LORDS OF DOGTOWN Blu-ray Review

LORDS OF DOGTOWN tells the unbelievable but true story of three teenagers from California who took skateboarding to heights that hadn't previously been imagined and changed the sports world forever. Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild) are the Z-Boys, a bunch of nobodies until they join board designer Skip Engblom (Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight) to create a new style of skateboarding that becomes a worldwide phenomenon. But when their hobby becomes a business, the success shreds their friendship.

Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Twilight) and featuring an all-star cast including Michael Angarano, Nikki Reed, Rebecca De Mornay, Johnny Knoxville, America Ferrera, and Mitch Hedberg. The stand out performance in the film comes from Heath Ledger. I'm not sure if his turn as Skip can fully be appreciated without seeing the man himself. Once you dig into the special features it becomes clear that Heath Ledger was doing more than just an impersonation, he was channeling the very essence of one the most important but unknown figures in sports history. LORDS OF DOGTOWN stands as one of the finest performances from an actor who left us far too soon. He was just getting started and watching him in this film is a bittersweet experience.

Catherine Hardwicke had a difficult job in telling the story of the Z-Boys. See, just a few years earlier Stacy Peralta directed a masterful documentary about the subject and it wasn't apparent that a dramatic retelling of the same events was justified. How could it have the same impact? It's rare that a reinactment can carry the same weight as a story from the original participants. But Hardwicke put together a brilliant young cast and focused on some points that were left out of the documentary. The films perfectly compliment one another in that each one enriches the experience of watching the other.

Bonus Features:

Theatrical Trailer
Making of Featurettes
Gag Reel
Director and Cast Commentary
Original Z-Boys Commentary

The Blu-ray Special Edition from Mill Creek Entertainment can be found on Amazon here.

POPULATION PURGE Trailer and Release Info

In a dystopian world where a radical government has unleashed a deadly poison to control population, only those with blood type AB positive remain unscathed. But instead of outright death, the rest of the population is left to suffer in a state of chronic illness, causing widespread chaos and panic. As the majority slowly succumbs to the effects of the poison, their only hope lies in receiving transfusions of AB positive blood from the few immune survivors, like Charlie and his granddaughter Maya. Living in the decrepit remains of an abandoned amusement park, Charlie is a renegade supplier of blood to the underground market. But their sanctuary is threatened by the iron-fisted rule of District 22's ruthless warden, Onslow, who will stop at nothing to save his own dying son. As Charlie and Maya fight to defend their haven and their own sanity, the eccentric duo must navigate through a world of danger and betrayal. POPULATION PURGE was written by Brian Johnson and Toby Osborne and di

A SACRIFICE Trailer and Release Info

Written and Directed by Jordan Scott Produced by Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss, Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, Georgina Pope Starring Eric Bana, Sadie Sink, and Sylvia Hoeks A Sacrifice is an emotionally turbulent story that follows American social psychologist Ben Monroe (Eric Bana) who is investigating a local Berlin cult connected to disturbing events. While he immerses himself in his work, his rebellious teenage daughter, Mazzy (Sadie Sink), becomes embroiled with a mysterious local boy who introduces her to the city’s underground party scene. As their two worlds head toward a dangerous intersection, Ben will need to race against the clock in order to save his daughter. A SACRIFICE will be in theaters on June 28th, 2024

Blue Underground to Release Goodbye Uncle Tom on 4K/Blu-ray!

In a bold move, Blue Underground has announced the upcoming release of "Goodbye Uncle Tom" on Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-Ray on April 23rd. This release will offer viewers a chance to witness one of the most notorious and graphic films ever made, showcasing a haunting portrayal of America's dark history of slavery. Originally released in 1971, "Goodbye Uncle Tom" is an Italian mondo-docudrama directed by Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi, the masterminds behind "Mondo Cane." Drawing from period documentation and historical accounts, the film vividly recreates the antebellum South and delves into the horrors of the slave trade. However, the film's unflinching depiction of slavery's atrocities sparked controversy from its inception. Distributors in the US insisted on radical edits to tone down the graphic content before its release. Despite these efforts, "Goodbye Uncle Tom" continued to stir strong reactions among critics a

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