Directed by: Jeremy Leven
Starring: Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, Rachel Ticotin, Bob Dishy
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 97 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

1997 was an odd time for Johnny Depp, he is popular but not yet guaranteed to be bankable. The star of this film really though is Bryan Adams for his song “Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?”, easily one of the best love songs ever. The film itself has problems but looks great hitting Blu-ray for the first time, thanks to Warner Bros. Since Johnny Depp has become this giant international star, it is a lot easier to watch his earlier films (if that makes sense).

Johnny Depp plays John Arnold DeMarco, a man who believes he is Don Juan, the greatest lover in the world. He examined by psychiatric Dr. Jack Mickler (Brando) in order to cure him of this delusion. During the treatments, it becomes more apparent that this is a medical issue, especially when the Dr. rekindles the romance in his own marriage. Great co-starring cast including Marlon Brando and Faye Dunaway.

The Blu-ray itself looks beautiful with its 1080p transfer. Some of the locations in the film are just breathtaking. The audio packs an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio, which works some amazing with the film’s score. In fact the special features, though very dismal, include an isolated score track which I highly recommend. The only other extra is the music video for Bryan Adams’s “Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?”. Of course it is great to watch it but it is also easily available right on YouTube in high quality.

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Synopsis: Two time Academy Award winner Marlon Brando (On The Waterfront, The Godfather), Academy Award winner Faye Dunaway (Network) and Johnny Depp (Pirates Of The Caribbean, Blow) deliver tour de force performances in this critically acclaimed romantic comedy. John Arnold DeMarco (Depp) is a man who believes he is Don Juan, the greatest lover in the world. Clad in a cape and mask, DeMarco undergoes psychiatric treatment with Dr. Jack Mickler (Brando) to cure him of his apparent delusion. But the psychiatric sessions have an unexpected effect on the psychiatric staff and, most profoundly, Dr. Mickler, who rekindles the romance in his complacent marriage.

Directed by: Jeff Bleckner
Starring: William Petersen, Charles Martin Smith, Karen Sillas
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Timeless Media Group
Release Date: August 4, 2009
Running Time: 180 minutes

Our Score: 2 out 5 stars

Peter Benchley changed my life with “Jaws” and due to that his work will always hold a special place for me. “The Beast” was never my favorite adaption of his work but it is not terrible either. This release though by Timeless Media Group is a bit disappointing and doesn’t even equate to a proper Blu-ray release. I hate to keep putting this down but I feel like it is more of a DVD upscale than a Blu-ray.

“The Beast” stars William L. Petersen (“CSI”) as Whip Dalton in this battle of man against the darkest secrets of the ocean deep. When a large, strange claw is discovered in the small town of Graves Point, marine biologist Dr. Herbert Talley (Ronald Guttman), identifies it as belonging to a rare giant squid. The Dr. and Whip Dalton set out to hunt this beast. What is cool about this release is that it is the full uncut Special Extended Version. It features almost 80 minutes of restored footage from the original TV mini-series release.

The Blu-ray packaging is lame and badly photoshopped. The video resolution only includes an 720p transfer, with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. I will give this a little bit a leeway since it was made in the 90’s but the standard 4:3 release just eeks me on Blu-ray. The audio is only Dolby Digital 2.0 track, no bad overall but nothing special. To top this off, there are absolutely no special features. All you get is the movie and a scene selection menu.

Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Elle Fanning
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Running Time: 124 minutes

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

Matt Damon can do just about anything. He ranges from kicking ass as Jason Bourne to father who buys a zoo, and he does it really well. Maggie Elizabeth Jones definitely is the cutest thing ever and easily steals the show though. The film is from writer/director Cameron Crowe (“Jerry Maguire”) who really knows how to take a film and make it booth funny/dramatic and also inspiring. Though not the best movie of the year and easily the worst titled film of 2011, this film still has a lot finds a way to warm up your heart. Too cheesy? Oh well, I don’t care…I enjoyed it.

This inspirational true story is based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee. Matt Damon stars as Ben Mee, a man who’s wife recently passed away decided to take his two kids and move into a new house. Of course it happened that where they move just happens to be a zoo. With the help of the zookeeper (Scarlett Johansson), Mee and her family get the zoo from rundown to operational in order to get a fresh start. Notable performances from Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford and Elle Fanning as well.

The Blu-ray release of “We Bought a Zoo” is fantastic. The 1080p transfer looks great and really sharp picture. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is subtle but showcases Sigur Ros’ Jonsi score very well. Besides the Blu-ray, this also includes a DVD version of the film and bonus digital copy disc as well. To top it all off this release comes with a free child’s Zoo admission coupon, thanks to the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.

The special features are extremely impressive. There are a crap load of deleted & extended scenes, almost running 40 minutes. Crowe is known for his alternate shots, ever see the extended cut of “Almost Famous”? “We Shot a Zoo” is an amazing 75 minute comprehensive five-part making-of documentary. It covers just about ever aspects of the production. There is an audio commentary from director Cameron Crowe, editor Mark Livolsi, and actor JB Smoove (who if you blink you’ll miss in the movie). It is no the most exciting commentary but I enjoyed Crowe’s comments. “Their Happy Is Too Loud” focuses on the score from Sigur Ros frontman, Jonsi. “The Real Mee” talks about the real Benjamin Mee. There is a Gag Reel included which is also set to inspirational music by Jonsi. Lastly, there is Photo Gallery and Theatrical Trailer included.

Director(s): Robert Houston, Kenji Misumi, Buichi Saito, Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Actors: Kayo Matsuo, Masahiro Tomikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama
Distributed by: AnimEigo
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Running Time: 427 minutes

Box Set: 3 out of 5 stars
Films: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Let me start with that fact that I have been a long time fan of the “Lone Wolf and Cub” series, which are the films that “Shogun Assassin” series has been morphed into.  This series is so influential for recent films like “Kill Bill” and artists like RZA. AnimEigo is the team behind the Blu-ray box set and they did a pretty decent job overall.  For “Shogun Assassin”, they completely reconstructed the movie using pristine masters of the original two “Lone Wolf and Cub” films. Basically every frame has been restored using uncompressed 24p 1080p 2.35:1 anamorphic source materials.  So that is very impressive but the rest of the films, I can’t really say the same.

This set does not only include “Shogun Assassin” but also its 4 sequels, “Shogun Assassin 2: Lightning Swords of Death”, “Shogun Assassin 3: Slashing Blades of Carnage”, “Shogun Assassin 4: Five Fistfuls Of Gold” and “Shogun Assassin 5: Cold Road to Hell”. It is a fantastic to be able to get all these films released on Blu-ray in once box set for the first time. The box set itself seems a little cheap though and low production, with repeated artwork and lacks of documentation on the restoration process. The first film is included on its own Blu-ray, which honestly does looks amazing. But I do not feel that the same TLC really went to the following four films, which are crammed onto the second Blu-ray disc.  For the price of this box set it just seems like you would get a little more on presentation of the discs.

The special features on the disc are not out of this world but does included some new material.  There is an exclusive interview with Samuel L. Jackson, which I can listen to him talk about just anything.  There is a new commentary included which features producer David Weisman, illustrator Jim Evans, and Gibran Evans (narrator of Daigoro).  It is very informative and fun to listen to, I recommend this.  Lastly there is also another audio commentary by film scholar Ric Meyers and martial arts expert Steve Watson.  Let’s just say I prefer the first commentary more.  I would have also love to seen more production special features from these films.

Created by: Alex Toth
Voices of: Jerry Dexter, Janet Waldo, Barney Phillips, Don Messick
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Episodes: 36
Running Time: 389 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Warner Archive does it again! They have revived another great Hannah-Barbara series called “Shazzan”.   “Shazzan” is not to be confused with “Shazam!”, the 1970’s super hero Captain Marvel TV series. This release contains the complete series of this fun show.  All 36 episodes are included in this set.  I really enjoyed this show and the episodes look great and especially for a show that premiered in 1967.  Either way, fans of Hanna-Barbara and animation alike will want to pick up this fantastic set immediately.

The series follows the adventures of brother and sister team, Chuck and Nancy, who travel around a mystical Arabian world on a flying camel, named Kaboobie. The couple also seem to find themselves in some sort of  dangers.  In the time of need, they put together their magic rings and summon a magic genie, Shazzan.  With the help of Shazzan, the twins seeks the wizard who lives “behind the beyond” in order to return them home.

“Shazzan” has even popped up in one of my favorite shows “Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law”, in the episode “Mufti Trouble”.  The episodes are presented in 4 X 3 Full-Screen and also in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1.  The audio includes a Dolby Digital Mono track. Besides the 36 episodes, there is also a special feature included called  Saturday Morning Collection “The Power of Shazzan”.

Shazzan: The Complete Series is now available from Warner Archive at http://bit.ly/Hf1V8b

Synopsis: When two adventurous, twin teenagers, Chuck and Nancy, recombine the halves of a mysterious ring, they are instantly transported to ancient Egypt…as masters of an all-powerful genie named Shazzan. Now, with the help of the mighty Shazzan, the twins seek the wizard who lives “behind the beyond,” the only person able to help them return home. But even as the teenagers pursue their quest, every evil sorcerer in the desert kingdom desires the twins’ magic ring and will stop at nothing to gain the power it grants over Shazzan.

Directed by: David Lickley
Starring: Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas, Dr. Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick
MPAA Rated: G
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Running Time: 45 minutes

Film Score:3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Born to Be Wild is such an uplifting story and packs a really important message of the bond that occurs between animals and humans. If you are a fan of nature movies are guaranteed to enjoy this.  If that is not enough there is always Morgan Freeman…he is the narrator for the film.  The film was originally presented in 3D but the 2D version also works well, although I prefer the 3D version much more. This film was released on Earth Day in 2011 and its seems Warner Bros is taking a page from Disneynature and releasing a new film every year.  2012’s entry is called “IMAX: To The Arctic” and it looks even better.  I recommend this film very fun and my only major complaint is that it is only 45 minutes, I would have love to seen this in a full length format.

The film follows various orphaned jungle animals like the orangutans and elephants in their day-to-day behavioral interactions with the individuals who rescue them and raise them to adulthood. The film is split two sections.  The first follows Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas through the rainforests of Borneo as she is helping the orangutans.  The second story takes place in the Kenyan Savannah with Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick and her elephants.

The Blu-ray presentation is simply beautiful even though it is not in 3D.  The video includes a wonderful 1080p transfer, in a slightly changed aspect ratio of 1.78:1.  The audio is very impressive boasting a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.  It works really well with the score and music in the film.  This releases comes with a two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + UltraViolet Digital Copy.  The special features a little light but still enjoyable.  There six amazing webisodes including the following: “Borneo”, “Kenya”, “Camp Leakey”, “Coming Home to Tsavo”, “‘Wild’ Filmmaking” and “Caregivers”.  Definitely a must buy overall.

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Synopsis: Narrated by Academy-Award® winner Morgan Freeman, Born to be Wild 3D is an inspiring story of love, dedication and the remarkable bond between humans and animals. This film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them?saving endangered species one life at a time. Stunningly captured in IMAX 3D, Born to be Wild 3D is a heartwarming adventure transporting moviegoers into the lush rainforests of Borneo with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, and across the rugged Kenyan savannah with celebrated elephant authority Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick, as they and their teams rescue, rehabilitate and return these incredible animals back to the wild. Born to be Wild 3D is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX Filmed Entertainment. Directed by David Lickley and written and produced by Drew Fellman, the behind the scenes team includes supervising line producer Diane Roberts, associate producer Jill Ferguson, director of photography David Douglas and editor Beth Spiegel. Music is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh.

Directed by: Phyllida Lloyd
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 105 minutes

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

Well it’s very clear why Meryl Streep won the Oscar for her role in this film. It is also quite clear why it also won for Best Makeup, such a phenomenal job. Look at DiCaprio’s makeup hack job in “J. Edgar” and this look at this fantastic film for both Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent, but very stunning. There were talks about this film that it didn’t show Margaret Thatcher in the best light. Instead of focusing on her wonderful political career and accomplishments, the story is said to focus on an older, senile and hallucinatory Thatcher. I actually really enjoy it, nonetheless. I feel it worked better as a film and less like a biopic. We all know her life story, I was excited to see Meryl Streep nail her as a character and tell an interesting story.

The story switches between an old Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) and the confident Prime Minster and even a young adult Thatcher.  We focus on Thatcher dealing with today’s world, which is much more different socially and technologically than she is familiar with.  She spends time reflecting back to her past and and fighting with herself as she get spends time talking with her deceased husband (Broadbent).  It also shows her rise to Prime Minster and some of the events with her in office.  They don’t spend a lot of time in the politics but that is what I like most about this movie.  It would have been safe to stick with politics but more risky to take another route.  I commend them.

The Blu-ray presentation itself is also a thing of beauty. It features a wonderful 1080p high definition transfer, just looks fantastic. The audio is also very fantastic, where it is from the subtle dialogue to the explosions with its superior DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. Besides the Blu-ray disc, the release itself comes jam back with a DVD copy of the film and also a digital disc. I wish they would have left out the digital copy disc for an streaming Ultraviolet copy.

Unfortunately, the special features are not so glorious. I enjoyed them all but they are also are only in standard definition and run very short.  The first extra is called “Making The Iron Lady” which features cast and crew as they talk about bringing Margaret Thatcher to the film. “Recreating the Young Margaret Thatcher” is a short feature that focuses on the role taken on by Alexandra Roach.  “Denis: The Man Behind the Woman” is feature on Jim Broadbent.  “Battle in the House of Commons” talk about shooting in locations.  “Costume Design: Pearls and Power Suits” focuses on the work of Consolata Boyle.  Lastly “History Goes to the Cinema” is a look into the following films and their real life stories “My Weeks with Marilyn”, “W.E.”, “Coriolanus”, “The Iron Lady”, and “The Artist”.

Directed by: Elia Kazan
Starring: Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 122 minutes

Restored Version: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who hasn’t seen the cinematic masterpiece called “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Thanks to Warner Bros for bringing us this wonderful celebration of the 60th anniversary and including the Original Restored Version.  Due to the 1951 Legion of Decency censorship, there was three minutes of previously unseen footage including the sexual tension between Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) and Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando). Watching this film always leaves me yelling “Hey, Stellaaaaaa!” the rest of the day.  This is a wonderful release and is highly recommended for all fans of the film to experience this amazing film on Blu-ray.

This is the first time that this classic is making its way onto Blu-ray with a really stunning restoration.  It looks wonderful in its digitally remastered 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio: 1.37:1.  The audio track included is an DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track, which preserves the original charm. I really enjoyed the fact that this book was released as a Digibook.  It comes with a 40-page book format with behind-the-scenes photography, production notes and biographies.  I really love these edition, instead of a boring empty case.

The special features are a bit disappointing for the Blu-ray debut.  This is not due to content but since the extras are presented in standard definition and not high definition.  There is a commentary track featuring producer Laurent Bouzereau with comments from co- star Karl Malden and historians Rudy Behlmer and Jeff Young.  This is highly recommended, Laurent Bouzereau knows so much about film and is fantastic to listen to.  There is a great documentary, which runs about 75 minutes, “Elia Kazan: A Director’s Journey”.  It is narrated by Eli Wallach and looks into Kazan’s career in depth.  “A Streetcar on Broadway” focuses on the original Broadway version. “A Streetcar in Hollywood” features Kazan’s chatting about the film’s road from the stage to the screen. “Censorship and Desire” is a big topic with this film and focuses on its dealings during time of release with Rudy Behlmer.  “North and the Music of the South” is a focus piece on composer Alex North. “An Actor Named Brando” is short feature on the legendary actor. “Marlon Brando Screen Test” is a really amazing rare behind the scenes look. There Outtakes that run about 15 minutes and also Audio Outtakes, which run about 17 minutes.  Lastly there are a bunch of trailers including original 1951 Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox 1958 Reissue and United Artists 1970 Reissue.

Synopsis: “A Streetcar Named Desire: the Original Restored Version” is the film moviegoers would have seen in 1951 had not Legion of Decency censorship occurred at the last minute. Making its Blu-ray debut, stunningly restored and digitally remastered to brilliant 1080p clarity, this classic is presented in a collectible, premium 40-page Blu-ray book format, with behind-the-scenes photography, production notes, biographies and more! Elia Kazan masterfully directs Tennessee Williams? masterpiece starring Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden and Kim Hunter. Nominated for an unprecedented 12 Academy Awards,® including Best Picture, and winner of 4,* its contributions to film continue to be celebrated, holding its place on the AFI’s list of Top 100 Films.

In celebration of the 60th Anniversary, “A Streetcar Named Desire” will debut on Blu-ray Book on April 10th, 2012.
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Starring: Merrell Fankhauser
Best Of Tiki Lounge Volumes 1 & 2
Distributed by: Gonzo MultiMedia
1 DVD, 1 CD / Per Volume
DVD Running Time: 180 minutes / Per Volume
CD Running Time: 40 minutes / Per Volume

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Surf music legend Merrell Fankhauser has released two volume DVD’s with his ‘Best Of Tiki Lounge’.  Tiki Lounge is Fankhauser’s TV show and each volume contains three-hours for some of the best episodes of the series. The DVD’s really scream 90’s production, they are really low quality including the menus.  Obviously this was self-produced, so I will give it some leeway.  The interviews are definitely dated as well especially since these episodes aired along time ago.   Fans of Fankhauser though will enjoy the flashback to that period and his music with many cool guest stars.

Merrell Fankhauser is known best for being on the main innovators of surf music and psychedelic folk rock.  He was also the leader of the instrumental surf group The Impacts who had the international hit “Wipeout”. Merrell’s credits include over 250 songs published and released. The first volume includes the following episode content “Instrumental Surf Show”, “Merrell Fankhauser and Friends”, “Fast Cars and Rock and Roll”, “In Concert with Willie Nelson and Friends”. “Show with the Stars from the 50’s and 60’s” and “Spirit Tribute”. The second volume includes the following episode content “Road to Oregon”, “Nevada Desert Show (UFO Special)”, “A Night of Classic Rock”, “Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs”, “Rhino Event: L.A. Nugget’s Release”, “Fourth of July Show”.

The first volume is definitely my favorite of the two.  I am not a big fan of his UFO inspired work.  I do enjoy his surf music though quite a bit.  The DVD quality of the programs are very home video recordings but again, I am really listening for the music so I can give a little bit back.  Also these programs are from the 90’s, so there was obviously no high definition recording.  If each three hours volume DVD is not enough for you, the package also includes a 40-minute audio CD that has music from the Tiki Lounge program.

Tiki Lounge Volume 1 CD Tracks: 1. Tiki Lounge , 2. We Love Tikis , 3. Island Life , 4. Excited , 5. Race Night , 6. Stolen Guitar Blues , 7. Since I Don’t Have You , 8. Magic Chorus Line , 9. Lucille , 10. Dont Give Up The Rock .
Tiki Lounge Volume 2 CD Tracks: 1. Show 1 – Road Trip to Oregon , 2. Show 2 – Nevada Desert Show (UFO Special) , 3. Show 3 – Merrell Fankhauser and Friends: A Night of Classic Rock , 4. Show 4 – Mary Ramsey of ‘10,000 Maniacs’ , 5. Show 5 – Rhino Event For The Release of ‘Where The Action Is! L.A. Nuggets 1965-1968’ , 6. Show 6 – 2010 Fourth of July Show .

To purchase Merrell Fankhauser ‘Best Of Tiki Lounge’ DVDs www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15360

Directed by: Rachel Goldenberg
Starring: Jane March, Eliza Bennett, Jamie Thomas King, Otto Jankovich
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: The Asylum Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 90 minutes

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

Mirror Mirror on the wall, what is the worst Snow White movie ever ? Wow, I love most if not all of Asylum’s films but this was just absolutely painful to get through. It turns the story of Snow White into a mix between “The Lord of the Rings and “The Chronicles of Narnia”. Running only 90 minutes, I thought this felt like a two hour movie. The special effects are decent for Asylum. Of course this isn’t “Avatar”.  The dragons were decent, but those damn dogs are just so terrible looking. I would avoid this bad apple like it was really poisoned.

This film takes the story of Snow White and turns it on its head. It turns the seven dwarfs into elves and gives them cheesy Spock ears. It follows Queen Gwendolyn (Jane March), who, of course, has to be the fairest of them all until the beautiful Snow White (Eliza Bennett) returns to town. The Queen recently seized power in the kingdom following the death, I mean murder, of Snow White’s father. After being attempted to be killed, Snow White hides in the Enchanted Forest with the elves and finds a way to defeat the evil Queen and win the Prince.

The Blu-ray itself is not bad though for a low-budget film. The video looks good in its 1080p transfer. The audio comes with an Dolby Digital 5.1 track and works decent with the film but gets overpowering with the score at points. The disc itself has a lot of menu issues though with choosing scene selection or playing the film. The special features are terrible like the film itself. There is a very short “Making of Featurette” featuring the cast and crew talking about the film. There is a short gag reel and additional Asylum trailer included as well.

Directed by: Reinhard Klooss, Holger Tappe
Starring: James Corden, Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Joanna Lumley, Jim Broadbent and Vanessa Redgrave.
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: Exclusively at Walmart, April 3, 2012, Street on June 5th, 2012
Running time: 93 minutes

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

If you feel like you have never heard of this film, don’t worry you haven’t. “Animals United” is Germany’s first RealD 3D Animated Feature Film. Although this English language version does not come with the 3D. I think that this is a very poor decision because I have seen an high def 3D version of this film and it works much better. I feel like it is a mix between “Madagascar” and “Ice Age”, except doesn’t really come close to their charm. Of course let’s not forget this film is aimed at kids and as long as it comes packed with action and talking animals they will be happy.

The film is based on the 1949 book with the same title by Erich Kästner and takes place in the African savannah where all of the animals are looking for water. Billy the Meerkat and his best friend, Socrates the Lion set out in search of water. They get help from their friends Angie the Elephant and Giselle the Giraffe and set out on an incredible journey. Along their way they meet a motley group of animals that are new to Africa like a rooster, polar bear, kangaroo, koala, Tasmanian devil and two turtles. They all team up to find what happened to the water and to get it back.

The US release voice cast is impressive. James Corden (“The Three Musketeers”) plays Billy the Meerkat, the amazing Stephen Fry (“Alice in Wonderland”) voices Socrates the Lion, Jim Broadbent (“Harry Potter” series) plays Winston the Tortoise , Vanessa Redgrave (“Letters to Juliet”) plays Winnie the Tortoise and lastly Andy Serkis (“Lord of the Rings” series) voices Charles the Rooster. Also if you are looking for special features, guess again, this is a complete bare-bones release.

Directed by: Leigh Scott
Starring: Paulie Rojas, Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Ethan Embry, Mia Sara
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed: Image Entertainment
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 164 minutes

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

Alright so “The Wizard of Oz” has been remade many many times from adaptions with Michael Jackson to even cartoon characters, Tom and Jerry. This is a fun, colorful adaption that delivers the action and the laughs. It is an all-around good time and packs some great visual effects for a low-budget film. The casting for this film overall is very fun and impressive. It even brings together two “The Lord of the Rings” alums back together, Billy Boyd and Sean Astin. Ethan Embry plays Frack to Astin’s Frick and delivers some good laughs. We even get an appearance from genre favorites Lance Henriksen and Jeffrey Combs. Lastly Christopher Lloyd has a small role and strongly channels his inner Willy Wonka as the Wizard of Oz.

This adaption though brings Dorothy (Paulie Rojas) into present day New York. She is simple girl from Kansas who gets an offer from a big agency to write children’s books based on the magic world of Oz. Shortly after, Dorothy realizes that maybe these stories from her grandfather are in fact based on reality. The two worlds start blending and the characters from Oz start crossing over into modern day New York City. It is up to Dorothy and her friends to stop the Wicked Witch of the West and her plans for global domination.

The Blu-ray presentation like the film is also surprisingly good. The video works well with the CG effects and its 1080p transfer. The audio sounds great with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, especially with the special effects and action scenes. The special features on the disc are short and consisting of one extra. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette, which gives you a look into the film’s production from writer/director Leigh Scott. Worth checking out if you liked the film. Lastly there is a trailer included. Very lacking in the “special” features.

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Created by: Doug Wildey
Directed by: Mike Milo
Starring: J. D. Roth, Michael Benyaer, Jesse Douglas, George Segal, Robert Patrick, Frank Welker, Quinton Flynn, Rob Paulsen, Jennifer Hale, John de Lancie
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Running Time: 286 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are a boy and love cartoons, who doesn’t love Jonny Quest, seriously. It has adventure, action and plenty of thrill, especially for a cartoon. This series is revival of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera Jonny Quest franchise. It aired from 96-97, with only a mere 52 episodes produced. It does not pack the same thrill though that the original series had. This reinvention is more the “high-tech” upgrade of the series.  Fans of the original Hanna-Barbera (like myself) might want to remember this franchise more like the original series, though this is not terrible overall.

This series still contains adventures with Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh, and Jessie Bannon as they follow Dr. Benton Quest and bodyguard Race Bannon to investigate strange phenomena, legends, and mysteries. This is where it differs a little bit, some of the action in this series takes place in the virtual realm of QuestWorld, which is 3D cyberspace land. So the series, takes a leap into CG but falls a little short. The late 90’s were a time in animation, where CGI was trying to make it’s presence known but was still a little premature.

In this volume two of episodes, it contains the next 13 episodes completing the first season…finally. Warner released the first thirteen episodes in volume 1 all the way back in February 2009. So fans had to hold their breath for a long time for this one. Luckily, Warner Archive Collection is great with releasing archive cartoon series but I am not sure how long fans are going to have to wait before the second season of 26 episodes is released.

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season 1, Volume 2 is now available from Warner Archive at http://bit.ly/GXOb0F

Synopsis: Team Quest is Back! In this pulse-pounding second volume, The Real Adventures reinvention of the classic animated adventure series Jonny Quest continues. Jonny, scientist father Benton Quest, bodyguard Race Bannon, paranormal pal Hadji and Race’s daughter Jessie, unravel mysteries and uncover strange phenomena while criss-crossing the globe. The scientific secrets of the dazzling virtual reality domain known as Questworld (rendered in CG sequences that broke ground for the era’s TV animation) receive the full Team Quest treatment as well in this 2-Disc Collection of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Season One’s second 13-Episodes. Strap in for suspense and thrills! Special Feature: “Journey into Questworld.”

Directed by: Robin Hardy
Starring: Brittania Nicol, Henry Garrett, Christopher Lee, Graham McTavish
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Running Time: 96 minutes

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

Alright so let’s place this film where it belongs. It is not a sequel to the 2006 remake of “The Wicker Man” with Nicholas Cage. This is a direct follow-up to the 1973 cult classic, though it is more of a re-imagining.  It is even directed by the same person, Robin Hardy, who did the original. When it comes to classic film like “The Wicker Man”, it is hard to try and improve on it. I did enjoy this film overall just was missing the spark that the original laid out. Also it claims to have a special appearance from original “Wicker” star Christopher Lee, but don’t blink or you will miss it.

This film follows two young missionaries (Brittania Nicol, Henry Garrett), who head to Scotland to spread the good word.  They end up in the small town of Tressock, where the locals seems to have their own secrets.  The couple agrees to become the local Queen of the May and Laddie for the annual town festival. Of course they have no idea of what they are getting into and their stay in Tressock might have just been made permanent.

The Blu-ray presentation does not disappoint though. The video looks sharp and clear into 1080p transfer. The audio is also spot-on and delivers an impressive Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track, which pops with the film’s music and effects. The special features are short and sweet overall. There is a brief behind-the-scenes featurette called “The Making of The Wicker Tree”. There are a few deleted scenes, nothing that would have saved the film. Lastly there is the theatrical trailer, though do not think this film has much of a theatrical release.

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Directed by: Martin Kemp
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Smithsonian Channel
Distributed: Inception Media Group
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Running Time: 92 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extra: N/A

When it comes to educational shows dealing with giant prehistoric dinosaurs, count me in immediately. Smithsonian Channel is shaping itself up to produce specials that rival Discovery Channel and “Titanoboa: Monster Snake” is the latest of those.  This special showcases the recently discovered 45+ foot snake that is longer than a bus, eats crocodiles and makes the anaconda looks small.  We can an inside look, traveling back to a time and get a scientific proven look into this enormous serpent. I really enjoyed this special and I thought it was very interesting and well produced.

The show offers some very impressive CG reproductions of this predator from recent scientific discoveries.  It also showcases CG locations, which existed in the Cerrejon Mine in Colombia during that period.  This follows the “a once-in-a-lifetime discovery”, sited by one of the scientists, of this colossal snake which was related to boa constrictors family, which once ruled in the mysterious era after the mass extinction of the dinosaur 60 million years ago.

The video on the Blu-ray is not out of this world since most of it is up-converted from standard definition except for parts that were CG. It is also presented in an 1.78:1 widescreen presentation Overall though Inception Media’s 1080i transfer looks decent and sharp. The audio digital 5.1 track sounds really decent with the score and the sound effects on the disc. Unfortunately there is no special features on this disc at all, which is disappointing. If you have the chance to watch on Smithsonian Channel, catch it there if not this Blu-ray is the best second option.