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.

Directed by: Josh Becker
Starring: Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Timothy Quill, Scott Spiegel, Brian Schulz
Distributed by: Synapse Films
MPAA Rated: Unrated
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 83 minutes

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

Synapse Films is the team behind this fantastic release of this cult classic on Blu-ray.  The release features an all-new High-Definition 2K Digital Restoration from the original negative.  It looks very impressive for a low-budget film from 1985.  This film also some packed with the “Evil Dead” group and stars Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi, Scott Spiegel, and Timothy Quill.  The film is very gory and is really no-holds barred.  It really kick-ass some ass and asks questions later.  We all need to commend Synapse for really this 80’s gems and restoring them in HD.  This release will easily satisfy fans of the cult classic.  Did I mention that Sam Raimi plays one of the craziest son bitches? It’s a no brainer.

The film follows a group of friend who return home after Vietnam but are not met with a happy welcome.  During the war, Marine Sergeant Jack Stryker takes  two bullets in the leg but is rescued by a friend.  When he comes home to his girlfriend, she is abducted by a crazy cult led by it’s vicious leader, Stryker.  Jack recruits the help of his three of his old marine friends and they seek out to get revenge on this group of crazies.

The film special features are very impressive as which has become expected from Synapse Films. There are two audio commentary tracks from director Josh Becker, Bruce Campbell and star Brian Schulz.  The coolest feature on the release is the Original Super 8mm short film, Stryker’s War Short Film, starring Bruce Campbell.  It is worth the purchase alone.  There is a great featurette called “Made in Michigan: The Making of Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except”. There is an all-new video interview with Bruce Campbell, always amazing.  I can watch him read a store receipt.  There is one deleted scene with optional director’s commentary and also an alternate title sequence.  Also included is the original theatrical trailer.  To top off a great release like most Synapse films, there is reversible cover artwork included as well.

Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
Studio: Lions Gate
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 123 minutes

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

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release the director’s cut of Kate & Leopold to Blu-ray for the first time this April. I am not the biggest fan of Meg Ryan, especially since she started to look like The Joker. This film was probably one of her last decent roles. Hugh Jackman channels is 19th Century duke and does a decent job. The romance between the two is not bad, though the film itself runs a little long hitting just over two hours. The director’s cut includes some extra scenes that provide some more plot into the characters and story. Overall though it doesn’t make the film any better or worse.

This romantic comedy stars Hugh Jackman as Leopold, a 19th Century duke who accidentally travels through time and ends up in modern-day New York City. While getting used to the new place he meets a career woman Kate (Meg Ryan) and he plans to change her ways and aim to court her. The Blu-ray presentation looks great with its 1080p video resolution and packs an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

The main downfall of this release is that the theatrical version is not included, so if you prefer that one you are out of luck. The special features are decent overall though. They include an audio commentary track with director James Mangold. There are a few deleted scenes with optional commentary, nothing special but worth a look. There are two decent featurettes. The first is focusing on the Costuming and the second is a look into the production called “On the Set”. Lastly, there is a short photo gallery included.

Directed by: Don Roos
Starring: Ben Affleck, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natasha Henstridge
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Distributed by: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 106 minutes

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

Lionsgate Home Entertainment is bringing the romance flick to Blu-ray for the first time this April. Whenever I think of this film, I think about Ben Affleck in “Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back” being called “Bounce-Boy” for starring in this. It is still a decent romance as Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow really work well as a couple. The Blu-ray presentation is also very impressive. It boasts a sharp 1080p video resolution. There is also a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, it works well but doesn’t get too pushed with this romantic drama.

“Bounce” follows Ben Affleck as Buddy Amaral, a slick advertising executive and recovering alcoholic who falls in love with single mother Abby Janello (Gwyneth Paltrow). As the couple grow closer, Abby finds out that Buddy holds a secret that could destroy their relationship.

The Blu-ray special features are decent for this release but don’t including anything new. They include an audio commentary track with director Don Roos. I rather liked the scene-specific commentary with Roos, Affleck, and Paltrow as well. If you want more “Bounce”, there are in luck since there are a few deleted scenes with optional commentary, worth checking out for sure. I always enjoy a good gag reel as well. There is a music video included for “Need To Be Next To You”. Lastly there are two decent featurettes. The first is called “All About Bounce” and the second is called “Ben and Gwyneth Go Behind-the Scenes”.

Directed by: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler,
Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate
Distributed by: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: G
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 87 minutes

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

So, how can the world benefit from a third “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movie? It really can’t, except maybe by keeping the kids busy for 90 minutes.  Well even though the film doesn’t change film cinema,  it was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be.  That being said, it far from spectacular also.  I really felt bad for Jason Lee and David Cross for having to act in this, more for the later since he has to where a chicken suit the whole movie.  I will hate myself for saving this but I thought the Chipmunks were really cute, especially the Chipettes.  The music in the film was fun and added a lot of the film.  With over $300 million in the bank worldwide, I do not think we have seen the end of this franchise either.

In the third entry, Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Dave (Jason Lee), and Chipettes Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor go on cruise on the way to the International Music Awards but wind up trapped on a tropical island. Split up from Dave, our fury friends meet an island castaway named Zoe (Jenny Slate), who is looking for a buried treasure. Time is running out though as their is a volcano on the island that is looking to explode. The film runs a short 88 minutes and definitely doesn’t over stay it welcome too much. Kids will love every single moment of this film though for sure.

The Blu-ray presentation is also impressive for this kids title. The video backs a very colorful and sharp 1080p transfer. I mean the film is shot in Hawaii, it is guaranteed to looks beautiful The audio track works perfectly with the music in the film, boasting a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.  Along with the Blu-ray, this release also comes with a DVD copy of the film.  It also comes with a digital copy as well but doesn’t take advantage of the recent trend of using digital streaming service, Ultraviolet.

The special features are aimed at kids mostly but still decent. The first feature is called “Munk Music & Dance Machine”, runs about 20 minutes and is sing-along to your favorite songs from the movie.  “Going Overboard with the Chipmunks” is a chat with the film’s producers on the production. “Munking Movies in Paradise” talks about shooting in Hawaii.  “Everybody Munk Now” is a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the “salsa night” dance scene. “Alan Tudyk, Chipmunk Apprentice” is a feature on voicing Simon’s alter-ego “Simone” in the film.  If you want more music there are three music videos with optional sing-a-long mode. There are eight extended scenes, running about five minutes, nothing special.  Lastly there are two “Fox Movie Channel Presents” features presented only in standard definition, “Growing Up Alvin” and “In Character with Jason Lee”, not sure why these are not in HD but worth checking out.

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Directed by: Georges Méliès
MPAA Rating: G
Distributed by: Flicker Alley
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 130 minutes

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

If you think “A Trip to the Moon” seems familiar and can’t put your finger on it, that is because it was featured in Martin Scorsese’s award winning movie, “Hugo”. “Hugo” featured Ben Kingsley playing Georges Méliès, the creator of this 1902 masterpiece “Le Voyage dans La Lune” aka “A Trip to the Moon”.  Thanks to Flicker Alley for releasing this full restored, hand-painted color version to high-def Blu-ray for the first time since it was made 110 years ago.  The Blu-ray comes packaged in a wonderful limited edition, SteelBook case.  It is also being released with its original 1902 colors and a new 2011 documentary called “The Extraordinary Voyage”.

“A Trip to the Moon” was sourced from a once thought lost version of the film and it is also presented with a soundtrack from the French band, AIR.  This restoration looks absolutely fantastic.  The film is only 15 minutes but it is worth watching over and over, I loved watching it in color and also black and white.  The amazing documentary also included on this release, “The Extraordinary Voyage”, runs just over an hour and covers the film’s preservation and history.  It also includes commentary and testimonials from Tom Hanks, Terry Gilliam and Michel Hazanavicus (Oscar winning star of “The Artist”).  The documentary spends a lot of time going through the restoration project of “A Trip to the Moon” and shows how much work really went into it.  It is really interesting watching them talk about the coloring process for the film and the frame by frame restoration. Let me tell you the Blu-ray presentation looks jut fantastic with its 1080p transfer and the audio is so impressive .

The special features on this limited edition release are extremely impressive.  It also contains the restored black and white version from the original 35mm prints and comes backed with three different audio tracks.  There is an orchestral score by Robert Israel with English narration written by Méliès. The second track is produced by Russell Merritt and includes a troupe of voice actors performed in the U.S. in 1903. The last track features beautiful piano music from Frederick Hodges. There is also a exclusive interview with Nicolas Godin and JB Dunckel from the band AIR.  There is also two bonus films from Méliès “The Eclipse” and “The Astronomer’s Dream”.  Lastly rounding out this amazing release is an beautiful 24-page booklet included in the package.

Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Viola Davis, Max von Sydow
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 129 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The events of 9/11 is a very strong subject matter for film. Being a New Yorker myself, it is a little hard to stomach it, even after over 10 years. This film does a great job of focusing on the events of 9/11, without being too much in your face. “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” packs a really strong performances from Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. Thomas Horn definitely has a bright future in his cards for sure. Max von Sydow ,who won an Oscar for his role, didn’t even speak a word in this film and was phenomenal. You will find yourself trying to hold back your emotions but it is simply not possible. I was really blown away by this film. It is simply fantastic and really delivers constantly throughout the entire film.

The story follows eleven year-old Oskar Schell (Horn), who tries to deal with the events of 9/11 and the lose of his father a year after the events of World Trade Center. He finds a key belonging to his father and sets off on a mission to solve the mystery of what lock the key will open. As Oskar begins to uncover links to the father, he meets The Renter aka Max von Sydow who helps him in his search through the five New York boroughs.

The Blu-ray presentation is very impressive with its 1080p transfer. It looks really sharp and really pulls you into New York during one of its hardest times. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works so amazing with the films score and works so well with Max von Sydow scenes, even without dialogue. This release includes the Blu-ray, as well as a DVD copy of the fil. If you are a fan of digital copies, this release comes with my new favorite feature UltraViolet digital streaming copy.

The special features are impressive though they are missing an commentary tracks from cast/crew. there is a 20 minute behind the scenes feature called “Making Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” which follows cast/crew on the film’s production. “Finding Oskar” talks about the casting process for Thomas Horn. “Ten Years Later” focuses on a man named Daniel McGinley. He died in the towers during 9/11 but his legacy lives in this feature, very moving. The best feature on the Blu-ray is “Max von Sydow: Dialogues with The Renter”, which runs about 45 minutes. Especially since von Sydow’s performances is so amazing, this is great insight to his work on the film.

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Synopsis: Adapted from the acclaimed bestseller by Jonathan Safran Foer, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is a story that unfolds from inside the young mind of Oskar Schell, an inventive eleven year-old New Yorker whose discovery of a key in his deceased father’s belongings sets him off on an urgent search across the city for the lock it will open. A year after his father died in the World Trade Center on what Oskar calls “The Worst Day,” he is determined to keep his vital connection to the man who playfully cajoled him into confronting his wildest fears. Now, as Oskar crosses the five New York boroughs in quest of the missing lock — encountering an eclectic assortment of people who are each survivors in their own way — he begins to uncover unseen links to the father he misses, to the mother who seems so far away from him and to the whole noisy, dangerous, discombobulating world around him.

Directed: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich
Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

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

So this isn’t the first time we have seen an adaption of “The Three Musketeers”. This updated version is nothing revolutionary either but it is damn well entertaining. Plus we have never seen these swashbuckling musketeers kick butt in 3D. The 3D is very fun and recommended but the 2D version is actually equally as great. The film has some of the year’s best art direction and costume design. My main issue with these films have always been why are they called The Three Musketeers when there always are four? Nonetheless, this is a fun time overall and worth checking out for a good time and mindless fun.

This film is a stylized update to classic swashbuckling novel, “The Three Musketeers”. It follows the young hero D Artagnan (Logan Lerman) and his joining sides with the Three Musketeers. They take battle against Europe’s most elite warriors on a mission uncover a conspiracy that threatens to overthrow the king and push Europe into war.

The Blu-ray presentation is quite impressive. The video resolution looks sharp with its 1080p transfer. The audio was very impressive with the film’s action scenes and music boasting a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. This releases comes with the 3D Blu-ray and the 2D Blu-ray. All of the special features are found on the 2D-only release, There are no 3D or exclusive extras included in this release.

The special features are packed with great content. There is an interesting audio commentary from Director/Producer Paul W.S. Anderson and Producers Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer. They discuss the films production in depth. “Access: Three Musketeers” is a picture-in-picture that provided great behind the scenes features you can watch during the film. This is my favorite feature on this release. “Paul W.S. Anderson’s Musketeers” is a short feature focusing on the cast and rebooting the story. “Orlando Bloom Takes on the Duke” is self-explained from the title. “17th Century Air Travel” talks about the film aerial ships. “Uncovering France in Germany” talks about shooting in Bavaria. There are about 15 minutes of deleted & Extended Scenes, mostly hit and miss. but worth checking out.

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Directed by: Arthur Hiller, Norman Abbott
Starring: John Astin, Marty Ingels, Lee Meriwether
Distributed by: Lightyear Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Running Time: 609 minutes

Volume One: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

Prior to reviewing this DVD, I have to admit I was unaware of “I’m Dickens…He’s Fenster”. I was though quite aware of John Astin, Marty Ingels and Lee Meriwether. This DVD marks the 50th Anniversary of 1960s TV sitcom and it is also the first time that these episodes have been released on DVD. The release contains a three-disc set which contains over 10 hours of content. It features the first sixteen episodes of thirty-two from the show’s only season. It is very sad that this show only latest one season because it is a riot. It is simple and subtle but extremely funny. The show is created by Leonard Stern who is responsible for hit comedy shows like “The Honeymooners” and “Sergeant Bilko”. I have to certainly thank Glass Onyon PR for allowing us to find this wonderful gem of a show.  I look forward to sharing this series with my soon-to-be-born daughter. This DVD is highly recommended…simply wonderful.

“I’m Dickens… He’s Fenster” follows Harry (Astin) and Arch (Ingels) and their adventures being best friends and also working together as construction workers.  Ingels easily steals the show and is just such a pleasure to watch. The two are absolutely hilarious and are backed but some amazing guest stars including: Yvonne Craig (Batgirl from “Batman”), Harvey Korman (“The Carol Burnett Show”), Sally Kellerman (“M*A*S*H”), Peter Lupus (“Mission: Impossible”), Lee Meriwether (“The Time Tunnel”), Ellen Burstyn (“The Exorcist”), Edy Williams (“Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”), and Jim Nabors (“The Andy Griffith Show”). The series looks great on DVD and the episodes look sharp and really clear for a show that is 50 years old. It is also presented in full frame with 1.33:1 ratio and original mono audio track.

The special features on this DVD release are jam packed. There are all-new interviews including stars John Astin and Marty Ingels, Directors Arthur Hiller, Norman Abbott, and Creator/Producer Leonard Stern. If you are fan of audio commentaries there are bunch feature John Astin and Marty Ingels, Yvonne Craig, Lee Meriwether, Dave Ketchum, Chris Korman (son of Harvey Korman) and creator/producer Leonard Stern. There is a funny featurette called “I’m Dickens…He’s Fenster Get Physical”. There is a very sweet video tribute to the late Leonard Stern. There are three funny featurettes including “The Joke”, “Love Me, Love My Dog” and “How Not to Succeed in Business”. There are old commercials including Bumpers, ABC TV Network Promo and Cast Commercial. Lastly there is a ‘Thank You’ slide show video featuring the dozens of people who helped make the 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition a reality.

Starring: The B-52’s
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 131 minutes (including extras)

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

I doubt I’ll ever forget watching Saturday Night Live with my dad the evening of January 26th, 1980. He and I were huge fans of the show and tuned in weekly to check out the latest hysterical skits performed by Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin and other classic-era cast members. But when host Teri Garr introduced musical guests the B-52’s, an interesting thing happened: my dad’s face became one that fully epitomized “WTF?” and mine expressed unbridled awe of the band’s whacked fashion and spasmodic party vibe. Yep…on that night, the generation gap was in full effect. The baton had been passed. Along with the tanning butter.

As the members of the B-52’s state in an interview that is included on their new DVD/Blu-ray “The B-52’s with the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA”, that SNL gig was the career-changer that catapulted them from being a quirky band with something of a cult following to one that suddenly was moving truckloads of their self-titled debut album. The interview is a fascinating one that allows all four band members – Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland – to tell the story of how the four musicians got together and eventually became one of the most well-known – and arguably the best – party band that rock and roll has ever seen. Throughout the half-hour bonus feature, we’re treated to so many pictures from the B-52’s scrapbook that “interview” is something of a misnomer: it’s an exceptionally well-produced and edited short-form documentary that leaves very few stones unturned, including the life and death of original guitarist and band cornerstone, Ricky Wilson.

The main event of the Blu-ray, though, is the 34th anniversary concert filmed in their hometown of Athens, GA. As the disc’s case states, they have managed to assemble a wild crowd that is all costumed up and ready to party out of bounds. When the 52’s hit the stage, they launch into the energetic “Pump” from their 2008 release “Funplex”. It gets the party started quickly and proves that, even after more than 30 years of dancing their mess around, they still can create music that’s just as fun as that on their first LP, which hit stores in 1979. By the time the 90-minute show concludes, they have delivered 20 of their most popular songs (“Roam”, “Rock Lobster” and – of course – “Love Shack”) as well as fan-fave classics (“Planet Claire”, “Mesopotamia”, “52 Girls” and even “Strobe Light”). The tunes are still jumpin’ and are delivered with all of the energy and vitality of the original album tracks. On a sonic level, the Blu-ray is immaculate regardless of which of the three audio options is selected by the viewer: DTS HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital 5.1 or LPCM Stereo.  The 1080i high-definition video is crisp and clean throughout.

Where “Wild Crowd!” falls short, though, is that said wildness is…well…pretty much exclusive to the crowd.   Even though the B-52’s  still seem to enjoy what they do, the performers themselves are fairly static and don’t move around the stage much.  Throughout the entire show, Fred is in the dead center flanked by Kate and Cindy.  And that’s about it.  There’s some banter between songs, but it’s so generic that most of it could conceivably be used at any stop of any tour. Given that the show this Blu-ray documents is a momentous anniversary show – and that this is a band whose outlandish costumes and eccentric showmanship used to rival those of Devo and other avant garde weirdies – it’s a shame that the disc’s visual content winds up being its most uninteresting component.  The crowd does their cosmic thing and shakes their honey buns non-stop. The band should oblige their enthusiasm but unfortunately becomes a bit of a deadbeat club.

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