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.

Like us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/WBEntFB
Follow us on Twitter at http://bit.ly/WBHETW

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.

Directed by: Joshua Logan
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Jane Fonda, Murry Hamiliton
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Archive
Run Time: 91 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

This film is such a classic and thanks to WB Archive, you are able to own this gem on DVD. It stars a very young Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda (in her first role ever). They are amazing together in the film and really give wonderful performances. Murry Hamilton (Mayor Vaughn from “Jaws”) also gives a funny performance. This film definitely packs the star power and is a real treat to watch.  The story of the film is just so simple and sweet…don’t forget to mention funny as well. If you are looking for a good trip back to 1960, this is a must to purchase for sure.

The restored film looks amazing on DVD and shines in its black and white picture. The film is presented in widescreen format 16×9 1.85:1. The sound is also superb restored as well. I really enjoy this classics being restored and I look forward to future releases from WB Archive. Like all release though know from WB Archive there are no special features but at least we finally get this film restored on DVD.

Click here to purchase “Tall Story” at the WB Shop.

Synopsis: Jane Fonda wants a man she can look up to: a basketball player. In her debut movie, Fonda plays a college coed with a clear-cut goal: convince all-American hoopster Anthony Perkins that a bachelor’s degree doesn’t mean unmarried! From the moment the future two-time Academy Award® winner* spins her bicycle across campus (and headlong into two professors) to the romantic fadeout, it’s clear she possesses that quality called starpower. Footlight legend and longtime Fonda family friend Joshua Logan directed this frisky farce. The polished supporting cast includes the always engaging Ray Walston, Anne Jackson and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Marc Connelly (recreating his Tony®-nominated Broadway turn). Fonda has grown into an extraordinarily tall Hollywood legend. And it all started with her in Tall Story. * Best Actress for Klute (1971) and Coming Home (1978).

Directors: Billy Corben
Starring: Peter Gatien, Michael Alig, Ed Koch, Howard Safir
MPAA Rating: R
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

I remember the night of my prom pulling up the cathedral doors of Limelight club. It was an experience unlike an other. The club was the known hotspot in the 90’s in NYC. Peter Gatien was the known as the king of the New York City club scene. He was not only the owner of Limelight though, he also owned legendary hotspots like Tunnel, Palladium, and Club USA. The film itself was interesting overall but felt like it could have worked better as a 60 minute special.

The film told the story of the eye-patch-wearing Ontario native, Peter Gatien, and how he ran his nightclubs in Manhattan starting in 1983. It showcases, the rise of the clubs during the years it was successful. It also focused years of legal battles and crackdown with drugs during the mid-90’s. Peter was definitely had his share of struggles during that time and seems to be given a bum-rep even being sent back to Canada only due to tax evasion charges. The film does have some interesting interviews from Gatien himself, as well has other his past employees and friends.

The special features on the DVD are decent overall. Though basically the only real feature is about 30 minutes of deleted scenes, they surely are worth watching if you enjoyed the film. Also included is a trailer for the film. If you are familiar with the NYC nightclub scene or not familiar and interested…you might want to consider checking this out.

Director: Anne Sewitsky
Starring: Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Joachim Rafaelsen, Maibritt Saerens
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 88 minutes

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

This film is a Norwegian comedy from 2010 ( if you can consider it a comedy). It was also elected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards…I guess it was a slow year for them. This film is not funny at all and in fact is a little depressing in fact. I do not think that it is lost in translation either as I quite enjoyed “Trollhunter”, which was another Norwegian comedy from 2010. Running at 88 minutes the film still feels long and dragged out.

The film follows two couples that both have issues with their marriages. The story is setup when Eirik (Joachim Rafaelsen) and Elisabeth (Maibritt Saerens) to the country and end up next door to Kaja (Agnes Kittelsen) and Sigve (Henrik Rafaelsen). The couples get to know each other and the truth behind both couples are eventually found out. The couples strive to find out what does it take to be happy in your marriage.

I have to say the only saving grace for the film has to be Agnes Kittelsen. She is very cute and definitely keep my interest in the film, but that doesn’t make the movie any better. It just kept me from turning it off. There are no special features on the Blu-ray besides a US and an international trailer for the film. Overall, stay WAY away from this film for sure.

Created by: Adrian Hodges, Tim Haines
Starring: Andrew Lee Potts, Hannah Spearritt, Ben Miller, Ben Mansfield
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Distributed by: BBC
Episodes: 13
Run Time: 581 Minutes

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

Volume 3 of “Primeval” includes Series 4 and 5 of the show, rounding up all 13 episodes. This show took a little while to catch on with me but it still manages to entertain with each season. These episodes include some decent special effects and awesome creatures like the Spinosaurus, ancient crocodiles, giant insects, and of course the T-Rex. If you are holding your breath for series 6, you might need to keep waiting since their has been no announcement but there is a spin-off in the works for this year called “Primeval: New World”.

I would love to say that the show looks amazing on Blu-ray but it is only presented at 1080i. It looks ok and it is better than DVD but definitely not up to par for Blu-ray. The sound is also disappointing with only a Dolby Digital 2.0 track included. Lastly if you are looking for special features, don’t look here. Firstly, we get some prequel webisodes, which are ok but nothing special. Lastly there is a featurette called “New Dawn: Making the New Primeval”, a basic EPK but worth a watch on the production. Overall fans of the show will enjoy this, otherwise I would just watch it on Netflix Instant.

Primeval Volume 3 is available 1/10 on Blu-ray and DVD at http://bit.ly/zkSLnN!

Synopsis: Monster hit Primeval roars back onto the screens for an extended third series. Still reeling from Stephen’s death and with the depth of Helen’s betrayal now revealed, Nick Cutter must fight to re-focus his embattled team. Cutter’s crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC’s security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost insurmountable. It’s not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with, they also face a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself. Prepare for more explosive action as Primeval bares its newly sharpened teeth.

Related Content

• Blu-ray Review “The Double”
• DVD Review “American Hustle”
• Blu-ray Review “Scary Movie V: Unrated”
• Blu-ray Review “Come Out and Play”
• Blu-ray Review “The Numbers Station”

Director: Jeremy Webb, Dave Moore, Alice Troughton
Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson
Number of discs: 5
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: BBC
DVD Release Date: January 17, 2012
Run Time: 571 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

The series of “Merlin” has been around the block a few times so far. It debuting in the U.K, but has no luck in the US airing on NBC. But thanks to the Syfy channel for giving this show its life. The show is still going strong though…season four just premiered on Syfy on January 6, 2012 and season 5 airs in March on BBC in the UK. The shows performances still remains solid throughout season three. Colin Baker continues to show his talent as Merlin. Bradley James is a greater balance to Colin’s character. Angel Coulby has a smaller role in this season but her romance with Arthur gets some nice spotlight. Of course everyone loves, Anthony Head and he gets some great scenes as well. Another notable role in the show is the dragon (voiced by John Hurt).

Although not HD, the picture and audio are great on the DVD pushing the limited of standard definition with bright colors and an ass kicking Dolby 2.0 Stereo sound. The 13 episodes from season three are spread out over four discs with the entire fifth disc is set aside for special features. The extras included start with great commentaries from the directors and actors featured for episodes 1-3 and 10-13. Next up, the disc is packed with a bunch of great featurettes on the making of season. They go in great depth on the shows production and is worth checking out. There are also deleted scenes, outtakes, a photo gallery. Overall a great layout of special features for a great season.

Merlin Season 3 is available 1/17 on DVD at http://bit.ly/A759kY!

The legendary sorcerer returns with even more magic, adventure and romance. In the exciting third season, Merlin (Colin Morgan, Parked) must work harder than ever to conceal his unique abilities from the king and his war against magic. While battling deadly assassins and mystical monsters, the young wizard struggles to protect Prince Arthur in the perilous world of Camelot. As seen on SyFy.

Director: Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Kippei Shiina, Ryo Kase, Tomokazu Miura, Jun Kunimura
Distributed: Magnolia Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 109 minutes

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

I think it is fair to call this film the Japanese take on “The Godfather”. It is a slow-burning drama packed with great action and mucho yakuza ass-kicking. Takeshi Kitano is a fantastic director, as well as an actor. I feel that this film really reaches the high level of directing like in Takeski did with “The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi”. The film is no-hold barred, brutal and packs some pretty great violence/gore. I also think that this film has a great story and plot build up, which leaves you on the edge of your seat. The Blu-ray presentation included great pictures and sound as well. Let’s just say that I am counting down the minutes for Takeshi to direct the sequel, “Outrage 2”.

The film focuses about several yakuza clans as they all aim to become the head family in the Japanese underworld. Long-time yakuza Otomo (Kitano) is fighting to get what he deserves and also trying to stay alive. He finds out that it is a very corrupt world and he is going up against everyone. He is surrounded by betrayal and vengeance all around and he is left fighting to keep his clan from getting wiped out by the other clans.

The bonus features section on the Blu-ray is packed with goodies. First there is an interview with the cast about the “Making Outrage: Way of the Yakuza”. “Inside Out: Behind The Scenes Documentary” is a very informative look at the production of the film. There are more interviews with the cast during panels and also at the film’s premiere. There is a feature called Red Carpet Premiere With Takeshi Kitano, it is cool to see his presence on the red carpet. Lastly there is trailer for the U.S. and International. It is hard to have a commentary track with foreign films but otherwise these extra wrap up another great release from Magnolia Home Entertainment.

Directed by: David M. Rosenthal
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Shue,
Peter Stormare
Distributed by: Tribeca Film
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running time: 107 minutes

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

This film is one of my favorites from 2011. The film didn’t get a big release and deserves a lot more attention. It’s story is really original and touching. The performances in the film from Abigail Breslin and Alessandro Nivola are top notch and packed with emotion. Besides the performances, I really enjoyed the original music created for the film by Gemma Hayes and Eef Barzelay. Also the songs are actually sung by Nivola and Breslin, which is very impressive. This is a must see film and definitely worth picking up on DVD.

The film is inspired by a true story about a 13-year old girl, Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin) is abandoned by her former-groupie mother (Elizabeth Shue), and informs fading rock star, Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola), that she is his daughter. Janie is left on the road with her new found father and his world is falling apart himself. The two of them embarks on a journey that might lead them both to be find what they are looking for.

Even though this film is so great, the special features are that great. Included on the disc is an brief but decent interview with JANIE JONES Team, presented by American Express. I was hoping for some features on the music created for the film, which I really enjoyed. Although it isn’t all lost since there is a good audio commentary track from director David M. Rosenthal and film’s producers.

Director: Uwe Boll
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Lochlyn Munro, Michael Teigen, Natassia Malthe, Heather Doerksen
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 96 minutes

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

To start off, I am a fan of Uwe Boll’s films overall, they may not be the best but they are always fun to say the least. This film is very entertaining like its predecessor even though this film only carries a $7.5 million dollar budget compared to the first films $60 million dollars budget. There are less special effects but I feel that the story really picked up the slack in the film. The first film’s cast includes Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, Matthew Lillard and Ron Perlman and the sequel is only carried by Dolph Lundgren and Natassia Malthe. But that is what money can buy you and this film does good with what it has. Overall though if you are a fan of his films this one is definitely worth checking out.

In this story, we follow Granger, an ex-Special Forces soldier, who travels back through time help save a kingdom from its leader. Taken from modern day, he faces an age of sorcery and of course has to go up against dragons. Granger finds out that the two worlds are actually connected and that he needs to defeats the forces of darkness and fulfill an ancient prophecy before it is too late.

The special features are lacking a bit but at least they include two commentary tracks from the director Uwe Boll and writer Michael Nachoff. Uwe’s track is much better than Michael’s for sure. The next two featurettes are short and a little bit too quick. “Behind the Scenes of In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds” runs about 5 minutes and barely covers the production. “From Page to Screen: Writing In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds” is another short interview with writer Michael Nachoff about working on the film. It is working watching once but runs short as well.

Directed by: Shawn Levy
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie
Distributed by: Touchstone Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 127 minutes

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

When I originally saw the trailer for this film, I couldn’t wait for it to be released…so I wouldn’t have to see the trailer anymore. After viewing it I was completely surprised at how entertaining it was after all. Hugh Jackman is definitely the action star, he knows action and he does it well. Though this film was all about the robots, they work together really well and the CGI was very impressive. The Blu-ray presentation was simply amazing. The video was super sharp and the sound boasting an amazing 7.1 surround track was unbelievable. This film definitely pushed the limits of Blu-ray’s capability and proved very impressive.

In case you don’t know the story it in short a live-action version of the board game “Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots” or at least I felt like it is. In part also it is based on the short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson (“I Am Legend”) and also the 1963 episode of “The Twilight Zone” of the same name. This is something that I was unaware of until after watching it, but it made me appreciate it quite more. The story is simple but it packs some great heart and definitely leaves you cheering and rooting for the underdog. I must also note that the film has an amazing score composed by non-other than the master Danny Elfman.

The special features are very amazing and I really enjoyed them all. Some extras are exclusive to Blu-ray such as “Second Screen: Ringside with Director Shawn Levy” adds more to the film while using an iPad but of course you first need an iPad. “Countdown to the Fight: The Charlie Kenton Story” portrays the rise and fall of Charlie Kenton’s boxing career. Very entertaining and fun! “Sugar Ray Leonard: Cornerman’s Champ” features Hugh Jackman talking about how he seeked out help from the legendary fighter. There are almost 20 minutes of deleted and extended scenes, all in HD and some with an explanation from director Shawn Levy. Some needed to be cut for timing and pacing but definitely worth a watch.

The rest of the special features are on the DVD as well as the Blu-ray disc. “Making of Metal Valley” is an informative feature on the behind-the-scenes of the film. It really shows the scale of the production. “Building the Bots” is the second featurette which focuses on the visual effects and the creating of the robots. Lastly there is a set of bloopers and delivers some good laughs and it wraps up a great disc of extras. Overall this is a must purchase on Blu-ray.