Reviewing films slightly off the beaten path
Shout! Factory has given the Seventies revenge classic “Rolling Thunder” a definitive 4K UHD release. The film has aged like fine wine due to John Flynn’s down and dirty direction of a script with conflicting visions from Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould. William Devane is great in the lead role.
Shout! Factory has given “Willy’s Wonderland” a 4K release. Nic Cage battles possessed animatronics while paying off a car debt in the picture.
“Quigley Down Under” is a great Western adventure film set in the Australian outback of the 19th century. With great performances by Tom Selleck and Alan Rickman, the film is still a joy to watch. Shout! Studios has given the film a 4K release.
Sony Pictures has given Spike Lee’s sophomore film “School Daze” a 4K UHD release. The transfer is rock solid and the archival special features are excellent.
“Varsity Blues” was one of the most beloved teenage comedy-dramas of the Nineties. Paramount has given the coming-of-age small town football film its due with a new 4K UHD release to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
For those who can find the humor in a certain type of film failure, “Cutting Class” is a wealth of riches. I had a blast watching the 4K UHD release from MVD Visual.
“Pet Sematary: Bloodlines” is a prequel to Stephen King’s horror classic. Despite some good ideas, the film fails to generate tension or craft compelling characters. Paramount has given the film a good 4K UHD presentation.
“Oppenheimer” is an exceptional film from Christopher Nolan featuring a career best performance by Cillian Murphy. The 4K UHD earns a perfect score and our absolute highest recommendation.
“Terms of Endearment,” James L. Brooks’s tearjerker comedy which won five Academy Awards, has been given a 4K UHD upgrade by Paramount Pictures. Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, and Debra Winger are wonderful in the film.
Shout! Factory has given the Stephen King adaptation “Silver Bullet” a 4K UHD release with a brand new transfer. Fans of the film will be impressed by the 4K upgrade.
