Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Disney-Pixar
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 75 minutes

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

When it comes to Disney/Pixar, the Award-winning studio behind Toy Story 3, Up and WALL•E, they are the best when it comes to short films.  I get to the theater early for everyone of their films just to catch the shorts.  This Blu-ray release includes 12 short films, which are together for the very first time.  Obviously, this is the second volume of shorts and is a real step up from volume one.  The first volume includes the classics but these include some of my personal favorites.  If you are a fan of these shorts, then this a must purchase to get all these shorts in one place.

The following shorts included are “Your Friend the Rat” (2007). “Presto” (2008), “BURN-E” (2008), “Partly Cloudy” (2009), “Dug’s Special Mission” (2009), “George & A.J. (2009), “Day & Night” (2010), “Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation” (2011), “Cars Toons: Air Mater” (2011), “Toy Story Toons: Small Fry” (2011), “La Luna” (2011) and “Cars Toons: Time Travel Mater” (2012).

“BURN•E” is based on characters from “WALL•E”. “Dug’s Special Mission” and George & AJ” are both inspired from “Up”. “Air Mater” and “Time Travel Mater” are from “Cars Toons” featuring Mater. “Your Friend The Rat” features Remy and Emile from “Ratatouille”. The last two that are related to a franchise are  “Toy Story Toons” including “Hawaiian Vacation”, which was shown in front of “Cars 2” and “Small Fry”, which was shown in front of “The Muppets”. Original shorts included are Day & Night was shown before “Toy Story 3”. La Luna is the newest and was just shown in front of “Brave”. “Partly Cloudy” was shown before “Up”. “Presto” was shown before “WALL-E”. These areall previously on the respective Blu-ray/DVD releases. This is the first time that the shorts “George & AJ”, “Small Fry” and “Time Travel Mater” have ever been released on Blu-ray/DVD.

This release comes as a combo pack including both a Blu-ray and DVD included. There are several commentary tracks, as well as introductions for the shorts included. But the real draw for this release besides the shorts themselves are seven rarely seen student films from John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter. These are worth the purchase of the disc alone. The student films that are included are “Nitemare”, “The Lady & The Lamp”, “Somewhere in the Arctic”, “A Story”, “Winter”, “Palm Springs” and “Next Door”. These just show where these creative geniuses have come from and how far they have come since their early days.

Actors: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon
Directors: John Hughes
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

This year “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Paramount is delivering this classic hilarious comedy to Blu-ray for the first time. John Hughes was one of the best writers/directors in the business.  This film is a laugh-a-minute raunchy comedy that delivers something new every time you watch it. Steve Martin and John Candy delivered some of their best performances.  I mean if you have never seen this, just watch the opening scene and you will be hooked. So, if you do not own this film, this might be the time to change that!

“Written and directed by the incomparable John Hughes and starring comedy greats Steve Martin and John Candy, the uproarious classic follows a businessman (Martin) who is struggling to get home for Thanksgiving, but burdened by one travel mishap after another, as well as the company of an annoying traveling salesman (Candy). Filled with outrageously funny situations and a generous helping of warmth, the film also features appearances by Michael McKean, Edie McClurg and Kevin Bacon.”

Alright let’s get to the 1080p high definition transfer, which is decent so to say but it actually looks its age and shows quite a bit of noise. Though it is still a major upgrade from the previous DVD and should be a must for any fan. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks works well with the dialogue but like with most comedies are not completely challenged. Blu-ray score: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The special features are worth the purpose alone just for the new “John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast” feature. It is presented in high-def 1080p and is a two-parter with “John Hughes: The Voice of a Generation” and “Heartbreak and Triumph: The Legacy of John Hughes”, totally around an hour. “Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is a fun vintage press chat with John Hughes, Steve Martin, and John Candy (def not for kiddies). “John Hughes for Adults” is a look into this mature film rather than his teen-aimed films. “A Tribute to John Candy” is a look into his work in the film, as an actor and a person. Lastly, there is a deleted scenes in HD called “Airplane Food”. Overall great features for a great movie.

Actors: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Shemp Howard
Directors: Various
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 78 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t think I have ever laughed harder then the first time I saw “The Three Stooges”. There is something so simplistic about their comedy that never ceases to draw hilarity. Thanks to Legend Films, this is there first go with 3D conversions and it is definitely a success. They are also releasing “The Best of Little Rascals in 3D” as well on the same date. If you are looking for a flashback to TV days of the 40-50′s with a modern update in the third dimension, then look no further. The Stooges has never looks so good and the price cannot be any better either. These episodes are a no-brainer and I hope that Legend has plans to release more classic shows in 3D in the coming months.

The following episodes are included in 3D: Disorder In The Court (1936), Brideless Groom (1947), Sing A Song Of Six Pants (1947) and, Malice In The Palace (1949). They are restored and look very sharp on Blu-ray and the 3D conversion is quite impressive and work well with the show. The episodes are still over 60-70 years old, so there is so age but overall, it is a really nice restore on Blu-ray. These shorts are available in both a colorized & the original B&W restored versions. I like the idea of having both versions available but I still prefer the B&W but I feel that the colorized versions work better with the 3D.

Official Premise: This is The Three Stooges at their bumbling, eye-poking, hair-pulling best! Including a full, high-quality restoration and colorization, this feature offers something that none before it have: a stunning, stereoscopic 3D transfer. See the boys like you have never seen them before with antics that jump off the screen as every slap, fall and nose-tweak is brought to life within your home. This set is a must-have for every fan and is the perfect complement to your home video library!

Actors: George McFarland, Carl Switzer, Billy Thomas, Darla Hood
Directors: Hal Roach
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Legend Films
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 84 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I was a kid, I remember watching “The Little Rascals” for the first time. The show is a classic and has stood the test of time.  Thanks to Legend Films, this is there first go with 3D conversions and it is definitely a success.  They are also releasing “The Three Stooges in 3D” as well on the same date.  If you are looking for a flashback to TV days of the 50’s with a modern update in the third dimension, then look no further.  The gang has never looks so good and the price cannot be any better either.  These episodes are a no-brainer and I hope that Legend has plans to release more classic shows in 3D in the coming months.

The following episodes are included in 3D: “Fly My Kite, “A Lad in a Lamp”, “The Kid from Borneo”, “Hi Neighbor” and “Hide and Shriek”.  They are restored and look very sharp on Blu-ray and the 3D conversion is quite impressive and work well with the show.  The episodes are still over 50 years old, so there is so age but overall, it is a really nice restore on Blu-ray. These shorts are available in both a colorized & the original B&W restored versions.  I like the idea of having both versions available but I still prefer the B&W but I feel that the colorized versions work better with the 3D.

Official Premise: Spanky, Buckwheat, Porky and all The Little Rascals at their hilarious best! Your family will fall in love with the antics of Our Gang as they get lost in a haunted house, race down a precarious hill in their homemade fire engine, and try to survive an unexpected visit from the famous Wild Man of Borneo! These timeless comedy classics have been given a high-definition restoration and colorization that is second only to the stunning stereoscopic 3D conversion! The kids will leap off the screen and right back into your hearts in this collection of hilarious and entertaining Rascals films — now presented in 3D for the very first time!

Cast: Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Roger Davis, Nancy Barrett, David Selby, John Karlen
Director: Dan Curtis
Studio: Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 97 / 95 minutes

House of Dark Shadows: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Night of Dark Shadows: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“Dark Shadows” is the longest running horror soap opera, actually I think it is also the only. I never saw this show on TV but I have watch many many episodes courtesy of Netflix Instant over the years. The original series had actually ran for over 1200 episodes.  With Tim Burton/Johnny Depp’s recent reboot recently released on Blu-ray, it is prime-time to finally release these movies for the first time ever on DVD, let alone Blu-ray. These films are definitely a bit campy, but they also have a few decent creepy moments. “House of Dark Shadows” features Jonathan Frid in the lead as Barnabas Collins and is my favorite of the two. “Night of Dark Shadows”  was originally supposed to bring back Barnabas, but the show ended before the film started production and Jonathan Frid had moved on.  It is still a decent installment to the series.

Warner Brothers delivers the good with both of these 1080p transfer presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. They also look good since these were just low-budget movies and weren’t large productions at the time. They are still catalog release quality but are much more impressive that I would have expected. Both films also have DTS-HD Master Audio Mono audio tracks, which work well for each. It setups up the mood and works well with the dialogue.  If you are a fan of the “Dark Shadows” series, I would definitely recommend picking up these reasonably priced Blu-rays. They are a nice upgrade since the films were only previously available on VHS and Laserdisc.  So if you are looking for a flashback to the 70’s to meet up with the Collins again, then this is a no-brainer.

Official Premises: “House of Dark Shadows”: Rejoice, night creatures! Collinwood’s affected Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) hopes a series of serum injections will make him normal. Alas, nothing can be normal at eerie Collinwood! “Night of Dark Shadows”: One bite is never enough! New blood comes home in Night of Dark Shadows, as Quentin Collins (David Selby) arrives with his bride (Kate Jackson).

House of Dark Shadows + Night of Dark Shadows both available on October 30th! http://bit.ly/QYt7ht
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Actors: Dean Cain, Gary Valentine, Elisa Donovan, Joey Lawrence, Michael Gross, Shelley Long
Directors: Michael Feifer
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 87 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Believe it or not “The Dog Who Saved The Holidays” is the fourth film in this franchise following: “The Dog Who Saved Christmas”, “The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation” and “The Dog Who Saved Halloween”. Mario Lopez was the voice of Zeus for the first two with Joey Lawrence taking over for his starting with “Halloween” and now this film as well. The combination of Dean Cain and Joey Diaz are hysterical together and have been through this series. Gary Valentine and Elisa Donovan are also very funny together.  This installment wraps up the cast with Michael Gross and Shelley Long.  A must for all families looking to get in the holiday mood.

Official Premise: It’s a sun-soaked holiday season for the Bannister family as they travel to Southern California to stay with Aunt Barbara (Shelley Long), who surprises them with a new puppy named Eve (voiced by Peyton List). Everyone is smitten with Eve — except for the Bannister’s dog, Zeus (voiced by Joey Lawrence), who sees what a mischievous animal she is when no one else is around. After deciding to run away, Zeus sees Ted and Stewey, two thrifty thieves, trying to break into the family home while the Bannisters are at church. It’s up to Zeus and his newest sister Eve to join together to save the holidays for their family!

There is only one special feature included on this DVD.  It is a very busy commentary track with director Michael Feifer, co-producer Peter Sullivam, executive producers Barry Barholtz and Jeffrey Schenck and lastly sound designer Andres Boulton.  To be honest, when I think about cheesy family Christmas movies, I do not think about listening to a commentary track.  It is definitely not for the kids specifically and I do not see parents re-watching this just for the commentary either. Either way, this series has always been a pleasure to watch during the holidays and I look forward to future installments of the adventures of the Bannister family.

Directors: Hollingsworth Morse, Arthur H. Nadel
Starring: Michael Gray, Les Tremayne, Jackson Bostwick
Distributed by: Warner Archive
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 588 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you are a fan of superheros they everyone knows DC Comics’Captain Marvel. “Shazam!” is a live-action TV series based on that series, which ran from 1974 to 1977 and consisted of 28 episodes. Thanks to Warner Archive, this is the first time that this complete live-action series is released on DVD. I have to say though, if you were a fan of this series in its original days…it has aged quite a bit.

Michael Gray plays Billy Batson aka Captain Marvel.  He certainly looks sharp in his pajamas and his cape, I mean his superhero costume. The show still has some charm if you are a hardcore fan or just looking for a good laugh but otherwise it definitely has not lasted the test of time. When I was watching this, I couldn’t stop of thinking about the cheesy live-action TV films of “Captain America” and the failed TV movie “Fantastic Four”.

I liked the use of blended animation for the elders and mixed with the live-action. It reminded me of something out of Ralph Bakshi’s mind. Overall, the episodes do not look the greatest. They are presented in 4X3 full frame with the show’s original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. There is no special features included on this release besides the episodes.

Official Premise: By uttering a single magic word young Billy Batson transforms himself into the world’s mightiest mortal, Captain Marvel. The acronym of the first letters of the names of the six elders who train Billy with their respective special gifts: Solomon, wisdom; Hercules, strength; Atlas, stamina; Zeus, power; Achilles, courage; and Mercury, speed, in a word…SHAZAM! Now, the entire series is available in this 3-disc set featuring every exciting episode of this classic television show!

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Actors: Richard Coyle, Julian Wadham
Director: Steve Barker
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: XLrator Media
Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

This year has been a busy year for Nazis in horror films.  First we had “Nazis at the Center of the Earth”, then we had “Iron Sky” feature.  Both were ok but not amazing.  “Outpost: Black Sun” falls into the same category.  The film does deserve credit for its scale, which looks a lot bigger than it should. It also packs some decent gore and zombie effects.  XLrator Media is getting a name for itself though by releasing neat little films like this and they are officially on my radar. But what it comes down to is whether or not though the film is good, this has Nazi SS zombies…it has to be worth at least a rental just for that.

Official Premise: The year is 1945, the closing stages of WWII, and a German scientist is working on a frightening new technology that has the power to create an immortal Nazi army. Flash-forward to present day, and a NATO task force is deployed to Eastern Europe, where a sinister enemy is mercilessly killing everything in its path. But this is no ordinary foe…it’s a super-human army of zombie Nazi Stormtroopers. Defying overwhelming odds, a small band of soldiers venture deep behind enemy lines to uncover the source of this evil power and prevent the rise of the Fourth Reich.

The release comes as a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack.  The Blu-ray 1080p transfer looks nice for a low-budget horror flick, since the film is also very dark.  The audio is also decent with the surprising decent score through it s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.  The special features though are lacking a lot.  There is only one short featurette called “The Making of Outpost: Black Sun”.  Though if you are a fan of the film, be sure to check out the mobile game “Outpost: Defense”, available on the App Store.

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Actors: Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Jeffrey Combs, Mackenzie Astin, Mirelly Taylor
Directors: Ethan Wiley
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 87 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I first saw this film, I was almost immediately tempted to pass on reviewing it.  I know Wee Man from his role in the “Jackass” series.  He is funny but playing an elf…really?  Then I saw that Jeffrey Combs from “Re-Animator” was also in it.  I started to get interested.  Well the film is exactly what I expect but not in a bad sense.  It is cute and definitely has a few good laughs.  Believe it or no it even has some nice Christmas cheer.  It is a nice film for the whole family to get into the holiday mood.

Official Premise: It’s Christmas Eve at the Harper house, and young Ryan and Casey are excited that their scientist father (Mackenzie Astin of ”The Facts Of Life”) has finally perfected his new invention! But when dad is kidnapped by a bumbling gang of thieves (led by Jeffrey Combs of Re-Animator), Casey’s wish on a magic doll causes Santa to leave behind a mischievous elf (‘Wee Man’) to save the day. Will Santa’s little helper lose all faith in his elf self, or can he discover his true powers to become a real superhero? Mirelly Taylor (”Lost”) co-stars in this big-hearted family comedy about holiday wishes, scary fruitcakes and Christmas miracles that come in every size!

With superheros hot on everybody’s mind…why not an elf superhero? Alright it is cheesy but aren’t all holiday-themed movies.  This is not perfect but is also far from the worst in the scenes of direct-to-DVD Christmas films.  Wee Man is fun in the role and actually gets a decent chance to ask and not just be a jackass.  Jeffrey Combs is also fun as the villain and overacts his way to get some great laughs.  The only special features included on this release is just a trailer but besides that I would definitely recommend this for at least a rental if not purchase.

Actors: Steve Jobs, Robert X. Cringely
Directors: Paul Sen
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 23, 2012
Run Time: 72 minutes

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

Steve Jobs is a man like Walt Disney.  He is a visionary that left us way too early. Like Disney himself, I am sure people said “I could only have imagined the things he would have thought up”.  Luckily, Jobs’ legacy will live on like Disney’s himself.  “Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview” is a 70 minute intimate chat with the man behind so many great things like Apple and Pixar.  What is most interesting about this is that it was conducted way before he took over Apple and made it what it is today.  It is fascinating to listen to Jobs talk about the future, knowing what how it turned out.  This was lost for 17 years and now thanks to Magnolia Home Entertainment we get a chance to behind-the-scenes to the early days with the late and great Steve Jobs.

Official Premise: In this candid, in-depth interview with the late visionary filmed in 1995, Steve Jobs discusses at length his early days, career battles, and vision for the future. Small portions of the piece were used for a television series at the time, but the vast majority was shelved and for 17 years thought to be lost. Resurfacing, it is being presented in its entirety, providing a fascinating look at Jobs at a particularly interesting moment in his career, two years before he would go on to retake control of Apple

The special features included on this DVD are quite impressive for a lost documentary.  This is not a memorial on his life, it is justlost interview.  So if you are looking for a life-story, then you are looking in the wrong place.  On the topic of the interview, there is a wonderful additional hour long interview with Andy Hertzfeld, the original Macintosh programmer at Apple.  It is a must-watch! There is an audio only interview with writer/presenter Robert X. Cringley, which is conducted by producer of this film, John Gau.  Lastly there is a commentary track also included over the interview with Robert X. Cringley and director/producer Paul Sen.  Each feature is better than the next and will leave you 100% satisfied.

Starring: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, Sarah Silverman
Director: Sarah Polley
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Run Time: 116 minutes

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

Take This Waltz is an unique little film. It is directed by Sarah Polley (2004’s “Dawn of the Dead”) and pacts a great cast including Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman. The film has a bit of romances as well as some tear-jerker moments, which is a rare aspect for Rogen but he is great in the role. The film is not perfect and runs way to long for my taste. If this was 90 mins it would have been a lot tighter. Nontheless, it is definitely worth a watch if you are a fan of its cast if for nothing else. Leave it to Magnolia Pictures to deliver another indie gem that otherwise probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day.

Official Premise: Michelle Williams stars in this bittersweet romance as a married woman tempted by her new neighbour. After five years of marriage to her loving husband Lou (Seth Rogen), freelance writer Margot (Williams) finds herself drawn to her new rickshaw-driving-artist neighbour, Daniel (Luke Kirby). On discovering that the attraction is mutual, she rapidly finds herself torn between her head and her heart, as she attempts to place the two men in her life in perspective, while increasingly succumbing to the infatuations brought on by her new admirer.

Magnolia, as always, has delivered a sharp 1080p transfer.  The colors are sharp and it still manages to keep its indie look and feel.  The film also packs an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which works well for the scale of the film. The special features are decent but fall a little short. The main star of the stars is “Making of Take This Waltz”, which is a 40 minutes behind-the-scenes look into the production. It features some decent interviews with Polley and the cast. There is also a standard EPK extra called “AXS TV: A Look at Take This Waltz”, which is more red carpet footage and runs only 5 minutes. Lastly included is theatrical trailer.

Actors: Aaron Dean Eisenberg, Liz Fenning, J. Walter Holland, Jared Grey, Domiziano Arcangeli
Directors: Mauro Borrelli
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 91 minutes

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

With Halloween ending now, my urge to watch horror will seriously begin to curb, especially bad horror. “The Ghostmaker” is a different kind of horror movie though, with a unique story that is inspired by true events! I love the whole mechinical aspect of the film and the visual effects are even quite decent for a low-budget flick. The cover of the box though is a little misleading since the Reaper is made to make this look like a slasher flick but it is much more. This is not your typical horror flick and I would actually recommend this to all genre fans.

Official Premise: A group of friends discover an ancient coffin equipped with a strange mechanism that allows them to experience the world as a ghost. While their first attempt into the spirit world is innocent, the coffin soon brings out their most dangerous impulses and desires. As they are being pulled into a world of evil by the reaper they soon discover there’s a thin line between good and evil.

The special features on the DVD are quite impressive. There is commentary track from the director Mauro Borrelli and producers Ed Polgardy and Scott Rudolph. It is a little slow moving but I thought it was a nice companion if you enjoyed the film like myself. There is a decent look behind-the-scenes lookig into the makingt of “The Ghostmaker” called “Behind the Box”. There are a few deleted scenes here but nothing to call home about. Lastly there is a trailer gallery for other Lionsgate films.

Actors: C. Thomas Howell, Tom Arnold, Karan Brar, Brooke Langton
Directors: Gregory Poppen
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2012
Run Time: 84 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to this direct-to-video or TV family Christmas movies, they are usually not the greatest pieces of film cinema every released. “Chilly Christmas” is actually cute, not the best Christmas film over but still worth checking out. Kids will definitely enjoy the humor and heart in the film. After recently watching C. Thomas Howell in “The Amazing Spider-Man”, I am not a big fan of him right now. Tom Arnold is not really used to his potential in this. But the real appeal for me is the kids, they are funny and strong characters. The dog is also very cute. The story like most of these are cheesy but overall cute. Besides the film though this DVD does not come with special features included. But in the end, “Chilly Christmas” does end up spreading a little Christmas cheer and joy to get you in the mood for this holiday season.

Official Premise: “Chilly Christmas” follows 11-year-old Bobby Cole, his detective dad (C. Thomas Howell), and their lovable-but-destructive pooch, Chilly, who live together in Sunshine Beach, California. When Bobby’s father is offered a job promotion in New York City, Bobby is thrilled for him – but his excitement quickly turns to heartbreak when he realizes he may have to say goodbye to Chilly, who is too rambunctious to live in a tiny city apartment! Desperate not to leave Chilly behind, Bobby and his friends try to acclimate him to city living (including using the toilet and a treadmill!). But, while the Coles prepare Chilly for the Big Apple, trouble begins brewing in their own backyard when a dog-napper (Tom Arnold) and his crew suddenly show up in Sunshine Beach, hot on Chilly’s tail! It’s up to Detective Cole, Bobby and Chilly to stop the thieves in their tracks and keep their family together for the holiday season – and for good!

Actors: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane
Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Number of discs: 5
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

“Brave” is, so far, this year’s #1 animated movie.  This is also Pixar Animation Studio’s 13th consecutive hit. Merida has really earned herself a place as one of the respected Disney Princess quite quickly.  This film isn’t your typical Disney/Pixar collaboration, since I felt it was a bit darker but it is definitely one that sticks with you and gets better with each viewing. Brenda Chapman has only directed “The Prince of Egypt” before this film.  While “Brave” is Mark Andrews first feature film.  I look forward to see what they two are going to do after “Brave”. This release is a 5-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition, including a Blu-ray 3D + 2 Blu-ray Discs + 1 DVD + 1 Digital Copy. This release really has something for everyone and this is definitely a must buy for any family fans of Disney this Holiday season.

Official Premise: Set in the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland, Disney Pixar’s Brave follows the heroic journey of Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald), a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to change her fate, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane), unleashing chaos in the kingdom. When she turns to an eccentric Witch (voice of Julie Walters), she is granted an ill-fated wish and the ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her resources including her mischievous triplet brothers to undo a beastly curse and discover the meaning of true bravery.

When I saw this film in theaters, I liked it but really didn’t love it. I thought the 3D wasn’t really used to its best advantage but that changed on this Blu-ray. I thought the 3D really popped and added a lot of depth to the film. I also really enjoyed the character of Merida more and her journey. I was also very impressed with Disney’s Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio track, which was perfect with the action and the score. Also I was shocked with the fact that the short “La Luna” is actually available in 3D like it was in theaters. It is rare that there is 3D content available on the home release, besides the film. The theatrical short is also available in 2D on the standard BLu-ray and DVD. The short follows a young boy on his first night working the family business alongside his father and grandfather. It is very sweet and one of my favorite Pixar shorts to date.

The rest of the special features are found on the Blu-ray with the 2D version of the film. “The Legend of Mor’du” is a brand new short film, which delve deeper into the legend behind Mordu and is told by the witch who transformed him. “Brave Old World” is a feature about the production team investigating Scotland and planning to make this film unique. “Merida & Elinor” goes into depth on the mother and daughter relationship. “Bears” is a look inside the art and design behind these furry stars. “Brawl in the Hall” is a in-depth look into the animation and even the choreography for the funny battle scene. “Wonder Moss” focuses on how the technical aspects  were used by the Pixar artists of Scotland. “Magic” focuses on the magic and mystery used from the Scottish legends. “Clan Pixar” is a feature on how the Brave production crew really embraced the Scottish themes throughout the film’s production. “Once Upon A Scene” looks into how certain key scenes were made including alternative openings and also extended and deleted scenes. Lastly there is a director commentary track from Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman.  Fans of the film should definitely enjoy this track, not for the kiddies though.

The second standard Blu-ray includes special features only. “Fergus & Mor’du” is an alternate opening for “Brave” and is narrated by the film’s director Mark Andrews. “Fallen Warriors” is a montage of deleted shots from the film in various stages of completion also narrated by director Mark Andrews. “Dirty Hairy People” is a focus on created Brave’s Scots including their design of their hair, attire, etc. “It is English…Sort Of” helps fans to understand some of the Scottish lines and sayings in the film. “Angus” is a focus on Merida’s friend, Angus aka the mighty Clydesdale. “The Tapestry” gives fans a look into the story of the embroidered emblem of family unity. “Promotional Pieces” includes clips for including: ‘Feast Yer Eyes,’ ‘Relics,’ ‘Clan DunBroch,’ ‘Launch,’ and more. There is a art gallery including many breathtaking images from the film. “Wee Gaffes” is there a montage of animation scenes and bloopers. Lastly, “Renaissance Animation Man” looks into directors Mark Andrews’ love of Scottish culture.

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Actors: Frankie Chan, Ken Boyle, Anthony Carpio
Director: Frankie Chan
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Weinstein Company
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Run Time: 102 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

With all the special effects in films these days it is rare to see classic martial arts films. If rare that action films don’t have any CGI. “Outlaw Brothers” definitely scream 1990 action but still is just raw and out-the-top fun. There is classic car stunts and also some fast and furious martial arts. The reason for this is that the legendary Jackie Chan is behind the action direction in this film. It is also directed by Frankie Chan, who is very well respected as well.

“Outlaw Brothers” is an action-packed film follows the exploits of two car thieves, and the butt-kicking female police officer who is on their trail. Add in drug smugglers and choreographed fight scenes with brooms, fans, wrenches, and knives to make this a turbo-charged, high-octane, martial arts action film.

The DVD itself shows a little age in its transfer. It was obviously not restored for this release, but it still looks decent for its age and this isn’t Blu-ray. So a little bit of noise is expect here. The film also includes both a Chinese and English audio tracks. Honestly, I really enjoyed the English track…since it was so bad it was good. There are no special features included besides the film. There is not even a trailer. Would have loved to seen some behind-the-scenes featurettes on the stunts and martial arts. Nonetheless, fans of Chan and classic action films should not miss this.