Gladiator: 4K Ultra HD Release for 20th Anniversary

Gladiator, the Oscar-winning film starring Russell Crowe, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release from Paramount Pictures. The new release, available in a limited edition steelbook, includes both the theatrical and extended editions.  With the steelbook, there is also access to a digital copy.  The film tells the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a brave Roman general who ended up forced into slavery when the corrupt prince, Commodus (Joaquin…

"Gladiator: 4K Ultra HD Release for 20th Anniversary"

Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise by Scott Eyman

Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise, written by film historian Scott Eyman, is the definitive biography of the To Be or Not To Be filmmaker. The first thing I took away in reading Eyman’s biography is that Lubitsch was considered to be “The Griffith of Europe.”  Unfortunately, the filmmaker also emulated Griffith in more ways than one.  This includes, sadly, wearing blackface as one of his characters.  It’s sad and unfortunate because he was one of…

"Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise by Scott Eyman"

Oscars: Should The 2021 Ceremony Be Postponed?

The Academy’s Board of Governors is set to meet on Monday with the most pressing question being the delay of the 2021 Oscars ceremony. That next year’s Oscars ceremony is going to be delayed sounds like a no-brainer.  An eight week delay doesn’t seem like too big a deal.  After all, we’re still amid a pandemic so there’s no telling whether massive gatherings of this nature will be allowed.  Will other organizations follow suit?  So…

"Oscars: Should The 2021 Ceremony Be Postponed?"

Long Gone Summer: The 1998 Home Run Chase

Long Gone Summer is a 30 for 30 retrospective that looks back on the 1998 Home Run Chase that saw Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa facing off. While the home run record is now clouded by steroids, it wasn’t like this in 1998.  No, baseball needed a story to get people back in the game.  After the 1994 strike shortened the season, baseball fans were hurting.  The drama brought some much-needed excitement back into the…

"Long Gone Summer: The 1998 Home Run Chase"

The Academy Shakes Up Awards Season For Oscars

In just two paragraphs this morning, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences found a way to shake up the process for the 94th Academy Awards. The news comes as part of the equity and inclusion initiative, Academy Aperture 2025.  It’s the newest phase in their ongoing efforts to advance inclusion in the industry and increase representation within the membership and film community.  While today’s press release focuses on the Oscars, governance, membership, and workplace…

"The Academy Shakes Up Awards Season For Oscars"

The Diary of Anne Frank On Her 91st Birthday

The Diary of Anne Frank is a film about the horrors of the Holocaust and keeps our attention from start to finish over 60 years after its release. I’m not going to kid around.  This film is three hours long but its worth every minute of it.  We get a glimpse of Jewish life for those who hid from the Nazis in hopes of surviving WW2.  Some families made it while others did not.  Families…

"The Diary of Anne Frank On Her 91st Birthday"

Artemis Fowl Tries To Do Too Much In 94 Minutes

The problem with Artemis Fowl is the same problem that plagued Green Lantern in that the film tries to do way too much during its run time. There are films that deserve the ire of Green Lantern and Independence Day 2. Hell, for all the problems with Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl deals with too much mythology to bring the books justice.  Disney was right to send this film to the vault that is Disney+.  I’m…

"Artemis Fowl Tries To Do Too Much In 94 Minutes"

Da 5 Bloods Takes Us Back To Vietnam

Four African-American Vets search for the remains of their fallen Squad Leader and treasure in the new Spike Lee film, Da 5 Bloods, launching on Netflix. Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) are back in Vietnam.  Paul’s son, David (Jonathan Majors), joins them as well.  Their main purpose is to find Stormin’ Norman’s (Chadwick Boseman) buried remains so that he can get a proper American burial.  The…

"Da 5 Bloods Takes Us Back To Vietnam"

Think Like A Dog Is Now Available

The predictably cute family comedy Think Like A Dog is now available from Lionsgate for viewers to watch on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. Tech genius Oliver (Gabriel Bateman) is twelve-years-old and lives with his parents, Lukas (Josh Duhamel) and Ellen (Megan Fox).  When we first meet him, he’s about to present his middle school science fair experiment.  The experiment doesn’t go wrong (hello, bullying!) so he makes another attempt at home with his dog, Henry…

"Think Like A Dog Is Now Available"

Selma Remains Just As Powerful in 2020

Selma takes us back to the heights of the Civil Rights movement by recreating the historic 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. It’s been just over five years since the theatrical release and the film remains just as powerful.  The biggest injustice is that the Academy only gave the film two nominations.  That’s right.  The film only earned nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Song.  While I admit to actively rooting for Birdman that…

"Selma Remains Just As Powerful in 2020"