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

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