Starring: Michael Ironside, Jennifer O’Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Stephen Lack, Lawrence Dane
Director: David Cronenberg
Number of discs: 3
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Criterion Collection (Direct)
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Run Time: 103 minutes

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

David Cronenberg has really affected up my taste in films over the years. I remembered the first time that I watched “Scanners”, I didn’t know anything about the director but I instantly fell in love.  That is one thing that I have always loved about Croneberg’s films is that they are rather timeless. “Scanners”,”Videodrome”, “The Fly”, “Naked Lunch”, eXistenz”. These are all films that are just as good as the very first time that I saw them.  They are extremely unique and cannot be duplicated. This film has never been released on high-def Blu-ray in the States (though we do already have “Scanners 2 & 3” on Blu-ray, thanks to Shout! Factory). Leave it to Criterion for giving an amazing film like this an even better release. This comes with a brand new, restored 2K digital film transfer, which was supervised by director David Cronenberg and includes an uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray.

Official Premise: With Scanners, David Cronenberg plunges us into one of his most terrifying and thrilling sci-fi worlds. After a man with extraordinary—and frighteningly destructive—telepathic abilities is nabbed by agents from a mysterious rogue corporation, he discovers he is far from the only possessor of such strange powers, and that some of the other “scanners” have their minds set on world domination, while others are trying to stop them. A trademark Cronenberg combination of the visceral and the cerebral, this phenomenally gruesome and provocative film about the expanses and limits of the human brain was the Canadian director’s breakout hit in the United States.

Instead of telling you all the details, I will let the linear notes tell you the techy details: “Supervised by director David Cronenberg, this new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from a 35mm interpositive at Vision Globale in Montreal; the color grading was done at Deluxe Toronto. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS and Pixel Farm’s PFClean, while Digital Vision’s Phoenix was used for small dirt, grain, and noise management. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm Dialogue/Music/Effects magnetic track. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, AudioCube’s integrated workstation, and iZotope RX 3.

So if you understand what all that technical specs mean, this film looks just amazing. If you disagree, you might catch me starring at you very intently…wait a second…and…BOOM! Unlike the Australian Blu-ray, which has a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, this Blu-ray includes an LPCM 1.0 surround track, which is much more impressive. The score is just so outstanding, I would have loved to seen an isolated audio track. This director approved dual-format Blu-ray and DVD, also comes with an amazing illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Kim Newman. I look forward to Criterion releases so much because they really put a lot of effort into these releases and don’t settle for less than perfect. Plus take a look at this cover art, isn’t it just amazing and there is different version inside the case as well!!

Like always Criterion has delivered a jam-packed Blu-ray with amazing extras. “The Scanners Way” is a brand new documentary film and includes interviews with director of photography Mark Irwin, special makeup artists Stephan Dupuis and Chris Walas, special effects supervisor Gary Zeller, and visual effects specialist Rick Baker talking about the production. This was was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2014 by Michael Lennick, a Toronto-based documentarian and visual effects designer and supervisor (Videodrome). “Mental Saboteur” is a brand new video interview, actor Michael Ironside, who plays Darryl Revok, reflecting on his role. This was able produced by Criterion this year.

“The Ephemerol Diaries” is a video interview from 2012 with actor Stephen Lack, who plays Cameron Vale, discussing his work on the film. We get excerpts from the “The Bob McLean Show” from the March 10, 1981 episode with David Cronenberg. A real treat definitely has to be David Cronenberg first completed feature, “Stereo”, is included, which he did in 1969. It stars Ronald Mlodzik, Jack Messinger, and Iain Ewing and runs just over an hour. Lastly there is a trailer and three original radio spots included. If Criterion is reading this PLEASE give Cronenberg’s “eXistenZ”, the Blu-ray treatment next. It has only been given a rather poor Echo Bridge Blu-ray and needs some love.

Starring: Haley Joel Osment, Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Victor Garber
Director: Richie Mehta
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Run Time: 92 minutes

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

When I saw that Haley Joel Osment was starring in a new science fiction time travel drama, I have to admit, I was rather curious. The kid hasn’t really done much major since his breakout role in “The Sixth Sense”. Along with Osment, it comes stocked with a great cast Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”), Rufus Sewell (“Dark City”) and Victor Garber (“Alias”). Great performances and a nice spin on the time travel genre, this film is entertaining throughout and packs a nice surprise. Worth checking out for sure.

Official Premise: An accomplished physicist (Rufus Sewell) mysteriously disappears on a business trip. Abandoned, his wife (Gillian Anderson) and son Erol (Haley Joel Osment) struggle to cope. Years later, now a young scientist himself, Erol uncovers papers, formulas, a machine, and a mind-bending possibility. But time travel is impossible. Isn’t it? Erol’s obsession to find his father and restore his family will throw him into the unknown and possibly threaten his life. What would you do to repair the past?

The 1080p transfer is solid and delivers with the sci-fi aspect of the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works with the rather impressive score. The special features aren’t anything special. There is a short 12 minutes behind-the-scenes making featurette, which looks into various aspects production including the music. Lastly there are three short deleted scenes included.

Actors: Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx, Rodrigo Santoro, Leslie Mann, Jake T. Austin
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Directors: Carlos Saldanha
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Run Time: 101 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

When I saw that “Rio 2” was being released, I wasn’t really super excited for it. It is one of those kid flicks that was good but nothing special at all. What “Rio 2” does have is a fantastic A-list cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Bruno Mars, Miguel Ferrer, Jamie Foxx, Rita Moreno, Jemaine Clement and Kristen Chenoweth. The sequel is a bit of a mess in terms of story but it is quite pretty to look at and my two year old daughter enjoyed it quite a bit as well.

Official Premise: Blu (Eisenberg), Jewel (Hathaway) and their three kids are living the perfect domesticated life in the magical city that is Rio de Janeiro. But when Jewel decides the kids need to learn to live like real birds, she insists the family venture into the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in with his new neighbors, he worries he may lose Jewel and the kids to the call of the wild.

20th Century Fox is giving this film the Deluxe Edition treatment including a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy. One thing this film does use well is the added third dimension. The flying scenes are great and very well executed. There are a few other gags were the added format works well additionally. I watched this in 2D also and it was just as enjoyable, so to me that is a win win, especially since my daughter doesn’t do the glasses well.

The 1080p transfer overall is just extremely solid. The colors in the film are outstanding and the animation just so crisp and sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 was a delight as well since the film is packed with very fun music. I actually think that that was my favorite part of the film was the music, in that sense it reminded me of “Happy Feet 2”, terrible movie but fun music.

Besides amazing audio/video, Fox jam-packed this Deluxe Edition with some fun special features for the parents and the kids. “Boom, Shake, Snap: The Local Sounds of Brazil -The Bodybeats of the Barbatuques” is a three part featurette including “How to Play the Barbatuques!”; “Rhythmic Rio” and “The Upbeat Uakti Jam”. “Birds and Beats: The Singing Talents of Rio 2” looks into the voice talent that bring these characters to life. “Nigel the Shakespearean Cockatoo and Friends” is a fun feature on the character that Jemaine Clement voices.

If you didn’t get jist of this movie having to do with music and dancing, it is drilled home with “Music, Dance, Sing-Along Machine”, which is a three part collection of music that will get you up and shaking that butt. With “Music Machine” we get 10 songs including “What Is Love”, “Beautiful Creatures” and “I Will Survive”. In the “Dance-Along” there are 4 songs including “Ô Vida” and “It’s a Jungle Out Here”. In the “Sing-Along”, there are 6 songs including “Welcome Back” and “Don’t Go Away”. “You Be the Judge” is a collection of funny auditions from Tapir, Monkey and Turtle.

There are music videos for “What is Love?” Music Video by Janelle Monáe and a multi-language sequence for  “I Will Survive”. Lastly, there is is a deleted scene, still hallery, theatrical trailers and a “Rio Refresher” included to catch you up from the first film. So there is not much in terms of the production itself but these are fun and very entertaining features for the whole family to enjoy.

Starring: Luci Christian, David Matranga
Director: Shinji Aramaki
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

“Appleseed Alpha” is based on the original manga by “Ghost in the Shell” creator Shirow Masamune. This series has had a great life to do starting in 2004 with the first film “Appleseed” and in 2007 with “Appleseed Ex Machina”, this CG-animated film is a prequel to the series and one of the best installments to date. I love the new look of this film and I couldn’t take my eyes of the TV. Luci Christian and David Matranga return as the voices of Deunan and Briareos as well. If you are looking for a state-of-the-art action packed CG film, look no further.

Official Premise: Left to survive in a post-World War society, two mercenary soldiers – Deunan and her cyborg partner Briareos – are sent on a mission on the outskirts of their war-torn city. During the operation, they run into Iris and Olson, two citizens from the utopian city of Olympus, who might have a way to save the world but the ruthless Talos and the scheming warlord Two Horns have their own plans. It’s up to Deunan and Briareos to safeguard their newfound contacts and help save humanity’s last hope.

Sony is releasing this film as a combo pack including Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The 1080p transfer was simply amazing. I immediately fell in love with the the animation style. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track was easily the highlight though with a killer music soundtrack. This film includes some great songs from today’s top international music artists, including Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE), Skrillex & Alvin Risk, androp, CAPSULE, DJ FUMIYA (RIP SLYME), PASSEPIED, Q;indivi+, tofubeats, AKLO, 80KIDZ, nishi-ken, and RAM RIDER. In terms of special features, there is a great filmmaker commentary track with director Shinji Aramaki and 11 making-of featurettes that track the cover the film from script to screen.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: July 29, 2014
Run Time: 137 minutes

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

Director Darren Aronofsky has come ALONG way since his first film “Pi”, which was shot for $60,000 and mostly without permits etc. Now he is making $120 million dollars films and I saw good for him since he is a great director. “Noah” is the theatrical re-telling of the story of Noah’s Ark from The Bible. This film has had a lot of controversy surrounding it but I actaully really enjoyed it. It has a fantastic cast including Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, whom all deliver great performances. The film is paced well and is visually stunning. Plus it is cool to find out it was partly shot in Long Island, NY (my hometown). Make not be straight from the pages of the Bible, which is not a bad thing, but this is a very visually entertaining movie. Key word being that exactly…movie!

If you don’t know the premise for this film, then you probably shouldn’t be seeing it. But here it is anyway “Noah (Crowe) suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge before taking measures to protect his wife (Connelly), children and thousands of animals from a coming flood.” I love that before the film they had to put the following text in to make everyone happy. “The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.” This is a movie people not a freaking biopic…chill out.

Paramount is delivering “Noah” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD included. They have also created one of the best Blu-ray presentations that I have seen all year. The 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer is absolutely fantastic. You can see that a lot of work went into this film in post and the digital effects are superb and very detailed. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is also outstanding. Since this is taken from the Bible, it is quite epic and the when the flood comes raise the volume and just enjoy this great well-balanced track.

The special features included on this release are good and add up to about an hour of extra content. I would have loved to seen a commentary track but these are still solid. “Iceland: Extreme Beauty” focuses on the shooting in Iceland, it’s benefits and difficulties and contains some great behind-the-scenes footage. “The Ark Exterior: A Battle for 300 Cubits” talks about planning and building of the film’s ark. It also includes some great on-set footage. “The Ark Interior: Animals Two by Two” is a deeper focus on the ark and the process that went into bringing it and it’s passengers to life.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Mireille Enos, Joe Manganiello, Max Martini, Josh Holloway
Director: David Ayer
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 109 minutes

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

Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t really been up to his prime recently with his latest films outside of “The Expendable” franchise. They have been decent (except “The Last Stand”) but not big draws at the box office. “Sabotage” is no different in that department but it is quite a wild ride. It is low-key yet very gritty, gory, in-your-face and actually quite awesome. It is from the director of “End of Watch” and the writer of “Training Day”. and it really has that same kind of feel as those films, which is a great thing. This is definitely not your typical Schwarzenegger films and that is also a good thing. Action fans, should check this out!

Official Premise: When DEA task force leader Breacher Wharton (Schwarzenegger) storms a heavily armed cartel safe house, rogue members of his team use it as a cover to steal $10 million in cash. But just when they think their secret is safe, agents begin to be killed off one-by-one and everyone becomes a suspect, including the squad itself.

Besides Schwarzenegger, “Sabotage” packs a solid cast including Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway and Mireille Enos. Great talent here and the ensemble really works well together. I think this film should have received much more attention. People just see it is “another Schwarzenegger comeback” and look the other way. I think we are going to see some great things from director David Ayer. If you haven’t seen “End of Watch”, I also highly recommend that…stunning film.

Universal delivered “Sabotage” as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. Universal also delivered again with a fantastic Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p is fantastic, like I said gritty and dark but with a really nice polish on it. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which works well with the film’s action. Now we get to the special features, which are a big let down for me. There is a short behind-the-scenes look with “Making of Sabotage” and few alternate endings and deleted scenes included.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman
Director: Wally Pfister
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Running Time: 118 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Man oh man, when I heard that “Transcendence” was terrible, I just couldn’t believe it. Executive produced by Christopher Nolan and directed by his long-time cinematographer Wally Pfister and starring Johnny Depp, how could you go wrong? Damn, this was a terrible movie. This was really the Rebecca Hall show anyway, whom I am not a fan of. The story is so messy and it seems like they wanted to take this in WAY too many directions and it ended up failing in all of them. Plus when you find out this cost $100 million dollars and just wonder…how? Check Mr. Depp’s pockets. Leave this one for basic cable unless you really are bored…and want to be more bored.

Official Premise: Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they’ve also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed; to be a participant in his own transcendence.

Warner is releasing this as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD and UltraViolet Digital HD digital copy included. The 1080p looks great with the very few visual effects included. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works for the score, which is not that great anyway. The special features includes four featurettes. The first is “What is Transcendence?”  looks into the concept with cast and crew. “Wally Pfister: A Singular Vision” focuses on the director and the production. “Guarding the Threat” is a debate about the dangers of “transcendence.” “The Promise of A.I.” gets prove from actual scientists and the filmmakers. Lastly there are two viral videos and trailers included.

Own “Transcendence” on Digital HD now and on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD on July 22nd.

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Actors: Derek Hough, BoA
Director: Duane Adler
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 110 minutes

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

I am getting a little tried of the same movie every time. I can deal with the “Step Up” films because they are amazing to look at and have great dancing but even they are wearing on me. “Make Your Move” is the latest dance from from the co-writer of “Step Up” and “Save the Last Dance”. It makes too big mistaking casting non-actors, Derek Hough from TV’s “Dancing With the Stars” is an outstanding dancer…actor not so much. Same goes for Korean pop star BoA, great singer…not a wonderful actress. Plus the film is nearly two hours long, I was yawning and rolling my eyes and not so much sitting on the edge of my chair by the time this ended.

Official Premise: The music is pumping, the dance floor is moving and Donny (Derek Hough, TV’s “Dancing With the Stars”) stops when he sees the beautiful Aya (Korean pop star BoA) performing with her hip-hop Cobu crew at the hottest underground club in New York. They come from two different worlds, but they speak the same language — dance. When the couple finds themselves in the middle of a bitter rivalry, they must choose between family ties or their love for each other. Now, they must make their move.

Sony usually has been really good about Ultraviolet digital copies but this one does not include one, which is a bit odd. I am not sure why they pick and choose which release gets it and which doesn’t. The 1080p transfer works well with the dance scenes, as does the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks, which delivers with the tunes. In terms of special features we get a commentary track with Writer/Director Duane Adler & Choreographers Napoleon & Tabitha D’umo, a featurette “Making the Moves” and a few Deleted Scenes.

Actors: Greg Kinnear, Thomas Haden Church
Director: Randall Wallace
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

Normally, I am not a huge of inspiration faith based films but this one drew me in right from the trailer. I went to catholic school all my life and I was an alter boy for many years, but I still don’t know where I really stand with faith. This is based on the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent. Greg Kinnear really gives a fantastic performance here, I got to give it up to him. While I was a little skeptical here, I could still recommend it to those faith crazy people for sure and those in the middle like myself as well.

Official Premise: Heaven is for Real recounts the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. Starring Academy Award® nominee Greg Kinnear (Best Supporting Actor, As Good As It Gets, 1997) as Todd Burpo, the real-life father whose son Colton claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton shares the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth … things he couldn’t possibly know.

Sony is releasing this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD and Ultraviolet digital copy. Solid 1080p transfer & DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. here are some decent special features as well continuing the inspirational journey. First we get a featurette ““Colton Goes to Heaven””, which takes us behind-the-scenes into the task of bringing the book to the big screen. There are also two Blu-ray exclusive featurettes. ““The Making of Heaven is For Real” look into the production itself with cast interviews. ““Creating Heaven” talks about the films religious themes. Lastly there are six deleted scenes included.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Run Time: 106 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Scarlett Johansson playing a man-eating alien? Sounds good to me! “Under the Skin” is definitely one hell of a unique film. Most of it feels very unscripted, which is was, and feels like you are watching from a hidden camera, which you were. Scarlett Johansson is literally fantastic in the role, she is emotionless, erotic and just amazing. The film is so strange and different, so if you are expecting big special effects etc, look somewhere else. This has a very minimalist feel to it and is driven by an amazing (and extremely disturbing) score by Mica Levi. Plus Ms. Johansson strips down for the first time very artfully, which is not a bad sight but also at the same time a little strange. Watch it and you will know what I mean. Definitely not for everyone but I haven’t stopped thinking about this creepy little film.

Official Premise: A voluptuous woman of unknown origin (Johansson) combs the highways in search of isolated or forsaken men, luring a succession of lost souls into an otherworldly lair. They are seduced, stripped of their humanity, and never heard from again. Based on the novel by Michel Faber, Under the Skin examines human experience from the perspective of an unforgettable heroine who grows too comfortable in her borrowed skin, until she is abducted into humanity with devastating results.

Lionsgate is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + UltraViolet included. Like I mentioned above, the film has a very handheld look and feel to it, so the 1080p transfer varies. There are some shots though that are just stunning and look absolutely amazing. I especially loved the alternate dimension scene in the run down house, really well shot. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also a real winner for this release. Mica Levi’s score is creepy as well and really sounds amazing. There is only one special feature called “Making of Under the Skin” but it is split up into multiple featurettes focusing on various aspects of the film. I would have loved to see a commentary track included to help explain various aspect deeper of this film.

Mill Creek Entertainment  is releasing six new titles to their Blu-ray catalog on July 22nd. We have the following Matthew Robbins’ “The Legend of Billie Jean” (1985), Phil Joanou’s “Gridiron Gang” (2006), Joel Schumacher’s “Flatliners” (1990), Luis Llosa’s “Anaconda” (1997), John McTiernan’s “Last Action Hero” (1993), and Mike Newell’s “Donnie Brasco” (1997). We received four of these six to review for the site but the results are in and we are not very impressed with these releses.

“Anaconda” Official Premise: A film crew headed by anthropologist Steve Cale and director Terri Flores journey through a river to find a mysterious Indian tribe and shoot a documentary on them. They save a guy called Paul Sarone from a sinking boat. He offers to help in their search for the tribe, but he is actually a snake-hunter looking for legendary anaconda snake, and when Cale is bitten by some tropical insect, Sarone takes over the boat.

I do not think that “Anaconda” is a very good film today. It thought it was good when I saw it in theaters many years ago but it certainly hasn’t stood up to time. This is the not the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray either. It was put out back in 2009 by Sony Picture. It had a solid 1080p transfer, as does this, and a rocking Dolby TrueHD 5.1, unlike this. This Blu-ray only trumps a Dolby Digital 2.0 track, which is barely DVD quality in today’s standards. It also includes no special features of any sort, though the 2009 Blu-ray was bare bones as well.

“Donnie Brasco” Official Premise: Posing as jewel broker Donnie Brasco, FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone (Johnny Depp) is granted entrance into the violent mob family of aging hitman Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). When his personal and professional lives collide, Pistone jeopardizes his marriage, his job, his life and, ultimately, the gangster mentor he has come to respect and admire. From acclaimed director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), and featuring an extraordinary supporting cast including Michael Madsen, Anne Heche, Bruno Kirby and James Russo, Donnie Brasco is “one terrific movie!” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone).

Being an Italian man with a huge Italian family, it is hard not to quote this film at least once a month. It’s a fugazi!! “Donnie Brasco” has also been released before by Sony Pictures dating back to 2007. Though in that release only the Extended Cut was included. This release now only includes the Theatrical Cut. The 2007 Blu-ray included a nice LPCM 5.1 track and a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, while this one only includes the latter. That is two for two of these new releases from Mill Creek with only DVD quality audio. Top it out with no special features, even though 2007 release extras sucked they at least still has something.

“Flatliners” Official Premise: An ambitious, charismatic medical student persuades his classmates to take part in a reckless experiment. To see if there is life after death, they will kill themselves: temporarily shut down (“flatline”) their heart and brain functions to briefly experience clinical death. Their horror begins when they realize that although they’ve come back alive… they haven’t come back alone.

It has been many years since I last watched this film, it is still a great ride. “Flatliners” has continued to flat line for their Blu-ray releases. In case you are not seeing a trend here. This film has also previously been released by Sony on Blu-ray dating back to 2007. It came with disappointing 1080p transfer and a flat LPCM 5.1 audio track. This release continues that trend but also only includes a Dolby Digital 2.0 track for the audio, which fares even worse than the original. Lastly, there are no special features included at all, which though matches the previous release.

“Last Action Hero” Official Premise: Danny Madigan knows all the first 3 Jack Slater movies in and out. The 4th one is just about to be released too, and with a magical ticket Danny really gets to know that movie in and out too, literally speaking. During one of the action climaxes Danny is transported into the movie, into a world following other rules than the real one. Benedict, one of the evil guys, gets hold of the ticket and escapes out to the real world, a world where evil guys can actually win. Danny and Jack follow him back to the real world to get back the ticket and stop Benedict from killing the actor playing Jack.

“Last Action Hero” was never my favorite Schwarzenegger film. It has its moments but nothing too memorable. This film like the past three has received a Blu-ray release back in 2010 from Sony Pictures. It includes easily the best audio and video of the four combined. Though the 1080p transfer holds up with this release, once again we are missing out on a solid action packed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for a lame Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There are no special features included either but in case you are skipping around here, none of these have any extras included.

So I know these don’t sound to flattering from but if you like these films, it is worth the less than $10 bucks to pick them up. They are not stunning Blu-ray releases at all but they are worth a few bucks if you have a hankering to revisit these films and do not already own them, just as long as you aren’t looking for an impressive release you will not be disappointed.

Starring: Rod Serling, William Shatner, Burgess Meridith, Bill Mumy
Directed by: Ida Lupino, James Daly, Douglas Heyes
Not Rated
Studio: Image Entertainment
Release date: July 4, 2014
Running time: 425 mins

Episodes: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

In what is being touted as a 55th Anniversary Edition (the show began in 1959), Image Entertainment has released a collection of seventeen of the best and most memorable episodes of the ground breaking television series “The Twilight Zone.”

Conceived by the great Rod Serling, “The Twilight Zone” was one of the first television programs that not only entertained but made you think about society and the choices made by the people in that society. It was also a show about irony. A book-loving bank teller finds that the world has been altered by war and finds himself surrounded by thousands of volumes in the local library. Then he breaks his glasses. Or the seemingly sane man who sees a gremlin on the wing of the plane he’s currently flying on. Or the man who goes for a walk in his old home town and discovers that, in the Twilight Zone, you CAN go home again.

Among the classic episodes included here include the three referenced above (“Tme Enough At Last,” “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and “Walking Distance.”) Other popular episodes in this collection include “To Serve Man,” “The Masks” and “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street.” These episodes also boast casts made up of some of the most popular actors of the era (or those that would go on to be) including Shatner, Meridith, Ron Howard, Gig Young, John Carradine and Cloris Leachman.

These seventeen shows are a fine way to start your collection if you’re a “Twilight Zone” fan and a great way to discover one of the best shows ever put on television if you’re not.

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Starring: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Julie Estelle, Ken’ichi Endô, Kazuki Kitamura
Director: Gareth Evans
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Run Time: 150 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“The Raid: Redemption” was easily one of the biggest surprises of 2011. The film is a non-stop 100 minute action scene. I literally was sweating when it ended and definitely missed a few breaths when watching it. “The Raid 2” doesn’t disappoint at all and even amped up the ante quite a bit from the first film. I honestly didn’t think it was possible but they literally are like 5x more insane. What is also good is that you don’t have to have seen the first film to enjoy the sequel. “The Raid 2″ is also on a much bigger scale as well”. So if you love action films and unbelievable fighting scenes and stunts…do not miss this film.

Official Premise: Following immediately after the events of THE RAID, Rama (Iko Uwais) is forced to reinvent himself as an undercover cop in order to provide protection for his wife and child. Working for the anti-corruption taskforce led by the one person he can trust, Bunawar, he is given a mission to engage himself as an enforcer for a local mob boss, Bangun. Finding a way in through Bangun’s son Uco, Rama must hunt for information linking Bangun with police force corruption. All the while, he harbors a dangerous and personal vendetta for revenge and justice that threatens to consume him – and bring both this mission and the organized crime syndicates crashing down.

“The Raid 2” is also one of those films that I would recommend watching on Blu-ray if possible. We were only able to get stuck with a DVD though for this review, which is funny because the same thing happened with the first film as well back in 2011…seeing a trend here. Another reason besides audio/video is that there are some great special features that are missing on the DVD here. What we get is an English Dub track, along with the original track obviously, there is an commentary track with director Gareth Huw Evans and two featurettes including “The Next Chapter: Shooting a Sequel” and “Cinefamily Foundation Q&A with Gareth Huw Evans, Iko Uwais & Joe Trapane”.

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Actors: Martin Short
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: NCircle Entertainment
DVD Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 60 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

When you are a parent, you cannot stop your kids from watching TV. I mean, first of all just the look on my daughter’s face when she is really taken in by a show is just so cute. So the best thing you can do is hope that what they are watching isn’t going to fry their brains (yes, this is coming from the guy that cannot stop watching “Adventure Time”) and be somewhat educational. Well PBS’ animated series “The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That!” is definitely one of those shows. Plus Martin Short is just a blast as The Cat in the Hat.

The following episodes are includes in this DVD release: “Maps!”, “Incredible Journey”, “I See Seeds”, “Sniff and Seek”, “Go Snails Go!”. Nick and Sally follow the Cat in the Hat on some amazing journey’s while pretending to be pirates, meet a fish named Salmon Sam, find out about how trees send seeds flying through the air, floating on water, and hitching rides on animals to avoid overcrowding, play sniff and seek with Whiffy the skunk and explore the forest of Slippity-Goo and learn about snails.

Since discovering this show, it has quickly become one of my two year old’s favorites on TV. The show is not only fun but also extremely educationally. Even for mommy and daddy, when the music comes on in each episode, I think we are singing just as loud as our daughter. “Go, go, go, go on an adventure.” I do not think a day goes by without us singing those words. There is plenty of fun to be had here and the title “Let’s Go on an Adventure!” definitely gets lived up to. I just hope my daughter doesn’t wear out this DVD before then.

Actors: Robert Kerman, Gabriel Yorke, Francesca Ciardi, Perry Pirkanen, Luca Barbareschi
Directors: Ruggero Deodato
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Grindhouse Releasing
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Run Time: 96 minutes

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

When it comes to cannibal movies, “Cannibal Holocaust” is easily #1. The film is also easily one of the most controversial films ever made. I remember seeing this in the horror isle at my local video store, looking at the VHS tape and seeing “Banned” all over it. I knew immediately that I needed to see this film. It also (along with “The Beyond”) introduced me to Italian horror films. Having seen this film 20 years ago and watching it today, it is still as absolutely unsettling as it was back then. Would I ever let my own daughter see this film, absolutely not!, but that doesn’t make it any less kick-ass! (Honey, if you are reading this 15 years from you, I am sorry). If you are a horror fan, I cannot recommend picking up this outstanding release any more. Worth every single penny!

Official Premise: Banned and heavily censored the world over, here is a film that surpasses its reputation as a shot-gun blast to the senses. Cannibal Holocaust presents the “found footage” of a group of four documentary filmmakers who experience brutal death at the hands of a savage South American tribe of flesh-eaters. This footage is so intense, so graphic and so unflinching in its realism that the director and producer of Cannibal Holocaust were arrested upon its original release and the film seized.

Grindhouse Releasing is a great independent distributor and they have really stepped up and put their names on the map with this release. The company is founded by Sage Stallone and Bob Murawski, who is also an Academy Award-winning film editor of films like “The Hurt Locker” and “Oz: The Great and Powerful”. It is companies like this that horror fans should be thankful for because they are the ones that restoring and delivering these cult classics films a wonderful presentation on Blu-ray. If you are looking for some other classic horror, cult and exploitation films, Grindhouse has much more coming up including, one of my all-time favorites like I said above, Lucio Fulci’s “The Beyond”, Duke Mitchell’s “Gone with the Pope” and S.F. Brownrigg’s “Scum of the Earth”.

When I see the words, “Deluxe Edition” being used on a Blu-ray release, I usually shrug my shoulders and think “Yeah yeah, aren’t they all!” Well this three-disc Deluxe Edition is what a damn release. It includes two  Blu-rays as well as a newly remastered soundtrack CD of the original score by Riz Ortolani (“Mondo Cane”) presented in an absolute stunning 24bit/96khz sound and taken from the original studio master tapes. Audiophiles are going to go crazy for this no question!  Speaking of audio the Blu-ray also comes with a brand new digital stereo re-mix and original mono mix. The 1080p transfer for this found footage film puts today’s crap to shame with a new high-definition digital restoration of the original director’s cut.

When it comes to special features, this release is not only jam-packed it is over flowing. There are two full feature-length commentary tracks with director Ruggero Deodato and star Robert Kerman, as well as with stars Carl Yorke and Francesca Ciardi. There are brand new really in-depth interviews with Ruggero Deodato, Francesca Ciardi, assistant director/co-star Salvo Basile and cameraman Roberto Forges Davazati. There are classic vintage interviews with Robert Kerman, Carl Yorke and Oscar-nominated composer Riz Ortolani. There is an extensive still galleries and theatrical trailers from around the world, which is a blast to check out for sure!

Just to further prove that Grindhouse didn’t just get the rights to release “Cannibal Holocaust” and just threw it out there for sale. They included a super cool glossy 24-page booklet containing liner notes by director Eli Roth, legendary horror journalist Chas. Balun, Euro-music expert Gergely Hubai and Italian exploitation film authority Martin Biene. There is also a uncensored and shocking reversible cover with original art by notorious illustrator Rick Melton underneath the embossed slip cover. If that isn’t enough there are still tons of great Easter eggs including the Grindhouse Releasing theatrical re-release premiere and Necrophagia music video directed by Jim VanBebber and much more.