Gear Patrol

GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST After covering the HP Touch Smart’s talents as a bedroom media center, we next put the capable machine to the test in the center of our home, a.k.a. the kitchen. We know –- having a computer there sounds strange, but as we discovered, having a touch-enabled digital communication center that the…

Despite what the posters say, Our Idiot Brother is less of a roll-on-the-floor-comedy, and more of a feel-good-indie. That doesn’t mean you won’t laugh out loud while watching though (the parole officer conversations and an attempted threesome are particularly rich moments). Loaded with generation X stars including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Rashida Jones…

While Steven Spielberg has been busy wearing in his boots as the bankroller of nearly every mega-budget Sci-Fi production over the last few years, we’ve personally missed him behind the camera. Thankfully, J.J. Abrams has been methodically honing his Spielberg impersonation skills with each passing film he’s directed. Super 8 was certainly his best outing…

GEAR PATROL SPONSORED POST If the explosion of smartphones and tablets has revealed any universal truth about technology, it’s that touch screens are far more pleasant to work with for most activities compared to mashing buttons. So, how can a touchscreen change the role of the desktop in your home? That’s a question we set…

Bellflower is the debut film by Evan Glodell, who in many ways exhibits hints of both a young James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino. Like “the king of the world”, Glodell has a love for the mechanical — he built his own specialized camera to film Bellflower, as well as many of the movie’s ridiculous anarchist…

Two epic miniseries, in 1080p, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, in one limited edition box set. That about sums up the Band of Brothers & Pacific Blu-ray Box Set ($135) which is slated to hit shelves on November 8th. Whether you’ve caught the occasional re-run on the History Channel, or missed these series…

When you get the money, then you get the $700 limited edition Scarface Blu-ray. Then, when you get the power and Blu-ray, then you get the women. That’s probably not the exact curriculum of the Tony Montana life coaching system, but we’re pretty sure he’d still splurge on this ridiculous version of Brian De Palma’s…

You may be through with the whole disc-based movie thing at this point, but anyone who demands the best in video quality will value the firepower of Onkyo’s newly announced BD-SP809 Blu-ray player ($599). It’s THX certified, and sports Marvell’s Qdeo processing for top notch DVD 1080p upscaling and Blu-ray video quality. Home theater geeks…

You all know the lines, scenes and what Shooter eats for breakfast, but for more than a decade, anyone hoping for a rage-fueled trip through the PGA circa 1996 has had to put up with standard def. The wait is over starting tomorrow. Yup, Adam Sandler’s instant-classic Happy Gilmore ($20) has finally received a 1080p…

The Dude would surely approve of the leisurely 10+ years it’s taken the Cohen Brothers to release their cult-classic on Blu-ray. Based on what’s included in the newly announced, limited edition version ($21), however, — the extended patience from fans will be paid back in full. For starters, the studio announced that the film has…

Le Mans is a movie that was driven by passion, instead of the bottom line. Steve McQueen desperately wanted the film made to showcase his talents as a actor and driver, and authentically at that. Subsequently, he dumped millions of his own cash into the film, which nearly bankrupted him. The way he saw it,…

James Franco may have trouble delivering teleprompter lines realistically, but you shouldn’t let his Oscar hosting skills dissuade you from watching his excellent performance in 127 Hours ($20). If you happened to miss the memo on Danny Boyle’s latest masterpiece, Franco plays the role of outdoor legend Aron Ralston, who earned his notoriety by sawing…

Before Christopher Nolan was a mega-star director, he made Memento, based off a short story written by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. If you’ve never seen this cinematic mind-bender, you should, because it’s his finest work to date in our humble opinion. This film was released originally in 2002 on Blu-ray, but that copy was done…

While you’re waiting for David Fincher and co. to provide their own cinematic interpretations of Stieg Larsson’s break away “The Girl Who Played With..” series, we’d recommend checking out the original Swedish films. Those who have read the books will find that each of the films stays relatively close to their original novel story lines…

Mark Zuckerburg, for better or worse, has changed the way the world communicates. That may sound hyperbolic, but it’s the truth. It just so happens that in the process of doing this, he also wound up becoming a billionaire several times over — while still in college. The Social Network ($17) may not portray the…

We’ll be honest. The Expendables isn’t a good movie per se — and it certainly won’t be up for any golden statue nominations. If you approach the film as the ridiculous farce of a blockbuster action film that it is however, watch it and you’re bound to have a good time. We won’t divulge any…

The Inception Blu-ray/DVD Briefcase Gift Set ($49) is an exclusive package only offered through Warner Brother’s WB shop and it’s the ultimate gift for Nolan fans still wondering if the top ever fell. Besides including both a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the movie, buyers also get seven Art Cards, “The Cobol Job Comic,” and…

There’s plenty about the 80′s that’s worth forgetting, but The Goonies shouldn’t fall on that list. Directed and produced by Richard Donner (who also happened to direct the Lethal Weapon movies and The Omen), and written by non other than Steven Spielberg, it’s no wonder the kids adventure was a tremendous success. The fact that…

Wes Anderson is a polarizing director. People either hate or love his films. End of story. The Darjeeling Limited ($25) tends to rank lower on his list of films, possibly because it was co-written by Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola instead of Owen Wilson or Noah Baumbach. But in our book it’s still a highly…

One tell-tale sign that summer is over is that the season’s blockbusters are now making it to Blu-ray. We had the opportunity to review Iron Man II before its public release and thoroughly enjoyed it as a super hero action flick. Now the Iron Man 2 Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD ($25) is finally out for those of…

A long time has passed since Get Carter, but catching Sir Michael Caine as the star of Harry Brown ($22) couldn’t help but get us excited. It may not have smashed any box office records, but this film is well on its way to becoming a cult classic. Now that it’s out on Blu-ray, you…

John Hughes (may he rest in peace) directed many 80′s classics, but The Breakfast Club was arguably his best if not most memorable. Now, in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary, The Breakfast Club ($18) lands on blu-ray so fans can catch every minute of the detention-session bonding in high definition. Pre Community style. Sure,…

In Bruges ($19) is a dark comedy that’s steadily picked up a cult following since its 2008 release. The story follows the actions of two Irish gangster/hit men who’ve been ordered to lay low – you guessed it – in Bruges (broozh), after a hit gets a little too messy. Don’t know how to pronounce…

We’ve been patiently waiting for this Blu-ray release ever since we walked out of the theater back in March. It’s hands down one of, if not the funniest movie we’ve seen so far in 2010, and should not be missed if you happened to skip it while it ran in theaters. Trust us, we know…

Few stars alive today are as respected and as recognized by so many generations of men like Clint Eastwood. He has been a constant presence in the movie industry for 30+ years, and for many, epitomizes the iron-willed tough guy persona we’ve all wished we could be. For guys looking for a chronicle of Clint’s…

Over fifty years old now, North by Northwest, is an Alfred Hitchcock classic. Starring Cary Grant as “Mad Man” (Madison Avenue advertising exec.) Roger Thornhill, Roger is mistaken for another man and kidnapped. Throughout the movie he’s relentlessly pursued through more plot twists than The Departed x5. Trying to explain it would be impossible. Suffice…

Based around a drug smuggling connection between Marseilles and New York City, The French Connection, follows “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) of the NYPD in his dogged pursuit of the drug smugglers. A bit of a rogue cop, Doyle gets onto the hunt for the smugglers after “interrogating” a suspect who’d slashed his partner with a…

Long time Gear Patrol readers may remember our first mention of this new martial arts classic back in our feature on Five Foreign Films Every Man Should Watch. Finally released earlier this week on Blu-ray, if you haven’t had the chance to watch it yet, now is the time. Presented stateside by Quentin Tarantino, besides…

Last December, Robert Downey Jr. proved to the world that he didn’t need the help of special robotic armor to hold his own in a big budget blockbuster. Then again, it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that Jr. fit right in as Holmes, who was characterized by Arthur Conan Doyle as a brilliant, substance abusing man,…

When a convicted robber escapes from prison and kills a cop, rogue detective Jack Cates decides to parole the robber’s old cell partner in crime, Reggie Hammond, for two days (48 hours) to help him solve the case. Starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy when they were both solid actors who weren’t bat-shit crazy, 48…