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.

Directed by: Adam Deyoe
Starring: James C. Burns, Scott Peat, Marissa Merrill, Corsica Wilson
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Image Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 88 minutes

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

When it comes to zombie films, there are definitely no shortage. In fact there is almost a new one every month. “Dead Season” stays above the rest and delivers some great effects, gore and entertaining story. It is a film that is not afraid to get its hands dirty and really dive deep into the zombie genre and delivers a kick-ass fun time. It is low-budget but looks the complete opposite. Fans of the horror genre should consider giving this latest zombie entry a try. You should be pleasantly surprised for sure.

When the zombies apocalypse breaking out, we follow two survivors who are looking to flee the chaos and make their way to a remote island and looking to start a new life. Of course once they make it to the island there are already hordes of the flesh-hungry undead and other people already on the island. They are forced to join forces with the island group in order to survive and escape from the zombies with their lives.

Image Entertainment has been releasing some pretty great titles in the horror genre recently after this last months “Some Guy Who Kills People”. I wish they would bring these films to the Blu-ray format though. There are some decent special features included on this DVD at least. There is a Making of featurette. As well as a few deleted scenes and outtakes included. Lastly there is a trailer included for the film. I commend Adam Deyoe for taking zombie and without recreating the wheel delivering an great addition to this genre.

Starring: David Janssen
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1210 minutes
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Release Date: July 10, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Warner Archive is studio behind this new fantastic release. This is the first time that the complete season of “Harry O” has ever been released on DVD.  David Janssen, who is probably known best for his role in “The Fugitive”, recreates the role of a detective in this show. Though after watching this season, I must saw that this might have been David Janssen at his best. If you are reading this WB, please don’t keep us waiting and release season two ASAP!

“Harry O” blends a mix of action and humor.  It definitely represents some good ole’ fashioned television. This releases consists of six DVD, which include all 22 episodes from the entire first season.  Besides David Janssen, the show also co-stars Henry Darrow and Anthony Zerbe and includes a bunch of special guests including Stefanie Powers, Linda Evans, Martin Sheen, and Cab Calloway. The DVD looks great for a show from the 70’s and comes presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1 and is in full frame. The audio comes in a Dolby Mono track, which also sounds great for its age. Besides containing the entire first season, this DVD release also comes with a special bonus of the original pilot episode “Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On”.

Harry Orwell is a decidedly different detective. And Harry O is decidedly different TV show. Forced off the force thanks to a bullet lodged near his spine, former police detective Harry Orwell gets by on his disability pension and the occasional private detecting gig (“100 bucks a day. Plus expenses”). No flashy car for the downtrodden Harry – he’s as apt to get around town on bus as he is on foot. But he’s as savvy as he is sophisticated, and though he might have to avoid the slugfests, he can crack any case. Even if it sometimes breaks his heart. Harry O features an actor at the top of his game, playing a character complex enough to contain his talents.

Directed by: Steve Barron
Starring: Eddie Izzard, Elijah Wood, Donald Sutherland, Toby Regbo, Rupert Penry- Jones
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Vivendi Entertainment
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 183 minutes

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

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Treasure Island” seems to be something that gets “re-imagined” at least once a year. The real draw here is Eddie Izzard playing Long John Silver. He really nails the role and is a lot of fun but that is about it. Elijah Wood is a nut in the film but doesn’t really show up till the second half. This mini-series aired earlier this year on Syfy in two-parts. After the first part, I was not incredibly thrilled but the second half definitely carried the weight of the film but it really wasn’t enough to really make this worth the wait. If you are a fan of other Syfy mini-series though like “Tin Men” and “Alice”, then definitely give this a look and expect the same quality in “Treasure Island”.

The story follows young Jim Hawkins, who is the only one who can successfully get a schooner to a legendary Island looking for buried treasure. Aboard the ship is a mysterious cook named John Silver (Izzard), who has other plans for the trip and causes Jim to loose trust in the crew. After that you known the rest of the story for “Treasure Island”, expect a bit of pirate action adventure, buried treasures and high sea sailing.

The Blu-ray presentation is quite impressive. The 1080p transfer looks sharp and worked well with the location shooting. It is also presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio track, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, also works well especially with the film’s action sequences.

The special features are slightly disappointing overall. There is a commentary track with by Director Steve Barron and Actor Eddie Izzard, few good laughs overall. There is a brief featurette “The Making of Treasure Island” with interviews with Steve Barron, Elijah Wood, David Harewood, Eddie Izzard but is just too short. There are more cast interviews including Eddie Izzard, Elijah Wood, Toby Regbo and Philip Glenister and Ruper Penry-Jones together. These are worth checking out but also short. “A Tour of the Hispaniola” is a feature with Dan Malone, Marine Coordinator on the film, taking us on the guided tour of the tall ship. “Anatomy of a Stunt” is a short feature on one of the stunts taking place on the ship. Lastly there is a trailer included as well.

Directed by: Ryan Little
Starring: Danny Glover, Vinnie Jones, Corey Sevier, Larry Bagby, Kepa Kruse
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Running Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

If you are fan of Syfy Original Movies, then you might have caught “Age of Dragons” when it aired a few months ago. Well let’s just say it is not one of the better films to ever have graced its network. The draw for me personally besides the dragons was Danny Glover and Vinnie Jones. The film is a re-imagined version of “Moby-Dick,” the classic Herman Melville novel. I think that is a really cool aspect, except it really wasn’t that entertaining and failed to really do justice to the original story.

Set in a medieval era, follows vengeful captain Ahab (Glover) who is leading the dragon hunters including Ishmael (Corey Sevier), Queequeg (John Kepa Kruse) Stubb (Vinnie Jones) and Starbuck (David Morgan) in order to find and kill the legendary white dragon. Ahab’s developed obsession is due to that the white dragon slaughtered his family when he was a kid and left his body scarred and mauled.

Science fiction fans might get a kick-out of this medieval re-imagining of “Moby Dick”. As with all Syfy Original Movies, the quality of the CG effects are limited but still decent or should I say acceptable for this film. But overall, I thought the story was lacking, slow moving and not extremely entertaining. I would call this a Redbox renter and a one-time watcher. To top it off there are no special features included on this DVD.

Directed by: Phil Olsman
Starring: Ozzy Osbourne
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 78 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I remember the first time I heard an Ozzy Osbourne song at the age of 10 and it changed my life. I remember running out the record store and picking up and vinyl I could find from him, completely against the wishes of my parents. I think that is what made Ozzy so great that you knew that you shouldn’t be listening to him as a kid but you just HAD TO. I have seen Ozzy numerous times live but there is something special about Ozzy from the early 80’s. The show was live from Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in California on June 12, 1982 during his “Diary of a Madman” tour.

When it comes to DVD concerts, the audio is everything.  This release has been digitally restored and remastered and presented in DTS and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound for the first time. Honestly it couldn’t sound better, especially for DVD.  ’82 was such an awesome year for Ozzy and “Speak Of The Devil” is such an awesome album.  The classics  included in this concert are “Mr Crowley” “Over The Mountain”,  “Crazy Train”, “Iron Man”, “Paranoid”, “Goodbye To Romance” and many more. The line-up for this show features Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Don Airey (keyboards); Tommy Aldridge (drums); Brad Gillis (guitar) and Rudy Sarzo (bass).

Eagle Rock Entertainment is distributor behind this great release.  As much as I love DVD, I would have love to see this hit Blu-ray.  But after viewing the print, it is obvious this was a low quality video record but it looks good on DVD still for 30 years old. Ozzy is definitely one of heavy metal’s best and this concert portrays him in his prime.  I would highly recommend his for hardcore fans of Ozzy and even newcomers, it is a great intro to his amazing set list.

Track Listing:
1) Over The Mountain
2) Mr Crowley
3) Crazy Train
4) Revelation (Mother Earth)
5) Steal Away (The Night)
6) Suicide Solution
7) Guitar / Drum Solo
8) Goodbye To Romance
9) I Don’t Know
10) Believer
11) Flying High Again
12) Iron Man
13) Children Of The Grave
14) Paranoid

Directed by: Brandon Nutt
Starring: Craig Fairbrass, Randy Couture, Vinnie Jones, Dominic Purcell, Holt McCallany
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture is one bad-ass in the octagon…but I am still 100% convinced that he is an action hero star. He was decent in the film “The Expendables”. He does kicks some decent ass in “Hijacked” but he doesn’t pound the wait of fellow co-stars. One major problem I had with this film was that the killed the film’s best attribute, Vinnie Jones in the opening scene, ala killing off Steve Seagal in the opening of “Executive Decision”, another plane hijacking movie. The action is a little tame but overall the story is well-planned and entertains throughout…for the most part.

The film follows a rogue Special Agent (Randy Couture) who while tracking a crime lord, he board a private jet that is targeted by hijackers working for the same goal. When Ross finds out that his finance is also on-board this plane, he risks it all to save the love of his life and the passengers on this plane which is set for destruction.

The film also has a notable supporting cast of Dominic Purcell (“Prison Break”), who is sporting one hell of a stash and doesn’t get enough screen time. Also the gorgeous Tiffany Dupont (“Greek”) delivers the pretty. This release comes as a Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo, which is always a bonus for me. Though unfortunately there are ZERO special features, zlitch.

 

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Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, Kristin Scott Thomas, Catherine Steadman
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Running Time: 107 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Lasse Hallström really knowns how to make romantic relationship films. He is known for his work on films like “Dear John”, “Casanova” and “Chocolat”. “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” basically follows in the same path of those. It focuses on aspects of faith, friendship and love and the goal to accomplish the impossible. It is well-directed, as is expected due to Hallström credits. Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt have good chemistry together as well. I enjoyed both of their performances and it really was the driving factor for which I enjoyed the most. If you are looking for a cute, simple and touching film, look no further.

This film is a tale of romance mixed with fly-fishing and politics.  It is based on Paul Torday’s novel focusing on a scientist who looks to fulfills the dream of a sheikh by bringing the sport of fly-fishing to his homeland in Yemen. He in fact though believe this both absurd and unachievable. When the Prime Minister’s press secretary comes on board to showcase this as a “good will” story, the two form an unlikely relationship and decide to put it all on the line and take a leap of faith and to prove the impossible, possible.

When it comes to the Blu-ray presentation, Sony has really taken a simple film and made it look really good. The 1080p transfer is near perfect and really brings out the film’s beauty. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track is good but doesn’t really have much range but plays well with the score. Like most, if not all recent, Sony releases this film also includes a DVD along with the Blu-ray disc. Also they include an Ultraviolet streaming digital copy. The special features are pretty disappointing with only two features and no commentary. “Miracles Happen: Making Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is a short cast/crew interview overview piece. Lastly there is “The Fisherman in the Middle East: Novelist Paul Torday” which is very short and looks into the origin of the story from the novel and it conversion to film.

Directed by: John Hough
Starring: Peter Cushing, Dennis Price, David Warbeck, Madeleine Collinson, Mary Collinson
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Synapse Films
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Running Time: 87 minutes

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

When it comes to Hammer and vampire films, nobody has done it better…ever!  Hammer is known for their blend of horror with erotic undercurrent throughout their films. Synapse Films deserves an award for really being a pioneer for releasing these amazing horror classics.  They continue to out due themselves with each release.  This is not your basic “just-covert-and-put-out-in-HD” release.  “Twins of Evil” includes an all-new 1080p high definition transfer.  Synapse also does not play around when it comes to extras, this film includes some really amazing exclusive special features.  If you are a fan of Hammer and classic 70’s vampire films, you don’t need my recommendation, this is a no-brainer to sink your teeth into.

“Twins of Evil” is the third film of “The Karnstein Trilogy”, based on the vampire novella “Carmilla” by Sheridan Le Fanu. Hammer released this classic horror film in 1971 and stars Peter Cushing (Hammer alumni) and real-life twins and Playboy Playmates, Mary and Madeleine Collinson. They star as Maria and Frieda, recently orphaned teenage girls, who move from Venice to Karnstein in order to live with their uncle Gustav Weil (Cushing). Their Uncle Weil is also the leader of a witch-hunting group. When Frieda comes under the power of local Count Karnstein, who is also a vampire. Frieda now needs to hide the fact she has become a vampire from her sister, while escaping her uncle’s hunt.

Synapse is just a company that aims to please its fan, they are not releasing these movies just for the hell of it.  They are releasing movies that they want to see on Blu-ray and they make sure that it is done right. The 1080p transfer is beautiful and looks so crisp in its widescreen 1.66:1 ratio.  The audio tracks are even better (if that is possible).  There is an amazing DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono track.  But that is not all there is also an amazing DTS-HD MA isolated score & effects only track, which I really enjoyed.  Hammer films are known for their music and this is a great way to showcase it.  This release also comes in a combo pack with a DVD copy of the film as well.  The only thing I looked for with this release and didn’t see was a reversible cover, which Synapse is known for but it already has amazing cover art so it wasn’t even a problem.

Let’s finally get to these amazing special features.  Firstly there is an 85 minute amazing  feature length documentary called “The Flesh and the Fury: X-posing Twins of Evil”.  It explores the background on Hammer’s classic “Karnstein” trilogy and ranges from the origin of Carmilla to the making of “Twins of Evil”.  This is a feature not to be missed and is worth the purchase of this release alone.  “The Props That Hammer Built: the Kinsey Collection” featurette looks into the amazing design that went into creating these amazing Hammer films.  There is short deleted scene included as well.  Lastly there is a Motion Still Gallery and Original Theatrical Trailer & TV Spots included to top off this great release.

Directors: Zion Myers, Jules White
Number of discs: 6
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Release Date: July 6, 2012
Running Time: 1010 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This release from Warner Archive comes with over 50 shorts running over 1000 minutes for the original MGM “Crime Does Not Pay” series. It is really a wonderful set and something that could have only been made by MGM in its heyday. The complete collection includes shorts from 1935-1947.  They are very unique and represent a very specific time in film history and in MGM’s history.  It also short showcases within in short with various different situations proving that in fact “Crime Does Not Pay”!

These B&W shorts looks fantastic on DVD, especially for their age.  Warner  Archive did a fantastic job of restoring and releasing this shorts to the public finally.  They are presented in full screen with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. There is one bonus short included within the 50 called “Eyes of the Navy”. It is from 1940 and though not a “Crime Does Not Pay” short, it was released by MGM in theaters as part of the series.  Overall if you are a fan of classic shorts from Hollywood’s early days, this is something that you would not want to miss for sure.

The 50 shorts included are: Buried Loot Alibi Racket Desert Death Thrill for Thelma, A Hit and Run Driver Perfect Setup, The Fool Proof Public Pays Torture Money It May Happen to You Soak the Poor Give Till It Hurts Behind the Criminal What Price Safety Miracle Money Come Across Criminal is Born, A They’re Always Caught Think It Over Wrong Way Out, The Money to Loan While America Sleeps Help Wanted Think First Drunk Driving Pound Foolish Know Your Money Jackpot Women in Hiding Buyer Beware Soak the Old You, the People Respect the Law Forbidden Passage Coffins on Wheels Sucker List Don’t Talk For the Common Defense Keep ‘Em Sailing Plan for Destruction Patrolling the Ether Easy Life Dark Shadows Fall Guy, The Last Installment, The Phantoms, Inc. Gun in His Hand, A Purity Squad Luckiest Guy in the World, The EC: Eyes of the Navy.