Actors: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Gary Poulter
Director: David Gordon Green
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 117 minutes

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

Everyone gives Nicolas Cage a hard time but I think the guy is amazing. “Joe” is no question of his best recent roles. It is powerful and very intense. This is the old Nicolas Cage. He is back! Director David Gordon Green has done indie films like 2000’s “George Washington” to big comedies like “Pineapple Express”, but it is nice to him him get back to his indie roots. Tye Sheridan broke out big after his role in Jeff Nichols’ “Mud” and this just continues the trend. This film got no attention in theaters, which is a shame since it deserves it. I highly recommend it!

Synopsis: Nicolas Cage delivers an intensely powerful performance as Joe, an ex-con with a hair-trigger temper who is trying to stay out of trouble, making an honest yet meager life for himself, and the unlikeliest of role models. But when he meets a troubled 15-year old homeless boy (Sheridan) in need of help from a violent and destitute father, Joe is faced with the heart-breaking choice of redemption or ruin.

Lions Gate is releasing this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray and Ultraviolet Digital Copy included. The 1080p transfer is very impressive. Green’s eye for picking out amazing shots have always been impressive. It is also complemented by the amazing visuals shot by Tim Orr. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also very effective. The special features are a nice bonus as well. There are two featurettes “The Making of Joe” and “The Long Gravel Drive: The Origins of Joe” and some deleted scenes. Lastly there is a solid audio commentary track with director David Gordon Green, composer David Wingo and actor Brian D. Mays.

Actors: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 100 minutes

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

Who does love playing with LEGO sets? I am in my 30’s and have love it as a kid and still as an adult, even my 2 year old loves playing with her Duplo sets already. “The LEGO Movie” came at the perfect time and really delivered one of the best animated film in a long time. The film is visually amazing, action packed and also extremely funny. As if LEGO wasn’t big enough, this film just a perfect addition. I loved the CG-animated style and the touch of stop motion animation was also brilliant for this film. It is just so creative and unique. I watched this film and already I can’t to wait to again very soon.

Official Premise: The original 3D computer-animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as The Special, the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

“The Lego Movie” features a fantastic voice cast including Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) voicing Emmet, Will Ferrell (“Elf”) voicing Lord Business, Elizabeth Banks (“The Hunger Games”) voicing Wildstyle, Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”) steals the show voicing Batman, Nick Offerman (“Parks and Recreation”) as Metal Beard, Alison Brie (“Mad Men”) as Unikitty and Charlie Day (“Pacific Rim”) as Benny, the 1980-something Spaceman, Liam Neeson (“Taken) as Bad Cop and Morgan Freeman (“Now You See Me”) as Vitruvius. Since directorsPhil Lord, Christopher Miller directed “21 Jump Street”, the films stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill also pop in as Superman and Green Lantern.

The “Everything is Awesome Edition” comes as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. There is also bonus 3D copy of the film as well also includes an exclusive LEGO Vitruvius minifigure, collectible 3D Emmet photo and exclusive bonus content. What I love about this film is that you can enjoy it either in 3D or 2D. I watched it 3D for myself and then 2D with my daughter. Either way the film is still amazing. The 1080p video is so crisp and colorful. This film literally jumps off the screen whether it is 3D or not. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is pumping as well. The action sounds great and of course the film’s hit single is…well…AWESOME!

The special features are also awesome for this release. “Dream Job: Meet The LEGO Builders” is an exclusive extra with the “Everything is Awesome Edition” release. There is an must listen audio commentary track with directors Miller and Lord, along with Pratt, Brie, Arnett and Day and even Banks calls in for a little bit). “Batman: A True Artist”, “Enter the Ninjago” and “Michelangelo and Lincoln: History are two funny short featurettes on the characters. “Bringing LEGO to Life” goes behind-the-scenes into the making of the film.

Who doesn’t love the song “Everything is Awesome”? It is so catchy. There is a great Sing-Along included. “See it! Build it!” shows you how to build things in the film like Emmet’s double-decker couch and his car. “Stories from the Story Team” mixes storyboards and animatic on scenes that didn’t make the final cut. “Fan-Made Films: Top Secret Submissions” are fan films introduced by Pratt. There are also outtakes, additional promotional content, Alleyway test footage and deleted scenes rounding out the extras.

Own “THE LEGO MOVIE” now on Digital HD and on June 17th on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD 2-Disc Special Edition http://bit.ly/LEGOMovieWBShop

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Starring: Tim Jenison
Directed: Penn Jillette & Teller
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Run Time: 88 minutes

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

“Tim’s Vermeer” is a film that is film written by magician-duo Penn Jillette & Teller, directed by Teller, and produced and narrated by Penn Jillette. This was a film festival favorite and is making it’s way home to Blu-ray. It is definitely quite a unique documentary film. Tim Jenison is not only a fascinating topic, the film is also very entertaining and very funny, as the inventor attempts to solve one of the art world’s greatest mysteries. Since the magician-duo are know for their illusion, there is a certain magic aspect of the topic as well, since art does have that certain feeling. If you got 88 minutes to spare, “Tim’s Vermeer” is a very compelling film that will leave you very satisfied.

Official Premise: Tim Jenison, a Texas-based inventor, attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in the art world: How did Dutch master Johannes Vermeer manage to paint so photo-realistically 150 years before the invention of photography? Spanning a decade, Jenison’s adventure takes him to Holland, on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artist David Hockney, and eventually even to Buckingham Palace. The epic research project Jenison embarks on is as extraordinary as what he discovers.

“Tim’s Vermeer” debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack with a UIltraviolet digital copy. There is some great special features included as well. There is an awesome commentary with Teller, Tim Jenison, Penn Jillette & Farley Ziegler. If that isn’t enough there, is no joke, more than two and a half hours of deleted, extended & alternate scenes. Right there that is worth the purchase of the Blu-ray alone. Lastly there is a Q&A, which was taken from the Toronto International Film Festival.

Starring: David Carradine, Chris Potter
Created by: Ed Spielman
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed: Warner Archive
Release Date: May 27, 2014

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

“Kung Fu: The Legend Continues” is a spin-off of the 1972–1975 TV series “Kung Fu”. It ran from 1993-1997. I remember watching “Kung Fu as a kid and loving every single minute of it. Then I started watching the spin-off and I honestly just never got into it. It picks up after “Kung Fu: The Movie” with Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine), grandson of the legendary hero of the Wild West, who teams up with his policeman son, Peter (Chris Potter), to tame the new Wild West – 90’s urban America. I guess it plays better if you are watching this in the 90’s, even though I wasn’t even thrilled then, but this show does not hold up today. If you are a hardcore fan, you may dig it otherwise it would have been better off getting lost in the wild west.

Official Premise: When we last saw Kwai Chang Caine, in “Kung Fu: the Movie”, he was united with the son he never knew he had in turn-of-the-century Wild West. Now, the son of that son, also named Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine), must emerge from seclusion to save the son he thought lost. Like his legendary namesake, this Caine is also a warrior monk, operating a Shaolin temple in Northern California. After an evil priest, Tan (Ernest Abuba), destroys the temple, Caine and his young son, Peter (Nathaniel Moreau) each believe the other has perished. The two embark on very different paths ­ Caine wanders the Earth, while Peter (Chris Potter) becomes a cop. When fate brings the two together, they work to overcome their differing philosophies to battle Tan, and then help the innocent and bring justice to the new Wild West ­90’s urban America.

The best part of watching this show today is no question picking out all the guest stars from back in the day including Neve Campbell, Colm Feore, Katie Griffin, James Hong, Martin Kove, George Lazenby, Mako, Barry Morse, Sandra Oh, Regis Philbin, Mickey Rooney, John Schneider, Scott Speedman, Tara Strong, George Takei and of course Richard Carradine (Note these listed are throughout the whole series not just the first season). There are no special features included on this release, like most TV DVD series releases from Warner Archive. I assume that they are going to burn through the rest of this series mostly likely before the end of the year. So if you are a fan of this show, the next three seasons should be available soon so you can get all your 90’s cheesy goodness out.

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Starring: Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Bailey Chase, Adam Bartley, Cassidy Freeman, Lou Diamond Phillips
Developed by: John Coveny, Hunt Baldwin
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 1003 minutes

Seasons: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Have to admit, I do watch a lot of A&E TV, thanks you “Duck Dynasty” but I am not super familiar with this show, “Longmire”. This crime drama premiered in June 2012 on A&E and is based on the “Walt Longmire” series of mystery novels written by best-selling author Craig Johnson. In fact the release of The Complete First and Second Seasons coincides perfectly with the third season, which premiered on June 2, 2014. The show has that Western feel for me, set in Wyoming. The show reminded me of the recent HBO series “True Detective”, it is slow to reveal but still entertaining. If you dig this show, saddle up since this Blu-ray debut will definitely rope you in.

Official Premise: Long shadows of secrets and murder hang over Absaroka County, Wyoming, jurisdiction of the tough and brooding Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) who’s been struggling since his wife¹s death a year ago. At the urging of his attorney daughter, Cady (Cassidy Freeman), Walt knows he must turn his life around. Aided by a new female deputy, Vic (Katee Sackhoff) and his oldest friend, Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), he becomes re-energized about his job and runs for re-election ­ even though his ambitious younger deputy Branch (Bailey Chase) is a rival candidate. The unraveling truth about Walt¹s wife’s death will astonish the stoic lawman and his daughter.

Besides the main cast, the first two seasons have had a nice variety of guest stars as well including Louis Herthum (“The Last Exorcism”), Katherine LaNasa (“The Campaign”), Charles S. Dutton (“Roc”), Gerald McRaney (“Major Dad”), Michael Mosley (“Last Resort”), Lee Tergesen (“Oz”) and Peter Weller (“Robocop”). Since all this solving of murder cases take place under the big skies of Wyoming, I have to admit that the 1080p high definition transfer are quite impressive with their original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Also Warner Archive delivered their best audio track yet with this DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1.

Also in a rare move for Warner Archive, they have a decent set of special features included. “The Camera’s Eye: Realizing the World of Longmire” talks about the shooting locations for the setting of the show. “Longmire Justice: Exploring the Cowboy Detective” takes us into the lead character. There are extended episodes for “Sound and Fury” and “Election Day” both with Intros by Executive Producers. Lastly, there is a featurette, “Testing Courage: The Storm Defines The Man”. Pretty impressive Warner Archive for sure. If they would have had some commentary track it would have been perfect.

75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Arrives September 30 Limited & Numbered, With New Collectible Packaging, New Memorabilia and New Special Features Nationwide Celebrations Scheduled

Burbank, Calif., June 3, 2014 – On September 30, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) will honor one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time with the Gone with the Wind 75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray™ and Digital HD with UltraViolet.

Gone with the Wind — the quintessential Hollywood epic and still history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion[1]), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made – is a “must have” for classic film collectors. It will be fittingly presented in limited and numbered sets, with new collectible packaging, new enhanced content and new collectible memorabilia. The memorabilia includes a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief and a music box paperweight playing Tara’s theme with an image on top of the Rhett-Scarlett kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet featuring a look at the immortal style of Gone with the Wind, written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett, whose signature look reflects the romantic elegance of the Gone with the Wind era.

The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta and Old South/New South, a journey through today’s South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted to see how the world of the Old South continues to inform life in the New South’s cosmopolitan world. Gone with the Wind 75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition will be available for $49.99 SRP.

75^th Anniversary Celebrations Nationwide

To commemorate the 75^th anniversary of Gone with the Wind, the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin will launch the exhibition, “The Making of ‘Gone With The Wind.’” For the first time in more than 25 years, three original gowns worn by Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, including the iconic green curtain dress, will be exhibited together along with replicas of the film’s other gowns. Additionally, more than 300 items from producer David O. Selznick’s archive will be displayed, including behind-the-scenes photographs, storyboards, correspondence, production records, audition footage and fan mail. Turner Classic Movies is one of the sponsors of the exhibition which runs from September 9 – January 4, 2015.

On September 22, WBHE will partner with The Actors Hall of Fame in a special 75^th Anniversary Gone with the Wind fundraising gala to benefit dramatic arts education in schools. Hundreds of stars and industry leaders will arrive ‘in costume’ at the historic Culver Studios where many key scenes of the movie were filmed. The gala will be streamed live from the Mansion on digital and social media around the world. Planned highlights of this special evening include the dedication of the Olivia de Havilland Dramatic Arts Education Center and a recreation of the famous Virginia Reel dance scene from the movie, with student actors in period costumes and a silent auction including Gone With The Wind memorabilia. For additional information on the events, go to www.hrc.utexas.edu and http://actorshalloffame.org/  respectively.

About the Movie

Gone with the Wind, lauded as one of the American cinema’s grandest, most ambitious and spectacular pieces of filmmaking, was helmed by Victor Fleming in 1939, the same year as the director’s The Wizard of Oz. It captured 10 Academy Awards^®[2] including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, the first Oscar awarded to an African-American actor. Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel, on which the film is based, has been translated into 16 languages, has sold hundreds of millions of copies worldwide, and even now, continues to sell 50,000 copies a year.

Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in this classic epic of the American South. On the eve of the Civil War, rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want – except Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) – and who truly loves her – until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost … and tries to win him back.

Special Features:

• Featuring footage including Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta

• Old South/New South NEW! Take a journey of discovery through today’s South, revisiting the real-life locations depicted in Gone With the Wind, from Gettysburg to Atlanta to New Orleans, to see how the world of the Old South – and the themes depicted in the film – continue to inform life in the cosmopolitan world of the New South.

Gone with the Wind 75^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Street Date: September 30, 2014

Order Due Date: August 26, 2014

Pricing: $49.99 SRP

Cat/UPC: 1000446620/6000079798

Note: All enhanced content and premiums listed above are subject to change.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.

Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs™ offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WBUltra.

ABOUT DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET

Digital HD with UltraViolet allows fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere on their favorite devices. Digital HD with UltraViolet is included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. Digital HD with UltraViolet allows consumers to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through UltraViolet retail services like CinemaNow, Flixster, Target Ticket, VUDU and more. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices. Consult an UltraViolet Retailer for details and requirements and for a list of HD-compatible devices.

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Brian Cox, Katherine Heigl, Jed Rees, Geoffrey Arend, Luis Avalos
Director: Barry W. Blaustein
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

“The Ringer” is no question my favorite film of ALL TIME…about the Special Olympics. It is also one of Johnny Knoxville’s best roles to date alongside “Bad Grandpa”. The guy can actually act quite well when he is given the chance. This film is not only very funny but also has a big heart. ‘The Ringer” is a film that grows on you over time…and also is extremely quotable as well. I do not think a week goes by without either myself or my wife quoting this film. We will never be able to have ice ever again or talk about scratching a CD without thinking of “The Ringer”. I highly recommend checking this film out if you missed it over the years you will not be sorry.

Official Premise: Pressured by a greedy uncle (Brian Cox) and a pile of debt, loveable loser Steve Barker (Knoxville) resorts to an unthinkable, contemptible, just-crazy-enough-to-work scheme. He pretends to be mentally challenged to rig the upcoming Special Olympics and bring home the gold. But when Steve’s fellow competitors get wise to the con, they inspire him to rise to the greatest challenge of all: becoming a better person

The Blu-ray presentation for this release is good and what you would expect from a basic comedy. Solid 1080p transfer and good DTS-HD-Master Audio 5.1 track. I would have loved this release even more if Fox included a digital copy. In terms of special features, there is a jam packed audio commentary with director Barry W. Blaustein, screenwriter Ricky Blitt, producer Peter Farrelly and actors Johnny Knoxville, Edward Barbanell and John Taylor. There are some deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes look with”Let The Games Begin: A Look at The Ringer” and a theatrical trailer included.

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Actors: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Hank Azaria
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 119 minutes

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

“The Birdcage” is such a fantastic and very funny film. It was released during the peak time for stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Topped with an amazing Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest and Hank Azaria, who comes very close to stealing the whole show. It has been a while since I have last seen this film and it is still just as funny as the very first time that I saw it. “The Birdcage” is making it’s Blu-ray debut and it is crazy to believe that this wildly funny and successful film has never been released on Blu-ray before.  This is a great film but it is a not an overall fabulous debut on Blu-ray

Official Premise: Robin Williams and Nathan Lane team up with a top-notch cast in this hilarious comedy. Williams delivers an uproarious performance as Armand, a gay cabaret owner whose son announces he’s marrying the daughter of a right-wing politician (Gene Hackman). It’s an outrageously funny culture clash as Armand and his drag-queen partner Albert (Lane) try to transform themselves into straight shooters at a dinner party and pull the chiffon over the eyes of the uptight senator and his wife (Dianne Wiest).

This Blu-ray release was planned for the 90th anniversary of MGM and that seems to be the extent of it. There are no special features at all included for this release, which is just honestly lazy and a bit of a letdown. The 1080p transfer is solid and looks great for sure. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio track. If you have never owned this film on DVD and really don’t care about special features, I could see someone buying this release. But personally, I do not feel that it is worth the upgrade to Blu-ray if you already have the DVD unless you absolutely in love for this film.

Actors: Andrea Libman, Anna Cummer, Ashliegh Ball, Britt McKillip, Ingrid Nilson, Janyse Jaud, Kathleen Barr, Paul Dobson, Scott Mcneil, Shannon Chan-Kent
Director: Bob Hathcock
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 71 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Growing up in the 80’s and having a younger sister, I had been exposed to the world of “Strawberry Shortcake”. The franchise was rebooted in 2009 with the CGI animated series “Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures” based on the “Strawberry Shortcake” Franchise. Now I have a daughter of my own and she loves this new series. The animation is great. It is very colorful, fun and also educational. If you have a little girl, this is highly recommended for sure. We have had this for only two days now and already have watched it at least five times. So I have a feeling we are going to be getting a lot out of this DVD.

Official Premise: Join Strawberry Shortcake and her berry best pals on some sweet sunshine adventures! Blueberry makes a berry big blunder when she overhears Strawberry and thinks her friend is taking all the pals on a tropical vacation. After Blueberry makes some very funny attempts to make things right, Orange Blossom tries to build the girls their own fabulous resort. When they all work together to make it Berry Bitty City-style, it’s perfect…so perfect, in fact, that TV host Mavis Maraschino decides to do a segment on Cherry Jam right then and there! Will the girls ever get the Fun Under the Sun they’ve been dreaming of?

There are three episodes including on this DVD. “No Blueberry is an Island”; “Where the Berry Breeze Blows” and “The Berry Best Vacation”. Fox also included a digital copy of this and it has already been downloaded onto our iPad. There is really not a ton here in terms of special features but wasn’t expecting much for this kids release. There is a music video for “It’s A Beautiful Lovely Wonderful Day” and some printable coloring pages. If you want more of this show, like my daughter, season four of this show is set to air this year, so I had my DVR set and can’t wait for the new episodes. Hopefully Fox has a few more DVDs releases in the cards for this year!

Actors: Mark Webber, Ron Perlman, Christopher Berry, Devon Graye
Directors: Daniel Stamm
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: June 17, 2014
Run Time: 92 minutes

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

Back in 2010, I was helping to promote a film called “The Last Exorcism”, this was right when I started this website and I snagged a huge interview at the time with the director of that film, Daniel Stamm. I knew this guy was going to be a big name and I was lucky that I got him early. Fast forward to today, “13 Sins” is his next film and it headed directly to home release. I find that rather disappointing to be honest. The film itself is not disappointing though and has a lot of great aspects to it. It does have traits of the “Saw” franchise but it is able to take a rather fresh take on that idea. What the film also has is a sharp cast including Mark Webber (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”), Rutina Wesley (HBO’s “True Blood”) and Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”). The film also has a helluva punch at the end, which was quite surprising and ended up winning me over. I could see myself recommending this horror/thriller and hopefully we will be seeing a lot for from director Stamm.

Official Premise: Elliot (Mark Webber) is a bright but meek social services coordinator, drowning in debt and desperate because he’s about to marry the love of his life (Rutina Wesley). Upon receiving a cryptic phone call informing him that he’s on a hidden camera game show where he must execute 13 tasks, Elliot learns he will be on his way to winning a multimillion dollar cash prize if he quickly follows through with his first two instructions: swat the fly that is currently bothering him and then eat the fly. Although thousands of dollars are suddenly appearing in his bank account, Elliot remains suspicious, though comforted by the knowledge that he can stop playing at any time if only to lose every penny that he’s won. As he leaves a path of destruction behind him and runs away from the law (Ron Perlman), Elliot’s need to complete the game escalates as the tasks grow increasingly sinister, to a devastating point of no return.

The 1080p transfer looks awesome for this film. The cinematography is also well done and really works for the film’s setting. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 really delivers some impress sound especially for the key bone saw scenes…Yikes! In terms of special fearures there is a great audio commentary track with Stamm along with Webber, Perlman, and Graye. Besides that there is a decent behind-the-scenes look into “The Making of 13 Sins”. It is a little short but does pack a lot into it. There is a complete deleted sequence from the film, which runs just over five minutes. It is an already seen for sure involved oral sex (oh yeah!) but it was well cut. The alternate ending is pretty kick ass as well and included a nice twist also. Lastly “Anatomy of a Meltdown” features Stamm talking about the scene.

Starring: Diogo Morgado, Roma Downey, Louise Delamere
Director: Christopher Spencer
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 138 minutes

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

I was brought up in a catholic household growing up and I was an alter boy for many years. Having attended catholic school or many years, I am quite aware of The Bible and it’s stories. In case you are not aware “Son of God” contains re-edited scenes from ten-hour miniseries “The Bible”, which aired in March 2013 on the History Channel. There are some new scenes in this movie, but the majority has already been show on TV. I know that producers (and also husband and wife) Mark Burnett and Roma Downey probably saw dollars signs when this show was such a big hit on TV and thought how can they make more. Isn’t greed one of the seven deadly sins 😉 Either way, I don’t blame them I just wasn’t really absorbed by the almost forced faith that was being delivered in this film. But this is just my opinions, I have heard from many people that this quite amazing and inspiring but I guess I just didn’t drink that cool aid.

Official Premise: Now, the larger-than-life story of The New Testament gets a larger-than life treatment in the stand-alone feature SON OF GOD. Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer. Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado portrays Jesus as the film spans from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection. It marks the first motion picture about Jesus’ life since Passion of the Christ, released ten years ago.

20th Century Fox Told releases this film on Blu-ray as a combo pack also including a DVD and digital copy of the film. The 1080p transfer does succeed in given this film the scope and scale of an action epic film. The exotic locations and visual effects are well represented as well. The DTS-HD Mater Audio 5.1 track works well with the rich orchestral score. In terms of special features, there more faith filled goodies. Firstly there is also a Spanish version of the film included since I guess there was a big demand for that. There are two featurettes “Son of God: Reborn” and a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the film with”From The Set: The Passion”. Lastly, thereis “Faith Into Practice”, which focuses on introducing children to a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is actually quite decent (especially having a two year old myself).

Actors: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley
Directors: José Padilha
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
DVD Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 117 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I was a kid growing up in the 80’s, I remember sneaking a screening of director Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 “Robocop” and was literally speechless. It was extremely gory and very violent for a kid under 10 years old it was like nothing I have ever seen. Now I am all for films getting reboot, remake or whatever but it just has to be done right. I liked “Total Recall” remake, speaking of my childhood films (not perfect but still entertaining). If you are a fan of “Robocop”, you will know that it needs to be gritty and raw unlike this PG-13 watered down boring as hell piece of shit that we are given here. I literally haven’t hated a film as much as I did this film in a LONG time. It is almost embarrassing that today’s generation is going to watch this film today and think this is “Cool”, makes me so upset. Please steer clear for this film!

Official Premise: In “Robocop”, the year is 2028 and OmniCorp – the world’s leader in robot technology – sees a golden opportunity to reap billions for their company. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit – is critically injured, OmniCorp grabs their chance to build a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and will stop at nothing – no matter the cost to Alex – to make sure the program succeeds. But OmniCorp never counted on one thing: there is still a man fighting inside the machine.

I have read some reviews with people claiming that this film is actually surprisingly good if you don’t come in with preconceived emotions about the first film and just watch this as a stand alone film. Well, that is a bunch of solid bullshit to be honest. There is nothing good about this film as well. The violence in the film is all be eliminated. The character of Robocop is just bored in the film and really have no objective or any real purpose to achieve. In the original film, he had a real blood vengeance and he claimed his ticket. To top it off this film is literally nearly two hours, which makes it even more painfully.

Now on the other hand, on a technical perspective. This film does look pretty great. The 1080p transfer does work for the few actual action scenes in the film. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 but the film’s score doesn’t even come close to the original film. In terms of special features, we get right back to being let down. “RoboCop: Engineered for the 21st Century” is a three part featurette, which goes behind-the-scenes into the production with the following “The Illusion of Free Will: A New Vision”, “To Serve and Protect: RoboCop’s New Weapons” and “The RoboCop Suit: Form and Function”. Besides that there are a few Deleted Scenes Omnicorp promos and trailers included.

Starring: Jerry Lewis, Stella Stevens (I), Kathleen Freeman, Med Flory, Norman Alden, Howard Morris (I)
Director: Jerry Lewis
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Video
DVD Release Date: June 3, 2014
Run Time: 397 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Nutty Professor” is easily one of Jerry Lewis’ best comedies. He directed, stars in, and co-wrote (with Bill Richmond) this very funny film, which is a parody of the classic “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. 50 years and this film is still a laugh riot and to celebrate that date Warner Bros is releasing this film in a brand-new 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition. In fact this new release also received personal input from Mr. Lewis and he helped compile some of the extra content as well. This film has always been a favorite of mine and it is great to see this wonderful released put out to remind people today of what a real comedy looks like to be honest. Warner Bros has always been a leader of giving films the treatment they deserve. Their “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” releases are like none other and this is no exception. A must have for any Jerry Lewis fan!

Here is the official premise for “The Nutty Professor”: The title’s eponymous professor is Julius F. Kelp (Lewis), a shy, bumbling chemistry teacher who has a mad crush on his student Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens). When he tires of being made fun of, Kelp develops a magic potion that turns him into smooth and smarmy nightclub singer Buddy Love. Stella is drawn to Buddy but unfortunately, the potion’s formula is unstable and Buddy keeps slipping back into Julius at the most embarrassing moments. In the end the professor’s ploy is revealed, but not before he delivers a speech calling for everyone to learn to love themselves first before others can return the favor. Stella realizes she loves him for who he is and, needless to say, the ending is a happy one.

In this release we get not only “The Nutty Professor” on Blu-ray but also in DVD format as well. But wait there is still more we also get DVDs of two other well-known Lewis comedies including “Cinderfella” and “The Errand Boy”. This are great films as well. Obviously, they don’t have relation to “The Nutty Professor” but they are a nice bonus for sure. But wait there is still more…there is also a CD included of “Phoney Phone calls 1959-1972”, which features Lewis’s collection of private prank calls secretly recorded over the years. And since we are on the topic of Warner Bros and Jerry Lewis, if you are looking for more rare films be sure to check out the Warner Archive Collection (www.warnerarchive.com), which has various other Lewis’ films available including, “Family Jewels”, “Cracking Up (aka Smorgasbord)” and “Which Way to the Front?”

Since this film is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, Warner Bros did not take that lightly and really jam-packed “The Nutty Professor” with great extras. “Jerry Lewis: No Apologies” is a brand new intimate look at the legend who has entertained and educated audiences for more than eight decades. There is a “Directors Letter”, which is specially written by Lewis himself to present this new collection. Recreated “Being A Person” is a 96 page book that is made up of drawings and quotes inspired/written by Jerry Lewis and drawn by his personal illustrator. When the first was first made there were only 250 copies of this book made and given to members of the cast and crew of “The Nutty Professor”, so this is cool to be able to own. There is also a 48-Page Storyboard Book and a 44-Page Cutting Script with Jerry’s notes included.

There is an audio commentary track with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence. There is a great making of look in the film with “The Nutty Professor: Perfecting The Formula Behind-The-Scenes Footage”. “Jerry Lewis at Work” looks into the legend doing what he does best. “Jerry at Movieland Wax Museum” shows the actor visiting the location, which also includes commentary by son Chris Lewis. There are also deleted scenes, promos, bloopers, screen tests, outtakes and trailers included. With the bonus DVD includes, “Cinderfella”, there are special features as well including an audio commentary track with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence, as well as Bloopers. “The Errand Boy” includes select scene audio commentary also with Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence. Lastly, there are also Bloopers, Promo Spots and trailer included.

The Nutty Professor 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition is available on Blu-ray 6/3/14 at the WB Shop http://bit.ly/TNP50THWBShop

Actors: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, T.J. Miller, Zack Pearlman, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 220 minutes

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

“Dragons: Defenders of Berk – Part 2″ wraps up the second season of this epic TV series based on Dreamworks Animation hit film “How to Train Your Dragon. These 10 episodes feature all-new adventures and dragons. I feel that as this show has progressed it has gotten a little darker, which I really like. In fact, these 10 episodes were easily the best in the series to date. If you are a fan of the first film, then I highly recommend you getting into this series if you haven’t already. If it does nothing else it will hold you off until “How to Train Your Dragon 2” hits theaters June 13th!

Official Premise: Based on the DreamWorks Animation Academy Award® nominated movie How to Train Your Dragon, there’s action at every turn and excitement on every ride in DREAMWORKS DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2 as Hiccup and his fearless friends embark on new adventures and battle to protect their island home. The young Vikings must put their dragon training skills to the test to defeat dangerous and surprising new enemies! The series features original voice talent from the film including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse and will include Zack Pearlman and more.

Rounding out the second season are the following episodes: “A View to a Skrill Part 2; “The Flight Stuff (Ask Heirheads)”, “Free Scauldy”; “Frozen”; “A Tale of Two Dragons”; “The Eel Effect”; “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”; “Bing! Bam! Boom!”; “Cast Out, Part 1” and “Cast Out, Part 2”. Like other recent Dreamworks Animation shows based on films “Turbo FAST” airs on Netflix. Season three of “Dragons” aka “Dragon Masters” is going to take that route as well the series moves to the streaming site in Spring 2015.

There is also a few great special features that dive deeper into the amazing world of “Dragons”. There is “Dragon Tracker Part 4”, which is an an-depth look at Skrill, Baby Thunderdrums and Speed Stinger dragons, along with a special sneak peek of Snaptrapper from “How to Train Your Dragon 2” “Evolution of Skrill” is a featurette with the visual effects supervisor David Jones explaining the history behind the dragon. Lastly “Here Comes the Fire” is a funny Dragon Mash-up music video.

If you still want more, you got it…if you that purchase the DVD will also get a Digital HD UltraViolet code for the title and Movie Money ($7.50 value) to redeem for tickets to “How to Train Your Dragon 2”. Also you can enter for a chance to win a free dragon racing saddle or a mystery box code for exclusive battle gear and powers to “School of Dragons”. This is an online game from JumpStart based on DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon franchise”. It is a real blast an highly recommended for any fan of the series. For more information, visit http://www.schoolofdragons.com.

Actors: Robert Culp, Bill Cosby
Number of discs: 18
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory / Timeless Media
DVD Release Date: June 24, 2014
Run Time: 4100 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It pains me to say that when I first think about “I Spy” today, the terrible 2002 film starring Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson comes to my mind first. The better version of “I Spy” is no question the 1965 television series starring Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. For the first time ever, Shout! Factory and Timeless Media are releasing the complete series on DVD. All 82 episodes are here spread out over 18 discs for the award-winning series. These two secret agent intelligence operatives Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp) and Alexander Scott (Bill Cosby) are still just as sly and funny as ever. This show has not lost it’s class at all and was a blast to revisit with the complete series on DVD.

This show originally aired on NBC from 1965 to 1968. It was not only popular but also critically acclaimed, winning numerous awards including 1967 Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Series, three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor for Bill Cosby and the Primetime Emmy® for Outstanding Musical Composition for Earle Hagen. “I Spy” also included some very memorable guest-star performances from Gene Hackman, Jim Backus, Ron Howard, Boris Karloff, Martin Landau, George Takei, Don Rickles and Eartha Kitt, who was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role.”

“I Spy” was a great blend of comedy and drama. The chemistry between Culp and Cosby was great. The show also aired at the peak of secret agent genre, mid 60’s, following on the heels of the hugely successful James Bond films. At the time every studio was trying to deliver their own brand of secret agent TV shows, films etc. Luckily, this show was one of the ones that stood out. Also I learned some interesting information about this show that it was banned from certain in the South due having an African-American (Bill Cosby) in a leading role. This was an interesting time in TV but it was also a very entertaining time.

Each episode is presented with its original full frame 4×3 Broadcast ratio. All 4,100 minutes or over 68 hours of television. They also each come with a Dolby 2.0 track, which delivers for the show. The episodes aren’t perfect but they are decent. If you were looking for a complete 4K restore, you will be disappointed but the episodes are still looking good for a show that premiered almost 50 years ago. There are no additional special features included here, which personally is a bit of a let down because I am sure they could have scrounged up some old featurettes or commentary tracks from previous releases.

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