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4k releases, Film reviews, Warner Bros

Warner Bros 4k Releases: Lethal Weapon (1987)

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Lethal Weapon, a Look Back:

From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Lethal Weapon is available now on 4K UHD. One of the many classics that has built a following for decades. With the dynamic between both detectives Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, it is a gem that thrives in its nostalgic treasure. Mel Gibson (Braveheart,The Patriot) plays  loose cannon detective Martin Riggs, and Danny Glover (Sorry to Bother You, The Old Man & the Gun) portrays a “by the book” family man nearing retirement in Roger Murtaugh. The dynamic duo of different personalities are forced to find a cohesive partnership  to catch drug smugglers threatening the streets of Los Angeles.

4K Features:

The 4K edition has both the theatrical and the director’s cuts of the film. It also offers limited, but meaningful bonus features. The bonus features contain just enough to maintain the essential importance of Lethal Weapon. The special features include a delightful retrospective on the undeniable chemistry shared between stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as well as a special look back at director Richard Donner. Finally the 4K provides a delightful analysis of the alchemy behind the film’s most famous quotable moment. The importance of what was taken into account in developing Lethal Weapon thrives vividly in its 4K UHD release.

Purchase or Pass?

For those who are truly lifelong fans of Lethal Weapon this package is worth the purchase. That also depends on how much of a “die-hard” fan one is.  Any fan of 80’s action films will feel that the packaging of this release will add nicely to their collection. However, the limited amount of features provided may leave fringe fans thinking otherwise.

Film reviews

Weapons Review

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For the first time in quite a while, I felt scared. My gut was wrenching, and I jumped from my seat many times. Writer and director Zach Cregger brings in believable scares along with rapid twists and angles that are mortifying. Weapons is a circus ride of terror that is a mystery full of hidden truths. A lot can go wrong in a small town, but when children continue to go missing and weird things happen, no one is safe. There are a whole of unanswered questions and plenty of frights lying within Weapons.

The film takes place in a small-town setting, and the first person of interest is a schoolteacher named Justine Grandy (Julia Garner). Her class is the one from which children go missing.  There is a police officer named Paul (Alden Ehrenreich) who is involved in many strange scenarios. There is also Anthony (Austin Abrams) an adult junkie adult always looking for drugs. There is also Archer Graff (Josh Brolin) who is looking for answers in the search for the missing children. While Justine builds a strange reputation, the town begins to have one itself. This is in part because there is only one kid standing named Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher). Alex’s grandma is Gladys Lilly (Amy Madigan). Why is Alex the only kid that has not disappeared? Why did the other kids disappear? What is the strange force that lingers in this town?

The writing of the film is boiling over with scares that roll their way down the aisle quite unexpectedly. Based on Cregger’s direction, my skin was crawling. However, even though there are many moments of flash frights, his incorporation of laughing moments combined with those that were creepy boggled my mind and made me crave more. I especially appreciated thedynamic where there is someone who seems easy to blame, but then the truth comes out in the most unexpected ways.

It is one of those thrillers that truly give fans of terror exactly what they come to the movies looking for. Cregger nails it in just the right way! By creating a foundation of hatred among a community but then looping in the bigger picture in small increments, he creates a pattern of shock value that tests the boundaries of his audience. Weapons is in a league of its own because of the way it rapidly boggles the brain. Overall, it is a unique film which spirals at moments that feel like a zombie thriller with more to offer. The story being based upon a community having terrors caused by an unknown secret works.

 I found Weapons to be one of the most fun summer’s end horror flicks with notes of comedy. A lot of its appeal is due to how karma related to choices leads to mortifying scenarios. The film is a real gem. Weapons is not a masterpiece, but the film effectively tests the waters. What happened to the missing children? Why does only the scene remain? Who is to blame? Find out in Weapons. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

F1: The Movie Review

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There is a blasting that makes the heart pulse. The start of F1: The Movie sounds like the engines revving up for a race to begin. Only it is not one race, it is multiple races. There is competition that spirals with resilience in F1: The Movie which makes it exhilarating. Director Joseph Kosinski has not lost his touch for sound quality. Given that I’ve experienced these events in real life, F1: The Movie had me sold not only due to the plot, but also due to the way it incorporates politics and collaboration. Teamwork thrives in a spellbinding fashion in F1: The Movie.

The film’s focus is on Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a driver who has won many kinds of races. However, he stopped racing in Formula One at one point in his life. His friend, mentor, and colleague recruits him to race in Formula One again. That man is Ruben (Javier Bardem). For Sonny, the race is about politics and feeding his ego. But for his new team, Formula One is a race in new territory that is more uncharted than he expects.

The story is all about Sonny learning the new course that has been put in front of him. F1: The Movie brings in the different components of training. Sonny has a teammate named Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) who is a young rookie building a name for himself and trying to develop his own audience. The competitiveness of the races is heated and grows rapidly. The dynamics between Sonny and Joshua are complex as racers who strive for success and do not want to share their growth or their wins with each other. 

The races are where the true colors and competitive side of the racers shine in F1: The Movie. The different outcomes of the many races create an interesting trail which keeps the audience curious as each race carries a new result. The loud volume of the film also adds to the impact. The political dynamics make their way to the track repeatedly in F1: The Movie. The uncharted territory tests the skills of the drivers and leads to some unexpected results. The film’s continuity shows the characters’egos. The brewing rivalry helps the audience feel the engines as they get faster and louder as does the anger which adds fuel to this sport.

Throughout the races and the various outcomes, the dynamics of the story remain faithful. Pitt, Bardem, and Pearce alternatively encourage each other and resent each other. The director effectively portrays the many mixed feelings which are displayed prominently in F1: The Movie. The thrill of winning and the harshness of sharing a championship creates the ivory towel feeling in F1: The Movie. The frustration shown in the characterization of Pitt’s performance paints an important picture. The fact that it takes much repetition to learn the steps when driving a new vehicle along with the attention of the press, expectations of the fans, and the excitement of the races…all heat up and accelerate to full speed in this film. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.