This week I dove into the ninth season of the Comedy Central series, South Park on blu-ray, available now from Paramount Pictures. Over the course of fourteen episodes we get more comedic tales featuring Cartman, Kyle, Stan, Kenny, Butters, Jimmy and the gang, including the highly controversial, and incredibly enjoyable, Scientology episode, Trapped in the…
Tag: social commentary
South Park: The Complete Eighth Season
Almost nothing is sacred as South Park unleashes its eighth season on blu-ray from Paramount Pictures. Over the course of fourteen episodes, we get another look at the unique Colorado mountain town and the characters who populate it. From a bloody and satanic Christmas episode to a commentary on violence as well as animes, the…
The Twilight Zone (1960) – The After Hours, The Mighty Casey and A World of His Own
It’s back to the Twilight Zone with Paramount’s Complete Series on blu-ray. The first season of this iconic and seminal show ends this week with this trio of episodes. First up is The After Hours, penned by Rod Serling, this story originally aired on 10 June, 1960. Anne Francis stars as Marsha White, who is…
The Searchers (1956) – John Ford
John Ford and John Wayne. When it comes to westerns there are few names better, and they are my next stop in the Action section of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Confederate soldier, Ethan (Wayne) returns to his family’s homestead in Texas after the end of the Civil War, where he…
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – David Yates
J.K. Rowling scripts and produces the return to the magical world we last saw on screen in 2011, with the Deathly Hallows Part 2. This movie has big foot steps to follow in, so does it pull it off? For the most part, yes, but it left me wanting to dig into things that were…
Do the Right Thing (1989) – Spike Lee
Writer/director Spike Lee’s powerful drama is the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of American Beauty. A powerhouse cast brings a multi-cultural street in Brooklyn to life on the hottest day of the year, as the heat builds so does the tension as hate, racism…
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) – Rupert Wyatt
Ten years after the last film, Fox reinvigorated the Planet of the Apes series as I continue my exploration of it with the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Featuring a stunning performance by mo-cap superstar, Andy Serkis, and emotional performances from both James Franco, and John Lithgow, the film gets the series back on track after…
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) – J. Lee Thompson
The Sci-Fi Chronicles takes me back to the Planet of the Apes series again, as we take on the third sequel, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Set in the near future, the far distant year of 1991, the plague spoken of in the last film has struck, wiping out household pets, and…
Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971) – Don Taylor
Where do you go after the literally explosive ending of the last film? Why back in time of course! My exploration of the Planet of the Apes series continues with the massive Sci-Fi Chronicles book. Using the spacecraft from the first film, somehow recovered and repaired before the climax of Beneath the Planet of…
White God (2014) – Kornel Mundruczo
White God is an amazing film, by turns beautiful and brutal, and rife with social commentary. This Hungarian film opens today at Toronto’s Lightbox, and other select theaters across the nation, and I implore you to go and see it if you are able. Mundruczo has made a film that isn’t afraid to venture…
The Mind Reels 