Kevin Greutert is the director of the films “Saw VI”, Saw 3D: The Final Chapter” as well on editor on the entire “Saw” franchise. His latest film is called “Jessabelle” and is a ghost story set in Louisiana. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about the film and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: How was it going from directing “Saw 3D” to a film like “Jessabelle”?
Kevin Greutert: I was very eager to step away from the “Saw” franchise. I loved doing those movies but I wanted to get on with something different and really work with characters that are more developed and have more dramatic texture going on. When this script crossed my desk, I was super excited. It felt like a real breath of fresh air. We made it for a lot less money and a lot less time than most of the “Saw” movies. So in that regard, there was some different challenges as well. There are times when you what to put a camera or lights somewhere but it just isn’t possible. But It was absolutely worth it since the story is so good and the actors and crew were such a pleasure to work with. They made it so easy.

MG: Did you enjoy working in a more slow burn type of horror?
KG: The “Saw” movies were so energy fueled. I love making movies that are as physically engaging as possible. You say slow burn but I hope it isn’t too slow [laughs]. I have been told that this movie has a really amazing pace to it. It is not a movie that is throwing stuff at the screen the entire time. I think the most fun scenes in the film are the really quiet scenes that rely on the tiniest sound to trigger a scare or you see a shadow move in the background. To get to play with that kind of aspect instead of arms getting chopped off felt great and it felt really great on the set. There were no sets for this film, it was all shot in an isolated plantation. You can hear the night birds and there were alligators everywhere. So it was great to do a quiet ghost story.

MG: Like with the “Saw” franchise, you also edited “Jessabelle”; tell us about that aspect?
KG: It is interesting, I enjoy editing a lot but there are challenges to doing both. Directing a film is like climbing Mount Everest. It is really hard and takes all of your resources. By the time you finish, you really just want to go to the Caribbean and spent a month decompressing. By editing the film myself as well, I am climbing Everest and once I reach base camp, I have to turn around and do it again. It is that hard. There is no time to waste and you need to get right back into it. If there is any problem with the footage, it is on you. If I am editing someone else’s film and if something didn’t come out right or they failed to shoot a scene or get a shot, I can say “Man, those guys screwed up” [laughs]. That being said, I still felt pretty good when we got this film in the can. There were no reshoots needed or anything. So the hardest part of editing this film was actually all the stuff that I had to leave on the cutting room floor. Sarah Snook does every take different and they were all great. I am only person in the world who will see how these scenes could have been. These are tough decisions to see something so good and not be able to use it because something else was slightly more appropriate. That is a challenge but it is still very exciting as a filmmaker.

MG: That tub scene is quite effective; tell us about shooting that?
KG: Yeah, the bathtub scene was a tough one. Basically, we had to figure out how to create the sensation that the tub was filling up with swampy, oily, disgusting water. We had to find a place to shoot it. We were in this abandoned three story mansion. The only room we could do it was on the second floor, so in the dining room underneath, we had to build a giant 4×4 super structure to keep the tub from failing through the floor. It was probably our biggest shoot day. We had to have condor cranes at the windows with different lights and rain effects. We had a hot filled with water ready to make sure the girls didn’t freeze to death. Then on the very last day of shooting I had wanted to get a few more shots in the bath tub, so we had to set it all back up again. I thank the crew because it was a tough thing to do.

MG: Did you ever feel limited by the PG-13 rating?
KG: I always wanted this movie to actually be PG-13. When you put an R rating on a horror movie, people have expectations that this movie is going to deliver gore and blood etc. This is a very scary movie but not scary because of violence. It is scary due to its psychological situations. With that said, when we did submit the film to the MPAA, we did get back an R rating several times and we had to make a few adjustments. But for most people, if you would see both versions side by you probably wouldn’t be able to notice anything major missing.

MG: I liked the locations which created a lot of atmosphere in the film; tell us about where it was shot?
KG: From the day that I first read the script to the day that we started shooting, it was not a long time. First order of business was to cast it and simultaneously with that was to find a place to shoot it. Originally we drove all over Louisiana trying to find the right place. We would up in North Carolina and thought it looked more like Louisiana than Louisiana [laughs]. We originally found a great house and shortly after we were told that this guy James Wan was using it for a film called “The Conjuring” [laughs]. James is good friend of mine though and we found another place and ended up working in the same town at the same time as them. In the plantation we found, no one has ever made a movie there before and no one had lived there for decades. The last inhabitant was an old schizophrenic man. The walls were completely covered with strange drawings. It felt like a true haunted house. When you see the film it looks like a very derelict building but we cleaned it up a lot [laughs]. It was really a great place. When they go through the swamps, it was all the real thing. We had alligators following us around. It was wonderful.

MG: What can you tell us about your next film, “Visions”?
KG: That film is also produced by Jason Blum. I am currently editing it. It is a wife that buys a winery to overcome a tragedy. Her husband is also trying to sustain an agricultural business during a drought and the wife is pregnant. She starts to experience some very mysterious hauntings in the house. I don’t want to say too much but it has one of the best third acts that I have ever seen. I read the script for the first time back in 2008 and called everyone to get this film made. It took a while but it is great and I can’t wait for it to be released.

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“Billy Bates,” which recently played to enthusiastic audiences at the Cannes, Toronto and Tribeca Film Festivals, will make a premiere stop in Kansas City this Friday, November 7 as part of a 10-city tour.

The red carpet event will be held at the Tivoli Cinemas beginning at 7:00 p.m. Following the screening, a Q&A with director-producer Julie Pacino and co-stars James Wirt and Savannah Welch will be held. The film will be on cable-video-on-demand and iTunes beginning November 18 and Netflix in January 2015.

For more information about the event, or to purchase tickets, go to www.billybatesproject.com/tour

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, David Thewlis, Harry Lloyd
Directed By: James Marsh
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Focus Features

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

To many people, Stephen Hawking has been so long physically associated with his wheel-chaired silhouette and computerized voice, that just seeing him as a young British student will come as the first of many revelations in The Theory of Everything. James Marsh’s film is remarkable insofar as it not only illuminates the very human story of the iconic astrophysicist, but also explores the unconventional relationship between young Hawking and first wife, Jane (Felicity Jones). It’s a fascinating story that’s additionally buoyed by an outstanding performance from Eddie Redmayne as Hawking.

At 21, Stephen Hawking was just beginning to unlock his theories regarding the universe, when he was given the devastating diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease. The result of the disease would be Hawking’s total loss of his motor skills. He faced the nightmarish reality where his brilliant mind would no longer have a voice. Fortunately at this time, Stephen had begun a relationship with equally brilliant Jane Wilde. Wilde resolutely would not allow Hawking to give into his despair. That we’re still speaking of Hawking in the present tense, this film postulates, is as much down to Jane’s rejection of his two year prognosis as Hawking’s. Crucially, she pushed for the life-saving tracheotomy when doctors advised against it.

As Jane, Jones gives a magnetic performance. She imbues Wilde (later Hawking) with a steely resilience to the obstacles they face while displaying amazing vulnerability and chemistry with Redmayne. Particularly in moments where Stephen is struggling most.

Finally though, Redmayne, who always delivers solid supporting performances, is at last front and center. Physically, he runs the gamut from the first inklings of the disease—subtly playing moments of confusion—to the truly advanced stages where Redmayne must rely solely on harsh facial contortions and the vitality in his eyes. Beyond the uncanny physical resemblance, Redmayne also navigates a vast emotional journey from ambitious student, through the depression of his diagnosis and finally maturing into husband and father. If the film tends to give short-shrift to the scientific accolades Hawking received in his lifetime, it makes it up in spades by examining Hawking’s extraordinary personal relationships with sensitivity and respect.

Starring: Matt Latner, James Arnold Taylor, Grey DeLisle, Corey Burton, Tom Kane, Dee Bradley Baker
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
Run Time: 287 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Lost Missions” consists of the sixth and final season of the Emmy Award-winning Warner/Cartoon Network animated series. The 13-episode season original aired exclusively on Netflix. Go figure, the show gets canceled right when it is at its peak and yet this is easily one of the best collection of episodes. I definitely have been enjoying “Star Wars Rebels” but “The Clone Wars” was getting to a good point in its story that it was getting darker and much deeper. It is sad to think that “The Clone Wars” is over but at least it went out with a good bang.

Official Premise: In these eagerly anticipated episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, some of the deepest mysteries of the conflict between the light and the dark sides of the Force are revealed. An intrepid clone trooper discovers a shocking secret, Anakin Skywalker’s closest relationship is tested to its limits, and what Master Yoda discovers while investigating the disappearance of a Jedi could forever change the balance of power in the galaxy.

This Blu-ray edition delivers these episodes with fantastic 1080p transfers. This show contains never really felt like a TV series, it always felt much larger to me. The colors are crisp and the animation is well done. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track really works with the non-stop epic action in this episodes. I would have loved to see a little bit more in terms of special features included here especially since it is the final season ever of “The Clone Wars”. What we get is a never before seen 16-minute documentary, which covers all six seasons. Seems a little short though to encompass the entire mass of the six seasons. There are also four additional story reels from “The Lost Missions” season, which are only available on this Blu-ray.

Actors: Vincent Martella, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Dan Povenmire, Ashley Tisdale, Alyson Stoner
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Rating: Not Rated
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
Running Time: 150 minutes

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

“Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars” is not the Disney animated series’ first crossover episode. The show also went head to head with Marvel superheros last summer. When it comes to “Star Wars”, I am interested despite the crossover. Honestly, my interest in “Phineas & Ferb” has decreased to almost nothing since 2007. They did do a great job with mashing up “Star Wars” universe. This DVD is called “Star Wars IV: A New Hope – Retold and ReFERBished”, so one might assume that this will not be the last crossover either. The music is very catchy, clever and just plain fun. This DVD also includes six bonus episodes and a Carbonite Perry keychain. Calling all “Star Wars” fans, this is the crossover that you are looking for!

Official Premise: A couple of summers ago in a galaxy far, far away, Phineas and Ferb are happily basking in the glow of Tatooine’s twin suns — until plans for the Death Star accidentally fall into their hands, thrusting them (and Agent P) into a galactic rebellion and an epic struggle of good versus evil in “Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars”. Will Phineas and Ferb be able to resist the Dark Side? Will Stormtrooper Candace finally bust a Rebel? Can Agent P stop Darthenshmirtz from using his Force-powered “Sith-Inator”? Featuring five additional episodes for over two hours of action-packed fun, this mind-blowing, intergalactic adventure is a blast for all ages. May the Ferb be with you… always.

I know that kids don’t care if their cartoons are released on DVD or Blu-ray but there are a lot of big kids that might. This would have been epic on Blu-ray with the action, the animation and the music. Besides, “Phineas & Ferb: Star Wars” special, there are six additional bonus episodes including Be”For Your Ice Only/Happy New Year!”; “Steampunx/It’s No Picnic”; “Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy Of Terror (Parts 1 And 2); “Doof 101/Father’s Day” and “Tales From The Resistance” (Parts 1 And 2). If you enjoy “Phineas and Ferb”, this is a must have. If you have never seen the show once yet love “Star Wars”, this will be a great way to introduce you to the very funny characters and see “Star Wars” retold and reFERBished.

Starring: Anthony Ruivivar, JB Blanc, Kurtwood Smith, Sumalee Montano
Director: Sam Liu
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 286 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

“Beware the Batman” is a great but short-lived show that was a unique take on the world of Batman because it didn’t feature classic villains like The Joker, Penguin, Riddler, etc. This series focuses on new villains and went bigger with the villains. It is quite risky but I really dug it.I loved the CGI animated approach. The design was cool and the tone of the show really intrigued. “Beware the Batman: Dark Justice – Season 1, Part 2″ includes the remaining 13 episodes in the series and if love a different take on Batman, check it out!

Official Premise: Another night falls in Gotham City and the ever-vigilant Dark Knight watches over his city and its citizens. With the help of his ex-secret agent butler, Alfred, and sword-wielding assassin Katana, the Batman wages a tireless war against Gotham’s twisted criminal underworld. Ride along as Batman battles the evil machinations of Professor Pyg, Magpie, Mister Toad and criminal mastermind Anarky. It’s a crime-fighting collection of hidden clues, cool tech and detective thrills as Batman prowls in the shadows, ready to deliver action-packed excitement and justice.

Episodes included are” 14. “Darkness”; 15. “Reckoning”; 16. “Nexus”; 17. “Monsters”; 18. “Games”; 19. “Animal”; 20. “Doppelganger”; 21. “Unique”; 22. “Hero”; 23. “Choices”; 24. “Epitaph”; 25. “Twist” and
26. “Alone”. This brings this series to an end because it never made it past the first season, which is sad because it was a great and quite dark adaptation of “Batman” in animated format.

Thanks to Warner Archive Collection, this series is making it’s way on Blu-ray and completing the series for the fans that did follow this show. The 1080p transfers work perfect with the animated style. The colors are sharp and makes this slick show look great. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 surround tracks work great as well with the action and score. There are no additional special features included on this release.

Actors: John Lloyd Young, Christopher Walken, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza
Directors: Clint Eastwood
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Running Time: 134 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love the music of Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons?! Based on the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys” gets the big screen treatment from llegendaryactor/director and Oscar winner Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”). “Jersey Boys” features some great music and is quite the inspiring drama. Normally not a huge Eastwood fan but he did a great job on converting this stage play works to a feature. I have seen this on Broadway twice and I was a little hesitate in the film but it is very entertaining…oh and that music!

Official Premise: “Jersey Boys” tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons. The story of their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the songs that influenced a generation, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Dawn,” “Rag Doll,” “Bye Bye Baby,” “Who Loves You,” and many more.

The film stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary lead singer of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli. Erich Bergen (“Madam Secretary”) plays as Bob Gaudio, writer of the group’s biggest hits. Newcomer Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”) star respectively as Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito, two original members of The Four Seasons. Also perfectly cast in the role of mobster Gyp DeCarlo is Oscar® winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter”), who does some great dancing and singing.

“Jersey Boys” is being released as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD = Ultraviolet Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer gives the film a lot of scope and takes it off the stage and into the real world. I liked this transition and I thought it was very well done. The music is key for a film like this, obviously. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5,1 delivers a great balance between the songs and the dialogue. You can’t help but belt along with these wonderful classics.

The special features are ok but I would have honestly expected more. There are three featurettes included. “From Broadway To The Big Screen” is obviously focuses on the journey of this film from the stages of Broadway to the big silver screen. “Too Good To Be True” is a feature with cast/crew interviews. Lastly ‘Oh, What A Night’ To Remember” talks about the legacy of The Four Season’s music over the years. I would have loved to see some commentary tracks and more focus on the music.

Own “Jersey Boys” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on November 11th

Starring: Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Carlos Alazraqui, Mary Birdsong, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash and Cedric Yarbrough
Number of discs: 14
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2014
Run Time: 1945 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

I grew up watching MTV and I discovered a show called “The State” back in the mid-90’s that changed and shaped my comedic sense of humor. This show was outstanding and spawned the careers of many talents actors. “Reno 911” is a project that includes was created and starred “The State” cast members Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Thomas Lennon. This show was so outrageous and fun. It ran for six seasons on Cartoon Network. “The State” might have been canceled in 1995 but this show lived on for a long time and delivered non-stop laughs. Now, finally it is available for the first time as a complete uncensored series. Don’t miss this!

Official Premise: A critically acclaimed, hit series which ran for six seasons, “Reno 911!” let viewers ride shotgun with the courageous men and women of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department as they lay down the law and put their lives on the line. Whether the Deputies are busting down the doors of a meth lab or busting “moves” at a local nightspot, the Reno 911! camera doesn’t blink.

This half-hour ensemble comedy co-starred Carlos Alazraqui, Mary Birdsong, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash and Cedric Yarbrough. This show was also know for amazing guest stars including Aziz Ansari, Michael Ian Black, Wayne Brady, Charlie Day, Danny DeVito, Zach Galifianakis, Seth Green, Chelsea Handler, Jonah Hill, Cheryl Hines, Rob Huebel, David Koechner, Lorenzo Lamas, George Lopez, Joe Lo Truglio, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Patton Oswalt, Paul Reubens, Craig Robinson, Paul Rudd, Paul Scheer, Nick Swardson, David Wain, Matt Walsh and Rainn Wilson…just a name a few over the six seasons.

Paramount did make sure thought that this release was jam-packed with some kick-ass special features. This DVD includes all 88 episodes from this series. There are audio commentary tracks on 32 of them. It may not seem like a lot but that is a shit load of episodes. These are not even good either…they are comedy gold. There is over an hour of alternate, extended and deleted scenes, as well as almost two hours of outtakes. TWO hours of outtakes!! My face was hurting so bad from laughing. Lastly there are two featurettes “Cops Psychology: Inside the minds of Reno’s Deputies” and “Profiles in Valor” rounding out these amazing extras.

Photo Credit: 2014 Stuck Film Group, LLC.

Malek Akkad is the son of Moustapha Akkad, who is know for producing all eight “Halloween” films in the original series up until his death in 2005. Malek took over the reign with the recent reboot of “Halloween” with Rob Zombie and is continuing his father’s legacy. Malek is making his directorial debut with the suspense thriller “Free Fall”, which stars Sarah Butler (“I Spit on Your Grave”) and Malcolm McDowell (“Rob Zombie’s Halloween”). Media Mikes had a chance to chat about the film with him, along with the recently released “Halloween: The Complete Collection” Blu-ray box set and the future of the franchise.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about what made you take the jump from producer to director with “Free Fall”?
Malek Akkad: My intended focus when I came out of film school was to do direct. I was doing a lot of music videos, commercials and trying to get up and running in that career. I was a production manager on a couple of shows. My path just took me more on the side of producing and then I started working with my father. In this business, you have to take it where it comes from. So I did spend a few years working in the producing gig, which I do love. My passion is just being in production in general. But I did want to get back into directing, so this was a good opportunity and we had some time between other projects. We came across this script and it felt like it would be a run ride to take.

MG: What made you decide to tackle a suspense thriller instead of horror?
MA: For one thing, I thought the horror genre would be the obvious route to go and I wanted to tackle something that would be outside of the realm that I was comfortable in. Plus I didn’t want to get pigeonholed as “the horror guy”. I found this script and thought the writer was able to really flip the head on a few genre key elements, which I liked. It was also a script that I was able to use some themes that I wanted to address. So it worked on a lot of levels.

MG: You know you seriously just took elevators to a whole new level here, right?
MA: Oh great, awesome! I am great to hear that. Every time I get into an elevator now, I am thinking that karma is going to get me [laughs].

MG: Was it always planned to reunite with “Halloween” star Malcolm McDowell?
MA: He was just perfect for this role. We had worked together twice before and he is just a joy to work with. He also fit the character perfectly actually, so it was an honor that he agreed to do this with me. It is also great to be able to work with actors that you are comfortable with. It was great to work with him once again.

MG: Let’s talks about the “Halloween: The Complete Collection”; how involved were you with this release?
MA: It was a hurdle of getting all the involved parties together. In this franchise, there has been so many different distribution companies and production entities. The first thing to tackle was getting everyone on the same page. Between Shout! Factory and Anchor Bay, they really did a great job in doing that. With the behind-the-scenes material, I think that Shout! Factory really did a great job in putting together a lot of new material. Then we had to go to Miramax and dig up the old elements for “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers”. So I definitely had an involvement but most of the credit needs to go to Shout! Factory for putting together a great package that the fans have really been responding to.

MG: Why do you think the idea of Michael Myers is still so effective after all these years?
MA: There are so many answers to that. With horror genre, going back to the great Universal Monsters, is filled with just such hardcore fans. People just love to go in and have that controlled sense of fear. There is enough fear in the world that people can’t control. So if you can spend two hours and you know you are somewhat safe, I think that is something cathartic in that. I think all that feeds into what this franchise has become. Of course, it all goes back to the amazing classic from John Carpenter.

MG: Any progress updates for the next “Halloween” film in the franchise?
MA: Yeah, we are working on one right now. We are due a new draft any day now. We are working really hard to take it to the next level and keep the fans as happy as we can. I think we have a really fun pick and getting everyone involved and on the same page and behind one storyline takes longer than you would think. I think we have finally cracked something that we really liked and we are going to have some announcements very soon!

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton and Naomi Watts
Directed By: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Rated: R
Running Time: 119 minutes
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I feel like thousands of future theses will be written about “Birdman”. It’s a movie that definitely necessitates multiple viewings because of how much is stuffed into its nearly two hour run time. Besides being a contemplative piece of filmmaking, it’s a true joy to watch something so self-conscious and fully aware of what it’s doing. “Birdman” is not the latest box office juggernaut, but more like a powerful awards force.

Could there have been a better choice than Michael Keaton? He plays Riggan, an aged actor living off the memories of being the lead in the powerful superhero franchise, Birdman. He’s nearing the end of his life and reaching the last remains dollars of his checking account. The only thing he can do to recoup his financial, mental and acting losses, is directing, writing and starring in a play adaptation of “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. Keaton puts on the acting performance of his life by portraying Riggan, the man who hopes to put on the acting performance of his life. Do I even have to mention Keaton was the original movie Batman? Seriously, how meta can you get?

I’m barely clawing at the surface and that’s just by pointing out the most obvious symbol in this movie that’s full of literary devices. Working with Riggan on his comeback performance is one of the best method actors in the land, Mike (Norton). Mike is a philosophical mess who confuses his on-stage performances with his own personality. He’s able to dish out some harsh truths, but when it comes to his own personal life, he finds more relief and comfort in the people he portrays. Leading to a lot of moments where he’d much rather face an audience than face the music.

Along for the ride as well is Sam (Stone), Riggan’s daughter, a recovering addict that has a gloomy look at life and covers her emotional wounds with teenage sarcasm and put downs. She’s kind of like a personal assistant to Riggan although she spends most of her time reflecting and being mopey. Starring in the production itself is Lesley (Watts), who’s constantly saying the wrong thing and half the time on the verge of crying. She’s aspiring towards Broadway infamy. Laura (Andrea Riseborough) is Riggan’s girlfriend who’s not utilized as well as she should be considering she’s a psychotically clingy.

Then there’s Keaton…again…the voice inside Riggan’s head. It’s his Birdman persona constantly reminding him that he’s wasting his time, and needs to strap on the leather suit again and take flight. He gives Riggan an added layer of mystery and throws in some more commentary to the happenings around him and gives the audience a little jab about why we, the movie goer, are even in the theater watching this movie to begin with.

Everyone is outstanding in this. Even Zach Galifianakis gets to stretch out his acting legs. Keaton has been in a lot of movies, but it’s hard to think of one where he’s this amazing. His scenes with Edward Norton are some of the best in the movie and while I personally hold Norton in high regard in terms of acting, Keaton blows him out of the water. I’m hoping Keaton has more performances like this left in his tank.

The direction by Iñárritu is imaginative and genius. The entire movie is put together as one long tracking shot, giving it an on-stage production feel. Obviously there are some clever editing tricks to make this long shot effect real, but when you have characters talking at great lengths as the cameras spins around the room and follow them down the narrow halls of the theatre, it’s quite astounding to experience. Iñárritu employs a jazzy bass and drum soundtrack to match the tension of our characters and by the end starts mixing in some classical tones when it’s time to get a little more abstract.

“Birdman” is a movie that indie and Oscar voters are sure to remember come award season. It’s definitely not a movie for everyone as many, including the gentleman in front of me, were yawning or rotating their neck to prevent stiffness. Some of its more grand ideas may be lost and some of the rapid fire dialogue might not come across as witty without your full and undivided attention. So please, experience “Birdman” undistracted and bask in one of the cleverest movies of the year.

Actors: Daniel Tiger and Friends
Directors: Fred Rogers Company
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: PBS (DIRECT)
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2014
Run Time: 100 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I love the idea of the show “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” because it really help kids learn a lot and is still alot of this. “Daniel Tiger’s Happy Holidays” includes 7 Grr-ific Tales! Snowflake Day! (a special holiday double episode); “Katerina’s Costume”; “Dress Up Day”; Something Special for Dad”; “I Love You, Mom”; “Thank You, Grandpere Tiger!” and “Neighborhood Thank You Day”. Plus it comes with a Daniel Tiger figurine that has movable head and arms. That was the first thing that my daughter says “DADDY!! IT MOVES!!”. If you love the show, this is a must buy and priced very right!

Official Premise: Hi neighbor! Meet Daniel Tiger, and welcome to his neighborhood! Four-year-old Daniel Tiger invites young viewers directly into his world, giving them a kid s eye view of his life and making them feel like one of his neighbors. As they follow Daniel s everyday adventures, preschoolers and their families learn fun and practical strategies and skills necessary for dealing with everyday experiences, like showing appreciation to friends and loved ones, dressing up for Halloween, and celebrating holidays.

I remember watching “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” when I was a kid. Now it is kind of a trip for me to have my own kid watch the new generation of that show with “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”. I also like that this show keeps the legacy of Fred Rogers alive and working for today’s children. The music in this series is very catchy and a lot of fun. I found my daughter (trying to) whistle along it days after watching. I have a feeling that “Snowflake Day!” episode is going to be getting a lot of play over the next few months.

Screen siren Tawny Kitaen is on the hunt for a killer in the sizzling and suspenseful new film from renowned filmmaker Fred Olen Ray.

When an exotic dancer is murdered at a seedy strip club, her sister Constance (Kitaen, Bachelor Party, Witchboard), a TV newscaster, goes undercover to find the killer. While working at the club, she quickly realizes that everyone is a suspect and that other dancers are being targeted. She must work fast to find the killer to seek her revenge before she becomes the next target.

Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street, A Night at the Roxbury) co-stars in After Midnight, from the fan favorite director of Hatfields and McCoys : Bad Blood and The Tomb, released on VOD October 28 from Phase 4 Films.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton
Directed By: Dan Gilroy
Rated: R
Running Time: 117 minutes
Open Road Films

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is a mad man, but not in the traditional sense. He’s recognizable at every pawn shop and scrap metal recycling yard in Los Angeles. They know the items aren’t his and they know that he most likely stole it. But he’s astute, blunt, sharp, a quick learner and talks his way out of any circumstance. He has a tongue the devil wishes he could tell lies with, and someone with his intelligence and drive could easily be the next criminal racketeer or late night serial killer. Instead he’s found an outlet that satisfies both appetites.

Bloom quickly becomes enticed by the world of nightcrawlers. These are supposed journalists, more like human garbage, which creep along the city streets, waiting for the police scanners to squawk out the latest offering of death and suffering because “if it bleeds it leads”. Bloom seems to relish in the fact that you can get as close to a victim choking on their own blood as long as you’re holding a camera and he becomes even more enamored knowing that news stations shell out big bucks for this kind of footage.

“Nightcrawler” in one hand is a sick, yet painfully funny evaluation of our news industry, while in the other hand it kneads a subtle critique of how the latest headline is being manufactured and manipulated by a corporatocracy. “Nightcrawler” is well-made on nearly every, but the real centerpiece is Gyllenhaal. He thrills as Lou and puts on an Oscar worthy performance that will hopefully garnish the acting attention he deserves. Everyone else in the movie is spot on as they have to bounce their own talents off the dominant performance by Gyllenhaal.

Bloom is such a complicated work to play. You keep waiting in fear because of how much of a sociopath he is, but on the other hand, he’s eerily charming. He could teach a course on pleasant banters, but he uses his false, engaging personality to get what he wants. That’s where a lot of the dark jokes come from and it’ll elicit a nervous or guilty laugh out of you. But you’ll go back to waiting with baited breath because you know he’s just one move away from filming the story to becoming the story.

People who get in his path or finally catch on to his sadistic ways don’t last long. Nina (Russo) is the news director who buys his increasingly violent footage, never actually questioning how he got it because his videos are her job security. Rick (Ahmed) is an unfortunate, homeless schmuck, who gets pulled in with an “internship”. Lou fills Rick’s head with the golden dream of a future career and money. Lou plays Rick and Nina like puppets knowing that he has what they want. If and when you do finally catch on to game, he has an exit strategy to dispose of you, but he’s at least courteous enough to threaten you beforehand. Lou is a mastermind that uses corporate jargon and fallacious business promises that we as a society have come to accept, “If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket.”

“Nightcrawler” is sadistic, cruel, exhilarating, and I loved every minute of it. “Nightcrawler” has echoes of a horror and glimpses of a bleak comedy, but overall it’s a thought provoking thriller with a lot of messages, but not too many to overcrowd its overall theme. t simply asks how far have we gone to attain the American dream? “Nightcrawler” is like any award winning news piece, you simply can’t look away.

Actors: Mike Moh, Christian Howard, Mark Killeen
Directors: Joey Ansah
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Run Time: 146 minutes

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

After the success of “Mortal Kombat Legacy”, the video game world scrambled to find the next big web series to deliver a live action version of classic video games. After the disappointing second season of “Mortal Kombat Legacy”, I that would be the end…until creators Joey Ansah and Christian Howard gave us “Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist”. This is a 13-episode web series based on the popular Capcom videogame franchise. This release is not the web series though it is something much better. This Blu-ray contains an uncut 146 minute feature film and is absolutely awesome. If you love the web series, then you need this Blu-ray. If you think you can just watch it online and don’t need to own it then you are missing out.

Official Premise: The genre defining, most successful and most loved fighting video game franchise of all time, Street Fighter, is finally given the epic, faithful treatment it deserves in this hotly anticipated live-action series. Following up from the sensational YouTube pilot, Street Fighter: Legacy, which received critical acclaim by press and fans alike, the series takes fans back to the formative years of iconic characters, Ryu and Ken, as they live a traditional warrior’s life in the secluded, mountain wilderness of Japan.

The 1080p transfer is fantastic and works perfectly with the action sequences. The Dolby TrueHD 2.0 is not a 5.1 track but it still packs a solid punch to it. Much better than my crappy computer speakers, that’s for sure. FUNimation is releasing this as a combo pack also with a Blu-ray and DVD included. If you want more also get ready because there is already a sequel in the cards titled “Street Fighter: World Warrior” and is aiming for release in late 2015 or early 2016.

The special features are also quite awesome. There is a great audio commentary track with the director Joey Ansah talking about all aspects of the web-series turned movie. There is “Ken’s Video Diary”, which follows the actor around the shoot. There is a solid “The Making Of…” featurette looking into the production of the series. If the additional uncut footage isn’t enough there are still additional extra scenes included, as well as outtakes. Lastly there are some trailers included.

Actors: Sean Schemmel, Christopher R. Sabat, Stephanie Nadolny
Directors: Mike McFarland
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Run Time: 775 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

We are getting close to the end folks, FUNimation Entertainment just released the Blu-ray for “Dragon Ball Z: Season Eight Uncut”, which features episodes 220-253 of the classic anime series, presented in remastered high definition. It has been a blast getting to re-watch this series totally uncut and delivered in this wonderful Blu-ray release. I know haters will always hate but I love Dragon Ball Z and this is easily the best that I have ever seen this show. Personally, I do not want December to come any faster since that brings the release of season nine and the completion of this series uncut on Blu-ray. Every way it has been an amazing run!

Official Synopsis: The forces of good and evil have converged upon the planet Earth, and the fate of the universe hangs in the balance! The evil wizard Babidi has traveled across the galaxy on a quest for revenge, hoping to fulfill his father’s thwarted dreams of universal domination. Meanwhile, the Supreme Kai has come to enlist the aid of the Z-Fighters in an effort to prevent Babidi from completing his plans and awakening a monster of unimaginable terror: Majin Buu.

These episodes have undergone a frame-by-frame restoration to remove any blemishes, tape marks and foreign bodies from the film. Funimation has been consistently delivering for the fans on this series and this season is no different. There are three audio tracks included, the Japanese audio and two English tracks: the U.S. English-language broadcast dub and a mix with English dialogue and Japanese music. These have also been re-mastered in the interest of noise reduction and superior sound quality. This series has also received a precise shot-by-shot reframing to create “a modern HD widescreen presentation.”

The special features are not too bad either. There is a “Inside Dragon Ball Z” with an interview with Kyle Hebert aka the voice of adult Gohan and the narrator. There is also a “Inside Dragon Ball Z” with an interview with Kara Edwards, who is known for voicing Videl, Goten, and Gotenks. “Dragon Ball Z: Coming to America” is a feature about how the series has become so popular in the U.S. There is a Textless Opening/Closing Song included. Lastly there is a U.S. Trailer for the Blu-ray and also additional trailers included.