Check out our reviews of this weeks releases on blu.
After years of waiting, Marvel followers and Wolverine fans alike finally get the movie they've been waiting for. Step aside for the real man of steel. Yes, we know it's Adamantium.
The Wolverine is a welcomed departure from the terrible X-Men Origins film and offers one of the best comic book movies ever transposed to film. It's a slick, brooding, and highly colorful take on Logan's venture to Japan while Hugh Jackman finds new footing as the character he's played for the last thirteen years. Expectations were low after the first solo excursion for Wolverine. This is the action packed, pissed off version we've all been holding out for.
Being that I'm not too familiar with the source material that this was based on, I can honestly say that X-Men/Wolverine fans will be rabid about this movie. It's the exact action packed movie people were expecting with the first but were so absolutely disappointed with. James Mangold takes the franchise in a whole new direction and makes it his own, leaving a distinct mark that will hopefully be back for a sequel.
The Wolverine doesn't waste any time introducing needless characters like the last Wolverine movie and has a great plot with just enough twists to keep viewers thinking. The film has a foundation built on three solid elements: back story, character development and some of the most well crafted fight scenes of the summer. In fact, The Wolverine features a unique train top sequence that is perfectly executed in length and choreography. And it doesn't stop there. We get ninjas, the Yakuza and a reptilian mutant all with the intention of destroying The Wolverine. As the film begins to veer off track in to romantic territory, it ultimately shifts focus back to the task at hand: keeping the audience glued to their seats as Wolverine dispenses a heap of flesh shredding violence on those meaning to harm him.
Rating a movie is sometimes a tough decision. But in the case of The Wolverine, it's getting the highest mark of the summer so far. Going in with low expectations, this was a pleasant surprise. It's been the best comic book movie this year and probably the best X-Men franchise film we've seen yet. Despite a mid-section that was a little slow, the film picks up the pace and delivers the mutant movie we've been waiting for.
- Review by Chris George
As a fan of any music documentary, my hopes were extremely high. Having never been a huge follower of the Roses but more so a sideline casual listener that enjoyed their most popular songs, Made In Stone should have given me a bit more about their back story and how they came to be. From all the information out there about this band, there is obviously an epic story about their formation, rise to stardom, and untimely demise. Sadly, Made In Stone skims over the details that could have made this a really interesting piece of music history.Die hard fans will absolutely enjoy watching their preparations for the reunion show, the spot on musical performances and John Squire's disgustingly awesome guitar work. However, the film had no heart, no soul, and didn't give me any lasting impression about the members of the band. A great music documentary should present its viewer with details that not only satisfy the director's apparent love for the band, but should allow the audience and inside look at the personalities of his subject. On this front, the movie fails. Yet, the live footage is great and presents an aging band doing their best to relive their glory days while giving the fans exactly what they want. In that aspect, it succeeds.
If you're a casual fan of The Stone Roses you may not enjoy this as much as other music docs. Its not a history lesson about the band. Its not a drug fueled thrill ride that paints these guys as egotistical rock stars. It's just a brief encounter that chronicles their second coming as one of the world's most unique and intriguing bands. If you can accept it at that, you'll like Made of Stone.
-Review by Chris George