BluTuesday - July 14, 2015
What’s going on, ProFans? I’m taking a break from celebrating my 38th birthday to bring you the latest releases in home media for July 14, 2015. In this week’s episode, we discuss a return to a fancy hotel, a movie title with enough innuendo to choke a horse, an existential crisis involving a sex bot, a comedy that no one asked for, and another entry in the movies that I will never watch. Ready to get started? Let’s go.
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 62%
Return to the whimsical magic at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in this heartwarming sequel to the original smash hit. Now that the hotel’s first venture was successful, Sonny (Dev Patel) is working on starting up another resort - as well as his impending wedding. But, there are complications to any new adventure, and he’s gonna need a little help from his friends to pull through. This film, which also stars Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, and Richard Gere, is available in both a single disc Blu-ray version and a single disc DVD version. This film was an enjoyable return to a pleasant environment, and it’s well worth your time to give it a watch.
The Longest Ride (PG-13)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 30%
Nicholas Sparks strikes again; this time, he takes on the rodeo scene. Luke (Scott Eastwood) is a former championship bull rider who wants to make a comeback. Sophia (Britt Robertson) is a naive college student who’s about to start her dream job in the NYC art world. The two worlds collide, they fall in love in spite of their differences, and people die. This is a Nicholas Sparks film, after all. This film, which also stars Jack Huston, Oona Chaplin, and Melissa Benoist, is available in both a single disc Blu-ray + Digital Copy version and a single disc DVD + Digital Copy version. Nicholas Sparks films have a formula, and that formula works more often than not for his intended audience. That intended audience isn’t me, so I pass.
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%
Domhnall Gleeson stars as Caleb, a gifted programmer at an Internet conglomerate. He wins a competition to go visit the Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the company’s CEO in his reclusive mountain resort. Once there, Caleb finds that he has to take part in an odd experiment dealing with his interaction with the first ever artificial intelligence in the form of a robotic young woman (Alicia Vikander). This film, which also stars Chelsea Li, Evie Wray, and Sonoya Mizuno, is available in both a single disc Blu-ray + Digital Copy version and a single disc DVD version. This film is beautiful, haunting, and mindbending, and it’s my definite pick of the week.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (PG)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 6%
Okay. Kevin James returns as the titular cop in this comedy. After keeping the malls safe for over six years, Paul takes a vacation to Vegas with his daughter before she goes to college. But, there are criminals everywhere and malls that need protecting, so Blart is back on the case. This film, which also stars Raini Rodriguez, Neal McDonough, and Shirley Knight, is available in both a two disc Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy version and a single disc DVD version. I’m not a comedy person anymore, so I don’t really know if I could recommend this in good taste. But, if you liked the first one, this one is for you.
It Follows (R)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
Jay (Maika Monroe) has problems that no 19 year old should have. After a seemingly innocuous sexual encounter, she finds herself being haunted by strange visions and a feeling that she’s being followed. Jay and her friends now have to figure out what’s going on and who’s trying to kill them. This film, which also stars Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, and Daniel Zovatto, is available in both a single disc Blu-ray + Digital Copy version and a single disc DVD version. This is a haunting movie with a puritanical message: premarital sex is bad, kiddos. Have fun with that.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Got any questions or comments? Did I miss something you wanted to discuss? Do you want to get me something off of my Amazon Wish List? Please feel free to hit me up in the comments section below. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go eat some cake.
Until next time…
