“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from 2012 to 2017. It is the first time that the TMNT were created in CGI for an animated series after the movie (TMNT from 2007). It is the third animated series in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, based on the characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series is also know as Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for its fifth and final season. This release features all 124 episodes of the 5-season series in one box set for the first time ever! The show was previously released on DVD in over 14 volumes. If you are a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, then I would highly recommend picking up this set and it is very affordable for what you are getting!

Let’s do a quick role call of who played the turtles…Leonardo was voiced by Jason Biggs (American Pie), for seasons 1-2 and then Seth Green (Austin Powers, Robot Chicken) took over the role for seasons 3-5. Donatello is voiced by Rob Paulsen, who, fun fact, also previously voiced Raphael in the 1987 series. Raphael is voiced by Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and last but not least (and my personal favorite turtle) Michelangelo is voiced by Greg Cipes (Teen Titans Go!).

Official Synopsis: Mutants Rule! Emerging from their hidden lair in the sewers, teenage bros Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael face off against the most dangerous baddies and the most delicious pizza in New York City! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are martial arts masters-in-training on a mission to defeat all enemies, protect the innocent, and make it home in time to chill. With the help of powerful pals like April O’Neil, Casey Jones, and Ice Cream Kitty – plus the expert teachings of Sensei Splinter – it’s bros vs. foes when the heroes in a half shell take on Shredder, the Kraang, and the Foot Clan – one awesome attack at a time!

Alright, these 124 episodes are spread out on 20 discs, which run over 47 hrs of content. They are presented in widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. Personally, it would have been nice to seen some special features included here besides just the episodes for us hardcore fans. For example, I would have liked to have seen the 2D animated special, Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past included here as well as the series of short films that were released during the course of the series, including: Turtles in Time, Teenage Mecha Ninja Turtles, TMNT Team Up: The Short Series. Just an idea to have made this release more complete but if you are just looking for the core seasons, it will not leave you disappointed.

Based on the true events of the Agojie, an African legion of female warriors who protected their families and land from the ruthless slavers of the surrounding areas, “The Woman King” brings to life these powerful women to the big screen with some wonderful action sequences and an exquisite narrative on empowerment, family, and standing up to oppression no matter what the cost is. With a stellar cast and crew, “The Woman King” is a sweet and ferocious film that should not be overlooked.

This film allows director Gina Prince-Blythewood (her “Love and Basketball” has the honor of being released by the Criterion Collection) to showcase both sides of her creative endeavors. Her extraordinary ability to tell a soft and tender side of human nature and love while also revealing the true horrors of humanity with some gritty and well-executed action sequences that are all built around amazing performances from her cast including Viola Davis, John Boyega (Star Wars), Lashana Lynch, and Thuso Mbedu. The screenplay from Dana Stevens and her writing partner and actress Maria Bello gives ample time across its two-hour run time to explore each character with their struggles to survive and empower their families.

The Agojie were a real faction of strong, powerful women that protected their land and families, similar to the Dora Milaje from Black Panther or even the Amazons in Wonder Woman. Inside the African Kingdom of Dahomey, the leader named Ghezo (Boyega) has taken over where he must face two groups of people who have allied with European slavers in the 1800s. His army is the Agojie who is led by General Nanisca (Davis) who will do anything to protect their people and home. As a giant battle is brewing, Nanisca is training the new generation of warriors, one of which holds a secret about her past that might form a connection between the two of them.

Blythewood perfectly balances the action and chaos with scenes of tenderness and love between Nanisca’s tribe. The hierarchy of her world with their traditions are given areas to breathe that educate on what life was like back then in this part of the world. Attention to detail in the costumes and what happened in history make the moving parts of this story really shine since Maria Bello came up with the story when she traveled to this part of the world and toured the actual place where the Agojie set up shop.

“The Woman King” truly breaks the mold though with its incredible performances from Davis, Boyega, and everyone else involved. Not only do their physical performances turn into greatness, but their quieter moments of dialogue and true determination in empowering the new generation of fighters come across on screen flawlessly. It’s a great underdog story full of heart and emotion along with some exquisite action beats, all of which have that emotional heft with stakes that make the characters worth caring for. The Woman King is one hell of a great time that is full of inspiring moments and wonderful performances. I happen to enjoy it more at home than at the theater. No doubt I was tired. Very surprised it wasn’t nominated for Best Picture. Very Highly Recommended! Five stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Over the years there have been films/shows about talking animals but a singing crocodile? Would that really work?  Well…why not? First, make the large, green creature timid and sweet, give him a fantastic voice, and finally, throw in some original songs by one of the best music writing teams in the last decade.  That is the formula for a great movie and the idea behind this year’s Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.  With a terrific cast, upbeat, pop tunes, excellent visual effects, and a teen idol, pop star (Shawn Mendes) to be the “voice” of Lyle, the movie was bound to be successful.  And when I learned that Javier Bardem was in this film, I knew then it would be special.

Discovered in a cage in the back of an exotic pet store, the singing crocodile was given the name, Lyle,  by his new owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem; No Country For Old Men).  A showman by trade, Hector sees Lyle as an opportunity for fame and fortune.  However, after training and practicing for their big audition, Lyle suddenly has a case of stage fright and can’t perform.  Having put his house up as collateral, Hector is forced to leave Lyle alone in the attic while he tries to make some money.  While Hector is gone, a new family movies into the house with no idea that there is a giant, singing crocodile living upstairs.

Bardem offers audiences an opportunity to see a whole other side of himself.  As a dramatic actor, he can move an audience but as a singing and dancing comedic actor, he surprises viewers with how good he can be.  Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians) also reinvents herself showcasing her theater background by dancing and singing right alongside a crocodile.  Winslow Fegley (Come Play), the young brother of August and Oakes, is excellent as the young boy who discovers Lyle in the attic and befriends him.

Unlike many CGI characters, Lyle looks outstanding in 1080p resolution.  It is obvious the time and care was taken to create him was worth all the effort as his CGI presence doesn’t appear to distract the view in any way, shape, or form.  The color palette is bright and abundant enticing younger audiences to want to watch it over and over again.

While the visuals are excellent, the DtS-HD Master Audio 5.1 doesn’t fare quite as well.  Mendes has a distinct vocal sound and quality and most of the time that shines through, but there are one or two songs that sound muffled.  Otherwise, the dialogue and music are of decent quality offering much of what one would expect from this level of film.

There is a small amount of supplemental material and some are with watching, others could be watched once and be done with them.  Extras include: Sing-Along Songs, Storytime with Shawn Mendes & Javier Bardem, Deleted Scene, Croc, and Roll Take a Look at Us Now -The Cast, and Music Videos.

Based on a children’s book, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile was a solid choice to adapt to film, and today’s technology allows for creating something entertaining without looking cheap.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the current ‘it’ musical team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman) pen some original songs for the film.  They are known for more upbeat, pop-sounding fare, and the songs in this movie are more of the same.  And when you have Shawn Mendes lending his vocal talent to that mix, you end up with a winning soundtrack that audiences could sing along with.

If you have young children at home, this is a no-brainer – go out and buy it today! Fun for the entire family. I thought the film was great! Three stars out of five. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

A Discovery of Witches is based on the “All Souls” trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I personally was not aware of the author and her body of work but after finding this show, I am definitely finding myself as a fan! This is the first time that all three seasons are available together in one Blu-ray set, A Discovery of Witches The Complete Trilogy, includes all 25 episodes, as well as over 80 minutes of bonus features on 6 discs and a collectible bookmark. If you were a fan of this series, this set delivers a nice collection of content as well as some decent bonus features to boot.

The series stars Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies, Hacksaw Ridge), Matthew Goode (“Downton Abbey”), Alex Kingston (“Doctor Who”), Trevor Eve (“The Politician’s Wife”), Lindsay Duncan (“Sherlock”), Owen Teale (“Game of Thrones”), Gregg Chillingirian (“Da Vinci’s Demons”), Aiysha Hart (“Line of Duty”), and Edward Bluemel (“Killing Eve”).

Official Premise: Adapted from Deborah Harkness’ best-selling trilogy of novels, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is a bold and romantic thriller that uncovers a secret underworld of vampires, witches and daemons hiding in plain sight for fear of persecution by humans. Brilliant historian Diana Bishop is a witch denying her own heritage. But when she unexpectedly calls up an ancient, bewitched manuscript, Ashmole 782, she finds herself thrown into the heart of a dangerous mystery – and into the path of the enigmatic geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont.

Season Summaries: Across three distinctive and gripping seasons, Diana and Matthew’s quest to solve the mystery of the book and their own long-prophesied connection to it throws them into the path of dangerous enemies. Season 2 takes them back to the 16th century, crossing paths with historical figures Diana thought she could only dream of meeting, as she comes into her own incredible power. In season 3, Diana and Matthew must try to make scientific breakthroughs into a terrible disease that affects their own family, deal with huge loss, new beginnings, and old foes, as their journey takes them towards a thrilling and incendiary conclusion.

Although this set is void of a digital copy, which is a bummer these days. At least they packed in some decent special features on the Blu-ray. There are a few featurettes including focus on the characters, the story and a set tour. As well as “Creating the Worlds” dives into the shooting locations and topping it all off with “Mythology, TV Magic, The Story of The Discovery of Witches”, which dives deeper into the show with cast/crew! Worth checking out for sure.

Ride or die! Heh-heh!  “Bullet Train” is basically John Wick on a train with a crazy cast of characters and falls into the more cartoony way of movies. There’s plenty of violence to go around, an awesome amount of gore, and some extremely funny lines and characters. It reminds me of “John Wick 3” in particular with similar production notes such as the abundance of colors and the well-choreographed fighting scenes. The Blu Ray picture and sound is nothing short of astounding! Bright neon colors are present from the start as intense purples, greens, blues, yellows, reds, and even pinks strike-through to make each train car look excellent. Flashback sequences go from a warm, orange-tinted look to a remarkable and blue-ish streak. Wardrobe colors, the big city lights at night, and the LED lighting of the train car interiors all look bold and full of life. It was truly a joy to behold.

This Blu Ray has an excellent Dolby Digital track! The sound effects are boisterous, robust, and continuously loud. These noises are nuanced and well-balanced in each speaker which flows smoothly in transitional sounds. Gun blasts, the fast traveling train herself, fight choreography, and glass bottles being broken all sound wonderful Explosions pack a loud punch as well. The low end of bass is booming with a smooth yet intense rumble that never has a rocky feel. The score and song cues are pitch-perfect that keep the film centered in its fun and entertaining atmosphere. The dialogue is always clean, clear, and easy to follow with no problems. The height speaker brings those sound effects from overhead, whether it be bullets flying by, rain, debris and body parts falling from above, and more. I really enjoyed watching this film! The Blu Ray is very well produced. 

Director David Leitch co-directed the original John Wick (which clearly shows) film which led to him making “Atomic Blonde,”  :Hobbs and Shaw” and “Deadpool 2” (which I enjoyed more than the 1st film!). Leitch even was a heavy-handed producer on “Nobody” as well. If those movies were all mixed together and blended into a high-octane cocktail, the result would be “Bullet Train.”  An intricate world of assassins, a deadly mission, brutal fight choreography, and a comedic and cartoony take on the action all make up this film. And the great thing is, that all these elements have congealed together to make this a blast of a viewing experience. The performances are energetic with wry humor and witty dialog. You’ll almost have to view it twice to appreciate the wry humor. It may strike the novice viewer as strange on the first viewing. 

“Bullet Train” is set on a high-speed modern train where a group of assassins is all tasked with retrieving a briefcase that belongs to an infamous yakuza boss. Nobody realizes other assassins are on the train at first, but as soon as eye contact is made, the violence ensues in bar cars, passenger cars, and even on the outside of the train. With a cast list that stars Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. “Bullet Train” could easily get lost in the star power. But this script allows some unique personalities to collide, all made accessible through the psychology and personality traits of Thomas the Tank Engine. Yes. that’s right! It’s easy to see where films like “Snatch,” “Kill Bill” and even animated shows heavily influenced the style of the movie with their “in-your-face” camera swoops and pans, along with graphics that display character names on the screen. A trademark of Michael Bay as well. Not only that, the breaking-the-fourth wall that is so popular in “Deadpool”  also peaks its head out from time to time. “Bullet Train” can feel a little tiresome in parts when the film often cuts back to tell a story from the past. It disrupts the film’s flow here and there, but when the action is once again centered on the train, the pace instantly picks back up. In its meta way, the characters make it all self-aware of these flashbacks and how boring they can be.

Finally, everyone here is performing at the top of their game and having the time of their lives cutting it all up on set. Pitt is believable as a violent assassin when he needs to be and quickly turns on the comedic charm every chance he gets. Johnson and Henry are the true stars of the film though with their budding relationship and volatile personalities. And of course, Joey King is always a joy to watch on screen as she changes her chameleon-like emotions with whoever she shares the screen with. Leitch has conjured up a super-fun time at the movies with an A-List cast. “Bullet Train” is enthusiastic, crazy, and a surprisingly amazing time. It’s violent, comedic, and an all-around great time. Let’s all hope there are sequels. Highly Recommended!

Sharing the same Universe as the recent “Venom” films, “Morbius” (known to Marvel Comics fans as Morbius: The Living Vampire) didn’t exactly light the world on fire commercially when it was released in early 2022. Criticized for its screenplay, performances, visual effects, and everything in between, it managed to eke out a tiny profit, but was nowhere near as successful as properties produced entirely by Marvel Studios. The film is meant to possibly set up a possible Sinister Six films (as evidenced by the awkward mid-credit scenes), but also lead into the world of Blade, with the possible inclusion of Spider-Man at some point. Nevertheless, Sony seems to have gotten off to an unfortunate start, releasing a series of films (Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage included) that don’t exactly match the quality of their Disney-owned counterparts. Even so, it’s good to see a franchise expand into different factions, much like the original comics, which went into a myriad of directions with multiple characters from varying storylines and universes. But at this juncture, Morbius is the least-accepted among the Sony-produced Marvel films.

Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is a brilliant doctor and scientist afflicted with a blood illness that leaves him weak and unable to walk without assistance. He grows up in a hospital environment under the care of Dr. Nicholas (Jared Harris) alongside his friend and surrogate brother Milo (Matt Smith), who is also afflicted with the same disorder. He spends his life searching for a cure, revolutionizing medicine with the invention of synthetic blood, but it’s not enough. He eventually begins conducting secret, illegal experiments with vampire bats, making himself a guinea pig for testing. His experiments are a success, but the results transform him into a living vampire, equipped with superhuman abilities and a thirst for blood. Martine (Adria Arjona), a fellow scientist and close friend, discovers what Michael is doing and attempts to help him, but not before someone else steps in and helps themselves to the cure, performing the same feats and killing people in their wake. Hot on the trail are a pair of FBI agents, Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) and Stroud (Tyrese Gibson), and Michael must now focus all of his energies on undoing the effects of the cure while stopping whomever is framing him for murder.

The question at hand: Is “Morbius” as bad as the internet would lead one to believe? Of course not. It’s not the worst thing ever, but it’s not a home run either. It’s mediocre to poor for most of its running time, though it has some interesting ideas. But was this a case of a studio tinkering with their product to the point of nearly killing it prior to its release? Maybe. Judging by the multiple rounds of reshoots before it hit theaters, something certainly seems to have been amiss. It’s also not clear how much Sony knew about the outcome of Spider-Man: No Way Home since Morbius was originally meant to take place in the same universe. As evidenced by the end result, it doesn’t. Spider-Man is only mentioned once and Adrian Toomes’ character apparently had more interaction with Michael Morbius in the film’s first trailer. So was Marvel Studios up front with their Sony partners about the direction that the Spider-Man series would take? You be the judge.

In any case, “Morbius”is a terrible film for many people, so much so that internet trolls have inadvertently given the film a new life as a possible cult item. But whether it will reach the same plateau as the recent Cats film—similarly released, re-released, and adjusted by the studio before being laughed off of movie screens—remains to be seen. I personally found sections of the film to be mildly entertaining and others not so much, but it’s definitely not up to par.

“Morbius” was captured digitally in a variety of formats by cinematographer Oliver Wood (Die Hard 2, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, The Bourne Identity)  The film was finished as a native 4K Digital Intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio (which means it’s a digital film). The Blu Ray release isn’t quite as robust as its 4K Ultra HD counterpart, but it’s still strong. Because the film was shot in such high quality, the same excellent depth is on display. The CGI mostly blends with the live action elements, although a few sequences certainly stood out, including the opening moments of Michael standing outside of a cave filled with bats. Blu Ray detail is lessened in comparison to its 4K counterpart, but it’s still a great high definition presentation of the film.

The main audio option is English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The Dolby Atmos track included on the 4K Ultra HD release is a knockout and more powerful than this standard DTS-HD option, but it’s still a muscular track in its own right. Dialogue exchanges are clear and precise while the surrounding speakers are given plenty to work with, from quiet ambient moments to LFE-powered explosions and gun fire. Sound effects whiz by all around the sound stage while the score is offered an abundance of aural authority. In short, both soundtracks will give your system a great workout.

My conclusion, MORBIUS may be a good outing for die hard fans only, but for anyone else, it’s a sub-par film that truly has plenty of potential but fails to explore it. 

 Michael Bay is a name you either love or hate. And many times, whether you love him or hate him depends on what movie of his you’re watching at the time. I personally love Bay. Back in the 90s and early 2000s he was the KING of “stupid”action movies. The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys, Bad Boys II: the list goes on and on and on. Heck, even the Transformers movies of his were mega blockbusters and good dumb fun until they got so repetitive that even this reviewer started to get weary of them. Well, after Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017 Michael Bay pretty much went radio silent as a director (outside of doing that Netflix exclusive 6 Underground back in 2020) and I thought he had pretty much run his course. Then I started hearing rumors this year of Bay coming back to what he does best, dumb comedy, and I was intrigued. At this point I was just a BIT worn out from his last several Transformers movies, but then I started hearing reports of how Ambulance was actually a fun movie, a huge hit, AND a return to form the master of explosions himself.

Now, I’m not exactly one to shy away from dumb action. I love Jake Gyllenhaal, I love explosions, and the trailer looked like a lot of fun, so when the disc came to review from my friend, I strapped in and just let the joyride begin. Our story starts out with a hardened EMT named Cam Thompson. She’s become jaded after having spent years saving people’s lives and letting them off at the hospital, but today she’s about to learn just why she does what she does. Segue over to our other main hero, Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an ex-Marine who is up to his eyeballs in debt and no way to save his wife from dying of cancer without a big influx of cash. Luckily (or not so luckily maybe) for him, his adopted brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a prolific bank robber who Will has been staying away from for quite some time. Well, Danny boy has a job for Will and it’s enough to net them MILLIONS. It’s a simple bank robbery where they go in, get out, and get filthy stinking rich. Danny just needs a driver for his crew, and this is Will’s lucky day. Yeah, we already know that things don’t exactly go as planned. A teach of special SIS agents from the L.A.P.D. SWAT department have been keeping tabs of Danny’s crew for weeks, and upon exiting the building Danny’s men are mowed down in a hail of gunfire. However, Danny and Will make their escape by hopping on Cam Thompson’s Ambulance and using it to make a daring escape with $16 million worth of cash, lots of guns, and a wounded cop on board. The best way to describe Ambulance is that it’s part Bad Boys, part heist movie, and 3 parts Speed. 90% of the movie takes place withing the Ambulance as Will and Danny outrun cops, blow things sky high, and figure out a way to get the heck out of dodge and away with their money.

On the surface the movie is ridiculously dump and simple. It’s Speed with an Ambulance. Except there’s no Dennis Hopper maniacally keeping everyone on track, and Jake Gyllenhaal is absolutely hamming it up to level 11 as the loveable/hateable/psychotic/brilliant Danny Sharp. But Michael Bay is a skilled surgeon when it comes to doing pure action, and he’s right at home in his element here. Things blow up with such reckless abandon that I was laughing myself silly with this huge grin over my face the entire time. And Jake Gyllenhaal is such an insane villain/hero that you want him to die, but you want him to actually get away at the same time.

The charm is just delicious, with Michael Bay winking and nodding at his own films (they actually make jokes about The Rock and Bad Boys throughout the runtime) and while Danny is main attractant, Garret Dillahunnt almost matches Jake blow for blow with his over the top commando routine.

I’m gonna come out and say it. This is Michael Bay doing what Michael Bay does best. When they asked him “what kind of movie do you want Michael? Do you want to do Bad Boys? Do you want to do Speed? And how many explosions do you want”, his response had to have been “yes, all of it”. The movie is stupid, the movie is shallow, but it’s kept alive with sheer adrenaline and the charisma of everyone involved. I’m not wild about Yahya Abdul-Mateen the II, but he does well as Will, but it’s really Jake and Garret who just eat the scenery up like only Peter Stormaire can do in a Michael Bay film. Yeah, it’s not perfect, it gets a little hokey near the end, but Bay keeps the adrenaline pumping so hard and so fast that you don’t have time to slow down and analyze things to death. This is Bayhem with Baysplosions everywhere, and if you’ve seen his previous big name works, you know what the man is capable of. So buckle in and prepare for unlimited ammo, unlimited wise cracks, and a LOT of explosions.

Video:

Using a variety of RED cameras and finished in a native 4K master, Ambulance ROCKS onto 2160p with a stellar encode that blows the already great 1080p Blu-ray straight out of the water. The disc is just about perfect, with razor sharp details, incredible background shots, and nonstop kinetic movement that never gets blurry or artifacts. Quite literally this is one of the best looking encodes that I’ve seen in a long time, with only minor elements of softness when in Papi’s lair, or some of the CGI looking a little bit wonky in 4K. I didn’t notice banding or other major elements at play with the encode. HDR is silky deep, as the color tones tend to be cool blue or slightly amber, and bright red blood just splashes everywhere. The green of the spray paint over the vehicle stands out sharply and with deep saturation, and as I said, except for some mild haziness inside Papi’s lair, this is just about PERFECT.

Sound:

Did I mention this was a Michael Bay movie? It goes without saying that this is a reference level Atmos mix that just tears the walls down with abject fury. The score pulsates with deep bass energy from the first few moments of the movie, and the sound stage is just awash with chaos, Bayhem and carnage from every angle. Bullets bounce off the car at the rear, ricochet to the front of the sound stage, all the while tires screech, the score throbs, and cars blow up upon impact at just about every facet of the run time. Yeah, this is pure Bay awesome sauce, and if you like them big, like them loud, and like the bass to just punish you brutally, then this is the mix for you.

Conclusion:

Ambulance is silly, but it’s silly fun. I love it! High octane energy with Jake Gyllenhaal absolutely LOVING every second of his hammy role. It’s dumb fun, and dumb fun in a way that I haven’t seen for YEARS in cinema. Action movies have become so stale recently, that I really feel like this and Top Gun:Maverick pretty much saved cinemas. The 4K UHD disc is also nothing short of superb, with good extras, a killer video encode and a Michael Bay approved audio mix that will tear the walls down. Recommended as good sloppy Michael Bay fun. The Blu-ray is no slouch either, which tends to shine brighter than 4K but obviously less defined. Sound is great on Blu-ray but you only get the Atmos track on the 4K disc. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

“Legend” has always been one of my favorite films growing up. Tim Curry plays the role of Darkness is probably one of the best performance (and make-up jobs ever). This new Blu-ray from Arrow Video is packed with two different versions of the film: the U.S. Theatrical Cut originally released in North America in 1986, and the Director’s Cut first released on DVD in 2002. Both cuts are included with their original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 surround sound tracks.

It is cool to know that Arrow Films exclusively restored the U.S. Theatrical Cut has been for this release. The original 35mm camera negative were scanned in 4K resolution and restored in 2K. The Director’s Cut is presented in the 2011 HD master approved by director Ridley Scott. It is hard for me to choose which cut is my favorite. Obviously, I grew up with the theatrical cut and only within last 20 years has the director’s cut surfaced.

Official Premise: In an idyllic, sun-dappled forest, the pure-hearted Jack (Tom Cruise) takes his true love Princess Lili (Mia Sara) to see a pair of unicorns frolicking at the forest’s edge. Little do they know, however, that the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry, in a remarkable make-up designed by The Thing’s Rob Bottin) has dispatched his minions to capture the unicorns and sever their horns so that he may plunge the world into everlasting night. After Lili and the unicorns are taken prisoner, Jack must team with a group of forest creatures and descend into Darkness’ subterranean lair to face off against the devilish creature before it is too late.

Arrow Video like always packs this release with amazing special features that make hardcore fans drool. This release also includes an illustrated book, a large fold-out double sided poster, six double sided postcard sized lobby card reproductions, and limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve. There is commentary tracks on both cuts and there is also isolated music tracks on the theatrical cut. There are a bunch of in depth featurettes with archive footage from the production. As well as storyboards, trailers and so much more. If you are a fan of this film or have never seen it and looking to explore this release is definitely the one to start with!

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

“My Stepmother Is an Alien” is a lost comedy/sci-fi classic from 1988. It packs a stellar cast of Dan Aykroyd (“Ghostbusters”), Kim Basinger (“Batman”) and Jon Lovitz (“North”) Alyson Hannigan, (TV’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”). It is a fun silly movie that I haven’t seen in over 30 years and probably wouldn’t have ever seen again if it wasn’t for this release from Arrow Video.

Official Premise: When widowed astronomer Steve Mills (Aykroyd) inadvertently causes a gravitational disruption in deep space, a race of hyper-advanced alien lifeforms sends one of their own to investigate, disguised in the alluring human form of Celeste (Basinger). Tasked with seducing the lovelorn Steve in a bid to gain access to his scientific research, Celeste finds herself falling for the man she’s been sent to swindle. But they’ve not counted on Steve’s young daughter Jessie (Hannigan), who’s none too thrilled by the prospect of a new mother – especially not one from another planet.

For a 1988 film, “My Stepmother is an Alien” looks solid on Blu-ray. It’s 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 aspect ratio are on point and looks great. The film was restored in 2K by Sony Pictures Entertainment and was 4K scanned from the 35mm Original Picture Negative. IT also features a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch and first pressing will also include an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Amanda Reyes.

The special features are really the only letdown on this release. There is an Audio Commentary track by from film critic Bryan Reesman. There is a short audio interview with director Richard Benjamin. Lastly there is a trailer and image gallery included. Regardless of the lack of extras, this is still a great release and is a must own for fans of this cult classic!

Actors: Annie Murphy, Mary Hollis Inboden, Eric Petersen, Alex Bonifer, Brian Howe, Raymond Lee
Run time: 5 hours and 54 minutes
Release date: ‎November 16, 2021
Studio:‎ IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT

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

If you are a fan of “Schitt’s Creek” and love Annie Murphy like I do, this new show “Kevin Can F**K Himself” is a winner. Definitely darker than “Schitt’s Creek”, Murphy gets to take a rather different role here and she nails every second she is on the screen. I love how the show work that when she is with her husband everything is lit up and laugh track plays but once she closes the door or walks out where she is alone everything gets a little more real and we get some great comedy/drama throughout the season. The show was already renewed for season 2 and will release on AMC+ and AMC in 2022, so can’t wait here!

Created by Valerie Armstrong (“Lodge 49”), Kevin Can F**K Himself is directed by Anna Dokoza (“Up All Night,” “Flight of the Conchords”) and Oz Rodriguez (Vampires vs. the Bronx, “A.P. Bio”). The series stars Emmy winner Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”), Mary Hollis Inbodin (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Eric Peterson (“Kirstie”), Alex Bonifer (“Superstore”), Brian Howe (“Vice Principals”), and Raymond Lee (“Here and Now”).  

Official Premise: Allison McRoberts is the prototypical Sitcom Wife married to Kevin, her self-centered husband. When she learns that the perfect future she envisioned is impossible, she teams up with her neighbor Patty as she attempts to escape her confines and take control of her life. A completely original new dark comedy, Kevin Can F**K Himself shows what happens when you leave the brightly lit sitcom set and see the reality behind the laugh track.

The Blu-ray looks amazing with the differences between the dark and light scenes. I also noticed differences in the score when the set changes, I didn’t notice that the first time I watched on TV, so the audio track definitely delivers. In terms of special features, there are a few behind-the-scenes featurettes. First up we have “A Look at the Series”, then we have “Meet the Characters”, which dives into our cast and lastly there is “Making of the Show”, which is worth checking out for sure. I would have loved to see a commentary track or two. Well, there’s always season two.

Director: ‎Sion Sono
Run time: ‎1 hour and 42 minutes
Release date: November 16, 2021
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Bill Moseley, Nick Cassavetes, Tak Sakaguchi
Studio: Image Entertainment

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

When I see Nicolas Cage coming up in a movie, I am first in line with my money out! “Prisoners of the Ghostland” was no different, especially with the film being branded with Cage’s quote “The wildest movie I’ve ever made”. My expectations were wicked high. Damn, what a let down. If you want to see Cage’s “wildest movie” that definitely has to be “Mandy” from 2018. Hands down, bat shit crazy! This film tries way to hard and fails on nearly every turn.

The film is directed by this (self-proclaimed) acclaimed Japanese director, Sion Sono (Why Don’t You Play in Hell), I have never seen any of his films and after this I want to keep it that way. Other than Nicolas Cage (Mandy) there isn’t any talent for him to work with. Sofia Boutella (The Mummy), Nick Cassavetes (Face/Off), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Franchise), Tak Sakaguchi (Tokyo Tribe) and Yuzuka Nakaya (The Forest of Love) also co-star. Kudos do need to go to Joseph Trapanese (Tron: Legacy, The Greatest Showman), who composed the original score.

Official Premise: “Prisoners of the Ghostland” is set in the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town where a ruthless bank robber (Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within three days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman—and his own path to redemption.

As a Nicolas Cage hardcore fan, I am obliged to see all of his films and if you are in the same boat as me, I know you are going to at least be curious about this film. But personally, I wouldn’t purchase this Blu-ray. I would though try and purchase the separately-available 4K/Blu-ray Steelbook. That’s just my opinion. In terms of a Blu-ray, this film does have a 1080p presentation (but it would look better in 4K) and a solid DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track. Sadly, there is only one quick featurette, The Making of Prisoners of the Ghostland, included on this release.

Director: Liesl Tommy
Release date:‎ November 9, 2021
Actors: ‎Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Tituss Burgess, Audra McDonald
MPAA rating: ‎PG-13
Running Time: 2h 25m

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

Who doesn’t love the beautiful voice of the Queen of Music, Aretha Franklin?! The film stars Oscar® and Grammy® Award winner and vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) as legendary singer. I didn’t know this when watching but Hudson was actually hand selected by Aretha herself for the role. It was a role that Hudson was born to play. She hits every note with love and respect (See what I did there 😉 ) for the late singer.

Official Premise: Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career — from a child singing in her father’s church choir to her international superstardom — it’s the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.

Besides the lovely Hudson, the all-star ensemble cast includes Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker (Black Panther, The Butler), Marlon Wayans (Sextuplets, Fifty Shades of Black), six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald (Beauty and The Beast, “Private Practice”), Marc Maron (Joker, “Glow”), five-time Emmy Award® nominee Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), and Grammy® Award winner and Academy Award® nominee Mary J. Blige (Mudbound, Rock of Ages) along with Tony Award® nominees Saycon Sengbloh (“The Wonder Years”, “Delilah”) and Haley Kilgore (“Amazing Stories”). There is no shortage of talent in this film.

As you can image the soundtrack for this film would be very important. Well, this Blu-ray includes a solid Dolby Atmos 7.1 audio track, which perfectly features Jennifer Hudson’s uplifting vocal performances of 17 Aretha Franklin classic songs along with the original song “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)”. The song sound amazing on this track and deliver the spirit of Franklin perfectly.

The special features include all-new exclusive bonus content including behind-the-scenes featurettes about Jennifer Hudson’s transformation into the Queen of Soul, director Liesl Tommy’s filmmaking process, the creation of the beautiful sets and custom wardrobes, Aretha’s experience at Muscle Shoals, and more taking audiences deeper into the empowering story and world-renowned chart-topping music that has become a global anthem for strength, independence and positivity. If you are a fan of the movie these extras are a solid addition to this release.