Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin, Mackenzie Foy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Number of discs: 3
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 109 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I first heard news for “Interstellar”, I pegged it as being one of my favorite films of the year. Boy, was I wrong. I don’t think I was so disappointed from a film this year as I was with “Interstellar”. The first half of this film had me really intrigued wondering what was going to happen next…and wondering and then wonderful what the hell I was watching as it took a giant nose dive during the second half. Missed opportunities is what ruined this film for me. The visuals were definitely impressive but the story was way too convoluted for me and it never came together for me in the end. Christopher Nolan tried a little too hard on this one and should focus less on making a confusing/ridiculous story and focus more on making an interesting and convincing story for his next film.

Official Premise: With time on Earth coming to an end, a team of explorers undertakes the most important mission in human history: traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind has a future among the stars. From acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight” films, “Inception”), “Interstellar” stars Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”), Anne Hathaway (“Les Miserables”), Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), Bill Irwin (“Rachel Getting Married”), Ellen Burstyn (“Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”), and Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”). Also includes Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck, David Gyasi, Mackenzie Foy and Topher Grace.

Paramount is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. This Blu-ray Combo Pack will also include an authentic film cell from an original 70MM IMAX print of the film. Even though, the film was “blah” at best, the 1080p transfer was very impressive. It features a blend of widescreen at 2.39:1 and an IMAX Blu-ray full-frame 1.78:1 throughout the film. The cuts are seamless and flow well to benefit the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is certainly a strong track but lacks the full 7.1  experience that most epic big films are getting today on Blu-ray. I am surprised that Paramount didn’t step up a bit with this track.

The special features are definitely weighty but lack any commentary options. First up, is a meaty feature called “The Science of Interstellar”, which runs about an hour in length. It reaches out to scientists talking about the truth behind some of the themes in the film and is narrated by Matthew McConaughey. There is some interested discussion points here for sure. I did like the science in the film, except for the third act when it just got plain weird. Next there is a 14 part feature called “Inside Interstellar”. It breaks down pretty much the entire film piece by piece. Here are the including segments: “Plotting an Interstellar Journey”, which talks about the origin of the film. “Life on Cooper’s Farm” discusses the farm shooting locations.

Some of the other featurettes include “The Cosmic Sounds of Interstellar”, which looks into the sound design. “The Simulation of Zero-G” is a featurette that interested me dealing with the absence of gravity in the film. Also other featurettes included are “The Space Suits”, “The Endurance”, “Shooting in Iceland: Miller’s Planet/Mann’s Planet”, “The Ranger and the Lander”, “Miniatures in Space”, “Celestial Landmarks” and “Across All Dimensions and Time”. Lastly there are some trailers/teasers included as well.

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons
Director: Armando Iannucci
Number of discs: 2
Studio: HBO Studios
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Run Time: 300 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Veep” is a show that I caught by accident one day and instantly fell in love with it. It is an amazing satire on the political world. Like “House of Cards” is a dramatic focus, this show is the comedic approach. Outstanding performances from everyone included in this Julia Louis-Dreyfus has never been better. As this show progresses, I feel that it is only getting better. I love the direction where season three followed and the only issue was that it didn’t last longer. I really hope that HBO keeps this show rolling for years to come because I know that this show will only get better and better. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for season four.

Official Premise: Veep follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus) as she puts out political fires in her public and private life while launching her campaign for president after learning that the commander-in-chief will not seek reelection. In season three of Veep, Selina and her staff head off to meet America in Detroit and Silicon Valley, go on a drug bust with the Maryland Coast Guard, and fly to London to confer with heads of state. Meanwhile, as Dan and Amy battle for the role of campaign manager, everyone helps Selina define who she is and where she stands on fracking, education, reproductive rights and her hairstyle. With all of America now watching her and her team, even the most banal action can set off a ripple effect that has unexpected and far-reaching consequences.

HBO is releasing “Veep: The Complete Third Season” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy included. Like the first two seasons, the 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are standard for a half-hour comedy. Nothing spectacular but also no issues either. The special features included are a little light in my opinion but working checking still just for the audio commentaries. The entire cast are on board for these tracks and they are a great reason to re-watch the season. I honestly can’t get enough of this cast together. The improv and bather between them are just so funny and always makes me laugh. Also included in the special features are some deleted scenes.

Starring: Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Josh Brener, Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Christopher Evan Welch
Creator: Mike Judge
Number of discs: 2
Studio: HBO Studios
DVD Release Date: March 31, 2015

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Whenever I see the name, Mike Judge, involved with a project, I immediately know that I need to watch it. Mike Judge is really an under appreciated director. Since creating “Beavis and Butt-head”, he has delivered a lot of great content. His latest TV show was the long running “King of the Hill”. “Silicon Valley” is an awkward, funny and very sarcastic comedy. If you are a nerd of any type and work in or are familiar with the technology industry this will be a home run for you. It is filled with all sorts of stabs at this ever-growing industry. The cast is just amazing together T.J. Miller is a rising star and he is going to do some really big things. Kumail Nanjiani is just amazing at whatever he does. Martin Starr is just so damn funny, I have no idea how he doesn’t crack a smile with some of the things he says. The season itself I felt lost a little steam by the end of the eight episodes but overall, it was a great season and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for season two.

Official Premise: From the offbeat mind of Mike Judge (Office Space, Beavis and Butt-head), this HBO half-hour comedy takes viewers inside the world of tech start-ups – and the socially awkward underdogs who try to navigate its lucrative potential. Starring a talented ensemble of young comic actors (see below) and veterans, Silicon Valley charts the rising fortunes of Richard, an introverted computer programmer who lives in a “Hacker Hostel” start-up incubator along with his friends Big Head, Gilfoyle, and Dinesh. These social misfits live under the watch of Erlich, a dotcom millionaire who lets them stay in his house for free – as long as he gets a 10% stake in their projects. Stuck working part-time at a large tech company called Hooli, Richard’s obscure website, Pied Piper, is going nowhere fast. But when a mid-level Hooli executive named Jared is apprised of the value of the site’s novel compression algorithm, Richard finds himself caught in the middle of an extreme bidding war between Hooli founder Gavin Belson and independent billionaire venture capitalist Peter Gregory.

HBO is releasing “Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season” as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy included. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are standard for a half-hour comedy. Nothing spectacular but also no issues either. The special features included are impressive as well like the season. First off we have “Making Silicon Valley”, which is a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the show. “Tech Crunch: Disrupt!” looks into how this conference was created. “The Hacker Hostel” is a tour through the Pied Piper headquarters. There are episodes previews included to catch you up. Lastly there eight Audio Commentaries covering each episode with talent including with Mike Judge, Alec Berg, T.J. Miller and many more. These are worth the revisit of the season alone, since they are insightful and very funny.

Starring: Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Aidan Turner, Cate Blanchett
Director: Peter Jackson
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Run Time: 144 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
3D: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of both “The Lord of Rings” and “The Hobbit” film series. I have to admit though, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is easily the weakest entry in Peter Jackson’s entire six-chapter saga. Now it is not terrible at all but in terms of the scale of the other films it just does not live up to be the closing chapter in a six film saga. We all know that “The Hobbit” was a very short book and these three films have been expanded to enable a trilogy but this third film just feels too stretched out. There is like an hour long battle scene, which I wouldn’t never think this would happen but it just feels boring. This film could have easily been summed up in the second film and probably made that a better film also. The cast are still top notch and both Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman really shine here.  Honestly a little sad to see this chapter close but who knows maybe their will be future Middle Earth adventures in the future (hopefully).

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends as five great armies go to war.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is releasing this film as a 5-disc combo pack with a 3D Blu-ray + Standard Blu-ray + DVD and also Digital HD copy. The 3D on this film was good but I wasn’t blown away like the second film actually. I didn’t really feel like it added much to the film other than some depth. The 1080p transfer though was fantastic. This series has excelled in the audio and video department since the very first “The Lord of the Rings”. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is also perfect. Since the film is basically one long fight scene, this track really stands up and delivers an action packed adventure at every turn. From dragons spewing fire to metal clanging, this track is exciting and intense.

Like previous releases in this trilogy, the initial Blu-ray special features have not been outstanding. It is the Extended Edition releases set for each Fall that have impressed. This Blu-ray includes some decent extra still. First up is “New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth Part 3”, which is an overview of the third film and its shooting locations. “Recruiting the Five Armies” looking into the casting, costumes and everything else involved with creating this army. “Completing Middle-earth: A Six-Part Saga” is an interview with Director Peter Jackson introduces discussing the last film, as is also “Completing Middle-earth: A Seventeen-Year Journey” taking about the saga as a whole. “The Last Goodbye: Behind the Scenes” looks into the creating the film’s end credits with actor Billy Boyd’s “The Last Goodbye.”, also included is the music video as well.

Every few months NCircle Entertainment has been releasing a new DVD for one of my daughters (and daddy’s) favorite shows. “The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!” is not only fun, it is also extremely education. Kids watching it learn without even knowing that they are learning. Top that off with the outstanding voice work of Martin Short, who really brings the Cat in the Hat to life, this show is a winner!

Over the past four months, they are released three two DVDs. The first and in my opinion the best is “Explore &; Imagine with the Cat in the Hat”. This release is not your typical themed release with 3-5 episodes, this is actually Volume 1 of Season 1 including 20 episodes! This is a huge and very important release for the show. Especially if you are a fan of the series.

“Explore & Imagine with the Cat in the Hat: Season 1 Volume 1”: The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! follows the adventures of 6-year-old best friends, Sally and Nick, as they are whisked off on extraordinary voyages of scientific discovery with the Cat in the Hat. In the Cat’s quintessentially Seussian vehicle, the Thinga-ma-jigger, they fly, float, rocket, and even shrink down to the size of a bee, to explore natural wonders from the bottom of the ocean to the treetops of the rain forest. Along for the ride are the Cat’s zany helpers, Thing One and Thing Two, and one very nervous Fish. In this first volume with the Cat, Nick and Sally, learn about how honey is made, why birds migrate, how whales communicate and so much more! So hop on the Thinga-ma-jigger and let’s explore!

Here are first 20 episodes from Season 1 included: “Show Me the Honey”; “Migration Vacation”; “I Love the Nightlife”; “Oh Give Me A Home!”; “Many Ants Make Light Work”; “Nest Best Thing”; ” Plan for Sand”; “Whale Music”; “Flower Power”; “Snowman’s Land”; “Dress Up Day”; “Bath Time”; “Tress Company”; “Now You See Me”; “Rain Game”; “No SSSweater is Better”; “A Tale About Tails”; “Sticky Situation”; “Night Lights”; “Go Snails Go!”

Next up is “Fun Feathered Friends”: There are actually 9 episodes included on this DVD with an approximate running time of 90 minutes. Usually these DVDs releases are 60 minutes, so this a nice bonus. The episode included are “Fast”; “Fabulous Feathers”; “Biggest Bird”; “Bounce”; “Timmy Tippy Toe”; “Cotton Patch”; “Paper Chase”, “Little Lemmings” and “Polar Adventure”. These are obviously themed focused around animals and teach a great deal about them as well. After watching this DVD and then bringing my daughter to the zoo, she say a peacock and connected it to this show, “Daddy, it’s the peacock from Cat in the Hat”. Mission accomplished.

“Fun Feathered Friends”: Let’s journey with Sally and Nick and the Cat To make feathery friends, imagine that! First, meet the fastest creature in the world! Who is it, you ask? It s Perry the Peregrine Falcon. Watch as he flies up to 150 mph, even when diving for food! Then play dress-up with Sally. Her favorite hat has lost all of its feathers where can she find more? It s time for a trip to Feathery Flats to meet Puranjay the Peacock! He has plenty of feathers and can teach us all about them. Birds are only the start of this trip with the Cat Take a look at what s inside, and hold onto your hat!

The last recent release is “Oh, the Skin We Are in!” or as my daughter called it “The Bones Cat in the Hat” (see the cover above if you are curious why). There are the typical 5 episodes on this DVD, running about 60 minutes. The episodes included are “The Skin I’m In”; “Jiggle Bones”; “Rumbly Tumbly”; “Keep the Beat and Sneezy Riders”. My daughter has really taken to this DVD and has since learned a lot about her body. She hit her elbow after watching it and said “Mommy, I hit my funny bone” and when we asked were she heard that, she said “Cat in the Hat, mommy”. So another score for this show.

“Oh, the Skin We Are in!”: It s time to explore with the Cat in the Hat! What shall we discover today? Ahhh-choo! Why, bless you! Nick can’t seem to stop sneezing. Why is that? Well, let’s find out with the Cat in the Hat! Hop on the Thinga-ma-jigger with Sally and Nick and learn all about the skin we re in the bones we own our beating hearts why our tummies rumble what causes sneezing, and how we can stop it It s a fantastic collection of natural science adventures, deep inside the bodies we live in!

Season 1, Volume 2 is set for a May 5th release date and is titled “Discover & Investigate With Cat in the Hat”. I am really glad that NCircle is releasing this show now in a seasons format. I look forward to that release for sure and also to future themed releases throughout 2015.

Starring: Maika Monroe and Ker Gilchrist
Directed by: David Robert Mitchell
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 40 mins
Northern Lights Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It delivers. From the opening sequence, to the final scene, this movie is a great watch. With a simplistic story, great score, believable performances and unobtrusive direction, It Follows absolutely shows the audience that tone and characters are what make a horror film. Not gore, flashy camera movies, and quick-cut editing.

Maika Monroe (The Guest) plays Jay Height, whom after a date with a new guy, is made aware that through their coital act he has passed on… something. And whatever it is will come for her until it kills her, or she passes it on to someone else. Think of it has a sexual chain-letter. It’s as simple as that. There is really no story beyond that premise. And nothing more is needed.

Utilizing the anamorphic widescreen frame, this film takes its time. Its set-ups are simple, its composition is nothing extraordinary; but it’s perfect. Each scene gives the actors time to perform, and nothing seems too forced. We aren’t subjected to meaningless subplots, or random scenes to show more gore or killings. Everything that happens is for a reason.

It Follows takes place in an unknown time period. With hints of present-day technology mixed in with console TVs with antennas, home phones with cords, and stacks of VHS cassettes; as well as old-school monster movies on the TV; it seems as if the director wants to keep you unaware as to when this story occurs. For this could happen anytime and anyplace. Brilliant may be a bit much, but I love that there are no cellular phones, text messages, computers, or references to on-line social networking sites. Leaving out those elements will help to ensure that this movie has a long life and won’t be dated.

While watching this film I kept thinking that It Follows could easily be viewed as this generation’s Halloween. It Follows is actually this generation’s It Follows. This movie stands on its own and feels completely original. Even with the horror film tropes – conversations about sex, absentee parents – It Follows takes you to fresh ground.

It’s creepy, it’s funny, and it’ll make you talk. Part of what I liked about this film is all that they left out. They pose questions that you can tell they never intended to answer; because leaving things unknown is very unsettling. One could easily get lost in trying to find a rational reason as to why it all happened; and even make you question some events that occur, but it doesn’t matter. It’s just a great movie.

The only negative I have about this film is the quality of the special effects. It’s a low-budget indie film, and I fully understand their restrictions. I will grant that they did well with what they had available; but they do stick out.

It Follows is absolutely worth seeing in theatre. Seeing it on a big screen with a full audience will only add to the experience.

Starring the Voices Of: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, and Steve Martin
Directed By: Tim Johnson
Rated: PG
Running Time: 94 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Every once and a while…we knock it out of the park!” That should be Dreamworks Animation’s motto. “Home” will be their 31st movie, and since 1998, the studio hasn’t had as many home runs as Pixar and they only have two Oscars for Best Animated Feature. They won one for Best Original Song, but I’m sure no one at the office is hanging their hat on that one. “Home” is another adequate entry into Dreamworks Animation’s young history, but nothing to rave about.

“Home” is an adaptation of the book that I’ve never heard of, “The True Meaning of Smekday”. The movie revolves around the alien species, the Boov, but more specifically Oh (Parsons). He’s oblivious to his friendlessness and a general nuisance to the other Boov around him. His speech pattern is that of a Kindergartener learning proper English and his best qualities are made up of Olaf from “Frozen” and his worst qualities border on Jar-Jar Binks from an unmentionable prequel.

The Boov are a species that are constantly on the run, fearing the wrath of another alien race by the name of Gorg. Their tactic for avoiding destruction by the angry Gorg involves inhabiting Earth and forcibly abducting and relocating every human being on the planet to Australia; forcing them to live in gated communities (I’m sure the pitfalls of this plan are highly entertaining). Through a series of events, Oh accidentally alerts the Gorg to the Boov’s presence on Earth and becomes a fugitive of his own species. He runs into Tip (Rihanna), who has managed to avoid capture and is hiding out in her empty home, eating cans of pasta. This sets off a slightly amusing roadtrip/chase with a preteen and clueless space creature.

“Home” is obviously setting its sights on the children in the audience, with very few inside jokes for adults; although most will enjoy the comical voice stylings of Steve Martin as the leader of the Boov, Smek. You might wince at seeing Rihanna’s name, considering her persona in the entertainment industry and how she’s portrayed in the media. You also might be scratching your head at that acting choice considering her previous credits are “Battleship” and “This is the End”. She doesn’t quite carry the same silliness that Martin and Parsons bring to their character, but she has a believable tween voice. Her voice always sounds playful and youthful, and it’s actually a creditable dose of voice work on her part.

Halfway through I noticed that Rihanna’s contract must have stipulated that the entire soundtrack must be crafted by her since she’s seemingly on every song. It’s hard to pack an emotional punch when a movie’s soundtrack consists of “As Real As You and Me” and “Drop That”. It’s almost like creators of some of these movies are worried they won’t speak to an eight-year-old if they don’t throw in some contemporary hip-hop dance tracks.

“Home” is still an enjoyable time. Some moments move at blistering speeds, with aliens zipping to and fro with visual jokes and audible humor firing off left and right. When it has to rely on our two lone heroes with nothing, but themselves in a car, it struggles. Maybe Dreamworks should start cherry picking what they want to do next, or at the very least, put more effort into their promising projects. “Home” has the pieces for something remarkable, but none of the heart to stay with us.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Craig T. Nelson
Directed by: Etan Cohen
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 40
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

James King (Ferrell) has it all. Money. A beautiful fiancé (Alison Brie). And he’s just been made a partner in the investment firm started and run by his father-in-law (Nelson). He spares nothing on the finer things, including having his car detailed by Darnell Lewis (Hart), a man with a family hoping to buy a home. Out of the blue, James is arrested for fraud. Encouraged by his boss to take a plea bargain James refuses, so insistent is he of his innocence. Sadly, he is not believed and the judge, looking send a message to white collar criminals, sentences him to 10 years hard labor. With 30 days to get his affairs in order, James decides he needs to learn how to survive prison and decides to get advice from the only black man he knows.

Outrageously funny, though often bordering on bad taste, “Get Hard” confirms the star-making talent shown by Kevin Hart in “The Wedding Ringer” as well as the consistently funny-film streak of Will Ferrell. Both are at the top of their game here, and their chemistry is quite obvious. While both men are constantly entertaining, it’s Hart that drives the film, with Ferrell acting as straight man a little more than usual. Encouraged to tell James his story, Darnell instead gives a one-man performance of “Boys in the Hood.” This scene, and one where Hart plays three different inmates, are among the best in the film.

The script, co-written by director Cohen and Jay Martell and Ian Roberts, is constantly funny, even when it approaches the lines of race and prejudicial assumptions. Yet in spite of the humor, there are some nice moments between Ferrell and Hart as well as Hart and his on-screen family. If you’re looking to laugh this weekend, this is the film to see!

Actors: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman
Directors: Jennifer Kent
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Run Time: 93 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

If it’s in a word
Or it’s in a look
You can’t get rid
Of the Babadook

Those are words that I cannot get out of my head since watching this Australian psychological horror/thriller. I absolutely loved this film. I watch a lot of horror films looking for that big scan but unfortunately it is very rare that a film can scare me, I mean really scare me, the last was James Wann’s “Insidious” back in 2010. I can add “The Babadook” to that list now. This film is near perfect and much deeper than you would expect from a typical horror flick. It has some deep symbolism and really takes you on a dark journey through the dealings of grief and loss. If you are looking for something truly original that will leave you discussing for days/weeks, I would highly recommend checking this out.

Official Premise: Six years after the death of her husband, Amelia struggles to discipline her “out-of-control” six-year-old Samuel – a son she finds difficult to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. And when Amelia begins to see glimpses of the creature herself, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may well be real.

Scream Factory is behind this Blu-ray release of “The Babadook”. They are releasing it with a limited edition slipcase (shown above) with a really cool pop out cover. This is a must have for any fan of the film. The Blu-ray presentation is near perfect also. The 1080p transfer gorgeous and so well shot within its in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The film is quite dark and its use of black and shadows are perfectly showcased here. Same goes with the soundtrack. The score to “The Babadook” is easily one of the best horror scores in years and it sounds outstanding on this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1  track.

The special features are also a must watch if you enjoyed the film for sure. There is Director Jennifer Kent’s Short Film, “Monster” included. “Creating the Book with Illustrator Alex Juhasz” is one extra that I wish was muchlonger. It look into how the book was made. “A Tour of the House Set” is a cool walk through on the set. “The Stunts: Jumping the Stairs” focuses on the film’s wire work. “Special Effects: The Stabbing Scene” discusses briefly how this scene was shot. There is anothe short Behind the Scenes look into the production. The big one is “Cast and Crew Interviews”, which runs just over an hour and features chats with actors Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Barbara West, Hayley McElhinney, director Jennifer Kent, costume designer Heather Wallace, producer Kristina Ceyton, and producer Kristian Moliere. Lastly, there are a few short deleted scenes.  and two theatrical trailers

Actors: Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine
Directors: Rob Marshall
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

Personally, I am a fan of musicals. I thought Disney was going to knock this out of the park with this A-list cast and a fun musical like “Into the Woods”. This cast in fact did bring their A-game but the film itself ended up being more of a D-grade. The pacing was horrible and jumped around so much. The first and second act were actually decent but the third absolutely ruined the film for me and it dragged on for what felt like forever. They misused talent like Johnny Depp in a less than 5 minute cameo. Chris Pine was the savior of the film, no question but he wasn’t enough to bring it home. Anna Kenndrick was sweet as always and even Emily Brunt surprised me with the whole singing thing…but overall the third act made this too difficult to enjoy.

Official Premise: From the director of “Chicago” and the producer of “Wicked” comes a modern twist on the beloved fairy tales you thought you knew. Meryl Streep stars in this epic musical saga about daring to venture “Into the Woods”. Iconic characters, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel, find their fates intertwined with a humble baker and his wife, whose longing to have a child sends them on a quest to reverse a witch’s (Streep) curse. With an all-star cast, this spellbinding adventure is everything you could ever wish for!

Despite the film being terrible, Disney did deliver an outstanding Blu-ray along with a digital copy included. The 1080p transfer was perfect and really captured the fairy tale feeling of the film. It worked well with the CGI and with the scenery. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 was also a showstopper. The songs in this film were fun and this was really well presented. As much as this pains me to say, this is truly an amazing Blu-ray in terms of audio and video, even the special features were impressive as well.

Started off the extras, there is an audio commentary track from Director/producer Rob Marshall and producer John DeLuca and they discuss the film in depth from every aspect. Pretty interesting stuff. “Strep Sings Sondheim: “She’ll Be Back”” is a feature on the actress singing the deleted song. “There’s Something About the Woods” features cast/crew discussing the production. “The Cast as Good as Gold” is another chat with the cast discussing the pre-production of this film. “Deeper Into the Woods” is a four-part documentary, which runs about 30 minutes. Lastly, “Music & Lyrics” runs about an hour and pretty much gives you the option to watch the songs in the film only with karaoke-style lyrics.

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet
Directed By: Robert Schwentke
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 119 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

The dystopian young adult movie genre is becoming crowded as of late. The worst of the bunch were once a mere fatigue, but are now becoming a headache pounding hangover. As long as there is a cash cow to milk, we can expect more attractive heroes and heroines facing off against dull malefactors with penchants for tyranny. Some of these, like the “The Hunger Games”, are quite good. But the Divergent series appears to be an exercise in futility and “Insurgent” is the latest offering in ineptitude.

I tried as hard as I could to put the events of “Divergent” out of my mind, but unfortunately for me, there’s a lot of character exposition and annoying recounts to begin our movie. Tris (Woodley) is still the individualistic focal point of our story. She’s on the lam with her lover Four (James), and a duo of actors who make up Woodley’s on-screen romances in other films. These four are hiding out in Amity, one of the factions in the five personality-based factions inhabiting this world. Amity is this movie’s version of hippies, without the LSD, so they’re perfectly content with harmful fugitives arguing amongst themselves in their peaceful farming village.

This won’t last long because this world’s odious, self-imposed ruler, Jeanine (Winslet), is scouring the lands for them. She leads the Dauntless, the army of this dystopian wasteland. And big surprise, they’re the ones trying to find a way to control and eliminate the other factions. Of course you would know all this if you’re a fan of the series or saw the first movie. If you’re neither of these, I would like to tell you that “Cinderella” is still in theaters and a much better bang for your buck, and less harmful for your young ones.

I say that because “Insurgent” ups the violence ante with more bloodless fights, a gratuitous, yet nudeless “love” scene, and a lot of off-screen gun executions. For such a passionless movie, it doesn’t help that there’s so much soulless murder of characters. Even as an adult, and having seen my fair share of unjustifiable bloodletting in movies, watching violence without purpose in something that is attempting to cash in on the young adult crowd, feels malformed.

While the brutality adds to the directionless narrative, the acting talents of many of the stars in this movie are wasted throughout. Despite some great efforts, and dreary stares by stars like Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts, the acting gets lost in laughably bad scenes and confusing character motivations. Take for instance the fact that Jeanine wants to open a mystery box that she believes holds the key to destroying the Divergents, but it can only be opened by a Divergent. Which seems like an odd thesis on Jeanine’s part, further complicated by the fact that she operates the military and could simply just wipe out all the Divergents with countless killing machines at her disposal. Maybe I’m just overthinking that one.

At the end of the day, you know the mystery box will be opened and you know it will be Tris who ends up opening it. “Insurgent” is as predictable as it is vapid. It’s offensive to decent writing and a slap in the face to well thought out young adult movies that grow and mature. Instead of distinguishing itself, it takes some tired old clichés and believes that the casual viewer will go for mere eye candy and “heart pounding” action. Please tell the conniving studio executives you’re tired of unimaginative filth by not seeing “Insurgent”. And save me the time and anguish because someone told me there’s still a third book they can make into a movie.

Starring: Sean Penn, Ray Winstone and Javier Bardem
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 55 mins
Open Road

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Last week we had another Liam Neeson “bad ass” film, a series that started with “Taken.” This week we get Sean Penn in the new film by “Taken’s” director. Does Sean have a future in action films? I’ll tell you later.

Meet Jim Terrier (Penn). It’s 2006 and he’s working for a mining company in the Congo. He spends his time off with his girlfriend, Annie (Jasmine Trinca) and best buddy Felix (Bardem). When the country’s new Minister of Mining begins to enforce the law, Jim’s company asks Jim to do what he does best. One well-placed rifle shot later, Jim is in the wind, leaving his friends, and the life he knew, behind.

Heavy on the gunfire and light on believability, “The Gunman” is a nice looking (lots of exotic locales) yet unsatisfying film barely kept afloat by its star. Penn, with two Oscars on his mantle, is well above the material here and manages to not be pulled down into the mess that encompasses his co-stars. Bardem, an Oscar-winner himself, seems to have signed on in order to get a free trip to Spain. From frame one you know Felix has eyes for Annie and that, with Jim out of the picture, they will end up with each other. Trinca sleepwalks through the film as Annie, showing more skin than emotion in many scenes. As Terrier’s old buddy with all of the connections, Winstone give the film some life when on screen while Mark Rylance and Idris Elba add some Brit-level class to the production. Penn, who apparently borrowed Sylvester Stallone’s body, circa 1985, is given the chore of making Jim and his actions believable. With a mustache and soul patch that makes him look like the popular Guy Fawkes mask and an apparently unending supply of bullets, Terrier manages to escape death even while suffering from painful headaches.

Eight years pass between the time Jim leaves the Congo and he learns he’s a hunted man, yet nobody appears to have aged. Maybe all of those push-up Penn did helped him stay youthful. He should have used some of that time to read the script. Besides limitless bullets and the ability to always be the best shot in the room, Jim’s adventures put him in the midst of a bull fight, in a country that has not only outlawed bull fighting but insisted that fact be pointed out in the end credits.

As for Penn the action star? He obviously has the chops for the job. He just needs better material.

Starring: Missy Peregrym, Jeff Roop, Eric Balfour
Directed By: Adam MacDonald
Running Time: 91 mins
IFC Midnight

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

In Backcountry, lawyer Jenn (Missy Peregrym) is lead by boyfriend, Alex (Jeff Roop) on her very first camping trip. Their route is the ominously titled Blackfoot Trail that Alex is supposedly familiar with from youthful visits. In Jenn’s case, never has a failed “Rate Your Boyfriend!” magazine quiz ever been more foreboding.

Not only does Alex fail that fun roadtrip timekiller, he then proceeds to reject common sense essentials like cell phones and maps to take on this ideal hike. His foolishness only further asserts itself when on the first night a charismatic Irish trail guide (Eric Balfour) splits an awkward campfire fish dinner with the couple and insinuates Alex knows less about the woods than he’s letting on. Instead of admitting his directional knowledge is limited, Alex doggedly resumes their wandering with a view to reach a beautiful lakeside that he assures Jenn will be worth the trouble. As you may have guessed, it’s really not.

It’s difficult to judge this film’s plausibility given that it’s touted as being based on a true story, but Alex’s stubborn trudge against all logical precautions—not to mention the blatant disregard for the safety of his girlfriend while he’s at it—can be an astoundingly frustrating watch for seasoned horror film viewers. He flouted the advice of the weathered old townie at the outpost five minutes in for pete’s sake! It also takes far too long to really understand just why Alex is so aggressively set on their destination, long enough to question Jenn’s intelligence too I found. When they finally do have a confrontation, the actors do so admirably and it felt a great relief to finally have Alex’s ignorance called out, but it seemed just too little too late. Alex is right up there with the Quiji-board buying boyfriend from Paranormal Activity in the bad choices department.

The edge is taken off of that frustration a bit by the impressive cinematography that can go from encompassing the vastness of the Canadian wilderness—beautiful in any other context, really— to zeroing in extremely on the couple’s very visceral woodland injuries. Furthermore, MacDonald subtly escalates the threat of bears in the woods to a suitably gorey crescendo after some early chilling encounters along the way that had our audience squirming in their seats. If MacDonald is aiming to do for the woods what Open Water did for the ocean, he pretty much succeeds, with the added cringe-factor that a bear’s leftovers don’t get washed away in the tide…

Starring: Lou Taylor Pucci, Nadia Hilker
Directed by: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 50 mins
XYZ Films

Our rating: 2 out of 5 stars

“Spring” is a movie that is barely – just barely – saved by its beautiful scenery. In fact, if it weren’t for the film’s location, there wouldn’t be much here to watch.

After the death of his mother, Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) finds himself lost, and needing more from life. A drunken altercation in a bar leads him to be wanted by the local police, so he flees to Italy. He finds a job as a farm-hand, and meets a mysterious young woman, Louise (Nadia Hilker). With a complete lack of chemistry between the two main characters, and a unappealing performance by Pucci – which leaves Evan unlikeable, or just mediocre – this story falls into a series of humdrum scenes with nothing but conversations full of platitudes.

Slowly the “horror” elements begin to build, but even here too much is shown far too soon. There is almost no anticipation, and no mystery at all. There are questions, but no suspense. Too much is given away too early, and the film is never able to fully explain or payoff what it tried to set up. It’s not scary, and it’s not enigmatic. It’s just dull.

The film is part horror, part comedy, and part love story. But none of those elements are built upon enough to really call this film any of those. It’s not a horror movie; it’s not a comedy; and it’s not a romance. It falls flat from beginning to end. The cinematography helps the film a great deal; but even most of that work was done by having a great setting. No matter where they put the camera the location was beautiful.

It’s easy to see what the filmmakers were intending to do, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The performance by Hilker was the best of anyone in the film; it seemed that she could have gone much further with her character, if she had a stronger male lead to act opposite of.

At times the scenes intended to be suspenseful or eerie, were funny. And the attempts at humor didn’t land as well as they should. And again, the romance was lacking due to poor chemistry.
A fresh attempt at an horror cliche here just leaves the audience confused as to how they are supposed to feel.

Overall, this film just felt uneven. Within the same scene the characters’ emotions change wildly, with out any real motivation as to why. I can’t suggest seeing this film in theatre, but wouldn’t be a waste of time if caught on VOD.

Related Content

• Film Review “The Rover”
• Film Review “Out of the Furnace”
• Film Review “Looper”
• Film Review “Piranha 3DD”
• Film Review ” A Most Violent Year”

Starring: Lily James, Richard Madden, and Cate Blanchett
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh
Rated: PG
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

From European folk tale to Disney classic to one of the most reincarnated, reimagined and adapted movies in my life. Just a quick Internet search turned up at least a dozen adaptations within my lifetime of the fairy tale. I’m certain that further research could uncover at least one redesign of the beloved movie for every year I’ve been alive. I merely point this out because a lot could have gone wrong with this live-action update, but I’m happy to say it greatly exceeded my bare minimum expectations.

We all know the story of “Cinderella” right? I mean, unless you’re eight-years-old or younger or you’re Amish, there’s a high probability that you know the story. There are some cruel stepsisters, an even more fiendish stepmother that berates the unfortunately orphaned Cinderella. Cinderella beats out the odds and misfortunes of life with the help of a fairy godmother. With magical help, she attends a lavish ball, enchants the prince and leaves a memento for him to chase her down with, a glass slipper. This is a story that’s been told hundreds of times, so I hope you know what I’m talking about. Now, I’m not here to argue the necessity of another or new “Cinderella” movie, but I’m going to tell you that it’s not a rushed cash grab. It probably is a cash grab for the young ones who don’t know “Cinderella”, but at least they’re getting something of quality and substance.

While Lily James, who plays Cinderella, is obviously the focal point, Blanchett really steals the scenes as her venomous stepmother. She starts as a haughty socialite, but Blanchett transforms slowly over the movie into a bitter hag who puppeteers the weakest people around her. Helena Bonham Carter enters as the fairy godmother and is also quite delightful in her small, but significant role. As for Richard Madden as the prince who inevitably falls for Cinderella, he just stands there and looks pretty; Which isn’t a bad thing.

The real high marks for me in this movie are the set and costume designs. While the wide shots of the sprawling castle are obviously CGI, the exquisite ball and all its guests are real and in real costumes. The vast, but snug cottage that Cinderella is in has a Victorian appeal. The movie feels grand while remaining intimate in it’s settings. Everything could have easily been green screened, but it’s great to see a filmmaker and crew that understands tradition and puts in a time-honored effort of good old fashioned design. It’s a well-made, guilty pleasure for Disneyphiles and a refreshing blast from Disney’s treasured past for everyone else.