Actors: Liam Cunningham, Pollyanna McIntosh, Bryan Larkin
Directors: Brian O’Malley
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Let Us Prey” drew me in with its very promising cast. I am a huge fan of Liam Cunningham from his role of Davos Seaworth in “Game of Thrones” and Pollyanna McIntosh from “The Woman”. The movie has a cool kinda mysterious feel to it right from the beginning but never shows its full potential.

Both of the leads do give good performances. In fact, Liam is downright creepy as hell. Pollyanna is just amazing and she deserves more mainstream roles. This film packs some serious gore and but the film’s payoff doesn’t deliver.

Official Premise: A rookie cop’s first night shift at a secluded police station becomes a terrifying fight for survival when a mysterious man is brought in and begins meting out divine justice to both cop and criminal alike.

The Blu-ray presentation is well-done. I liked the way the film was shot. Even though the whole film takes place at night, it is quite vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well with the suspense.

The special features aren’t anything special. There is a short 10 minutes featurette “Making Of”, which features cast/crew talking about the making of the film. Lastly, there is trailer included for this film as well as a few others trailers from Dark Sky Films.

Number of discs: 1
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 19, 2015
Run Time: 120 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” has always been one of my favorite shows to watch with my daughter ever since she was born. Now that she is three years old, I am able to enjoy it even more. One thing she loves about this show is Minnie Mouse, she has always been her favorite. “Minnie’s Pet Salon” is the latest DVD release for this series and features her favorite character, so this is an instant winner.

Official Premise: Minnie’s sparkling new Pet Salon is open for business… and adventure! All your Clubhouse pals are bringing their animal friends to get spruced up for Pluto’s All-Star Pet Show. With so many pets to bathe, groom and train, Minnie needs help. Luckily, Mickey and the gang are there to lend a hand. But when three adorable little kittens go missing, it will take the right Mouseketools — and help from YOU — to find them in time for the big show.

There are five episodes includes with this DVD. The first is “Minnie’s Pet Salon” (of course), which features the gang getting ready for Pluto’s All-Star Pet Show. The second is “Daisy’s Pet Project, which has Daisy finding a pet for the Pet Parade. The third is “Pluto’s Puppy-Sitting Adventure” with Mickey puppy sitting for Clarabelle’s puppy, Bella. Fourth is “Donald’s Ducks”, which has Donald helping fellow little ducks in getting to the beach. The last one is “Pluto Lends a Paw” has the gang looking for Minnie’s cat Figaro.

Directors: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Douglas Booth, Terry Gilliam
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: June 2, 2015
Running Time: 127 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Let’s start with the fact that “Cloud Atlas” was my favorite film of 2012 (and I liked “Speed Racer a lot), so I am definitely a big fan of The Wachowski films. I heard some really rotten things about this film before seeing it but I still kept an open mind when I finally got it see it. Let’s start with the fact that it is a very busy 2-hour mess of action and visual effects…but I also really liked it. It is not perfect but I thought it was just very visually entertaining and just plain stupid fun. Maybe a little too ambitious but still a really cool looking flick and entertaining flick. The Wachowski’s honestly have a vision for their films that are never understood and this one is no different. Guys, if you are looking for a cool, stylized mindless action flick starring the beautiful Mila Kunis…look no further. Ladies, Eddie Redmayne and Channing Tatum are in this…enough said.

Official Premise: Jupiter Jones (Kunis) was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people’s houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine (Tatum), a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along—her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

Other than being a great flick, this also gets props for being one of the best Blu-ray I have viewed to date this year. The 1080p transfer is absolutely brilliant. The colors are so vibrant and pop right of the screen (partly due to the excellent 3D effects, of course). You can tell that a lot of time and effort went into polished these visual effects and it paid off in my opinion.  Now for me the real winner of this release is the audio presentation. There is an outstanding Dolby Atmos track includes (with it’s core delivering a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track). This track is insane and really shakes the walls.

The 3D presentation on the Blu-ray is also fantastic. First of all who doesn’t love the idea of a 3D space/sci-fi flick. I would easily just at the idea. Luckily this one actually works out and uses the effects to enhance the crazy non-stop action. There is nothing cheesy here with the effects, it just really adds some great depth and the extra dimension works well with the space scenes. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely my preferred choice for this film, but on a good note, that 2D presentation is equally as impressive to watch and that gets bonus points from me.

The special features are decent as well for this release but nothing outstanding. They consist of seven features that run between 5-10 minutes tops. The first is “Jupiter Jones: Destiny Is Within Us”, which is a chat with Kunis and Lana and Andy Wachowski talking about the female lead. “Caine Wise: Interplanetary Warrior” focuses on Channing Tatum’s character. “The Wachowskis: Minds Over Matter” talks about the filmmakers and their work on the film. “Worlds Within Worlds Within Worlds” digs a little deeper into the film’s background and details. “Genetically Spliced” looks into the alien creatures created for the film. “Bullet Time Evolved” looks into the visual effects and the action sequences from the production. Lastly “From Earth to Jupiter (And Everywhere in Between)” goes more into the film’s storylines and subplots.

Own “Jupiter Ascending” on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on June 2nd

Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Adrian Martinez, Gerald McRaney, Rodrigo Santoro, BD Wong
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Run Time: 104 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Will Smith really hasn’t delivered box office gold recently after “Men in Black 3” and “After Earth”, unfortunately “Focus” isn’t the winner that we were all hoping for either. It is not a terrible film, it was well-shot and has great performances from upcoming “Suicide Squad” stars Will Smith and Margot Robbie but the story really didn’t interest me and it felt very bland and forgettable. Maybe worth a rental if you are all caught up on your TV but otherwise, nothing special here. I would wait for the stars next team-up with “Suicide Squad”.

Official Premise: Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop…and the consummate con man off his game.

The Blu-ray presentation on the other hand is actually very impressive. The 1080p transfer is well shot and really looks sharp. The star of the show though is the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, which kills for this film. I was really impressed. The special features are decent as well. There is a featurette on the film’s characters in “Masters of Misdirection: The Players in a Con”. There are also individuals chats with the leads in “Will Smith: Gentleman Thief” and “Margot Robbie: Stealing Hearts”. LAstly there are Deleted Scenes and a Blu-ray exclusive Alternate Opening included.

Own “Focus” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on June 2nd

Number of discs: 1
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: May 12, 2015
Run Time: 67 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I was a kid, I remember growing up with the 80’s version of “Strawberry Shortcake”. This new version is really colorful and cute for kids today. My daughter is in love with this show and rocks out totally to this series’ opening song. Fox has been slowly releasing this episodes on DVD and this is the latest. “Berry Best in Show”” contains three episodes from the “Strawberry Shortcake” series: “Partners in Crime”, “A Boy and His Dogs” and “The Mystery of the Disappearing Dog Show”. If you are a fan of this show this is another great release.

Official Premise: Join Strawberry Shortcake and some new furry friends in these delightful “tails” about being yourself and encouraging others to do the same. During his road trip to find homes for his orphan puppies, Huckleberry Pie and his four-legged crew get stranded in Berry Bitty City. Luckily, Strawberry and her berry best pals decide to help out with the strays in “A Boy and His Dogs.” Blueberry Muffin and Huck become “Partners in Crime” when they try to write a mystery story together…with surprising results. And the fur is sure to fly when the girls try to help Huck start a dog shelter in “The Mystery of the Disappearing Dog Show.” It’s a howling good time with sweet doggy delights for everyone!

Accompanying the DVD, there are some decent bonus features including Printable Coloring Pages and also a digital copy of the episodes. I think this is a very important and welcomed feature having the digital copy for this series. I hope they continue it in the future. Also included for a limited time is a copy of the app “Perfect Puppy Digital Story Book” by Cupcake Digital, Inc. My daughter is in love with this app and has been playing it non-stop on my phone. Looking forward to the next release in the series.

Actors: James Buckley, Denis O’Hare, Philip Shelley
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Run Time: 89 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

or this review, we are only covering “The Pyramid” in the Digital HD format. In case you aren’t familiar with that, it means that we redeemed a code for the film and you have the ability to watch it on your computer, compatible TV or Blu-ray player, smartphones, tablets etc. VOD is being the future of watching films.

“The Pyramid” is the latest in the found footage genre. It is unique because it is from producer Alexandre Aja, director of “The Hills Have Eyes”. I really enjoyed the film itself, the ending was actually not expected but also at the same time a little over-the-top. Overall some decent jumps and cool visuals.

Official Premise: The age-old wonders of the world have long cursed explorers who’ve dared to unlock their mysteries. But a team of archaeologists gets more than they bargained for when they discover a lost pyramid unlike any other in the Egyptian desert. As they begin to uncover its horrifying secrets, they realize they’re being relentlessly hunted by an ancient evil more nightmarish than anything they could have imagined.

If you purchase the code from VUDU, you are able to purchase the film with some special features. There is an Extended Ending included, as well as a featurette called “Space Archaeology” which uses satellites to find ancient buried structures. Still if you are a special features junkie, there is more included on the Blu-ray.

“Sonic Highways”
Starring: Foo Fighters
Director: Dave Grohl
Rated: Unrated
Studio: RCA/Roswell
Run Time: 9 hrs

Series: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Special Features: 4 out of 5 stars

“Sonic Highways” directed by Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl is an 8 part series devoted to various musical landmarks from around the United States. While documenting these sites Dave and his band would record one song in each location while utilizing the artists and scenes that developed out of the areas they were in. Over the course of the 9+ hour series the viewer is taken to places such as Chicago, Washington D.C. and Nashville to Austin, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle and New York City. The mini-series not only documents one bands attempt to make a new album but it goes much deeper than that. Through candid interviews and a mixture of both new and archival footage “Sonic Highways” makes the viewer feel like they are actually there with the band during this tremendous undertaking.

Whenever I hear the word “concept” in relation to a music album or film I tend to shudder a little bit as more times than not these concept ideas don’t fair to well often  leaving the listener/viewer severely underwhelmed with the end results. This couldn’t be further from the truth with the latest documentary from former Nirvana drummer/Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl. “Sonic Highways” not only captures the bands creative process in a way we have never seen but also showcases the idea of this “concept” based album. Over the 8 episodes you gain an in-depth appreciation for each city visited and the musicians who have come from those places while at the same time seeing how these places impact the creation of a specific track that the band works on throughout the episode. As the band zigzag’s across the country Grohl digs deep in to the memories of artists like Dolly Parton, Rick Neilson and Joe Walsh to help paint a picture of just how important an artist’s surroundings are and how those same surroundings directly influence/impact that artists sound and/or style. This common theme is something that is carried on throughout the 8 episodes. Though this gives each episode a touch of redundancy each episode is unique and somewhat different.

If the mini-series wasn’t enough to keep your interest peeked then tap in to the Special Features portion of the release. Here you will find a treasure trove of extended interviews and never before seen footage not included in the initial release of the film on HBO. The over 3 hours of footage in this section alone made the purchase of this DVD extremely worth it.

From start to finish “Sonic Highways” is everything I want from a documentary of this type. You get stories and experiences directly from those who lived them along with new footage which in this case all add up to the creation of new material. Coupled with a great accompanying soundtrack, this is a film I will certainly be watching multiple times.

Actors: Paul McGillion, Mike Mizanin, Curtis Caravaggio, Matthew MacCaull
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Run Time: 91 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

WWE has definitely been busy in the film industry. They have been cranking out movies non-stop starting their WWE Superstars. “The Marine” series started back in 2006 with John Cena taking on the lead role. The Miz took the lead in “The Marine 3” and is returning in sequel and also features the film debut for WWE Diva Summer Rae. So the two play well off each other. Honestly, who knew that this would turn into a four film franchise that is actually not that bad. In terms of scale, this is a not a scale film but the action is there and is it definitely entertaining.

Official Premise: WWE Superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin is back as American hero Jake Carter in an all-new thrill-packed Marine adventure. Now in the private sector, Carter is assigned to protect a “high-value package” – a beautiful whistleblower trying to expose a corrupt military defense contractor. But a heavily armed team of mercenaries has been hired to kill her, along with anyone who gets in their way, and it’s going to take a fearless one-man fighting machine to stop them.

“The Marine 4: Moving Target” comes as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is quite impressive, especially for a direct-to-video release. The picture is clear and sharp. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which captures the action very well. In terms of special features, there is not much at all given to us through besides three short featurettes. “Firepower” looks into the weapons in the film and it’s authenticity. “The Franchise” looks into the series and its appeal. Lastly “Beauty is Dangerous” focuses on the film’s cast and their makeup.

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Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon
Directors: Paul Thomas Anderson
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Run Time: 148 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Inherent Vice” made it on to some critics, top films of the year list…for myself though it made it onto my worst films of the year list. It is rare that I literally turn a film off mid-way through but that was the case here. It took me three sitting to finish it and I was left as bored and confused as a was when I started the first. Paul Thomas Anderson has his specific audience that loves everything he does and I am sure they love this one also but it was not for me at all, plus at nearly 2 1/2 hours long, no thanks. It is a real shame as well when you look at the films cast including Oscar® nominees Joaquin Phoenix (“Walk the Line”), Josh Brolin (“True Grit”), Owen Wilson (“The Royal Tenenbaums”),Oscar® winners Reese Witherspoon (“Walk the Line”) and Benicio Del Toro (“Traffic”), Martin Short (“Frankenweenie”) and Jena Malone (“The Hunger Games” series) doesn’t help either.

Official Premise: When private eye Doc Sportello’s ex-old lady suddenly out of nowhere shows up with a story about her current billionaire land developer boyfriend whom she just happens to be in love with, and a plot by his wife and her boyfriend to kidnap that billionaire and throw him in a loony bin…well, easy for her to say. It’s the tail end of the psychedelic `60s and paranoia is running the day and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” that’s being way too overused—except this one usually leads to trouble. With a cast of characters that includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, LAPD Detectives, a tenor sax player working undercover, and a mysterious entity known as The Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists…part surf noir, part psychedelic romp—all Thomas Pynchon.

Warner Bros released “Inherent Vice” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital HD included. The film, despite being impossible to watch in one sitting, is well shot thanks to cinematographer, Robert Elswit. The 35mm film looks nicely transfered to 1080p, same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which works for the dialogue and film’s music. The special features are terrible like the film itself. There are three short promos included. The first is “Los Paranoias” narrated by Shasta (Katherine Waterston). Next is “Shasta Fay”, which is another promo for Shasta and “The Golden Fang” is another trailer. Lastly “Everything in this Dream” is a deleted/alternate sequence.

Own “Inherent Vice” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on April 28 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

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Starring: Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Adrian Rawlins, Oaklee Pendergast, Ned Dennehy, Hayley Joanne Bacon
Director: Tom Harper
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Run Time: 98 minutes

Film: 2,5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I am nothing but excited Hammer Films is back in business making new horror. I was a big fan of the first “The Woman in Black”. Honestly though, “The Woman in Black” wasn’t a film that I was screaming for a sequel but the trailer for “Angel of Death”, looked creepy as well. Too bad, the film didn’t pan out at all. The scares were so tame, you barely even noticed them. The pace was way off and the story was didn’t draw me in at all.

Official Premise: The supernatural terror returns and unspeakable evil sets its sight on new prey when a group of orphaned children are forced to move into the abandoned Eel Marsh House with their caretakers, Eve and Jean. As the children begin to mysteriously disappear, Eve makes a shocking discovery…it may not be a coincidence that she has come to reside in a place inhabited by the murderous Woman in Black.

“The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death” was released as a combo pack with a BLu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer worked with the dark and dreary conditions. Like the first film, the shooting locations have that certain Hammer charm today and look great on Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks delivers everything that you would expect from a horror film.

Like the film itself, the special features are quite the let down as well. First off is “Pulling Back the Veil: The Woman in Black 2”, which includes behind-the-scenes footage with interviews mixed in. There is also “The Woman in Black 2: Chilling Locations”, which briefly looks into the shooting locations for the film. Lastly there is a deleted scene and trailer included.

Actors: John Amos, Danny Trejo, Danny Glover
Director: Craig Moss
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: April 7, 2015
Run Time: 85 minutes

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

When I “Bad Ass” was released back in 2012, I could have never predicted that this film would ever become a franchise. It was a blast of a film and a real surprise. The second was a bit of the same as the first and the third film follows again, a little campy and probably not needed but if you enjoy the team of Vega (Trejo) and Pope (Glover), then you will enjoy this. This guys may be older but like the title suggests, they can still are bad ass.

Official Premise: Bad Asses on the Bayou reunites the dynamic duo, Frank Vega (Danny Trejo) and Bernie Pope (Danny Glover), as they travel to Louisiana to attend the wedding of their dear friend Carmen Gutierrez (Loni Love). What was pictured as a wedding weekend escape to the south turns violently ugly as madness and mayhem ensue, pressing our senior heroes to once again serve justice.

Personally, I am a little disappointed with Fox that this film was only released on DVD. For “Bad Ass 1 & 2”, the films were released on Blu-ray and even included a Digital HD copy. That was not the case here for the third film as no Digital HD copy was included with this DVD only release. In terms of special features, there is only one extra included, which is a brief “Behind the Scenes of Bad Asses on the Bayou” featurette.

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Voices of: Willow Johnson, Maggie Blue O’Hara, Kelly Sheridan, Laura Harris, Venus Terzo, Brigitta Dau, Lalainia Lindbjerg, Chiara Zanni
Directors: George Arthur Bloom
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: April 28, 2015
Run Time: 285 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“My Little Pony Tales” is one of the follow up series to the original 1980’s “My Little Pony” series. It aired in 1992 though only lasted one season. This is the first time that all 26 adventures are included in one set, thanks to Shout! Factory. My daughter is a big fan of “Friendship is Magic” series of the “My Little Pony” franchise. She recently took a liking to the “My Little Pony: The Movie” DVD release, also put out by Shout!, so she was really excited to get into this series.

Official Premise: Ponyland is full of excitement, if you know where to find it, and now all of your favorite My Little Pony Tales are finally collected in one amazing set! Join the 7 Pony Friends (Starlight, Sweetheart, Melody, Bright Eyes, Patch, Clover and Bon Bon) for 13 episodes of outrageous fun! Games, picnics, ice cream shops, roller derbies and even UFOs… nothing is off-limits when it comes to grand Pony adventures!

The quality of the episodes honestly aren’t spectacular. Like the Complete Collection of the original 1980’s “My Little Pony” series, released from Shout! last year, it is really subpar quality and not terribly impressive. The colors seem very muted and lacking the charm that is brought in “Friendship in Magic” series. There are no special features included on this collection other than the 26 episodes. Still I am curious to see what Shout! has planned next for “My Little Pony”.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes, Season Hubley
Director: John Carpenter
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: April 21, 2015

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4.5 out of 5 stars

When I thought to myself, “do I really need another edition of Escape from New York on Blu-ray”?, I quickly remember that this was being released from Shout! Factory and they give a lot of love to their releases. This film was previously released in 2010, but this new Collector’s Edition includes a new 2K scan of the inter-positive, struck from the original negative and a butt-load of new special features. This film is still a classic and a blast to watch. Kurt Russell is so iconic as Snake Plissken.

Official Premise: In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the US president (Donald Pleasence) crash-lands inside, only one man can bring him back: notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken (Russell). But time is short. In 24 hours, an explosive device implanted in his neck will end Snake’s mission, and his life, unless he succeeds!

The Collector’s Edition of “Escape from New York” includes a nice improvement over the 2010 Blu-ray. with its 1080p transfer presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. I was expecting a little more from the new 2K scan but there was a nice improvement in quality from the previous release. I believe the same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which sounds classic score by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth. Also included is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track but the 5.1 is easily the winner here.

There are special features filled out on both discs. The first one features, a brand new audio commentary with Actress Adrienne Barbeau and Director of Photographer Dean Cundey. This is worth the purchase alone, love these two. There is also an audio commentary track both Director John Carpenter and Actor Kurt Russell, as well as another with audio commentary with Producer Debra Hill and Production Designer Joe Alves. Each track is amazing in its own way and worth checking out for any fan.

Disc two kicks off with a collection of high-def extras. “Big Challenges in Little Manhattan: The Visual Effects of Escape from New York” looks behind-the-scenes with some interviews with Dennis Skotak, Director of Photography of Special VFX and Robert Skotak, Unit Supervisor and Matte Artist. “Scoring the Escape: A Discussion with Composer Alan Howarth” chats with the composer on creating the sound for the film. “On Set with John Carpenter: The Images of Escape from New York” is a collection of work from Still Photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker.

There are two more interview features, the first is “I Am Taylor: An Interview with Actor Joe Unger” and the second is My Night on Set: An Interview with Filmmaker David DeCoteau. There is a deleted scene for the original Opening Bank Robbery Sequence including optional commentary by John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. “Return to Escape from New York Featurette” is a cool vintage EPK with interviews. Lastly there are Theatrical Trailers and Photo Galleries included.

Starring: Jamie Bamber, Lachy Julme and Sam Parsonson
Directed by: Kelly Dolen
Rated: R
Released by: ARC Entertainment
Release date: April 14, 2015
Running time: 1 hour 33 mins

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

Vigilante films have been around for many years. The most popular, “Death Wish,” made Charles Bronson a star and spawned four sequels over 2 decades. Even more subtle films, like “The Star Chamber,” made the question of whether vigilantism is acceptable. Now a new film takes on that question, and your answer may not be what you think it is.

John Doe (Bamber) has been put on trial, charged with killing 33 people. The trial is over and the verdict is about to be read when suddenly an explosion rocks the courthouse area.

A violent film with a compelling message, “John Doe: Vigilante” is a well made, thought provoking film that asks viewers to put away their black and white definitions of right and wrong and truly ask themselves “what would you do?” The film begins with John Doe sitting down with a journalist to answer any questions he may have. John’s first crime was killing a pedophilic former priest. He videotapes the killing and sends it to the mainstream media. They run it, but edit it, so it looks like John killed an innocent old man. No mention is made of the crime or the fact that the tape contains an image of the man giving piano lessons to a young girl with his fly literally open. A woman who’s boyfriend abuses her refuses to leave him. After another horrific beating John Doe beats the man to death. Murderers who’ve escaped justice. Abusers. Rapists. Anyone who has committed a horrific crime and escaped punishment, be it by no prosecution or being released with a slap on the wrist by the court, is told to watch their backs.

Eventually John Doe grows a following, calling themselves “Speak for the Dead.” This faction begins imitating John Doe’s actions, though not as successfully as the real thing. As the interview progresses we see how the media also had a hand in promoting John Doe. A station manager says he was against running the footage supplied at first, but agreed when assured it would be exclusive.

The film is well written and well cast. Bamber, who I’m very familiar with through “Battlestar Galactica” and the UK version of “Law and Order,” steps out of the proper comfort zone he’s been in and gives a dark, yet enlightened performance. He’s an even more crafty Clyde Shelton, Gerard Butler’s character from “Law Abiding Citizen.” The direction is first rate as well, with filmmaker Dolen mixing up the source materials (film, surveillance camera, hand-held video) cleanly.

The EXTRAS are also enjoyable, featuring (2) audio commentaries by the director and screenwriter as well as one by Jamie Bamber, three “behind the scenes” featurettes and cast and crew interviews.

Voices: Jason O’Mara, Stuart Allen, Jeremy Sisto
Director: Jay Oliva
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Run Time: 72 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Batman vs. Robin” is the latest DC Universe animated original movie. It is based on Scott Snyder and and Greg Capullo’s “Court Of Owls” story. This is an exciting film for an DC Universe fan. They have been really stepping up their games with their animated films. As far as their films go, this is no “Dark Knight Returns” but it is another good step forward for DCU, with a good story and some classics Batman baddies. Can’t wait to see what they have planned next for “Justice League: Gods & Monsters” out later this year!

The voice cast is quite impressive with both Jason O’Mara and Stuart Allan reprise their respective roles of Batman/Bruce Wayne and Robin/Damian. The rest of the voice cast includes Jeremy Sisto as Talon, musician Weird Al Yankovic as The Dollmaker, David McCallum as Alfred, Grey Griffin as Samantha, Sean Maher as Nightwing, and Kevin Conroy as Thomas Wayne. Cool to see Kevin Conroy return to the franchise and sticking with the Wayne name.

Official Premise: The shadows of Gotham City are no place for a child but Damian Wayne (Stuart Allen) is no ordinary child. Now bearing the mantle of Robin, he blazes a headstrong and sometimes reckless trail alongside his father, Batman (Jason O’Mara). While investigating a crime scene, Robin encounters a mysterious figure, Talon (Jeremy Sisto), who leads him on a life-altering course through the depths of Gotham’s secret society, known as The Court of Owls. It’s a dangerous journey that will force Batman and Robin to face their most dangerous adversary: each other.

Warner Bros is releasing this as a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD combo pack as well as a Deluxe Edition gift set (which includes a Batman figurine). The 1080p transfer is on par with the rest of the DC Univere animated movies. Like expected from a Batman film, it is dark but it looks great and the shadowing is impressive. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is also powerful and very entertaining.

The special features included are not bad either. “Gotham’s City Secret: The Mythic Court of Owls” look into the background of the secret society and their connection with Gotham. “Talons of the Owl”  takes a look at the Owls and their assassins called The Talons. There is an audio commentary track included, as a Blu-ray exclusive. Like past Blu-rays, there are bonus cartoons from the DC Comics Vault. Lastly there is a sneak peak at “Justice League: Gods & Monsters”.

Own it on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD & Digital HD April 14