Directed by: Mick Jackson
Starring: Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston
Distributed by: Warner Bros Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 129 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I remember when this film came out, my parents had the cassette of the soundtrack playing on loop for like a whole year. That’s right BTW, I said cassette. The music in this film was so amazing. It also reminds me of how great the late Whitney Houston once was. Even though this is the first time it is released on Blu-ray, I feels like its a real cash-in on her death, especially with the lack of special features. The film does pack a nice Blu-ray presentation though, boasting a sharp 1080p transfer and the audio is notable with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The music really shines though this.

“The Bodyguard” stars Houston as a pop-music diva Kevin Costner as the uptight bodyguard who is assigned to protect her. At first they do not get a long but of course as you all know, they fall in love. Who doesn’t love the song “I Will Always Love You.”? The film definitely reeks of early 90’s cinema though and the romance is a little over-the-top. Though it is all saved by Costner and Houston’s wonderful performances.

The special features are very disappointing and are only presented in standard definition. The first is called “Memories of The Bodyguard”, which runs about 30 minutes and talks about the film’s production. There is also a music video from Whitney Houston for “I Will Always Love You”. Lastly there is also the theatrical trailer. All of these are just left over’s from the last DVD release. I wish they would have put a lot more love into this release.

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Synopsis: She’s safe now. Safe from hordes of screaming, grasping fans. Safe from demanding kooks who pop up unexpectedly. Safe from the unknown killer stalking her every move. She’s in the arms of The Bodyguard. Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston and featuring songs from the #1 soundtrack album (including Houton’s hits “I Will Always Love You” and “I Have Nothing”), The Bodyguard has it all: Suspense. Thrills. Romance. Peril. Passion. And the shining brilliance of two great stars. In her spectacular film debut, Houston plays Rachel Marron, a music/movie superstar at her peak. Fans want to see her, hear her, touch her. But one wants to kill her – and that’s where security expert Frank Farmer(Costner) comes in. Farmer is a professional who never lets his guard down. Rachel’s glamorous life often puts her at risk. Each expects to be in charge. What they don’t expect is to fall in love

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Directed by: Mick Garris
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Annabeth Gish, Anika Noni Rose, Jason Priestly, Melissa George and William Schallert.
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Distributed by: Sony Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 234 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Whenever a new Stephen King TV film comes up, they have been hit or miss. This four-hour adaption is definitely a hit and comes back with a great cast. The film packs all its horror in the first hour or so and then it becomes more of a supernatural murder mystery. I still enjoyed the evolution of the film and didn’t feel that it dragged at all throughout its long running time. I have actually read the novel by King years ago and I enjoy them both equally.

The film stars Pierce Brosnans as Mike Noonan, a novelist who suffers from writer’s block after the death of his wife, Jo (Annabeth Gish). Mike gets drawn to the couple’s lakeside retreat hoping to find answers but he is plagued by nightmares and ghostly visitations from Sara Tidwell (Anika Noni Rose). Sara is a blues singer who was murdered and her spirit is looking for help from Mike to solve her murder. While investigating these murders, Mike realizes that the small town has a few dark secrets of its own.

What I am most surprised about this release is that it wasn’t put out on Blu-ray. The film is available in HD but I do not know why they neglected to take advantage of the high-def release. The special features on the DVD are not impressive at all either. There are just two deleted scenes included with add nothing to the film.

Directed by: Deryck Broom
Starring: Ernest Borgnine, Leon Clingman, Georgina Cordova, Scott Reeves, Asunta D’urso Fleming
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 87 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

I am not usually a big fan of strong faith themed films. But I am a sucker for 3D and talking CG animals. This film isn’t terrible but it isn’t very exciting either. It feels like one of those films that are sold at the supermarket register. The 3D effects are really good though and I did enjoy its presentation on Blu-ray as well. I thought the 3D was used well and fun for kids as well. I really couldn’t over the mix of modern day dialogue from animals in the time when Christ was alive and taking place in Jerusalem. If this film wasn’t so heavy on the faith, it might have been a lot better but with a title like “The Lion of Judah”, you have to expect that.

The film follows a lamb named Judah and his stable friends as they try to avoid being put up for sacrifice in Jerusalem the week before the crucifixion of Christ. Basically it is the story of Easter told from the perspective of a pig, a horse, a rat, a rooster, a cow and a donkey. The film also has a notable cast including Ernest Borgnine (“The Dirty Dozen”, “The Wild Bunch”), Georgina Cordova (Nickelodeon’s “Winx Club”) Scott Eastwood (“Invictus”, “Gran Torino”) and Michael Madsen (“Kill Bill”).

The Blu-ray presentation is impressive for a film I did not expect much from. The video looked sharp with its 1080p transfer, especially in 3D. The audio packed a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which worked well with the effects and the music. The only special feature included on this Blu-ray is a short featurette called “The Lion of Judah: Behind the Scenes”.

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Premise; Judah’s new friends, led by Slink the clever mouse (Ernest Borgnine) and Esmay the motherly cow (Sandy Patti) meet up with Jack (Scott Eastwood), a teenaged donkey with an attitude. Jack is less than happy to be part of the crew, but when the furry and feathered band of stable animals get separated and needs saving, it’s Jack who rushes to their rescue. Even the best efforts of Jack and the rest of the stable friends are not enough to save Judah. In this incredible tale of adventure and compassion, it takes the greatest hero of all, The King, to save Judah…and all the other animals, too!

Starring: Ron Ely, Manuel Padilla Jr.
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1500 minutes

Season One: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Warner Archive is responsible for bringing this classic 60’s TV series to DVD for the first time.  Season one is split into two parts.  The first part consists of a 4-disc collection and contains 15 episodes.  The secon part also consists of a 4-disc collection and contains the remaining 16 episodes in the first season.  Warner Bros did a great job of restoring this TV show and it is presented in full frame. For a show that has never been on DVD before and is nearing 40 years old, it looks really sharp.

I really enjoyed watching the first season of “Tarzan”.  It is a fun show that doesn’t expect too much.  It also includes some awesome guest stars as well such as Nichelle Nicholas from “Star Trek”, Woody Strode, Russ Tamblyn and even the former Tarzan Jock Mahoney.  If you are a fan of this series, you are going to really enjoy the 25 hours of vine swinging adventures of our animal loving friend. My only major complaint about watching this series has nothing to do with Warner’s release or restoration but the terrible stock footage used in some scenes.  I hope Warner Archive is planning on release further seasons of this as well.

You can purchase these DVDs at WarnerArchive.com – http://bit.ly/WAC_TarzanTV

Part One Synopsis:Premiering on NBC in 1966, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ immortal creation, Tarzan, took to the nation’s TV screens for the first time. Still in the capable hands of producer Sy Weintraub, the TV Tarzan (Ron Ely) continued the more recent (and more authentic) interpretation of Lord Greystoke as a sophisticated, articulate jungle adventurer as seen in the Tarzan films of Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney and Mike Henry. Also carried over from the big screen was young actor Manuel Padilla (Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, Tarzan and the Great River), now playing the jungle lord’s kid sidekick alongside Cheetah, the simian one. The first half of his inaugural season finds Tarzan rescuing seeing-eye lions, endangered leopards, and pampered princes while battling man-eaters, despots and deadly arachnids in this 4-Disc, 15-Episode collection. Guest stars include former Tarzan Jock Mahoney, Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols, Woody Strode, and Russ Tamblyn.

Part Two Synopsis:Ron Ely continues his memorable run as Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan in the second half of his first season. This 16-Episode, 4-Disc collection sees the Lord of the Jungle and his stalwart second bananas, Jai the jungle boy (Manuel Padilla) and Cheetah the chimp, facing off against some of their most formidable challenges alongside a bevy of powerhouse performer guest stars. Stage and screen legend Julie Harris makes her first appearance as the imperiled, imperious missionary Charity Jones and Maurice Evans makes his memorable debut as Sir Basil Bertram. And the action continues to heat up with volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, phantom dinosaurs and more fantastic jungle menaces. Adding their talents to the drama and the dangers are Susan Oliver, Chips Rafferty, Gia Scala, Sally Kellerman and Jack Elam.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 102 minutes

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

Warner Bros. is becoming know for releasing these amazing Anniversary Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-rays. They did it last year with both “Ben-Hur” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”, both which were two of my favorite releases of the year. This 70th Anniversary Limited Edition Blu-ray release of “Casablanca” comes packaged in a large rectangle box and is jam packed with amazing collectibles. Inside the box, you get 3-disc Digipak with two Blu-rays and a standard DVD. There is a simply breathtaking 62-page hardcover book with rare production notes and really great behind-the-scenes photos and drawings. There are four drink coasters included but not just loose, they come in a sweet faux-leather collectable box. Lastly there is a 21 x 15-inch 1942 French theatrical mini movie poster. All that amazing stuff is just inside the box, we haven’t even talked about the more than thirteen hours of special features and the amazing Blu-ray transfer yet.

The video presentation of this 70 year old film looks beyond fantastic and really shines on Blu-ray. You can thank this stunning 1080p transfer to an all-new 4K scan and a very in-depth frame by frame restoration. The audio a decent DTS-HD Master Audio Mono 1.0 track. Even though it is a restored single-channel mix, I felt that the audio was great but just a little lacking with the dialogue. Overall still very impressive audio and visual, nonetheless.

The special features are split over two Blu-rays and the main downfall to this otherwise amazing release is that most are in standard definition. There are two commentaries, though none with principal cast or crew. The first with film critic Roger Ebert and the second with historian Rudy Behlmer. Both are still very interesting though and informative. The only HD feature on disc one is “Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic”, which runs about 35 minutes and is a newly produced documentary. Many notable talent speak about the film, its impact including like Steven Spielberg, William Friedkin and Rudy Behlmer. There is an introduction by Lauren Bacall speaking about Casablanca’s enduring appeal. “Warner Night at the Movies” runs just under an hour and dives into the 1940s experience of “Casablanca”. “Great Performances: Bacall on Bogart” runs just over 80 minutes and is a solid documentary on Bogart. “You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca” runs about 35 minutes and carries a bit of repeat from the last documentary on the film but still worth a watch. “As Time Goes By: The Children Remember” features Stephen Bogart and Pia Lindstrom as they discuss their parents and the effect the film has had on them. There is about 75 minutes of audio-only content including a 1943 “Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Broadcast”, a “VOX Pop Radio Broadcast” from 1947, a series of “Scoring Stage Sessions” featuring alternate versions of the a few songs. There is some additional footage included along with some deleted scenes, as well as outtakes, “Who Holds Tomorrow” (a “Casablanca” television remake), and “Carrotblanca,” a Looney Tunes parody of the film. Lastly on disc one there are the film’s original theatrical trailer and theatrical re-release trailer as well.

The second Blu-ray of special features contains less features but more content. “The Brothers Warner” is an hour and a half feature on Harry Warner and his brothers. It really goes behind the scenes about the brothers and about their process for creating films. It is also presented in high definition. The next feature is a real zinger racking in at almost five hours. “You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story” is a five-hour documentary from director Richard Schickel and narrator Clint Eastwood. It focuses on Warner Bros, obviously. It is split over a few chapters include “A Rising Power (1923-1937),” “War and Peace (1937-1949),” “Age of Anxiety (1950-1969),” “Starting Over (1970-1990)” and “A Living Tradition (1988-2008)”. Lastly there is a feature, which runs about an hour called “Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul” and looks into this legacy.

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Synopsis: Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if you’re wanted by the Nazis. Such a man is Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one – especially Victor’s wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo’s transport out of the country and bitter Rick must decide what counts more – personal happiness or countless lives hanging in the balance. Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, Casablanca marks its 70th anniversary as a beloved favorite with so many bonuses that no matter how often you’ve seen it, this beautiful 70th Anniversary (Limited and Numbered) Edition looks like yet another beginning of a beautiful friendship with an unforgettable classic.

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Created by: Matt Stone & Trey Parker
Distributed by: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 308 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I remember watching the very first night that “South Park” premiered on Comedy Central. I wouldn’t say that I am huge fan of the show, since I stopped watching around 2000. Now I have seen a dew episodes here and there in the last 12 years but I would have never thought that this show would reach its 15th season. It is such an unbelievable success and they show is still relevant and funny. I do feel that it does a little over the top and too far on some occasions but that is the beauty of the show. Since reviewing this, I have found a few love in this show and I have started watching “South Park” again, which just returned for its 16th season this month.

This Blu-ray contains the complete fourteen episodes from this season and are completely uncensored as well, which is a plus. “HumancentiPad” is a take on The Human Centipede and features Kyle who is involved in the development a revolutionary product. “Funnybot” is where Jimmy hosts the Special Ed Department’s First Annual Comedy Awards. “Royal Pudding” focuses on Ike’s is obsessed with the Royal Wedding.In “T.M.I.”, Cartman goes into anger management therapy after their penis sizes are posted on the school bulletin board. In “Crack Baby Athletic Association”, Kyle gets involved with Cartman’s latest business venture. “City Sushi” features when Butters is diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. “You’re Getting Old” follows after Stan’s 10th birthday, his worldview starts to change and so do his friendships. In “Ass Burgers”, Cartman finds a unique way to cope with Asperger’s Syndrome. In “The Last of the Meheecans”, Cartman joins the U.S. Border Patrol. “Bass to Mouth” focuses a gossip site that leaks the kids’ most scandalous secrets. “Broadway Bro Down” follows Randy as he becomes Broadway’s biggest fan. “1%” features The 99% is ganging up on Eric Cartman. The boys try to discover the truth about the first Thanksgiving in “A History Channel Thanksgiving”. Kenny ends up in the foster care system after his parents are arrested in “The Poor Kid”

When it comes to special features this Blu-ray is not lacking in that department at all. It comes with an amazing documentary called “6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park”. It gives the first-ever look behind-the-scenes at South Park Studios and an in-depth looking to creating an episode. The next extra “6 Days to Air: Behind the Scenes of ‘City Sushi'” is similar to the first feature but focuses on the one specific episode. There are also about five minutes of deleted scenes from the season, nothing amazing but worth checking out. Lastly, the best feature is mini-commentaries by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone on each episode. They each run about 5 minutes and are a lot of fun.

If that isn’t enough of a bonus each Blu-ray or DVD will come with a free download of the new “South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge” Xbox Live game. It’s first come, first serve for the first 5,000 to enter their code in order to get a download of the game, an exclusive “South Park” theme and a 48 hour trial of Xbox Live Gold Membership. The following 70,000 entries will get an exclusive “South Park” Xbox theme and a 48 hour trial of Xbox Live Gold Membership. So this is a really cool added bonus.

Directed by: Terry Miles
Starring: Steve Austin, Danny Trejo, Serinda Swan
Distributed by: Vivendi Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 93 minutes

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

When it comes to Steve Austin, the guy knows action and can definitely kick some ass. He never got the mainstream attention like The Rock but he deserves it. Of course then you thrown in Danny Trejo, who is known for amazing roles like “Machete”. He is one scary son bitch but he is also just an awesome baddie. The film itself is nothing special and falls into the cheesy action genre.  Luckily the film has a key cast and is worth watching just for that and also a few great action sequences.

The film follows Ryan Varrett (Austin) who is on a revenge mission to find the criminals who murdered his family. Ryan takes it upon himself to punish those responsible…and anyone who gets in his way. When he meets the killer Drayke (Trejo), the two go head to head in an all out blood vendetta.

For a low-budget action film, the video is very impressive with its 1080p transfer especially with its kick-ass action scenes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also impressive with the action.

The special features included are short but not completely terrible. There is a brief but interesting featurette “The Making of Recoil” looking into the film’s production. There are also a few deleted scenes, which run about 5 minutes and focus on Steve Austin’s character. Lastly there is the film’s trailer included.

Starring: Buster Keaton
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
MPAA Rated: Not Rated
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Run Time: 306 minutes

Shorts: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

In 1934, Buster Keaton signed a contract with Earle W. Hammons Educational Pictures which focused on comedy short subjects. This Blu-ray release is very impressive and includes over five hours within its 16 educational shorts. In fact, the reason why this is amazing set is because 14 of these shorts have never been available. Fans of Buster Keaton needs to check this out as it is one very cool set.

The video looks great with its 1080p transfer. These shorts were remastered in HD from 35mm negatives, so they are high quality but some of the shorts still show their age. The audio includes an LPCM 2.0 Mono track, which works well with the content but is really nothing special.

The films included are “The Gold Ghost”, “Allez Oop”, “Palooka From Paducah”, “One Run Elmer”, “Hayseed Romance”, “Tars and Stripes”, “The E-Flat Man”, “The Timid Young Man”, “Three on a Limb”, “Grand Slam Opera”, “Blue Blazes”, “The Chemist”, “Mixed Magic”, “Jail Bait” and “Ditto and Love Nest on Wheels”.

There are very few special features but I feel that the shorts are enough to make this release worth purchasing.    On the first disc, there is a photo gallery with sixteen stills.  On the second disc, there is a funny but short feature called “Why They Call Him Buster”, which features Buster falling. Inside the Blu-ray case, there is a booklet with overviews of each film in the set.

Directed by: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jonah Hill, Sam Rockwell
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

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

Recently Jonah Hill is a hit and miss when it comes to comedy. After “Superbad”, he seemed like a sure bet for laughs but this totally feels like him going from A to F and seems a very sad role. I do not believe he really deserved an Oscar nomination for “Moneyball” but I think he looks hysterical in “21 Jump Street”.  The film features a supporting case that is funnier including a crew performance by Sam Rockwell. David Gordon Green is a great director but he doesn’t really show up in this film at all. Lastly, the film barely runs 80 minutes and I am all for short comedies but it feels like a 2 hour movie easily.

Jonah Hill stars as Noah, a slacker with no drive that ends up doing his mom a favor by babysitting his neighbor’s children (Max Records, Landry Bender, Kevin Hernandez). He is completely unqualified but get’s overtaken by the kids. While sitting, his girlfriend (Ari Gaynor) promises sex if he brings her some cocaine to a party. This causes him to take the kids out on the town and get caught up with crazy drug dealer (Sam Rockwell).

The Blu-ray release is well packaged and contains not only the Blu-ray but also a DVD and a digital copy. It also includes both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, even though neither work. The 1080p transfer on the Blu-ray is impressive and looks good especially for a comedy. The same goes for the audio DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, it works with the music and action scenes the best.

The special features included are good but run very short and seems like one long gag. There are ten deleted/extended scenes, which run about 25 minutes. There is a gag reel, which I always love. “Sits-N-Giggles” is a collection of the film’s improvised lines, which is also very funny. These two features are funnier than the whole film together. “For Your Consideration” is a waste of time joke about Blake beat-boxing. “The Making of The Sitter” is a basic/decent behind-the-scenes featurette. “Jonah the Producer” features Jonah trying to teach kids. Lastly there is the theatrical trailer included.

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Directors: Lars Von Trier
Actors: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, Brady Corbet
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 135 minutes

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

If you are not already familiar with Danish director Lars von Trier, this may not be the best film for you to watch. Especially after von Trier’s last film “Antichrist”, I approach his film’s gently. This one isn’t even half as disturbing as his last but it is extremely deep, a little bit confusing, a bit long and also mega depressing. So if you get over that then I say got give “Melancholia” a shot. I mean if not just for Kirsten Dunst amazing performance (and she is also nude, so that’s a plus obviously guys!). Fans of von Trier, this will be a must see if you haven’t seen it already don’t get ready for a very filling movie.

The film follows Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) who are getting ready to attend their recent marriage at a party thrown by Justine’s sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Of course like any family gathering there is drama and issues arrise that put a damper on the night. Of course to add to all that there is a planet a planet called Melancholia that is heading on a collision course with Earth and is possible to destroy all of humankind.

The 1080p transfer is what I loved most about this film. The video is so absolutely beautiful to look at, the CG effect shots are absolutely breathtaking. I wish they had an isolated score track because I would just leave on all day. Even though the film is based on the end of the world it is not an action packed more and is quite the opposite. The audio is still very impressive with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and perfectly accompanies the films score.  This is a must to watch on HD Blu-ray for sure, if you have the choice.

The special features are good but missing some of the extras from the British release including the commentary track. “About Melancholia” features Lars von Trier, Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and a psychologist Irene Oestrich as they discuss the film’s themes. Since the film is very “Special Effects” heavy, this is a great feature to see how it was done during post production. “The Visual Style” is another important feature because director Von Trier definitely has one of the most unique vision of any directors I know. “The Universe” is another visual effects feature, short but worth checking out. There is the typical HDNet promo included “HDNet: A Look at Melancholia”, only feature not in HD. Lastly there are two theatrical trailers wrapping up this disc.

Directed by: Ed Wood
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Vampira
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 79 minutes

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

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they their restoration of “Plan 9 from Outer Space” is very impressive. The coloring on the film is looks like it was done with care and very sharply with each scene. Even though this film is considered one of the “worst films of all-time”, I really have sweet spot for it and always enjoy watching it. This is technically the first time that this film has been properly released on Blu-ray. The first being by Rifftrax as a glorified commentary track, though that release wasn’t restored or cleaned up at all. Legend Films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

So many have tried to figure out the actually plot of this film and how it actually comes together as a film. The film itself and Ed Wood’s life even inspired the 1995 Tim Burton directed bio-pic with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood (one of my personal favorites). In “Plan 9”, it is just plain simple fun or madness or both as aliens resurrect the dead as zombies in order to stop human kind from creating a sun-driven bomb. The film has many issues during production including the death of Bella Lugosi. I wish Ed Wood could see this film today as it has become such a cult classic. Love it or hate it, this film will always be around.

The video resolution looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. Theaudio is actually quite decent as it includes an DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Since this film is considered one of the “worst”, you might not expect much but in video and audio this release definitely succeeds, thanks to Legend Films.

The special features are impressive for this release. Starting off is a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. There is trivia subtitles, which I enjoyed quite a bit about the film. There are also a few features on Ed Wood. The first is called “Ed Wood Home Movies”, it is presented in HD even though it is old grainy footage. It is short but definitely worth checking out for a rare look into some personal moments with Ed Wood. Then there is “Ed Wood Commercials”, also in HD included some really priceless shorts, definitely in the spirit of Ed Wood. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

Directed by: Roger Corman
Starring: Dick Miller, Jack Nicholson, Jonathan Haze, Mel Welles
Distributed by: Legend Films
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 70 minutes

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

Legend Films is known for colorizing classic films and they did a very notable job with 1960’s “The Little Shop of Horrors”. The color is very subtle and feels like it was beautiful hand panted on each scene. I have seen this film many times and I am big fan of Roger Corman and this film still works well for me. This is the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray and Legend films really did a great job restoring it in both color and black-and-white.

Everyone knows the classic story of “The Little Shop of Horrors”. This 1960 film was also one of Jack Nicholson’s first roles. Seymour grows an exotic plant that has an insatiable appetite for blood and people. As the plant grows larger and larger and hungrier and hungrier, things start to get out of the control for the local flower shop and their bloodthirsty plant.

The video resolutions looks really sharp in its 1080p transfer. The only main concern is that the aspect ratio on the Blu-ray is 1.33:1 compared to the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Nothing major missed though. The audio is nothing special but includes a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track.

The special features only included a commentary track by MST3K’s Mike Nelson, which definitely delivers some great laughs. Lastly if you prefer the classic black and white version of the film, as with all Legend releases they included the original black and white version as well, so everyone is happy.

Directed by: Ralph Bakshi
Starring: Bob Holt, Steve Gravers and Jesse Welles
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

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

If you are a fan of Ralph Bakshi then you would be excited for this release, if not then you probably have never heard of this film. Bakshi is the director of film’s like “Fritz the Cat”, “The Lord of the Rings (1978)” and “Cool World”. His animation style is so unique and very interesting to watch. This film holds up well over the years and looks decent on Blu-ray. The real draw on this release has to be the Digibook packaging. The release comes with a 24-page full-color digibook. It includes a note from Ralph Bakshi, a short essay on the film, and lots of sketches and concept art. Definitely worth picking up if you are fans of Bakshi and the film.

The film itself follows the battle between Avatar and his evil brother Blackwolf. Avatar is an eccentric but kind sorcerer-ruler of Montagar, which is a magical place inhabited by elves and fairies. Blackwolf has plans to dominates Montagar. But with the help from fairy Elinore, a robot assassin named Peace, and Elfin spy Weehawk, Avatar must save his world from darkness.

The Blu-ray presentation is good but not amazing. The video looks good in 1080p transfer but is not perfect. The color really pop and the animation looks sharp even though its shows a little age. The audio boasts an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and also includes a English Dolby Digital mono track. Note: this US release does not include the score-only audio track like the UK release unfortunately.

Since this is the 35th Anniversary release, I was hoping for some new special features but there is nothing new and everything is only presented in standard definition. There is a commentary track from Bakshi, which was used on the 2004 DVD release. It is a good commentary track though and very informative. There is a 35 minute making-of feature called “Ralph Bakshi- The Wizard of Animation Featurette”, definitely worth checking out and wish this was in HD. Lastly there is two trailers, TV spot and a photo gallery included.

Directed by: Angelina Jolie
Starring: Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Rade Serbedzija, Dzana Pinjo, Nikola Djuricko
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Running Time: 127 minutes

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

When you hear that Angelina Jolie is writing/directing a film, the first thing that pops into my head isn’t a foreign film. Well she did a really great job with “In the Land of Blood and Honey”, it is directed with a sharp eye and written very smartly. The content of the film is very intense consisting of rape and violence but she is still able to intertwine her romance into the story. I felt the film drags a little in the second half and gets a little confusing but overall I would say I enjoyed it.

The film is set in the in the 1990s during the Bosnian War. It locks conflicted romance of Danijel and Ajla, two people from different ethnic backgrounds. Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosnian held captive in his camp. Shortly before the war though the two knew each other and were one their way to possibly falling in love. As the war develops the their relationship gets more complicated as war drives them apart.

This combo back includes the Blu-ray and also a DVD of the film. The authentic language version is available on the BD with English subtitles, and the newer before released English language version is available on the DVD. If I had the option to watch it I would highly recommended the foreign language version. The Blu-ray presentation is superb. It looks great with its 1080p transfer, very sharp and very realistic. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also very impressive and works well with the war scenes and the film’s beautiful score.

The extras are decent but lacking commentary from Angelina Jolie. “The Making of In the Land of Blood and Honey” Featurette takes you behind-the-scenes through filming in two languages and the local cast reflections on the actual the war. There are a few deleted scenes also included. Lastly exclusively available on the Blu-ray version is a Q&A with Jolie and Actress Vanesa Glodjo. Definitely worth checking out to get more insight into the film.

Directed by: Alexander Payne
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 115 minutes

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

As much as I love the film “The Artist”, it is obvious that George Clooney should have won the Oscar for his role in this movie. It is hard for an actor to be able to both make you laugh and cry in the same 2 hours and Clooney does it. When this film first came out I really had no interest in it but once it started picking up some pace, it grabbed my interest. Clooney’s performance seems to come so naturally and feels really laid back just like the Hawaii setting in the film. The film also features great performances from Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard, though overall this is a real ensemble.

Following an accident of his wife leaving her in a coma, Matt King (Clooney), a high-powered Hawaii real estate lawyer (George Clooney) finds himself in charge of their young daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) that he barely knows. Matt is also on the verge of making a very important family decision of selling a large portion of Hawaii’s beaches for hotel space. While spending time with his daughters, reflecting his wife’s situation he realizes that there are things that he has never noticed before about his family and his wife. With his daughters help he is able to find a way to change his life and theirs on the process.

The video looks absolutely fantastic and really shines in it 1080p transfer. The film was shot in stunning Hawaii and this film literally transports you to the beaches and just feels really laid back. The audio in this release packs a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It is not really pushed hard but it works well with the ambient sounds in the film and just seems to work well overall.

The special features are good though lacking any commentary track from Payne or Clooney. Since the film is all about George, so is this feature “Everybody Loves George”. “Working with Alexander” is lead by the director as he takes us through the production himself. “The Real Descendants” tells the real story story behind this film. “Hawaiian Style” focuses on the production side of shooting on location in Hawaii. Alexander Payne chats about the “Casting” in the next feature to come up with this dream-team cast. “Working with Water” deals with the difficulties of shooting on water.

More features include three music videos featuring footage from Hawaii: “Will I Ever See You Again”, “Postcards from Paradise” and “Honolulu’s Whisper”. My least favorite feature is “Waiting for the Light”, which a short montage of behind-the-scenes footage. From least to favorite, the next one is “The World Parade: Hawaii”. which is shows a reel of silent documentary like footage from turn-of-the-century Hawaii. “A Conversation with George Clooney and Alexander Payne” is a sit down with director and its star and ends up being a lot of fun. There are two short deleted scenes that were included, an explanation of each is given from the director. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.