June's Blu-ray of the Month: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

"After surviving a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up to find herself in an underground bunker with two men. Howard (John Goodman) tells her that a massive chemical attack has rendered the air unbreathable, and their only hope of survival is to remain inside. Despite the comforts of home, Howard's controlling and menacing nature makes Michelle want to escape. After taking matters into her own hands, the young woman finally discovers the truth about the outside world."

A lot of mystery surrounded 10 Cloverfield Lane before its release, and although we weren't sure whether it was supposed to be a direct sequel to Cloverfield or not, we went into it with open minds and a healthy sense of curiosity... and we were rewarded with a movie that was a few different things at once, all of them pretty damned good. Read our full review below for out thoughts.

This is exactly the kind of movie that we love to own on Blu-ray, and although the bonus content doesn't look very extensive, we're dying to see how the movie looks on our Home Theater set-ups.

This Blu-ray/DVD Combo also comes with a DigitalHD code, so you could buy one copy of the movie, and hook two friends up with the DVD and Digital versions. That's what we do, anyway.

Special Features:

· Feature film in high definition
· Commentary by director Dan Trachtenberg and producer J.J. Abrams
· Over 30 minutes of Behind-The-Scenes Footage

10 Cloverfield Lane hits stores on June 14th.

ICYMI: Our May Reviews!

We had to reach back into the past to find some great flicks to watch in May, and if it weren't for names like John Carpenter and Tobe Hooper, it would have been a fairly lackluster month for movie-watching around here.

Still, new movies like The Ones Below and Captain America: Civil War did their jobs and entertained us, each in their own way; the pilot episode of Outcast was solid, and  now we've got a new show to watch on Friday nights; and You Are Not Alone and The Other Side of the Door were decent enough.

The only ones that didn't really do much for us were Bite, Most Likely to Die, and Sacrifice.

So here are all of the reviews that we did in May, listed in graded order, from “best” to “worst.” If you haven't read through them yet, feel free to do so now, and enjoy!

VOD Review: The Ones Below (2016)

"A modern-day Thriller that feels like a throwback."

(aka Dueling Baby Mamas.)
Release Date: March 27th.
Country: UK.
Rating: R.
Written by: David Farr.
Directed by: David Farr.
Starring: Clemence Poesy, David Morrisey, Stephen Campbell Moore, and Laura Birn.

It's hard to talk about this movie and not mention Rosemary's Baby. Of course The Ones Below has nothing to do with Satan or anything, but it certainly feels a lot like the Polanski classic in other ways. Then again, it also feels like something that came straight from the Hitchcock playbook, so I suppose that it would be proper to mention both filmmakers while talking about this movie. And now we have.

Kate and Justin are an attractive couple living in London, and they're expecting a baby. They look as happy as can be, even though the oddly unsettling music that plays as they smile blissfully at each other makes us think that something really bad is about to happen. Which it is.

THEY'RE SO HAPPY. FOR NOW.

Theresa and Jon are another attractive couple who has just moved into the flat below Kate and Justin, and they're also expecting a baby. They they seem... different though. Although she puts on a happy face, Theresa looks to be on edge, and Jon is a stiff hard-ass who seems incapable of smiling. Something is definitely off with the couple, but the four parents-to-be become friends anyway.

NOTHING CREEPY OR INTIMIDATING ABOUT THEM. NOPE.

Far be it from us to spoil what comes next for you here, but suffice it to say that after a horrible mishap, everything goes to shit for everyone, and the fast friends become fast enemies, and either one of the women is evil, or the other one is crazy, or both.

Paranoia and mistrust ensue.

YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.

The Ones Below feels like a mixture of Hitchcock and Polanski to us (and pretty much every other critic who has seen it), both of whom writer/director David Farr is a big fan of. The deliberate way the plot moves; the lingering shots; the claustrophobic mood; the eerie lullaby that plays throughout which would absolutely be at home in Rosemary's Baby... this is a very nuanced and intense Thriller that relied almost completely on psychological tension, fear, and unease to tell its story, and it did so very well.

The cast did a great job here as well. We love the hell out of Clemence Poesy, and while she was her usual effective, gorgeous self in this one, she even upped her game to an unnerving level with her performance. The stand-out for us was David Morrissey though. Damn but that man can play intense with the best of them... and then switch on a dime to be sympathetic as hell. What a dynamic actor.

THANK YOU FOR HER, FRANCE. THANK YOU.

Why was the husband such a moody dickhead?

YOU COULDN'T CHANGE THE FRIGGING LIGHT-BULB? REALLY?

To put it as vaguely as possible... that scene at the end, that damn scene at the end, made us say WTF?!? Then, a few minutes later, we said WTF?!? again for another reason. You'll understand when you see it.

ON A COMPLETELY UNRELATED NOTE, NO ONE GIVES THAT SEXY, "OVER-THE-FORK" LOOK LIKE CLEMENCE POESY DOES. NO ONE.

No gore in this one, but there is this one scene towards the end...

THAT DAMN SCENE...

We get a bit of pregnant nudity from the movie's leading ladies, but nothing very salacious at all.

IT'S A PUSS-OFF!

Don't ever let your oddball neighbor, who blames you for ruining their life, babysit your baby. Or is it don't ever marry a crazy bitch? It's definitely one of those two. Or both.

CRAZY OR NOT, I'D MARRY HER. I'D MARRY HER REAL GOOD.

The Ones Below is a slow-burn Thriller that has a classic feel to it, and it did a great job of keeping us hooked throughout. Some critics claim that the movie loses its edge in the final act, but we disagree, as we found it to be a solid culmination of the creepy groundwork that had been laid over the previous 60 minutes.

If you dig Thrillers like Hitchcock and Polanski used to make them, then give this one a go.

B+

The Ones Below is playing in limited theaters now, as well as on VOD.

Clemence Poesy and Laura Birn.

What's New on TV This Week? (5/29-6/4)

*Check out our other Release Date Pages: Blu-ray & DVD, Theatrical, VOD, TV.
Game of Thrones is ruling the airwaves as the best show on TV right now, but it's about to have some company at the top of that list with the arrival of 3 other excellent shows this week (and 2 decent-enough ones.)

• Kingdom is one of the best shows on TV that most people probably don't even know exists. An excellent blend of MMA action and Family Drama, you absolutely need to see this show if you love good TV. Wednesday, 9 P.M., DirecTV. 
• Outcast, the new Horror venture from Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, impressed us with its first episode, and we can't wait to see more. It's off to a really good start. Friday, 10 P.M., Cinemax. 
• Scream is what it is (an alright MTV show), but maybe Season 2 will be better than its 1st one, which was kinda alright. Monday, 11 P.M., MTV. 
• Peaky Blinders is like Boardwalk Empire only set in 1920's England, and it stars Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, and it's excellent. Season 3 premieres Tuesday on Netflix.
• Season 2 of The Playstation Network show, Powers, also debuts on Tuesday, and while we only caught a few episodes from its 1st Season, we dig Sharlto Copley, and it looked like good fun. Season 2 premieres Tuesday on PSN.
  

One of the funniest shows on TV, and one of the only cartoons I can watch (Rick & Morty and Bob's Burgers being the others), Archer concludes its 7th Season on Thursday, and we're sad to see it go. We like some laughter amidst all of the Horror we consume, and now we'll have one last show that's guaranteed to make us laugh to kick around. At least until next  season.