Starring: Billy Campbell, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jordan Hayes, Neil Napier, Luciana Carro, Patrick Baby
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 550 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

A few years ago, I would be all over anything that Syfy has delivered up but recently that has changed, especially after “Defiance”. “Helix” though is a great new show that is simple and yet not showy but still quite a wild ride. After the disaster of “Defiance”, I appreciated how they turned down the visual “wow” and focused on a good story with a strong character driven cast. With “Helix”, I literally loved each episode and couldn’t wait to see the next! It takes a little while to get started but once it does …watch out! Can’t wait for Season 2 coming in 2015!

Official Premise: Helix is an intense thriller about a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control who travel to a high-tech research facility in the Arctic to investigate a possible disease outbreak, only to find themselves pulled into a terrifying life-and-death struggle that holds the key to mankind’s salvation or total annihilation.

Sony is releasing this show as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The first season’s 13 episodes are spread out over the 3-disc Blu-ray set. The 1080p transfers work great for the show. The show doesn’t have a ton of visual effects but it still looks great and quite sharp. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround, which works for the shows action and gives out clear dialogue.

The special features are also very impressive for this release. There are two Blu-ray exclusives including “Fabricating the Plague”, which gives a look into the virus in various stages. “Writing the Tension” takes us into the process of writing this series. There are two commentary tracks included. The first is on the Pilot with Billy Campbell and Cameron Porsandeh. The second is on “Dans L’Ombre” with Billy Campbell and Steven Maeda.

There are four production featurettes included. “Ronald D. Moore: The Outlier of Science Fiction” is a feature on developing this series. “The Future of Disease” is a look into the mysterious disease of Helix. “The Art of Isolation” takes on a tour of the set with the Production Designer. The last one is “Dissecting the Characters” which is a study of the show’s characters and relationships. Lastly there are Deleted Scenes and Outtakes included.

Starring: Regina King, John Witherspoon, Jill Talley, Gary Anthony Williams, Gabby Soleil, Cedric Yarbrough
Studio Name: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Rating: Not Rated
Run Time: 225 minutes

Season: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

A few years ago, I used to watch every single thing that Adult Swim put out…except “The Boondocks”. The show was based on Aaron McGruder’s comic strip, which I always skipped over and never connected with the show either.  I do have to give the show credit since it is quite smart and definitely politically incorrect and filled with satirical in-your-face humor. This fourth season is also the last season and also the first that was produced without the involvement of series creator Aaron McGruder.

Official Premise: At long last, “The Boondocks” is back in the uncut, uncensored, unpredictable final season of the controversial, award-winning animated series. Granddad, Huey, and Riley find themselves neck deep in all new kinds of trouble as money woes lead to desperate measures. From breaking bad in an RV chem-lab to senior citizen streetfights, times have never been wilder in the sleepy suburbs of Woodcrest.

The show did have a great voice cast including Regina King (TV’s “Southland”), John Witherspoon (“Friday”), Cedric Yarbrough (TV’s “Reno 911!”), Gary Anthony Williams (TV’s “Raising Hope”), Jill Talley (TV’s “Adventure Time”) and Gabby Soleil (TV’s “Cold Case”). This season also includes guest stars like Michael B. Jordan (“Chronicle”), Dennis Haysbert (TV’s “24”) and Edward Asner (TV’s “Lou Grant”).

When it comes to special features, this season does not deliver much either. If anything, I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks for sure. There are two featurettes includes, the first is “Boondocks Beats”, which look into music for the series. the only other extras is “A Writer’s Perspective”, which features Rodney Barnes talking about his inspiration when writing for the series. If you love this show and don’t have the previous three seasons, I would pick up “The Complete Series” which was also released today.

Starring: Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Mimi Rogers, Kris Lemche, Jesse Moss, Peter Keleghan
Director: John Fawcett
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 108 minutes

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

It is crazy to think that next year “Ginger Snaps” will be celebrating it’s 15th anniversary. I remember it came out when I was working at a video store and I remember purchasing it for the store after falling in love with it. I used to push it at every horror fan that walked in the store. The film features some great gore and pretty awesome visual effects and a refreshing original spin on the werewolf genre. It also introduced us to Emily Perkins and Katharine Isabelle, who has been recently taking off the horror genre with gems like “American Mary”. If you never happened to catch this film, now is the time to do it for sure and horror hounds, this is a must purchase.

Official Premise: Fifteen-year-old Brigitte Fitzgerald (Emily Perkins) and her nearly-sixteen-year-old sister Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) are both best friends and outcasts. Obsessed with dying and bound by a childhood pact to stay together forever, they loathe their mind-numbing existence in the suburbs of Bailey Downs. One night the two girls are heading through the woods when Ginger is savagely attacked by a wild creature. Ginger’s horrible wounds miraculously heal over, but something is not quite right about her. Ginger is irritable and in denial. But to Brigitte, it is obvious that a terrifying force has taken hold of her sister. She’s convinced that the insatiable craving her sister is experiencing can mean only one thing: Ginger is becoming something unspeakably evil and monstrous.

Shout! Factory is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD. I would love to see them get into the HD Digital Copy world soon, since this is a film that I would love to have in my Ultraviolet account. There is a nice slipcase included as well as a reversible cover. The 1080p transfer looks fantastic from the gore to the transformation scenes. I really enjoyed it. Same goes with the DTS-HD Master Audio track. It really sounds great film’s music and score by Michael Shields. 

The special features are a real winner and makes this release a must have for the extras alone. There are brand new interviews with director John Fawcett, writer Karen Walton, actors Emily Perkins and Jesse Moss, Producer Steve Hoban, Make-up Effects artist Paul Jones, Composer Mike Shields and Editor Brett Sullivan. If that isn’t enough new content, there is also a new panel discussion, “Women in Horror”. I really enjoyed this and any fan of the series, should definitely check it out.

There are two audio commentary tracks included. First with Director John Fawcett and also second with Writer Karen Walton. Those two also join together to give optional commentary on a few Deleted Scenes. There are three Vintage Featurette including “The Making of Ginger Snaps”, “Creation of the Beast” and “Being John Fawcett”. Lastly there are Cast Auditions and Rehearsals, Theatrical Trailers/TV Spots and a Production Design Artwork Photo Gallery included.

Starring: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Director: Frank Pavich
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

If you are not familiar with Alejandro Jodorowsky by name, he is the mastermind behind classic midnight movies like “El Topo” and “The Holy Mountain”. His films have gained cult status over the years and he is also responsible for a slew of amazing comic books as well. Back in the 70’s, Jodorowsky was attempting to tackle his biggest project yet,– a feature film adaptation of Frank Herbert’’s futuristic best-seller, “”Dune”.” Director Frank Pavich finally uncovers stories and goes behind-the-scenes into the saga of “The Greatest Science Fiction Movie Never Made.” Included are interviews with H.R. Giger (artist, Alien), Gary Kurtz (producer, Star Wars: Episodes IV and V) and Nicholas Winding Refn (director, Drive) and of course, Jodorowsky himself, who gives such a personal interview. Easily one of the best documentaries that I have seen in the last few years. A must watch!

Official Premise :In 1975, director Alejandro Jodorowsky began work on his most ambitious project yet. Starring his own 12-year-old son alongside Orson Welles, Mick Jagger, David Carradine and Salvador Dalí, featuring music by Pink Floyd and art by some of the most provocative talents of the era, including H.R. Giger and Jean “Moebius” Giraud, Jodorowsky’s adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel DUNE was poised to change cinema forever.

In this documentary, Jodorowsky gave director Frank Pavich access to his production materials on this failed project, including the legendary hard-bound book with was the entire film laid out in story boards. Just being allowed a peak in this film is worth watching alone. Pavich also got a chance to animated a few of these story boards, so we get a chance to see maybe what some of the film would have actually looked like. I would have loved to seen this film come to fruition since it would have been amazing. Jodorowsky is a very interesting and quite deep director and above all man. This film was the winner of the Audience Award and Best Documentary at the 2013 Fantastic Fest and if you are a Sci-Fi fan you need to see this film for sure.

Sony is delivering this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD. I would have loved it if they included a Ultraviolet HD digital copy as well. The 1080p transfer is fantastic. I know it might not seem like a big deal because it is a documentary but there is tons of great footage and animation included that looks so good. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also works well with composer Kurt Stenzel score, which I absolutely love! In terms of special features, there is only one extra included but it is quite the whopper. There are over 45 minutes of deleted scenes included. One of my only complaint of this film was when it ended, I wanted it to be like an hour longer…and here is the extras footage I was asking for. A must watch again!

Starring: Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Betty White, Brendan Gleeson, David lewis
Director: Steve Miner
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 82 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When you see a film like “Lake Placid”, you think it’s just another killer animal flick…but this was much more. It was written by the incredible talented David E. Kelley (“Ally Mcbeal”, “Boston Legal”) and was directed by horror legend Steve Miner (“Halloween H20”, “Friday The 13th Part 2”). It also packs great cast including Bill Pullman (“Independence Day”), Bridget Fonda (“Jackie Brown”), Brendan Gleeson (“In Bruges”) and Oliver Platt (“X-Men: First Class”). It is crazy to think that this film is already 15 years old but that is the case but the film is still as good as it was the first time I saw it. The visual effects are still solid and the croc is still damn scary. If you happened to miss till film till now, pick it up!

Official Premise: When a man is eaten alive by a mysterious creature in the beautiful Lake Placid area of New England, New York scientist Kelly Scott (Fonda) arrives to investigate and, examining the evidence, soon confirms that the creature is a giant crocodile. Teaming up with local game warden Jack Wells (Pullman) she uses state-of-the-art equipment to attempt to track down and capture the huge beast. But when they finally encounter their prey, it seems determined to give them a run for their money.

The 1080p transfer is good and work well with the crocodile effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds good as well, especially with John Ottman’s score. The special features are a hit as well. Shout! really delivered some great NEW content. “The Making of Lake Placid” features new interviews with director Steve Miner, actor Bill Pullman, director of photography Daryn Okada, editor Marshall Harvey, Production Designer John Willett, Effects supervisor Nick Marra and Puppeteer Toby Lindala. There are also a Vintage Featurette featuring interviews with actors Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Brendon Gleason, Bette White and director Steve Miner. There is also some great Animatronic Croc Test Footage, Behind the Scenes Still Gallery and TV Spots and a Theatrical Trailer are included.

Actors: Gerard Kennedy, John Jarratt, Ryan Corr, Philippe Klaus
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Image Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 106 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Maybe I am getting old but torture films really don’t do it for me anymore. “Wolf Creek” was a 2005 Australian horror film that has collected a bit of a cult classic. I saw it once and completely forgot about it, to be honest. I wasn’t really expecting or hoping for a sequel. Well, either way here it is and it is more brutal and violent that the first film, but like I said that doesn’t necessarily mean a good thing. I could be losing my taste for the unnecessary “violent” gore, violent being the key word. John Jarratt does play a good baddie though with the infamous local killer Mick Taylor. I just personally would have left this as the one film.

Official Premise: Lured by the promise of an Australian holiday, exchange student Paul visits the notorious Wolf Creek Crater. His dream Outback adventure soon becomes a horrific reality when he encounters the site’s most infamous local, Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). When Paul attempts to flee, Mick pursues him across a hostile wasteland and eventually drags him back to his underground lair. After seeing the true magnitude of Mick’s monstrosity, Paul’s only hope of surviving, where no one has before, will be to use every ounce of cunning to outwit the man behind the monster.

Image is releasing this film as a Blu-ray combo pack with a DVD also included. The 1080p transfer is actually quite impressive. I loved the way the film was shot and it was quite gritty yet also sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also worked well with the action and bone-breaking violence (if you like that short of thing). In terms of special features, there is only two quick extras included. “Creating a Monster: The Making of Wolf Creek 2” is a look behind-the-scenes into the making of the film. Lastly there is a few deleted scenes included under “Butcher’s Cut”.

Actors/Directors: Derek Lee, Clif Prowse
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 86 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Afflicted” is the latest found-footage horror film from newbie directors Cliff Prowse and Derek Lee. This film took home awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay (Horror Feature category) at the 2013 FantasticFest, as well as many other festivals. I liked it enough and it was pretty clever but I just feel like I am getting a bit tired of the whole found-footage genre. Just seems like every young director is taking that route and it feels over saturated no matter how original this film is.

Official Premise: This terrifying horror thriller follows two best friends who set out on the trip of a lifetime around the world. Their journey, documented every step of the way, soon takes a dark and unexpected turn after an encounter with a beautiful woman in Paris leaves one of them mysteriously afflicted.

Since this is a found footage film, it has that shot on high-def handheld feel. Nothing special audio or video. The special features included on the Blu-ray are nothing to scream about either. There are some never-before-seen deleted scenes and two featurettes. The first is ““Afflicted: Behind the Scenes””, which takes you on the set of the film and into the making of the film. The other is ““Anatomy of a Scene: The Window Jump”, which looks into the mix of practical stunt work and visual effects used to film this action sequence.

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Starring: Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson, Byron Minns, Kym Whitley, J.B. Smoove, Clifton Powell
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Rated TV-MA
Running Time: 264 minutes
Release: Jul 15, 2014

Season: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Black Dynamite” is an animated series based on the 2009’s cult classic feature film. Made with the direction of Carl Jones (“The Boondocks”), the series features the voice talent of Michael Jai White (“The Dark Knight”), Tommy Davidson (“In Living Color”), Kym Whitley (“The Cleveland Show”) and Byron Minns (“Mongo Wrestling Alliance”), all who were all in the film. I was excited about this show being a fan of the movie but it gets old very fast. By episode three, the fad of this being funny is long gone. This show hasn’t aired since September 2012 and yet Adult Swim supposedly has renewed it for a second season it air sometime in 2014, but it is already nearly July so not sure what is going on, nor do I really care to be honest. Put it this way if you like “The Boondocks”, which I do not, then you will love this show.

Official Premise: The series’ titular character Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a 1970s renaissance man with a kung-fu grip. He is a lover and a fighter who is not afraid to leap before he looks. His sidekick extraordinaire is Bullhorn, the brains and cunning that complements Black Dynamite’s hard-hittin’, bone-crushin’ style. Providing comic relief on the mean streets is Cream Corn (Tommy Davidson) and classing up the place is the gorgeous Honey Bee (Kym Whitley).

What I do have to give to this show is a star for a it’s great episode titles: 1. “Just Beat It or Jackson Five Across Yo’ Eyes”; 2. “Bullhorn Nights or Murder She Throats (a.k.a Mandingo’s Got a Pink Toe)”; 3. “Taxes and Death or Get Him to the Sunset Strip!”; 4. “A Crisis at Christmas or The Dark Side of the Dark Side of the Moon”; 5. “Panic on the Player’s Ball Express or That’s Influenza Sucka!”; 6. “The $#*! That Killed The King or Weekend At Presley’s”; 7. “Apocalypse, This! or For the Pity of Fools (AKA Flashbacks Are Forever)”; 8. “Honky Kong or White Apes Can’t Hump”; 9. “The Race War or Big Black Cannon, Balls Run!”; “10. Seed of Kurtis AKA Father Is Just Another Word For Motherf#@ker”

Warner Bros is delivered this release as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer works with the animation and looks good. But The Cartoon Network/Adult Swim Blu-ray’s always fall short in the audio department. This season only comes with a Dolby Digtal 5.1 track, which is a DVD track not a Blu-ray track. So that is a bit of a let down. In terms of special features, there is some decent content. There is a behind-the-scenes look into this show with “The Making of Black Dynamite”. There are also video commentaries with the cast and crew on selected episodes, which made watching them a little easier but not much. Lastly also included is the pilot episode for “Black Dynamite”.

Actors: Anthony Chan, Richard Ng, Chin Siu-Ho, Kara Wai, Nina Paw
Directors: Juno Mak
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 105 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

I love J-horror or Japanese horror films…or at least I think I do. The last few I have watched haven’t been bad but freaking terrible including “Tormented”, “Sadako” etc. “Rigor Mortis” has a really cool poster so it won me over (and I don’t mean this cover art for the Blu-ray, that is a failure). So with this film, I obviously went in with a bad attitude but I was pleasantly surprised. The story had its moments were it was awesome and at the same time super confusing. The visual effects also range from great to absolutely terrible. Either way this was a big improvement over the last few and worth checking out.

Official Premise: In this eerie and chilling, contemporary, action/special effects laden homage to the classic Chinese vampire movies of the 1980 s, writer-director-producer, Juno Mak makes his feature directorial debut. Co-produced by J-Horror icon Takashi Shimizu, and reuniting some of the original cast members of the classic Mr. Vampire series, RIGOR MORTIS is set in a creepy and moody Hong Kong public housing tower whose occupants we soon discover, run the gamut from the living to the dead, to the undead, along with ghosts, vampires and zombies.

I don’t know what is going on with horror recently but they just isn’t scary anymore. Films like “Ju-on” and “The Ring” are scary, this isn’t scary at all. This was even co-produced by Takashi Shimizu, who directed “Ju-on”, but even he has fallen far his J-horror seat. The 1080p transfer looks good and works with the visual effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio track sounds good enough with the eerie score, I just left that it missed the mark with the scares. Lastly there are no special features included besides a trailer.

Actors: Johnny Knoxville, Greg Harris, Spike Jonze, Jackson Nicoll
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 86 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are familiar with the “Jackass” film series, you should be used to the “.5” films in the series since everyone of the films has had one, like “Jackass 3.5” etc. Basically what they consist of are brand new never-before-seen pranks. “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5” is being sold as an “all-new, uncensored movie” and normally it would be fine but “Bad Grandpa” had somewhat of a plot. This is more of a behind-the-scenes look into the film with additional gags throughout. So I really do not feel that is so much of a movie as it is a special feature. Now don’t get me wrong it is still very funny, there are some really solid jokes in there but definitely not as as good as “Bad Grandpa”.

Official Premise: BAD GRANDPA .5 gives you a whole new perspective on the world of Irving Zisman with unbelievable bonus scenes and hilarious pranks also featuring Academy Award-winner Spike Jonze (as “Gloria”) and Oscar®-nominee Catherine Keener (as Irving’s wife “Ellie”)…plus a look at the evolution of Johnny Knoxville’s naughty alter-ego, the Academy Award-nominated makeup effects, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the idiocy it takes to make a hidden camera movie in public.

The Unrated film is available now exclusively to download or stream at digital stores including Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Google Play, iTunes, Sony Entertainment Network, Target Ticket, VUDU and Xbox Video. When the film comes out Blu-ray on July 8th, there will be over 40 minutes of additional footage including a round table discussion with Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze and director Jeff Tremaine about the evolution of Irving Zisman, a series of pranks gone bad, outtakes and more. If you enjoyed “Bad Grandpa” and just looking for a little more pranks, I could recommend checking this out.

Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 1175 minutes

Season: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 43.5 out of 5 stars

The sixth season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is easily one of my favorites. Each of the show’s characters have been developed so well by this point. This show was also airing the same time as “Deep Space Nine” but this season was still one of the most strongest of the series. Patrick Stewart really delivered some of his best performances with the following episodes “Chain of Command, Parts 1 and 2”. Also season six includes several well-known recurring characters, most importantly being Montgomery Scott, the Enterprise engineer from the Original Series, who is found alive and adjusting to the twenty-fourth century. This is also the second to last of the seasons, which means that most likely later this year this “Star Trek: The Next Generation” will be available complete on Blu-ray.

Here is the episode list for this season: Time’s Arrow, Part II; Realm of Fear; Man of the People; Relics; Schisms; True-Q; Rascals; A Fistful of Datas; The Quality of Life; Chain of Command, Part I; Chain of Command, Part II; Ship in a Bottle; Aquiel; Face of the Enemy; Tapestry; Birthright, Part I; Birthright, Part II; Starship Mine; Lessons; The Chase; Frame of Mind; Suspicions; Rightful Heir; Second Chances; Timescape and Descent, Part I. Brent Spiner’s dual performance as Data and his father Dr. Noonien Soong in “Birthright” are fantastic. Of course like I said above, the two part episode “Chain of Command” is literally one of the best arcs. Also Riker (Jonathan Frakes) copes with a bizarre identity crisis that pits him against himself in “Second Chances”.

Like the five seasons before this one, Paramount has consistently delivered this series with amazing releases. These episodes are newly remastered within their 1080p transfers.  The visual effects look better and overall the show just feels much sharper.  Since this show was shot on video and the special effects were set in their masters. They really went to town and delivered an impressive release yet again. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, which is a such a treat for this series. I literally just got a new 7.1 surround sound system and I couldn’t help but turn it up to 11.

The special features are a step up again and deliver some great extras. There is are three audio commentary track included. The first is with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Relics”. Next is an audio commentary with Ronald D. Moore and Mike & Denise Okuda on “Tapestry”. Lastly there is an audio commentary with James L. Conway and Jonathan West on “Frame of Mind” . There are a few “Archival Mission Log” over first five discs focusing on “Mission Overview Year Six”, ” Bold New Directions”, “Departmental Briefing Year Six: Production and Dan Curry”, “Special Crew Profile: Lt. Cmdr. Data”, “Select Historical Data” and “Inside Starfleet Archives: Sets and Props”.

There are brand new deleted scenes on the following episodes Time’s Arrow, Part II, Relics, True Q, Ship in a Bottle, Face of the Enemy, Tapestry, Birthright, Part II, The Chase and Rightful Heir. The real star of this release is easily the brand new, three-part documentary “Beyond the Five Year Mission – The Evolution of Star Trek: The Next Generation” featuring fascinating interviews with cast and crew. Lastly there are episodic promos on each on the six discs and a new gag reel included.

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Rumiko Takahashi’s classic martial arts romantic comedy Ranma ½ is back! In Mach, Viz Media released the first 23 episodes of the popular anime series “Ranma ½” and this month we are already getting “Set 2”, which includes the next 23 episodes. With 56 episodes in the bag already this series is on fire with this new revival. I have been having flashbacks of my younger days watching this show on bootleg VHS that I got from a friend, who got it from a friend. I cannot wait for the next release from Viz Media and I hope that they continue to release this series quickly since I cannot get enough of it.

Official Premise: Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan s rule. Things get a little crazier when Shampoo falls into a cursed spring and turns into a cat! And even crazier when Mousse, who is in love with Shampoo, challenges Ranma to a battle over…Ranma s fiancée, Akane…? Back at the Tendo dojo, Ranma s dad, Genma, and Akane s dad, Soun, receive a visit from their former master, Happosai. Around the same time, some of the neighborhood ladies find their undies are disappearing… Is Happosai responsible, or is it just a coincidence?

Like the first set of episodes, these 1080p transfers are absolutely stunning with high quality encodes created using the original Japanese Blu-ray masters. Fans are able to enjoy each episode with an uncropped, 4:3 aspect ratio. These episodes are also arranged in the original Japanese episode order. There are both lossless tracks available for the original Japanese (with English subtitles) and the English dub, and a secondary subtitle track is available for signs and songs. The box presentation also for this set is amazing coming in a premium chipboard box with gold foil stamping with art illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. Inside it also includes an exclusive art card and a 32-page booklet with episode summaries

The special features aren’t as impressive as the first set. “We Love Ranma Part 2: Favorite Scenes” is a collection of notable scenes in these episodes. There is “Next Episode Previews” for the upcoming set. Lastly there are Clean Opening Animations and Clean Closing Animations for the episodes. After the decent extras in set 1, I was hoping that this was going to be the trend for these releases. I hope that they pick up the slack with set 3 and future installments after that. Still though for the outstanding video and audio on this Blu-ray will make this worth it alone for any anime fan.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Owen Wilson
Director: Wes Anderson
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was no question one of my most anticipated films of 2014. It is also since seeing it one of my favorites. The film is absolutely stunning and like all Wes Anderson films completely out there. It is funny and yet romantic at the same time. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has an ultra all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Léa Seydoux and Harvey Keitel. Let’s not forget the hotel, which is a like a character itself. This is beautifully shot. If you are a Wes Anderson film, you will not be let down!

Official Premise: The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune — all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” comes to Blu-ray in a combo pack including a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer is nothing short of a masterpiece. The film switches between a wide array of aspect ratios including 2.39:1, 1.85:1 and 1.33:1, which is the bulk of film. I really enjoyed the way that Anderson and his cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman decided to be very experimental with the way they shot this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also works perfectly with the dialogue and score.

Since all of Wes Anderson’s films make their way to Criterion Collection, they are going to have a hard time topping the audio and video tracks. But they definitely have room to improve in the special features, which are ok but nothing spectacular like the film. “Bill Murray Tours the Town” is short featurette with the actor visiting locations. There are three short Vignettes, which run under 10 minutes. There are three promotional featurettes focusing around “The Making of The Grand Budapest Hotel”, the “Cast”, director “Wes Anderson”. Lastly there is a Stills Gallery and Theatrical Trailer.

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Starring: Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Bobby Campo, Caitlin FitzGerald, Beau Bridges, Nicholas D’Agosto
Directors: John Madden, Michael Apted
Number of discs: 4
Rated: TV-MA
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 677 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Masters of Sex” is based on Thomas Maier’s biography “Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love”. The Showtime Original Series aired its first season last year, which consisted of 12 episodes. This is a smart, clever, sexy and very fun show. Showtime has renewed “Masters of Sex” for a second season, which will premiere on July 13th, so keep an eye out for more of this great show.

Official Premise: Based on the book by Thomas Maier, Masters of Sex stars Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominee Michael Sheen and acclaimed actress Lizzy Caplan, who portray the real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The series chronicles the unusual lives, romance and pop culture trajectory of Masters and Johnson and the effect their research had on the family and colleagues around them. Their study ignited a sexual revolution and took them from a Midwestern teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine.

The show perfectly cast the amazing Michael Sheen (“TRON Legacy”) as Dr. William H. Masters and Lizzy Caplan (“True Blood”) as Dr. Virginia E. Johnson. These two have great chemistry together and really deliver some amazing performances. Co-starring alongside them are Nicholas D’Agosto (“Final Destination 5”) as Dr. Ethan Haas, Beau Bridges (“The Descendants”) as Provost Barton Scully and Allison Janney (“Finding Nemo”) as Margaret Scully.

The DVD includes the following special features, an audio commentary with Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears, Michelle Ashford & Sarah Timberman on the show’s pilot episode. “Making Masters of Sex” is a behind-the-scenes look of the series. “A Masterful Portrayal: Michael Sheen as Dr. Masters” is a feature on the beloved actor and his taking on the role. “Ahead of Her Time: Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson” is a the same thing for the lead actress. Lastly there are deleted scenes included.

Actors: Michael Palin
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 220 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I see the title “Brazil With Michael Palin”, I can’t help but think about fellow Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film “Brazil”, which also co-starred Michael Palin. This is a 2012 documentary miniseries hosted by the the Monty Python member is making its debut on Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S. In fact, after Python, Palin began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. Besides Brazil, he has traveled across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas and Eastern Europe. He has written books and filmed documentaries on his travels. If you are curious to see a different side to funnyman Palin, this is a great miniseries.

Official Premise: Brazil in the 21st century has become a global player. With a booming economy and massive social changes, there is a swagger to this once-sleeping giant, but what do we know of it apart from football and carnival? Michael Palin has travelled across most of the globe over the years, but never to Brazil. In this four-part series he crosses the country as big as a continent to find out what makes it tick. Meet remote tribes who pit their survival skills against gold diggers and loggers. Dance with witches. Watch the new World Cup stadium rise in Brasilia. In the entertaining company of your good-humored host, you’ll delight in the spectacular landscape, food, music, beach life and unique cultural heritage of this rising global power.

The episodes included on this Blu-ray are “Out of Africa, “Into Amazonia”, “The Road to Rio” and “The Deep South” Going from the lost world of Amazonia to the big city of of Rio de Janeiro, Palin allows us to join him as he meets the people and visits these amazing places that helped shape our nation. The 1080p transfers on these episodes are simply stunning. These located are extremely beautifully filmed whether it is of the remote tribes on the Venezuelan border to the modernist
 buildings of Brasilia or my favorite the spectacular Iguaçu Falls, this Blu-ray is sure to get you considering a trip to these wonderful locations.

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