Tag: drama

The Light Between Oceans – Blu-ray Review

My late grandmother loved lighthouses. She had lighthouse calendars, lighthouse pillows, lighthouse coffee mugs, and even lighthouse miniatures. When she passed away, I was given several of her lighthouse miniatures. I have them out as a reminder of her and also of her love of lighthouses. After watching The Light Between Oceans, I know that she would have enjoyed the film as much as I did.

The Light Between Oceans is a historical drama about love, lies, and the lengths some will go to create their own reality. It’s a story fraught with passion and tragedy. And at its heart is a lighthouse and the island on which it resides.

Michael Fassbender plays Tom, a stoic, well-mannered World War I vet who seeks refuge as the caretaker of a lighthouse on off the coast of Australia. It’s an isolated, lonely existence for Tom, but all that changes when a chance meeting with a young woman, Isabel (Alicia Vikander), end in a quick courtship and marriage. As the two enjoy their time together on the secluded island, Isabel comes to realization that she is unable to carry a child to term and provide Tom with the family they both want. When all seems bleak and hope ripped from their lives, a lifeboat appears. Inside: a dead man with a living, breathing baby.

Suddenly, it appears that their prayers have been answered. Or have they? On a return trip to the mainland, Tom happens across a woman (Rachel Weisz) in mourning for her lost husband and child. Is their found daughter really hers?

Brilliantly acted, The Light Between Oceans features stunning cinematography, a beautiful score, and carries an emotional weight few films these days possess. Fassbender (the X-Men films, Prometheus) and Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) are amazing, and Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Deep Blue Sea) also delivers a stellar performance.

The Blu-ray special features include Bringing The Light To Life, which looks at the making of the film; Lighthouse Keeper explores how a film’s setting can be just as important a character as the human cast; and an Audio Commentary with the filmmakers.

I highly recommend The Light Between Oceans. It’s a tear-jerker for sure, but a wonderful film nevertheless.

The Light Between Oceans is available January 24 on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Download.

Lucifer: The Complete First Season – DVD Review

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Lucifer

Who ever thought a TV series about the Devil would be this much fun! Lucifer is a wildly entertaining show that takes every preconceived notion we have about the Dark Lord himself, Lucifer, and turns it on its head. He may be the ruler of the Underworld, but on this series we get to know a fresh side of this fallen angel.

Tired of running Hell, Lucifer retires and escapes to Los Angeles where he and some of his followers from his previous occupation run a swanky bar in Downtown L.A. He’s a charismatic man who charms the ladies and gets what he wants (he is the Devil after all). Along with his immortality, his penchant for getting people to tell him their darkest secrets, and his love of showing charlatans and baddies a glimpse at his true self, Lucifer has also started to develop feelings that are human in nature. This only complicates things as Lucifer finds himself inadvertently assisting in a homicide case with the LAPD. At first his presence is seen as a nuisance, but he soon proves himself to be a valuable ally in the war against the criminal element of Los Angeles.

While it plays like a standard cop procedural, Lucifer’s uniqueness given its main character is the Devil himself lends the series to a wide range of intriguing possibilities. The supernatural element also helps to elevate the comedic aspects of the series, and with Lucifer’s dry wit and his love of being Lucifer it makes each episode extremely enjoyable.

The DVD special features include:

Four Character Profiles

A closer look at four of Lucifer’s main cast.

Devilish Duo

Interviews with Tom Ellis (Lucifer) and Lauren German (Detective Chloe Decker) about their characters and their unique partnership.

Lucifer Morningstar

An interview Tom Ellis who plays Lucifer.

Lucifer 2015 Comic-Con Panel

Unaired Scenes (indicated by the “scissors” icon next to each episode selection)

Gag Reel

A wicked good time, I highly recommend Lucifer: The Complete First Season for a devilishly fun twist on the classic cop drama formula.

Lucifer: The Complete First Season is available NOW on DVD and Blu-ray!

One Tree Hill: More Growth and Branching Out

One Tree Hill – Season 5
Warner Bros. Television
Starring: Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton, and Daphne Zuniga
759 minutes (15 episodes on 5 DVDs)
Available Now

Ah, the joys of growing up. Becoming an adult. Finding a job. Living your dreams. Well, that’s what young idealized minds fresh out of high school expect when they enter the world. Once reality sets in, many have been consumed by the very society they hoped to change. One Tree Hill: Season Five presents Continue reading “One Tree Hill: More Growth and Branching Out”