Ongoing: Ron's Blu-Ray Discoveries Thread (renamed) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

A double-feature today. First up was The Undying Monster followed by The Lodger. I was very pleased with Kino's BD releases. I really love John Brahm directed films. Laird Cregar's performance in The Lodger was excellent and should be noted in this thread. I hope Hangover Square is released on Blu-ray this year by Kino.

 

[Matt Hough]

Laird Cregar's performance in The Lodger was excellent and should be noted in this thread. I hope Hangover Square is released on Blu-ray this year by Kino.

I certainly noted its excellence in my review of Kino's release.

I, too, hope very much to see Hangover Square in the new year.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I certainly noted its excellence in my review of Kino's release.

I, too, hope very much to see Hangover Square in the new year.

Yeah, but I'm noting it in this particular thread. No disrespect for your review thread.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

January 3-8, 2017

I am going to ramble a little here, but a point (hopefully) will be made....

I am always the last person to discover great films or television shows. That's a fact. Usually, by the time word-of-mouth gets around about an outstanding television series, the season is nearly over and I don't have time to play catch-up.

Heard about this show called "The Wire" for years. Friends and media raved about it. When word got to me, it was already in its final season. A year or two later I would watch it all on DVD, and exclaim it to be one of the finest shows I had ever witnessed.

Same thing about a show called "Breaking Bad." It wasn't until Season 4 was underway that I started binge watching the past three seasons on Blu-ray just to catch up. Of course, anyone that has seen "Breaking Bad" can tell you that it is one of the biggest and best shows to appear on television in the past decade.

In fact, if you have not watched "The Wire" or "Breaking Bad," you really are missing out on outstanding television.

Two years ago, "Fargo" began its first season on F/X. My friends told me how great it was. At that point, the season was almost over. I decided to wait. Even as I waited through Season 2, my friends continuing to push me to watch....

I bought Season 1 and Season 2 on Blu-ray. I sat down and binge-watched them both over the course of the past few days.

Not since "Breaking Bad" have I seen a show so incredibly written and executed as "Fargo"

The most incredible thing I can say about this series, is no matter how fantastic Season One is -- and I am not diminishing it by any means -- the second season manages to "up the game" and outdo the first. I mean, my mind was completely blown after Season 1. Watching Season 2? I couldn't get out of the recliner. I kept wanting more....more....more! With each cliffhanger, I sat there in disbelief of what I was watching.

Fargo is an incredible watch. It's very violent. The body count is endless. There are story twists around every corner. There are more edge-of-your-seat moments than I could ever remember in "Breaking Bad."

Best of all, the show is very hip -- particularly Season Two. The show creators are very creative in the way they tell their story. I don't want to ruin it all, but the use of split screen and familiar music are just some of the ways the viewer gets sucked into the moment at hand.

I would dare say there is not one person who has watched this show who would come here and say its anything less than phenomenal.

This another character-driven, ultra-violent, tragically hip (excuse the pun) show that cannot fall off your radar.

With Season Three just around the corner, I would recommend a blind purchase of both seasons. It should also be available for streaming on Hulu. I don't believe Netflix has it yet.

Don't be one of the last to witness this great series.



​

 

[Bryan^H]

Oh great another season to binge
I have been looking forward to the second season, but now it just shot to the top of my watch list. Thanks Ron.
By the way I didn't mention it earlier but I thought the first season had a tiny bit of clunkiness at the beginning but from episodes 4-the end it just got better to great.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Bryan,

As I mentioned --- if seemingly impossible -- Season Two eclipses the original.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

A double-feature today. First up was The Undying Monster followed by The Lodger. I was very pleased with Kino's BD releases. I really love John Brahm directed films. Laird Cregar's performance in The Lodger was excellent and should be noted in this thread. I hope Hangover Square is released on Blu-ray this year by Kino.

In the official Kino thread, Hangover Square is listed as coming soon with no set date.

 

[Cranston37+]

Now that you have watched Fargo - would you agree with me that if someone was to watch it for the first time they might enjoy it more if they watch season 2 first?

I also have to add that as someone not only living in Minnesota, minutes from the town the Coen's are from no less - no, we do not all sound like that

 

[TonyD]

Now that you have watched Fargo - would you agree with me that if someone was to watch it for the first time they should actually watch season 2 first?

I also have to add that as someone not only living in Minnesota, minutes from the town the Coen's are from no less - no, we do not all sound like that

No no no

 

[Robert Crawford]

In the official Kino thread, Hangover Square is listed as coming soon with no set date.

Yeah, I know it's coming which is why I'm hoping it comes in 2017.

 

[DavidJ]

No no no

Hmmm...I haven't watched it, but on the recommendation of one of my former students I bought season two to watch first. He indicated I wouldn't miss out on anything starting with two and that it was the better of the two. Given my limited time, the plan was to watch season two. Are you saying this is not a good idea Tony?

 

[Mark-P]

I would dare say there is not one person who has watched this show who would come here and say its anything less than phenomenal.​

​

You seriously want to make that dare, knowing that every great thing has dissenters on the Internet?

 

[Cranston37+]

Hmmm...I haven't watched it, but on the recommendation of one of my former students I bought season two to watch first. He indicated I wouldn't miss out on anything starting with two and that it was the better of the two. Given my limited time, the plan was to watch season two. Are you saying this is not a good idea Tony?

The reason I initially asked about how a newcomer should watch (as someone who has seen it) is because season 2 takes place before season 1, so watching them that way you would be watching the story chronologically. In your case, you would literally be starting from the beginning with 2, so no fears about missing anything...

 

[TonyD]

No.

I would watch it the first time in aired order then if you like it enough watch in chrono order.

Thats the way the story was told so that that way I think it should be watched the first time.

 

[TravisR]

No.

I would watch it the first time in aired order then if you like it enough watch in chrono order.

Thats the way the story was told so that that way I think it should be watched the first time.

Yeah, you could watch S2 first but I wouldn't do that either. You can definitely follow either season without seeing the other but I think the callbacks and references in S2 indicate that you're supposed to be watching the show how it aired.

 

[TonyD]

Exactly

 

[ScottHM]

Fargo is an incredible watch. It's very violent. The body count is endless....

I would dare say there is not one person who has watched this show who would come here and say its anything less than phenomenal.​

Actually, this description would prevent me from ever watching the show, no matter how "phenomenal" some may find it.
---------------​

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Now that you have watched Fargo - would you agree with me that if someone was to watch it for the first time they might enjoy it more if they watch season 2 first?

I also have to add that as someone not only living in Minnesota, minutes from the town the Coen's are from no less - no, we do not all sound like that

Like everyone else, the answer is a stern, NO! Please, NO!

It would be like watching Star Wars in chronological order. You are meant to be surprised and connect the pieces. That is what happens when you watch the series as presented.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today, I watched Battteground on Blu-ray. An excellent WW II film with an outstanding cast of actors many of you will recognize from film and TV. Actors from Dennis the Menace's Dad to Marshal Dillon was represented as well as Daktari, Fantasy Island and even Our Gang films. That's just a few of the cast as more well known actors were in the lead for this film too.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Today, I watched Battteground on Blu-ray. An excellent WW II film with an outstanding cast of actors many of you will recognize from film and TV. Actors from Dennis the Menace's Dad to Marshal Dillon was represented as well as Daktari, Fantasy Island and even Our Gang films. That's just a few of the cast as more well known actors were in the lead for this film too.

That will be my next Blu-ray discovery in the next 24 hours. Will report back.