the right places, and in some ways it’s effective, but you may also feel that you’ve seen it all before.

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