Directed by: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle
MPAA Rating: PG
Distributed by: Sony Pictures
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 91 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. It is easily, Monty Python’s best movie, it just never gets old. I was really looking forward to the Blu-ray release of this film. Don’t forget though “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was filmed over almost 40 years ago, so the 1080p transfer isn’t perfect but it is DAMN impressive. There is a little grain in the video but it can be overlooked easily since everything else is perfect. The audio track is also very impressive including an DTS-HD MA 5.1 track and also the original 2.0 mono for those who enjoy. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this in high definition.

This Blu-ray also comes packed with many great features including an Ultraviolet digital copy and BD-Live. There is also a feature called “The Holy Book of Days Second Screen”, which uses an iPad to “experience the adventure of shooting Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. It takes you through the 28 days on location with never-before-seen outtakes, stills, original script, diaries, sketches, sounds, and more. This is a really cool feature. In fact there is a sticker on the Blu-ray case issues $5.00 rebate for purchasing the app and the movie, so it makes this a total no-brainer if you have an iPad.

There aren’t a ton of HD special features for this release but what is included is great and will satisfy fans. There are about 13 minutes of “Lost Animations” which is shared by co-director Terry Gilliam. This is exclusive for this Blu-ray release. Included are “Meanwhile, King Arthur & Sir Bedevere…”, “Elephant & Castle; Run Away!”, “The Tale of Sir Robin” and “The Tale of Sir Lancelot”. I am a big fan of Gilliam’s animation and really enjoyed this. There are also almost 20 minutes of high def outtakes & extended scenes including “Sir Robin & The Three Headed Knight”, “Constitutional Peasants”, “Get On With It!”, “Shorter Takes”, “Old Crone, Wedding Slaughter”, and “Lots of Very Silly Bits”.

A major highlight of this Blu-ray also comes from the audio commentary tracks. The first features directors Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones as they discuss the film’s production. It ranges from everything including locations to the cast and the film’s cult following. It is also funny and very entertaining. The next commentary includes the remaining Python with John Cleese, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin. It is much lighter than the first production filled commentary. The group rehash memories and just seem like they are having fun. I would have liked to heard the madness of having the whole group do a commentary track. Overall though these are both equally good and worth checking out for sure.

The rest of the special features are presented in standard definition aka DVD quality. “Quest for the Holy Grail Locations” runs just over 45 minutes and shows Michael Palin and Terry Jones touring the shooting locations today. “Lego Knights” is a recreation of the scene “Camelot’s a silly place” in Lego format. “Japanese Version” includes two classic scenes dubbed in Japanese “The French Castle” and “The Knights of Ni”. “Coconuts” is a laugh riot teaching the equine style. “BBC Film Night” is a archive report from December 19, 1974 including an inside look at the making of the movie, interviews and footage from the set. There is also three sing-a-longs includes to add during the film for “Knights of the Round Table”, “Sir Robin”, and “Monks Chant”. Highly recommended…at least for the first two. Lastly thre is a photo gallery, the US 2001 Re-Release Trailer and the Holy Grail Blu-ray Credits included.

Directed by: Fred M. Andrews
Starring: Sid Haig, Mehcad Brooks, Serinda Swan, Amanda Fuller
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Release date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 93 minutes

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

This is one of those movies, that get better with each viewing. When I originally saw the film “Hatchet”, I wasn’t proclaiming it to be my new favorite horror film but now I absolutely love it after many viewings. This film reminds me of that. It has fun performances by Mehcad Brooks (Eggs from “True Blood”), Serinda Swan (TRON: Legacy). Fun fact, they are real life husband and wife. Of course, horror legend Sig Haig has a fun role as well, almost channeling his Capt. Spaulding from “House of 1000 Corpses”. Overall the film has problem but I still enjoyed it second time around. I am just shocked that Arc Entertainment did not release this on HD Blu-ray.

The story follows six friends who take a road trip and end up stopping at a hillbilly gas station, owned by Chopper (Sid Haig). They read about the legend of Grimley, who went mad after his sister/wife was killed by an alligator. During his madness he is said to have transformed and lurked the swamps. The group decided (without their best judgement, obviously) to visit Grimley old house. Of course that’s where things go terrible wrong.

This film was given a semi-wide theatrical release but did not catch on with audiences. I really thought that the film had a terrible poster to start with. The DVD cover of this release is much better and definitely makes you want to watch it just from that alone. It also channels the cult classic “Feast”, which I also really enjoyed. The special effects are cheesy but I believe that adds to the charm of the film. You shouldn’t be expecting much and if you feel that way you will enjoy this. The special features are lacking with three featurettes about the film’s production. The first is called “Making the Monster”, which is self-explanatory. The second is “On the Bayou”, focusing shooting on location.  The last is about “The Filmmakers”.  They are worth checking out if you enjoyed the film but run a little short overall.

Directed by: Tarsem Singh
Starring: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Freida Pinto, Stephen Dorff, Kellan Lutz
Distributed: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 110 minutes

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

When I originally saw trailers to this film, I was the least interested. The film looked cool but really nothing special. Well I was really pleasantly surprised as I really enjoyed it. It was shot beautifully with fantastic CG backdrops. The film was converted into 3D and really shines on its Blu-ray presentation. The image is absolutely crystal clear and really looks great in 3D. The audio packs an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, in fact I had to turn down my speakers due to how impressive the sound was. To round up this fantastic release besides the 3D Blu-ray, this also includes a 2D Blu-ray and a digital copy.

This film follows Theseus (Henry Cavill), who is a villager that has been chosen by the gods to save mankind. After receiving a vision, the oracle Phaedra (Freida Pinto), finds out that Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) is on a mission to find the legendary Epirus Bow in order to defeat the gods. With the help of Phaedra, Theseus joins up with a group of warriors in order to find the bow, defeat Hyperion and save mankind.

The special features are impressive but nothing is found on the 3D disc. The first is called “It’s No Myth”, it is a short featurette on Greek myth. “Caravaggio Meets Fight Club – Tarsem’s Vision” is a 20 minute four-part behind the scenes look at the production. There is an alternate opening and two alternate endings for the film as well. The opening is called “Young Theseus” and runs about 12 minutes and focues on a young Theseus before he meets John Hurt’s character. The ending is called “This is Our Last Embrace” runs about 9 minutes. I actually prefer it, it includes an extended death of Hyperion and more battle from the film’s final scene. The other ending is alternate death for Hyperion. There are about eight each running about a minute. Lastly there is a comic feature called “Immortals: Gods and Heroes”, worth checking out.

Directed by: Wes Craven
Starring: Michael Berryman, Penny Johnson, Tamara Stafford, Kevin Spirtas, John Bloom
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Kino Lorber/Redemption
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Running Time: 86 minutes

Remastered Edition: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Let’s start with the fact that everyone including Wes Craven himself stated that this film is terrible and doesn’t live up to the original. It has been a few years since I last watched this and I still enjoyed it for the most part, if not just for its campy horror. I am really hit or miss with Craven’s earlier work and I absolutely hate all of his recent work. Craven’s first “Hills Have Eyes is great and definitely a cult classic but I actually prefer the recent remake “The Hills Have Eyes”. This films main fault is the lack of direction and use of multiple flashbacks to the first film, even the dog has a flashback (no, that is not a typo, he really does). This one is not perfect but it is not terrible either, overall campy fun.

This follows a group of bikers who head into the desert to attempt to travel to a a biker race which happens to be close to the events of the first film. Of course they go off the path and try and take a shortcut and they met up with with our cannibalistic desert friends from the first film. It turns out that one of the girls in the group was actually a member of the cannibal family that escaped after the first film. So it turns into a family reunion of sorts. Though things aren’t happy as they bikers start getting hunted by the desert crazies.

Redemption really went to town with the Blu-ray remastered edition. It looks great in HD and includes a newly transferred master restored from original 35mm negative. It is very impressive and even includes its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The special features though are MIA and lacking besides a photo gallery and a trailer. I would have loved to seen much more in this area to round up a great release otherwise.

Directed by: Malcolm Mowbray
Starring: Jeffrey Tambor, Jesse Plemons, Melinda McGraw, Mark Harelik
Distributed by: Kino Lorber Films
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running Time: 88 minutes

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

When I saw that this film was starring Jeffrey Tambor, I jumped at the chance to see him take the deserving starring role. I have always been a fan of his work. Well, this film is fun but definitely not his best work. The film plays like a stage play and is not able to break out of its shell. It would make a great play but doesn’t work as a movie. It runs long at only 88 minutes and ends up going nowhere. I did enjoy the performances though from Jesse Plemons and Melinda McGraw very much as well though. The film overall though just never nails any jokes well and caused me to lose interest very quickly.

We met famed director Harris Chappell (Jeffrey Tambor), who returns to New York to have a comeback on Broadway after his career in Hollywood flopped. He is having dinner with his ex, Didi (Melinda McGraw) and unknown starting actor Spencer (Jesse Plemons) with hopes to plan his triumphant comeback. Of course the night does not go well when they are plagued by one issue after another at the restaurant. Hilarity is suppose to ensue but never really gets there.

The Blu-ray presentation wasn’t anything special. It was presented in 1080p transfer and looks good but not spectacular. Since the film is all dialogue, the Dolby Digital 5.1 track doesn’t really get to shine but it does work well with the score. The special features are baron like this film including only a photo gallery and the theatrical trailer.

Directed by: Alex Zamm
Starring: Larry The Cable Guy, David MacKey, Lucius Baston
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 6, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 90 minutes

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

Did the world really need a sequel to “The Tooth Fairy”?  I honestly have no idea why this film was made. More importantly, I just felt really bad for Larry the Cable Guy for having to star in this extremely low budget crappy sequel. The Rock’s “The Tooth Fairy” carried a $48 million dollar budget, I would honestly be surprises if this cost anywhere above $5 million. I wanted to think that this was a least “cute” but it was very painful to watch overall. I think even kids will easily lose attention watching this.

The film follows a child in adult’s clothes, Larry Guthrie, who chooses a bowling tournament over this girlfriend Brooke. He tries to win her back by helping out with her after school program, though he ends up telling a child that the tooth fairy doesn’t exist. That night Larry get’s taken to fairy world and is told that he has to collect ten teeth or he will loose his most precious memory. He continues to try to win back his ex-girlfriend while playing tooth fairy at night.  Overall this was really hard to watch fully through.

The Blu-ray presentation was nothing special at all.  Decent video and audio at best. The special features are useless also just like this movie is. The first is called “Why Do I Lose My Baby Teeth?” and is taught by Larry. “Return to Fairyland – Making Tooth Fairy 2” is a sad behind the scenes featurette. “Larry the Hairy Fairy” features Larry messing around in his tutu. “Introducing Crusher the Pig” focuses on the cute pig from the film. Lastly there are a few deleted scenes and alternate takes, which run about 10 minutes but are only in standard definition.

Directed by: George Miller
Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Pink
Sofía Vergara,Common, Hugo Weaving, Richard Carter, Magda Szubanski, Anthony LaPaglia
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: March 13, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Running time: 105 minutes

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

When “Happy Feet Two” tanked at the box office, I was not shocked at all. I thought the trailers looked terrible and had no interest in it at all. Well, let me start by saying it wasn’t that bad but not great either. The best part of the movie was the visuals. The CG was so clear and I am sure this film would look amazing in 3D, especially with the krill scenes. Speaking of krill, the adventures of Will and Bill (voiced by Brad Pitt & Matt Damon) where easily the best part of the whole film. Besides that, I love Pink’s singing in the film and enjoyed the music quite a bit as well. It wasn’t all Lady GaGa and Beyonce, those peguins rocked out to some Queen and David Bowie as well. The story on the other hand was not so great.

The story follows Erik, the son of Mumble and Gloria and his adventure to find out why he is special…I think. Then there is a lot of music and dancing in between. Then a glacier traps the colony of penguins and they need to break them free with…wait for it…dancing and music. I am not really sure how George Miller does it going from films like “Mad Max” to “Babe” to “Happy Feet” and then right back to “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The Blu-ray presentation unlike the story is absolutely amazing. The video presentation is near flawless. The audio is speaker-blasting good and really maxes out its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

Like the film, the special features are lacking in the entertainment department. You have the ability to download the “Happy Feet Two Movie App” and take advantage of “Second Screen” on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. There is interactive games and sing-alongs. There are four behind-the-scenes featurettes, running about 25 minutes and are definitely aimed for kids. They are: “Helping Penguins and Pals”, “How to Draw a Penguin”, “Running with Boadicea” and “The Amazing Voices of Happy Feet Two”. What is this film without it’s music, well there are a few sing-alongs included for “The Mighty Sven,” “Bridge of Light” and “Papa Oom Mow Mow” and a look at Pink’s new song. Lastly, there is a CG-animated Looney Tunes short starring Tweetie and Sylvester called “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat”. It also includes an original song from the voice of Mel Blanc. So it is probably the best feature easily.

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Synopsis: The sequel to “Happy Feet”, the Academy Award®-winning animated smash hit, “Happy Feet Two” returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica in Superb 3D. Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven – a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father’s “guts and grit” as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures – from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals – to put things right.

Directed by: Asif Kapadia
Starring: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis
Distributed by: Arc Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 106 minutes

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

I am not a big sports fan and have never watched any Formula One racing.  The closest I have probably gotten has been watching Pixar’s “Cars” or maybe doing a ride-a-long at The Richard Petty Driving Experience. So for me this was a bit for a learning experience also about Ayrton Senna, his career and the sport. The documentary includes some really cool racing footage, especially first person camera. I felt that it real a little long and I am not sure how there is a 3+ hour version of this film that was released internationally.

This documentary follows the career of Brazilian Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna. Ayrton won not only one F1 world championship but three times in his career. He was died during one of his F1 races in 1994 at young age 34. Senna is known as one of our time’s best race drivers. It is crazy that he was taken so early. The film showcases his career and will continue to pass on his legacy through the year.

The special features are a little slim but definitely are worth a watch. There are extended interviews with Senna and his peers. I really enjoyed watching the Senna Family Home Videos. There is also a commentary track with the director Asif Kapadia, writer Manish Pandey and producer James Gay-Rees. I am never a fan of commentary tracks over a documentary but it provided some interesting additional insight into Senna’s career.

Directed by: Simon Curtis
Starring: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Judi Dench
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 101 minutes

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

Marilyn Monroe is one of Hollywood’s greatest treasures. This is a role that Michelle Williams was born to play. Boy, was she absolutely amazing. I wish this film was double the length just so that I can keep watching her in the film. Kenneth Branagh also gives a very charged performance and is very entertaining. The Blu-ray presentation is also very impressive. The video is sharp and very crisp with its 1080p transfer. The audio is also great DTS-HD MA 5.1 track works well with the dialogue and Alexandre Desplat’s amazing score.

The film follows recent graduate and aspiring filmmaker, Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) who makes it his goal to get a job on Laurence Olivier’s (Kenneth Branagh) next film. Due to his persistence, he gets on the film and gets to work with the only and only Marilyn Monroe. Once Marilyn takes a liking to Colin and he becomes her latest interest.  The two embark on a week long fling that would change Colin life.

The special features are disappointing overall including only two extras. The film is an audio commentary from director Simon Curtis, with a not-so-exciting track. Then there is also a standard definition behind the scenes documentary, which runs about 20 minute called “The Untold Story of an American Icon”. It features a look into the production with the cast/crew. Lastly this release also includes a DVD copy as well as the Blu-ray. Great movie, weak extras.

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MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Episodes: 22
Running Time: 162 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There is just something simple and timeless about watching a short from Tom and Jerry. I grew up watching them and now approaching 30 years old, I am still extremely entertained watching them battle each other . This DVD includes over twenty exciting shorts which not only feature Tom and Jerry but also their dog counterpart Spike. Since this is called “In the Doghouse” a lot of shorts feature around the three of them. I say one thing to Warner Brothers…keep these coming!! Can’t wait for “Tom and Jerry: Around the World” on May 1, 2012.

The twenty two shorts includes in this collection are: 24 Karat Kat, Destruction, Junction, Beefcake Tom, Bend it Like Thomas, Tom’s Photo Finish, Game Set Match, Cat Napping, Cat Fishin’, The Bodyguard, Quiet Please!, Solid Serenade, Slicked-up Pup, Puttin’ on the Dog, The Framed Cat, Tot Watchers, The Invisible Mouse, Pet Peeve, Feeding Time, DJ Jerry, Beach Bully Bingo, A Life Less Guarded, The Dog House.

These shorts are fun for the whole family guaranteed. I did really enjoy the focus of this set with Spike and his son Tyke. I have always enjoyed his voice, especially since our stars Tm and Jerry remain silent (of course besides when singing). In this release their are classic episodes like “Cat Fishin'” and ” and “The Framed Cat”, as well as newer shorts like “24 Karat Kat” and “The Dog House”. Either way you look at it this is a winning collection.

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Tom and Jerry are at it again! But there’s a new ingredient to their classic chase recipe — just add Spike! It’s hound heaven as everyone’s favorite bulldog, Spike (and son, Tyke) get in on the fun in this pup-packed collection. These 22 doggie-delightful shorts are guaranteed to have fans howling! Join Spike and Tyke in their many dealings with the fast and furious duo. Whether he’s on guard duty, or simply trying to catch a nap, you can bet that Tom & Jerry’s fur-fueled antics are guaranteed to rattle Spike’s cage. And an angry Spike usually spells hard times for Tom — with a little coaxing from Jerry, of course! Leash-up for some K9-filled fun for the entire family!

Developed by: Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone
Voices of: Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Fred Armisen, Jennifer Esposito, Maurice LaMarche, June Foray, Roz Ryan, Kristen Wiig
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: Warner Brothers
Episodes: 4
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 89 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Looney Tunes Show” continues to entertain with its first season. The characters Bugs, Daffy and their friends never seem sort on jokes and relatability. So far I have seen about half the season and it brings me back to the good ole days “Looney Tunes” days. As much as I enjoy the episodes, I do not enjoy these volume releases as much. Warner Brothers is only releasing four episodes at a time and with 13 episodes to go, we can expect an additional three volumes before we get to complete season one. Though this is a usual release strategy for kids shows, I just wish they would release the season in full. If you enjoy the show though, this is a must purchase.

This volume includes episodes 9-13 from the first season. “The Foghorn Leghorn Story” is a funny “Antiques Roadshow” send up featuring Bugs, Daffy, Foghorn and Yosemite, who all go at it. “Silent but Deadly” is a very funny spoof of kung-fu/superhero films, easily the best on this release. “Eligible Bachelors” features Bugs and Daffy on the auction table. Also included is a CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner: “Winter Blunderland”. Bugs falls for Daffy “get rich quick” scheme in “Peel of Fortune;” There are two shorts in this episode: Merrie Melodies: “We Are in Love” with Bugs and Lola Bunny and also a CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner: “Heavy Metal”. Daffy tries to date two ladies in one night in “Double Date.” Lastly it is followed by a Merrie Melodies short called: “Be Polite” by Mac and Tosh featuring Marvin the Martian and another CGI Wile E. Coyote and Road runner short: “Wile E. Sisyphus”.

The Looney Tunes Show: Season 1, Volume 3 is available on DVD 3/13 at  http://bit.ly/w4eV5m.
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Synopsis: A new half-hour animated comedy series starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. No longer confined to 7-minute shorts, Bugs and Daffy are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode’s main story, The Looney Tunes Show also features “cartoons within a cartoon.” The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute music videos called Merrie Melodies. The legendary Looney Tunes cartoons are getting a 21st century relaunch and a CGI overhaul for a new generation.

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Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
MPAA Rating: R
Release date: March 13, 2012
Running Time: 94 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Watching this film, the only thing I could keep thinking is that I feel bad really bad for the upcoming “The Evil Dead” remake since Diablo Cody is putting her spin on the film. Didn’t anybody see “Jennifer’s Body”. “Young Adult” was barely watchable and made only possible by the cast performances. I am beginning to think that the quirky success of Diablo’s writing in “Juno” was a fluke. The Blu-ray presentation is decent overall but nothing stunning. The video looks sharp and the audio track includes an DTS-HD MA 5.1 track and works well with the music. Charlize Theron definitely does a good job in her role but Patton Oswalt continues to prove that he can do drama really well. If anyone saw his film “Big Fan”, this is another great role for him. Too bad he can’t save this film.

The film follows the most depressing woman ever, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who is a divorced bitter ghost writer of a popular young adult novels. While procrastinating to finish the last book of the canceled series, she gets an idea to steal back her high school boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson). One problem he is married and recently had a child. Mavis heads back to her hometown of Mercury, Minnesota to try and win him back and in the process realizes what a mess that her life truly is.

The special features are decent but nothing special. The audio commentary track includes Director Jason Reitman, Director of Photography Eric Steelberg, and First Assistant Director/Associate Producer Jason A. Blumenfeld, it provides basic plot and production information. The best feature is “Misery Loves Company: The Making of Young Adult”, it runs just shy of 20 minutes and really get into the film’s story with Diablo Cody and the production with Jason Reitman. “The Awful Truth: Deconstructing a Scene” is a character review with Diablo Cody. There is a 45 minute Q&A with Janet Maslin & Jason Reitman at the Jacob Burns Film Center, it is very in depth and worth checking out. Lastly there is six deleted scenes, running about seven minutes, which would have made this film even more unwatchable.

Directed by: Darrell Rooney, Rob LaDuca
Starring: Neve Campbell, Jason Marsden, Jennifer Lien, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Suzanne Pleshette, Robert Guillaume, Andy Dick,
Moira Kelly
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
MPAA Rating: G
Release date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 81 minutes

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

Let’s start with the fact that “The Lion King” is a very hard act to follow. “Simba’s Pride” came during a time when Disney was popping out a direct to video sequel on many of the films in their library. Quality-wise it is really lacking and does not pack the same magic that its predecessor had. This film focuses on Simba and Nala’s newborn daughter Kiara and follows her as she grows up. She meets the heir of Scar, Kovu and the two befriend each other. This creates a feud between Kovu’s mother Zira and Simba. Overall if you are looking for more “Lion King”, I would highly recommend “The Lion King 1 1/2”, it has great heart but also is very witty and funny.

The Blu-ray presentation is impressive with a sharp colors in the video and an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Like the recently released “The Lion King 1 1/2”, it feels like what it is a direct-to-video film but the high-def transfer looks good overall. Also like “The Lion King 1 1/2”, the special features are all presented in DVD quality. I find that very disappointing and a bit of a let down from Disney. The only high-def feature is a short called “Timon & Pumbaa’s Insectapedia”.

The standard definition features are “One By One”, which is really cool animated short, which would have looks great in HD. “Timon & Pumbaa: Find Out Why” is a Q&A featuring science trivia. “Proud of Simba’s Pride” is a brief typical behind-the-scenes featurette. There is also a music video for “Love Will Find a Way,” performed by Kenny Lattimore and Heather Headley. Lastly there is a feature with Timon & Pumbaa called “Discover Blu-ray 3D”. Overall disappointing features for a less than stellar release.

Directed by: Bradley Raymond
Starring: Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Matthew Broderick, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
MPAA Rating: G
Release date: March 6, 2012
Running time: 77 minutes

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

“The Lion King 1½” is the sequel that was meant to follow “The Lion King” not “Simba’s Pride”. It is fun and really showcases the series’ best attributes…Timon & Pumbaa. The duo use a remote control to skip around the events before, during and after “The Lion King” in a MST3K-style. The Blu-ray presentation looks fantastic and the colors just look so sharp and clear. The sound is not Disney’s usual 7.1 track, instead has an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. It is decent overall still.  Of course this film stands in a place separate from the original film’s quality but if you are looking for some sharp humor and an overall good time then this film is definitely worth checking out.

This film is very unique in it’s approach, especially amongst most Disney’s direct-to-video attempts. It is not only a sequel but also a midquel and a prequel. That’s right, this film stands out and takes us through the story we did not see in “The Lion King”. It starts before the events of “The Lion King” and gives some back story for Timon (Nathan Lane). We find out how Timon met Pumbaa, his search for Hakuna Matata, his meetings with Simba and the events thereafter. Basically it is just the in-between stories told from Timon & Pumbaa perspectives and it really is enjoyable.

Unlike the great Blu-ray transfer, the special features do not fall into the same category. Besides the short “Timon & Pumbaa’s Vacation Safari”, everything else is an SD port of the last DVD release. There are seven early deleted scenes that are just story-boarded. The scenes include: “Opening Concept #1,” “Opening Concept #2,” “Old Fearless Buzz,” “Timon Talks to Dad,” “Timon, Dad & Mom,” “Intro to Scurry, Flinch, Sniff” and “Timon & Pumbaa Look for Oasis.” “Timon: Behind the Legend” features Peter Graves in this faux bio about Timon. “Before the Beginning” is a behind the scenes looks at the production with director Bradley Raymond and producer George A. Mendoza. There is also the music video for “Grazin’ in the Grass,” performed by Raven-Symone. Lastly there is a feature with Timon & Pumbaa called “Discover Blu-ray 3D”. I wish that these features were in high def and not standard, just doesn’t feel right to release SD on Blu-ray.

Directed by: Alex Stapleton
Starring: Roger Corman
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Anchor Bay Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 27, 2012
Run Time: 89 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Whether you know it or not, you have most likely seen a Roger Corman film. He has been making movies for the last 60 years and has worked on hundreds of films. Roger Corman is considered a rebel for Hollywood and has never followed their rules. He has made films his way since he started and shows no signs of slowing down. He has also started many careers for some of our biggest talent in Hollywood such as Robert DeNiro, Peter Fonda, Ron Howard, Martin Scorcese and William Shatner to just name a few.

Director Alex Stapleton does an amazing job of mixing new interviews with archival footage from Roger’s outstanding career. Some of the interviews include the following talent: Paul W.S. Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Ron Howard, Eli Roth, Martin Scorcese, William Shatner and Jack Nicholson. I feel that Jack Nicholson’s account of his work with Roger is honestly the best. It is emotionally charged and really touching. As much as I thought I knew about Roger Corman, I still found out many news facts like Roger was approached to make films like “Mean Streets” from Scorsese and “Easy Rider” from Dennis Hopper.

In the film, we go all the way back to his early days with classics like the original “Fast and Furious” and “Little Shop of Horrors”. Also covers the range of work from his Edgar Allen Poe films with Vincent Price to the Hell’s Angel film “The Wild Angels”, which actually was his 100th film and that was only in 1966. The film’s focus definitely is aimed at his earlier work from the 50’s to the 70’s. The cover art though is packed with his more recent films like “Dinoshark”, “Mega Piranha” and “Sharktopus”. I would have like to hear about the making of those but I feel that it should be in a different film. This film really focuses on his career and how he has became the legend he has and his affect on the business.

The Blu-ray presentation is decent but nothing special. The 1080p video is sharp with its 1.78:1 Blu-ray transfer. The audio track uses its Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track well since it is mostly dialogue. The special features are good overall but nothing special either. There are about 15 minutes of extended interviews with Corman’s acquaintances. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoyed the film. Each of the interviewees also get a chance to deliver their own personal messages to the Corman in “Special Messages to Roger”, which also runs about 15 minutes. Lastly there is a trailer included. All-in-all I was left very satisfied with this film and its extras.