All the Heavy Metal is with the Nostalgia

Fans of Heavy Metal the Movie noiw have a remastered 4K and ATMOS presentation to thrill to.

Heavy Metal Steelbook Edition in 4KAvailable to order on Amazon USAHeavy Metal

Heavy Metal was the magazine to read during the 70s and 80s. The reason is that it was the place for talents to write or draw what they want–and not be restricted by censorship. In its original format, I was introduced to the works of Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Moebius). In the American edition, names like H. R. Giger, William Gibson and Harlan Ellison soon graced this publication.

Some of the writing and the artwork featured was once considered cutting edge; it’s very clearly a product of its time. The sexist works won’t hold up today for obvious reasons, and releasing this movie is mostly for those who are okay to the violence and adult themes portrayed. Fans of this anthology series have a remastered 4K presentation of the first movie to thrill to. An extra disc of the main and the second film on blu-ray was unusual. When comparing the prices of the Amazon USA and Canada edition, the former is the better place to order from.

In looking at the purchased physical release rather than an advanced online screener (that I had to wait to arrive by mail order), there’s plenty to like in this remaster. A bit of that soft grainy look is gone, and the better images come later in the film than earlier. Plus, for collectors, the Steelbook offering is a huge draw!

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Ghostbusters Afterlife & Ultimate Set in Review

The difference between buying the individual releases of the Ghostbusters film on Blu-ray and the massive 4K box set is not just the cardboard.

Win GHOSTBUSTERS AFTERLIFE on Blu-ray - STARBURST Magazine

Bluray Available to Purchase on Amazon USA (all countries)
4K Ultimate Collection (limited to USA)

The difference between buying the individual releases of the Ghostbusters film on Blu-ray and the massive 4K box set is not just the cardboard. It’s a fairly big box that can be put on a display shelf, and as for the individually cardboard sleeved discs, perhaps moving them onto proper cases is better. Those can be placed on the video library shelf.

The collectable edition has a cool green-coloured light-up effect when you open the faux ghost trap to reveal the packages. The study cardboard construction can take some bruising, but I’ll be trying to keep mine as prestine (still with the plastic sleeve) as possible and dusting it more often than usual. The two bonus discs is the reason why long time fans are buying this edition over the single. I’m still going through them all (as time allows) and find reading the recreation of Don Shay’s Making Ghostbusters book from 1985 the big bonus. 

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Going Back to Zombieland: Double Tap

Zombieland Double Tap Teaser Movie PosterBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Waiting 10 years for a Zombieland sequel is hardly anyone’s cup of tea. The groans is more or less with false starts than in the news of the team–Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin (now much older)–are back.

The reason for the delay, as reported by Digital Spy, lays more in writers Rhett Reese. Paul Wernick, Dave Callaham coming up with the right idea and having more experience under their belt before moving forward.

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There’s No Need for a Hellboy Reboot

Heavy MetalBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Studios desiring a higher profit margin is most likely behind the reason Hellboy is being rebooted. I can not and will not accept anyone other than Ron Perlman to play the title role. When news broke Monday night about this Columbia Pictures distributed film getting a second life, please pardon my french, “F*** No!” Since the business heads could not come eye-to-eye with Guillermo del Toro‘s pitch and the production costs involved (yes, he’s famously known to go over budget), don’t stab this director in the back by saying we’ll simply reboot it with Neil Marshall helming the second incarnation like this series can be changed around like Doctor Who.

Marshall has modest hits like Descent and Dog Soldiers to show he has the chops, but I do not think he has the comic book cred to pull off an R-rated version. Whether that means more blood or scarier content, that remains to be seen as no proper word is given if he will also be part of the script-writing team.

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Looking at the Pieces that Make up CHAPPiE, a Review

Chappie Movie PosterThe difficulties that many audiences may have with Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie is quite simply that nobody knows what kind of story he’s intending to tell. Is it a story about a dysfunctional family coming together or is it a movie about a troubled world besieged by gangsters? The trailers suggest one idea but the movie reveals another. The mix of Robocop with Transcendence does not quite make for an understandable universe and to have the subplots running independently is most likely the issue here. Somehow, it all has to come together.

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