Actors: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith
Creator: Julian Fellowes
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: PBS
DVD Release Date: January 28, 2014
Running Time: 525 minutes

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

“Downton Abbey: Season 4” is with not question one of the most anticipated show this year. The show already completed its airing in the UK but in the US it just started airing on January 5th. This season picks up around six months after the tragic end to the Series 3 Christmas Special. This Blu-ray includes the original U.K. unedited edition of the show and contain all of Season 4, including the finale. This show returns with the acclaimed ensemble cast led by Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, and Maggie Smith, as well as guest stars Shirley MacLaine and Paul Giamatti. This season is the most epic yet for sure. A must own for any fan!

Official Premise: Six months after Matthew’s tragic death, his loss is still felt throughout Downton Abbey. Mary struggles to face a new future with her fatherless child, and is encouraged by the family to pick up the pieces. With the twenties in full swing and the tides of change sweeping through Downton, Rose’s continued attraction to the bright lights of London spells trouble for the Crawleys, and Edith’s budding relationship with Michael Gregson is threatened by events beyond her control. Meanwhile, below stairs, passions run high and young hearts look set to be broken.

“Downton Abbey: Season 4” Blu-ray release looks amazing. Watching this show on PBS (in “high def”) doesn’t even come close to this. The locations where this show is shot look so amazing. I love the estate’s grounds look sharp and majestic as they should be. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track for each episode also sounds amazing. It works well with the show’s intense and (English) dialogue and the show’s beautiful score. In terms of special features, there is not a lot but what is included is a must watch. You get to go behind the scenes and witness the making of Season 4 with more than 30 minutes of bonus footage! “Downton Abbey” already is scheduled to return for a fifth series in September 2014 (in the UK). So stay tuned!

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Actors: Guy Madison, Robert Shayne
Directors: Edward Nassour, Ewald André Dupont
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Run Time: 159 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3 out 5 stars
Extras: N/A

When you see the cover art for Scream Factory’s latest double feature it no question just screams cheese! The 1950’s delivered some really great creature features and it also produced films like “The Beast of Hollow Mountain and The Neanderthal Man”. These films are not the worst for sure but they not the best either. I call these fun, kick back, drive-in films. These are maybe not in the cinematic term of classics but these remind me of films they show trailers for at Disney’s Sci-Fi Diner at Hollywood Studios.  So for what it is worth these still are able to draw me in.

Official Premise: “The Beast of Hollow Mountain” (1956): An American cowboy living in Mexico discovers his cattle is being eaten by a giant prehistoric dinosaur. “The Neanderthal Man” (1953): A mad scientist transforms himself into a prehistoric caveman*his cat into a saber-toothed tiger and his housekeeper into an ape person*which does not enhance his popularity.

Willis O’Brien may not be as well known as Harryhausen but he was still a big name when it comes to stop motion animation and it is well represented here on the Blu-ray for “The Beast of Hollow Mountain”. Scream Factory did a good job with this film’s 1080p transfer presented with an aspect ratio of 2.33:1. This CinemaScope production, which blended live-action and stop motion, is not perfect and shows its age but still acceptable for this type of film.  The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono also works for this film with the dialogue and roars from our dinosaur. There are no special features included for this film.

“The Neanderthal Man” has a few more problems than “The Beast of Hollow Mountain”. The 1080p transfer comes with an aspect ratio of 1.35:1, which is altered from previous releases. The special effects do not hold up as well within this high-def release but it almost adds a cheesy yet fun factor to it. This film also gets a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track which works quite well and is strong with the film’s score. There are no special features included for this film either.

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Actors: Boris Karloff, Nick Adams, Susan Farmer
Directors: Daniel Haller
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 80 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

I am a sucker for classic 50/60’s horror films. I love these films. They are definitely not perfect but they have that certain charm and special feel. “Die Monster Die” did not have that feel for me though. The film is 80 minutes long and nothing actually interesting happened in the movie until the last 10 minutes, which caused me to fall asleep which is quite rare for me to do. Boris Karloff is always great to see though since he is the king of horror. I would recommend this specifically to long-time fans of the film and that is all.

Official Premise: “Die Monster Die” is based on “The Colour Out of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft. A young man visits his fiance’s estate to discover that her wheelchair-bound scientist father has discovered a meteorite that emits mutating radiation rays that have turned the plants in his greenhouse to giants. When his own wife falls victim to this mysterious power the old man takes it upon himself to destroy the glowing object with disastrous results.

Shout! still delivered this film with an impressive Blu-ray presentation for the nearly 50 year old film. The 1080p transfer was cleaned up quite well with little noise showing. The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track works well the 60’s horror score and the classic sound effects. There are no special features listed on the Blu-ray case but when you get to the main menu it lists that there is a trailer included.

Actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl
Directors: Bill Condon
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Run Time: 128 minutes

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

When I read the initial reviews and buzz about “The Fifth Estate”, I couldn’t be less interested in it. But this the year of Benedict Cumberbatch with “Sherlock”, “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and even “August: Osage County”, so I decided to give it a chance. I know a little bit of background on Assange and WikiLeaks but not a lot. I thought that the film was ok and overall entertaining but I wouldn’t see myself watching it ever again. “The Fifth Estate” though has some great performances from both Benedict Cumberbatch and Daniel Brüh, so it is worth watch just for that. What I can say that the film did do is create an appetite for knowledge. After watching, I did quite a bit of research including watching the very well done documentary “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks”, which I recommend (and can be viewed here).

Official Premise: Through the eyes of Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Brühl), an early supporter and eventual colleague of Julian Assange (Cumberbatch), the film follows the heady, early days of Wikileaks to its abrupt end after a series of controversial and history changing info leaks. The website’s overnight success brought instant fame to its principal architects, but as their power expanded across the globe, Daniel grew increasingly disillusioned with Julian’s questionable tactics and ethics. The rift between the two friends became irreparable and their ideological differences tore them apart, but not before they revolutionized, for better and worse, the flow of information to news media and the world at large.

Walt Disney Home Entertainment delivered this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD and HD Digital Ultraviolet copy included. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works for what it is worth in the film. There is nothing too epic going on here but the score, thanks to Carter Burwell, does benefit from the thrilling aspects of the film. In terms of special features, we  include three decent featurettes. The first is “The Submission Platform – Visual Effects” which looks into the film from conception and pre-viz through post. “In Camera: Graphics” looks focuses on capturing the on screen graphics in camera and on the real interactions from the actors. “Scoring Secrets” is a look into composer Carter Burwell’s score. Lastly there are Theatrical Trailers & TV Spots included.

Actors: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris, James Caan
Directors: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Run Time: 189 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

In the world of movies, it is good to stay in the mind of the consumer. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” was released in 2009 and it took till 2013 to release a sequel. When my wife say that this was coming out she asked is anyone still care about this movie. I thought that was a sign for what was to come. The film did not perform very well in the domestic box office, which I was not shocked. But after watching the film, and like the first one, I enjoyed it still quite a bit. If you’ve seen the first one then you remember how colorful and fun it was. The second film feels like a bit of the same copying the success of the film, which takes away points for originality, but is still quite funny and definitely a visual ride. A fun time for the whole family!

Official Premise: Inventor Flint Lockwood (Hader) thought he had saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention, a machine that turned water into food, resulting in cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now combining food and animals to create “foodimals!” Flint and his friends embark on an adventurously mouth-watering mission to battle hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, hippotatomuses, cheesepiders and other foodimals to save the world… again.

Sony delivered this film in a beautiful combo pack including a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. When I get a Sony 3D Blu-ray, I know that it is going to be amazing no matter what! They have always impressed me the most, even for a film like “The Smurfs 2”. Sony knows what they are doing with that technology and they always deliver. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2” was visually amazing with a very strong 3D presentation. In fact, the first film was one of the film 3D Blu-ray’s that I owned and literally sealed the deal for me to get a 3D TV. The effects are great and there are a lot of fun and excited in-your-face moments, which the kids are going to love for sure. So to me I know we have a winner right there!

The 1080p transfer is easily going to be one of the best of the year. The animation is very well represented and just jumps off the screen whether you are watching the 3D version or not to be honest. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also delivers a great viewing experience. The score is quite epic and really capture the action well and the musical numbers presented perfectly balanced. I have a 19 month old daughter, so right now she is obviously not going to be wearing 3D glasses, so the 2D version was the choice we went with and she was having a blast with this film. I have to give it to the fact that it is so visual. When you watch the film, you literally just say “Wow” out loud. In fact, that is exactly what my daughter did say when she first watched this.

The special features are a blast just like the film. There is plenty of great extras for the kids and also adults. First we get an audio commentary track with the directors Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, which is a very informative and also entertaining track to enjoy for repeat viewings. There are four brand-new mini-movies including “Steve’s First Bath”, “Super Manny”, “Attack of the 50 Foot Gummi Bear” and “Earl Scouts”. There are two featurettes on the production design. The first is “Production Design: Back in the Kitchen” with the crew talking about the film from a visual aspect. “Delicious Production Design” features additional insight on the same topic from Production Designer Justin Thompson.

Next up there are some interesting featurettes on the visual effects in the film. “The Mysterious Sasquash” features VFX Supervisor Peter Travers talks a look into the hidden secrets of the film. “Anatomy of a Foodimal” features cast/crew as they discuss these digital characters. “Building the Foodimals” does the same but on more of a technical aspect with Senior Animation Supervisor Peter Nash. “Cloudy Cafe: Who’s on the Menu?” features cast/crew again talking about the film’s characters both returning and new. “Awesome End Credits” talk about the film’s well…awesome end credits with the people that created them. There is a music video of “La Da Dee” by Cody Simpson and a short behind-the-scenes into the making. Lastly there are four very short deleted scenes as well.

Actors: Jake T. Austin, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Liam Neeson, AnnaSophia Robb
Directors: Anthony Silverston
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Millennium
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Run Time: 85 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I have never heard of “Khumba” at all until recently. What drew me to the film is the very impressive cast. Jake T. Austin (“Wizards of Waverly Place”), Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”), Liam Neeson (“Taken”), AnnaSophia Robb (“The Carrie Diaries”) all lend their voices to this 3D South African computer-animated adventure comedy. The 3D effects work very well for the production and provide some fun in your face action. The story is pretty well done, it is dramatic yet still funny. Most importantly it managed to keep my 19 month old daughter attention the whole time and that to me means that it is a real success. Recommended for the whole family to enjoy!

Official Premise: Life is not all black and white for Khumba. A young zebra, born with only half his stripes, is rejected by his superstitious herd and blamed for a sudden drought affecting the land. Teaming up with a sassy wildebeest and a flamboyant ostrich, Khumba sets out on a daring mission across the Karoo desert to find the legendary waterhole where the first zebras got their stripes. Along the way he meets a host of colorful characters, but before he can reunite with his herd, Khumba will have to come face to face with a menacing leopard to take part in an epic battle… Khumba’s got to earn his stripes!

Millennium is behind this combo pack release including the following Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD. The 1080p transfer is very impressive. The colors are stunning and the animation is very impressive an indie production. The Dolby TrueHD track also works well with the action and the film’s music. The special features included on this release are not too bad either. There are three behind-the-scenes featurettes. The first is called “Acting Out”, which looks into each of the characters evolution. The next is “The Karoo”, which looks into a world of difference and how these animals are brought together. Lastly, “Nora” focuses on a great “partnersheep” and how they work together in the film.

Actors: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand, Melonie Diaz, Chad Michael Murray
Director by: Ryan Coogler
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: January 14, 2014
Run Time: 85 minutes

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

When it comes to dramas, I am usually not the first to run out. When I was young, I used to attend all the indie NYC film festivals and I got a bit flooded with all sorts of dramatic features. So “Fruitvale Station” didn’t interest me at all upon first glance. When I got this Blu-ray, I figured I would give it a chance it has a fantastic cast including Michael B. Jordan (“Chronicle”) and Academy Award® winner Octavia Spencer (“The Help”). Well I am glad I did because, I was quickly sucked into this very emotional drama and these actors mesmerizing performances. Keep an eye out for Jordan cause he is going to be huge. Highly recommend this film but just remember it is not light watching and very powerful 85 minutes.

Official Premise: Filmmaker Ryan Coogler makes his feature directorial debut with this drama centered on the tragic shooting of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a vibrant 22-year-old Bay Area father who was senselessly gunned down by BART officers on New Year’s Day in 2009, and whose murder sent shockwaves through the nation after being captured on camera by his fellow passengers.

“Fruitvale Station” is a low-budget film with a low-budget feel that is not necessarily a bad thing but on Blu-ray, it doesn’t really stand out for me as a must have. The 1080p transfer is still very sharp and crystal clear. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works very well with the film’s powerful score, which I loved. Anchor Bay released this film as a Blu-ray combo pack with DVD included, as well as a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. In terms of special features, we only get two extras here but they are decent. “Fruitvale Station: The Story of Oscar Grant” goes into the true story behind this tragic event. There is also included a Q & A with the Cast and Filmmakers talking about the film and the true story behind it as well.

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Starring: Tabitha St. Germain, Janyse Jaud, Adrienne Carter, Britt McKillip, Chantal Strand, Andrea Libman, Kathleen Barr, Venus Terzo, Kelly Sheridan, Brian Drummond, Ellen Kennedy
Directed by: Vic Dal Chele, John Grusd
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 180 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

This two disc box set includes four classic “My Little Pony” movies, including: “Princess Promenade” (2006), “Runaway Rainbow” (2006), “Dancing in the Clouds” (2004) and “Friends Are Never Far Away” (2005). Shout! is a huge backer of this series and I can’t wait to see what they have planned next. I have my figures crossed for the original 1980’s series. With the success of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”, this series is now more popular than ever. Recommended for any fan of “My Little Pony” both young and old.

Official Premise: The My Little Pony adventures you grew up with are back in this collection of four timeless classic tales of Pony-rific fun! Join your favorite Ponies, including Wysteria, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Minty, and even Spike the Dragon for four outrageous tales guaranteed to make your heart swell and teach you the true meaning and value of friendship and teamwork!

“Princess Promenade” Premise: Wysteria and Pinkie Pie cross paths with a sleeping dragon named Spike who crowns someone a new princess. “Dancing In The Clouds” Premise: Twinkle Twirl tries to come up with a great idea to help with a dance for the Friendship Ball. “Runaway Rainbow” Premise: Rarity is teleported to another land. She wonders if she will be rescued in time to make the first rainbow of the season. “Friends Are Never Far Away” Premise: Ponyville and Butterfly Island try to become friends and work together.

My daughter is 19 months old and she has been obsessed with “Monies” as she called them since we received “My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas” last October. I personally would prefer the animation style of the 1980’s “My Little Pony” or even “Friendship is Magic” but my daughter is the one who is watching this over and over and over, so she really seems to dig it quite a bit. In terms of special features there is only a sing-along included for “Princess Promenade” and that is all.

Actors: Dominic Purcell, Craig Fairbrass, Conan Stevens, Natassia Malthe
Directors: Yusry Abd Halim
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Epic Pictures
DVD Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 114 minutes

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

Holy shit! What a ride! Vikingdom” is by no mean “The Lord of the Rings” and it doesn’t try to be either. It is low-budget feature, sometimes a little cheesy but it is also brutal as all hell, fast paced and a really fun time. Did I mention it is gory as hell, definitely for the squeamish here. The visual effects are quite impressive for the budget and stand up very well. “Vikingdom” is one of these films that you can just kick back relax, let yourself go and enjoy! Hope Epic Pictures is planning a franchise for this since I have my fingers crossed tightly!

“Vikingdom” is a fantasy, action adventure loosely based on the tales of Viking mythology.  It stars Dominic Purcell as Eirick, a man who’s story begins when he dies and comes back to life. He sets out on a journey to battle for his life ranging from hell and beyond in order to retrieve the mystical artifact, Odin’s Horn. He is told that this artifact is the only way to defeat Thor, the God of Thunder, and prevent The Blood Eclipse. Only Eirick can unleash its powers and stop Thor from conquering the world.

Dominic Purcell is one busy man and had five films released just in 2013 alone. He is known for his role in the TV series “Prison Break” and also with Uwe Boll with “Suddenly” and “In the Name of the King III”. He really nails this role and and even rocks that long hair quite well. Conan Stevens, who played Thor in this film is also know for is motion capture work playing Bolg in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. Jon Foo, known for his role in “Tekken”, rocked some awesome martial arts. Why aren’t we seeing more of this guy?!

Natassia Malthe is also known like Purcell for her work with Uwe Boll in the “BloodRayne” series. She is awesome as always and quite bad-ass. She also worked with Purcell in Boll’s “Assault on Wall Street”, another great film. My main complaint is that they censored the sex and nudity scenes. If you have seen her in “Bloodrayne: The Third Reich” you will know what I mean. The film is already unrated and bloody as hell, so why cut away?

This film was initially shot for release in 3D and I am really disappointed that we are not able to get a chance to experience it in that format. I think it would have been really awesome, especially with the battle scenes with obviously catered to that dimension. The film also would have benefited from a Blu-ray release to really take advantage of the film’s very impressive visual layer. Hopefully, the DVD will catch on and give the studio a reason to consider releasing it this way.

In terms of special features, there is some decent extras included here. First we get “Making of ‘Vikingdom'”, which consists of a featurette with interviews with cast/crew. It runs a meaty 25 minutes and really shows a decent look behind-the-scenes with this film. There is also a music video included from Mojo with the song “Dark Clouds”, which also plays over the film’s end credits. It is epic like the film and screams 80’s hair metal. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included, as well as a teaser and TV spot.

Actors: Mischa Barton, Ryan Eggold, Leah Pipes
Directors: Mark Edwin Robinson
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Epic Pictures
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Run Time: 111 minutes

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

When I read about “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”, I immediately interested due to the supernatural nature of the film. What I didn’t know is that the film also has a well-balanced aspect of romance as well. Mischa Barton really gets a chance to show off her acting chops and she impressed me quite a bit. I enjoyed the film even though I felt like it could have been about 30 minutes shorter. I felt like it dragged in the beginning getting to the part dealing with the film’s title but when it does get the suspense portion of the film, it is quite effective for sure with some great jumps. I would still recommend checking it out for a good rainy day film.

Official Premise: A young woman (Mischa Barton) who is severely depressed after the death of her parents retreats within herself, only to be drawn out of her depression by an unexpected romance with a young man named Adam (Ryan Eggold). After Adam mysteriously disappears into the depths of a haunted apartment building, she vows to pursue him, even if it means crossing into the world of the supernatural.

“I Will Follow You Into the Dark” had a brief theatrical release last year and was also released on VOD. I personally prefer the film when it’s title was just “Into the Dark”, the current title seems like it is trying to explain itself too much. Epic Pictures is behind this film’s life on DVD and they are becoming quite the powerhouse after their fantastic release for “Big Ass Spider!”. They also have a film called “Vikingdom” in the cards for this month as well. In terms of special features, there are a few decent behind-the-scenes featurettes taking a look into the production with cast/crew. There is also a few short deleted scenes included.

Actors: William Moseley, Adrian Pasdar, Eric Roberts
Directors: Simone Bartesaghi
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Millennium
Release Date: January 14, 2014
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

“Run” to be me feels like an indie version of “Step Up” mixed with a crime thriller twist. The film is pretty action packed and includes really solid cast. William Moseley, from “The Chronicles of Naria” film series, is impressive in this film and gets a chance to take the lead. Adrian Pasdar is always brilliant and honestly who doesn’t love Eric Roberts. For a film that runs 90 minutes, it really is tight and solid and definitely worth checking out especially for Amazon’s low price under $13 dollars.

Official Premise: Set in the streets of New York City, RUN is a fast-paced, 3D crime thriller that follows the life of Daniel Lombardi – a troubled seventeen year old who nomadically moves from city to city with his father and utilizes Parkour to commit crimes in order to survive. Daniel soon uncovers his father’s dark past that ultimately led to their life on the run. As he gets pulled deeper into an unsuspecting world of crime, Daniel is forced to put everything he holds dear on the line, including the love of his life who has secrets of her own.

Millennium is behind this Blu-ray 3D combo pack release. After watching the trailer for this film, I know that this would be even cooler in 3D. I have to admit, it probably doesn’t have to be watched in 3D to be enjoyed but I did like the option for sure. They take advantage of the third dimension when using the first person camera angles and the impressive stunts in the film. The Parkour aspect of the film also works well with the 3D effects. It reminded me of the film “District 13” quite a bit (and that is a good thing).

The 1080p transfer was crisp and capture the streets of New York quite well, same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which really delivers the film’s score and music very well. It is also quite fast paced like the film. In terms of special features, there is only one extras included, which is “The Making of Run” and briefly goes behind-the-scenes on this film. Nice follow-up after watching this film but I would have hoped for a little bit more.

Actors: Richard Jordan, Jason Robards, Alec Guinness
Directors: Jerry Jameson
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 114 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

“Raise the Titanic” was based on Clive Cussler’s fourth book in his “Dirk Pitt Adventure” book series. It was released back in 1980 or five years before the actual wreck was discovered and was never well received and or found an audience. What “Raise the Titanic” does have is a great score, impressive visuals and solid cast including Alec Guinness (“Star Wars”) popping up but personally I was never a huge fan of the film since it is borderline silly and not practical at all. But it is still worth a look on Blu-ray if you do enjoy it.

Synopsis: Join the underwater race to salvage the Titanic and its vital defense cargo. Adapted from Clive Cussler’s international best-seller, the story follows the exploits of American special agent Dirk Pitt as he sets out to recover vital material from the Titanic which could make the US impregnable to atomic attack. The ship is down too deep for divers and the only solution is to raise it. The incredible project must be managed in absolute secrecy because of deadly interference from a rival nation. The Titanic is finally, and majestically, brought to the surface — but the vital, rare mineral is missing…

Despite my opinions on the film itself, Shout! does deliver a solid Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer holds up well for a film that is over 30 years old. It is quite sharp and there is little noise interference. They also delivered a great DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Like I mentioned above, I was a fan of the score to this film and it is well represented here for sure. In terms of special features, unfortunately is nothing special here including only one behind-the-scenes extra called “Making of ‘Raise the Titanic'” and a theatrical trailer.

Actors: Chloë Grace Moretz, Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Gabriella Wilde
Directors: Kimberly Peirce
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM
Release Date: January 14, 2014
Run Time: 100 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Let’s just say that when I saw that “Carrie” was being remade again, I couldn’t be any less interested. This is the fourth (and hopefully last) rendition of Stephen King’s 1974 novel. The first go around was, of course, in 1976 (and still the best). The terrible sequel “The Rage: Carrie 2” came in 1999 and the even worse TV Movie remake came in 2002. I really wanted to go into this with an open mind but just couldn’t do it.

This latest remake is absolutely unnecessary and just plain terrible. Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore are fine in the their respective roles. Moore, I think forgets this is a “horror film” and tries to go for the Oscar nomination. The film also relies way too much on CGI in the last 30 minutes, which is quite sad because it is such a cop out and to be honest doesn’t have the gore edge like the ’76 film despite being R-rated. What we have here is a sad remake of “Carrie” for today’s MTV generation.

Official Premise: “Carrie” is a re-imagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White (Chloë Moretz), a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore), who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.

The film came in a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet Digital Copy. It also comes in a neat Collectible Lenticular package. The 1080p transfer is clean and showcases well all the film’s terrible CGI effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works well with the prom scene action but too bad had no edge and lack of terror in it.

The special features are better than the film but not amazing. There is an equally bad alternate ending and some Deleted/Extended Scenes with commentary by Director Kimberly Peirce. There is also a feature commentary track by Director Kimberly Peirce. There is a featurette “Bringing Back Carrie”, which takes us behind the scenes. “The Power of Telekinesis” looks into Carrie’s abilities. There is the “Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise”, which was an online viral joke video. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, Jackson Nicoll, Jack Polick, Catherine Keener
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Rated: R (Restricted) / Unrated
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Run Time: 91 / 102 minutes

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

If you saw “Jackass 3D”, then you will remember Johnny Knoxville running around in old man makeup and it was epic. When you see this title, “Jackass Presents”, you might think this to be expect just gross ass stunts and funny antics but “Bad Grandpa” is much more. The film has quite a bit of heart…mixed in with the crazy stunts and funny antics.  Jackson Nicoll adds a different level of funny and balances out Johnny Knoxville quite well who again rocks that make-up.  Fan of “Jackass” series or not, I would highly recommend checking out.

Official Premise: Jackass ringleader Johnny Knoxville reprises his role as 86-year-old Irving Zisman in the story of a crotchety old man unexpectedly saddled with the care of his 8-year-old grandson, Billy (Jackson Nicoll). The two generations of troublemakers soon develop a bond, as they hustle their way across the heartland of America pursuing hijinks and pulling pranks on unsuspecting, real-life people—all of whom had no idea they were starring in a hidden camera film.

Paramount is releasing this film in a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + HD Digital Copy. It also includes two different version of the film, the 91 minute theatrical cut and a 102 minute new unrated cut with more hilarious footage not shown in theaters! This is not your typical two minute longer unrated cut, this packs some impressive new footage. The 1080p transfer is good but you have to remember that a lot of this was shot with hidden cams. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works ok but I had some issues here some of the talking over the louder music.

In terms of special features, the fun doesn’t stop with the film. There are eight Behind-the-Scenes featurettes including, “The Funeral”, “Estate Sale”, “Window Launch”, “Shipping Billy”, “The Penguin”, “Wedding Crashers”, “The Drop Off” and “Beauty Pageant”. There six different Alternate Reactions takes from Real People with “Meet Billy”, “Meet Irving”, “The Skype Call”, “Billy Shops for Parents” and “Irving Hits on Women 1 & 2”. Lastly there are three deleted scenes included.

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Actors: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Wes Craven, Lisa Wilcox, Alice Cooper, Mark Patton, Monica Keena, Brendan Fletcher, Ronny Yu
Directors: Andrew Kasch, Daniel Farrands
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Run Time: 238 minutes

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

“Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy” was originally released on DVD in 2010 but thanks to Image Entertainment, we get a new Blu-ray edition. Directing duo Daniel Farrands and Andrew Kasch has been known for their documentary work in the horror genre including the also recently released “Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th”, which runs over 7 hours itself. This film is a four-hour retrospective documentary that really dives very in-depth in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” film series. I have always loved this series, the good AND the bad and this is really the best way to give this series the respect that it deserves. A must have for any horror fan.

Official Premise: For decades, Freddy Krueger has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over half a billion dollars at the box office. In this thrilling retrospective, fans will enter the world of Freddy Krueger and A Nightmare On Elm Street like never before: exploring what spurred mastermind Wes Craven to craft the first groundbreaking film; delving deep behind the scenes of the original and all of its sequels; learning how the cast and crew brought their worst nightmares to life; and finally, understanding the impact the series and its myths have had on modern pop culture and the horror genre. Child murderer. Dream demon. The son of a thousand maniacs. Any way you slice it there can be only one man, one monster, who epitomizes horror like no other.

So if you haven’t seen this film already it is jam packed with clips from each of the film along with never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes footage, conceptual art, publicity materials and exclusive new interviews with over 100 key cast and crew from every Nightmare film. Just some of amazingly talent people include Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Jack Sholder, Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Chuck Russell, Jennifer Rubin, Renny Harlin, Lisa Wilcox, Tuesday Knight, Stephen Hopkins, Kelly Jo Minter, Rachel Talalay, Lisa Zane, Alice Cooper, Patrick Lussier, Miko Hughes, Monica Keena, Brendan Fletcher, Ronny Yu and many more. These filmmakers really set out to make the definitive documentary and they achieved that with no question.

In terms of special features, the Blu-ray comes stocked with the same amazing special features that the DVD did back in 2010. If four hours wasn’t long enough there are additional “Extended Interviews” covering each of the films and it definitely consists of some great additional content. There is a (or was a) “First Look: Heather Langenkamp’s “I Am Nancy”, which was a doc that came out in 2011 told from the star’s perspective of attending conventions etc. “For the Love of the Glove” follows online sellers as they talk about their work with making custom Freddy gloves. “Fred Heads: The Ultimate Freddy Fans” gives us an inside look into the world of the collectors behind this series.

“Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: Return to Elm Street” is an episode from the great online series from Sean Clark in which he visits all the old shooting locations of the classic film. “Freddy vs. The Angry Video Game Nerd” features James Rolfe talking about the (rather terrible) NES video game. “Expanding the Video Game Universe: Freddy in Comic Books and Novels” talks with authors and artists about their expanding universe for Freddy. “The Music of the Nightmare: Conversations with Composers and Songwriter” is an amazing extra diving into the memorable music from this great series.

“Elm Street’s Poster Boy: The Art of Matthew Joseph Peak” looks into the work of this very talent artist, who also brought us the cover art for this film. “A Nightmare on Elm Street in 10 Minutes” is an extended version of the actor line readings, which is shown in the film’s credits. Lastly there is a teaser trailer included. Whew! This movie and special features all together are so entertaining and I have never seen so much packed into one release. Don’t miss this one!