Directed by: Various
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 130 minutes

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

Yeah…I am not sure how to easily explain this film.  “The ABCs of Death” consists of 26 short films from 26 different directors from all over the world.  Some of these are downright awesome and some of them are absolutely terrible.  I am still recommending this film just because it is so unique and like nothing I have ever seen before. In case you haven’t caught on each director was given a letter and complete creative freedom.  The shorts range from live-action to hand drawn animated to claymation. So there is tons of variety here.  If you are a horror fan, this is easily one of the most creative films you will see this year…as long as you have a tough stomach!

I would love to list all the clever names for each show but for me finding out during the film was part of the fun. When I was watching, I was constantly trying to figure out what the hell was going on and what was the short going to be called. I will giveaway two of them since they were the most obvious. I am not going to give the premise away but I will tell you the names. One of my favorites was “D is for Dogfight”, it was well done and very clever with only one word of dialogue.  The absolute worst was “F is for Fart”, go figure it was made in Japan, which is downright stupid and just gross.  I like a good fart joke but this was terrible. That is another thing some of these shorts is that all of them don’t all fit in the horror genre either except for the fact of dealing with death.

Official Premise: Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. The ABC’s OF DEATH is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters; each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free reign in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, THE ABC’s OF DEATH is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity.

This Blu-ray being reviewing is the 1-disc Blu-ray version.  It also features an alternate cover which the baby holding the book has been removed. I personally prefer the originally artwork, which is only available on the 2-disc combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD of the film. The 1080p transfers look good for the most part but constantly various in quality since there is many different types of camera options used for each short.  The same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio tracks.  It various from short to short but all around sounds decent.

The special features are quite impressive for this release. Get ready for this…there is a filmmaker commentary track on each short. I think that is a real treat because you can get to hear the vision behind each film. There are also extras included for 14 out of the 26 shorts. Including the letter A has a visual effects featurette. The letters B, D and I have a Making Of featurette. C includes some Deleted Scenes. F, H, J, T, V, W and Z all have Behind the Scenes looks and R has a Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery with 71 photos. Lastly there is “AXS TV: A Look at The ABCs of Death”, which runs under five minutes and some trailers included.

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Actors: Yanin “Jeeja” Vismitananda
Directors: Petchtai Wongkamlao
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 99 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Thai action films, I have been grabbing them up whenever I could after “Ong-Bak”.  “This Girl Is Badass” is even from the director of “Ong Bak”, Prachya Pinkaew. Like how Prachya discovered Tony Jaa, he also brought us  JeeJa Yanin.  She was awesome in “Chocolate” and the title of the film suits her quite well. Did I mention that she is also only 5’2? Unfortunately this film is not one of my favorites, it plays more like a slapstick comedy, which is not funny, with a few decent action scenes chucked in. Unless you are a hardcore Thai martial arts fan, then I wouldn’t rush out to watch this one.

Official Premise: Witness jaw-dropping fight sequences from “Chocolate’s” kick-ass Jeeja Yanin, who also stars in the sequel to the martial arts hit, “The Protector”. In This Girl is Badass, Jeeja takes her skills to the next level as a bike messenger who is hired by competing mob bosses to smuggle goods. Caught in the middle and given an ultimatum, the only way out is a confrontation erupting into a battle of bullets, face kicks and blows.

“This Girl Is Badass” looks decent on Blu-ray but nothing spectacular. The 1080p transfer is relatively clear and consistent. The audio tracks are must better in terms of Blu-ray quality. First there is a Thai: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which works well with the action. Normally, the dub tracks are terrible but since this film is already bad the English track works in its favor. The special features are also a let down with a short featurette “The Making of This Girl is Badass”, only in SD and in Thai, with English subtitles. There is also an even shorter “Behind the Scenes” including additional b-roll footage, also in SD. Lastly there is an International Trailer included.

Actors: Satomi Ishihara, Kôji Seto, Yûsuke Yamamoto, Tsutomu Takahashi
Directors: Tsutomu Hanabusa
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Well Go USA
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Run Time: 96 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
3D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

I am abig sucker for Japanese horror, especially 3D and especially from “The Ring” series.  But right from the tagline I cringed for this title “Sadako is Always Hungry. And She’s No Longer Alone.” Never alone? That was the whole point of the original “The Ring”. Sadako was this eerie ghost that was haunting everyone. She is also now upgraded from VHS tapes to online videos. The whole story is ridiculous and I wouldn’t waste my time on this even if you are the biggest fan of “The Ring” series. The film also calls itself “The Terrifying Conclusion”…but there is not concluded here. In fact it just leaves questions like “what the hell did I just waste my 96 minutes doing?”. What happened to Japanese horror? Can it please get back to its roots and start being scary again? This series has certainly run out of steam and originality!

Official Synopsis: Sadako waits, a vicious spirit, hungry for blood and souls. What began as a haunted videotape, passed from hand to cursed hand all those years ago in THE RING, has only gotten easier to find. Sadako waits. And it’s not just on tape anymore. At a local high school, there is a rumor about an online video of someone committing suicide. If it were only a prank, or the work of a deranged artist in town, the students wouldn’t be killing themselves after watching it, would they? The police would have a theory about the quickly-growing body count? And what about the woman in white with long hair? Sadako is always hungry. And she’s no longer alone.

With all the 3D Blu-ray that I have seen from Well Go USA, i.e. “The Shock Labyrinth 3D” and “Tormented 3D”, there has been some mega ghosting with the third dimension effect. The The 1080 transfer is sharp and works well with the 3D effects, which in this film actually looks quite awesome. Too bad the the film itself is a bore and leaves you tearing your hair out. All I have to say is…CGI creatures, BOO! There is a Japanese only DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which works well with the little suspense in the film. There is also ZERO special features included here. But fans rejoice, “The Ring” series is not dead, we have more coming since Tsutomu Hanabusa has just completed production on “Sadako 2 3D”. Hopefully he will learn from his mistakes on this film or just leave this franchise to die or get rebooted like everything else.

Actors: Tatiana Maslany, Spencer Van Wyck, Steven McCarthy, Mark DeBonis
Directors: Kate Melville
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Arc Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 93 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

I am usually not a fan of dramatic comedies, but I figured I would give this one a try since it starred Tatiana Maslany. Let’s just say I should have stuck with my gut despite the cast. Tatiana is gaining a lot of steam recently due to her role in BBC America’s “Orphan Black”.  She is ok in this film but she can’t carry the entire film on her own. The story feels like a weak coming-of-age dramedy. I didn’t really end up caring for any things characters and thought they were quite boring. To be quite honest the whole film is quite depressing. Definitely a big pass here!

Official Premise: Forced to repeat her senior year in high school, Claire’s (Tatiana Maslany) reputation is sliding from bad-ass to bad joke. At night, she escapes to would-be rock star Jim (Steven McCarthy), while at school, she bonds with Henry (Spencer Van Wyck), a nerdy freshman she used to babysit. Eventually, Claire learns the difference between sex, intimacy, and friendship.

Arc Entertainment released this film on DVD, which to me is a dying format. Not that Blu-ray would have done anything for this film. The DVD features an Dolby Digital 5.1, which works for the dialogue focused film. There are also no special features included at all which only leads me to be more disappointed for this release. This is Kate Melville’s first film, so I should have given it a little bit of leeway but I just got more and more frustrated as this film progressed. So I wouldn’t wish this film upon anyone is watch, unless you are a die-hard Tatiana Maslany fan.

Actors: Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Pat Carroll, Lea Salonga
Directors: Hayao Miyazaki
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 88 minutes

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

“My Neighbor Totoro” is my favorite Studio Ghibli film, hands down and also one of my favorite films are all-time. There is something about this film that is so simple so contains a much deeper message. The film is very magical, sweet and just plain funny. The character of Totoro is one of my favorites and also ended up becoming also the logo for Studio Ghibli. It is crazy to think that this film is not celebrating its 25th anniversary. I remember watching this film as a kid and now I get to share this film on Blu-ray with my own daughter. She is already in love with this film and its characters. The film doesn’t show it’s age at thanks to an all new HD digital transfer, courtesy of Disney. If you are a Ghibli fan, this is an amazing release. I am sure that we will be watching this film on loop for many years to come.

Official Premise: Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei as they discover their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit named Totoro who can only be seen by the eyes of a child. As Totoro introduces the girls to his extraordinary friends, they embark on the journey of a lifetime. Featuring the voice talents of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, My Neighbor Totoro is an amazing animated adventure the whole family will fall in love with.

“My Neighbor Totoro” arrives for the first time on a Disney combo pack, with the film available on Blu-ray and DVD. It has never looked better and I was blown away but the clarity of this 25 year old animated film. The color lines looks beautiful and it looks like it was made yesterday. There are two audio tracks included on this release, both which are DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The Japanese track was what I grew up with and love. But now that I have my own daughter, who is just 1 years old, she can’t read just yet so we have been stick with the English track. I have to say I am a little disappointed since I would have loved to see Disney give this film the 5.1 treatment. That being said the 2.0 tracks are not bad at all for this simple film. Joe Hisaishi sounds great and the dialogue is very clear still.

The special features are great and definitely worth checking out for any fan of the film. There is a featurette called “Behind the Microphone”, which shows our cast behind-the-scenes who gave these great characters life. My favorite extra is “Behind the Studio”, which consists of six featurettes, including “Creating “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Creating the Characters”, “The Totoro Experience”, “Producer’s Perspective: Creating Ghibli”, “The Locations of Totoro” and “Scoring Miyazaki”.  These really give us a great insight into the behind-the-scenes for the film. There is a little bit of everything included here.  They are not the longest extras but still worth checking out. Lastly there are the original Japanese Trailer, as well as the original Japanese Storyboards.

Actors: Jean Simmons, Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal
Directors: Hayao Miyazaki
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 119 minutes

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

You have no idea how excited I am for this Blu-ray! This is one of my all-time favorite Studio Ghibli films form the amazing Hayao Miyazaki. I don’t even know where to start with this film.  The story. The music. The characters.  everything about “Howl’s Moving Castle” is just amazing. It is one of those films that you can just watch over and over and never get bored. The film gets better and better with each viewing.  Thanks to Disney this film has also never looked better with a stunning new HD digital transfer, and perfect picture and sound! Perfect, that is a great word to describe this film. If you are a Ghibli fan, this is a must have for your collection.

Official Premise: Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a spell on Sophie. In a life-changing adventure, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent moving castle and enters a magical world on a quest to break the spell. Featuring the voice talents of Christian Bale and Billy Crystal, Miyazaki’s artistry comes to life with inventive characters, unique storytelling, and richly detailed animation. Your whole family will love this epic fantasy on Disney Blu-ray!

Disney is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and also a DVD of the film.  The 1080p transfer is gorgeous and really well done.  The colors jump right off the screen and if you’ve seen this film it is very colorful! There are two audio tracks included, both which are DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.  I have to go with the original Japanese track, which has always been my favorite.  Although, the English dub does have Christian Bale and he does give Howl some great life. Also Billy Crystal brings the funny while voice Calcifer. So I guess they are both good in their own way.  The action is captured well with the audio tracks as is the amazing Joe Hisaishi and his wonderful and beautiful score.

The special features are good but not as stunning as I would have hoped but I will take what I can get.  There is a featurette called “Behind the Microphone”, which shows our cast behind-the-scenes who gave these great characters life.  There is an interview with Pixar Animation Studios Director, Pete Docter, who worked on the US release for this film. There is a fun feature “Hello Mr. Lasseter”, which shows us Hayao Miyazaki visits to Pixar Animation Studios.  Lastly there are the original Japanese TV Spots and Trailers, as well as the original Japanese Storyboards.  ”My Neighbor Totoro” had a great collection of short extras “Behind the Studio”, I would have loved to see that for this release.

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Jane Lynch, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson
Director: Cal Brunker
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

“Escape from Planet Earth” is a movie that came out of nowhere and surprisingly did pretty well.  I couldn’t help but relate it back to past alien CGI animated film “Planet 51″. I wasn’t really drawn in by the trailer but I have to admit, I am a sucker for anything science fiction, animated or not. The film really does have an impressive voice cast including Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, William Shatner, Rob Corddry, George Lopez, Craig Robinson, Sofía Vergara and Jane Lynch. I mean there is a really nice wide array of talent here. But when it comes down to it, this is really a kids film and doesn’t really speak to their parents as much as other kids films try to do.  But kids should enjoy it as it is fun, well animated and did I mention it’s in 3D!

Synopsis: The 3D animated family comedy catapults moviegoers to planet Baab where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is a national hero to the blue alien population. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy, by-the-rules brother, Gary (Rob Corddry), head of mission control at BASA. When BASA’s no-nonsense chief Lena (Jessica Alba) informs the brothers of an SOS from a notoriously dangerous planet, Scorch rejects Gary’s warnings and bounds off for yet another exciting mission. But when Scorch finds himself caught in a fiendish trap set by the evil Shanker (William Shatner) it’s up to scrawny, risk-adverse Gary to do the real rescuing. As the interplanetary stakes rise to new heights, Gary is left to save his brother, his planet, his beloved wife Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and their adventure hungry son Kip.

This combo pack release is very impressive.  It includes both 2D and 3D presentations of the film, as well as a DVD and UltraViolet digital copy. The 3D on the film is a lot of fun.  There is some great in your face moments and gags that kids will enjoy. The 1080p transfer looks amazing and the colors is very crisp and sharp. The DTS-HD Master Audio  5.1 track really works with the action and the original music by composer Aaron Zigman. The special features are good and work checking out if you enjoyed the film.  There is an audio commentary with Director Cal Brunker, which might not keep the attention of kids but parent could enjoy. “The Making of Escape From Planet Earth” is a nice behind-the-scenes look at the film. There is a few Alternate Takes and Deleted Scenes included.  Lastly there are several Music Featurettes for musicians Delta Rae, Owl City and Cody Simpson.

Actors: Clancy Brown, Troy Baker, Travis Willingham, Christopher Corey Smith, Charlie Schlatter
Directors: Jon Burton
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 71 minutes

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

LEGO is one really smart company.  They not only have tons of great franchises like “Harry Potter”, “The Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” but they also have DC Comics on their side.  The LEGO Batman series is one of my favorites.  In fact, I have been playing the new “LEGO Batman: DC Super Heroes” on the iPhone quite a bit recently. So I am beyond excited for a full-length feature film.  I love what LEGO has done with the “Star Wars” shorts but they are just that…short.  This epic feature-film is very well made, packs a great voice cast and is alsovery funny. LEGO should be making these films for every franchise they support. They are great a real blast, clever and pack some great replay value. This is a must watch for all kids (and big kids) who love comics and superheroes!

The voice cast including Clancy Brown (“SpongeBob SquarePants” ) leads the pack with voicing Lex Luthor.  Troy Baker (“Batman: Arkham City”) pull double duty with voicing Batman and Two-Face. Travis Willingham voices Superman (“Avengers Assemble”, “The Super Hero Squad Show”). Rob Paulsen (“Animaniacs”), one of my favorite voice actors, is a laugh riot as Riddler. Christopher Corey Smith does a great job as The Joker (“Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe”) and lastly gotta give props to Charlie Schlatter (“Diagnosis Murder”) for giving Robin some great life!

Official Premise: DC Comics’ greatest superheroes and their arch nemeses face-off in a hilarious, action-packed battle in LEGO Batman: The Movie. Based on the popular video game series, the full-length TT Animation feature finds Lex Luthor taking jealousy to new heights when fellow billionaire Bruce Wayne wins the Man of the Year Award. To top Wayne’s accomplishment, Lex begins a campaign for President. And to create the atmosphere for his type of fear-based politics, he recruits the Joker to perfect a Black LEGO Destructor Ray. While wreaking havoc on Gotham, Lex successfully destroys Batman’s technology, forcing the Caped Crusader to reluctantly turn to Superman for help.

Warner Home Video has delivered a fantastic release here.  This combo pack includes a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy, which I will be redeeming and revisiting quite often. Did I mention this release also comes with an exclusive LEGO Clark Kent/Superman Minifigure.  I mean I would purchase just for that to be honest.  The 1080p transfer looks stunning and very clear.  The film is quite colorful and it literally jumps off the screen. The DTS-HD Master Audio Track works so well with the film’s action and fantastic scores.  Once you hear that classic “Batman” theme you cannot help but just take a trip down memory lane.

The special features are quite impressive.  “Building Batman” puts us together with kids and master LEGO builder Garrett Barati about how they can make their own Batman mini-movie with LEGO’s. “Lego Batman Jumps Into Action” is Garrett Barati’s teaser used for “LEGO Super Heroes” and shows what can be done with stop-motion animation. “LEGO/DC Universe Super Heroes Video Contest Winners” shows us the short films from five of the winning entries. Lastly there are bonus DC episodes including “Triumvirate of Terror” and “Scorn of the Star Sapphire” from “Batman: The Brave and the Bold”, and “Overdrive” from “Teen Titans”.

Actors: Adam Sinclair, Kristin Kreuk, Billy Boyd
Directors: Rob Heydon
Rated: Unrated
Studio: New Video Group
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 100 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

I remember when I saw “Trainspotting” for the first time back in 1996. I had never seen anything like it. I couldn’t understand a damn thing they were saying but I freaking loved it. After that I also became interested in Irvine Welsh’s books. The next film adaption we got was in 1998 with “The Acid House”, good but not even close to “Trainspotting”. So its been 14 years since the last adaptation and we get “Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy”. Again not even close as good as “Trainspotting” but not terrible either. If nothing else this film easily kept my attention for the hour and 45 minutes. It doesn’t have the edge that I was really hoping. Overall, I would call this a one-timer.

From the mind of Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) comes a pulse-pounding thriller set against the backdrop of Scotland’s drug-fueled dance scene. When free-spirited Lloyd gets in deep with the local kingpin after a drug deal gone bad, he decides to cut ties and kick old habits for the woman he loves. But when his old business partners come around looking to settle the score, Lloyd must do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if that means getting back in the game and risking it all to get even.

“Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy” packs a great cast including Adam Sinclair (“To End All Wars”), Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville”), and Billy Boyd (“The Lord of the Rings”).  They all deliver great performances throughout.  The film features some great music form Paul Oakenfold, Coldplay and DJ Tiesto.  New Video only released this film on DVD and I feel that Blu-ray could have severed this film much better in terms of presentation.  Top that with that fact that there are zero special features included on this release. I will keep holding my breath for Danny Boyle to finally make “Porno”, the follow up to “Trainspotting”.

Starring: Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough, Cobie Smulders
Director: Lasse Hallström
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

Are you a female? Better yet are you a female Nicholas Sparks fan? If so you will like this film.  I have seen various film adaptations of his books and this is not the best and not the worst.  It comes with a little romance and some thrills.  For a guy it might be a bit of a nightmare to get through this but it is worth it to make your girl happy.  I mean who doesn’t love a good twist ending, even if it isn’t that good. Plus the men can enjoy looking at the gorgeous Julianne Hough, while the ladies are drooling at the handsome Josh Duhamel. So it could end up being a win-win for everyone.

Official Premise: Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough star in this spellbinding romantic drama based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook). When a mysterious, beautiful woman named Katie (Hough), moves to Southport, North Carolina, she sparks the interest of the locals, especially Alex (Duhamel), a handsome widower. Although she is attracted to Alex, Katie is reluctant to trust him – that is, until a new friend (Cobie Smulders) convinces her to give Alex a chance. But before long, a dark secret from Katie’s past threatens her happiness in this thrilling romance directed by Lasse Hallström.

20th Century Fox delivered a nice combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy. But I was a little bit let down that this only includes an iTunes digital copy. I thought that Fox was full on the Ultraviolet band wagon…but not sure why they opted out for this release. The 1080p transfer looks stunning and definitely gives props to our leads and the beautiful North Carolina setting.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track also delivers as well.  Since the film is a romantic-thriller, it doesn’t blow you away but it works with what it has and does it quite well.

The special features are not great but at least they have given us something. There are five deleted and extended scenes, as well as an alternate ending including. This ending is not any better than the film’s original but still worth checking out. “Igniting the Romance in Safe Haven” is a short behind-the-scenes look into the production with interviews from director Lasse Hellström, author Nicholas Sparks and our leads. “Josh Duhamel’s Lessons in Crabbing” is what I like to call a “waste-of-time-filler extra, which shows Duhamel attempting to catch crabs, no pun intended…I think. There is a very short set tour with our author Nicholas Sparks, which this could have been longer.  Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

GWAR
“Electile Disfunction 08”
Slavepit Inc./Hypereal Productions
Chapters: 11

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Continuing with the long tradition of GWAR films is the latest release from Slavepit Inc. and Hypereal Productions. “Electile Disfunction 08” was shot during the bands 2008 tour which featured the return of infamous GWAR manager Sleazy P. Martini. The DVD follows one of GWAR’s more popular story lines as head Scumdog Oderus Urungus and the other members of GWAR attempt to defend the Frank Sinatra Belts of Total World Domination against an interesting assortment of characters in the Intergalactic Championship Wrestling.

Classic GWAR from start to finish! The production may not be top notch but those familiar with GWAR’s previous films know what to expect and what may be lacking in production quality is made up tenfold with content and laughs. Though nothing beats seeing the band live “Electile Disfunction 08” does a great job putting you as close to the action as possible through a number of different POV camera angles. Watch from the safety of your home as GWAR hack and slash their way through a number of public figures before wrapping up the show with the always popular “Slaughterama”. If your anything like myself and have been stock piling the long list of previous GWAR films then you certainly won’t want to miss this one as it destine to become a classic.

Chapter Listing:
1.) Sleazy for Prez
2.) Wilco Chopped
3.) Bile Driver
4.) I Gotta Belt!
5.) BoneSnapper vs. McCain
6.) Murders Muse
7.) Hillary & Obama
8.) Drugs
9.) Destructo Express
10.) For the Belts!
11.) Ronnie’s Comeback
12.) Sleazy’s Encore

Actors: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley
Creator: Alan Ball
Number of discs: 7
Rated: Unrated
Studio: HBO Home Video
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 720 minutes

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

Who doesn’t love HBO’s “True Blood”. The show has been going strong for five seasons now. When you start watching its is hard not to completed get sucked in. This season packs some great storylines i.e. Bill and Eric behind bars, Tara getting used to her new life as a vampire, Alcide turning his back on the wolfpack and a vampire civil war on the horizon. There is no shortage of action and drama this season. In fact this season is one of my favorite to date from the show, besides the first. You would think that after five seasons that this show would lose some steam but it only seems to get more interesting and entertaining. Season five also definitely can be considered a game-changer for the show and it was also creator Alan Ball’s final season. I am still looking forward to what happens next in the upcoming sixth season, coming this June! Bring it on!

The fifth season sees the return of our favorite True Blood cast members including Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley and Sam Trammell…just to name a few. They are all in fine-form and deliver some of their best performances of the series especially Ryan Kwanten, who has a fantastic arc. This season introduces various new cast members including Scott Foley as Patrick Devins; Christopher Meloni as Roman; Valentina Cervi as Salom; and Lucy Griffiths as Nora. I love the storyline surrounding the Authority and their affects on these characters. Each character their own arc, which works well for the most part, this season and the finale really brings it all together quite well.

HBO has delivered a very impressive DigiPack combo pack release for the fifth season of “True Blood”. Thanks to HBO Select, this release offers buyers the choice of three ways to watch in one set – Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy. The digital copy included is redeemable via iTunes, Vudu or Amazon and of course my favorite, UltraViolet. The 12 episodes are well represented with their 1080p transfers. The show has been given consistently impressive releases thanks to HBO and have continued to look very sharp and impressive. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks also deliver the mood for the show very well. I love composer Nathan Barr’s score for this show and as usual it is well represented here.

The special features are sure to leave diehard “True Blood” fans feeling very satisfied. “True Blood Episode Six: Autopsy” is an in-depth look behind-the-scenes with the cast and crew on that episode. “Authority Confessionals” gives you an inside look at the mysterious institution. There is an enhanced viewing option for the series allowing you to tap in Character Bios, Vampire Histories and fun facts while watching the show. There is a Flashback/Flash Forward option that will allow you to travel back through the show’s timeline and relive pivotal moments or Flash Forward to reveal the significance of a certain scenes. Lastly “True Blood Lines” is a fun guide to tap into secrets from relationships past and present.

Next up, the next batch of special features are available on the Blu-rays but are the only extras available on the DVDs. “Inside the Episodes” is an look into various back stories from each episode this season. There are five audio commentary tracks with cast and crew including creator/executive producer Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Denis O’Hare, Carrie Preston and many more! There are also Previews & Recaps from the series, in case you need to play catch up. Lastly you are able to watch these episodes seamless, so they flow really well together especially if you feel like marathoning it.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Kevin Corrigan, Paul Herman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Costner, Al Pacino
Directors: Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Brian De Palma
Distributed by: Warner Home Video
Release Date: May 21, 2013
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Running Time: 697 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love a good kick-ass gangster film? “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Contemporary” includes a collection of gangster films from the early 1970’s through 2000’s including “Mean Streets (1973)”, “The Untouchables (1987)”, “Goodfellas (1990)”, “Heat (1995)”, “The Departed (2006)”. In the last couple of decades they are definitely some of the best. I am also a big fan of films like “Casino”, which was not included. I thought that “Heat” was good but a little overrated, but maybe that is from my dislike of Michael Mann. “Goodfellas” is one of my all-time favorites. This release is great if you do not own these films prior since there is nothing new here in terms of content besides a 32-page book featuring images and facts about each film.

These five films all comes with impressive 1080p transfers. Since “The Departed” is the most recent, it also looks and sounds the best with its PCM 5.1 audio track. “Mean Streets” comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track, which is great, while “Goodfellas” comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 track which is the worst of the bunch. They both come with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. “The Untouchables” has a kicking DTS Digital Surround 6.1 track, as well as a Dolby Digital 5.1 EX track. “Heat” comes with a nice Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track and also a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. So these films range all over the place. All deliver for each film though, nothing terrible.

“The Untouchables” Official Premise: The critics and public agree. Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables is a must-see masterpiece – glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of the mob warlord who ruled Prohibition-era Chicago… and the law enforcer who vowed to bring him down. This classic confrontation between good and evil and stars Kevin Costner as federal agent Eliot Ness, Robert De Niro as gangland kingpin Al Capone and Sean Connery as Malone, the cop who teaches Ness how to beat the mob: shoot fast and shoot first.

“Mean Streets” Official Premise: The future is set for Tony and Michael, owning a neighborhood bar and making deals in the mean streets of New York city’s Little Italy. For Charlie, the future is less clearly defined. A small-time hood, he works for his uncle making collections and reclaiming bad debts. He’s probably too nice to succeed. In love with a woman his uncle disapproves of (because of her epilepsy) and a friend of her cousin, Johnny Boy, a near psychotic whose trouble-making threatens them all, he can’t reconcile opposing values. A failed attempt to escape (to Brooklyn) moves them all a step closer to a bitter, almost preordained future.

“Goodfellas” Official Premise: Henry Hill is a small time gangster, who takes part in a robbery with Jimmy Conway and Tommy De Vito, two other gangsters who have set their sights a bit higher. His two partners kill off everyone else involved in the robbery, and slowly start to climb up through the hierarchy of the Mob. Henry, however, is badly affected by his partners success, but will he stoop low enough to bring about the downfall of Jimmy and Tommy?

“Heat” Official Premise: Neil McCauley is a thief — an expert thief. His philosophy in life – become attached to nothing in life that you can’t walk away from in 30 seconds if you spot the “Heat” around the corner. His crew of criminals is a high-tech outfit pulling off professional jobs that impress even the likes of Detective Vincent Hanna. But Hanna, a man driven through life only by his work, becomes obsessed, at the expense of his private life, with bringing McCauley down. As McCauley’s crew prepare for the score of a lifetime, and Hanna’s team tries to bring him in, the two find that they are challenged by the greatest minds on the opposite side of the law that either one has ever encountered.

“The Departed” Official Premise: Two just-graduated officers from Massachusetts State Police Academy follow opposite sides of the law: Billy Costigan is assigned to work undercover with the Irish mobster Frank Costello to get evidences to arrest him. His true identity is only known by his superiors Dignam and Oliver Queenan. The protégée of Costello, Colin Sullivan, is promoted in the Massachusetts State Police and is the informer of Costello. Each police officer gives his best effort trying to disclose the identity of the other “rat”.

The special features are not as impressive as the “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics” release since these films have been released on Blu-ray prior and are missing quite a bit of there previously released extras. “Mean Streets” comes with a vintage featurette “Back on the Block”. “The Untouchables” comes with an extra called “The Script, The Cast”. “Goodfellas” comes with two commentary tracks with cast and crew and a featurette “Cop and Crook”. “Heat” comes with eleven additional scenes. Lastly “The Departed” also comes with nine additional scenes with intros by director Marty Scorsese.

The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics” and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21

Starring: James Cagney, Leslie Howard, Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis, Virginia Mayo, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Directors: Archie Mayo, William A. Wellman, Mervyn LeRoy, Raoul Walsh
Distributed by: Warner Bros
Release Date: May 21, 2013
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 357 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of stars

Who can help but not love the classic B&W gangster films. The following films make up this “Ultimate Gangsters Collection: Classics” – “Little Caesar (1931)”, “The Public Enemy (1931)”, “The Petrified Forest (1936)”, “White Heat (1949)”.  These are all great films that I have seen many times and never grow tired watching.  Whenever I think “The Public Enemy”, I am transported to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios on The Great Movie Ride, one of my favorites.  These films are what made gangster films popular and paved the way for today’s films. If you are a looking for a great place to be transported to the origin of the gangster film then look no further than this Blu-ray release.

All of these films are appearing on Blu-ray for the first time ever, as part of Warner Bros. 90th Anniversary celebration.  Each of these films will also be available on May 21st individually on Blu-ray. But this box set collection is quite a think a beauty.  All the film comes in a nice slipcase and includes an additional 32-page book with images and facts about each of the film. The 1080p transfers are very impressive for these classic films the latest dating back to almost 80 years ago. They are all presented with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio tracks included are also DTS-HD Master Audio Mono for each film, which work very well. The dialogues are clear and just are held up so well.

“Little Caesar (1931)” Official Premise: The ambitious criminal Rico moves from the country to the big city in the east and joins Sam Vettori’s gang with his friend Joe Massara. Sooner he becomes the leader of the gangsters and known as Little Caesar, and gets closer to the great mobster Pete Montana. In a robbery of a night-club, he kills the Crime Commissioner Alvin McClure and his pal Joe witnesses the murder. When Rico orders Joe to leave his mistress Olga Strassoff, she takes a serious decision.

“The Public Enemy (1931)” Official Premise: Tom Powers and Matt Doyle are best friends and fellow gangsters, their lives frowned upon by Tom’s straight laced brother, Mike, and Matt’s straight laced sister, Molly. From their teen-aged years into young adulthood, Tom and Matt have an increasingly lucrative life, bootlegging during the Prohibition era. But Tom in particular becomes more and more brazen in what he is willing to do, and becomes more obstinate and violent against those who either disagree with him or cross him. When one of their colleagues dies in a freak accident, a rival bootlegging faction senses weakness among Tom and Matt’s gang, which is led by Paddy Ryan. A gang war ensues, resulting in Paddy suggesting that Tom and Matt lay low. But because of Tom’s basic nature, he decides instead to take matters into his own hands.

“The Petrified Forest (1936)” Official Premise: Gabby lives and works at her dads small diner out in the desert. She can’t stand it and wants to go and live with her mother in France. Along comes Alan, a broke man with no will to live, who is traveling to see the pacific, and maybe to drown in it. Meanwhile Duke Mantee a notorious killer and his gang is heading towards the diner where Mantee plan on meeting up with his girl.

“White Heat (1949)” Official Premise: Cody Jarrett is the sadistic leader of a ruthless gang of thieves. Afflicted by terrible headaches and fiercely devoted to his ‘Ma,’ Cody is a volatile, violent, and eccentric leader. Cody’s top henchman wants to lead the gang and attempts to have an ‘accident’ happen to Cody, while he is running the gang from in jail. But Cody is saved by an undercover cop, who thereby befriends him and infiltrates the gang. Finally, the stage is set for Cody’s ultimate betrayal and downfall, during a big heist at a chemical plant.

These “Classics” each come with their own set of extras.  “Little Caesar (1931)” comes with a commentary by film historian Robert Sklar. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Spencer Tracy Short The Hard Guy, Cartoon Lady Play Your Mandolin and Theatrical Trailers. There is also a featurette “Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero” included. “The Public Enemy (1931)” includes a commentary by film historian Richard B. Jewell. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Eyes Have It, Cartoon Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! and Theatrical Trailers.  There is also a featurette “Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public” included.

“The Petrified Forest (1936)” includes a commentary by Bogart biographer Eric Lax. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short Rhythmitis, Cartoon The Coo Coo Nut Grove and Theatrical Trailers. There is also a featurette “The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert” included and an Audio-Only Bonus: 1/7/1940 Gulf Screen Theater Broadcast. Lastly “White Heat (1949)” includes a commentary by Film Historian Drew Casper. Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1949 with Newsreel, Comedy Short So You Think You’re Not Guilty, Cartoon Homeless Hare and Theatrical Trailers.  There is also a featurette “White Heat: Top of the World” included.

If all that is not enough there is still more.  There is a bonus DVD included with yet another feature-length documentary called “The Public Enemies: The Golden Age of The Gangster Film”.  Even though this is just on DVD, it is still a must-watch if you are a fan of this genre and only makes this release worth every penny.

The “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Classics” and “Ultimate Gangster Collection: Contemporary” are available on Blu-ray 5/21

Actors: Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum
Directors: Richard Lagravenese
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Run Time: 124 minutes

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

Ever since “The Twilight Saga” has been done, Hollywood has been searching for the next “Twilight”. “Beautiful Creatures” is the latest in a long line of recent YA book adaptations to film. I have to admit, I have seen the “Twilight” films and I enjoyed them all (except “Breaking Dawn: Part 1”). Ever since I saw the trailers for “Beautiful Creatures”, I thought it was going to be very painful to watch…and I was right. The film runs over two hours long and it really drags hard. Jeremy Irons is always a pleasure to watch on the big screen but he hides his fantastic accent with a not so fantastic Southern one. The rest of the cast is a quite a bore, especially our two leads. Fans of the YA book series might enjoy and some female tweens but otherwise steer clear.

Official Premise: When newcomer Lena Duchannes arrives in the small town of Gatlin she quickly captures the attention of Ethan Wate, who only wants to escape what he views as a boring and dead end town. He quickly gets more than he bargained for, as Lena possesses strange powers that have long kept her at a distance from others in her life. Lena and Ethan are drawn together, but their budding romance is threatened by the dangers posed by Lena’s being a Caster and her family’s Dark powers, for upon her sixteenth birthday Lena must undergo the Claiming, a process that will decide her fate forever: Light or Dark.

I have to say no matter if I like the film or not Warner Bros delivered a nice Blu-ray presentation amongst its Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet digital copy combo pack. The 1080p transfer looks sharp and works well with the visual effects. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works with the action and the film’s score. The special features are not too bad either and are very featurette drive.  There are a few deleted scenes, but not sure how this film could have been longer.  The featurettes included are “Book to Screen”, “The Casters”,  “Between Two Worlds”,  “Forbidden Romance”, “Alternate Worlds” and “Designing the Costumes”.  There is nice coverage here over the whole production with cast and crew.  Lastly there are Theatrical Trailers and a Book Trailer: “Icons” by Margaret Stohl included.

Beautiful Creatures available on Blu-Ray 5/21/13 at WB Shop http://bit.ly/Xo9tAW