Editorial: Why Mill Creek Entertainment Is the Film Buffs Best Friend

    I can’t tell you how many films I know have yet to be released on blu-ray (or even DVD for that matter).  It can be very frustrating for a movie buff to not have access to certain films except on VHS.  Thankfully, there are certain film distributors who cater to movie collectors with a wide array of rare releases but the company I feel is leading the pack is Mill Creek Entertainment.

    With films like “The Abyss” without a blu-ray release, smaller films such as “High School High” seemed unlikely to see anything better than it’s original standard definition full screen release.  It was a funny film and a movie I remembered fondly but it was hardly a film on the level of “The Abyss”.  Imagine my delight when I found out that Mill Creek Entertainment was releasing “High School High” on blu-ray.  Now, Mill Creek Entertainment isn’t the only company producing obscure titles, but they do produce more catalog titles than some of their peers.  I love Arrow, Kino Lorber, MVD, and other boutique labels like them as well as Mill Creek Entertainment but they simply do not release films on the level of Mill Creek.  One could argue which company has the ‘best’ films, but that boils down to personal opinion so there are no right answers.  In the end, regardless of which companies titles are ‘better’, we as movie buffs are grateful for all of these labels for providing rare catalog titles to us.

    Mill Creek Entertainment has a large selection of cult hits available on blu-ray and DVD and seem to unearth many forgotten classics.  From the films of Andy Sidaris to cultural phenomenons like “Ultraman”, Mill Creek Entertainment continues to provide some of the best underground hits available to film buffs.  Speaking of “Ultraman”, Mill Creek Entertainment just announced several blu-ray season sets starting with “Ultra Q” and “Ultraman” in October.  I am eagerly looking forward to both releases (especially the steelbook editions).

    As a television fan, Mill Creek Entertainment has become the top distributor of classic television sets on DVD and Blu-ray.  As a blu-ray fanatic, I love their sets of classic shows like “Quantum Leap” and “Miami Vice”.  They have also released an incredible set for the last great American sitcom, “That 70s Show”.  How can you not love a company who provides physical media releases of some of the greatest shows ever?  The company is even releasing a full series set of “Charlie’s Angels” to coincide with the release of the upcoming movie.

    Unlike other film distributors, Mill Creek Entertainment has also managed to stay ahead of the curve with their release of a new streaming service called ‘Movie Spree’.  Movie Spree is offering a ton of their catalog titles instantly through their streaming service right now.  Movie Spree offers those obscure titles that Netflix and Hulu would never bother to stream.

    While I do love other film distributors like Arrow and Kino Lorber, they often want quite a lot for their releases.  As an individual not swimming in cash (cashiers don’t tend to make a fortune), I very much appreciate the fact that Mill Creek Entertainment has always provided their titles at super reasonable prices.  How many studios have tons of titles available for $15 or less?  I don’t know of many off the top of my head.

    Lastly, I do admit that Mill Creek Entertainment has been generous enough to provide me review copies but that is part of what makes the company so great.  They are extremely costumer focused and hugely supportive of the film community.  My blog, for instance, may not be much for now but they understand the importance word of mouth among us film buffs is.  I can’t tell you how many film buffs I work with and how often we talk about new video releases, yet alone how many film buffs I connect with online.

    Mill Creek Entertainment has come along way in the last few years from when they primarily released public domain titles.  I am just so happy to have a company how understands the importance of physical media and the power of the film loving community as a whole.  Thank you for bringing a smile to my face countless times Mill Creek Entertainment, you guys are the best!

“If Beale Street Could Talk” Movie Review

    I was rather surprised the other day as I was searching through Hulu and I saw that the movie “If Beale Street Could Talk” happened to be on there.  The movie was released late last year if memory serves me well and was a critical darling so I wanted to check it out as soon as possible.

    The film tells the rather simple story of young love between two African Americans, Fonny and Tish.  The pair struggle to make it during the 70s in New York.  Unfortunately, Fonny is falsely arrested on a rape charge and was set up by a corrupt police officer so his case doesn’t look very good.  After Fonny’s arrest, Tish reveals to him and later her family that she is pregnant with his child.

    I can definitely see why critics loved the movie.  The film is based on the acclaimed novel by James Baldwin.  It is the kind of drama that tells a story that is relatable to anyone who has experienced struggle.  The film is vibrant and feels like it was shot in the 70s.  The film feels as close to a blend of a book and painting as a movie can get.  I guess that is part of the reason I don’t tend to gravitate towards films like this though.  For all of it’s brilliance, I tend to enjoy a movie that makes me forget my problems.  Escapism, to me, is the main reason I go to the movies.  I have to be in a particular mood to watch a movie in order to be depressed.

    All of that being said, the film is beautifully written and the dialogue sounds eloquent and powerful.  The film is filled with powerful performances that help transcend this film from the average family drama.  The film also features a wonderful jazz infused score which you can just shut your eyes and listen to.

    Although the film acts as a framework for the struggles African Americans went through and how it effected their lives, it does provide a ray of hope at the end.  Sometimes living through a struggle but being able to look towards the future anyway is a strength no one can take away from you.  It is a strength both Fonny and Tish have even in the face of the hardships they must still overcome.  Life isn’t easy but you have to keep moving forward for the sake of your loved ones and yourself.

    “If Beale Street Could Talk” isn’t for everyone by any means.  It is slowly paced and though it has many strengths, it is also kind of a downer.  I would say that the movie does an incredible job transporting the audience to New York in the 70s.  Depending on your mood, it’s worth the trip.

Grade: C+

“March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step” Movie Review

    I remember going to see “March of the Penguins” in theaters years ago.  I don’t normally see documentaries in the theater, but this film was different, it looked cute.  Okay, I admit it, I am a sucker for cute films sometimes.  I also find penguins to be rather cute so seeing a documentary on them seemed like it would make for a charming movie going experience.  It indeed was a special film and I remember “March of the Penguins” being one of my favorite movies the year it was released.  I even bought the movie poster for it!

    After more than a decade passed, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a sequel was set to be released directly to Hulu.  The sequel was once again filmed by French filmmaker Luc Jacquet and he once again delivers breathtaking scenes depicting Mother Nature at it’s cruelest.  Jacquet somehow manages to once again capture the beauty in even the most gruesome creatures and scenarios.

    The first “March of the Penguins” film turned out to be a bit of a cultural phenomenon, aspiring many other documentaries and even parody films like “Farce of the Penguins”.  Honestly, who ever heard of a documentary receiving a sequel?  As a big fan of the first movie, I was excited to check out the sequel.

    “March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step” is about as close to a zoo or aquarium as you can get without leaving your home.  Like it’s predecessor, the film is extremely educational on the subject of emperor penguins through both the narration and the way the film is shot.

    Morgan Freeman returns to narrate the sequel and helps serve as a carry over from the previous documentary.  Freeman is a natural choice for any documentary due to his relaxing and soothing delivery.  Freeman seems to genuinely be invested in the subject matter as well.

    This sequel is currently very well reviewed and sitting at 100% critics score on rotten tomatoes at the moment.  While I would agree the film deserves a positive rating, my only complaint about the film is that it didn’t set itself apart from the first film enough.  At times during the sequel, it felt like I might have just been rewatching the first film.  That being said, the first film was amazing.

Grade: B

“Captain Marvel” Movie Review

    I saw “Captain Marvel” last week and I am only now getting around to writing my review of the film even though I am pretty sure everyone and their mother has seen the movie already.  A downside of having a regular job (in addition to running my own eBay store) is that free time isn’t something I have in abundance.  Having seen all the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, I naturally had to check out “Captain Marvel”.

    To be absolutely honest, I wasn’t dying to see “Captain Marvel”.  The film looked decent but the trailer didn’t exactly ‘wow’ me.  I wanted to see the movie largely due to it tying into “Avengers: Endgame” to be completely honest (and I have a feeling a lot of people felt the same way).

    The film largely serves as a prequel to the bulk of the MCU (with the exception of “Captain America: The First Avenger”).  The film follows our hero Carol Danvers as she tries to regain her memories while serving as a member of the Kree military.  While on a mission fighting the shape shifting Skrulls, she is captured and the Skrulls manage to bring back memories she had of Earth while probing her mind.  After escaping, she lands back on Earth and must defend the planet from alien threats with the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury.

    If the concept of a human joining an intergalactic space force protecting the Earth seems familiar, well, it’s because that is basically the same premise as DC’s “Green Lantern”.  I love DC and Marvel (I am not a fan/nerd that picks a side) and while “Captain Marvel” is overall a better movie than “Green Lantern”, I couldn’t help but feel that DC took some of the wind out of Marvel’s sails by releasing “Green Lantern” first.

    Unlike almost all the other films in the MCU, “Captain Marvel” wasn’t able to escape the kind of controversy that normally plagues DC films.  The star of this film, Brie Larson, made several controversial comments before the film’s release which angered a large group of individuals.  It is not my job to pick a side on such issues, but I have to wonder how such comments might swing reviews in favor or against the film.

    All that being said, what did I think of the film?  Well, I thought it was okay.  Perhaps I am being too harsh on the film because it certainly wasn’t the worst of the MCU (that dishonor belongs to “Thor: The Dark World”) but it also didn’t reach the heights of films like “The Avengers” or “Iron Man”.

    “Captain Marvel” is filled with a slew of excellent performances from it’s supporting cast but the same can’t be said about it’s lead.  While I know Brie Larson can be very good in some roles, I found her to be wooden in most of her scenes and one of the worst parts of the film sadly.  Luckily for us, the supporting cast shines.  Samuel L. Jackson returns in de-aged form to showcase the origins of Nick Fury.  Jackson is both bad ass and hilarious in the movie.  The weight of the film is really carried on Jackson’s shoulders in my opinion.  Clark Gregg had a small role which provided the audience with an understanding of the trust and friendship Nick Fury and Agent Coulson had with each other.  Ben Mendelsohn was also a scene stealer throughout most of the movie.  As the leader of the Skrulls, Mendelsohn was a slimy and excellent foil to Captain Marvel and I can’t say anymore without going into spoilers (though I will say I found his accent a bit distracting while he was in Skrull form).  Lastly, I will say I expected a little more from Jude Law.  It felt a little like Law phoned this film in.

    We have to talk about the best part of the film now, Goose.  Goose, at least to me, was the clear star of the film.  My only complaint about Goose is that there should have been more of him.  Goose provided much of the levity the film had and I would love to see some sort of spin off featuring Goose.  I know Hulu has a bunch of animated Marvel shows in development, I would love to see Goose team up with Howard the Duck.

    The film managed to have a unique 90s action movie feel to it that I enjoyed.  The touches of nostalgia with references  to businesses like Blockbuster and Radio Shack also were nice touches.  Like most other Marvel movies, it is nice to see how this ties to the bigger picture of films.  One possible good or bad thing about the ending of this film is that it left a lot to be explored in sequels.

    So, “Captain Marvel” is far from the worst two and half hours you could spend watching a movie.  In fact, I can say most people will find something they enjoy about the movie.  It is also far from the game changer the studio was hoping for considering “Wonder Woman” already led the female empowerment charge a few years back.

Grade: B-

Let’s Get Physical, Physical: The Importance of Physical Media in the Modern Era

  Why does physical media seem to be such a bad thing to major studios these days?  Are they really losing any money by releasing a catalog title on a format such as blu-ray if no conversation is needed?  I understand the costs of converting some popular titles such as "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" might not seem worth the cost since they were not shot on film, but why is it that some titles never seem to be worthy of a physical release beyond their first DVD release.  I just don't understand why the studios seem so opposed to releasing smaller cult hits on a high definition format.  Warner Archive has the perfect set up in which consumers can order their older catalog titles and they can make them "on demand".  Still, even with the praise I will show Warner Archive, there are still plenty of titles the studio seems to turn a blind eye to.
  I understand the studios feel the future is digital, but I don't think that future is as rock solid as they seem to think it is.  The average person only makes so much money a year.  I am a working class person myself.  I work hard for my money and I personally like the feeling of having something to show for my money.  Also, with a few streaming services available, the decision to pay for Netflix and Hulu (and Amazon Prime) isn't too difficult.  Yet, now we also have CBS All Access.  We are soon going to be introduced to DC's streaming service and in a few years Disney is throwing their hat into the streaming race.  How many choices are consumers going to have to make before streaming becomes as expensive or more expensive than buying the physical copies like they did during the DVD boom of the early 2000's?
  I just feel like studios shouldn't be so keen on shutting the door on physical media.  As long as film fans like me live, there will always be film collectors.  It's in our blood and if the studios lose us, they lose their money.  That's just my opinion though.  Thank you for reading this post and have a good day!

-Jeffrey S.