Created by: Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
Starring: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik
Number of discs: 3
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 552 minutes

Season: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Right from the start whether you have seen this show before or not, you can tell that these show is amazing. I mean do you see the cover art? It  doesn’t get cooler than that.  These guys are nerdy comedy superstars and the cover art definitely reflects that. It is really rare that a show in its fifth season gets better and better with each episode. I always thought that the first few seasons where the funniest but after re-watching this season it is clear and the show’s best is it current episodes. This season also has cameos from Stephen Hawkins and Leonard Nimoy, can you ask for anything more?

The Blu-ray presentation is comparable to the past “Big Bang” Blu-ray releases. The 1080p video is a real treat for the show.  The color pop and overall looks very sharp.  The audio track included work well especially since the show is dialogue based.  You don’t miss a word of their clever smarty-pants dialogue.  This release of the season not only but with the show on Blu-ray but also DVD discs.  Also included is the entire series on Ultraviolet digital streaming, which is SUPER cool to be able to just pop on anytime, anywhere.

You can tell that the show changed a lot this season…in a positive direction. The characters are getting new arc and not only growing but also maturing. I think that the addition of Bernadette and Amy, amazingly played by Melissa Rouch and Mayim Bialik respectively, really compliments a lot more to the original cast with added depth. Mayim Bialik literally steals every single scene she is in and deserves a freaking Emmy…HELLO??!! It is rare that when a season ends that I am literally upset and dying for more, this was the case when this season ended. I actually had to go back to previous seasons and re-watch just to get my “Big Bang” fix.

The special features on this season are also the best of the series to date. There is some really great extras included in this release. “The Big Bang Theory @ 100” showcases the cast and crew as they celebrate the show’s 100th episode. “The Big Bang Theory’s Laws of Reflection” features interviews with the cast as they reflect on their favorite moments from season 5. “Professors of Production” is a behind-the-scenes look at the various section of the show that assist to bring this wonderful show together week after week. Lastly there is a terribly funny “Gag Reel” included.

Directed by: Jay Chandrasekhar
Starring: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn and Kevin Heffernan, Jay Chandrasekhar
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
Release Date: September 18, 2012
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 93 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

When I saw Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan and Olivia Munn attached to this film, I was immediately interested. I am a big fan of Broken Lizard and G4’s “Attack of the Show”. This film is laugh-out-loud funny but takes a more mature route than past work from Jay and Kevin. Although Kevin said during an interview with us that he feels that his character is similar to his past Broken Lizard roles. Jay also has an acting role besides directing, playing Ron Jon and easily steals the show. This is own of those films that grows on you with each viewing. I have seen this film three times already now and it only gets better.

“The Babymakers” follows a married couple whose main objective is to have a baby. But after 9 months of trying, Audrey (Munn) and her husband Tommy (Schneider) are unable to get pregnant. After finding out that his sperm is lacking in the baby department, Tommy recruits his pals in order to steal a deposit he made at a sperm bank years earlier. Simple plot though this is not a one-joke comedy and does manage to entertain throughout.

Fans of Broken Lizard should keep an eye out for alums like Nat Faxon, M.C. Gainey and Philippe Brenninkmeyer. Also if you were a fan of Munn’s failed TV series “Perfect Couples” (like myself), keep an eye out for her co-star Hayes MacArthur who is a laugh riot in the film as well. Though if you are looking for another Broken Lizard film, you will be disappointed. I feel it still really delivers and “The Babymakers” is a simple yet very fun comedy. If you need something to do on a Saturday night, this is definitely worth checking out.

The Blu-ray presentation is good as well though since comedies aren’t typically intensive on the format. The 1080p is sharp and looks great. The audio included a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track, which works well with the dialogue. The special features included are a behind-the-scenes look into the production. There are also cast and crew interviews with are fun and worth checking out. Lastly, there is another featurette with more details on the film from the cast and crew.

Directed by: Panos Cosmatos
Starring: Michael Rogers, Eva Allan, Scott Hylands
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Beyond the Black Rainbow” is wow, just wow.  There is really no way to describe this film this sci-fi thriller.  If “2001: A Space Odyssey” met up with “Blue Sunshine”, this would be the result.  It is a visually beyond anything I have every seen.  It is extremely unique and overall such a trip.  The whole film is set in this very cool dystopian version of 1983. I was just speechless watching this film…until the end, which doesn’t fit with the rest of the film.  I am not sure for the reasoning behind it but it was a letdown from such a visual stunning film. Michael Rogers who played Quan Chi in “Mortal Kombat Legacy” last year gives such an amazing performance, check out our interview here.  He is a crazy mix between Norman Bates in “Psycho” and Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho”.  If you are looking for the new midnight cult classic film, look no further.

Synopsis: Set in the strange and oppressive emotional landscape of the year 1983, “Beyond the Black Rainbow” is a Reagan-era fever dream inspired by hazy childhood memories of midnight movies and Saturday morning cartoons. From the producer of Machotaildrop, Rainbow is the feature film debut of writer and director Panos Cosmatos. Featuring a hypnotic analog synthesizer score by Jeremy Schmidt of “Sinoia Caves” and “Black Mountain,” Rainbow is a film experience for the senses.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive. The 1080p transfer works so well with the film’s use of colors and lights. You can also see like every pore on Rogers’ face, which adds to his creepy performance. The audio gets a 5/5 for being just absolutely perfect. It works perfectly with its hypnotic synthesizer score by Jeremy Schmidt of “Sinoia Caves” and “Black Mountain”. The special features are also great including an audio commentary with director Panos Cosmatos. There a few extended scenes, which are definitely worth checking out. There are also two great featurettes including “Behind-the-Scenes” look into the film and the “Making of Beyond The Black Rainbow”. Very informative and worth checking out. Lastly there is the trailer included.

Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Madeline Carroll, Emma Fuhrmann, Nicolette Pierini, Kenan Thompson
Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: September 18th, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 109 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Magic of Belle Island” is one of those rare gems that gets quietly released each year that no one has seen but everyone should.  It is easily one of my favorite films of 2012. It is also one of the best directorial efforts from Rob Reiner, who reunited with Morgan Freeman again after “The Bucket List”. The film just has this “Rob Reiner” feel to it, which is just so recognizable.  Freeman is so amazing in this film and really nails this role. He is funny yet very deep. Besides Freeman, Emma Fuhrmann really steals the show for me personally.  She is going to be big and real fast, mark by words. We had the chance to interview her earlier this year about this role, read her interview here.  I highly recommend this film to everyone in the family.

Synopsis: Freeman plays Monte Wildhorn, a famous Western novelist whose struggle with alcoholism has sapped his passion for writing. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer inpicturesque Belle Isle, and befriends the family next door – an attractive single mom (Madsen) and her young daughters – who help him find inspiration again.

The Blu-ray presentation is very respectable and impressive.  The 1080p transfer looks clean and sharp but overall not really given much of a challenge since the film is a very simple straight forward dramedy.  Same goes for the audio track, it works perfectly with the notable “Reiner” music and score and delivers clean dialogue.  The special features are great as well as the film.  There is an amazing audio commentary track with both Rob Reiner and Morgan Freeman.  I highly recommend this fun track.  There are a few deleted scenes, nothing that would have made the film better but worth visiting.  There is a the typical EPK-style behind-the-scenes  feature “HDNet: A Look at”.  Lastly there is the theatrical trailer included.

Directed by: Kerry Prior
Starring: David Anders, Senyo Amoaku, Chris Wylde
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Running Time: 117 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

What maker me curious about this film is where the hell has it been?  The horror-comedy was the Winner of the Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actor and Audience Choice at the 2009 New York City Horror Film Festival.  Did you catch that? 2009.  I am not sure what took so long to reach DVD but this was a pretty damn decent flick.  It is a sharp blend of horror and comedy. The main issue though I have is the nearly two hour running time. Horror films NEVER need to be over 90 minutes, no matter how good they think they are.  If this film was 30 mins shorter, it would have been a lot tighter and better executed.  Nonetheless, horror fans should definitely consider this release for a good laughs and some good gore.

SYNOPSIS: The breakout film centers on a fallen soldier who somehow finds he has joined the ranks of the living dead. Bart Gregory (Anders) has just recently been laid to rest – so why is he still up and walking around? The only way he can keep himself from diminishing to dust is to supply himself with a constant supply of fresh blood. He quickly decides to do law enforcement a favor by cleaning up the streets.

The DVD special features are actually quite decent for this little film. There are two audio commentary tracks included. The first is with the director Kerry Prior and the second is with the actors David Anders and Chris Wylde. Both decent and very listenable. There is a brief but also decent behind-the-scenes featurette caled “Revealing The Revenant”, as well as a few deleted scenes. The scenes aren’t anything special but if you enjoyed the film it is worth checking out. Lastly there is a photo gallery included.

Directed by: Jonathan Glendening
Starring: Robert Englund, Steven Berkoff, Martin Compston, Adele Silva, Ali Bastian, Barbara Nedeljakova
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by : Well Go USA
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Stripping have never neen so hairy!”, can you say no to a tagline like that? I think not. “Strippers vs. Werewolves” is exactely what you would expect and nothing more. It a great mix of comddy and horror. The film does have an impressive cast with Robert Englund (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”), Steven Berkoff (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Sarah Douglas (“Superman II”), and Barbara Nedeljakova (“Hostel”). I heard about this tongue-in-cheek horror-thriller when I interviewed Barbara last year, check it out here, I was immediately interested. If you liked films like “Zombie Strippers” and “From Dusk Till Dawn”, then this is definitely worth checking out.

From Well Go USA’s official synopsis: “A war between strippers and werewolves ensues when a member of a bloodthirsty pack of werewolves is murdered in a famous strip club. The girls who work there have until the next full moon before the werewolves’ vicious leader sends his wolf pack to hunt down the killers and seek retribution. Problems arise for both parties when the wolf pack realizes the club owner is experienced in dealing with hostile lycanthropes and that one of their own is dating a dancer from the club.”

Well Go USA’s Blu-ray Blu-ray both looks and sounds great for a low budget film. It is nothing out-of-this-world but decent overall. The special features are lacking a bit though. They could have come up with some fun and entertaining extras for a film like this. There is a commentary with producers Jonathan Sothcott and Simon Phillips, decent but really a must listen. Would have loved to see the main three girls do a track. Lastly there is a Behind-the-scenes featurette. It is worth watching if you enjoy the film but runs way to short.

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Directed by: Ernie Barbarash
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bianca Bree, Kristopher Van Varenberg, Joe Flanigan, Anna-Louise Plowman
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 0 out of 5 stars

Especially after seeing Jean-Claude Van Damme kick some ass in this summer’s “The Expendables”, I am gung-ho to watch him in just about anything I can right now, so this release is completely welcomed. Honestly, the film is quite decent for a direct-to-DVD release. Jean-Claude Van Damme even get in a few decent roundhouse kicks. The cast is also rounded out with Joe Flanigan from “Stargate: Atlantis”. But overall, “6 Bullets” packs some good action and one hell of an intense plot.

Official Synopsis: Veteran mercenary Samson Gaul (Jean-Claude Van Damme) knows that in the heat of battle, every bullet counts. He retired from combat when his actions resulted in the deaths of helpless victims, but now he’s the last hope for a desperate father. Mixed Martial Artist, Andrew Fayden (Joe Flanigan, Stargate: Atlantis) knows how to fight, but alone he’s unprepared to navigate the corrupt streets of a foreign city to find his kidnapped daughter. Together, these warriors will stop at nothing to tear apart a vile network of criminals that preys upon the innocent.

Fans of Van Damme are going to jump all over this release for sure. I  am not sure why though Sony decided to skip a Blu-ray release for this, which is basically the norm these days, especially for an action film.   If you prefer digital this film was also release in various VOD formats, so for $3.99 you honestly can’t go wrong. Though if you are looking for any special features, you will be disappointed since this is completely bare-bones.

Director: Peter Sasdy, Tom Clegg, Alan Gibson
Starring: Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Pierce Brosnan
Distributed by: Synapse Films
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 702 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

If you are wondering who to so thank you for this great release, all the praise needs to go to Synapse Films. They are the ones behind this complete series of “Hammer House of Horror”, which is presented in their original airdate order, with all-new introductions. Even those this show is from the 1980, the episodes are still creepy and feel rather timeless. The episodes presentation…well that’s another story, which I’ll cover more below. I just wish that this series ran longer than 13 episodes. Nonetheless hardcore fans will be doing back flips for this release.

There is plenty of Hammer regulars, including Peter Cushing (Twins of Evil, Star Wars) and Denholm Elliot (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Patricia Quinn (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and even Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye) shows up. Like other anthology shows like “The Twilight Zone”, each episode of this series takes us on a completely new tale of horror and suspense. Being a die-hard fan of Hammer, this release is truly the shit. It carries the Hammer name with pride and makes sure to include plenty of gore, boobs, and plain ole gothic macabre, which is what made Hammer so great.

The episodes are presented it full frame with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. This is exactly how the show was originally filmed and broadcasted. Don’t worry though these episodes look damn good. There is some fuzzy spots and print flaws pretty but overall nothing that affects the viewing experience. All of the episodes are pumped with Dolby Digital mono tracks, which of course is true to the original airings over 30 years ago. The special features are decent but not amazing. Like i said above their are episode introductions from Film Historian Shane M. Dallmann. There are two featurettes included as well. The first is called “Grave Recollections: A Visit with Kathryn Leign Scott and the second is called “Hammer Housekeeping: A Visit with Mia Nadasi. Both are short but sweet. Lastly there is a decent “Animated Still Gallery”, which Hammer always deliver on stills.

EPISODE LISTING:
Witching Time
The Thirteenth Reunion
Rude Awakening
Growing Pains
The House That Bled to Death
Charlie Boy
The Silent Scream
Children of the Full Moon
Carpathian Eagle
Guardian of the Abyss
Visitor from the Grave
The Two Faces of Evil
The Mark of Satan

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Directors: Chris Columbus, David Yates, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuarón, David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman
Number of discs: 31
Running Time: 1180 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG / PG-13
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Release Date: September 7, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

If you could have ever wanted an ultimate set for the “Harry Potter” film franchise…it has arrived! “The Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection” is a beautiful 31-disc extravaganza that includes all eight films. In addition to the theatrical release of every film, the collection also includes the extended versions of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; and the 3D versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows –- Parts 1 and 2. Also there is an Ultraviolet digital streaming copy of each film as well. There is a ridiculous amount of special features totaling more than thirty-seven hours, which more than ten hours of it is new-to-disc bonus content and five hours of never-before-seen material. Fans are going to have a field day with this. I will get more into the special features below but just looking at this wonderful box. This is such a creative way to look slick but pack of hell of a lot of content. Overall it is relatively small (12¾” x 10½” x 11¼”), but it is a very neat series of swing-out and slide-out drawers and cubby holes that hold all of the set’s discs and collectibles. Now for all the goodies that are included in this release, included is a 48-page hardcover book “Harry Potter Catalogue of Artefacts”, a 32-page “Harry Potter Label Collection” booklet, an envelope containing five wonderfully detailed black-and-white Stuart Craig drawings which are printed on heavy-stock cards, concept art color paintings also on heavy-stock cards, a Holocrux locket replica, a weathered blueprint poster of the Hogwarts castle, a large 24″ x 36″ cloth map of the Hogwarts grounds (pictured below) and, of course, a numbered certificate of authenticity. Sounds good? Well don’t just run out just yet since this releases does not come cheap.  The average price for this release is well over $300 bucks.  So unless you are the biggest of “Harry Potter” fans or unless you don’t own any of these film’s on Blu-ray then I would suggest this release highly.

Since we all have seen these movies before and watched the available special features, this review will focus on the content that has not be available before (and because those are the only ones Warner Bros sent us to review 😉 ) which lies on discs 25, 29 and 31.  Disc 25 is “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Bonus Disc”, it includes over 2 hours of features including the all new! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 7: Story”.  This feature runs 47 minute and is the seventh documentary released as part of each film’s Ultimate Edition Blu-ray releases.  This is centered around series author J.K. Rowling and saga screenwriter Steve Kloves, who really just dive into every aspect of the series from book to film, all of the challenges in between and a reflection on the results.  Next up is “The Deathly Hallows, Part 1: Behind the Magic” runs about 45 minutes and has previously aired on TV but never released.  It basically is a pre-release EPK focusing on what we can expect from the upcoming 7th film. “Harry Potter on the Road” follow a production crew all over the UK stopping at various location shoots from the series.  This could have been a 10 hours feature in its own but runs a short 20 minutes. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 1: Behind the Story Featurettes” is an 80 minutes feature that is split into fourteen mini featurettes focusing on the film’s production and nine of these are new to the film.  There is eight deleted scenes included from “Deathly Hallows, Part 1”, decent scenes but well cut. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2 Sneak Peek” is a short taste of what we were waiting for in part 2 and final “Harry Potter” film. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Promotional Tour” features Radcliffe and his castmates, J.K. Rowling and other VIPs as they give us a then sneak peek of the new theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort. “Behind the Soundtrack” chats about Alexandre Desplat’s score but doesn’t spend enough time on it. Lastly there is a teaser and a theatrical trailer for The Deathly Hallows, Part 1.

Disc 29 is the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Bonus Disc”, it included over 4 hours of features including the all new! “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Pt. 8: Growing Up” and an all new! extended “A Conversation with JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe” with 15 minutes of new footage. “Creating the World of Harry Potter, Part 8: Growing Up” runs slightly longer than the 7th part and puts a conclusion to the whimsical ten-year journey that was the Harry Potter film saga. “A Conversation with Rowling and Radcliffe” is an extended version from 53 to 63-minutes of this conversation from the creator and Potter himself, one of the best features on this release and a must watch for all fans. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Behind the Magic” like with Part 1 as well, is another pre-theatrical release TV special. “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: Behind the Story” includes seven featurettes, which includes six new to the Wizard’s Collection.  “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2: The Quest” continues with more featurettes, in fact, sixteen more though shorter featurettes. A little bit of repeat but die-hard will eat it up. There are eight deleted scenes, nothing that will knock you out of your chair but decent. “Hogwart’s Last Stand: Extended Version” is an truly awesome  dissection of the films’ final showdown, which runs about 30 minutes. “The Women of Harry Potter” is an in-depth look at the strong women throughout the series books and the films. Next up, you can go behind-the-scenes of the UK attraction in “Warner Bros. Studio Tour London”. Rowling gives an in inside preview into her new website, “Pottermore”. Lastly’ there is the teaser and theatrical trailers for Part 2. The last disc and most awaiting is disc 31, which is the exclusive Wizard’s Collection Bonus Disc.  It is includes about four hours of all new features starting with: “When Harry Left Hogwarts – Extended Version”, which runs just shy of 90 minutes.  It is quite the emotional ride through the final days of filming. “The 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments – Definitive Version” runs just over an hour and covers everything from”The Sorcerer’s Stone” to “The Deathly Hallows, Part 2”. “Designing the World of Harry Potter” features production designer Stuart Craig and his team as they show what it took to make the world of Harry Potter come to life. There is a two parter called “Secrets Revealed!” The first looks at the secrets of Quidditch and the second discusses Hagrid, both amazing. Lastly rounding out this amazing disc is “The Harry Potters You Never Met”, which gives some spotlight to Harry’s many stunt doubles.

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/HPWCSEP7
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/harrypottermovie
For Additional Film Clips: http://www.youtube.com/harrypotter
For More Information: http://www.harrypotterwizardscollection.com/

Here is a detailed breakdown on what is on each disc:

Disc 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theatrical Version + Extended Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 3: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Creating The World: The Magic Begins (Blu-ray)
Disc 4: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 5: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version + Extended Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 6: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 7: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Creating the World: Characters (Blu-ray)
Disc 8: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 9: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Theatrical Version (Blu-ray)
Disc 10: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 11: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Creating the World: Creatures (Blu-ray)
Disc 12: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 13: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Theatrical Version (Blu-ray)
Disc 14: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 15: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Creating the World: Sound & Music (Blu-ray)
Disc 16: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Disc 2 from the Special Edition (DVD)
Disc 17: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 18: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 19: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Creating the World: Evolution (Blu-ray)
Disc 20: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 21: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 22: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Creating the World: Magical Effects + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 23: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 24: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 25: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Creating the World: Story + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 26: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (Blu-ray 3D)
Disc 27: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Theatrical Version + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 28: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Theatrical Version (DVD)
Disc 29: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Creating the World: Growing Up + Extra Content (Blu-ray)
Disc 30: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Blu-ray 3D)
Disc 31: Wizard’s Collection Exclusive Bonus Disc (Blu-ray)

Directed by: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Sam Claflin
MPAA Rating: PG-13 / Unrated
Distributed by: Universal Home Entertainment
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 127 / 131 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
EXtras: 4 out of 5 stars

When I think of “Snow White and the Huntsman”, I can’t help but compare to “Twilight”, sorry Kristen Stewart. The film is a bit overly ambitious and a little slow moving but it really takes a unique view to the classic story. The visuals are very stunning and really drives the story. If you are going to compare this to the piece-of-crap “Mirror, Mirror”, there is no contest, this one is a real winner. This Blu-ray release includes both the 127-minute theatrical cut and a 131-minute extended edition. The extended version doesn’t make or break the film itself but it does deliver a few decent new scenes. Overall I just loved the dark tone of the film. Looking forward to the Huntsman spin-off with Chris Hemsworth and did I mention that Charlize Theron was absolutely awesome in this role!

The release comes as a two-disc combo pack. There is a Blu-ray disc, as well as a DVD disc. There is also two options for digital copy including an iTunes download or the UltraViolet digital streaming copy. The latter is definitely the route I will be going for sure. The 1080pd video transfer is just simply stunning and really adds so much to the film’s aesthetics, cinematography and visual effects. The real star of the film though is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. This track literally rumbled my walls in my house and really uses the 7.1 sound to the max.

Like the film, the special features are great and really deliver. There is an audio commentary: Director Rupert Sanders, visual effects supervisor Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-editor Neil Smith, which is very heavy on details and focused on production. There is a U-Control, Picture in Picture included with sporadic behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. “Second Screen Experience” allow you to interactive in the film with your tablet or PC using the pocket BLU app. “Around the Kingdom: 360° Set Tour” is a beautiful look at the film’s Pinewood Studios sets. “A New Legend is Born” includes cast/crew interviews as they discuss the film production and the history behind the story. “Reinventing the Fairy Tale” looks at the incorporation of the Brothers Grimm version of Snow White. “Citizens of the Kingdom” included four typical EPK-style character featurettes including “Fairest of Them All: Snow White,” “Deliciously Evil: Queen Ravenna,” “The Huntsman” and “Motley Crew: The Dwarves.” Lastly, and my favorite, “The Magic of Snow White and the Huntsman” looks into the film’s visual effects and animatics in a lot of detail.

MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Running Time: 161 minutes.

Tom and Jerry are back and this time they are in store for spooks galore in this monster collection of 20 eerie episodes plus two bonus episodes. “Tricks & Treats” is non-stop cat-mouse run ranging from ancient Egypt to Transylvania and from creepy houses to haunted forests. The duo are at their best delivering non-stop hilarity mixed with ghosts, mummies, werewolves and witches throughout these terrific episodes. If you are looking for something to get the whole family in the mood for Halloween, this is the release to pick-up for sure.

What I liked most about these episodes is that they are all shorts and are just enough to keep your attention. I also like the mix of classic and new adventures, like past Tom and Jerry releases. Just because they are short though, don’t take that literally there is almost three episodes of great episodes here. “Touché Pussy Cat!” is one of my favorites and always gets a good laugh. “Invasion of the Body Slammers” and “Spook House Mouse” are also two more of my favorite episodes. As I get older, these amazing character always manage to entertain and just prove how timeless they are.

Here is a complete list of episodes included:More Powers to You, Over the River and Boo!, The Woods, Fire Breathing Tom Cat, Touché Pussy Cat!, The Flying Sorceress, Tiger Cat, Robin Hoodwinked, Jerry’s Cousin, Invasion of the Body Slammers, Haunted Mouse, Trap Happy, Spook House Mouse, Bats What I Like About the South, Fraidy Cat Scat, Which Witch, Monster Con, Tomb It May Concern, Power Tom, The Itch, Hi Robot.

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Directed by: Noboru Iguchi
Starring: Itsuji Itao, Asami, Akira Emoto
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Well Go USA
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

If you aren’t aware of the studio Sushi Typhoon, you might want to approach “Karate-Robo Zaborgar” with caution. They are the team behind such films as “Mutant Girls Squad” and “Meatball Machine”. If you haven’t heard of those films, then this is probably definitely not for you…of course unless you like over-the-top gore, robots and ass-kicking females. These films are nothing like you have ever seen before. My only problem with this film is that it nears two hours in running time, when it could have been perfect at 85-90 minutes. “Karate-Robo Zaborgar” is a real tribute to the series’ like “Ultraman” meets “Voltron” though with a much more crazy over-the-top aspect.

Synopsis: Following the death of his scientist father, secret police officer Yutaka Daimon (Itsuji Itao) inherits a might robot warrior named “Zaborgar”. With its array of super weapon, expertise in karate and its ability to transform into a motorcycle, Zaborgar assists Daimon in his fight against the Sigma, the nefarious crime organization responsible for his father’s death.

Well Go USA is behind this release and definitely gave it lots of love. The film is directed by Noboru Iguchi and reunites his with special effects director Yoshihiro Nishimura. It stars Itsuji Itao (“Tokyo Gore Police”), Asami (“Mutant Girls Squad”) and Akira Emoto (“Ichi”). If you are fan of films like “Tokyo Gore Police”, then this film comes highly recommended. The Blu-ray presentation, both looking very sharp and sounds great overall, as well. The bonus features though are a little light. There are “Go, Zaborgar Go!” short films, which are still awesome though. There is also a bunch of great Sushi Typhoon trailers.

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Directed by: Drew Goddard
Starring: Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Jesse Williams, Kristen Connolly
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Running Time: 94 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“The Cabin in the Woods” is one of the most original ideas for a film that I have seen in a long time. With a world of all remake and sequels, this is rare thing in Hollywood. The film was created by Drew Goddard (“Cloverfield”) and Joss Whedon (“The Avengers”). It is also a very large genre cross ranging for laugh-out-loud comedy to some sick-ass horror. The story focuses on a group of students (Kristen Connolly; Chris Hemsworth; Anna Hutchison; Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams) whole nice vacation at a secluded mountain cabin suddenly turns into a brutal fight for survival. There is so many levels to this film that I feel that even after watching it a few times, there is still so much you can miss. As I am surely not the only one this film leaves the options wide open for future installments, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. What I liked most about this film is that Drew and Joss are just big fans of themselves and they just aimed to deliver a fun and unique film. You will not be disappointing.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive and really delivers on all accounts. Lionsgate also released this film as a combo pack, so you get a Blu-ray disc of the film and also a digital copy. With the digital copy, you are able to choose between iTunes download or an Ultraviolet digital streaming copy. The latter is easily the smarter choice of the two. The 1080p transfer looks absolutely amazing especially during the last 30 minutes. It is also presented its 2.39:1 original aspect ratio. The main star of this film is a truly amazing 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. When things get crazy in this film, that track really gets a nice work out.

The special features are just as impressive as the film is and does not disappoint for its fans.
There is an awesome audio commentary with writer/director Drew Goddard and writer/producer Joss Whedon, fans of the film are going to slow this! There is an really in-depth and informative behind-the-scenes documentary called “We Are Not Who We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods”. There is a two-part featurette called “The Secret Secret Stash”, including “Marty’s Stash” and “Hi, My Name is Joss, and I’ll Be Your Guide”. Great stuff here! There is also two more Behind-the-scenes featurettes including “An Army of Nightmares: Make-Up & Animatronic Effects” and “Primal Terror: Visual Effects”, both of these are easily my favorite extras. You can also catch the fun “Wonder-Con Q&A with Joss and Drew”. Lastly there is a BLu-ray exclusive extra, which is the icing on the cake, called “It’s Not What You Think: The Cabin in the Woods Bonus View Mode”, I am going to leave that one as a surprise because it is AWE….SOME!!!

Created by: Hanna-Barbera
Director: Don Lusk
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 273 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Growing up in the 80’s watching daily afternoon cartoons, I always enjoyed shows like “G.I. Joe”, “Thundercats” and of course “Sky Commanders”. This show was short but definitely left an impact on animated cartoons. It is not one of Hanna-Barbera’s best works but if you are looking for a trip back to the late 80’s, this is a great choice. “Sky Commanders” follows Commander Mike Summit as he leads a ragtag team of mountaineers against the forces of General Plague for control of a mysterious new continent and, of course, the world. The complete series is spread out over 2-discs and lasts only a short 13-episodes.

Unlike most Warner Archive releases, this series has not been remastered or restored for this DVD. The colors and animation still look decent but could have used a little extra love. It has though been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available. The episodes are presented in 4×3 full frame and within its original aspect ration of 1.37:1. The audio includes a mono track like all Warner Archive releases and it works well with the series for sure. Nonetheless, this release should be very much welcomed as it is the first time that “Sky Commanders”, as a complete series, is hitting DVD.

Synopsis: Deep in the South Pacific, a tumultuous and untamed new continent has erupted, spawned by a highly unstable new element, known as Phaeta-7. If this powerful new element could be controlled, whoever possessed it would be the undisputed ruler of the world! One man, General Lucas Plague, is determined to hold that title. And it’s up to a rugged team of mountaineering experts, led by Commander Mike Summit, to stop him. Employing revolutionary new gravity-lock and laser-cable technology to traverse the ever-changing terrain of the High Frontier, Mike Summit’s Sky Commanders, and General Plague’s Raiders, are locked in mortal combat, with the fate of the entire world hanging in the balance! That narration heralded the arrival of a Sci-Fi show that truly boasted sky high action, depicting the battles of a group of hi-tech climbers against a terror militia for control of the planet in this complete 2-Disc, 13-Episode Collection.

Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: James Cameron, Bill Paxton
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Walt Disney Video
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Running Time: 60 / 90 minutes

3D Theatrical Edition: 4 out of 5 stars
Extended Edition: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of of 5 stars

After being on a withdrawal from “Titanic”, I remember running out to see “Ghosts of the Abyss” in IMAX 3D. This was before 3D was in regular theatres, IMAX was the only way without red and blue glasses to see a film in the third dimension. The documentary follows director James Cameron and actor Bill Paxton, director from 1997 film “Titanic” as they travel to the final undersea resting place of the fated ship of dreams. The film itself is very interesting and gives some really great footage of the sunken beauty.

This release looks absolutely fantastic on 3D Blu-ray. Obviously the 3D looks far better then it did in theatres almost 10 years ago. The depth on the effects are very intense and really takes you exploring through the remains of the ship. Besides the 3D disc, this three-disc combo pack also comes with a Blu-ray (2D) of the film and also a DVD copy. The 3D disc presents the theatrical cut of the film, which runs 60 minutes. Though there is the extended edition of this film, which is located on the 2D Blu-ray and it runs 90 minutes. I enjoy the 3D tighter version a lot more, especially since the film was made to be watched in 3D.

The 1080p video resolution is overall very impressive and even though the film takes us to a dark park of the ocean, it is still sharp and bright. The film is also presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio on this is also very impressive with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The score takes advance of this feature the most. The special features on the release are disappointing though if you don’t count the extended edition as an extras (which I don’t). The first extra is called “Reflections From the Deep”, runs 30 minutes, and is a 6-part feature with James Cameron, Bill Paxton, and other crew chatting about shooting the film and the CH work that went into the project. The only other extra is called “The Cheese Sandwich Prank”, which is a very short clip of more unseen footage from the expedition.

Premise: Academy Award-winning Director and master storyteller, James Cameron journey’s back to the site of his greatest inspiration – the legendary wreck of the titanic. With a team of the world’s foremost historic and marine experts and friend Bill Paxton, he embarks on an unscripted adventure back to the final grave where nearly 1,500 souls lost their lives almost a century ago. Using state-of-the-art technology developed expressly for this expedition, Cameron and his crew are able to explore virtually all of the wreckage, inside and out, as never-before. With the most advanced 3D photography, moviegoers will experience the ship as if they are part of crew, right inside the dive subs. In this unprecedented motion picture event, made especially for IMAX 3D theatres and specially outfitted 35MM 3D theaters across the country, Cameron and his team bring audiences to sights not seen since the sinking 90 years ago and explore why the landmark vessel – more than any shipwreck – continues to intrigue and fascinate the public.