Starring: Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston,
Number of discs: 2
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 225 minutes

Episodes: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Doctor Who” is one of my favorite series on television. I have been a hardcore fan since the first series and have been watching it grown into this now worldwide phenomenon. It is very trending in the US now amongst us nerds or as we are called “Whovians”. Series six was a very tough act to follow, its story line was the most epic yet, which encapsulated the whole series. Matt Smith has really grown on me quite a bit since series five. He is quickly becoming a fav of mine as well. Karen Gillan was a terrific companion for the Doctor in the last two seasons and, get ready “SPOILERS”, if you don’t know this is also her’s and Arthur Darvill’s (plays Rory) last. I am sure that BBC will be releasing a complete series seven at the end of this run but I recommend this release for this who are looking to section it as a turning point in the show. If you are a fan of Doctor Who, this will hold you over till the Christmas 2012 episode and get you psyched for what’s to come in part two.

Official Premise “Join the Doctor, his companions Amy and Rory (aka the Ponds) and numerous friends on their latest escapades through space and time where they puzzle an unexpected invasion of Earth, save a spaceship full of dinosaurs, don Stetsons in a Wild West adventure and are even kidnapped by the Doctor’s oldest foe. The explosive series concludes with Amy and Rory’s heart-breaking farewell a race against time through the streets of Manhattan. Will the Doctor really lose the Ponds forever? There’s only one way to find out.”

Episodes included are: “Asylum of the Daleks”, “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship”, “A Town Called Mercy”, “The Power of Three” and “The Angels Take Manhattan”. “Asylum” was a good season kick-off. I do love me some Daleks. I do not feel that it as epic as season 6’s opener but you can’t always kill the Doctor. “Dinosaurs” was campy and very funny. Great visuals on this one. “A Town Called Mercy” was a fun Western spin the series but with cyborgs. “The Power of Three” was my least favorite of the five and is a big slow paced, cool idea with the cube’s planning a slow invasion but it was a little too slow for me. “The Angels Take Manhattan” was amazingly epic and probably one of my favorite episodes ever. I love the Angels and they literally scare the shit out of me. I also loved Amy and Rory and this is where there story ends.

Jenna Louise-Coleman will joining on as the Doctor’s new companion starting with the Christmas 2012 Special. She was well-placed in “Asylum of the Daleks”, playing Oswin Oswald. I actually really liked her and though she was fun, so I am excited and opened-minded to see where Steven Moffat, the Lead Writer, will take this show in the second half of this season. Moffat was quoted saying that the reason for choosing her what that “she worked the best alongside Smith and could talk faster than him.” Classic reasoning!

The episodes look and sound stunning on Blu-ray. BBC America has finally upgraded to HD (or 720p on TV), so at least now it is watchable but they look even better with their 1080p transfers, and presented in their original aspect ratio: 1.78:1. There are some great special features included in “Doctor Who: Series Seven – Part One”. There are five-part mini-adventure prequel to series seven called “Pond Life”, which puts the Doctor in more situations when attempting to visit AMy and Rory on Earth. There is a “Asylum of the Daleks Prequel” included where the Doctor receives a message from a mysterious hooded woman called Darla Von Karlsen. “The Making of The Gunslinger” shows us the origin of The Gunslinger in “A Town Called Mercy”. Lastly, “The Science of Doctor Who” and “Doctor Who at Comic Con” are great BBC America specials.

Lastly I must give a future nod to an upcoming “Doctor Who” release from BBC. On Nov.20th, the “Doctor Who: Limited Edition Gift Set” is hitting the stories. It comes packed with over 70 hours of “Doctor Who” spread over 41-discs. It is the perfect gift for all Doctor Who fan’s this holiday season. It includes the complete series one-six featuring Christopher Eccleston (the ninth Doctor), David Tennant (the tenth Doctor) and Matt Smith (the eleventh Doctor). It also includes hours and hours of bonus features including three new Doctor Who Specials coming to DVD for the first time ever, a collectible eleventh Doctor Sonic Screwdriver, three original art cards and the comic book, “Doctor Who at Comic Con.” If you are wondering how all this can fit on to one gift set just remember that it’s bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside 😉

Starring: Peter Frampton
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Ent
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Running Time: 189 Minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I remember the first time that my father introduced me to Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do” in the early 90’s.  Since then I have been a fan of not only the song but all of this work. Frampton celebrated the 35th anniversary of his multi-platinum selling live album Frampton Comes Alive in 2011 and kicked off a world tour.  This Blu-ray contains footage from shows at New York City’s Beacon Theater and Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater. It is split into two parts.  The first is “Frampton Comes Alive!” performed in its entirety, while the second part focuses on tracks from recent albums such as “Fingerprints”, “Now” and “Thank You Mr Churchill”.  If you have never seen Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton live, I highly recommend it. He is one of rock’s most iconic guitarists and gives on hell of a live performances.  This concert captures that quite well.  A must for all fans!

Eagle Rock is behind this impressive release. “FCA! 35 Tour: An Evening with Peter Frampton” has been put up with a super nice 1080p (yes, 1080p) transfer, which is rare for Eagle Rock, and presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. There are two audio tracks included, obviously the first is my favorite.  There is a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, as well as an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 stereo. I am a big fan of Frampton’s classics like “Show Me The Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” and they sound simply awesome on this release.  There are no other special features includes in this release. I should note that the release doesn’t come in a standard Blu-ray casing.  It is hard-stock paper fold book like case.  It is very thin and surely space efficient.

Track Listing:
Disc One
1. Somethin’s Happening
2. Doobie Wah
3. Lines On My Face
4. Show Me the Way
5. It’s A Plain Shame
6. Wind of Change
7. Penny For Your Thoughts
8. All I Wanna Be (Is By Your Side)
9. Baby, I Love Your Way
10. (I Wanna) Go to the Sun
11. (I’ll Give You) Money
12. Shine On
13. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
14. Do You Feel Like We Do
15. Asleep at the Wheel
16. Restraint
17. Float
18. Boot It Up
19. Double Nickels
20. Vaudeville Nanna And The Banjolele
21. Road to the Sun
22. I Don’t Need No Doctor
23. Black Hole Sun
24. Four Day Creep
25. Off the Hook
26. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

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Actors: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris
Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Danny Leiner, Todd Strauss-Schulson, Hayden Schlossberg
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 285 minutes

Ultimate Collector’s Edition: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Before we even get started, I am a huge fan of this series.  The first film is one of the most outrageous and funny comedies in the last then years. The second was good but didn’t really trump its predecessor, besides NPH.  “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is the latest and one of my favorites from 2011.  No it is not best film ever but it gets some amazing laughs, especially in 3D.  But it is not released in 3D on this release, so that is a big disappointing.  I think it would have been at least a half a star added on the score if it did. The package offers a total of four cuts of the three films, including the extended editions of each and also the theatrical cut of “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”.

Besides the film, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes in a “collectible tin, ideal for stashing the movies and any other necessities a Harold and Kumar fan might have.” This includes fun extras like a White Castle-scented car fresheners and White Castle-scented drink coasters.  If you don’t already own any of these prior releases and don’t care of 3D, then this release is for you. Otherwise, the coasters and car fresheners aren’t worth the re-purchase.

Each film in this collection are delivered in their original aspect ratio – “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” are presented in 1.85:1 and “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is presented in 2.39:1. Like the previous releases they all looks nice in thei r 1080p transfers, though I still prefer “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” in 3D over 2D.  They are also all accompanied with a sweet 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks. Not going to complain for the original Blu-ray release of “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”, what happened to it’s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track?

All of the previous special features from the prior releases are all included on this Ultimate Collector’s Edition. “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” includes three really fun commentary tracks with director Danny Leiner and actors John Cho and Kal Penn and also a commentary track with writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. There is also an “Extreme” commentary with Danny Bouchard, highly recommended. “John Cho and Kal Penn: The Back Seat Interview” chat about the their roles with co-star Bobby Lee. “Art of the Fart” focuses on the sound effects editing for the bathroom scene with the two Princeton girls. “A Trip to the Land of the Burgers” is a featurette on the animated sequence. “White Castle Cravers’ Hall of Fame” is a look into the annual awards ceremony the burger chain holds in Columbus, Ohio. “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Sneak Peek” is a sneak peak into the sequel and well as the trailer. There is 20 minutes of interviews and commentary from the cast and crew along with another 15 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes. Lastly there is a music video for “Yeah (Dream of Me)” by All Too Much and two trailers included.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” special features include 27 additional scenes and an interactive feature called “Dude Change the Movie” that puts you in control of Harold and Kumar’s trip and allows you to select from new and alternate scenes to change the course of the film! There is two commentary tracks with the Directors and Stars and also the real “Harold Lee”, and the guy who plays George W. Bush. Lastly there is a “The World of Harold and Kumar” featurette and a Bush PSA included.

Lastly we have “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”, which has the least impressive of the special features. They include a few of EPK shorts hosted by Thomas Lennon called “Through the Haze with Tom Lennon”. They are hilarious and definitely worth checking out as Lennon was a great asset to the film. There is a look into the claymation sequence and includes picture-in-picture with its animated storyboard reel and the final scene. Lastly there are about four minutes of deleted scenes…funny but not hilarious. Again did I mention that this release doesn’t include the 3D version of the film?

“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”: 3.5 out of 5 stars – Directed by Danny Leiner (“Dude Where’s My Car?,” TV’s “Backwash”), Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle follows John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as they set out on a journey to satisfy their craving for White Castle’s delicious burgers and find themselves on a hilarious all-night adventure as they run into one wacky obstacle after another.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”: 3 out of 5 stars – The second installment of the franchise marks the triumphant return of these two hilarious, slacker anti-heroes. The movie stars John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) as Harold and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as Kumar, two stoners who can’t seem to get a break. Their last adventure found them traveling across country to find a White Castle hamburger in order to satisfy a weed-induced case of “the munchies.” This time, the boys get themselves in trouble trying to sneak a bong onboard a flight to Amsterdam. Now, being suspected of terrorism, they are forced to run from the law and try to find a way to prove their innocence. What follows is an irreverent and epic journey of deep thoughts, deeper inhaling and a wild trip around the world that is as “un-PC” as it gets.

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”: 4 out of 5 stars Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrive at Kumar’s door on Christmas Eve, his attempts to redirect it to Harold’s house ends with the “high grade” contents – and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree – going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar, through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven – and almost blows Christmas Eve sky high.

The ‘highly flammable’ three-movie set, Harold & Kumar Blu-ray Ultimate Collector’s Edition, blazes into stores November 13!
Official WB Shop Link: http://bit.ly/XVP2KW
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HaroldandKumarMovie

Cast: Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshiko Tanaka, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Emi Kodaka, Masanobu Takashima, Turu Minegishi, Ryunosuke Kaneda, Koji Takahashi
Director: Kazuki Ohmori
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 104 minutes

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

When it comes to ANYTHING Godzilla, I come running.  This 1989 title puts the King of the Monsters, Godzilla up against the even bigger monster Biollante. Thanks to Echo Bridge, this is the first time that “Godzilla vs. Biollante” stomps its way onto Blu-ray.  The film itself hasn’t aged at all and is still as fun as it was back in the 90’s, which was the first time I saw this. I hope that Echo Bridge has some more Godzilla films in its catalog waiting to release. If so count me in for sure!

Official Synopsis: Dr. Shiragami has been genetically engineering a form of indestructible plant life using a rare supply of Godzilla cells. This experiment has brought a strange new form of plant life into existence: Biollante, massive, yet peaceful in every way…until Godzilla returns to wreak havoc upon Japan. It is only then that something within Biollante stirs and the plant must fight to save her creator and the land she loves. It’s the super-beast Battle of the Century when Godzilla and Biollante come face to face in an explosive fight to the finish.

Echo Bridge really delivered a fantastic Blu-ray presentation.  The film is beautifully presented in with a sharp 1080p transfer.  The audio tracks included is a perfect 5.1 DTS Original Japanese Language track and also a 2.0 DTS Japanese Language track.  If you prefer the always “good for a laugh” dubbed track, there is a 1.0 Dolby Digital English Language track.  There are a few decent extras included on this release.  There is a Making of “Godzilla vs. Biollante” featurettes included, as well as a short but nice “Behind the Design” extra.  Godzilla fans should not miss this release, especially due to the sweet price.

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Cast: Jennifer Grey, Craig Sheffer, Daniel Lapaine, Kristen Wilson, Gabriel Casseus, Tim Curry
Director: Avi Nesher
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 106 minutes

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

Every since I saw “Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood” back in 1996, I was eagerly waiting for what was next. I heard about “Ritual” but it was shelved due to the ended of the show on HBO and other distribution issues. I waited and waited years to see this film till around 2001, when I believe I got a bootleg online. The result? Well, its just plain ‘ole “Tales from the Crypt” fun. This third film installment of the popular HBO series “Tales From the Crypt” is actually remake of the 1943 film “I Walked with a Zombie”.

Official Synopsis: Jobless after having her medical license revoked, Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing) accepts an offer to travel to Jamaica and treat American Paul Claybourne’s (Craig Sheffer, A River Runs Through It) mysteriously ailing brother. But immediately upon her arrival, Alice finds herself immersed in the exotic rhythm and harmony of this foreign civilization…and besieged by the locals with terrifying tales of zombies and demonic possession. As her long-held faith in science clashes with her new experiences in the supernatural, Alice must ultimately submit to the strange native culture to save her patient, while fighting to escape with her own life. Also starring Tim Curry (Kinsey).

This is the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray.  It looks good but not great.  The video is only presented with a 1080i transfer but then again this film has never looked perfect even on DVD (when it finally got poorly released).  The audio track is also a decent yet not stunning 2.0 Stereo track.  No special features are available on this release.  So I would really recommend this to the biggest hardcore fans of “Tales from the Crypt” but otherwise, it is not anything to write home about overall.  But for the low-price, you horror fans might consider this a guilty pleasure

Starring: Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie
Director: David Cronenberg
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

“eXistenZ” is one of the most unrated film of the 90’s and got completely blindsided due to “The Matrix”, which was released the same year.  This film has never been released as a single disc Blu-ray before, so I am very excited to get it and spread the word. It was released by Echo Bridge earlier this year in “Miramax Triple Feature” with Malevolent / B. Monkey.  But has anyone even heard of those others? I saw this film in theaters back in 1999 and it instantly becoming a favorite of mine. Thanks Echo Bridge for finally giving this film the love it deserves with improved audio, video and even special features!

Official Synopsis: During the first closed-door demonstration of an amazing new virtual reality game called eXistenZ, the system’s brilliant designer, Allegra Geller (Leigh), is violently attacked by a crazed assassin intent on killing her and destroying her creation. Forced into hiding, Allegra enlists a young assistant (Law) to help her in testing the damaged system…by convincing him to join her inside eXistenZ. The action explodes as their world’s real-life dangers begin to merge with the fantasy of the game.

This time around Echo Bridge did this film upright delivering it in full high-definition 1080p transfer. The audio tracks are improved upon from the “Miramax Triple Feature: eXistenZ / Malevolent / B. Monkey” release. This time around they include both an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, which to be honest both sound great. Lastly this time around there is some decent special features included.  It is nothing earth-shattering but it is extras nonetheless.  Included are three interviews with Jude Law, Willem Dafoe and the film’s Special Effects Supervisor.

Actors: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy
Directors: Gus Meins
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 3D Classics
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 77 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Laurel & Hardy are comedic legends…always will be.  “March of the Wooden Soldiers” is based on Victor Herbert’s 1903 operetta “Babes in Toyland”. This 1934 film has been spectacularly restored and presented in color…but there is still more this new release from Legends Films has been enhanced with a stunning stereoscopic 3D transfer.  The film is still a little bit creepy (as it has always been), but still fun to watch around the holidays. This is the first time that you have ever seen this film like this and let me tell you it looks good!

Official Premise: Imagine an enchanted fantasy world of timeless characters and magical moments where nothing goes right for the clumsy toymakers Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee. When a notorious scoundrel, Barnaby, demands to marry the beautiful Little Bo Peep, guess who secretly emerges as the blushing bride? Based on the original Babes in Toyland, this movie is a dazzling spectacle of 6-foot wooden soldiers, Mother Goose characters and the beloved team of Laurel and Hardy.

The original black and white tape was completely restored using the Legend Films proprietary restoration technology and then was colorized in High Definition resolution. So on this release we have the fully restored color and black and white versions.  There are no special features included on this release though unfortunately. I would have loved to see some classic shorts or other vintage goodies.  Nonetheless, Legend Films has scored again with another great restored and in this case 3D conversion. Can’t see what they have planned next.

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Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris
Directors: Simon West
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

When I say “The Expendables”, I wasn’t overly thrilled.  Though this sequel was exactly that this film should have been the first time around.  It is faster, meaner and more kick-ass.  The action is better, the jokes are funnier and the cast is more fierce. This time around the rogue team of misfits take on a new job for what they think should be a quick, in-and-out mission, but of course they get more than they bargain for.  When one of their own is killed, the Expendables set out to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. “The Expendables 2” has grossed over $300 million worldwide, so “The Expendables 3” is guaranteed and I say “Bring it on”. Just don’t expect to see Steven Seagal in it, read here. Can’t wait to see what they are going to come up with next.

Let’s just go through this cast real quick: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Damn! That never get’s old. I absolutely love this cast. Stallone is much more bad-ass this time around. Jet Li is MIA after the opening but still is cool. Van Damme is awesome as the baddie and perfectly named Jean Vilain. Bruce and Arnold are a great team up especially in the film’s finale. But for me the winner of the film has to go to Booker played by Chuck Norris. He pops in, kicks some major ass, quotes a Chuck Norris Fact and is surrounded by mystery…Classic!

This releases comes in a Blu-ray combo pack with an iTunes and Uiltraviolet digital copy, but where is the DVD copy?The Blu-ray presentation looks absolutely perfect.  The 1080p transfer is extremely impressive.  The star of the film, besides Chuck Norris, is the wonderful DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1.  Since this film is jam-packed with some great action, this is a wonderful companion.  My surround sound needed some aspirn for sure after blasting out this track.  And I would like to apologize to my neighbor if they are reading this 😉

The special features included are impressive.  There is an audio commentary track with director Simon West, which is awesome but I would have also liked to seen a cast commentary track as well.  NExt up there are four jam-packed behind-the-scenes featurettes.  “Gods of War: Assembling Earth’s Mightiest Antiheroes” looks into the mega-cast and how it was put together.  “On the Assault: The Real-Life Weaponry of The Expendables” looks into the heavy artiliary used in this sequel.  “Big Guns, Bigger Heroes: The 1980s and the Rise of the Action Film” is exactely what it’s subtitle says it is, a reflect on the influence of 80’s action films.  “Guns of Hire: The Real Expendables” wraps up the featurettes with a look into the real heros of the film. Lastly there are a few deleted scenes and gag reel included.  Highly recommend this release for holiday gifting.

Actors: George A. Romero, Tom Savini, Roy Frumkes
Directors: Roy Frumkes
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Synapse Films
DVD Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

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

When “The Document of the Dead” was first released in 1985, the documentary by filmmaker Roy Frumkes focused purely on the production of the 1978 film “Dawn of the Dead”. “The Definitive Document Of The Dead” expands more on Romero’s career including work on “Land of the Dead”, “Diary of the Dead” and “Survival of the Dead”. There is a disclaimer in the beginning stating that this film was film over 32 years and the film’s vision has changed over the years. Fans of “Dawn of the Dead” and Romero should already known about this film and respect that Roy Frumkes is a life-long fan of his work. The film as a documentary isn’t Shakespeare but I feel that it does give Romero the credit that he deserves and never seems to get. Synapse Film released a DVD of this film going back almost 15 years now. So this is a welcomed revisit and packaged with a new “Definitive” cut. Also if you are a mega-big fan of this film, there is an Exclusive Limited Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack limited to just over 1,000 copies on the Synapse Website. So that would be the ticket for hardcore fans, if it is even still available at the time of writing this.

“The Document Of The Dead” primary focus is “Dawn of the Dead” and it covers everything from pre-production, production and post-production. Frumkes was there shooting during the production and includes some very intimate interviews with Romero, (producer) Richard Rubinstein, special effects artist/actor/stuntman Tom Savivi, as well as several cast and crew members. I also liked how the film comes around through time and we get to see Frumkes and Romero reunited and reflecting on the film over time specifically during a segment on “Two Evil Eyes”, which showcased on a detailed special effects segment. The new interviews included in this are also a real treat.  Being a horror fan myself “Dawn of the Dead” is so iconic and this is a perfect companion piece to the film itself. This “Defintive” cut really dives further into his career and the film/series over the years…especially with spin-off like “Night of the Giving Head”. Trust me if your a guy, you need to watch this!

Official Premise: “George A. Romero, director of the original Night of the Living Dead, is one of the horror genre’s most celebrated filmmakers. Roy Frumkes amazing 1978 documentary Document Of The Dead was an intimate look at Romero’s creative process, with an outstanding collection of interviews, effects demonstrations (courtesy of make-up artist, Tom Savini) and behind-the-scenes footage from the classic horror film, Dawn of the Dead. This newly re-edited and re-mastered 2012 version of the award-winning documentary contains all-new exclusive material including additional interviews with Romero’s family and friends, candid on-set footage from Two Evil Eyes, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead and Many More Surprises! the Definitive Document of the Dead is a loving portrait of a horror legend, and a must-see for any hardcore horror fan!”

The DVD special features are a little bit of a let down since it is missing quite a bit of extras from the previous release. The only extra included on this release is an all-new 2012 audio commentary track with Roy Frumkes. It is fantastic to get a chance to hear a new perspective on the film from the director. I would have also like to had the previous audio commentary with director Frumkes, cinematographer Reeves Lehmann, and narrator Nicole Potter included as well, as well as the twenty minute interview segment from “Two Evil Eyes” with Adrienne Barbeau, George Romero, and Tom Savini. Still though if you already own “The Document of the Dead” DVD you have that already. This is the “Definitive” release with a longer cut doc and a new commentary, so it is all worth it in that sense.

Created by: Robert Hamner, David Karp
Starring: James Stewart
Distributed: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 588 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

When I think about Christmas, I can’t help it but think about Jimmy Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. With the holidays just around the corner, I am excited to get a chance to check out a maybe lesser-known collection of work from Mr. Stewart. I think I can listen to his voice for hours, especially later in his career. There is nothing like it. Jimmy Stewart is perfectly cast as the slow-drawling Southern lawyer Billy Jim Hawkin. This mystery TV series aired for one season on CBS from 1973 and 1974 and was created by Robert Hamner and David Karp. Even though it was cancelled after one season Jimmy Stewart ended up winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Television Drama Series. If you are a fan of his work, this is a must purchase!

This 4-disc set consists of an eight film collection including “Death and the Maiden”, “Murder in Movieland”, “Die, Darling, Die”, “A Life For a Life”, “Blood Feud”, “Murder and the Slave Trade”, “Murder on the 13th Floor” and “Candidate for Murder”. There is something special about watching these classic TV movie adaptions.  “Hawkins” used to air during The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies back in the day. I think if they gave this show a bit of a chance it could have been the a very long running and successful series. He reminds me a pre-dated “Monk”. Each film stands alone and delivers some classic murder mystery. This is the first time that this has ever been released on DVD, thanks to Warner Archive. This release is presented in 4X3 full frame with the its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio track is the original mono audio, which works perfectly within the legalese dialogue.

Official Synopsis: A decade before TV saw another silver-haired, slow-drawling Southern shyster with a knack for sleuthing out the truth, M-G-M welcomed back two titanic talents, TV producer Norman Felton and screen legend Jimmy Stewart, for Hawkins. Stewart played Billy Jim Hawkins in rotation with the Shaft TV movies (Talk about Country Mouse and City Mouse!), solving crimes alongside his cousin RJ (Strother Martin) and a bevy of sensational costars. Bonnie Bedelia plays a troubled young woman accused of familicide, Cameron Mitchell plays a tinseltown spouse facing murder charges, Julie Harris plays an accused mercy killer, William Windom plays a parent with a vendetta, Lew Ayres and James Best play folk caught up in a deadly Civil War re-enactment, James Luisi plays a football pro caught up in foul play, Teresa Wright plays an ex-amour of Bill Jim’s, and Paul Burke and Pernell Roberts play a senator and aide caught up in a slaying.

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans, Vivica A. Fox, Omar Epps
Director: Paris Barclay
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

When this film was released back in 1996 (can’t believe it’s been 16 years) I was draw to this film just for the title. Then I found out that the Wayans Brothers were behind it and I was hooked. I was a huge fan of “In Living Color” and was looking for the next best thing. This film was surly it. I still to this day can recite this film from beginning to end. In the early days of the internet back in ’96 I used to watch this trailer over and over and yet there are funny parts still in the film, which is rare these days. With the Wayans Brothers returning to theaters this January with “A Haunted House”, this is a great time to revisit this great spoofs from the creators of “Scary Movie”. I should also note that Echo Bridge did a solid by also releasing this film in its director’s cut. Should I also add that I still have this soundtrack on cassette? Too late.

Official Premise: From the creator of TV’s “In Living Color,” this outrageous comedy hit had critics and audiences roaring with laughter! From block parties and beepers to high tops and high-powered weapons, it’s everything that’s funny about growing up in the ‘hood…the Wayans Brothers’ neighborhood, that is! Marlon, Shawn (TV’s The Wayans Brothers) and Keenen Ivory Wayans (TV’s In Living Color) get together and deliver a series of hilarious situations that all move to a hot hit soundtrack! Get ready for a good time, because there are plenty of laughs in this neighborhood!

This release looks surprisingly damn good on Blu-ray, even though it is only presented in 1080i resolution. The audio track makes up for it though with a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The special features aren’t jam packed but hey, at least there are special features included. There is a short deleted scene called “Interrogation”. There is a very sort featurettes called “Wayans Brothers Behind the Scenes”, which is just the brothers chatting about the film. “Hood Movie Gumbo” is more behind-the-scenes with cast and crew mixed with film clips, but it is just too short. Lastly there is a music video for “All the Things Your Man Won’t Do”. What I find odd is that the special features are in full 1080p, when the film is only 1080i. For the cheap price though this is a must have for fans of the Wayans Brothers.

Directed by: Larry Jackson
Narrated by: Orson Welles
Starring: Bob Clampett, Tex Avery, Friz Freleng
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 91 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

When it comes to Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes, I have been a life-long fan. This film is not your typical Looney Tunes special.  It is a documentary, hosted by animator Bob Clampett with interviews with Friz Freleng and Tex Avery.  This is also narrated by legendary director Orson Welles.  It includes nine Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons which were previously released during the 1940s.  This is a must for any Looney Tunes fans.

The shorts included are “What’s Cookin’ Doc? (1944)”, “The Wild Hare (1940)”, “A Corny Concerto (1943)”, “I Taw a Putty Tat (1948)”, “Rhapsody Rabbit (1946)”, “Walky Talky Hawky (1946)”,  “My Favorite Duck (1942)”, Hair-Raising Hare (1946)” and “The Old Grey Hare (1944)”

This is the first time that this has ever been released on DVD, thanks to Warner Archive. This release is presented in 4X3 full frame with the its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The audio track is the original mono audio, which works perfectly. Surprisingly  there is actually some decent special features including a commentary track from director Larry Jackson and an image gallery with behind-the-scenes photos.

Official Premise: What was it like to work in Termite Terrace, birthplace of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and a veritable horde of cartoon icons? Get a taste of that crazy and creative fun factory in this loving and droll documentary, hosted by ace animator Bob Clampett. Featuring interviews with fellow Termite Terrace residents Friz Freleng and Tex Avery and narrated by Orson Welles, Bugs Bunny Superstar includes nine complete cartoons that are prime examples of the collaborative efforts of Warner cartoonists, ink-and-painters, effects artists and others. “No idea was too outrageous,” Clampett says. Seeing rare home movies of the animators as they act out ideas adds to that sense of unrestrained creativity.

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Actors: Travis Pastrana, Tommy Passemante, Jolene Van Vugt, Jeremy Rawle, Jim DeChamp
Directors: Gregg Godfrey, Jeremy Rawle
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Arc Entertainment
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 88 minutes

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

Based on the MTV reality stunt series, “Nitro Circus: The Movie” takes the death-defying exploits of a gang of outrageous daredevils onto a bigger scale and also into the third-dimension. The 3D in the film is insane and this film really took advantage of the format. The film has heart as well as death-defying stunts. Travis Pastrana is today’s Evel Knievel and it is surprised he is still alive. The show is channeling its inner-Jackass but it takes it to a whole new level. In “Jackass”, the show is set to fail for laughs. These stunts need to succeed otherwise the people will most likely me killed. This film comes with warning and it should cause I literally was cringing throughout. Don’t try this at home kids…but be sure not to miss this either.

Official Premise: Travis Pastrana and his tightly knit, highly skilled, adrenaline-addicted friends bring their insane and hysterical adventures to the big screen, Dreaming up the most dangerous stunts in the world of action sports – whether back-flipping a bike between two 60-story buildings or going air-born to destroy their friends in a life size, high-speed game of Freedom Flyers — Pastrana and his gang are always at it. High Risk. High Octane. No Safety Nets Allowed.

This release from Arc Entertainment is a super three-disc combo pack including a 3D Blu-ray, a standard Blu-ray and a DVD of this film. So you watch it wherever you are and under any circumstance. I highly recommend viewing this in 3D, it is really the way to go for sure. I hope that Arc Entertainment is planning on releasing more 3D Blu-rays since this one is a big thumbs up. The 1080p transfer looks quite good for a stunt-based film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works perfectly with the broken bones and stunt effects, as well as the music.

The special features are decent overall. The back of the box cover though doesn’t list properly all the extras. There is an interview with Steve-O from “Jackass”. There are two behind-the-scenes featurettes focusing on “Gregg’s Car Roll” and “Roner’s Pond Skim”.  Both are highly recommend for an more detailed look into those skits. There are about seven minutes of deleted scenes, which equals to just more crazy stunts. There is also a sponsors spot for “All Season Long” and a trailer included.

Directed by: Tim Johnson
Starring: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Lucy Liu, James Hong
Jack McBrayer, Dan Fogler
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Dreamworks Animated
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 25 minutes

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

Firstly, I am stumped that this short was not included on “Dreamworks Holiday Classics” release. As a stand-alone release, I really think that it is a toss-up to purchase unless you are a really hardcore “Kung Fu Panda” fan. What is good about this short though is that it brings back ALL of the original voice cast. It also doesn’t specifically focus on Christmas, it keeps it on a generic holiday angle so it is available to a more wide-audience. When it comes down to it though, this is a fun short for the whole family that will make you smile and get in the mood for the holiday season!

Official Premise: In this hilarious action adventure, Master Shifu calls on Po to host the year’s biggest event – the Winter Feast, a special time of the year to celebrate family, tradition and the awesomeness of Kung Fu! Po and the Furious Five must team up to throw the best celebration the Valley of Peace has ever seen. Can Po pull off the perfect party, impress his heroes, and discover the true meaning of the Winter Feast?

“Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special” looks stunning on Blu-ray in its super sharp 1080p transfer. It also packs a really impressive Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround track. Dreamworks did not cheap out on this at all. The special features are aimed at kids and are decent. There are various interactive features including “Learn to Draw Wo Hop”, “Kung Fu Panda Holiday Shuffle”, “Mr. Ping’s Noodle House” and “How to Use Chopticks”. I was hoping for a little more since this release just includes the 25 minute short but like I said decent overall.

Starring: Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Dreamworks Animated
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 85 minutes

Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

Christmas is right around the corner and “DreamWorks Holiday Classics” is the second compilation release after last months “DreamWorks Spooky Stories”. This release includes five Christmas-themed shorts, including “Shrek the Halls”, “The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper”, “Merry Madagascar”, “Donkey’s Christmas Shrektacular” and “Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury”. Though missing from this release is the previously released “Madagascar” short “Party With The Penguins”.  Also Dreamworks also released “Kung Fu Panda Holiday”, which could have been included in this release easily. Nonetheless, these Dreamworks shorts really bring the Christmas spirit and are just downright right.   If you own these shorts previously though, I wouldn’t say that they are worth the purchase but if you don’t the HD upgrade is worth it.

Official Premise: “Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury”: The Dragons are back in the exciting next chapter to the Academy Award-nominated film, “How to Train Your Dragon”. The epic story of Hiccup and Toothless continues as they take flight in a thrilling adventure to discover an island of ever-before-seen dragons. “Merry Madagascar”: When Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar, it’s up to Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman and those wacky Penguins to save Christmas. Get ready for a sleigh full of laughs in this hilarious holiday classic. Also includes “The Penguins of Madagascar in a Christmas Caper”. “Shrek the Halls”: After promising Fiona and the kids a Christmas they’ll remember, Shrek is forced to take a crash course in the holiday. But just when he thinks he has everything for a quiet family Christmas just right, Donkey, Puss in Boots, Gingy and the rest of the gang decide to crash the party. “Shrek the Halls” is the greatest holiday tale that’s never been told until now. Also includes “Donkey’s Caroling Christmas-tacular”.

This release is delivered as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. The 1080p transfers looks amazing on each short. The colors are perfect and super crisp. The star of the release though is the Dolby True HD 7.1 track for “Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury” and “Donkey’s Caroling Christmas-tacular”. I was very impressed with these. The rest of the films include Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks, which are also stunning. The downfall though is that there is only one special feature included on this release, which is a sing-along version for “Donkey’s Caroling Christmas-tacular”. Lastly there is also some previews for additional DreamWorks titles.