Starring: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Rose Byrne, Kathryn Hahn
Director: Shawn Levy
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: December 16, 2014
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

Here is the main issue with “This is Where I leave You”, it is packed with a great ensemble cast including Jason Bateman (“Arrested Development”); Tina Fey (“30 Rock”); Jane Fonda (“Barbarella”), as well as Adam Driver (“Star Wars Episode VII”); Rose Byrne (“Insidious”); Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”) and Kathryn Hahn (“Parks and Recreation” and with a cast like that expectations are very high but this film has its moments and those moments don’t last long. This drama/comedy is extremely forgettable and you will have probably forgotten about it by the time you get to the end of this anyway.

Official Premise: When their father passes away, four grown siblings, bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. Confronting their history and the frayed states of their relationships among the people who know and love them best, they ultimately reconnect in hysterical and emotionally affecting ways amid the chaos, humor, heartache and redemption that only families can provide— driving us insane even as they remind us of our truest, and often best, selves.

Warner’s is releasing this a a combo pack with a Blu-Ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital HD copy. There is nothing special or actually bad with the Blu-ray presentation. It is basic 1080p transfer with a DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track. The special features aren’t music special either. There is an interview and a commentary track from Shawn Levy and Jonathan Tropper in “· The Narrative Voice”. There are two featurettes “The Gospel According to Rabbi Boner”, “Points of Departure” and some deleted/extended scenes included.

Own “This is Where I Leave You” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on December 16th

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Actors: Lou Ferrigno, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Directors: George Butler, Robert Fiore
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lionsgate
Run Time: 85 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Pumping Iron” is now available on Digital HD for the first time. This critically-acclaimed 1977 documentary that put the world of bodybuilding on the map and started the career for Arnold Schwarzenegger in Pumping Iron. This film still holds up today and is cool to see the ‘ole “Austrian Oak” in his prime again. This is a must own for any Schwarzenegger fan out there!

Original Premise: Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this documentary about the 100 days leading up to the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest. Five-time former champion Schwarzenegger is pitted against shy newcomer Lou Ferrigno (TV’s “The Incredible Hulk”) in a showdown that is as mental as it is physical. With psychological warfare, intense determination, trash-talking, and the easy charm that would later catapult Schwarzenegger to stardom, “Pumping Iron” changed the world of bodybuilding forever and launched both men’s careers.

Even though this is a digital release, fans of “Pumping Iron” are going  to get much more than just the movie with never-before-released content in the US. There are two bonus features included additionally with the digital HD release. The first is “Still Pumping” is a group of newly recorded interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger talking about his life and career. Also included is “The Hard Science of Bodybuilding”, which features Schwarzenegger and other top bodybuilders talking about the sport.

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Starring: Colin Firth, Marcia Gay Harden, Emma Stone, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Atkins, Erica Leerhsen
Director: Woody Allen
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 16, 2014
Run Time: 97 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Every since “Midnight in Paris”, Woody Allen has been on fire. “Magic in the Moonlight” is the latest winner. The film is set in the south of France in the 1920s smack during the peak of the Jazz Age. The film starts Colin Firth anad Emma Stone, who are amazing in the film together. The film certainly lives up to the first word in its title and is quite enchanting. The music and shooting locations are just beautiful. This is easily another hit for Allen! Can’t wait to see what he has planned for 2015!

Official Premise: Acclaimed magician Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) dazzles his audiences with feats of supernatural amazement. But when it comes to the inexplicable, Stanley is a dedicated skeptic. Enter Sophie Baker (Emma Stone), psychic, soothsayer, and stunning seductress. As Stanley and Sophie embark on misadventures up and down the French Riviera, will they discover proof of a world beyond the laws of physics or have they fallen under the sway of a more earthly chemistry? Woody Allen pulls the strings with precision in this enchanting romantic comedy that explores the realm between what’s understood in our minds and what’s known in our hearts.

Sony Pictures Classics is releasing this as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is solid for this Blu-ray. It really captures the look and feel of the 1920’s from the costumes to the settings. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works great with the film’s music, which I loved. The special features are a little light on the magic. There is a making-of featurette called “Behind the Magic”. The only other extras is “On the Red Carpet: Los Angeles Film Premiere”.

Starring: Harry Connick, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Running Time: 107 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Living in Florida, I knew that I had to watch “Dolphin Tale”. It was a good film and after watching it I even took my daughter to go see Winter at the Clearwater Aquarium, which was cool. Honestly, this wasn’t really a film that was screaming for a sequel. The story is cute but it doesn’t stand up to the first film, to be honest. Same cast returned, which is always nice but it doesn’t help either. At least they dropped the terrible 3D gimmack from the first film, which was an incredible waste of time in my opinion. Some kids might enjoy this but it is quite slow moving and at times sad, so be wary there for sure.

Official Premise: The inspiring true story of Winter isn’t over. Several years after receiving a prosthetic tail, Winter loses her surrogate mother, leaving her alone, grieving and unwilling to engage with anyone, even her best human friend, Sawyer (Gamble). Worse, she may have to be moved from her home at the aquarium due to regulations requiring dolphins to be paired. When Dr. Clay Haskett (Connick Jr.) and his dedicated team can’t find her a companion, it looks like they may lose their beloved Winter… until an unexpected turn of events brings them Hope.

Warner Home Video is releasing this as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet digital HD code. The 1080p transfer is good looking but nothing special. The audio though delivers a surprise DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is good but not really fully taken advantage of either. The special features are ok  but all quite short. “Underwater Magic” features Writer/director Charles Martin Smith, producer Broderick Johnson, cinematographer Daryn Okada, and actors Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff discussing shooting in water.

“Look Who’s Running the Show” features Smith, Gamble and Zuehlsdorff talking about the sequel. “Bethany Hamilton Meets Winter” focuses on the cameo from Champion surfer Bethany Hamilton. “The Mission” is a featurette about Clearwater Marine Academy. “True Story” looks into the events that inspired the film. Lastly there is a music video for Zuehlsdorff’s “Brave Souls” and Gavin DeGraw’s “You Got Me” and a blooper reel included.

Dolphin Tale 2 arrives onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on December 9 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee, Thomas Mitchell
Director: Frank Capra
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony
DVD Release Date: December 2, 2014
Digital Copy Expiration Date: December 31, 2014 (Click here for more information)
Run Time: 130 minutes

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

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is celebrating its 75th anniversary and it has never looked better. This film earned Jimmy Stewart his first Academy Award® nomination, along with 11 other nominations. It is easily one of Frank Capra’s best films. It was also Capra’s final film for Columbia. This film does in a wonderful collectible Digipak packaging with an all-new essay by Film Historian Jeremy Arnold. Easily one of the best restored Blu-ray releases this year.

Official Premise: An idealistic, newly-appointed senator (James Stewart) heads to Washington, where he single-handedly battles ruthless politicians out to destroy him. Winner of the 1939 Academy Award® for Best Writing (Original Story), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a timeless and stirring ode to the power of democracy.

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” looks simply stunning on Blu-ray. For this release it was restored and mastered with 4K transfer in 1080p. The black and white film is presented in its original 4×3 aspect ratio but looks outstanding. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio Mono surround track. It works well with the dialogue and score.

The special features are another win for this release. There is an audio commentary with Frank Capra’s son, Frank Capra Jr. There are a bunch of vintage features included. “Frank Capra Jr. Remembers…’Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'” focuses on the director from Capra’s son. There is “Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: The Golden Years”, which looks into his father again and the 1930’s in Hollywood. “Conversations with Frank Capra Jr.: A Family History” features Capra’s son looking into his family life. “Frank Capra: Collaboration” is a look back into Capra’s life and career.

“The Frank Capra I Knew” features Jeanine Basinger, Curator of the Frank Capra archives at Wesleyan University, talking about the director. “Frank Capra’s American Dream” is easily the best feature, which is a feature-length documentary, narrated and hosted by Ron Howard with interviews including Martin Scorsese, Garry Marshall, John Milius, Robert Altman, Michael Keaton, Richard Dreyfuss, Angela Lansbury, Garry Marshall, Marshall Herskovitz, Bill Duke, Oliver Stone, and Peter Falk. Lastly there are trailers included.

Starring: Sir John Mills, Dame Peggy Ashcroft
Directed By: Jimmy T. Murakami
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Run Time: 75 minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: November 11, 2014

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

I have always been a fan of Raymond Briggs’ “The Snowman”. I simply love it. I also happen to be a huge Pink Floyd fan, so combining the work of Raymond Briggs with the music of Roger Waters is a match made in heaven and that is what we got with “When the Wind Blows”. The film itself, even though animated, is not aimed at kids it is a quite heavy and definitely is a blend of comedy/horror themes. It is definitely unlike any animated film that I have ever seen, very unique and still holds up today. There is also a great title song from David Bowie and contributions from Genesis, Squeeze and Paul Hardcastle. also included along with the film is the documentary from Sé Merry Doyle, “Jimmy Murakami: Non-Alien (2010)”. This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced. So if you are a fan, get it quick before they sell out.

Official Premise: TWhen the Wind Blows (1986)—writer Raymond Briggs’ adaptation of his own graphic novel, brought to the screen by director Jimmy T. Murakami—is an enchantingly collage-like animated film (featuring drawn, stop-motion, and live-action sequences) on a very grim subject, indeed: the effects of nuclear holocaust on an ordinary English couple. James and Hilda Bloggs (perfectly voiced by acting legends John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft) are a happy, near-elderly pair living in the lovely rural countryside when—seemingly out of nowhere—disaster beyond all imagining strikes.

Twilight Time is releasing this film on a region free Blu-ray disc. The 1080p transfer is solid and really looks solid. There is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track included. I am a huge fan of Roger Waters’ score from this film and the special features are a great continuation of this film including a Isolated Music and Effects Track. . Thre is also an audio commentary track with First Assistant Editor Joe Fordham and Film Historian Nick Redman. After that we get “The Wind and The Bomb – The Making of When the Wind Blows”, which goes behind-the-scenes. Lastly, there is an interview with Raymond Briggs, the creator himself. Also like with all of Twilight Time’s releases be sure to enjoy the extensive Julie Kirgo liner notes included to enjoy. I just wish there was a little more here in the extras department.

Starring: Rye Miyazawa, Ren Ohsugi, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Hirouki Sanada, Nenji Kobayashi
Directed By: Yoji Yamada
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Run Time: 129 minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: November 11, 2014

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“The Twilight Samurai” was nominated for the Academy Award, Best Foreign Language Film back in 2002. It didn’t win but it did end up winning 12 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. It deserves the praise cause it is a fantastic samurai period film. Star Hirouki Sanada has since gone on to big things in the U.S. as well including “The Wolverine” and “47 Ronin”. This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced. So if you are a fan, get it quick before they sell out.

Official Premise: The Twilight Samurai (2002) is a contemplative character study of Seibei (Hiroyuki Sanada), a traditional samurai reduced—in a rapidly modernizing Japan—to working as an accountant. A widower, Seibei has to care for his senile mother and his two young daughters; his financial problems are so severe that he finally, humiliatingly, must pawn his sword. And then, his clan comes to him with one last job. Directed by veteran Yoji Yamada, best known for helming Japan’s beloved “Tora-san” films.

Twilight Time is releasing this film on a region free Blu-ray disc. The 1080p transfer is solid and really looks solid. There is only a Japanese audio DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track included. The special features include an Isolated Score Track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 by Isao Tomita (“Zatoichi”). Lastly there are the film’s Original Theatrical Trailers. Also like with all of Twilight Time’s releases be sure to enjoy the extensive Julie Kirgo liner notes included to enjoy. I just wish there was a little more here in the extras department.

Starring: Elvis Presley, John McIntire, Dolores Del Rio, Barbara Eden, Steve Forrest
Directed By: Don Siegel
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Run Time: 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Release Date: November 11, 2014

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

When it comes to Westerns, Don Siegel is your man! He created one of the finest, “Dirty Harry”. Top that with the wonderful talent of the legendary Elvis Presley and you are an instant winner. “Flaming Star” is easily one of the King’s best films in his career. The film is approaching its 55th anniversary and it still holds up and is quite entertaining. This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced. So if you are a fan, get it quick before they sell out.

Official Premise: Don Siegel (Dirty Harry) directs Elvis Presley in Flaming Star (1960), a tough-minded Western that many have pegged as the legendary singer’s best film. Presley plays a half-white/half-Kiowa youth in post-Civil War Texas, caught up in a tragic war between whites and Indians, his loyalties and allegiances tested at every turn. The terrific supporting cast includes John McIntire as Presley’s father, who just wants to live in peace; Dolores Del Rio as his mother, determined to keep her son safe; Steve Forrest as his conflicted brother from another mother; and Barbara Eden as an understanding local girl.

Twilight Time is releasing this film on a region free Blu-ray disc. The 1080p transfer is solid and really looks solid. There is a fantastic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track inlcuded. The special features include an Isolated Score Track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 by Cyril Mockridge (“Miracle on 34th Street”). There is also an audio commentary with Film Historians Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman. Lastly there are the film’s Original Theatrical Trailers. Also like with all of Twilight Time’s releases be sure to enjoy the extensive Julie Kirgo liner notes.

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Starring: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed, Angela Lansbury, Peter Lawford, Lowell Gilmore
Director: Albert Lewin
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
Run Time: 110 minutes

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

Based on the classic by Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a nice blend of horror/drama with a pinch of supernatural. The film is just a year sort of its 70th anniversary and it still holds up today. Albert Lewin writes and directs with Angela Lansbury and Donna Reed star. I think this is Warner Archive Collection’s best release to date!

Official Premise: George Sanders commands the screen as the acerbic, cynical Lord Henry Wotton whose errant musings unwittingly plunge a soul into a leprotic existence of amoral degradation. Hurd Harfield plays the eponymous Gray whose unchanging, placid beauty is enabled by his cursed portrait that embodies his age and decay.

The 1080p HD presentation is nothing short of pristine. It really showcases Cinematographer Harry Stradling, Sr. use of shadow very well with this black and white film. He went on to also win the Oscar for this cinematography for this picture. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono works perfect for the film. It is clear and sharp and sounds amazing with the score by Herbert Stothart.

The special features are decent as well (even thought they were taken from Warner’s 2008 DVD release). There is a commentary track with Angela Lansbury and Film Historian Steve Haberman, which is very informative and entertaining. Also included is the Oscar-winning short”Stairway to Light”, the Tom and Jerry cartoon, “Quiet Please!”, which also won the Oscar for Best Short Subject, Cartoons, for 1945 and a Theatrical Trailer rounds out the extras.

Starring: Urbano Barberini, Natasha Hovey, Karl Zinny, Bobby Rhodes, David Edwin Knight, Nancy Brilli, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Bobby Rhodes, Asia Argento, Virginia Bryant
Director: Lamberto Bava
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Synapse Films
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
Run Time: 88 / 92 minutes

“Demons”: 4 out of 5 stars
“Demons 2”: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

If you love Italian horror then you should be a fan of Lamberto Bava’s “Demons” (1985) and “Demons 2” (1986). These two film have only been previously released by Synapse Films as Limited Steelbook Blu-ray editions. One thing these things have in common are oustanding scores by Claudio Simonetti, and kick-ass 80’s rock/heavy metal songs from Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe, Accept, The Smiths, The Cult, Dead Can Dance, Art of Noise, Peter Murphy and MORE!. “Demons 2” also showcased a young Asia Argento in her very first film role. A must for any horror fan that missed on on the Limited Steelbooks last year and don’t mind the lack of extras.

“Demons” Official Premise: A young woman is invited by a mysterious masked man to a theater screening in Germany. Taking a friend, the two beautiful ladies discover they are watching a gory horror film! When a prop on display in the lobby accidentally cuts a young woman’s face, she begins to transform. People begin mutating into hideous monsters and the cinema is locked up tight! One by one, the audience members are violently attacked and transform into disgusting demons hellbent on spreading their apocalyptic plague around the world. Can they be stopped?

Demons 2″ Official Premise: There’s a scary movie on television and the residents of a luxury high-rise building have their eyes glued to their sets. Unfortunately for a young birthday girl, an eternal demonic evil is released through her TV and partygoers soon find themselves fighting an army of murderous monsters! Acid blood, demonic dogs, possessed children and rampaging zombies wreak havoc for the trapped tenants!

These films come with outstanding high-def 1080p transfers from their original vault materials both presented in 1.66:1 aspect ratio, featuring all-new color correction supervised by Synapse Films. These both also include both the “International English” stereo language soundtrack, as well as the “U.S. Mono” English alternate dub soundtrack. They also include newly-translated English SDH subtitles. The bad thing is that there are no special features included on these Blu-rays, there are only original theatrical trailers included for both films.

Starring: Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby
Director: James Lapine
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Release Date: December 2, 2014
Run Time: 153 minutes

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

With the new Disney’s big-screen adaptation of the Tony-Award Winning Broadway Musical “Into the Woods” right around the corner, it is the perfect time for to release the original Broadway Production on Blu-ray for the very first time. What we get here is a May 1989 performance of Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical, which starred Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg and Kim Crosby. If you are a fan of the production and looking forward to the movie, this will be a good way to revisit before seeing it on the big screen.

Official Premise: A baker and his wife journey into the woods in search of a cow, a red cape, a pair of golden slippers and some magic beans to lift a curse that has kept them childless. Tony Award winners Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason and the rest of the original Broadway cast weave their magic spell over you in Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, directed by James Lapine, a seamless fusion of fairy tale characters and what happens after “happily ever after.”

If you have seen this production on DVD, I wouldn’t be expecting much from this Blu-ray. The 1080p transfer is quite muted with the productions colors and even shows up blurry in a few scenes. I was expecting much more from this. The DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 audio track sound great especially with classics songs like “Children Will Listen” and “No One Is Alone”. There are zero special features included to accompany this stage production.

Starring: Walter Koenig, Bruce Campbell, Leigh Lombardi, Robert Kurcz
Director: Robert Dyke
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Olive Films DVD
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Run Time: 92 minutes

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

When I saw Olive Films was releasing “Moontrap” on Blu-ray, I knew I had to have it. The film stars classic cult actors Walter Koenig (“Star Trek: The Original Series”) and Bruce Campbell from “The Evil Dead” series. The film is celebrating its 25 anniversary this year. I probably haven’t seen this film since 1989 but I remember that it was pretty cool. Definitely not a straight-forward horror/thriller as it is filled with camp humor throughout some intentional and some not. Fun times for sure still. The visual effects shows its age a bit but with a cast like Koenig and Campbell, it is an instant winner.

Official Premise: A 1980s cult classic, Moontrap stars Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) and Walter Koenig (Star Trek’s original Chekov) as astronauts sent to the moon to investigate evidence of what appears to be signs of human life. They reanimate the body of a woman (Leigh Lombardi), who warns them that the moon is under the control of a race of alien cyborgs, which have been awaiting the opportunity to stage their invasion of Earth. The humans realize that desperate measures must be taken to halt the cyborgs’ departure from the moon — even if it ends in their own destruction.

“Moontrap” looks pretty good with its remastered HD transfer by Olive Films specifically for this release. Since it takes place in space a lot, there is some noise in the darkness of space but otherwise, it is fairly clean. This is presented for the first time in widescreen format with its original monaural soundtrack. The special features are solid as well with a new video interview with Bruce Campbell and Walter Koenig as well as a new video interview with director Robert Dyke and writer Tex Ragsdale. Lastly there is an audio commentary by Robert Dyke and Tex Ragsdale, which is worth checking out as well if you are a big time fan.

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short and Stanley Tucci
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Number of discs: 2
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Run Time: 135 minutes

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

“The Wind Rises” is a hard film for fans of Studio Ghibli because it makes director Hayao Miyazaki’s final film. It is truly a masterpiece. They rounded up a all-star English dub voice cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short and Stanley Tucci. I watched this film in Japanese last year and I was so blown away, I immediately needed to watch it again. The music is so enthralling and the score is easily my favorite of the year.  The story is so smart and well-told. You watch the film and you know that this is Miyazaki’s last film and it is ok because it is so amazing. Highly recommend this as it is sure to become a classic.

Official Synopsis: From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Best Animated Feature, Spirited Away, 2002) comes a spellbinding movie beyond compare. Jiro dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes, inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni. Nearsighted and unable to be a pilot, he becomes one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers, experiencing key historical events in an epic tale of love, perseverance and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world

Disney is releasing this film as a Blu-ray +DVD Combo Pack. There are multiple audio tracks including DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 English and Japanese as well as a Dolby Digital 1.0 DVS English Audio. I have to go with the original Japanese track but like I mentioned the English dub cast is outstanding. The 1080p transfer is outstanding. The colors, the animation…it is all just absolutely perfect. The special features are a quite light though. There is a feature “The Wind Rises: Behind the Microphone”, which looks at the English dub. There are is Storyboards, Original Japanese Trailers/TV Spots & the Announcement of the Completion of the Film.

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Directed by: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington
Rated: PG
Release Date: October 21, 2014
Run Time: 102 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

We are trying something new here for the release of “How to Train Your Dragon 2”, we are reviewing the title Digital HD format. That means that we redeemed a code for the film and are able to watch it on your computer, compatible TV or Blu-ray player, smartphones, tablets etc. This is the future for films. I have quite the library of Digital HD films.

Official Premise: The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy returns to the fantastical world of the heroic Viking Hiccup and his faithful dragon Toothless. The inseparable duo must protect the peace and save the future of men and dragons from the power-hungry Drago.

The first “How to Train Your Dragon” really built up the story for this film. The TV series continued it on and this sequel really takes it to the next level. It is fast, colorful and really sharp looking. As much as I would have loved to reviewed this film on 3D Blu-ray, this Digital HD option wasn’t too bad, especially since I could watch it pretty much anywhere.

Plus with Digital HD, the film is released a few weeks ahead of the Blu-ray release. For instance, this film was released on Digital HD on October 21st where as the Blu-ray was just released on November 11th. Not my code but you can even purchase Digital HD copies including the special features, which is a real bonus and is a really nice feature to have.

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Actors: Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Marla Gibbs, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover
Directors: Jack Shea
Number of discs: 33
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: December 9, 2014
Run Time: 4440 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Movin’ on up to the east side!”, “The Jeffersons” easily has one of the catchiest and best theme songs in television history. For the first time ever you can enjoy this classic sitcom with this complete series including all 253 episodes of this Norman Lear (“All in the Family”, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”) developed series. Previously, Shout! has only released the first 6 seasons of this show on DVD, so season 7-11 have been unreleased. This is the perfect to get this entire series in one nice collection. Plus with the holidays right around the corner, it is also a way to become the favorite person in your family but gifting this wonderful set.

Official Premise: Originally airing from 1975 to 1985, The Jeffersons documented the side-splitting exploits of an upwardly-mobile family: dry cleaning entrepreneur George (Sherman Hemsley), his wife Louise (Emmy winner Isabel Sanford), and their son Lionel, as they move from the working-class section of Queens to a luxury apartment in Manhattan. George’s brash, arrogant personality always seems to get him in hot water. Lucky for him, he’s got the level-headed “Weezy”, by his side and their wise-cracking maid Florence (Marla Gibbs) to keep him humble. Together, they overcome the comic challenges and culture clashes that their new way of life brings.

The special features are good as well. There is a featurette called “Movin’ On Up – The Jeffersons”. There is an episode of “All In The Family” called “The Jeffersons Move Up”. There is Marla Gibbs’ 4-episode spinoff series “Checking In”. There is also the pilot to the 1984 TV series “E/R”, starring Elliott Gould and featuring Sherman Hemsley guest-starring as George Jefferson. If you want more “The Jeffersons”, Norman Lear just released a new autobiography release on October 14, 2014, titled “Even This I Get to Experience,” which reveals never-before heard stories about the development and creation of “The Jeffersons”.