Directors: Peter Winther
Starring: Felica Day, Adam Rayner, Doug Jones, Marcia Battise
Rated: Unrated
Distributed by: New Video
Running Time: 90 minutes

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

This six-part web series is based on the BioWare video game series of the same name. The series is created by Felicia Day, who is known best for her work on “The Guild” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing A-long Blog”. When it comes to web series, when you have her included it is instant magic. If you are fan of this video game series, you will definitely enjoy getting to see this universe coming alive. You can tell that Felicia Day is a fan of this series herself and does not want to let the fans down. The show is definitely low-budget and it shows a little in it’s production but overall it kicks some major ass.

The series follows Tallis (Day), an Elvish assasin, who gets sent on a mission to capture a Qunari mage named Saarebas (Jones) who is wreaking havoc. along the way she meets up with Cairn (Rayner) and Nyree (Battise) to assist her. Even though this is a web series, like I said it has this way bigger feeling. As the six parts only total about an hour, I was left happy but wanting more…sequel in the cards?! Felicia Day is funny, strong and sexy as Tallis. Props also need to go to Doug Jones who always plays a awesome bad guy, just wish he was in it more.

The special features are really the main reason you are buying this DVD, since the episodes are available online. The extras as up to about 45 minutes and are very entertaining. To start there is a great commentary from the series’ director and producer.  There a a bunch of features including “Bringing the Game to Life”, “Costumes”, “Characters” and “Stunts”, which all focus on various aspects of the series’ production. They are very in depth and give great insight. There are a funny blooper reel included, it is a must watch. Also there are trailers for “Dragon Age II and Origins” games and also DLC. All in all, these extras are definitely worth taking the plunge for this DVD purchase.

Starring: Styx
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 131 minutes

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

The boys of “Styx” still got it. They still know how to put on an entertaining show and they definitely can still sing and rock out! They might throw in a little extra cheese now and then but that should be expected. This concert was filmed on November 9th, 2010 at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis, TN. The whole theme of this show is Styx performing their classic albums “The Grand Illusion” and “Pieces Of Eight” in their entirety for the first time, back to back.

These albums were the pinnacle point in the bands career that brought them to global success. Of course, included in these albums are some great classic songs like “Come Sail Away” and ‘Renegade”. What I also thought was cool was that they are also performing some songs for the first time live. So it is cool to see how they put that together and nail each song. Each member of the band gets a chance to showcase their still existent skills at this concert also and it is very impressive how great they still sound today! Just loose the red hair please, Lawrence Gowan.

The Blu-ray looks decent even though it is only presented in 1080i definition. The concert itself though is very colorful and exciting. It is really a very impressive event that they put together. The sound is also superb and really pushes the limits. Of course great sound should be expected from a concert Blu-ray. There is only one special feature included but it is one really good one. It is called “Putting On The Show” and it is an in-depth look on what it takes to setup for such an epic concert.

TRACK LISTING: 1) Intro/1978 2) The Grand Illusion 3) Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) 4) Superstars 5) Keyboard Interlude 6) Come Sail Away 7) Miss America 8) Man In The Wilderness 9) Castle Walls 10) The Grand Finale 11) Great White Hope 12) I m O.K. 13) Sing For The Day 14) The Message 15) Lords Of The Ring 16) Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) 17) Queen Of Spades 18) Renegade 19) Keyboard Interlude 20) Pieces Of Eight 21) Aku-Aku

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Starring: Owl City (Adam Young et al)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Run Time: 110 minutes

Our Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

“Owl City: Live from Los Angeles” is like finding the golden ticket in a Willy Wonka bar. With a single plop of a disc and a click of a play button, we get transported to a land in which each sugary song gets devoured by all of the assembled ‘tweeny masses that have gathered in the City of Angels to see the Owlies. Adam Young, the 20-something geeky goliath behind Owl City, clearly loves holding the keys to the chocolate factory and is all smiles while delivering his candy-coated concoctions all of which have been baked using one musical recipe: take one batch of simplistic lyrics flavored with overly-enunciated nasally vocals, knead in a repetitive keyboard sample sequence and baste with standard electronica big beats. Initially, it’s a pretty tasty snack but, after a couple of helpings, you start wishing that you had opted for the Whitman’s sampler.

As easy as it is to immediately like Young’s genuine enthusiasm for what he’s doing and his “aww…shucks” emo-impishness when he’s bantering with his audience, the music that results doesn’t show any real tonal variety. It’s all sing-songy la-la-la type of stuff that would work well in a live-action Care Bears movie (trust me…one will happen). He’s also got a long way to go before his lyrics become compelling in any way. They’re always so cheery and peppy, it makes you wonder if the worst day in his life was when a toy failed to make its way into his McDonald’s Happy Meal. And it’s pretty easy to guess that when he introduces a song by saying “here’s one about angels”, the one he’s probably going to launch into is called…you guessed it…”Angels”.

For the one-trick pony that is Owl City, the number of musicians in the band is staggeringly large. In addition to Young, who serves as the group’s guitarist, keyboardist and lead vocalist, there are at least five other people onstage playing a wide array of instruments such as violin, cello and xylophone. At one point, there’s even a second drummer. Why such an arsenal is needed to produce music so banal is unclear as the whole show basically plays as one song in eternal-loop. The only exception to this is when Shawn Chrystopher video-screens in his guest rap during “Alligator Sky”. Even though Chrystopher’s not going to go down in hip-hop history as a flashy grandmaster, the addition of his vocal makes you fully aware of the monotony that you’ve had to endure up to that point.

“Live from Los Angeles” is the first live concert DVD/Blu-ray release from Owl City.  One could guess given their immense popularity that it’ll move truckloads when it is released.  However, it’s possible that very few members of their fan base will actually plunk down the dollars to buy it as many of the frequent audience shots show so many of the gathered Youngins capturing the Owls with their iPhones rather than actually watching the live show. For those that do make the purchase, though, the disc has enough sonic clarity to most likely satisfy any Owlhead audiophiles. And while the Blu-ray’s 1080i presentation does show some artifacting during full-stage shots when the backstage hands have pumped up the smoke machines, close-ups of the band are consistently sharp and clear. Bonus interview segments with Young can be sandwiched in between live tracks or played as one contiguous extended interview.

So, if you’re one who frequents the sparkly Pleasantville that is Owl City, “Live from Los Angeles” will probably be worth the trip. As for me, I prefer to drive through musical landscapes which occasionally have seedy urban boroughs that make me check to see if my doors are locked.

Director: Robert Weide
Starring: Woody Allen, Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Penelope Cruz, Larry David, Mia Farrow, Diane Keaton, John Cusack
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Distributed by: New Video
Run Time: 195 minutes

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

This film is really an absolute complete look into the career of Woody Allen. It starts during his teenage years writing jokes for comics and local papers to working for Sid Caesar to doing standup comedian to his writer-director career. In that last career he has averaged one film each year for more than 40 years. If you are fan of Woody Allen this is a great tribute to his amazing career and if you don’t know Allen this is a great place to start.

In this very extensive look his films we get everything covered from his early films “Take the Money and Run” and “Bananas” to the favorites like “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan” to his latest critical and commercial successful films like “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Midnight in Paris”. “Midnight” was easily my favorite film of 2011 and re-sparked my interest in his films. I thought I knew quite a lot of his films but I felt myself learning so much about Woody Allen and his work from watching this.

Besides Woody Allen himself, I would like to list just some of his people who contribute new interviews for this documentary: Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Penelope Cruz, John Cusack, Larry David, Mariel Hemingway, Scarlett Johansson, Julie Kavner, Diane Keaton, Martin Landau, Louise Lasser, Sean Penn, Tony Roberts, Chris Rock, Mira Sorvino, Naomi Watts, Dianne Wiest, and Owen Wilson and many others. They all provide great back story into their experience of working with Woody.

The special features on this film are really great and plentiful. If the 3.5 hour film is not long enough for you, there are more extended deleted scenes and interviews. Woody Allen goes around Brooklyn reminiscing more about his neighbors, dating and the local movie theater; Mariel Hemingway talks about Allen’s meeting her family and the story behind Allen’s 1966 debut in The New Yorker are all among the scenes included. Lastly, there is a fast and fun Q&A between Allen and director Robert Weide.

Directed by: Kevin Tostado
Narrated by: Zachary Levi
MPAA Rating: G
Distributed by: New Video
Running Time: 88 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love “Monopoly”? Everyone has played this game at least once in their lives. This movie is a great showcase of the game and its biggest fans behind it. This game has been around for the last 75 years and I am sure that it will continue to be successful for many more years. If you are ever wondering what is the back story to how this game came to where it is today, this is the movie for you.

The film is told in two parts. One part focuses on the history of the game and how it started and spread like a virus worldwide during the depression. The second part focuses on the competitive nature of the game. It takes us through stories during the 2009 Las Vegas and World Championships of Monopoly. I never even knew that these events took place, prior to watching this. We get to meet the people that compete for these events and some of them are laughable for there devotion to the game but some are normal people like lawyers and teachers.

The special features on the disc are very impressive for a documentary. There is a thorough commentary from director Kevin Tostado. They have completed match from the 2009 World Championship final game. I enjoyed most the featurette “The Methods, Math & Myths of Monopoly”, which into mythology behind the game. In case you didn’t realize, Zachary Levi (“Tangled”, “Chuck”) narrated this film and they have a great outtake reel of this work on the film. There are a few extended scenes included but I felt the film was already paced well. Lastly there is a fun (but challenging) interactive Monopoly quiz included.

Starring: The Richard Thompson Band
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Run Time: 148 minutes (including extras)

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Richard Thompson’s fourth foray into the live concert home video arena is one that truly shines and serves as a testament to his distinctive guitar-playing virtuosity, astute songwriting talents and dynamic bass-laden vocals. Lauded by critics worldwide, Thompson’s 40-year career includes being a member of the iconic pioneering folk-rock group Fairport Convention, milestone albums recorded while married to wife Linda, and over 12 solo albums in his back catalog. Filmed in January 2011 at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, “Live at Celtic Connections” captures Thompson and his band mates in peak form.

The 2+ hour concert splits itself into two halves.  The first features 11 of the 13 tracks from his most recent CD release, “Dream Attic”. The second half is a romp through his – as the ever self-effacing Thompson states at the show’s beginning – “greatest hits…with a small ‘h’.” The group demonstrates within the first two songs that they can run the gamut between straight-up rockers (“The Money Shuffle”) and hushed somber ballads (“Among the Gorse, Among the Grey”). This alternating upbeat/downbeat pattern persists throughout the “Dream Attic” portion of the show. Very few bands could pull this off but Thompson’s intricate fretwork (which once placed him at #19 in Rolling Stone’s ‘Top 100 Guitarists of All-Time’ list) and his collection of consummate musical companions do it with seamless fluidity. And Thompson’s innate ability to pen lucid and razor-sharp lyrics are consistently balanced by his in-between song stage banter in which his distinctly British sophistication and wit comes to the forefront. He’s a genuinely smart and likeable chap – one you could probably down a few pints with whilst discussing the pentameter of Renaissance-era motets. He’d probably even insist on paying the tab, too.

While “Celtic Connections” thoroughly documents Thompson’s capability as a Fender Strat-wielding electric guitar wizard that can shred a solo in a way that would cause musicians a third of his age to concede defeat, it really fails to showcase his talents as an acoustic guitarist. We only see Thompson playing his Lowden a few times during the entire 20-song performance and they’re essentially numbers in which he’s a backing player. Adding the epic “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” to the set list would have been most welcome.

Luckily, the two bonus tracks included as the sole extras on the disc, “Uninhabited Man” and “Johnny’s Far Away”, do just that and, as in much of the Celtic Connections concert, demonstrate his ability as a solo acoustic artist to effortlessly move from melancholy to merriment – all within the span of two songs. It’s such a satisfying sampler that it makes one hope that Eagle Vision will add the full 2011 Cambridge Folk Festival concert into their DVD/Blu-ray pipeline.

As one would expect from the 1080i Blu-ray edition of “Celtic Connections”, the picture quality is consistently top-notch and allows us to see all of RT’s string bends and other nimble finger work with startling clarity. The camera work captures all of the band members creating their magic, but the editing of the concert almost exclusively employs sharp cuts from one vantage point to another. This works for the giddier songs but the slower ballads and dirges would have been better served with the occasional dissolve.

Not enough can be said about the sound quality of the Blu-ray. Three options are available to the viewer: DTS-HD surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital stereo. In all cases, the uncompressed audio is superbly mixed and allows RT’s silver strings to resonate with maximum clarity without impeding upon the strength of the low-end bass tracks. This is a demonstration-quality disc and it raises the aural standard for all concert Blu-rays.

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Directed by: Robert Vince
Starring: Richard Riehle, Edward Herrmann, Mason Cook, Adam Alexi-Malle, Mo Gallini, Christopher Maleki, Ranya Jaber, Anna Primiani
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: G
Running time: 92 minutes

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

This series is a spin-off of the “Air Bud” franchise and this is actually the sixth installment in the “Air Buddies” series. Honestly I have enjoyed the “Buddies” films especially the holiday themed ones. This one is packed with great comedy, action and even special effects. The CG effects used in the film are really great included fire breathing snakes, sand storms and vicious sphinx cats.  It is “Indiana Jones” for kids…and with dogs. Parents grab your kids and plan to actually enjoy this film, since  they obviously are going to love it.

In this action-packed sequel, the buddies set off Egypt this time for this amazing adventure. They are on a mission to find a legendary treasure called  the Cat’s Eye jewel which is from the lost treasure of Cleocatra! The buddies face a devious cat who plans to possess the mystical jewel to get rid of all dogs! With help from their new friend Cammy, a baby camel and a monkey named Babi they buddies needs to race time and save the day.

The special features are a little light but decent especially since this is a kids movie. Could have been cool to have some interactive games included for the kiddies. The first feature is called “DIGS: B-Dawg Edition” and has B-Dawg giving a tour of his home, cute for kids. Lastly there is a music video for the song “Roam”, it is a remake of The B-52s song performed by Caroline Sunshine, Kenton Duty and Adam Irigoyen from the cast of the Disney Channel hit series “Shake it Up.” Overall fun features to a fun film.

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Directed by: Dennis Lee
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Julia Roberts, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hayden Panettiere, Ioan Gruffudd, Cayden Boyd
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 98 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Fireflies in the Garden” is the type of film that really proves that an amazing impressive cast does not mean an amazing movie. The cast includes the amazing talents of Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Julia Roberts, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hayden Panettiere. Willem Dafoe easily gives the best performance out of the group by a long shot. This film has been in on the shelf for many years since it was filmed back in 2008, it is no surprise why either. In fact the film was completely re-cut recently prior to this release and I am scared to see what it was like prior to the that.

The film centers around an accident with Charles (Dafoe) and his wife Lisa (Roberts) as they are heading to a family reunion. From there I was completely lost with the film switching between past and present through flashbacks. When the family gets together during the funeral there lives become intertwined. Charles and his son Michael (Reynolds) try to work their difficult relationship…also told through flashbacks.

I did really enjoy the score of the film from Jane Antonia Cornish. It helps push this film a long during its short 89 minute running time that feels more like over 2 hours. The special features are almost non-existent. There is only a brief behind the scenes called “A Flash of Life: The Making of Fireflies in the Garden”. Watch it for the cast and Dafoe’s performance but otherwise it is worth taking a pass on.

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Directed b: Roland Joffé
Starring: Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott, Unax Ugalde, Olga Kurylenko
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Run Time: 122 minutes

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

Just to clear the air, this film has nothing to do with dragons at all. It actually has to do with the Spanish Civil War and a Catholic priest who recent was canonized a saint. The story is very religious packed and is a based on true events of Josemaría Escrivá. The acting is decent but the war scenes are really the only saving factor in the whole film. The Blu-ray video and sound during the war scenes look and sound amazing especially when you have bullets flying by in surround sound. Though, if you are looking for a movie about the Spanish Civil War save yourself the preachy efforts of this film and check out Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth”.

The film follows journalist Robert Torres (Dougray Scott) who is writing a book about Josemaría Escrivá and his possible canonization. Robert seeks the help his father, Manulo (Wes Bentley). Don’t even get me started on how laughable Bentley looks in his “old” makeup. The movie is told in flashback through Manulo’s memories of the Spanish Civil War and his involvement with Josemaría. As details get reveals about his fathers past, he learns that there was much more dark secrets than he expected.

The special features on the film are weak also like the film. The first feature is called “Facing Your Dragons: Inspiring Testimony from Wes Bentley”. It is just Wes Bentley talking about working on the film. Lastly there is 30 minutes of deleted scenes which is really cool, if firstly, you enjoyed the film and secondly, if the scenes were actually worth watching…which they are not. I also want to add that they are not even in HD and are presented in 480i.

Created by: Jon Glaser
Starring: Jon Glaser, Jacob Kogan, Nadia Dajani, Eugene Mirman, Kevin Dorff, Zoe Lister-Jones, Mather Zickel
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Episodes: 19
Rated: Not Rated
Running Time: 347 minutes

Season 1 & 2: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Jon Glaser, creator/writer/star of “Delocated” has created one hell of funny gem with this show.  The show focuses around a family that is in the Witness Protection Program that gets their own reality show.  It is not just that though…they have to wear ski masks and voice changes patches to hide their identity .   It only gets funny from there as they are being tracked down by the Russian mob, who also end of getting a reality show.  The show is packed with great co-stars and delivers many laughs in each episode.  With season three right around the corner, this is a great chance to catch up on seasons 1 and 2 of the series.

In season 1, each episode clocked in at 11 minutes each but in season two it was upgraded to 22 minutes.  I feel that the show definitely was improved during season two with the extended length.  Episodes from Season 1: Pilot, “Bar Mitzvah”, “Good Buds”, “Rage Cage”, “The Soother”, “Member’s Only”, and “Sick Of It”; Season 2: “Decoys”, “Conversion”, “Dog Mayor”, “Mixer”, “Jon He Does It”, “Mole”, “Kim’s Krafts”, “‘Fidence”, “Tap”, “RV B&B”, “David’s Girlfriend” and “Coma”. Season two definitely has the best co-stars like Mather Zickel as Jon’s bodyguard Federal Agent, Eugene Mirman as the Russian hit man Yvgeny Mirminsky and Jerry Minor playing the show’s executive producer Mighty Joe Jon: The Black Blond. Yes, BTW that is what he is called the whole season. Just don’t grow too attached to each character since they are not afraid of killing anyone off and replace them instantly. Which only adds to the laughs!

The special features include two commentary tracks from Glaser on the first disc.  The second disc includes about ten minutes of deleted scenes and about 25 minutes of outtakes.  I am a big fan of outtakes and this one definitely takes the cake.  It sure does look like filming was a ton of fun.  There are two flip books included with include some great behind the scenes and  production stills.  There is also Glaser’s demo that he used to pitch the show to the studio.  It was cool to get to check that out especially since the show’s format was slightly different. Overall if you enjoyed the show, you should race over to the special features for more of the same greatness from the show.

Created by: Joe Ruby and Ken Spears
Directed by: Victor Cook
Voices of: Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Grey DeLisle, Mindy Cohn, Gary Cole, Patrick Warburton, Lewis Black
Studio: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Episodes: 14
Running Time: 311 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Finally WB’s listens to its fans and gives us more episodes. The last “Scooby Doo” DVD release only included 4 episodes, this one includes a packed 14 episodes spread over two discs and completes the first season of this great series revival. Of course these episodes include great notable voice work from Patrick Warburton as Sheriff Bronson Stone, Gary Cole as Mayor Fredrick Jones Sr., Vivica A. Fox as Angel Dynamite, Udo Kier as Professor Pericles and Linda Cardellini, who played Velma in the two live action theatrical films, as Hot Dog Water. I mean I could go on for paragraphs listing the amazing talent in this series. Overall fans of old “Scooby Doo” give this a shot and it is definitely a no-brainer for kids.

The remaining episodes in season one continues to follow the mystery of The Crystal Cove Curse. They even go into Fred and Velma getting married, which is really cool to see that dynamic in the series. During their mysteries, they have come across secrets about the original Mystery Incorporated group. They need to solve their mystery fast before they face the same fate. These episodes also make great homage and reference to the following: H.P. Lovecraft., Jonah Hex, Jonny Quest and Vincent Price. They also include great cameos from Hanna-Barbara characters like Jabberjaw and The Flintstones.  All-in-all great episodes to close a great season! Can’t wait to see what they have in store for season two.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: Crystal Cove Curse available on DVD 1/14 at http://bit.ly/AbtsdB!

The adventures of a talking dog and his four human pals as they try to unravel the strange and haunted history of their hometown. The tone is comedic, but it will never lose the edge that our heroes are in some frightening situations. The stakes are real. Now you can see the second 14 episodes of Season 1 together in this set.

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Director: Matt O’Casey
Starring: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 221 minutes

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

“Days Of Our Lives” is a two hours documentary on the legacy of the band Queen. It is split over two episodes, part 1 covers 1970-80 and part 2 covers 1980–present. This is one of the most in-depth portrayals of the band that I have ever seen. It goes into great details on how the band released 26 albums, sold over 300 million records worldwide and how they have stayed relevant of the last 40 years. There are new great interviews from surviving band members Brian May and Roger Taylor. John Deacon is alive but has no connection to the band anymore. There is also really great footage of Freddie Mercury behind the scenes and performing. This is a must for Queen fans and music fans overall.

What makes this different than any other band retrospectives is that it is really told through the perspective of the band through interviews and live performances all over the world. The release also includes rare video of the bands first ever TV performance. Throughout telling the bands story, it is not only very informative but also touching and very funny. It really keeps your interest from the moment it begins. The Blu-ray presentation is also 5/5 stars. The video is fantastic and even with the archive footage. The music in the film sounds great, especially playing over the surround sound.

If the film isn’t enough, the special features are jam packed full. There are over 90 minutes of additional videos and footage. There are new unseen promos, performances, and outtakes from the following tracks: “Seven Seas of Rhye”, “Killer Queen”, “Somebody to Love”, “We Are The Champions”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “Under Pressure”, “Radio Ga Ga”. Additional footage from the film includes rare interviews and archival footage about the following topics “Queen: The Beginning”, “Queen On Tour: 1974-75”, making of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Flash Gordon” soundtrack and much more. Lastly there are a ton of bonus interviews with Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Jim Beach.
Some of footage includes talks about Brian’s Health Scare in 1974, Freddie’s Outfits, Song Writing Balance Changes during the 80’s and much more. All-in-all superb extras for a another superb release from Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 100 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This film is one of those films that are split among most people. You either love it or hate. This film was originally set to be a big budget film but instead took the independent route. Luckily it did because the film plays so well playing it cool and low key. The acting in the film is really superb. Ryan Gosling delivers a fantastic performance (not shocking…he’s always great). Though I have to give the best actor award to Albert Brooks, who returns to the big screen is brought with a  fierce presence. Also notable is Ron Perlman, who plays bad-ass tough guy so well. If you missed this film in theaters like most did, be sure to catch it on DVD or Blu-ray. It is one fun ride (get it?).

Ryan Gosling plays the unnamed “driver”, who is a Hollywood stunt driver but also is a getaway driver for hire. when he meets his beautiful neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and can’t help falling for her. He finds himself going up against ruthless criminals (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman) in order to save his new love. The driver finds out that he might be in over his head and needs to make a plan to outsmart his new enemies.

The special features on the disc are very production heavy but unfortunately there is no audio commentary present. The first feature “I Drive” focuses on the story and character profiles. “Under the Hood” picks up where the last left off and features in-depth look into the film’s characters and it’s cast. “Driver and Irene” focuses on the film’s subtle love story. “Cut to the Chase” focuses on the driving stunts. Lastly, “Drive Without a Driver: Entretien Avec Nicolas Winding Refn” is the longest feature and focuses on the director and his opinions of the production and the film itself. Overall the features are great despite the lack of commentary track.

Created by: Kevin Shinick
Starring: Kevin Shinick, Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf, Rachel Ramras, Gary Anthony Williams
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Episodes: 13
Running Time: 146 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

This DVD release included the second half of “Mad”, from episodes 14-26. I have to say that this show works best because it is only 11 minutes per episode. We all grew up reading the “Mad” magazine (or at least I did) but who actually reads magazines anymore. Since “Mad TV” ended a few years ago, Cartoon Network decided to make the decision to create an animated series. It uses all different types of animated style, which is actually interested instead of just one format. Some of the jokes are fun, nothing really laugh out loud but still funny.

There is no pop-culture safe from this TV series…music, movies, TV or sports. This show spoof everything on this episodes included “Pokemon”, “The A-Team”, “Smallville”, “The Big Bang Theory” (my favorite), they also spoof every Marvel character in their catalog and of course “Twilight”, obviously.  Another favorite of mine is mash-up of “Source Code” and “Star Wars”, titled …get ready…”Force Code”. There is also classic “Mad” spots like Spy vs. Spy, which are still relevant and gives a few laughs. Season two of this show has already be airing, so expect season two DVDs soon. If you like pop-culture spoof, then you will really enjoy this show.

“Mad: Season 1, Pt. 2” available on DVD 1/17 at http://bit.ly/zZ2bJM

Synopsis: Watch the second half of MAD season 1, the new animated sketch-comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation, is inspired by the iconic MAD magazine, a twisted mix of humor and animation styles pulls back the curtain and exposes the sordid truth behind movies, TV shows, games and ~ of course ~ curtains. This is not a typical animation show, MAD magazine comes to life in this satirical animated sketch show. Each episode is a collection of animated parodies of movies, games, TV shows, celebrities, and other media using various types of animation

Directors: Martin R. Smith
Starring: The Doors
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

“Mr Mojo Risin’” focuses on Jim Morrison’s last album “L.A. Woman” with The Doors. The special itself run about 60 minutes and feels a little short but still entertains. This goes into great depth on the band, how the album was made track by track and also about its recording. 2011 was actually the 40th anniversary of the album’s release and Morrison’s death, so it is definitely relevant. If you are fans of The Doors this definitely leave you satisfied.

Some of tracks included in the special are “The Changeling”, “Love Her Madly”, “Hyacinth House”, “Crawling King Snake”, “Riders On The Storm”, “Light My Fire”, “People Are Strange” and “Hello, I Love You”…plus many more. This film included new interviews with the three surviving members of the band included Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore. There are also new interviews from Jac Holzman (founder of their label Elektra Records), Bill Siddons (ex-manager), Bruce Botnick (co-producer of the album). I also enjoyed the archive footage of the Doors performing, as well as new musical performances from the remaining members.

The special features included about 30 minutes of additional interviews. Not sure why they were not cut back into the film, since I think it would have enhances the film. Some of the extra footage includes John Densmore talks further L.A. Woman, more on the making of “Riders On The Storm” and “Crawling King Snake”, live performance of “Thoughts On Performing” and The Doors Guide To LA. Overall the extras are impressive and worth checking out.