Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The Departed is director Martin Scorsese’s hard-hitting drama that tells the story of undercover South Boston rookie cop Billy Costigan, gangland chief Frank Costello, and Colin Sullivan, Costello’s state police mole. Costigan is assigned to get close to Costello to obtain the evidence necessary to bring down his criminal empire. Sullivan’s job is to keep Costello informed of all police movements and thwart their efforts. It isn’t long before it’s discovered by both sides that there are informers in their midst, which escalates the paranoia and the violence, leaving Billy and Colin to figure out each other’s identities in order to save their own lives.

In Jason Statham’s latest action-thriller, The Beekeeper, he portrays Adam Clay, a retired operative from a clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers.” After the tragic loss of someone close to him, due in part to the actions of professional online scammers, Clay comes out of the shadows, embarking on a mission to dismantle a system that has corrupt ties to the highest levels of government.

Upon its release 40 years ago, Footloose thrilled audiences with its spirited dancing, electrifying soundtrack and inspiring story about a Chicago city-boy, Ren McCormick, who arrives in an uptight small town where dancing has been banned due to its potentially sexual influence on the minds of its teenaged residents. Ren quickly falls for the minister’s daughter, but his love for music and dancing gets him into hot water equally fast, not only with the town leaders but a local hard case with a score to settle.

Return with us to a halcyon age of cinema when mature subject matter wasn’t forbidden, it was simply rated R. So it was with Little Darlings, a surprisingly sweet and remarkably honest snapshot of adolescence circa 1980. There’s no real violence or profanity, and the teenage coitus at its core is merely alluded to, never shown. See, summer camp brings together youngsters from all walks of life, and one of the more experienced girls strong arms two newbies into a bet: whoever loses her virginity first wins.

The Marvels begins with Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, journeying to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary. While investigating the strange phenomenon, her powers become inexplicably entangled with super-fan Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. This unlikely trio must team up and work together to save the universe.

Anyone assuming that this is a prequel to the four-movie Hunger Games trilogy — all based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novels — might find themselves bemused. This time we focus on the winning side in Panem’s bloody civil war, with a thoughtful and fascinating character study of the saga’s central antagonist, the future president — all intensified on 4K Blu-ray.

Framed for killing the most admired and respected gang leader in New York City during a gang summit, The Warriors suddenly find themselves unarmed and on the run, with every cop eager to lock them up and every other gang member looking for revenge. Walter Hill’s taut 1978 action-thriller, remastered here in 4K, has a dangerous energy all its own, with near-nonstop adrenaline punctuated by glimmers of social commentary.