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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Starring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Director: Richard Lester
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Criterion Collection
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 87 minutes

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

The Beatles is one of the best bands EVER. They have changed pop culture forever. Their music is eternal and will never be forgotten. I can sum this Blu-ray up in one word…SPECTACULAR. If you are a Beatles fan, you NEED this release. If you don’t have a Blu-ray player, go out and buy one! “The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night” was released on Blu-ray back in 2009 to a pretty poor release. If you felt burned that one all you need to know is that this is being released under the Criterion Collection and that means perfection. The music in this film is just so amazing. Tell you that you don’t belt out these classic Beatles tracks like “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Tell Me Why”, “If I Fell”, “And I Love Her”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, and “I Should Have Known Better” while watching or even thinking about this film.

Official Premise: In 1964, the Beatles had just recently exploded onto the American scene with their debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The group’s first feature, the Academy Award-nominated “A Hard Day’s Night,” offered fans their first peek into a day in the life of the Beatles and served to establish the Fab Four on the silver screen, as well as to inspire the music video format.

Criterion is releasing this as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The film itself has been recently given a spectacular 4K restoration from the original camera negative for this Blu-ray. Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.75:1, I cannot stress how stunning this transfer looks. 5/5 stars is simply not high enough. Also this release is also director approved, so you can not just take my word but also Richard Lester’s word. The black and white is so sharp looking and you couldn’t tell that this was shot nearly 50 years ago.

Since The Beatles are obviously known for their music, the audio tracks on this release are very important. There are a few different tracks on this Blu-ray. My favorite has to be the LPCM mono track. It is extremely clear and the songs are very well balanced. When I cranked up a few of the songs, they just sounded absolutely perfect. Same goes for the dialogue in the film, it sounded great as well. There is also a new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which was made by Apple Records. Personally, this track works best with the songs, of course. Both very impressive and two different experiences, to be honest.

The special features are jam-packed and quite outstanding for this release. “Anatomy of a Style” feature story editor and screenwriter Bobbie O’Steen and music editor Suzana Peric discussing the film’s music sequences including “A Hard Day’s Night”, “I Should Have Known Better”, “Cant Buy Me Love”, “And I love Her” and “She Loves You”. “In Their Own Voices” includes behind-the-scenes stills and footage from the making of “A Hard Day’s Night” as well as clips from audio interviews a few of the Beatles. “You Can’t Do That: The Making of A Hard Day’s Night” is the 1994 documentary, produced by Walter Shenson (producer of “A Hard Day’s Night”) and narrated by Phil Collins featuring cast/crew from the film and runs just over an hour.

“Things They Said Today” is a  documentary from 2002 that focuses on long term success of “A Hard Day’s Night”. “The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film” is a short film that was shot by Richard Lester in 1959 and features Richard Lester, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Graham Stark, and Bruce Lacey. “Picturewise” is a  new video essay focuses on the production history of “A Hard Days Night” and Richard Lester’s directing style. This was written and produced by critic and filmmaker David Cairns exclusively for Criterion. “The Beatles: The Road to A Hard Day’s Night” is a new video interview with Mark Lewisohn, author of “The Beatles: All These Years, Volume 1 — Tune In”, which was also conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2014.

But wait, there is still more…there is an audio commentary track from 2002 created from material produced by Martin Lewis and features actors John Junkin, David Janson, and Jeremy Lloyd; cinematographer Gilbert Taylor; associate producer Denis O’Dell; second assistant director Barrie Melrose; assistant editors Pamela Tomling and Roy Benson; and others. There are two trailers including the 2000 re-release and the 2014 re-release.  Lastly there is an fantastic illustrated booklet featuring an essay by critic Howard Hampton.

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Starring: Charles Bronson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Keenan Wynn, Jill Ireland
Director: Michael Winner
Distributed by: Twilight Time
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Running Time: 100 minutes

Film: 4 out of stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I think about Charles Bronson, I think about two things “Death Wish” and “The Mechanic”. If you are thinking about the remake with Jason Statham from 2011, this is the original and much better film. Bronson is such a bad-ass in this film and in general. It has been many years since I viewed this film and it is still as gritty and entertaining as it was the first time I saw it. If you love Bronson, this release is a no-brainer.

Official Premise: Director Michael Winner’s The Mechanic (1972) stars his long-term collaborator, the sui generis Charles Bronson, as a hardened professional hitman who’s feeling the strains of his profession. He joins forces with a ruthless up-and-comer (Jan-Michael Vincent) in a partnership that wavers between sustaining and profoundly dangerous.

This Blu-ray release is an Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive and is a Limited Edition release with only 3000 copies produced.  I was very impressed with the 1080p transfer on this release. For a film that is over 40 years old, it looks ace and sounds amazing as well. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono is stunning, especially with one of my favorite scoirres by the legendary Jerry Fielding.

In terms of special features, there is not much here, but what is is still worth checking out. Speaking of how much I love Fielding’s score, there is an Isolated Score Track included on this Blu-ray. There is an  audio commentary track with Cinematographer Richard H. Kline and Film Historian Nick Redman. Lastly there is an Original Theatrical Trailer. If you want this film don’t hold out cause once it sold out, its gone for good!

Actors: David Kaye, Corey Burton, Bumper Robinson, Bill Fagerbakke, Jeff Bennett, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny, Susan Blu
Number of discs: 6
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 930 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

A Japanese animation take on the “Transformers”…how can that be bad? I never really jumped on board with the series “Transformers Animated”. I love the animation style but the feel of the show didn’t land well with me. I feel it feels more like “The Powerpuff Girls” than “Neon Genesis Evangelion”. I know the “Transformers” have always been a little campy but this went a little overboard for me. I feel that it took one too many tips from “Transformers: Rise of the Fallen”. Even though I am not in love with this series, hardcore “Transformers” fan will did it.

Official Premise: Trapped on Earth, far from home and living in disguise, the brave Autobots must protect the ancient, all-powerful AllSpark from getting into the hands of the malevolent Decepticons. As if their task weren’t difficult enough, the team (led by the honor-bound Optimus Prime and including Bulkhead, Prowl, Ratchet and Bumblebee) must also protect Earth from its own nefarious super villains! Can this mere maintenance team live up to the highest standard of what it truly means to be Autobots?

The main Autobots in this series are Optimus Prime (of course), Prowl, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. The main Decepticon include Megatron (of course), Starscream, Blitzwing, and Lugnut. The show ran for three seasons and was never renewed for a fourth.  This series aired from 2007-2009 and this release includes all 42 episodes and they are finally able own the complete series along with the never-before-released third season, right here in one collection!

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Actors: Jesse Hutch, Ken Kirzinger, Dean Armstrong, Ben Hollingsworth
Director: Declan O’Brien
Number of discs: 2
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 96 minutes

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

Rusty Nail has really become a great icon in the horror world. He is not at the level of Freddy Krueger but he definitely kicks some ass. I am sure this wasn’t planned (I hope) but since the death of Paul Walker (who starred in the first “Joyride”) was only a few months ago, it feels a little odd for this to be coming out right now. After the terrible follow up “Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead”, “Joy Ride 3: Road Kill” is action-packed, entertains and is worth checking out if you enjoy this character and the series.

Official Premise: This third hellish installment in the bloody series finds director Declan O’Brien in the driver’s seat for another deadly detour. The nightmare begins when a group of young street racers take a desolate shortcut on their way to the Road Rally 1000. But a chance encounter with Rusty soon turns deadly as he stalks, taunts, and tortures his next victims with deranged delight. It’s a full-throttle, pedal-to-the-metal chill ride packed with killer twists and turns!

Fox is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy. It is also releasing it with a Limited Edition Killer Packaging. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works for what the film is, which is a low-budget gritty horror sequel. There are some decent special features including some Pre-Vis Sequences. “Road Rage: The Blood, Sweat and Gears of Joy Ride 3” is a look into the production. “Riding Shotgun with Declan: Director’s DIE-aries” is a chat with the director Declan O’Brien. Lastly, we have a featurette “Finding Large Marge” and an audio commentary track.

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Reuel Pendleton, Sakina Jaffrey, Michael Kelly, Kristen Connolly
Directors: David Fincher, James Foley, Allen Coulter, Carl Franklin, Charles McDougall, Joel Schumacher
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 663 minutes

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

When I watched the first season of “House of Cards“, I thought what could be better than this season? Well that answer is easy because it is the second season. It is rare that a show not only stayed in line with the previous season but also surpasses it. The acting in this series just keeps blowing me away as well. Kevin Spacey really gets comfortable in the shoes of Frank Underwood and Robin Wright just stunning, not to mention the rest of this stellar cast. I dare you to watch one episode of this series and see if you don’t end up binging on it for the rest of the night. If you dig shows about the seedy world of politics, look no further because it doesn’t get any better than this…(I hope I can negate that statement when season three hits).

Official Premise: Masterful, beguiling and charismatic, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Robin Wright) continue their ruthless rise to power in Season 2 of ‘. Behind the curtain of power, sex, ambition, love, greed and corruption in modern Washington D.C. the Underwoods must battle threats past and present to avoid losing everything. As new alliances form and old ones succumb to deception and betrayal, they will stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy.

Sony released The Complete Second Season of “House of Cards” on Blu-ray accompanied by a Ultraviolet Digital Copy. The 1080p  presentation of the episodes is near flawless. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track worked perfectly so I can lean on every word spoken. The special features are another win for this release. “Two Houses” looks into at the original show and how this series came together. “Table Read” is a behind-the-scenes look cut with with the scenes from the show. “Direct Address” features how Francis Underwood speaks directly to viewers in both the original BBC series and this new adaptation. “Politics for Politics Sake” takes at looks into the politics themes in the show.  Lastly, “Line of Succession” looks into what goes into making an episode.

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Starring: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Directors: Brannon Braga, Ann Druyan, Bill Pope
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 572 minutes

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

When I first show this TV series advertised on Fox, I knew it was going to be amazing. It is executive produced by Seth MacFarlane and hosted by renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. The 13-episode series follows in the footsteps of Carl Sagan’s original televised study of the mechanics of the universe. I don’t know science is so interesting but I actually find it very entertaining as well as informative.

It has been more than three decades since the debut of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”, which took a  stunning and iconic exploration of the universe. Seth MacFarlane has re-teamed with Sagan’s original creative collaborators including writer/executive producer Druyan and co-writer, astronomer Steven Soter. So this has the same feel of Sagan’s series but we a new 21 century technological visual upgrade.

Official Premise: As with the legendary original series, the new Cosmos is the saga of how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. The series brings to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge, transporting viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on both the grandest and smallest scales.

The series is such a visual masterpiece on Blu-ray. Thje 1080p transfers look amazing as the show switches from live action with Neil deGrasse Tyson to CGI work to animated sequences.  “Wow” is literally the first words that come to my mind to describe these episodes on Blu-ray. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround, which has an amazing score by Alan Silvestri. I just wished that Fox would have given us a digital copy with this release.

The special features are split over the four discs. Disc one has an audio commentary track for the episode “Standing Up in the Milky Way”, which features Ann Druyan, Mitchell Cannolo, Brannon Braga, Jason Clark and Kara Vallow. Disc two includes “Celebrating Carl Sagan: A Selection from the Library of Congress Dedication” which focuses on  (1080p; 34:37) is a great piece focusing on giving Sagan’s papers and notebooks to the Library of Congress.

Disc Three includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey at Comic-Con 2013” is a fun and interesting look at the world of geeks at a convention. Disc Four includes “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey – The Voyage Continues”, which is a great behind the scenes looks at the series. Lastly there is an “Interactive Cosmic Calendar” with Ann Druyan as host and voiceover artist. Calling all science nerds, tech nerds…”Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” has something for everyone.

Actors: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, Rodrigo Santoro
Directors: Noam Murro
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

When I heard about the plans for a sequel to “300”, I have to admit, I did roll my eyes a little. Honestly though, “300: Rise of the Empire” is a actually a really solid follow up to “300” and in same way even a better film than the first film. It is adapted from a screenplay by Zack Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, and based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel “Xerxes”. It has a great cast lead by the gorgeous Eva Green (“Dark Shadows”) along with Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) and Rodrigo Santoro (“Love Actually”) who return to reprise their roles. After watching this I was left just saying “Wow, that was crazy”. Highly recommend.

Official Premise: “300: Rise of an Empire” takes the action to a fresh battlefield — the sea — as Greek general Themistokles (Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. Themistokles must face the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Santoro) and Artemisia (Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

Warner Bros is releasing the film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray, DVD and an Ultraviolet Digital Copy. This film was made to be seen in 3D and I am sure it is amazing in 3D but the film also worked very well in 2D. The 1080p transfer is easily one of the best that I have seen all year. It is flawless and really pops off the screen and that is not in 3D. I just love the style and this is just visually stunning. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is literally insane and such a powerhouse! It had my walls shaking and my wife screaming to lower it, so that means it was very effective!

In terms of special features, there are some decent extras here. The main powerhouse here is “The 300 Effect”, which consists of four featurettes focusing on the film including “Brutal Artistry”, “A New Breed of Hero”, “Taking the Battle to the Sea”, which focus on taking the fighting to the sea and 3 Days in Hell” looks into the how the battle scenes were created. “Real Leaders & Legends” and “Women Warriors” shows us some of history legends that changed history. “Savage Warships” gives us an inside look into their creation. Lastly “Becoming a Warrior” looks into the challenge that was required to get ready for shooting.

Own “300: Rise of an Empire” on Blu-ray 3D combo pack, Blu-ray combo pack, 2-disc DVD special edition and Digital HD on 6/24

Starring: Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jennifer Connelly, Will Smith
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

When it comes to fairy tales and supernatural tales, I am a big of a sucker despite the film being perfect or not. “Winter’s Tale” is one of those. It is far from perfect but I found something magical about it that drew me in and kept me entertained. Even though I was not a fan of “Saving Mr. Banks”, Colin Farrell was quite amazing in it. After “Les Miserables”, I am gung ho for Russell Crowe and he continues to nail it, even in this film. Jessica Rose Brown-Findlay is best known for playing Lady Sybil Crawley in “Downton Abbey”. What I want to know is how the hell did Will Smith end up in this film. That’s right Will Smith in a rather small but nice role. Even though this film was smashed by critics and failed at the box office, if you are looking to escape for two hours, I would still recommend it.

Official Premise: New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake (Farrell), orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter, a middle-aged Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn (Findlay), a young girl, who is dying.

Warner Bros is releasing this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD and Ultraviolet Digital Copy. One thing about this film that I did like very much was the way that it was shot and its use of colors. The 1080p transfer really looks phenomenal. I loved looking at this probably more than I did watching it as a whole.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also has a certain magical feel to it, probably thanks to Hans Zimmer’s score. In the special features department, there is some but not much included. There is a look into the production, which was based on the 1983 novel in “Winter’s Tale: A Timeless Love”. There is a profile on the “Characters of Good & Evil” with cast. Lastly there are a few additional scenes included.

Own “WINTER’S TALE” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on June 24^th

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Starring: Daniel Tosh
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Comedy Central
DVD Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 462 minutes

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

There are two kinds of people either you are a Tosh.0 fan or you aren’t. I couldn’t stand him when it first started on Comedy Central but damn has he grown on me overtime and now I can’t get enough. After releasing the past seasons and “Tosh.0: Hoodies” and “Tosh.0: Deep V’s”, Paramount Home Entertainment is delivering us another collection of the best of the worst internet videos and viral celebrities from the latest season of “Tosh.0” brought to us by Host and comedian Daniel Tosh. If you love the show and looking for a few great laughs then I would definitely recommend “Tosh.0: Collas & Exposed Arms”.

Official Synopsis: Tosh.0 delves into all aspects of the Internet, featuring razor sharp humor and biting commentary from comedian Daniel Tosh. From the absolutely absurd to the incredibly ingenious, the series features viral clips, sketches, and “Web Redemptions” which give subjects of infamous viral videos a second chance to redeem themselves from the embarrassment with which they’ve become synonymous. It’s cable TV’s most trusted source for exhibitionist weirdos, injurious idiots and all things Web.

“Collas & Exposed Arms” comes presented in 1080p with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track. Since a lot of the video were not shot in 1080p, there isn’t really anything too impressive here. It looks and sounds great but nothing special. Besides the 21 episodes includes, in the special features department, there are some Extended Redemption Interviews, which are definitely a must watch. Lastly, “Tiptoes Spoiler Uncut” is quite the hoot for sure. I can’t wait to see what Paramount has planned next for this great show.

Actors: Graham Skipper, Josh Ethier
Director: Joe Begos
Rated: Unrated
Studio: IFC Midnight
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 79 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When you see the amazing poster for “Almost Human”, it is simply impossible for any horror fan to say “No” this checking this film out. Unfortunately after the opening scene, this film falls terribly apart and really loses its momentum. I can honestly tell you that we are going to see great things from writer/director Joe Begos for sure. But “Almost Human” suffers from a terrible cast and no budget. If they could have got some money behind this, they really could have hooked this film up good. There is some good gore for those horror hounds and it feels like an old school slasher but I was overall left quite bored.

Official Premise: Two years ago, Mark Fisher (Ethier, Contracted, Scavengers) disappeared from his home in rural Maine in a brilliant flash of otherworldly blue light. His friend Seth Hampton (Skipper) was the last to see him alive. Now, Seth is having disturbing premonitions that Mark has returned as something other than human. When grisly, violent murders start taking place in the community, Seth and his girlfriend Jen Craven (Leigh, The Last Halloween) discover that Mark is indeed back, and that there is something terribly evil inside of him.

In the special features department, there is a commentary track from writer/director Joe Begos and Josh Ethier. There is also another audio commentary track from Begos and Ethier (again) along with Graham Skipper and Cory Lockman. There is a feature-length making of behind-the-scenes look into the production. There is a on-set visit with Graham Skipper. There is the short film called “Toxin”. Lastly, there is a theatrical and alternate trailers, vintage TV spot and a photo gallery. This is a rare film where the special features are worth watching more than the film itself. I did enjoy the film more honestly with the commentary track.

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Starring: David Bradley, Jessica Raine, Brian Cox, Sacha Dhawan, Lesley Manville, Jamie Glover
Director: Terry McDonough
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4.5 out of 5 stars

When I saw the advertisement for “An Adventure in Space and Time”, I thought it was another “Doctor Who” special or documentary, I had no idea that it was a docudrama about the origin of the show itself. The film stars David Bradley as William Hartnell, the actor who portrayed the First Doctor, along with Jessica Raine, Jamie Glover, Sacha Dhawan, Lesley Manville, Jemma Powell, Reece Shearsmith, Mark Eden and Brian Cox. The film has a certain television feel to it but I was literally in love with it from the movie it started. David Bradley is such an amazing actor and it was nice to see him take the spotlight for once and really shine. As a huge “Doctor Who” fan, I encourage everyone to see this if you are a fan of the series. It is a great story, well done and at the same time very entertaining.

Official Premise: Travel back in time to witness the dramatic birth of Doctor Who. Actor William Hartnell (David Bradley, Filch from the Harry Potter films, Game of Thrones) felt trapped by a succession of tough-guy roles. Wannabe producer Verity Lambert (Jessica Raine, Call the Midwife) was frustrated by the TV industry’s glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday afternoon drama, time travel and monsters! Allied with a brilliant creative team, they went on to introduce the world to the longest running science fiction series ever, currently in its 50th year and counting.

BBC Home Entertainment deliver this release as a 3-disc set Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The Blu-ray includes the film “An Adventure in Space and Time” presented with a very impressive 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and a slew of extras. First off, we have “William Hartnell: The Original” features cast/crew talking about the actor.  “The Making of ‘An Adventure in Space and Time” is narrated by Carol Ann Ford and goes behind-the-scenes with cast/crew.  “Reconstruction: Four Sequences” has the producers talking about recreating the title shots. There are also two deleted Scenes included.

The second disc, which is a bonus DVD, is a real winner.   It includes “An Unearthly Child” from 1963, which is the original broadcast version of the very first “Doctor Who” series, in 4 episodes. It also includes the “Original Pilot of An Unearthly Child”, which shelved and never used. There is also commentary track available on both episode 1 and 4 of the original “An Unearthly Child”, as well as commentary for the 40 minute pilot. Lastly there are various theme music videos, comedy sketches and a photo gallery included. Disc three is a DVD version of “An Adventure in Space and Time” wrapping out this amazing combo pack.

Actors: Mike McFarland, Matthew Mercer
Directors: Tetsuro Araki
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 325 minutes

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

Starting off as a manga back in “Attack on Titan”, has quickly taking over the anime world. If you watch the first episode, there is literally no way you can’t get hooked. It is currently one of my favorite anime series out right now. This Part 1 release includes the first 13 episodes of the 25 episode series. I literally burned through the first 13 episodes in one day wanted more immediately. Funimation already set a release date of September 23rd for Part 2 for this series. I really hope they include the 2 OVA episodes as well. The series is also being re-adapted into two animated theatrical films set to be released Winter 2014 and 2015. The word is that there is also a live-action movie that will begin filming in summer 2014 for a planned summer 2015 release. So stay tuned “Titan” fans, there is still a lot of come!

Official Premise: When the man-eating giants called Titans first appeared, humans retreated behind massive walls. After a hundred years of safety, a colossal-sized Titan smashes through the defenses, unleashing a flood of giants and carnage in the streets. Eren Jaeger watches helplessly as one of the creatures devours his mother. He vows to kill every Titan walking the earth. Eren and his surviving friends enlist to fight against the insatiable monsters. The future looks bleak, but there’s more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity’s last hope against extinction. The Titans have come to feast. Anything can happen. No one is safe.

Funimation is really delivering to its fan for this Limited Edition release. There is such a fanbase for this and they probably would have been happy with just the episodes on Blu-ray but Funimation went a step further and included tons of great goodies for this release. It comes with a 4-pin collection consisting of the Military Police Regiment, Scout Regiment, Garrison Regiment, and Cadet Corps. There is a replica of Eren Jaeger’s key necklace and also a sword necklace featuring the Titan flesh paring blades. There is a 3-D lenticular Art Card included. Lastly “Notes From Beyond the Wall: Part 1” is a 24 page digibook that is a great addition.

The 1080p transfer of these episodes look outstanding. I really love the style of this show. The announcement of the English dub cast was a big deal for this show and I was very happy with it myself. Bryce Papenbrook voices Eren Jaeger, know best for Rin Okumura from “Blue Exorcist” and Kirito from “Sword Art Online”. He does a great job. Also get voice actors include Mike McFarland and Matthew Mercer. The Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 really delivered for sure. Of course also included is the original audio Dolby TrueHD Japanese 2.0 and English 5.1 surround tracks.

If the episodes and goodies wasn’t enough for you, there are over 100 minutes extras included on this release. First off we have “The Making of Attack on Titan”, which is a great behind-the-scenes look in this amazing anime. “Monster Character Theater – Fly! Trainee Corps” is a funny series of Flash animated shorts featuring the characters in Chibi form based on designs by Yuupon. There are two audio commentaries included on episodes 3 and 13. Lastly there is a photo gallery, textless songs and trailers included. I can’t wait to see what they drum up for Part 2!