Starring: Josh Gad, Kevin Hart, Affion Crockett, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Jorge Garcia, Dan Gill
Director: Jeremy Garelick
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Run Time: 101 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

I am sure the studios thought that this film would be an instant win taking one of comedies biggest names, Kevin Hart and putting him with the voice of Olaf from Disney’s Frozen in an R-rated comedy?! Well it might have sounded better on paper I guess. The duo are funny together but the film itself is quite forgettable and what I call a one-timer. It is funny to watch once and there are in fact some good moments but overall, I will not remember this film next year.

Official Premise: Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a loveable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy.

Sony is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet included. The 1080p transfer honestly looks quite amazing. I rather laughed when I saw that this film was mastered in 4K but it does pay off and the transfer is quite solid. Usually, I would expect this for the big budget films but the colors are quite vibrant in this. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also works well with captured the film’s craziness and jokes.

In terms of special features, there isn’t a whole lot of substances here. There is a audio commentary track (on select scenes) with Director Jeremy Garelick and Actor Josh Gad. Pretty decent and quite funny even though limited. There are 15 Deleted/Extended scenes, as well as a few outtakes as well. “Line-O-Rama” is about 15 minutes of non-stop ad-lib and more outtakes. “Going to the Chapel of Love” is a short feature with the cast/crew chatting about their real life wedding experiences. Lastly there is a music video for “Can You Do This” by Aloe Blacc.

Stars: Paul McCartney
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout Factory
Run Time: 60 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney” is a collection of never-before-seen performances by a slate of all-star artists ranging from Alicia Keys and Coldplay to Neil Young, James Taylor and McCarty himself. The songs all pay tribute to Sir Paul McCartney an artist whose lasting impression in music and on the world as a whole is unmatched. Proceeds from the sale of the disc will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need. If you are a fan of The Beatles and Paul McCartney the latest release from Shout Factory has you covered. “A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney” has some of today’s hottest artist combined with legendary performers which I found gives this release something really special.

Presented in beautiful 1080p Hi-Definition with DTS-HD sound you are getting the best sound and picture quality available which only adds to incredible performances such as Alicia Keys rendition of “Blackbird” to James Taylor and Diana Krall’s version of “Yesterday”. Probably my personal favorite of the whole performance is that of Paul McCarty, Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh. The three artists seem to mess flawlessly creating a performance every music lover has to experience.

Though the disc doesn’t really include any special features or additional content I found the concert to be strong enough to stand on its own with no real need for extra footage though it would have been cool to see what was going on behind the scenes and possibly some of the rehearsal footage. That aside proceeds from this release will be donated to MusiCares which is a great organization that helps musicians in their times of need so they can keep providing us with the music we love. If you want to get a great performance you can watch over and over again while supporting an equally great cause then this is the release for you.

Performance List:
1.) Get Back/Hello Goodbye/Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- Cirque du Soleil feat. The Beatles “Love” Cast
2.) Magical Mystery Tour- Paul McCartney
3.) Juniors Farm- Paul McCartney
4.) Blackbird- Alicia Keys
5.) No More Lonely Nights- Alison Krauss & Union Station feat. Jerry Douglas
6.) And I Love Her- Duane Eddy
7.) Oh! Darling- Norah Jones
8.) I Saw Her Standing There- Neil Young and Crazy Horse
9.) The Fool on the Hill- Sergio Mendes
10.) We Can Work It Out- Coldplay
11.) Yesterday- James Taylor w/ Diana Krall
12.) For No One- Diana Krall w/ James Taylor
13.) My Valentine- Paul McCartney
14.) Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five- Paul McCartney
15.) Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/ The End- Paul McCartney feat. Dave Grohl and Joe Walsh

Actors: Paolo Montalban, Daniel Bernhardt, Tracy Douglas, Bruce Locke, Kristanna Loken, Eva Mendes, Jamie Presley, Fabiana Udeni
Producers: Larry Kasanoff
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 946 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Mortal Kombat: Conquest” is not the best thing to ever come out of the “Mortal Kombat” franchise. Also know as “Mortal Kombat: Konquest”, this show was quite cheesy and didn’t have the gory edge that the franchise is known for. I do have a soft spot for the show because it was filmed at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida…something that can sadly never happen anymore. It aired from 1998-1999 and only lasted 22 episodes. So it has been over 15 years, since I have last seen this show and it honestly hasn’t gotten any better. Still good for a laugh or two.

The show included some of today’s well-known names like Kristanna Loken, Eva Mendes, Jamie Presley and Fabiana Udenio. The main characters in the show focus around Kung Lao, Shang Tsung, Raiden and Shao Kahn. Other game characters that appear are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kitana, Noob Saibot, Quan Chi, Mileena, Rain, Reptile and lastly also Smoke and Goro but in CGI format. If you are die-hard Mortal Kombat fan, you are going to want to check this out.

Official Premise: In a dark and mythical re-telling of classic tale of good versus evil, the TV series ‘Mortal Kombat Conquest’ follows the fierce warrior Kung Lao and his comrades Taja and Siro on the their quest to protect the earth realm from falling under the control of the evil conqueror of realms Shao Kahn, ruler of the Outworld. Vital to the survival of mankind are warriors who can compete in Mortal Kombat. While combatants from Outworld have magic and darkness on their side, fighter from the Earth Realm have only their strength, both physical and mental, and belief that their cause is just and right. Will good triumph over evil?

This show has never been given a proper DVD release since it aired on TV. The UK released a few episodes and never finished it. Warner Bros is the savior of this campy-martial arts series. They are bringing the complete series to DVD for the first time ever. Audio and video are standard for DVD, nothing terrible and yet not outstanding either. Sadly there are no special features included to accompany these 22 episodes. But at least fans get the episodes that they were waiting were…they were waiting right? Hello?

Actors: Morgan Freeman, Patricia Wright
Directors: David Douglas
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 39 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love nature documentaries, especially ones shot with IMAX 3D cameras? “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar” is the latest of the IMAX nature films. Did I also mention that Morgan Freeman narrates this film? Bonus! This film is an interesting journey through world of Madagascar. I am a little weary though of these IMAX films because they are very short running barely 40 minutes. Disneynature is putting out a new film every Earth Day that is a feature length. How can people expect to pay full price to see half a film. Just sayin’, this style was cool when 3D was new and rare but it is everywhere now and these films would be much wider received if they went feature length.

Official Premise: “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar” highlights the tireless efforts of trailblazing scientist Dr. Patricia C. Wright and her lifelong mission to help these strange and adorable creatures survive in the modern world. Joining David Douglas once again behind the scenes are editor Beth Spiegel, co-producer Diane Roberts, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh. Songs are by Hanitrarivo Rasoanaivo & Tarika. The film reunites Freeman with Drew Fellman, who also wrote and produced the 2011 IMAX 3D documentary “Born to Be Wild 3D,” and director David Douglas, who served as director of photography on that film.

Warner Bros is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD. They are also including a bonus 3D version of the film. I have to admit, the 3D version was not as good as I expected. There wasn’t any outstanding 3D effects like we have come to expect from the IMAX 3D shot films. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track sounds good and Mark Mothersbaugh’s score is well represented throughout.

There are a few short extras included. First is “Making of The Island of Lemurs”, which is looks briefly behind-the-scenes. There is another “Behind the Scenes” promo, not sure why these two weren’t combined. “The Story of Lemurs” features the filmmakers and Primatologist Patricia Wright discussing the film. “Meet Patricia Wright” is a feature on the Primatologist. Other extras include, “A Baby Indri” featuring Fellmantalking about working with the scientists. “The Cutest Lemur” introduces us to the lovable creature. “Go-Kart Racers” focuses around the carts used for filming. Lastly “Five Things About Indri” features fun facts for kids.

Own ISLAND OF LEMURS: MADAGASCAR on Blu-ray combo pack and Digital HD on March 31

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons
Director: Armando Iannucci
Number of discs: 2
Studio: HBO Studios
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 300 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Veep” is a show that I caught by accident one day and instantly fell in love with it. It is an amazing satire on the political world. Like “House of Cards” is a dramatic focus, this show is the comedic approach. Outstanding performances from everyone included in this Julia Louis-Dreyfus has never been better. As this show progresses, I feel that it is only getting better. I love the direction where season three followed and the only issue was that it didn’t last longer. I really hope that HBO keeps this show rolling for years to come because I know that this show will only get better and better. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for season four.

Official Premise: Veep follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus) as she puts out political fires in her public and private life while launching her campaign for president after learning that the commander-in-chief will not seek reelection. In season three of Veep, Selina and her staff head off to meet America in Detroit and Silicon Valley, go on a drug bust with the Maryland Coast Guard, and fly to London to confer with heads of state. Meanwhile, as Dan and Amy battle for the role of campaign manager, everyone helps Selina define who she is and where she stands on fracking, education, reproductive rights and her hairstyle. With all of America now watching her and her team, even the most banal action can set off a ripple effect that has unexpected and far-reaching consequences.

HBO is releasing “Veep: The Complete Third Season” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy included. Like the first two seasons, the 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are standard for a half-hour comedy. Nothing spectacular but also no issues either. The special features included are a little light in my opinion but working checking still just for the audio commentaries. The entire cast are on board for these tracks and they are a great reason to re-watch the season. I honestly can’t get enough of this cast together. The improv and bather between them are just so funny and always makes me laugh. Also included in the special features are some deleted scenes.

Starring: Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Josh Brener, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Christopher Evan Welch
Creator: Mike Judge
Number of discs: 2
Studio: HBO Studios
DVD Release Date: March 31, 2015

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Whenever I see the name, Mike Judge, involved with a project, I immediately know that I need to watch it. Mike Judge is really an under appreciated director. Since creating “Beavis and Butt-head”, he has delivered a lot of great content. His latest TV show was the long running “King of the Hill”. “Silicon Valley” is an awkward, funny and very sarcastic comedy. If you are a nerd of any type and work in or are familiar with the technology industry this will be a home run for you. It is filled with all sorts of stabs at this ever-growing industry. The cast is just amazing together T.J. Miller is a rising star and he is going to do some really big things. Kumail Nanjiani is just amazing at whatever he does. Martin Starr is just so damn funny, I have no idea how he doesn’t crack a smile with some of the things he says. The season itself I felt lost a little steam by the end of the eight episodes but overall, it was a great season and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for season two.

Official Premise: From the offbeat mind of Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis and Butt-head), this HBO half-hour comedy takes viewers inside the world of tech start-ups – and the socially awkward underdogs who try to navigate its lucrative potential. Starring a talented ensemble of young comic actors (see below) and veterans, Silicon Valley charts the rising fortunes of Richard, an introverted computer programmer who lives in a “Hacker Hostel” start-up incubator along with his friends Big Head, Gilfoyle, and Dinesh. These social misfits live under the watch of Erlich, a dotcom millionaire who lets them stay in his house for free – as long as he gets a 10% stake in their projects. Stuck working part-time at a large tech company called Hooli, Richard’s obscure website, Pied Piper, is going nowhere fast. But when a mid-level Hooli executive named Jared is apprised of the value of the site’s novel compression algorithm, Richard finds himself caught in the middle of an extreme bidding war between Hooli founder Gavin Belson and independent billionaire venture capitalist Peter Gregory.

HBO is releasing “Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy included. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are standard for a half-hour comedy. Nothing spectacular but also no issues either. The special features included are impressive as well like the season. First off we have “Making Silicon Valley”, which is a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the show. “Tech Crunch: Disrupt!” looks into how this conference was created. “The Hacker Hostel” is a tour through the Pied Piper headquarters. There are episodes previews included to catch you up. Lastly there eight Audio Commentaries covering each episode with talent including with Mike Judge, Alec Berg, T.J. Miller and many more. These are worth the revisit of the season alone, since they are insightful and very funny.

Starring: Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Aidan Turner, Cate Blanchett
Director: Peter Jackson
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Run Time: 144 minutes

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

I am a huge fan of both “The Lord of Rings” and “The Hobbit” film series. I have to admit though, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is easily the weakest entry in Peter Jackson’s entire six-chapter saga. Now it is not terrible at all but in terms of the scale of the other films it just does not live up to be the closing chapter in a six film saga. We all know that “The Hobbit” was a very short book and these three films have been expanded to enable a trilogy but this third film just feels too stretched out. There is like an hour long battle scene, which I wouldn’t never think this would happen but it just feels boring. This film could have easily been summed up in the second film and probably made that a better film also. The cast are still top notch and both Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman really shine here.  Honestly a little sad to see this chapter close but who knows maybe their will be future Middle Earth adventures in the future (hopefully).

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends as five great armies go to war.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is releasing this film as a 5-disc combo pack with a 3D Blu-ray + Standard Blu-ray + DVD and also Digital HD copy. The 3D on this film was good but I wasn’t blown away like the second film actually. I didn’t really feel like it added much to the film other than some depth. The 1080p transfer though was fantastic. This series has excelled in the audio and video department since the very first “The Lord of the Rings”. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is also perfect. Since the film is basically one long fight scene, this track really stands up and delivers an action packed adventure at every turn. From dragons spewing fire to metal clanging, this track is exciting and intense.

Like previous releases in this trilogy, the initial Blu-ray special features have not been outstanding. It is the Extended Edition releases set for each Fall that have impressed. This Blu-ray includes some decent extra still. First up is “New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth Part 3”, which is an overview of the third film and its shooting locations. “Recruiting the Five Armies” looking into the casting, costumes and everything else involved with creating this army. “Completing Middle-earth: A Six-Part Saga” is an interview with Director Peter Jackson introduces discussing the last film, as is also “Completing Middle-earth: A Seventeen-Year Journey” taking about the saga as a whole. “The Last Goodbye: Behind the Scenes” looks into the creating the film’s end credits with actor Billy Boyd’s “The Last Goodbye.”, also included is the music video as well.

Every few months NCircle Entertainment has been releasing a new DVD for one of my daughters (and daddy’s) favorite shows. “The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!” is not only fun, it is also extremely education. Kids watching it learn without even knowing that they are learning. Top that off with the outstanding voice work of Martin Short, who really brings the Cat in the Hat to life, this show is a winner!

Over the past four months, they are released three two DVDs. The first and in my opinion the best is “Explore &; Imagine with the Cat in the Hat”. This release is not your typical themed release with 3-5 episodes, this is actually Volume 1 of Season 1 including 20 episodes! This is a huge and very important release for the show. Especially if you are a fan of the series.

“Explore & Imagine with the Cat in the Hat: Season 1 Volume 1”: The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! follows the adventures of 6-year-old best friends, Sally and Nick, as they are whisked off on extraordinary voyages of scientific discovery with the Cat in the Hat. In the Cat’s quintessentially Seussian vehicle, the Thinga-ma-jigger, they fly, float, rocket, and even shrink down to the size of a bee, to explore natural wonders from the bottom of the ocean to the treetops of the rain forest. Along for the ride are the Cat’s zany helpers, Thing One and Thing Two, and one very nervous Fish. In this first volume with the Cat, Nick and Sally, learn about how honey is made, why birds migrate, how whales communicate and so much more! So hop on the Thinga-ma-jigger and let’s explore!

Here are first 20 episodes from Season 1 included: “Show Me the Honey”; “Migration Vacation”; “I Love the Nightlife”; “Oh Give Me A Home!”; “Many Ants Make Light Work”; “Nest Best Thing”; ” Plan for Sand”; “Whale Music”; “Flower Power”; “Snowman’s Land”; “Dress Up Day”; “Bath Time”; “Tress Company”; “Now You See Me”; “Rain Game”; “No SSSweater is Better”; “A Tale About Tails”; “Sticky Situation”; “Night Lights”; “Go Snails Go!”

Next up is “Fun Feathered Friends”: There are actually 9 episodes included on this DVD with an approximate running time of 90 minutes. Usually these DVDs releases are 60 minutes, so this a nice bonus. The episode included are “Fast”; “Fabulous Feathers”; “Biggest Bird”; “Bounce”; “Timmy Tippy Toe”; “Cotton Patch”; “Paper Chase”, “Little Lemmings” and “Polar Adventure”. These are obviously themed focused around animals and teach a great deal about them as well. After watching this DVD and then bringing my daughter to the zoo, she say a peacock and connected it to this show, “Daddy, it’s the peacock from Cat in the Hat”. Mission accomplished.

“Fun Feathered Friends”: Let’s journey with Sally and Nick and the Cat To make feathery friends, imagine that! First, meet the fastest creature in the world! Who is it, you ask? It s Perry the Peregrine Falcon. Watch as he flies up to 150 mph, even when diving for food! Then play dress-up with Sally. Her favorite hat has lost all of its feathers where can she find more? It s time for a trip to Feathery Flats to meet Puranjay the Peacock! He has plenty of feathers and can teach us all about them. Birds are only the start of this trip with the Cat Take a look at what s inside, and hold onto your hat!

The last recent release is “Oh, the Skin We Are in!” or as my daughter called it “The Bones Cat in the Hat” (see the cover above if you are curious why). There are the typical 5 episodes on this DVD, running about 60 minutes. The episodes included are “The Skin I’m In”; “Jiggle Bones”; “Rumbly Tumbly”; “Keep the Beat and Sneezy Riders”. My daughter has really taken to this DVD and has since learned a lot about her body. She hit her elbow after watching it and said “Mommy, I hit my funny bone” and when we asked were she heard that, she said “Cat in the Hat, mommy”. So another score for this show.

“Oh, the Skin We Are in!”: It s time to explore with the Cat in the Hat! What shall we discover today? Ahhh-choo! Why, bless you! Nick can’t seem to stop sneezing. Why is that? Well, let’s find out with the Cat in the Hat! Hop on the Thinga-ma-jigger with Sally and Nick and learn all about the skin we re in the bones we own our beating hearts why our tummies rumble what causes sneezing, and how we can stop it It s a fantastic collection of natural science adventures, deep inside the bodies we live in!

Season 1, Volume 2 is set for a May 5th release date and is titled “Discover & Investigate With Cat in the Hat”. I am really glad that NCircle is releasing this show now in a seasons format. I look forward to that release for sure and also to future themed releases throughout 2015.

Actors: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman
Directors: Jennifer Kent
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

If it’s in a word
Or it’s in a look
You can’t get rid
Of the Babadook

Those are words that I cannot get out of my head since watching this Australian psychological horror/thriller. I absolutely loved this film. I watch a lot of horror films looking for that big scan but unfortunately it is very rare that a film can scare me, I mean really scare me, the last was James Wann’s “Insidious” back in 2010. I can add “The Babadook” to that list now. This film is near perfect and much deeper than you would expect from a typical horror flick. It has some deep symbolism and really takes you on a dark journey through the dealings of grief and loss. If you are looking for something truly original that will leave you discussing for days/weeks, I would highly recommend checking this out.

Official Premise: Six years after the death of her husband, Amelia struggles to discipline her “out-of-control” six-year-old Samuel – a son she finds difficult to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. And when Amelia begins to see glimpses of the creature herself, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may well be real.

Scream Factory is behind this Blu-ray release of “The Babadook”. They are releasing it with a limited edition slipcase (shown above) with a really cool pop out cover. This is a must have for any fan of the film. The Blu-ray presentation is near perfect also. The 1080p transfer gorgeous and so well shot within its in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The film is quite dark and its use of black and shadows are perfectly showcased here. Same goes with the soundtrack. The score to “The Babadook” is easily one of the best horror scores in years and it sounds outstanding on this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1  track.

The special features are also a must watch if you enjoyed the film for sure. There is Director Jennifer Kent’s Short Film, “Monster” included. “Creating the Book with Illustrator Alex Juhasz” is one extra that I wish was muchlonger. It look into how the book was made. “A Tour of the House Set” is a cool walk through on the set. “The Stunts: Jumping the Stairs” focuses on the film’s wire work. “Special Effects: The Stabbing Scene” discusses briefly how this scene was shot. There is anothe short Behind the Scenes look into the production. The big one is “Cast and Crew Interviews”, which runs just over an hour and features chats with actors Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Barbara West, Hayley McElhinney, director Jennifer Kent, costume designer Heather Wallace, producer Kristina Ceyton, and producer Kristian Moliere. Lastly, there are a few short deleted scenes.  and two theatrical trailers

Actors: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine
Directors: Rob Marshall
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Run Time: 120 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Personally, I am a fan of musicals. I thought Disney was going to knock this out of the park with this A-list cast and a fun musical like “Into the Woods”. This cast in fact did bring their A-game but the film itself ended up being more of a D-grade. The pacing was horrible and jumped around so much. The first and second act were actually decent but the third absolutely ruined the film for me and it dragged on for what felt like forever. They misused talent like Johnny Depp in a less than 5 minute cameo. Chris Pine was the savior of the film, no question but he wasn’t enough to bring it home. Anna Kenndrick was sweet as always and even Emily Brunt surprised me with the whole singing thing…but overall the third act made this too difficult to enjoy.

Official Premise: From the director of “Chicago” and the producer of “Wicked” comes a modern twist on the beloved fairy tales you thought you knew. Meryl Streep stars in this epic musical saga about daring to venture “Into the Woods”. Iconic characters, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel, find their fates intertwined with a humble baker and his wife, whose longing to have a child sends them on a quest to reverse a witch’s (Streep) curse. With an all-star cast, this spellbinding adventure is everything you could ever wish for!

Despite the film being terrible, Disney did deliver an outstanding Blu-ray along with a digital copy included. The 1080p transfer was perfect and really captured the fairy tale feeling of the film. It worked well with the CGI and with the scenery. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 was also a showstopper. The songs in this film were fun and this was really well presented. As much as this pains me to say, this is truly an amazing Blu-ray in terms of audio and video, even the special features were impressive as well.

Started off the extras, there is an audio commentary track from Director/producer Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca and they discuss the film in depth from every aspect. Pretty interesting stuff. “Strep Sings Sondheim: “She’ll Be Back”” is a feature on the actress singing the deleted song. “There’s Something About the Woods” features cast/crew discussing the production. “The Cast as Good as Gold” is another chat with the cast discussing the pre-production of this film. “Deeper Into the Woods” is a four-part documentary, which runs about 30 minutes. Lastly, “Music & Lyrics” runs about an hour and pretty much gives you the option to watch the songs in the film only with karaoke-style lyrics.

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Mae Whitman, Rosario Dawson, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symoné, Megan Hilty
Director: Steve Loter
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Run Time: 76 minutes

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

I have been a fan of the Disney Fairies franchise since the first Tinker Bell movie. They have all been very cute and honestly, each one is better than the next…until this one. “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast” is easily the weakest in the franchise. The title is misleading as Tinker Bell takes a back seat to her fairy friend Fawn (who was voice re-casted by Ginnifer Goodwin). Unlike the previous films, the one is quite dark and a bit scary for the little ones. It doesn’t have that fairy charm of the previous films either. Plus Gruff aka the NeverBeast is not a likable character at all. I hope Disney resolves this with the next Tinker Bell film.

Official Premise: Return to Pixie Hollow for a heartwarming adventure, Disney’s Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. An ancient myth of a massive creature sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell and her good friend Fawn, an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this creature is not welcome in Pixie Hollow — and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast, who they fear will destroy their home. Fawn must convince her fairy friends to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast.

Disney is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy with access in Disney Movies Anywhere. The 1080p transfer is quite impressive still and you can tell the film was made with 3D in mind but, of course, Disney neglected to release on 3D Blu-ray. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track is absolutely amazing and very impressive. Singer/songwriter KT Tunstall performs three news songs in the film, including “Float,” “Strange Sight” and “1000 Years” with singer/songwriter Bleu, but it is not the most upbeat song played during the film’s end credits.

The special features like the film is are not very entertaining. “5 Essential Ingredients to Getting Gruff” is a quick chat with Director Steve Loter and crew about the film’s development. “My Dad’s Movie: The True Story of The NeverBeast” features Loter again with his daughter discussing the film. “Jeff Crowin’s Guide to Real-World NeverBeasts” features the well know animal and nature conservationist as he discusses the title character and talks about other “NeverBeast” like characters in real-life. There are four deleted scenes with optional director intros. Lastly “Gruff Love” is a long promo for the film.

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Actors: Jeff Bergman, Kevin Michael Richardson,
Tress MacNeille, Grey Griffin, Eric Bauza, John O’Hurley, Russi Taylor, Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Daniel Bryan, John Cena
Directors: Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Run Time: 50 minutes

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

WWE and Warner Bros have been teamed up on there animated film, “Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery” last year, which was a fun time. There follow up to that film is “The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age Smackdown”. This is exciting because there hasn’t been new “The Flintstones” content in 15 years and it is very welcome. This film includes various WWE Superstars including John Cena, Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker and even Vince McMahon himself. I only wish that this was longer than 50 minutes because I wanted so much more or at least lets hope that they have future installments of new “The Flintstones” very soon.

Official Premise: When Fred loses his family’s vacation money, he hatches one of his hair brained plans to get it back. It’s a sports entertainment spectacle that involves throwing his best bud, Barney into the wrestling ring with the likes of John Cenastone (John Cena), Rey Mysteriopal (Rey Mysterio) and even The Undertaker, with Fred himself as event promoter! The crowds roar, the “clams” are pouring in from ticket sales and even Mr. McMagma (Vince McMahon) is taking notice of all the hoopla. Including all-star appearances from The Boulder Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) Marble Henry (Mark Henry) and Daniel Bry-Rock (Daniel Bryan), it’s time to get the whole family together for hard-hitting, side-splitting laughs from the most epic event in all of prehistory!

Warner Bros is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. The Blu-ray transfer is solid. The animation looks great and the colors are vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also sounds great with the voice work and the rope slamming fun. There are also some great special features included as well. There  are two featurette included here. The first is “The Superstars of Fred Flintstone Entertainment (FFE)” and the second one is called “How to Be a Stone Age Superstar”. Both are worth checking out for sure. There are also two bonus cartoons included, which are fun to watch as well.

Own it on Blu-ray™ Combo, DVD & Digital HD March 10

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore
Director: Francis Lawrence
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: March 6, 2015
Run Time: 122 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Unlike the rest of the world “The Hunger Games” franchise, hasn’t delivered for me at all. The first one was just one. I thought that “Catching Fire” was awful and “Mockingjay Part 1” is another long drawn out lead in for the final film. Personally, I love Jennifer Lawrence much more than I did after the first Hunger Games and her character is more likable but the film is not. I will definitely watch the second part of this film to finish the series but expectations are low. I think the whole “Part 1” and “Part 2” business of these epic films are really getting old.

Official Premise: The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, which finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage.

Lionsgate is delivering this release as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy included. Even though, I am not crazy about the film, the Blu-ray merits are very impressive. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. The CGI in the film is well-blended. I was most impressed with the audio tracks. First we get a Dolby TrueHD Atmos, which basically translates to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 for those units that are not compatible. It is an amazing track that delivers the epic feel that the film aims for. There is also an interesting track, which is a 2.0 Dolby Digital Optimized for Late-Night Listening, not very epic but still a neat option.

The special features are also quite impressive. “The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of Mockingjay – Part 1”: is an eight-part feature-length documentary. If you love these films, this is a must watch. There are two featurettes included. The first is “Straight From the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman” and the second is “Songs of Rebellion: Lorde on Curating the Soundtrack”. There is also a music video for “Yellow Flicker Beat” from Lorde. Lastly there is an Audio Commentary from Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson and some deleted scenes.

Starring: Howard Keel, Cyd Charisse, Douglas Fowley, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ann Miller
Directors: Stanley Donen, Vincente Minnelli, George Sidney, David Butler, Gene Kelly
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 3, 2015

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

There is something about old time musicals. 1952 and 1953 were big years for musicals. This latest 4-Movie Collection includes “Calamity Jane” (1953) / “The Band Wagon” (1953) / “Kiss Me Kate” (1953) / “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952). Other than “Singin’ in the Rain”, the rest of these three films are making their Blu-ray debut in this collection. Personally, the real draw here is the fact that “Kiss Me Kate” is being released in 3D. That’s right, 3D as the film was original made to be seen. Along with these movies, this also includes collectible art cards. If you love musicals, this a must own.

“The Band Wagon” Official Premise: Tony Hunter, a fading film star decides to return to his former glory, the Broadway stage. His playwright-songwriter friends hook him up with Broadway’s hottest director, Jeffrey Cordova, who proves that the “new” theater traditions can be an awkward fit with the old.

“Calamity Jane” Official Premise: When she isn’t tearing up the town, Jane spends her time cussing out Wild Bill Hickok. The plot gets under way when Jane promises the citizens of Deadwood that she can persuade classy Chicago stage star Adelaide Adams to perform at the local opry house. Through a case of mistaken identity, Jane brings Adelaide’s maid Katie back to town. Katie proves to be a success all the same, and out of gratitude promises to make a lady out of Jane, who is sweet on handsome Lt. Gilmartin.

“Kiss Me Kate” Official Premise: At his New York apartment, actor Fred Graham and composer Cole Porter discuss plans to recruit Fred’s ex-wife, actress Lili Vanessi, to star in their new show, Kiss Me Kate , a musical version of William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” Lili arrives, and after singing the love duet with Fred, agrees to consider taking the role of Katherine. They are interrupted by the arrival of flashy dancer Lois Lane, who has used her wiles on Fred to secure the role of Bianca. Jealous words fly between the two women, and Lili prepares to leave, after informing Fred that she is going to be married soon.

“Singin’ in the Rain” Official Premise: Silent movies are giving way to talking pictures – and a hoofer-turned-matinee idol (Gene Kelly) is caught in that bumpy transition, as are his buddy (Donald O’Connor), prospective ladylove (Debbie Reynolds) and shrewish costar (Jean Hagen). Rediscover the musical masterwork, “Singin’ In The Rain”, with a downpour of celebratory special features that salute not just this all-time favorite but also the musical legacy of its producer, songwriter Arthur Freed.

The 1080p transfer for look great for each of the films. I really enjoyed the 3D transfer for “Kiss Me Kate”. This is cool to see since it has never before seen in this format since its theatrical release. So this is real treat. “The Band Wagon”, “Kiss Me Kate 3D” and “Singin’ in the Rain” have equal DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. They are all equally impressive. The music really works well and sounds very impressive. “Calamity Jane” only carries a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. It is still solid but lacks the pop of its fellow films.