Directed by: Jesse Baget
Starring: Gina Gershon, Val Kilmer, Kelli Giddish, Ray Liotta, Wayne Duvall
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 91 minutes

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

“Breathless” is one of those films that you would normally pass up.  It packs much more than you would expect.  It is gory, it is brutal and it packs a shit load of twists and turns.   There are more twists and turns in this film than a windy road. It is also packs an impressive sexy cast including Gina Gershon and Kelli Giddish.  The supporting cast has no shortage of talent including Val Kilmer and Ray Liotta.   If you are looking for a fun and crazy ride, I would definitely consider giving “Breathless” a chance.

The film follows a housewife, Lorna, (Gina Gershon) who is fed up with her small-time thief husband Dale (Val Kilmer).  After finding out that he robbed the local bank for  $100,000 and didn’t plan on sharing. She holds him hostage with her friend Tiny (Kelli Giddis).  Things go array when she accident shoot him dead, the two need to find the money, dispose of a dead body, avoid the local sheriff (Ray Liotta) and outsmart a persistent private investigator (Wayne Duvall). Though in this thriller, you are not able to trust anyone and there is no shortage of back-stabbing.

This release comes within a combo pack with the Blu-ray and DVD included. The 1080p video is sharp for this low-budget production and is presented with an aspect ratio 2.35:1. The audio included sound great with its Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track.  The special features are a little weak only including an audio commentary with writer/director Jesse Baget and producer Christine Holder.  There is also a short “Making of Breathless” behind-the-scenes featurette.

Peter Gabriel: Secret World Live
Blu Ray and DVD (also available as Digital Video)
Eagle Vision
Total Running Time: 135 minutes (including extras)

Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The process of Peter Gabriel creating a follow-up to 1986’s critically-acclaimed “So”, an album that ushered in a global audience for the former Genesis front man, must have been akin to Michael Jackson trying to follow up “Thriller”.

“Sledgehammer”. “In Your Eyes”. “Big Time”. “Don’t Give Up”. “Red Rain”.  They’re ALL on “So”.  Talk about daunting.

Six years later, “Us” was released and although it wasn’t the uber hit-generator that “So” wound up being, it was one that was artistically more layered and emotionally richer.  The subsequent “Secret World” tour that was launched a year later also upped the ante in terms of theatrics and stage presentation.  Gabriel collaborated with Canadian playwright, actor and director, Robert Lepage, to create a show that that went beyond the simple definition of a live concert to one that was a journey through the heart and soul of the songs that comprised it.  The set was a fairly elaborate one: a large square stage and a smaller circular one connected by a conveyor belt.  Throughout the show, band members could travel between the two areas or use both to maximize the effect of any song’s individual scale: grand (“Steam”) or intimate (“Don’t Give Up”).  A large screen suspended to an overhead tram allowed for a variety of abstract images to be projected onto it or, in one of the show’s most memorable visual moments, for a silhouette of Gabriel to expand and contract in time with the sound of slow respiration.  At the end of the show, hidden trapdoors allowed Gabriel to literally pack up his superlative back-up band in a suitcase and disappear under a slowly-descending dome.  For a show that was largely analog in nature, it was a true spectacle with a “wow” factor that buried the needles.

Unfortunately, the filmed version of the “Secret World” tour proceedings never received the home video treatment that it truly deserved.  The 1994 VHS edition was limited both by that media’s low resolution and trapped within the confines of a standard 4:3 aspect ratio.  The laserdisc, also released in 1994, benefitted from that format’s increased resolution, but suffered from the horizontally compact presentation – as well as that technology’s near-dead-on-arrival fate.

With the advent of DVD, “Secret World Live” was reissued in 2003.  Touting itself as a “widescreen re-mixed and re-mastered” version, the disc wound up being a huge disappointment to viewers due to the video being extremely pale, grainy and lossy – so bad, in fact, that many fans (this reviewer included) were glad that they had held onto their videocassette copy.  It was that bad.

The recent DVD reissue and first-time Blu-ray issue of “Secret World Live” finally let the luminance and brilliance of the Macedonia, Italy stop on the European leg of the tour shine in full.  Both the visual and audio components of the film have been cleaned-up and bolstered to a degree that the earlier editions can now safely be sold off on eBay or, better yet, used as a cutting boards, serving trays and drink coasters.  Interestingly enough, as was true with the initial “widescreen” DVD, it appears that both of the new editions are also cropped versions of the original film which was shot in 16mm.  The extent to which the shots are cropped varies shot-by-shot.  In most instances, the widescreen version allows us to see more of the horizontal picture at the expense of the vertical.  Given that both the 4:3 (1.33:1) and the 16:9 (1.77:1) versions seem to missing image content that was clearly present in the original negative (see comparison pictures), it makes one wonder if “Secret World Live” will be reissued again at some point in the future as an edition that accurately reflects the aspect ratio (1.85:1) that it was actually filmed in.

While both the Blu-ray and the reissued DVD have substantially better picture quality than any of their predecessors, the difference between them is fairly insubstantial.  “Secret World Live” wasn’t filmed in high-definition, so the 1080i spec listed on the back of the Blu-ray case might falsely raise expectations that the Blu’s presentation will be super-clear and crisp which isn’t really the case.  Both the 2012 releases correct the grain and pixelation of the earlier editions not by upping the sharpness but, rather, smoothing out the overall image.  The net result is a softer picture than one might hope for but one that is far-and-away the best we’ve seen to date.  If the A/V buck stops here with “Secret World Live”, fans should easily be satisfied with the outcome.

The best enhancement that the 2012 editions offer up is superior sound quality. The DVD offers threeoptions: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Surround 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround for the DVD.  The Blu-ray carries two: LPCM Stereo and DTS HD Master Audio (inexplicably, Dolby options are absent).  Both are plenty punchy and detailed – especially the Blu’s DTS track.

The same bonus features that found their way onto the 1994 DVD are also on the 2012 releases – save for the somewhat out-dated  “film taster of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Growing Up’ tour” which has been replaced by a 2011 performance of “The Rhythm of the Heat” with the New Blood Orchestra (itself a teaser for Gabriel’s recently-released “Live Blood” DVD and Blu-ray).

Is it worth it to pick up a copy of this now 19-year old concert?  You betcha.  With “Secret World Live”, Peter Gabriel and his team of esteemed colleagues managed to create a depth of atmosphere and varied mood that live concerts viewers seldom see.

Is it worth the re-buy?  Ditto.  Emphasis on “see”.

 

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Stone Temple Pilots: Alive in the Windy City
DVD (also available on Blu-ray)
Eagle Vision
Total Running Time: 92 minutes

Our Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Of the grunge trinity – Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots – STP has always been the band that is totally about straightforward, no bullshit rock and roll.  That’s not to say that the other two bands weren’t able to go full throttle but, in Nirvana’s case, the music became secondary to the iconic (and now divine martyr) Kurt Cobain.  And while Pearl Jam’s “Ten” will be one of the best debut albums of all time, subsequent releases became more Eddie Vedder-centric and increasingly more tepid.

Of course, it would have been very easy for STP’s musical career to become completely overshadowed by the chaotic self-destructive force of nature that is lead vocalist Scott Weiland.  His drug and alcohol addictions are notorious and, because of them, the history of Stone Temple Pilots is riddled with stops and starts as Weiland exited and reentered the band – sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not. The odds were against them but, despite this, they’re somehow still on the scene and producing songs that are every bit as powerful as the ones from their debut album 20 years ago.  Their story is a “Behind the Music” documentarian’s wet dream – second only to Def Leppard’s.

Just as their 2010 eponymously-titled sixth studio album proves that they can cut tracks that rival the classics from their heyday, “Stone Temple Pilots: Alive in the Windy City” shows that they are still a band that, to quote Donald “Duck” Dunn from “The Blues Brothers” film, can “turn goat piss into gasoline.” They’re a fierce act – one that would probably cause any Bieberhead in the crowd to spontaneously combust.

“Windy City” captures the newly-reformed band in a March 2010 gig at the Rivera Theatre in Chicago.  They don’t waste any time with pleasantries or introductions but, instead, launch into a devastating performance of “Vasoline”.  Weiland doesn’t greet the crowd until three songs in when he introduces the song “Hollywood Bitch”, one of four tracks from their latest album.  He’s got a somewhat unsettling stage persona: one that makes one wonder if he’s really kicked his multiple bad habits or is in remission – but he’s on all thrusters and in peak form when they launch into the track and the 14 remaining tracks.

Unfortunately, the visual aspect of the DVD isn’t nearly as stupendous as the music.  Simply put, STP just isn’t that interesting to watch.  Except for Weiland’s swagger filled with stagger, his trio of band mates is pretty stationary throughout the entire show.  While abstract patterns are projected onto a backing screen, the cameras bob and weave and the editing cuts quickly to the measures of the songs.  It’s pretty cut-and-dry stuff that would probably be yawn-inducing if the tunes weren’t the grungy gems that they are.

Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
Starring: Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Colleen Camp, Madeline Khan
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Paramount
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Running Time: 94 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Clue” may not be one of the biggest hits of all-time but I have been watching it just under 30 years now. It also seems to get better and better with each viewing. In fact I still have my VHS copy of the film, so this Blu-ray upgrade is really worth the price of purchase…as long as you don’t care there are no special features (more on that later). I think that I can quote this film for hours…every line is magic, courtesy of Jonathan Lynn and John Landis. The cast is great and still such a riot featuring the comic talent of Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean and the late Madeline Khan. I look forward to sharing this film with my daughter as she grows up.

“Clue” is a very silly whodunit adaption of the classic Parker Brothers board game. We meet a cast of colorful people including Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Ms. Scarlet, Mr. White and Mr. Green, who are all being blackmailed. They are gathered in a mansion and end up having to solve a string of murder but which one of them is the killer.  The movie also sets a history record with three different endings, each one funnier than the last.

Let’s talk about the Blu-ray presentation now. The film itself never looked so good. It was always rather dark but this is a great upgrade from the old DVD. The 1080p transfer is sharp and the amount of noise is barely noticeable. Great job Paramount! The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio track works perfectly with this film and especially with John Morris’ classic score. So next up is special features and they list the three alternate endings as a bonus features but I don’t agree. Those endings were included as part of the film itself in the original VHS release, so I am not buying it. Lastly there is also a theatrical trailer included. I wish they would have put a lot more effort into extras, maybe for the upcoming 30th anniversary.

Directed by: Lisa Azuelos
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, Ashley Greene, Douglas Booth, Thomas Jane
Rated: PG-13
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 97 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I think Lisa Azuelos should have thought twice before remaking her own 2008 feature “Laughing Out Loud”. Miley Cyrus is not what she was when she was on “Hannah Montana” and Demi Moore…well, is anyone excited by her anymore? The film really tries to be a modern day “Clueless” for this generation but without the comedy and bright colors. They even used the same song but in French Supergrass’s “Alright”. Nice Try but sorry…epic fail! Best part was the films co-stars including Thomas Jane, Ashley Greene and Gina Gershon.

In today’s world of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Miley Cyrus starts as a teen girl dealing with the peer pressures of high school romance and friendship, all while dodging her protective mother (Demi Moore). This film is a coming-of-age comedy, hold the comedy and the coming-of-age.

The film looks decent on Blu-ray and comes with a shocking DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, which is completed wasted. The special features included are an audio commentary with director Lisa Azuelos and cast members Ashley Hinshaw & Lina Esco, I guess Miley was getting her nails done. Lastly there are three short behind-the-scenes featurettes including “The Cast of LOL”, “Like Mother, Like Daughter” and “Lots of Love For Lisa Azuelos”.

 

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Directed by: Haofeng Xu
Starring: Yang Song, Yuanyuan Zhao
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

This action-packed martial arts film stars Yu Chenghui from the TV series “The Legend of Bruce Lee” and is from the writer of the film, “The Grandmasters”. Well action-packed is a strong word, the film attempts to be action-packed but drags quite a bit. The sword play in the film is very impressive though, I just wish there was more of it. Fans of martial arts films, might want to check this out but it is not one of the best of the bunch.  Also the 110 minute running time hurts the film quite a bit, would have worked better at around 90 minutes.  It is not epic enough to hold that length.

The premise is as follows “In the Southern Chinese city of Guancheng, during the Ming Dynasty, there lived four families, each of them faithful keepers of martial arts. Anyone who wants to establish a new form or technique of kung fu has to fight their way through the families’ gates. But when one man’s request is rejected, he will be put through a series of fights, determined to prove that his sword is invincible.”

One of the film’s pluses is that it comes with a Mandarin and English 5.1 Dolby Digital track. When the film does have action, it sounds great. Also the English dub track is not as bad as most, even though original Mandarin is preferred. This film would have looks great on Blu-ray, not sure why that release was skipped. The special features are very disappointing only packing a trailer included.

Directed by: Pal Sletaune
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Kristoffer Joner, Henrik Rafaelsen
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 96 minutes

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

Every since her amazing role in the “Dragon Tattoo” trilogy, Noomi Rapace has been blowing up. She has even made a great dent so far in America with “Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows” and the amazing “Prometheus”. This film is Norwegian import brought forward in the US to capitalize on that success.  My only real issue is that the film is angled as a horror film but it is a strong psychological thriller.  Besides that this film is worth checking out and of course  Noomi is fantastic as usual.

Anna and her 8-year-old son move to a new home in order to escape an abusive husband . In order to keep an extra ear out for her son, she buys a baby monitor. But she starts to hear strange noises in the monitor from elsewhere in the building and witness another child being attacked. Anna needs to get to the bottom of this mystery and find out what is real and what isn’t before she loses her sanity and her child.

The film itself takes a slow pace to the finish line but this suspenseful Norwegian film is full of unexpected twists. I love a film that is able to seal the deal with its ending and not fall flat.  I liked that fact that this film was released with the original Norwegian audio track. Though I was left rather shocked that that Noomi didn’t record her own dub track, since she has learned English. The special features are lacking lastly only including deleted scenes and a trailer.

Starring: Harold Perrineau
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 282 minutes

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

This is yet another Japanese anime adaption of Marvel’s great superheros. Blade is not as popular of a Marvel character but this series kicks some major ass. It comes packed with an entertaining and smart story and is action-packed throughout. They also made Blade to be a hell of a bad-ass and really fights non-stop. Each main character really gets a good back story and it is detailed well why they are fighting these vampires. Overall, this series stands out along with “X-Men” and completely trumps “Iron Man and Wolverine” anime series.  Keep an eye out for a Wolverine-crossover, stopping by to help our half-breed vampire hunter Blade.

The story goes back to the origin of our half-breed Blade. When his pregnant mother was bitten by a vampire, she gave birth to Eric Brooks a baby boy with all the strengths of a vampire and only one of its weaknesses. The vampire hunter know as Blade is struggling to find his mother’s murderer Deacon Frost. His search leads him to Southeast Asia and along the way discovers a vampire plot to take down the world.

Harold Perrineau, known best for TV’s “Oz” and “Lost” really kicks ass with voicing Blade. I prefer the Japanese audio if anything since maybe it makes the anime-style series seem more true. The special features included on this DVD are also pretty decent including three featurettes. “Marvel Anime Universe: Blade Reborn” looking into the creation of the series. “Blade: The Vampire-Slayer” focuses on Marvel’s version of Blade with classic vampire stories. Lastly “Blade Meets Wolverine” is an interview with creator of the series.

 

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Starring: Milo Ventimiglia
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 284 minutes

Series: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Japanese anime version of Marvel characters, how can you go wrong. If you have seen the previously released series for “X-Men” and “Iron Man”, you would know what I mean…or at least with “X-Men”. Like “Iron Man”, I was not a big fan of the “Wolverine” series. When I come to think of it though, I have never been a big fan of the character Wolverine, especially not in any of the X-Men live action movies. If you want to see a great Marvel Anime series be sure to check out “X-Men” and “Blade” series, unless you are a die-hard Wolverine fan.

This aspect of this series that I enjoyed most was the homage to Frank Miller’s Wolverine graphic novel from the 1980’s. When Mariko, the love for Logan aka Wolverine for you newbs, is forced back to Japan by her crime-lord father, Shingen…Logan vows to get her back at any cost. He enters the world of corruption and violence and teams up with young assassin, Yukio in order to battle their way through the Japanese criminal underworld. Keep an eye out for some known faces like Omega Red and Cyclops.

Milo Ventimiglia scowls as his voices the titanium filled character and does a decent job. I prefer the Japanese audio if anything since maybe it makes the anime-style series seem more true. The special features included on this DVD are also pretty decent including three featurettes. “Marvel Anime Universe: Wolverine Reborn” dives into the creation of the series. “The Ferocious Anti-Hero: Wolverine Defined” focuses on our main character. Lastly “Wolverine Meets X-Men” is an interview with creator of the series.

Directed by: Joseph Kahn
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, Spencer Locke, Dane Cook, Parker Bagley
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

If I have to say nothing else about “Detention”, it is definitely original. This comedy-horror takes aims the specifically at the current generation and misses all other targets by a long shot. Director Joseph Kahn is known for the completely forgettable “Torque” and even spoofs his own film in this. While watching though, I just wasn’t 100% sold, I couldn’t get over the feeling that if I was in high school that I might have liked this much more. I am big fan of the horror genre, but maybe I didn’t fit the demo. I just wish that you can choose to watch a Dane Cook free version of it.

“Detention” is comedy-horror hybrid, which follows group of high school seniors must prevent themselves from becoming the victims of a slasher movie villain terrorizing their small town of Grizzly Lake. Of course they have to do all this while in Detention. Get the title placement there?! This is not your typical high school comedy-horror though visiting aspects of body switching, time travel, and even a human-insect hybrid. This is the aspect that sold me since obviously it wasn’t the appearance of Dane Cook.

The Blu-Ray presentation looks and sounds great and comes with some decent bonus materials, including a feature-length featurette. The 1080p transfer looks good for a low budget film and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track works well with the film’s music soundtrack. The special features included are “Cheat Mode: The Unbelievably Mind Melting Making of Detention”, it is pretty detailed on the production. There are a featurette focusing on the key fight scene in “Fight Rehearsal”. “Riffing with Dane” is a montage of Dane Cook, aka press skip. Lastly there are three screen testes for Shanley Caswell, Aaron David Johnson and Yves Bright.

Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Matt Barr, Tom Berenger, Powers Boothe
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 290 minutes

Mini-Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

When I saw that there was going to be a new TV miniseries about Hatfield-McCoy saga, I was interested but then I saw it was from The History Channel and it locked in my attention. After watching the nearly five hour mini-series, I honestly didn’t want it to end. The acting is outstanding…well except for Jena Malone playing Nancy McCoy. Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton and Tom Berenger proved they can be completely kick-ass. Even though this was made for TV, it is one hell of a production, it is really well-done and fine tuned. I know this series was a super big hit for The History Channel so I really hope they make more mini-series like this one.

“Hatfields & McCoys” follows the story of a two families that feuded a war against each backed by vengeance, courage, and sacrifice.  They went on to change history of their region forever. It begins with ‘Devil’ Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, they were close friends and comrades fighting together in the Civil War.  When they returned to home they faced tensions, misunderstandings and resentments that led to an all out war between the families.

The Blu-ray delivers a wonderful presentation.  It’s 1080p video is impressive and showcases the locations and effects very well.  The star of this release is the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track, which is nailed with the non-stop action and war in this series.  The special features though are a bit disappointing overall.  There is a basic behind-the-scenes featurette “The Making of Hatfields & McCoys” and a music video for “I Know These Hills” featuring Kevin Costner and Modern West. the music video is pretty cool, though. I’ve liked Costner when he hits up his music side.

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 113 minutes

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

With the remake of “Total Recall” on the way, Lionsgate is re-releasing this classic sci-fi film in a new Mind-Bending Edition. The Blu-ray boasts a new, director-supervised and approved transfer, which was taken from the original negative. After the last go-round for “Total Recall” on Blu-ray it left a lot of fans highly disappointed. This release will not disappoint and is available for an extremely “mind-bending” price as well. Fans of Schwarzenegger who want to see him head to Mars in high definition, I highly recommend picking up this release.

The film takes place in 2084, a time when we have colonized the planet Mars. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Quaid, a construction worker who dreams of visiting Mars. Since his wife (Sharon Stone) has no plans to move to Mars, Quaid find a company called Rekall which will implants artificial memories of a trip to the red planet. However things go array during the memory implant, Quaid realizes that his actually memories have been covered up and he is secret agent from Mars, or is he?

If you recall, the last go on Blu-ray for this film back in 2006, the video and audio presentation were very disappointing. This release definitely brings a much better looking 1080p video transfer. It was even approved by Verhoeven himself as the way he intended the film to look. This DTS-HD Master 5.1 audio track is also an improvement over the previous Blu-ray releases DTS 5.1 ES Matrix and Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. 6 years have delivered new wonders to Blu-ray and this release definitely needed an upgrade.

If the Blu-ray presentation wasn’t enough this Mind-Bending Edition also included some new kick ass features. There is an all-new interview with Director Paul Verhoeven, running over 30 minutes reminiscing about the film. There is also a super cool “Restoration Comparison” looking into how the film was transferred to high-def from original film’s negative. There is decent but not amazing commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven. There are two Behind-the-scenes featurettes included. “Models and Skeletons: The Special Effects of Total Recall” runs about 30 minutes and is presented in HD. “Imagining Total Recall” is in SD but still very cool. Lastly there is a photo gallery and theatrical trailer included.

Directed by: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Starring: Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

The Farrelly Brothers are believed to be directors that really known comedy, especially since they created the classic “There’s Something About Mary”. Though honestly their last three films haven’t really impressed me at all. “Stuck on You” was lame. “Hall Pass” was a one joke movie. “The Three Stooges” could have been amazing when Jim Care, Benecio del Toro and Sean Penn were attached but they went the cheap route with it and got a lesser cast attached just for the sake of getting it made. Overall it does get a few laughs and it gives props to the classic humor of the original Three Stooges.  It even used some of the sounds from the original shorts but then they had to throw in the “Jersey Shore” cast, which was the last straw for me. Let’s just saw the film is far from poifect!

“The Three Stooges” follow Moe, Larry and Curly as they head out on a mission to save an Orphanage. Their back story is that they were left on a doorstep of that same Orphanage and raised by the nuns.  When the trio find out that the Orphanage is being forced to close its doors, they find a way to save it.  Of course it’s not that simple and hilarity, mischief and mayhem ensues.

The Blu-ray presentation unlike the film is pretty good.  The 1080p transfer looks sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track sounds good and works well with the Stooges’ finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing.  The release itself comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray, a DVD disc and a digital copy of the film. Hardcore fans of the Stooges, should stay away from this film but new fans or causal fans of the comedy trio should get a laugh or two.

The special features on this release are decent but not amazing.  There are about ten minutes of deleted/extended scenes.  They seemed to fit well with the film and could have been really used.  “What’s the Big Idea? A History of The Three Stooges” feature the Farrelly Bros chatting about why they made the film. “Knuckleheads: Behind the Scenes of The Three Stooges” is a very short behind the scenes featurette on the production. “Did You Hear That? The Three Stooges Sound Effects” is a cool feature about how they used some original sounds from the early shorts. “Poifect! Casting The Three Stooges” talks with the three leads.  “The Three Stooges Mash-Up” is a montage of slapstick scenes, I enjoyed this a bit. “Original Screen Test” is the footage used to cast the films leads. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

 

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Distributed by: Discovery Channel
Release Date: July 31, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Episodes: 4
Running Time 212 min

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Discover Channel’s “Shark Week”, I am one of its biggest fans. I count down the days to next year following each completion. I was expecting a lot from the 25th Anniversary Collection and was let down a little. I prefer last years Blu-ray release much more titled, “Shark Week: Jaws of Steel Collection”, which included eight episodes instead of only four. I simply expected much more from the 25th Anniversary release. Overall though who don’t own the prior “Shark Week” Blu-ray releases, should consider picking this up, especially for its low-cost.

This 25th Anniversary Collection features the the following Shark Week episodes “Great White Shark: Uncaged”, “Blood In The Water”, “Ultimate Air Jaws” and “Mythbusters: Shark Special”. I am a big fan of all of these, especially “Blood In The Water” except the “Mythbusters” episode. I have never enjoyed the “Mythbusters” show at all even when it crossed over into “Shark Week”. Lastly where’s is my favorite special “Shark Hunter: Chasing the Great White” focusing on the late great Frank Mundus??

Now the Blu-ray release itself is impressive. The 1080p transfers on each episode is sharp and looks great. It is also presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1.  The audio track is also impressive for this Blu-ray. There are no special features included but I guess what can one expect behind bonus episodes. I wish they would have given this release a bit more umph and delivered a real 25th collection with multi-disc and numerous more episodes/

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, Marina Spirtis
Number of discs: 6
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Paramount Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 1184 minutes

Season One: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

I have to first admit that I am new to the whole “Star Trek” universe. Earlier this year, I have completed watching the Original Series, the Animated Series and currently I am halfway through Season Six of “The Next Generation”. Let me tell you I am completely immersed in this series and I feel like I have been living and breathing “Star Trek” over the last few months. I have purchased shirts, iPhone cases and even baby onesies to only enhance my trek into becoming a full on “Trekkie”. I feel that my review would actually provide a unique perspective to this release, especially since I am not your typical hardcore fan. When I recently watched the first season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, courtesy of Netflix, I couldn’t help by thinking how terrible this series looked and it really needed an HD upgrade bad! Well, all of our prayers have been answered because this release brings the first season re-mastered beautifully in high-definition and just in time for the show’s 25th anniversary.

Firstly, when they say that this season has been restored, they are not saying that lightly. This show looks like it was ran through the cleaners and it is super pristine with proven before/after results. It is also is presented in the original 4:3 ratio, which should be a must for fans. Those who think that it would be better widescreen should know that this show was specifically shot for full screen ratio and wouldn’t even be able to be converted to widescreen without distorting the picture. Even though the first season isn’t the most highly regarded in the series it is still a great start and only a sample of what we can expect for future seasons. One thing that I was hoping for though was a better case presentation, the season’s 25 episodes are spread out among six discs delivered in a slim BD case with a slipcover. I liked “The Original Series” Blu-ray packaging way more than this but nonetheless fans of “Star Trek” couldn’t have asked for a better high definition jump to warp speed for this classic sci-fi series.

Let’s talk a little bit about the video presentation for season one of “The Next Generation”. These episodes haven’t been just remastered from the existing film masters, they actually went back to the original 35mm camera negatives and redone all the visual effects, all in high definition. The special effects are completely updated and revised, sort of what Lucas did with the “Star Wars” trilogy. The 1080p transfers of each episode are extremely sharp and are very impressive, summing up a really excellent restoration. There are two audio tracks included on this release. There is a mind-blowing DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track and a retro Dolby Digital 2.0 track as well. Personally the 7.1 track completely trumps the 2.0 track, the clarity of the sound is super clear and also completely restored. You honestly feel like the action is happening all around you and you are flying through space with the USS Enterprise.

Click play to watch the incredible side-by-side look at the transformation of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” into high-definition.

This release also includes a bunch of exclusive special features including never-before-seen archival footage, many brand new interviews and much more! Honestly the special features are worth the purchase alone for any true “Star Trek” fan. The extras are split over the 1st and 6th discs. Disc 1 starts off with a promo for Season Two of “The Next Generation” on Blu-ray, which I was very pleased to see that they are planning these seasons back-to-back. It is even more exciting since it revealed that it will contain a brand new, high definition 75-minute roundtable with the cast of “The Next Generation”. You can really tell that they are looking to please their series fans and not just cash in on a high-def release. There is the retro 1987 series introduction trailer, a season one vintage promo, three more launch promos as well as three episode promos. The real draw for this disc though is a brand-new 25-minute documentary titled “Energized: Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level”, which focusing on the remastering process and how they went to the original camera negatives and restored the visual effects in HD.

The rest of the special features are included on disc six, mostly vintage extras from past DVD releases but still worth checking out. Included are four production featurettes, “The Beginning”, “Selected Cast and Crew Analysis”, “The Making of a Legend” and “Memorable Missions”. It covers quite a bit of ground. Next up is a great three-part 95-minute documentary called “Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation.” It provides some really comprehensive information about the series. The first part is called “Inception” , the second is “Launch” and last is “The Continuing Mission”. Don’t miss this for sure! Lastly there is a great 8-minute gag reel. “Star Trek: TNG” has always had a great sense of humor and this shows it. There is also another teaser for season two on this disc as well. I really am looking forward to what they are planning next, especially after this already amazing release.