To kick things off for 2013, we have a wide variety of some very cool and unique releases. This makes me only more confident and excited about the movies 2013 will have to offer.

Blu-rays

War of the Dead – This military/WWII style zombie flick had a lot to offer. The lower budget film had surprisingly a lot of decent special effects that made the action scenes really stand out. The acting didn’t amaze me, and the face that a Nazi zombie is on the cover but we see very few actual Nazi zombies was a bit disappointing, but overall I really enjoyed the film.
Check out War of the Dead at eOne Films.

The Possession – Possession/exorcism flicks are making a huge resurgence these days, but I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Possession. This unique take on the genre follows a girl who obtains a strange box. Her attachment to the box starts to cause drastic changes to a family that is already experiencing distress from a divorce. What’s more is that this one has a Jewish backstory, which is rarely seen in the genre. There were some truly creepy and memorable scenes, and the cameo by Matisyahu was awesome!
Check out The Possession at Lionsgate.

House at the End of the Street – When I saw Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone, I knew it wouldn’t be the last time I saw her in movies. In House at the End of the Street she performs fantastically as a girl moving to a new house with her mother. Turns out, the inhabitant of the house next door is the sole survivor of a bloody tragedy that happened several years prior. The psychologically charged film provided plenty of twists and unexpected events. The interesting storyline and and excellent acting performances made this one stand out.
Check out House at the End of the Street at 20th Century Fox.

DVD

Arbitrage – Richard Gere gives a gripping performance as a hot shot business man who makes a few bad decisions that threaten his livelihood and his family’s. His performance is Oscar-worthy, but the film’s story along with several standout supporting roles really made the film memorable. It manages to combine relevant economical frustrations as well as personal tragedy and family drama into one cohesive and thrilling tale. This film really deserved more mainstream talk.
Check out Arbitrage at Lionsgate.

Letting Go – This is a heartfelt and unique film about a guy, Joel, who’s desperately seeking happiness and satisfaction in his life. His relationship is on the rocks, he struggles to find the balance between his career and his personal life, and on top of that he has three large and high maintenance dogs. I really enjoyed this film for its honesty and relatable material about coming to terms with life.
Check out Letting Go at Osiris Entertainment.

The end of the year tends to be pretty hectic for me. Aside from my day job, the holidays typically involve a lot of traveling and running around. For that reason, I’m combining what I’ve received and viewed within the last three months to wrap up 2012. There aren’t a whole lot of titles (for the aforementioned reasons), but there are still some really interesting ones to check out!

Blu-rays

Drive – Upon first viewing of this film, I really enjoyed its style and characters, but I thought it was lacking. However, after a second viewing on this Blu-ray, which I grabbed at a bargain during Black Friday, my mind has changed a bit. I loved and appreciated it even more. I’ve even since updated my full review of the film which I don’t often do, but the film really did impress the the second time around. Read my full review

Prometheus – This is another one I snagged during Black Friday at a steal, and I was quite excited about it. The film takes place in the Alien universe, however not being as familiar with those films I was glad to go into Prometheus with an open mind. I was blown away by the stunning visuals and the intriguing story. However the film lacked a bit as far as building on the characters and back story. The deleted scenes on this Blu-ray would have added a lot of appreciated detail to the film, so it was a shame that they were cut. This Target exclusive also features a nice little picture book with artwork from the film. Read my full review

DVDs

Triad Wars – Lionsgate put out this Hong Kong flick that was originally released in 2008. I love Asian action flicks, but to be honest I am not well schooled in the genre. This film reminded me a lot of another Hong Kong flick, Infernal Affairs. The production is quite impressive, with elaborate fight scenes involving swords, over the top action sequences and a powerful soundtrack. One of the issues I run into with these films, however, is that they seem to be very fast paced and the subtitles tend to move by quickly. Because of that I tend to lose track of the story, but either way I was very impressed and involved in this film. One of the main negatives I have to point out though, is the overuse of CGI blood. It really detracts from the otherwise impressive action sequences and makes them somewhat comical. Aside from that, I had a great time with Triad Wars.

V/H/S – This was one of my most anticipated horror flicks. The film received some mixed reception, but I really appreciated what the film had going on for it. While it was lacking a little in tying each of the segments together, each individual “tape” had a lot to offer and were entertaining in their own right. There was some unique and cool techniques used that I haven’t really seen done before. The overall bizarreness of some of the tapes and some really creepy moments are really what pulled me in. While it would have been nice for there to be a more memorable wrap-around story, the tapes have a lot to be appreciated by horror lovers. Film is released by Magnolia Pictures.

Prairie Love – This quirky little indie “romantic” comedy wasn’t what I expected, but that’s a good thing. The film is set in the North Dakota tundra, and follows three oddball characters that wind up in a bizarre love triangle, sort of. I am always drawn to these types of films, as they provide interesting characters and situations that are a great change of pace from the mainstream. At times I felt like certain scenes dragged on a bit, but I still really enjoyed the overall uniqueness of the picture. Film is distributed by Film Movement | Read my full review

While I’ve spent most of October watching horror flicks as part of my tradition each year, I managed to squeeze quite a few titles to review.

Blu-rays

The Raven – I enjoyed this film when I saw it in the theater and seeing it on the Blu-ray was just as fun. I liken the film to something like Sherlock Holmes: Poe is more of a hero/sleuth than a dark and mysterious writer. While Cusack’s Poe didn’t quite fit my expectation, I still found the character and the film as a whole highly entertaining and a great mystery flick. Full written review | Video review | Blu-ray at Fox

The Prophecy: The Complete Collection – I have not heard of these films prior to seeing this set, but was definitely more intrigued when I saw the Walken on the cover. The angel-themed action flicks have quite a cool concept that made me think of the more recent Legion, which unlike many people I found to be very entertaining. This Blu-ray set comes with only two discs for the 5 films, 4 of which are packed onto one disc. The cons: fairly poor audio and no subtitles. The pros: a nice package of all the films at a low price. Blu-ray at Echo Bridge Home Entertainment

DVDs

$hifty – What’s most notable about this screening edition of the UK crime flick is its packaging. The faux prescription Ziplock bag was certainly a creative marketing concept. The film itself was also a surprise. I love small town dramas, especially when they take place in other countries and expose a culture that I’m not as familiar with. The lead characters, two friends, one of which is a small-town drug pusher, have great chemistry and the drama in my opinion is more interesting than the drug angle that is advertised. Full written review | DVD at Breaking Glass Pictures

In Their Skin – This film made my #1 favorite horror film of the year for my October special, and is a good candidate to make my top films of the year list as well. The dark psycho family thriller had me sitting on the edge of my seat often as it’s full of uneasy and sometimes shocking moments. The acting is all around impressive and the atmosphere is well set in a wooded remote location. This is a thriller nearly perfectly executed. Video review | Film is distributed by IFC Films

Fire with Fire – Josh Duhamel stars in this fairly star-studded cast about a California fireman who’s taken into witness protection after witnessing a brutal murder in a convenience store. The murderer ends up being a big time white supremacist, played by a scary and superb Vincent D’Onofrio. The opening scene involving a fire was stunningly show, suggesting the film would be a surprise, but as soon as the dialog began I was slightly disappointed. The acting is overall great, but some of the dialog and situations didn’t seem natural. Otherwise the film was highly entertaining and great to look at. Film is distributed by Lionsgate

Corpo Celeste – This Film Movement title follows a 13 year old girl coming of age in a small Italian town where the Church plays a heavy role. Marta, the main character Marta, played with amazing credibility by Yle Vianello, is a lovable innocent character who begins to learn about the real world through observation of those around her. The natural filming style, realistic acting, and a story that plays out more like a segment of someone’s life rather than a start-finish-end concept. This is one of my favorite genres and this is a great example of why. Full written review

Gut – Gut made an honorable mention on my top 5 horror films list this year, and quite honestly would give any of those films on my list a good run for their money. The relatively fresh story for a genre that is seemingly nothing but remakes and franchises is a welcoming surprise. The film itself is fairly slow paced however, which might put off some viewers, but others will be sucked into the psychological aspect and the experiences of the characters. Video review | Gut is courtesy of the folks at Gut Productions

Don’t Let the Riverbeast Get You! – I’m a huge fan of what the Shock Marathons folks have been putting out; their Freaky Farley film has become a bit of a tradition in my household. Needless to say I was excited about Riverbeast. The film combines their signature style made up of quirky characters, monsters, and zany humor that makes a charming and fun movie of which we don’t see too much these days. This film, part monster movie, part underdog romance/adventure, is a wildly entertaining movie that the viewers of all ages can enjoy. Full written review | Check out the film at Shock Marathons

To make up for the lack of Blu these past couple months, this month’s roundup features primarily hi-def titles! What’s more is that they’re all some pretty great titles, so let’s get down to it

DVDs

After Dusk They Come – This creature feature follows the formula for films of its kind: a couple of rich twentysomethings find themselves stranded in an unknown area where bloodthirsty creatures await to pick them off one by one. I’m not a huge fan of these types of movies, so it was tough for me to really get into this one. Overall the film itself is put together well and played out nicely, but it doesn’t do enough differently for me to get me to change my thoughts on the genre. This film is distributed by Lionsgate. Watch my video review.

Blu-rays

Blindness/Proof Double Feature – Echo Bridge Home Entertainment released this Miramax set of two really awesome movies in hi-def. I was really excited to see Blindness, but Proof ended up really blowing me away. Both films were creative, smart, and equally moving despite their very different stories. Blindness, making its Blu-ray debut, is a dark epidemic flick while Proof is an intelligent tale of a young woman’s conflicts with herself and others as she copes with living in the shadow of her brilliant yet insane father.

Beyond the Black Rainbow – After seeing the trailer for this bizarre flick, I knew I had to see it. The 80s synth music, bold colors and mysterious looking characters just sucked me in. The film itself was just what I expected from the trailer: psychological and very obscure. This is not a film for everyone, but one that someone who appreciates out-of-the-box style with simple gorgeous and haunting cinematography will find themselves in for a treat with this one. This release is courtesy of Magnet Releasing.

Renaissance – This unique animated feature starring the voice talents of Daniel Craig and Ian Holm caught me off guard. The coloring is primarily black and white, yet the detail and features stick out. I’m often on the fence with animated features as they sometimes lack the liveliness of a live-action picture. This film started slow for me, but the story really picked up towards the end. Renaissance is a cool and unique animated futuristic thriller. This release is courtesy of Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.

Snow White and the Huntsman – I absolutely loved this film when I saw it in theaters, so I knew I was going to love the Blu-ray. The films visual effects are meant for high-def, and it just looks and sounds fantastic. The film itself is an awesome darker update of the classic fairy tale, and it’s put together and played out quite well. The setting, the music, and the acting all have a lot to admire. This release courtesy of Universal Studios Entertainment.

Lola Versus – Greta Gerwig has become a bit of the indie it-girl lately, and Lola Versus is a perfect example of why. Her girl-next-door sexiness and quirky sense of humor make her characters lovable and relatable. Lola Versus is a fun film about a young woman in the big city facing the tribulations of love, sex, and life in general. It’s an honest and heartfelt film that is as fun as it is emotional. Lola Versus is released by 20th Century Fox.

As we’re already making our way into September, here is the roundup for the month of August. While I only have one Blu-ray to discuss this month, I hope the wide variety of really good movies on DVD will make up for the lack. Enough nonsense, here are the recent and upcoming releases for August (you can also view the video episode of this post at the end of this article):

Blu-rays

Safe – This latest from international action star Jason Statham would appear to be just another Statham-esque movie. The guy does seem to be frequently typecast, but regardless one cannot doubt he is a very entertaining action hero. While the movie may appear to be just another Transporter wannabe, it actually is highly entertaining and a refreshing story to boot. Movies like this must be watched on Blu-ray, of course. Get the Blu-ray from Lionsgate.

DVDs

Get the Gringo – This new action flick starring veteran Mel Gibson is everything you’d want in an action movie. Whether you love or hate Mel Gibson, any fan of actioners has to agree the man makes entertaining ones. There are equal parts comedy, action, and a fairly original story. Read my full review here. Grab the DVD from 20th Century Fox.

Small,  Beautifully Moving Parts – This cute, quirky and socially-relevant coming-of-parenthood dramedy is a solid effort from co-directors Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson. It has everything I like in this genre of film: likable characters, a sense of adventure, and an honest and heartfelt vibe with relevant material. The performance of Anna Margaret Hollyman really makes the film worthwhile. Check out the DVD at Film Movement.

Hospitalité – This charming Japanese flick follows a family and how they are put to the test when a strange man and his wife essentially invite themselves to live with them. The story is honest, and the slice of the Japanese household and customs was very interesting to me. However this one fell a little dry for me personally, and I wasn’t in love with the characters. Regardless, one must appreciate such an honest and meaningful film. Check out the DVD at Film Movement.

Beautiful Losers – This is an older flick I recently grabbed due to my new interest in Oscilloscope releases. They put great attention into their releases, from the packaging to the features. This release, about a collective of artists coming out of the same New York studio, isn’t quite as interesting as fellow Oscilloscope release Exit Through the Gift Shop, but is still an enlightening and fun documentary about modern artists. Check out the DVD at Oscilloscope.

Girl in Progress – One look at the cover of this mother-daughter drama starring Eva Mendes, and one might write it off as just another sappy family drama. That’s a huge mistake with this one however, as I found myself very much enjoying the film. The film is actually surprisingly edgy, which mostly comes from the daughter character played by Cierra Ramirez. The movie really had a creative and funny yet real and emotional story. Check out the DVD at Lionsgate.