Actors: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Mark McGrath, Vivica A. Fox
Directors: Anthony C. Ferrante
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Asylum Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 95 minutes

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

When I first heard about the film “Sharknado”, I knew it would be fun but probably terrible. Surprisingly, it was actually quite decent and it made history. The film became an instant pop culture sensation immediately spawning a second one (aptly titled as well). “Sharknado 2: The Second One” improves on the first film so much and really is a fun and exciting film. It is jam packed with over 25 celebrity cameos crammed in. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid return to their roles from the original, along with Vivica A. Fox and platinum recording artist Mark McGrath joining up. The visual effects are improved as well. The kills are fun and very creative. You can just tell that these guys had a blast making this film and I had a blast watching it. Can’t wait for next July for “Sharknado 3”.

Here is the crazy list of notated celebrity cameos that popped up in this film: Kelly Osbourne, Robert Hays from Airplane!, Rachel True from The Craft, Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton, Comedian and famous Twitterer Kelly Oxford, Andy Dick, The Naked Cowboy, Al Roker and Matt Lauer, Salt-N-Pepa’s Sandy “Pepa” Denton, The Weather Channel’s Stephanie Abrams, “Scream Queen” Tiffany Shepis, 30 Rock’s Judah Friedlander, Taxi’s Judd Hirsch, Subway’s Jared Fogel, The Howard Stern Show’s Benjy Bronk, Biz Markie, Downtown Julie Brown, Billy Ray Cyrus, Daymond John from Shark Tank, Perez Hilton, Richard Kind, Stand-up comedian Robert Klein, Pro wrestler Kurt Angle, Live With Kelly & Michael co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan and producer Michael Gelman

With a film like “Sharknado 2: The Second One”, do you really need to know the premise? Absolutely not but it is still funny to see what they come up with when they try and explain this. So here it is: “When a Category 7 hurricane pummels New York, the surging flood waters bring thousands of sharks. To make matters worse, tornadoes soon dot the horizon. As Sharknadoes tear through the city, no vehicle, building, or national monument is safe.” “Sharknado 2: The Second One” delivers a impressive Blu-ray presentation for an Asylum release. The 1080p transfer works well with the visual effects and shows off the sights of NYC quite well. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is also a winner as well, especially with the action packed 10 minute opening scene.

“Sharknado 2: The Second One” comes stocked with some great special features, which comes with much more than usual Asylum releases. There is a fantastic audio commentary track with Director Anthony C. Ferrante, who is joined by Actors Tara Reid and Ian Ziering. It is entertaining and a great way to revisit the film. There is also a second commentary track with Anthony C. Ferrante, Writer Thunder Levin, Editor Ana Florit, and Visual Effects Supervisor Emile Smith. It is also fun and a bit more technical.

“The Making of Sharknado 2” dives into the behind-the-scenes for the film ranging from the franchise to the characters to shooting in NYC. “Chomp: The Evolution of Sharknado 2 Visual Effects” focuses on the digital effects shots in the film. “Shark Chum: From the Cutting Room Floor” include over eight minutes of deleted scenes, which includes some solid content. “Cameos: I Can’t Believe They Got…” looks into all the famous faces that this film got. Lastly there is a Gag Reel and additional Asylum trailers included.

Actors: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Kick Gurry
Directors: Doug Liman
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 113 minutes

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

When I watched the trailer for “Edge of Tomorrow” immediately I was hooked. I mean “Alien crossed with Groundhog Day”…sign me up! Let me tell you though, the trailer does no justice at all for the film. “Edge of Tomorrow” is in fact, my favorite film of the year so far. It is very underrated and deserves much more attention. “Transformers: Age of Extinction” is a decent movie and it made a billion dollars, so obviously quality doesn’t win in terms of success. Tom Cruise is completely badass, as is Emily Blunt who was outstanding. The visual effects are the best I have seen all year and the film is not only NON-STOP (that’s right all in caps) but also funny as all hell! This is a must see movie and I highly recommend it.

Official Premise: The epic action of Edge of Tomorrow unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop, forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again and again… and again. But with each battle, Cage is able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). As Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

Warner Bros is releasing this film under a new title to hopefully drum up some new business  “Live. Die. Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow”. They are bringing this together in a combo pack with a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy.  The 3D is some of the best and most relevant that I have seen in theaters in a long time. It is well placed and adds tons of depth and even a few good scares in the film. On Blu-ray, it translates just as well. The 1080p transfers is simply outstanding. The film feels like a live-action video game in many scenes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is also mind-blowning. I love the score to this film and it really is represented well with the crazy amount of action.

The special features are good but I would have loved to had an audio commentary track as well. “Storming the Beach” features director/producer Doug Liman taking us behind- the-scenes featurette for the film. Along with this feature is a three-minute alternate Adrenaline cut of one of the “Operation Downfall” sequences. “Weapons of the Future” features cast and crew talking about weapons. “Creatures Not of This World talks about creating the film’s aliens and their story.  “On the Edge with Doug Liman” is a fantastic nearly 45 minutes in-depth documentary on the production. Lastly there are seven deleted scenes included.

Own “Edge of Tomorrow” on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on October 7th

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens
Directed By: David Fincher
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 149 minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

It’s the most wonderful time of the year here in New York. Everything’s pumpkin flavored, the tourist crowd is momentarily lighter and last Friday David Fincher’s diabolical new thriller, Gone Girl, kicked off the 2014 New York Film Fest starting the ‘Oscar Season’ in earnest. Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name is a genuine roller coaster of a film in the best sense of the word. With it’s time-bending structure, strong cast, yellow tinged scenes and another powerful Trent Reznor score, Gone Girl has everything we’ve come to expect from the director of The Social Network and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, while offering its own set of shocks.

Gone Girl begins as Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) contemplates violently opening the back of his wife Amy’s head. What’s going on in there? Turns out it’s a valid question, albeit phrased threateningly by Nick, as Amy (Rosamund Pike) vanishes on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary. Amidst signs of a struggle. Unsurprisingly a gorgeous blond, on whom it turns out a beloved children’s book series is based no less, the disappearance of “Amazing Amy” kicks into gear the type of journalistic circus we’ve seen play out countless times in American media. The prayer vigils and self-righteous angry moms come out in full force and Amy’s parents crop up with a website uncomfortably quickly for such a sudden loss don’t you think?

Amidst the chaos is Nick who, like many husbands I would guess in this situation, isn’t PR savvy. As such any fleeting smile of Nick’s is immortalized in a selfie and plastered on every TV screen in the country as proof that he is surely a sociopath. But whether or not he is is something much of the film hinges on and watching Nick being trained how to appear not guilty while we’re also not quite sure of his innocence is a fascinating line that Affleck and Fincher tread together.

By all accounts Fincher and writer Gillian Flynn had a monster of a book to adapt in Flynn’s popular novel and what’s stunning is not just how well the adaptation works but on how many levels it successfully operates on. We begin with a compelling love story that evolves into a dissection of marriage in all its facets, a thrilling possible-murder mystery, a scathing indictment of American national media and…well to go much further I’d wade into spoiler territory and honestly, this film is best experienced without them. People usually say the book is better, or read the book first, but if you’ve made it to the film’s release as I had, save the visit to the library till afterwards when you’ll be dying to find out more anyway.

What I will say is that the massive supporting cast is uniformly incredible from Casey Wilson as the Dunne’s busybody neighbor to Missi Pyle’s vicious TV ditz Ellen Abbott. Poor Pyle, how much Nancy Grace did she have to subject herself to? I shudder to think. Carrie Coon too as Nick’s sister Margo deserves praise for having the difficult task of balancing her love of her brother with a seemingly endless parade of damning information. Her Margo along with lead investigator Detective Boney (played by Kim Dickens) give the audience some desperately needed level-heads to rely on on the constantly shifting field Fincher constructs.

But the main attractions here are Affleck and Pike. The evolution these two must go through from well-integrated flashbacks of their romance to the harsher recent times is as believable as it is chilling. I would say this isn’t the best ‘date movie’ for couples, but then hopefully that’s not what one looks for in the director of Se7en. Pike in particular has the difficult task of selling much of Amy’s story in voice-overs from her journal but she completely owns it. Amy’s actual fate too allows Pike to turn in a jaw dropping performance that even those familiar with her career so far, will find themselves seeing her in a whole new light.

Actors: Tom Berenger Chad Michael Collins, Dominic Mafham
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: September 30, 2014
Running Time: 98 minutes

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

How can you no to Tom Berenger, star of the original “Sniper”, returning to his role of Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Beckett? It’s is impossible. This next chapter of the hit action franchise also sees the return of “Sniper: Reloaded” star Chad Michael Collins (“Company of Heroes”) as Becket’s son, Sergeant Brandon Beckett. This is actually aka “Sniper 5” but the series still has some life left in it and seeing these two generations of Sniper heroes team up is some decent fun. Let’s hope that this gets some traction and will we see future installments as well!

Official Premise: A rogue gunman is assassinating high-ranking military officers one by one. When Gunnery Sgt. Brandon Beckett (Chad Michael Collins, Sniper: Reloaded) is informed his father, legendary shooter Thomas Beckett (Tom Berenger) has been killed, Brandon springs into action to take out the perpetrator. But when his father rescues him from an ambush, Brandon realizes he’s a pawn being played by his superiors to draw out the killer. It’s up to the two men, bound by blood, to bring an end to the carnage.

“Sniper: Legacy” is directed by Don Michael Paul (“Company of Heroes” also with Chad Michael Collins) from a screenplay by John Fasano (Sniper: Reloaded) and Don Michael Paul. This is not outstanding but it is definitely entertaining if you enjoy the franchise. It includes a great supporting cast with Dennis Haysbert (“24”), Mercedes Masohn (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Dominic Mafham (“Land Girls”), Doug Allen (“Band of Brothers”), Mark Lewis Jones (“Game of Thrones”), and Nestor Serrano (Act of Valor). No special features included here.

Number of discs: 4
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 720 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Having a two year old daughter, there is no shortage of “My Little Pony” in my life. Usually it is the new series “Friendship is Magic” that is currently airing on Hub TV. Thanks to Shout Kids!, my wife and I are able to introduce our daughter to the original “My Little Pony” series from the 80’s that we grew up with. It is available for the first time ever on DVD in its entirety. If you loved “My Little Pony” as a kid and looking for a little nostalgia, this is the DVD set to do it with!

Official Premise: You’re invited to return to Ponyland, the home of all your favorite classic Little Ponies, including the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, Pegasus Ponies, Flutter Ponies, Sea Ponies, Baby Sea Ponies, their human friends Megan, Danny and Molly and, of course, their dragon friend, Spike! Together, they live a life of games, songs and harmony with allies like the Bushwoolies and Furbobs. But, occasionally, there are problems in Ponyland and the Little Ponies of Paradise Estate must face evil witches, goblins, Stone Backs, Grundles and more! Now you can come join in the fun and adventure with My Little Pony: The Complete Series!

This complete series includes all 65 episodes! These episodes look plain and simple…OLD. The colors are faded and they are definitely not restored at all. So it is not perfection but at least we still get the episodes all together. Disc 1 includes the following episodes: “The End Of Flutter Valley, Part 1-10”; “The Ghost Of Paradise Estate, Part 1-4”; “The Great Rainbow Caper” & “The Glass Princess, Part 1-3”. Disc 2 includes “The Glass Princess, Part 4”; “Pony Puppy”; “Bright Lights, Part 1-4”; “Sweet Stuff And The Treasure Hunt”; “The Return Of Tambelon, Part 1-4”; “Little Piece Of Magic” & “The Magic Coins, Part 1-4”

Disc 3 includes the following episodes: “Mish Mash Melee”; “Woe Is Me, Part 1-2”; “Fugitive Flowers, Part 1-2”; “Would Be Dragonslayer”; “Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Part 1-2”; “Crunch The Rockdog, Part 1-2”; “The Revolt Of Paradise Estate, Part 1-2” & “Through The Door, Part 1-2”. Disc 4 includes “Rescue From Midnight Castle, Part 1-2”; “The Quest Of The Princess Ponies, Part 1-4”; “Spike’s Search”; “The Golden Horseshoes, Part 1-2”, “Flight To Cloud Castle, Part 1-2”; “The Ice Cream Wars”; “Somnambula, Part 1-2”; “The Prince And The Ponies” & “Escape From Catrina, Part 1-2”. There are no additional special features on this release.

Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Viz Media
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Run Time: 530 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

VIZ Media is quickly becoming my go-to when it comes to classic anime series being restored and brought back to life on Blu-ray. They have been delivering above and beyond great releases for “Ranma ½”. They given this show the treatment and even correct issues like the Japanese episode order, which has been restored as well. This is a show that probably would never receive a great treatment and luckily for VIZ, they have been consecutively impressive with each of these releases under this series. Counting down the days until “Ranma ½: Set 4” on December 9th!

Official Premise: In the latest set, containing 23 remastered episodes, things just can’t stay quiet at the Tendo Dojo! After a morning ruckus, Ranma hits his head, falls into water, and turns completely into a girl. Now, even when Ranma transforms back into a boy, he still thinks he’s a girl! Things become even more complicated when Shampoo, still in love with Ranma, gets a surprise visit from Chinese Amazon twin sisters Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung, two of her protégées who have it in for Ranma. Finally, Happosai makes an appearance, and Ranma must defeat him to become strong again!

The third Limited Edition Blu-ray set for the classic Ranma ½ includes a premium presentation with a chipboard box with gold foil stamping beautifully illustrated by creator Rumiko Takahashi, a 32-page booklet, episode guide and an art card. The episodes have been restored and remastered and are presented in its original 4:3 cropped aspect ratio with lossless Japanese and English audio. The special features are a major let down. There is only one featurette called “We Love Ranma, Part 3: The Appeal of Ranma ½”, which looks into the fandom. There are also clean openings/endings and some trailers including.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

“Neighbors” is definitely one of the best comedies to be released this year…in a sea of slim pickings. The film has some great laugh out loud moments and a great cast. Seth Rogen and Zac Efron are great rivals. Very funny stuff. Dave Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse also steals some great laughs as well. Rose Byrne is charming as usual. I have heard people call this the new “Animal House” and I can’t really see it. It is definitely funny but I really don’t see myself calling this a classic and watching it over and over. It was good for a good laugh and I would recommend to friends but it is the not best comedy ever.

Official Premise: By all appearances, new parents Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) are living the American Dream – complete with an adorable baby girl and a beautiful new starter home in the suburbs. Still, the early-thirtysomethings want to believe that they have a modicum of coolness left within them. So when they discover that their new next-door neighbors are none other than dozens of Delta Psi Beta fraternity brothers led by charismatic president Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), they try to play along and make the best of an awkward situation. But when the frat’s parties grow increasingly more epic, both sides of the property line begin to fend for their turf. The neighbors’ relentless sabotage escalates into outrageous one-upmanship, beginning an epic Greek war for the ages.

Universal is releasing the film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track are good enough for a comedy. No outstanding but at the same time no complaints or issues here. The special features are not the greatest this release. “An Unlikely Pair” is a meet and greet with Zac and Seth. “The Frat” goes into the characters with the cast. “Partying with the Neighbors” is a promotional EPK. Lastly there are some Deleted/Alternate Scenes and gag reel included.

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Starring: Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett, Rory Kinnear, Helen McCrory, Billie Piper
Directors: Juan Antonio Bayona, Dearbhla Walsh
Number of discs: 3
Rated: TV-MA
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Run Time: 435 minutes

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

When I heard about the idea of “Penny Dreadful”, I was really excited, especially since it was going to be on Showtime, which means it could be much edgier than cable TV. It was created from three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Skyfall, Hugo, Gladiator) and Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) stars Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down), Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights) and Eva Green (Casino). The season took a while get to started but was overall very well done with some good effects and scares. I just wish it would have been longer than eight episodes to expand this world…luckily season two is on the way.

Official Premise: From three-time Oscar nominee John Logan (Skyfall, Hugo, Gladiator) and Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) comes an erotically charged, profoundly unsettling new saga, “Penny Dreadful” completely reinvents literature’s most iconic and terrifying characters. Dorian Gray, Victor Frankenstein and timeless figures from Dracula join a core of original characters in a dark and brutal quest to save a soul – even as they grapple with their own monstrous temptations.

“Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season” includes the first eight episodes of the series as a three-disc collection. The 1080p high definition transfer look great for these episodes and really show the high amount of detail that went into this show. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks also work well with the action and suspense. Disc One includes the episodes: “Night Work”; “Séance”; “Resurrection”; Disc Two includes the episodes “Demimonde”; “Closer Than Sisters”; “What Death Can Join Together”; “Possession” and Disc Three includes the episode “Grand Guignol”. I am not sure why the it goes from three episodes on the first to five on the second to one on the third but it is what it is, I guess.

The special features are worth checking out if you enjoy the season. There  are a bunch of featurettes includes going behind-the-scenes into the show including “What is a Penny Dreadful?”; “Literary Roots”, “Coming Together”; “The Artisans Pt. 1 & 2” and “The Grand Guignol”. “Prostitution and Sex in Victorian Times”, “British Exploration & The Search for the Nile”, “The Science of Medicine” look into the history in the show’s period and it’s influence. Lastly there are the first two episodes of fellow Showtime series “Ray Donovan” includes from the first season. Not sure how this is related but I assume they are trying to spread the word about it also.

Starring: Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch, Niki Yang, Jessica DiCicco
Creator: Pendleton Ward
Studio: Cartoon Network
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 286 minutes

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

The fourth season of “Adventure Time” is easily one of the best to date. The show is just outstanding and continues to be one of the best animated series on TV. I think I would call it “The Simpsons” of our generation. The show is currently in its sixth season on Cartoon Network and already renewed for a seventh. So this show is not showing any signs of slowing down. The creator Pendleton Ward, who also voices my favorite character, Lumpy Space Princess, is an absolute genius. he has surrounded himself with great talent and creative team and that is what makes this show such a success.

Official Premise: Prepare to sink your teeth into the complete fourth season of “Adventure Time”. A total of 26 episodes featuring fearsome creatures, such as wolves who like hugging, an unstoppable horde of penguins and a vampire queen who plays bass guitar! OOOO!! The scariest though is when Jake flips out over a game of card wars. Yikes!

Here are the episodes: “Hot to the Touch” (Part 2); “Five Short Graybles”; “Web Weirdos”; “Dream of Love”; “Return to the Nightosphere” (Part 1); “Daddy’s Little Monster” (Part 2); “In Your Footsteps”; “Hug Wolf”; “Princess Monster Wife”; “Goliad”; “Beyond This Earthly Realm”; “Gotcha!”; “Princess Cookie”; “Card Wars”; “Sons of Mars”; “Burning Low”; “BMO Noire”; “King Worm”; “Lady & Peebles”; “You Made Me”; “Who Would Win”; “Ignition Point”, “The Hard Easy”; “Reign of Gunters”; “I Remember You” and “The Lich” (Part 1)”.

This season includes guest stars including Bobcat Goldthwait (“Police Academy” series), Donald Faison (“Scrubs”),  Keith David (“They Live”), Ron Perlman (“Hellboy”) and Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk”).  This season comes packaged in a new collectible Marceline slipcase, which is awesome but I am still waiting for my LSP slipcase!!! Come on!! The 1080p transfer is solid but the audio track once again disappoints only including a Dolby Digital (DVD quality) 2.0 track.

Warner is delivering the fourth season as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy. The special features are great…if you love commentary tracks. There are 26 episodes in this season and there are literally a commentary track for each episode from the cast and crew. There is also a 19-minute featurette “Distant Bands: The Music of Adventure Time”, which features series creator Pendleton Ward, creative director Pat McHale, and storyboard artists Jesse Moynihan and Rebecca Sugar chatting about the series’ music.

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Actors: Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Barbara Jo Allen, Verna Felton, Barbara Luddy
Directors: Clyde Geronimi
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Run Time: 75 minutes

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

Timed slightly ahead of the Blu-ray release of Disney’s live-action smash hit “Maleficent”, which is set to be released on November 4th, Disney’s 16th animated classic returns to Blu-ray in an all new Diamond Edition. Personally, I would have waited until November to release this to get parents to pick up both films in one shot. Listen, this is a definitely a cash-in release, especially since this was just released on Blu-ray in 2008 but there are some new extras included as well as a digital copy. So it isn’t just a new box and nothing new. Having a two year old at home, even though some parts a little scary, I am excited to be able to share this film with her because she absolutely loves the character Aurora already.

Official Premise: Fall under the glorious spell of Disney’s Ultimate Princess Fairy Tale! The magic is real as you experience all the pageantry and power on Blu-ray — and for the first time ever on Digital HD — with incredible high-definition picture and thrilling, soaring sound! Beauty, wonder and adventure spin together in a grand legend that transcends time as Maleficent, one of animation’s most spectacular villains, sends the kingdom’s beloved Princess Aurora into an enchanted sleep. In a majestic story that awakens all your senses, Good Fairies arm brave Prince Phillip to defeat a fearsome fire-breathing dragon and rescue Aurora. But success in battle may not be enough, for the only way to awaken the Princess is with True Love’s kiss!

This Diamond Edition of “Sleeping Beauty” includes a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD Digital Copy. This is the first time that film has been released digitally, so that is a nice bonus. The 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track are literally perfect for an animated film that is 55 years old. The colors are just so vibrant and literally jump off the screen. I am not sure if the transfer has been upgraded since the 2008 release but it is still outstanding. The songs are perfectly balanced as well and sound amazing in their 7.1 surround track. If you love the original track, also included is the original Dolby Digital 4.0 stereophonic track for those Disney purists.

There are tons of great special features included. The new extras include “Once Upon A Parade, Starring Sarah Hyland ” which takes us behind-the-scenes with Sarah Hyland from ABC’s Modern Family at Magic Kingdom. “Art of Evil: Generations Of Disney Villains” focuses on Disney’s favorite villain animator, Marc Davis and his influences. “DisneyAnimation: Artists in Motion, Extended Edition” features Walt Disney Animation Visual Development artist Brittney Lee as she develops a three dimensional sculpture of Maleficent, completely out of paper. “Beauty-Oke: Once Upon A Dream” is a Sing-along tfor Aurora’s signature song. There are three brand new, never before seen deleted scenes.

Other Classic DVD Bonus Features include “The Sound Of Beauty: Restoring A Classic”, which looks into restoring the film and focuses on its 7.1 mix. “Picture Perfect: The Making Of Sleeping Beauty” shows us the behind-the-scenes magic that took place to place this film with Legendary Animators, actors and film historians. “Eyvind Earle: A Man And His Art ” focuses on the career of background painter and renowned American Artist. There is also an audio commentary track with John Lasseter, Andreas Deja and Leonard Maltin and believe it or not there is still much more included.

Actors: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De Havilland, Hattie McDaniel
Directors: Victor Fleming
Number of discs: 4
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 238 minutes

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

“Gone with the Wind” is one of the most influential films of our time. It is a classic of classics. Who hasn’t seen this film? It is a must see for everyone! Released in 1939, it won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress. Based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel continues to have an affect on people after all these years. In fact, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing this 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray to celebrate its latest anniversary. It is limited/numbered and comes with new collectible packaging, memorabilia and special features. If you already own the 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition, this release is slightly different in terms of collectibles and some new extras. If you have never owned this film, this is a great re-release (at least until the 80th Anniversary).

Synopsis: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in the quintessential Hollywood epic that still stands as history’s all-time domestic box-office champion ($1.6 billion adjusted for inflation), with more tickets sold than any other movie ever made. Gone with the Wind opens on the eve of the Civil War. Rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want. Except, that is, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) — and who truly loves her — until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost and tries to win him back.

If you love “Gone with the Wind”, then you will love that this The Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes with a replica of Rhett Butler’s handkerchief as well as a music box paperweight that plays Tara’s theme dressed with the image of the Rhett-Scarlett famous kiss. Also included is a 36-page companion booklet, which focuses on the style of Gone with the Wind and is written by New York fashion designer and Project Runway finalist Austin Scarlett. The new special features include footage of Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh attending the original movie premiere in Atlanta called “Gone With the Win: Hollywood Comes to Atlanta” and “Old South/New South”, which takes you on a journey through today’s South revisiting the real-life locations depicted in the film and how they have been influenced over the year.

Warner is releasing this film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer is unbelievable goregous for a 75 year old film. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 is also outstanding as well highlighting the dialogue and Max Steiner’s amazing score. There is also a standard Dolby Digital Mono track included. Other rolled over extras from previous releases include, a commentary track from Historian Rudy Behlmer on the first disc. The second Blu-ray includes literally over 8 hours of special features taken from the 70th Anniversary release…eight hours! Lastly there is a bonus DVD including “MGM: When the Lion Roars”, which is alone a three part, six hour documentary looking at the history of M-G-M, hosted by Patrick Stewart.

Commemorate the 75th anniversary of Gone with the Wind with the new Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ set – Available 9/30/14. Buy it now from WB Shop: http://bit.ly/GWTW75

Starring: Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale
Director: Jon Favreau
Number of discs: 2
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Run Time: 110 minutes

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

“Swingers”. “Made”. These are great indie films. They are funny, edgy and relevant. They were also both written and directed by Jon Favreau, who had since went on to direct films like “Iron Man” and “Elf”. This film is an amazing return for him to his indie roots. This is a really heartwarming comedy that has a little bit for everyone, sort of like an appetizer platter since we are on the topic of food. This film is easily one of my favorite films of the year. It is a change from the today flew of sequels / remakes / prequels etc. Jon Favreau is back and I recommend this film to everyone!

Official Premise: An online feud with an influential food critic (Platt) and a creative disagreement with his investor (Hoffman) convince Carl Casper (Favreau) to hang up his apron at a posh Los Angeles bistro and get his mojo back in Miami’s Cuban-inspired cuisine. When his ex-wife (Vergara) helps him get a fresh start with a rundown food truck, Carl and his best friend and sous chef Martin (Leguizamo) head across the country with Carl’s young son Percy on a culinary adventure that helps Carl rediscover what matters in life.

Besides Favreau himself, the film has an all-star cast including John Leguizamo (“Ice Age”), Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”), Bobby Cannavale (“Blue Jasmine”), Oliver Platt (“Fargo”), Amy Sedaris (“Strangers with Candy”, Dustin Hoffman (“Rain Man”), Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers”)  and a fantastic appearance from Robert Downey Jr. (“Iron Man”). Newcomer Emjay Anthony also steals the show as Favreau’s son.

Universal is releasing the film as a combo pack including a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD copy with UltraViolet. The 1080p transfer is outstanding and definitely makes that grilled cheese sandwich that much more mouth-watering. The DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track works perfectly with the film’s perfectly themed music throughout Chef’s journey. The special features are a bit of a let down though. There is a great audio commentary track with Favreau and chef and co-producer Roy Choi. Besides that there is only some deleted scenes.

Starring: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei and Charlie Tahan
Directed By: Ira Sachs
Rated: R
Running Time: 94 minutes
Sony Pictures Classic

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Today’s a big day for Ben (Lithgow) and George (Molina). After spending the past 39 years together, they’re finally getting married. It’s a joyous occasion, accompanied by friends and family, who’ve watched the couple stick it out through thick and thin for nearly four decades. The honeymoon, the real and metaphorical one, is now over and an unexpected snag begins to take hold.

George, a respected teacher and member of the Catholic school he works for, has been fired because of his marriage. With his meager salary and Ben’s pension, they can’t quite make the bills anymore. They now can’t afford their apartment and need to seek a new residence. Because of George’s work, they’ll have to split for the time being. Ben goes to live with his nephew Elliot (Darren Burrows) and his wife Kate (Tomei). George has to move in with a pair of gay policemen who party on the weekends and play Dungeons and Dragons on the weeknights; Far from ideal for both men.

While their current predicament may not seem like the worst thing in the world, their calls and conversation hint at much tougher hurdles in the past that have been overcome. “Love is Strange” teaches that love can become stronger through adversity, but it’s not their love that’s in for a bumpy ride. The real struggle lies within Elliot, Kate and their son Joey (Tahan). They’re a decaying family. Elliot is constantly busy, but one may suspect he’s having an affair. Kate is usually at home attempting to write her latest book, but finding that most of her daily stresses are hampering that. Then there’s Joey, a real enigma. He can tell his parents aren’t on the best of terms and it doesn’t help he’s not on the best of terms with both of them.

There’s so much conflict told visually that many of the problems are never solved or fully developed verbally. It leaves the audience wondering what, if anything, is actually happening. While that’s off putting to some, that’s perfectly fine with me. Speculation is the most fun one can have during a movie and after leaving the theater. Joey seems to resent Ben at first, but…that’s the biggest mystery in the movie. While Kate may believe Ben is the reason things are imploding, the family dynamic appears to have been festering for years. Elliot seems to believe nothing is wrong at all or is too busy to care.

The most telling moment is when Joey has trouble answering a question from Ben. “Have you ever been in love?” Joey immediately takes offense wondering if Ben is implying he’s gay. That can easily be chalked up to a typical teenage homophobic concern that’s rooted in one’s own sexual confusion. But instead it tells me that he hasn’t grown up in the most loving of households. That watching his mom and dad slowly drift apart is taking a personal toll on him and he’s slowly losing grip on everything else.

The ending comes after a traumatic event that has clearly impacted Joey. Tahan is given the arduous task of portraying the only real tearful, emotional moment of all the characters and he’s spot on. It’s not an ensemble cast, but it’s definitely one that has the swagger. Lithgow leads the way perfecting every little word he speaks and every little facial movement. He lives and breathes inside Ben and has never done a more believable job in a role. If he doesn’t get a nomination at this year’s Oscars for his performance, it would be a damn shame.

“Love is Strange” is short and thoughtful. Outside of being a touching film, it’s shot in a very beautiful way. Most times people love to focus on the cold concrete structures of New York, but director Ira Sachs finds the grandeur of nature breaking through the cracks. It’s a bittersweet symphony that displays a different message to different people. It may tell you that life, in essence, is short and that we need to cherish it. Or maybe it’ll tell you that even in the most desolate of circumstances, you can come out in the end a happier person.

Bill Howard, CEO of Snap Creative, whose company has been creating “talk of the town” products for over 20 years, discusses how Snap has created innovative packaging concepts for all of the Transformers films, including the $1 billion global smash Transformers: Age of Extinction, which arrives on Blu-ray and DVD September 30, 2014.

Media Mikes: You have been creating collectible Transformers home entertainment packaging since the release of the first DVD. How did you get involved with the Transformers business
Bill Howard: Paramount challenged our team at Snap Creative to create a DVD package for the first Transformers film that could turn into OPTIMUS PRIME, but it had to be the height and width of a standard DVD to fit on a store shelf and it had to be no more than double the depth. Our solution required a design that had hidden parts that could reveal for conversion, and we used bas relief sculpture on the front so that we could have layered parts but stay within the depth. All the sculpt detail and deco was on the front side which let us maximize it. That DVD was a huge hit and we’ve continued designing for the Transformers releases ever since.

MM: How do you keep the designs fresh for each release?
BH: On each subsequent movie we have upped the ante creating 2.0, 3.0 and now 4.0 for the new Transformers: Age of Extinction Blu-ray and DVD slated for release in September 2014. They have all been awesome, but I am confident that this OPTIMUS PRIME is our best one yet. It has new features that make it cooler for sure, and we worked with Hasbro and digital assets directly from the movie that provided great sculptural marrow. I am already thinking about how we take it further for 5.0, and am glad the film is a few years off to give us enough time to really get creative.

MM: What makes your packaging designs so desirable to collectors?
BH: Our Transformers designs historically have been hugely successful because the fans appreciate our level of extreme detail and authenticity. We often design multiple packages that are available at different retailers, and real fans go out of their way to get them all because they each have something unique and collectible about them.

MM: You also did theater promotions for Transformers: Age of Extinction this year to coincide with the theatrical release. Tell us more about those.
BH: Our movie theater popcorn collectible packs are really brilliant— they have one piece of board cut once and glued in one place which provides a package that holds cup, popcorn and candy. It can be carried with one hand and the operations folks at cinemas love it because it goes from flat to built in just a few seconds.

Each year we run about 15 promotions in theater with these packs. We have partnered with many of the top Hollywood studios to do licensed versions for some of the biggest movies including Transformers: Age of Extinction. These packs (some geared towards kids, some toward adults), are usually paired with a small collectible toy which is a fun way for property owners to extend their brands to families in theaters and at home. The Transformers: Age of Extinction pack featured a transforming keychain and collectible cup. Exhibitors love it because they generally see about a 20% lift in sales with these branded collectible packs and we’ve grown the program from around 2 million pieces to 6 million pieces just in the last two years. We are also continuing to grow internationally with programs in Thailand, China, Vietnam, Turkey, Russia, Canada and more.

MM: You seem to have quite the collector following for your products. Many times it seems like your products double in value or more on the after-market. Why?
BH: One word: authentic. We work on every detail to get it right not just for Transformers, but for everything we do. Enthusiasts appreciate that we “get” them because we ourselves are collectors, so we understand just what they are looking for in a product. For powerhouse franchises like Transformers, we make a point of honoring the legacy of the franchise while also moving it forward in new and different ways.

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Starring: Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace Moretz
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 11 mins
Columbia

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Robert McCall is a man set in his ways. Dealing with an obvious case of OCD, McCall (Washington, never better) spends his days working at the local home improvement store. The rest of his time is spent either in his apartment, where he constantly times himself while washing dishes or getting dressed or at a local diner, where he arranges the silverware “just right” and brings his own tea. A quiet man, McCall offers advice and help to those that ask. “Progress, not perfection” is his motto. Just your regular, ordinary guy, right?

Sharply directed, and bloody as hell, “The Equalizer” returns Washington to “Training Day” territory, which makes sense since both films share the same director. Robert is a man with a past, one that he’s tried to keep hidden. But when one of his few friends (Moretz, a high class prostitute with dreams of becoming a singer) is hurt he becomes a one man wrecking crew, taking down pretty much every bad guy in Boston in the most violent ways. But the violence is not gratuitous. It’s there to show the man that McCall once was, not the man he is now. His demeanor never changes as he confronts his enemies and dispatches them. “What do you see when you look at me,” McCall is asked by the enforcer of the Russian gangster he has infuriated. “I don’t know,” he replies cooly. “What do you see when you look at ME.”

Washington is surrounded by a cast that compliments his performance. Moretz is vulnerable as the young girl who can only dream of a better life while, on the other side of the spectrum, Marton Csokas (who could easily pass as Kevin Spacey’s taller, older brother) is cool and calculated as the mob’s enforcer. When he and McCall face off verbally it’s like a prizefight that ultimately ends in a draw. Neither man will throw in the towel and their final confrontation is the equivalent of the last round, with each man needing a knockout to win!

There’s not a lot I can say about Denzel Washington that hasn’t been said before. I’ve been a fan of his ever since the film “Carbon Copy” and one of the highlights of my life was getting to speak with him for about 10 minutes in New York City shortly after he received his first Oscar nomination (for “Cry Freedom”). And even though he spelled my name wrong on the autograph he gave me (it’s A-E-L) he has always remained one of my favorite actors. His work here only adds to his already distinguished resume’.

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