Starring: Anthony La Paglia, Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Roselyn Sanchez, Eric Close, Enrique Murciano
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1024 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Without a Trace” is a police procedural television drama series that originally aired on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. It followed a group called the Missing Persons Unit (MPU) of the FBI in New York City. The seventh season was also the last for this show. In fact, it was announced on the finale night for this one that their will not be an eight season. This show really had some wit to it and really packed a solid cast. It was also one of the rare shows like “Castle” that in fact got better with each season. Thanks to Warner Archive for keeping this show alive as it has been releasing each season on DVD. I would have loved to seen this get the Blu-ray treatment like the recently released “The Mentalist” DVD is better than nothing. Like the past seasons as well, no additional special features included aside from the 24 episodes. A must purchase if you are a fan of the show to complete your series collection.

Official Premise: Senior agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) is a tough, compassionate professional who, until recently, was the head of the special New York based FBI task force known as the Missing Persons Squad. Demoted after his renegade style got him into trouble one too many times, Jack still knows all too well that every second counts when someone vanishes, and begrudgingly adjusts to life with his new boss and the new head of the squad, Clark Medina (recurring guest star Steven Weber). Despite their best efforts, the team members are only human. As the agents work on varied and complicated cases, details about their personal lives continue to unfold. This season, Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery) deals with being a single mom and resourceful agent Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez) recovers from a recent and unpleasant custody battle with her ex.

Starring: Clint Howard, R.G. Armstrong, Claude Earl Jones, Don Stark, Charles Tyner, Hamilton Camp
Directors: Eric Weston
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 97 minutes

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

Clint Howard may not be a huge movie star but he really knows how to play a fantastic bad guy. “Evilspeak” is a great horror flick from 1981. He was also really amazing in “Ice Scream Man”, which never even got a DVD release! Can you believe it!  When this was released in theaters it was threatened with an X rating from the MPAA. Thanks to Shout! Facotory, the film has been completely restored from a newly discovered 35mm inter-positive source including all of the film’s long rumored scenes of bloody gore. If you are a horror fan, this is a great release and a must own!

Life sucks for Stanley Coppersmith (Clint Howard, Rock ’n’Roll High School), a teenage outcast who’s bullied by everyone at a strict military academy. When Stanley discovers the crypt of a 16th Century Satanist beneath the chapel, he creates a computerized Black Mass that unleashes unholy revenge upon his tormentors. Now, all hell is about to break loose, Evilspeak is not for the faint of heart.

Along with Clint Howard, he is joined by a great cast co-starring Joseph Cortese (“American History X”), Charles Tyner (“Cool Hand Luke”), R.G. Armstrong (“Children of the Corn”), Don Stark (“That ’70s Show”), Lenny Montana (“The Godfather”), Richard Moll (“House”) and Haywood Nelson (“What’s Happening”).

This film has never looked better as it also comes accompanied with a brand new 2013 1080p high definition transfer, which has been supervised and approved by producer/director Eric Weston (Hyenas). Weston also gives us a new commentary track as well for fans of the film to enjoy. There are new interviews with actors Joseph Cortese, Clint Howard, Don Stark, Richard Moll, Claude Earl Jones and Haywood Nelson. Lastly there is also a theatrical trailer included.

Actors: Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, Marcia Wallace
Directors: Peter Bonerz
Number of discs: 19
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: May 27, 2014
Run Time: 3180 minutes

Series: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Hartley will see you now… Shout! Factory is bringing the The Complete Series of “The Bob Newhart Show” home to you in a spectacular 19-DVD box set. This iconic TV show is still relevant and extremely funny today. Bob Newhart has always been a riot and even still continues to co-starring recently in CBS’ hit sitcom, “The Big Bang Theory”. Originally airing on CBS from 1972 to 1978, this show is no question of the best television shows of all-time. I feel that if a show is able to still be this funny after all these years that it deserves to be considered a legend. I look at TV today in disgust as our programming is garage compared to real shows like “The Bob Newhart Show”. This is a must for an true classic TV fan out there.

Official Premise: This sitcom classic stars the incomparable Bob Newhart as Dr. Robert Hartley, a Chicago psychologist who finds himself surrounded by some unusual and neurotic characters on the job, as well as at home! Hartley faces an uphill battle to not lose patience with his patients, but with the support of his quick-witted wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), you can count on him to conduct a healthy session of laugh therapy in all 142 episodes of The Bob Newhart Show. An outstanding supporting cast is on call to back up Newhart and Pleshette, including Bill Daily (I Dream of Jeannie), Peter Bonerz (Man on the Moon), Jack Riley (Rugrats, Spaceballs), and Marcia Wallace (The Simpsons).

The box set includes new interviews with Bob Newhart, Jack Riley, Bill Daily, Peter Bonerz, and Michael Zinberg called “Group Therapy” (2014). There is “The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary (1991)” special included, which is a one-hour clip show which finds the show’s characters in the present day. There are audio commentaries tracks with Bob Newhart, Marcia Wallace, David Davis, Peter Bonerz, Fred Willard, Jim Burrows, Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Poston and Jack Riley. There is a very funny Gag Reel included. Lastly there is a 40-page collectible booklet wrapping up this fine release.

Starring: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance
Number of discs: 6
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 907 minutes

Season: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“I Love Lucy”, who doesn’t? This 1950’s classic television show is coming to Blu-ray thanks to CBS and Paramount Home Entertainment in this 6-disc Blu-ray release of “Ultimate Season 1”. This season includes the first 35 episodes of the show, which starred the legendary Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley and Vivian Vance. This season includes some of the most beloved episodes includes “The Ballet”, “Pioneer Women” and “The Freezer”. These episodes are still hysterical today and that just proves how amazing this show was going strong still over 60 years later. I am looking forward to the rest of the seasons hopefully season two will come later this year, hint hint!

Official Synopsis: You’ve loved and laughed at Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel for years, but you’ve never seen I Love Lucy like this on glorious high-definition. Coming to Blu-ray in a highly collectible set with special gloss packaging that includes every episode from the first season, each one beautifully restored in high definition, in original night-of-broadcast form with original sponsor openings and closings. The set also includes a number of as yet undetailed special features, many never before released on home video.

These episodes are presented in their original aspect ratio: 1.33:1 and have never looked better. The pilot episode has also been remastered from a newly discovered original 35mm negative. The episodes look extremely crisp and have very sharp black color (since the show is black and white only). The audio comes with a PCM 2.0 mono track that has been cleaned up a bunch and really delivers the comedy aspects very well for this show. Paramount really has been great with restoring older shows to Blu-ray ala “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.

Here are a full listing of the episodes includes for season 1. “Pilot”; “The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub”; “Be a Pal”; “The Diet”; “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her”; “The Quiz Show”; “The Audition”; “The Séance”; “Men Are Messy”; “The Fur Coat”; “Lucy Is Jealous of a Girl Singer”; “Drafted”; “The Adagio”; “The Benefit”; “The Amateur Hour”; “Lucy Plays Cupid”; “Lucy Fakes Illness”; “Lucy Writes a Play”; “Breaking the Lease”; “The Ballet”; “The Young Fans”; “New Neighbors”, “Fred and Ethel Fight”; “The Moustache; “The Gossip”; “Pioneer Women”; “The Marriage License”; “The Kleptomaniac”; “Cuban Pals”; “The Freezer”; “Lucy Does a TV Commercial”; “The Publicity Agent”; “Lucy Gets Ricky on the Radio”; “Lucy’s Schedule”, “Ricky Thinks He’s Getting Bald” and “Ricky Asks for a Raise”

The special features are equally impressive as the season itself. First we have “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show CBS special”, which is a great. There are audio commentary on select episodes by Lucille Ball, Desi Arnes, Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Davis, Bob Carroll, Jr. and others. There are 13 episodes includes with alternate elements, which is a real nice bonus. There are on-set color “home movies” from the season. There are also selected episodes of Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband” radio series. Lastly there are bloopers, guest cast bios, production notes and photo galleries included.

Actors: Ultimate Warrior
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: WWE
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 540 minutes

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

Ever since I started watching wrestling in the late 80’s, no question Ultimate Warrior was and still is my absolutely favorite wrestler. When this Blu-ray was released on April 1st, I reached out to WWE for to request and also inquire about an interview with the man himself aka Jim Hellwig. Well, I ended up hearing back on April 9th from WWE and unfortunately it was a little too late for the interview. On April 8th, my childhood wrestling hero passed away. This was just three days after he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame on WWE RAW. I have had this Blu-ray for a few weeks now and honestly it has been hard to review. I know he has a rocky career in the business but Ultimate Warrior, he was a her of mine growing up. Luckily WWE has really delivered a truly amazing collection of his work and it feels even better because it was before he passed and not cashing in on his death. A must have for any true Warrior fan!

Official Premise: He is one of the most colorful and intense Superstars of all time, the Ultimate Warrior! Now for the first time ever, WWE honors his illustrious career with this ultimate collection of bone-crunching matches. Feel the power of the warrior over 3-discs, featuring battles against all his biggest rivals such as Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ravishing Rick Rude, Sgt. Slaughter and more! WWE fans have long awaited another Warrior DVD since the controversial release of 2005’s The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. Finally, with over 7 hours of matches from this larger than life Superstar, the action on this home entertainment release is truly OUT OF CONTROL!!

“Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection” is among the best Blu-rays from WWE Home Video label to date. The Blu-ray is presented with a 1080i transfer with both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios. The 1.78:1 content is comprised of interview clips with The Ulimate Warrior. The matches are presented with an 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which it should be so that it retains the original appearance and image integrity. Due to this, in terms of Blu-ray quality, there is some issue with some finer details but it is expected and in no way ruins the experience. These are amazing to have all on one Blu-ray.

Disc One includes some matches that really speak to me because I remember seeing these for the very time when I was younger. I even have seen a few of these live, which makes them even more special to have on home video.

• Career Match: Blade Runners vs. Perry Jackson & Shawn O’Reilly. UWF — April 11, 1986.
• Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Chris Adams. World Class Championship Wrestling — August 8, 1986.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Barry Horowitz. Challenge — November 7, 1987.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Steve Lombardi. Superstars — November 14, 1987.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “King” Harley Race. Boston Garden — March 5, 1988.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Los Angeles Sports Arena — July 15, 1988.
• SummerSlam Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. SummerSlam — August 29, 1988.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match : Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. Philadelphia Spectrum — December 17, 1988.
• Title vs. Title: Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Boston Garden — February 11, 1989.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. SummerSlam — August 28, 1989.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Bob Bradley. Prime Time Wrestling — September 18, 1989.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Brian Costello. Prime Time Wrestling — December 25, 1989.
• Ultimate Warrior Confronts Andre the Giant: Brother Love Show. Superstars — July 29, 1989.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Madison Square Garden — October 28, 1989.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 25, 1989.
• Ultimate Warrior Promo: “Crash the Plane.” Challenge — March 10, 1990.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Mr. Perfect. Madison Square Garden — March 19, 1990.
• Title vs. Title: Intercontinental/WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan. WrestleMania VI — April 1, 1990.
• WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Tokyo Dome — April 13, 1990.
• WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Saturday Night’s Main Event — July 28, 1990.
• WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ted DiBiase. The Main Event — November 23, 1990.
• WWE Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Huntsville, AL — January 7, 1991.

If you thought that Disc One didn’t have enough, disc two continues right up with some more amazing matches from his career.

• Steel Cage Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. Madison Square Garden — January 21, 1991.
• Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Ends Brother Love’s Career. Superstars — March 2, 1991.
• Retirement Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. “Macho King” Randy Savage. WrestleMania VII — March 24, 1991.
• Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior on Paul Bearer’s Funeral Parlor. Superstars — April 13, 1991.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Undertaker. Maple Leaf Gardens — June 2, 1991.
• Career Moment: Gene Okerlund Interviews Ultimate Warrior and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Superstars — July 25, 1992.
• Career Moment: “Riding on the Edge of a Lightning Bolt.” Superstars — November 14, 1992.
• WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior & “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase & I.R.S. Saturday Night’s Main Event — November 14, 1992.
• Career Moment: “Faster Than a Cheetah.” RAW — March 11, 1996.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. WrestleMania XII — March 31, 1996.
• Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Returns — RAW — April 8, 1996.
• Career Moment: Mr. McMahon Interviews Jerry “The King” Lawler and Ultimate Warrior. RAW — June 10, 1996.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler. King of the Ring — June 23, 1996.
• Career Moment: Ultimate Warrior Interrupts “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan. Nitro — August 17, 1998.
• Ultimate Warrior Promo: From RAW — October 26, 1998.

If the two dozen plus matches aren’t enough…there is still seven bonus matches listed under “Blu-ray Exclusives” section on the disc. Thanks again WWE for delivering this amazing Blu-ray to my collection and I will be sure to continue to keep the Warrior’s memory alive!

• Career Match: Dingo Warrior vs. Matt Borne. World Class Championship Wrestling — October 24, 1986.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior & The British Bulldogs vs. Demolition & Mr. Fuji. Maple Leaf Gardens — July 24, 1988.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Dino Bravo. The Main Event — February 23, 1990.
• Career Moment: WrestleMania 6 Contract Signing. The Ultimate Challenge — March 25, 1990.
• Career Moment: WrestleMania 7 Contract Signing. Road to WrestleMania 7 — March 17, 1991.
• Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter. Tokyo Dome — March 30, 1991.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Goldust. In Your House — April 28, 1996.

In closing, here is a little tribute to the memory of The Ulitmate Warrior…I dare you to try and watch this without a shedding a tear… RIP Warrior!

Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde
Directors: Spike Jonze
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 126 minutes

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

Only from the mind of Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Jonze can a movie like “Her” be created. I first saw this film last holiday season and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. It is also a very hard film to verbally sell to someone without an open mind or a love for Jonze. Joaquin Phoenix gives an amazing performance. I think I would go as far as one of his best. Even though Scarlett Johansson is voice only of Samantha, she really gives life to the character. I loved the blend of the romance with the futuristic science fiction drama. This has easily become one of my favorite films of 2014. I highly recommend it, but like I said it is not for everyone because don’t forget it is in the end about a man that falls in love with an operating system…though so much more at the exact same time.

Official Premise: Set in Los Angeles in the slight future, “Her” follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson) who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other.

Warner Bros is delivering this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet digital copy. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. It really captures the look and feel of this slightly yet retro futuristic world. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track works amazingly with the band Arcade Fire’s score. There are some decent extras as well included, but I would have loved to see a commentary track from Jonze. “The Untitled Rick Howard Project” is a short film from Lance Bangs about creating “Her”. “How do you Share Your Life with Somebody” is another featurette on the film’s relationship topic. Lastly “Love in The Modern Age” loves into conversations about love and relationships in our time.

Own “Her” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD Download 5/13

Starring: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Laurence Fishburne, Jay Pharoah
Director: Tim Story
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Run Time: 99 minutes

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

Kevin Hart is no question of the biggest up and coming actors in the business right now. He started off with his stand up work but has really broken out in films in the last year. Partner him up with veteran Ice Cube and you have a no brainer buddy cop action comedy. This film is very funny and brings out the best in both of the two stars. I only wish it wasn’t PG-13 because I could see this being much more fun with a little less restriction. I am sure we never saw this coming but this film is being turned into a franchise with “Ride Along 2” set for release in January 2016 already! Can’t wait!

Official Premise: For the past two years, high school security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has been trying to show decorated detective James (Ice Cube) that he’s more than just a video game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister. When Ben finally gets accepted into the police academy, James invites him on a ride-along designed to scare the hell out of him and ultimately demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner’s rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.

Universal Studios, personally, always delivers some of the best Blu-ray releases. “Ride Along” comes as a Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy combo pack. The 1080p transfer is solid and works well with the film’s buddy cop setting. Same goes to the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which lines up well with the film’s action and Hart’s fast talking. Universal also delivered some decent extras including a great solo commentary track from directory Tim Story, who is quite passionate and enjoyed this film and everyone who worked on it.  There are six deleted scenes along with an alternate take for the film’s PG-13 rating and a slightly different alternate ending. There is a decent gag reel included also.

There are six short featurettes included giving a brief behind-the-scenes moments. “It Was a Good Day: On the Set of Ride Along” is the longest just over 10 minutes and features interviews with cast and crew. “Kev & Cube’s Wild Ride” features the duo talking about their work together. “You Gonna Learn Today” is a lesson in improv from Hart. “Atlanta: The Character” briefly shows the about the city in which the film was shot. “Anatomy of the Big Blast” dissects the film’s key scene. Lastly “An Explosive Ride” looks into the stunts, gunfights and action choreography.

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Directors: Yoshimitsu Banno, Jun Fukuda
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Section 23
DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 88 / 86 / 90 minutes

“Ebirah, Horror of the Deep”: 3 out of 5 stars
“Godzilla vs. Hedorah”: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“Godzilla vs. Gigan”: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

This year is no question, the year of Godzilla. With Warner Bros and Legendary’s reboot hitting theaters on May 16th, everyone is in Godzilla overload. Joining the craze, Kraken Releasing is jumping on the the kaiju (giant monster) love by bringing us the first U.S. Blu-ray release of three classic films featuring the world’s most famous giant reptile. The first is “Ebirah, Horror of the Deep” (1966), which was originally released in the U.S. in 1968 under the title “Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster”. Next we have “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” (1971), which was released theatrically in the U.S in 1972 as “Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster”. Lastly, we get “Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)”, which was was released theatrically in the U.S in 1977 as “Godzilla on Monster Island”.

“Ebirah, Horror of the Deep” was never really one of my favorite “Godzilla” films. It takes like a solid 45 minutes just to see the giant lizard. Besides the title character and our green friend, Mothra also pops in towards the end as well. For me this is a great one for the collection to be complete but I would much prefer to watch “Godzilla vs. Hedorah”. Even though this one only has one other monster besides Godzilla, Heodrah is quite badass . “Godzilla vs. Gigan” was always one of my favs growing up. When you have monsters like Godzilla, Gigan, King Ghidorah and Anguirus all together, shit is bound to get crazy.

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)” Official Premise: When Ryota’s brother Yata disappears at sea, the intrepid youth and his friends join forces with a slightly trustworthy bank robber, steal a boat and go after him! Of course, there’s the little problem that Yata may be lost on a mysterious island where the evil terrorist organization Red Bamboo has enslaved natives to make heavy water for nefarious purposes. And that means dealing with the island’s monstrous, 164 feet tall guardian Ebirah, as well as Red Bamboo’s arsenal of super advanced weaponry. On the plus side, help may be at hand in the form of a nubile island girl, two tiny fairies, their giant protector Mothra and the big G himself, the mighty Godzilla. Surviving the results of all that “assistance” may not be guaranteed, but Red Bamboo will never want to tangle with teenagers AND Godzilla at the same time again!

“Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)” Official Premise: Forget about acid rain and global warming! The worst ecological nightmare is actually Hedorah, which starts off small but quickly mutates into a giant flying monster capable of wiping out all life on whatever unfortunate planet it lands on! And since Hedorah grows by consuming the toxic gases and chemicals mankind has spilled into the air and water, in the early 1970s that means that its potential growth is unlimited! Fortunately for the human race, the Earth has an ultimate green defender who doesn’t need to sing protest songs or try to enact new laws to get things done. Because nobody, and nothing, can stop Godzilla when he decides to push an environmental issue, and while Hedorah may be the dirtiest opponent Godzilla has ever faced, his name is going to be mud by the time he’s been stomped into the whole Earth a few dozen times.

“Godzilla Vs. Gigan (1972)” Official Premise: When alien invaders, plans for a children’s theme park and four giant monsters with six heads between them all collide, the result is the inevitable battle for the fate of the Earth. At least, that’s how it is for Godzilla, who teams up with his former spiky foe Anguirus for a tag team match against two of his greatest adversaries: the legendary three headed King Ghidorah and Gigan, the cyborg hench-monster for insidious insect aliens whose plot to wipe out all human life is cleverly disguised as plans for the construction of a new children’s theme park. Unfortunately for the bug’s diabolical designs, their secret monster control codes are accidentally discovered by comic book artist Gengo Kotaka, who broadcasts the master tape and brings Team Godzilla into play. It’s not going to be an easy fight, though, as the odds are four heads to two, and King Ghidorah’s one of Godzilla’s toughest opponents. With his cybernetic weaponry Gigan is equally ruthless, and his alien masters are as hard to kill as the cockroaches they resemble. Will Earth’s biggest defenders finally fall? Or will Godzilla, and insecticide, triumph over all?

When I watched these three films, I was really looking to be quite critical on the transfers but  both Kraken Releasing really hooked these films up with very solid 1080p transfers. The special effects by by Teruyoshi Nakano still look very sharp and the colors are also very vibrant. You can literally even seen the slight blood on Godzilla’s nose when he is getting beaten down, which I thought was amazing. In terms of audio, we get both the English dubbed and original Japanese versions with English subtitles. Of course, depending on your mood, the Japanese takes a serious approach and the English dubs are laughable but still enjoyable. Lastly in terms of special features, the only extra on each of these three Blu-rays are just an original Japanese trailer for each film.

Created by: Yonejiro Saito
Portrayed by: Teruo Aragaki, Umenosuke Izumi
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2014
Run Time: 345 / 343 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Besides me, who simply cannot get enough of giant monsters battling giant monsters. Originally conceived as a rival to Toho’s “Godzilla” franchise, “Gamera” has become a cult classic series. With its tagline “Guardian of the Universe. Friend of all children!”, the giant turtle has protected the people of Japan and kicked some monster ass for many years starting back in 1965. These two new volume Blu-ray sets are available for the first time ever, thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment.

Each of these volumes include four of Daiei Studios’ monster series in the Showa series including “Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)”; “Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)” , “Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)” and “Gamera vs. Viras (1968)”  in volume 1. Volume 2 includes the following “Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)”; “Gamera vs. Jiger (1970)” ; “Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)” (one of my favorites) and “Gamera: Super Monster (1980)”. These films have been restored to their original Japanese cuts and have never looked better and a price point of under $15 dollars that makes this a no-brainer purchase.

Mill Creek Entertainment has really been behind the franchise for years. Back in 2011, they also released the three Heisei trilogy films on Blu-ray with glorious transfer. The same is the case with these films. They really did a phenomenal job hooked this eight films up with a solid high definition 1080p transfer. The color reproduction is very impressive and even though there is some age here and there it is quickly overlooked due to a vibrant print. The only part that stuck me by surprise is no English dub track here. There is only a Japanese 2.0 Dolby Digital track with English subtitles. included for all eight films. It works but still could have used at least an HD audio track.

Volume 1 includes the following “Gamera” films:
“Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)” Official Premise: The first entry of this Sci-Fi epic takes place midst the peak of the Cold War, as conflict between the East and West transforms into a nuclear disaster! This atomic explosion releases more than massive radiation, it awakens an ancient and long-forgotten legend of Gamera!

“Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)” Official Premise: Once the fear of Tokyo, Gamera returns to Earth to save it from the malevolent monster Barugon who is able to freeze anything its path. This unholy battle between fire and ice challenges the survival of mankind while bringing them an incredible slam-bang, knock-down monster slug-fest!

“Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)” Official Premise: The third entry of this classic monster series continues when a volcanic eruption awakens Gyaos, a gigantic vampire-like bat who has a ravenous hunger for blood. Gyaos is Gamera s most popular foe, returning in four more films (not counting the stock footage in SUPER MONSTER). Can the fire-spitting terrapin Garmera defeat this nocturnal beast?

“Gamera vs. Viras (1968)” Official Premise: The reign of terror continues when aliens take two boy scouts hostage to blackmail Gamera into aiding their invasion of Earth. When that plan fails the giant alien leader Viras battles the flying turtle in a duel to the death.

Volume 2 includes the following “Gamera” films:
“Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)” Official Premise: Gamera, the giant flying turtle, spins into action when two young boys board a spaceship and are hijacked to a strange planet on the other side of the sun. While the boys evade the clutches of two brain-hungry alien beauties, Gamera must deal with a knife-nosed monster named Guiron.

“Gamera vs. Jiger (1970)” Official Premise: The fire-breathing action continues as Gamera battles one of his greatest foes, Jiger, a horned monster reminiscent of the Triceratops. Drawn to the World Expo in Osaka by an ancient statue, the evil reptile injects Gamera with its parasitic offspring to eliminate the super turtle.

“Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)” Official Premise: The shark-like alien Zigra attacks Earth to enslave the human race as food. Aided by spacewoman X-1, Zigra s wicked plan goes swimmingly until the invaders are challenged by Gamera and confounded by two troublemaking kids.

“Gamera: Super Monster (1980)” Official Premise: The final entry of the Showa Gamera series plays as a highlight reel reviving all of the previous evil monsters. When the alien Zanon tries to conquer Earth with an army of monsters, three superwomen enlist the help of Gamera to foil the invader’s plans.

Besides the films, there are no special features at all includes on these Blu-ray, which is a little bit of a letdown but I am sure it was due to licensing not laziness. So now that these films are available on Blu-ray, it actually completed the entire franchise of “Gamera” presented in high-definition. The only film not released by Mill Creek Entertainment on Blu-ray is the 2006 film “Gamera the Brave”, which is in the Millennium series. So if you want to complete your set, this is also available now from Tokyo Blasters.

Actors: Ian Ziering, Malcom Danare, Rino Romano, Charity James, Brigitte Bako
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2014
Run Time: 854 minutes

Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Yes…yes, we all know how much the U.S. 1998 remake of “Godzilla” sucked. This animated series was a way to cash in on the Godzilla madness but for those who hated the film didn’t pay any attention to this show. It’s run on TV was ended short airing 38 out of 40 produced episodes. I have to admit, I never watched this during the original airing since I was among those who did quite hate the ’98 film but thanks to Netflix, I decided to give this show a go recently. Yes, it is a cheap 90’s cartoon but I am also a sucker for 90’s cartoons. If you are looking to dumb down your brain and just watch some Godzilla related goodness in animated form, this show isn’t as bad as I would have thought. Plus for the cheap price (you can get it new from Amazon Marketplace for around $5 bucks), it is totally worth it. Also did I mention the star of “Sharknado”, Ian Ziering, also voices the main characer!? Bonus cheese!

Official Premise After helping take down Godzilla, biologist Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (voice of Ian Ziering) stumbles upon his hatchling, who bonds with the scientist as a parental figure. Recruiting his own environmentally-directed research outfit HEAT (Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team) Nick sets out to study not only this new generation, but also to investigate the increasing reports of monsters of all types and other environmental anomalies menacing the Earth. Each exciting episode is a pulse-pounding monster-hunt driven by Nick’s team accompanied by their 300-foot giant reptile as they travel the globe defending humankind against mutant threats.

Disc 1 includes the following episodes: “New Family – Part 1”; “New Family – Part 2”; “Talkin’ Trash”; “D.O.A”; “The Winter Of Our Discontent”; “Cat And Mouse”; “Leviathan”;, “What Dreams May Come”; “Hive” and “Bird Of Paradise”. Disc 2 includes the following episodes: “Freeze “; “DeadLoch”; “Competition”; “Bug Out”; “Monster War – Part 1”; “Monster War – Part 2”; “Monster War – Part 3”; “An Early Frost”; “What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been” and “Web Site”

Disc 3 includes the following episodes: “Wedding Bells Blew”; “Juggernaut”; “Shafted”; “Trust No One”; “Lizard Season”; “The Ballad Of Gens Du Marias”; “Ring Of Fire”; “Protector”; “Vision”; “Freak Show”. Last but not least disc 4 includes the following episodes: “Metamorphosis”; “Where Is Thy Sting?”; “Underground Movement”; “The Twister”; “S.C.A.L.E.”; “Future Shock”; “End Of The Line”; “Area 51”; “Tourist Trap” and “Cash Of The Titans”. So if you can count these all add up to 40 episodes, so this cheap DVD also includes for the first time ever the 2 unaired episodes and the series available as complete. Calling all hardcore “Godzilla” fans like myself that are in overdrive waiting for this months new film, this is your answer!

Memphis Belle is being released for the first-time ever on Blu-ray from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on May 6th, 2014. Matthew Modine, who plays Captain Dennis Dearborn in this nail-biting adventure that spectacularly recreates the spectacular mission filmed for a 1944 documentary. Matthew took out some time to look back at the making of the film nearly 25 years after its theatrical debut.

There’s an entire genre of World War II movies. What makes these films so universally appealing to global audiences?
MODINE: That’s a great question. Perhaps it’s because WWII was the first war that was so well documented. Portable sound and film equipment allowed reporters and documentarians to easily carry cameras into the battlefields. I’m sure it was also the enormous scope of the war. We look back now upon the bravery of the men and women who selflessly fought to save the lives and freedoms of others. War films, in general, provide great material for writers and directors to quarry through. There are so many examples of intense emotional journeys, the fight for survival, the human bonds that are formed in extreme circumstances. These elements make for great dramatic storytelling.

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of World War II and the 70th anniversary of D-Day, what parallels can be drawn between the servicemen and women of yesterday and those defending their country today?
MODINE: The terrible cost of war. Sadly, there is evil in humankind. Ironic that “kind” is even a part of the word. We must, much more often than we do, look upon the young men and woman that go to battle and commend them for their service, their courage, and commitment. As we commemorate these anniversaries, it’s so important for each of us to acknowledge the sacrifice of our sons and daughters that are, all too often, called to duty.

How did you prepare for the role of Captain Dennis Dearborn in Memphis Belle?
MODINE: Before we began filming, the director, Michael Caton-Jones arranged for the actors to go to a “boot camp” in Southern England. The entire crew of actors were put through 10 days of rigorous training. The goal was to get the actors to learn to work together in a similar fashion that a B-17 crew that had been through 24 combat missions. Of course it is impossible to even approximate the actual horrors the Memphis Belle crew would have been witness to. But the British SAS team that put the actors through obstacle courses and physical training did a great job making the actors a cohesive team. It was tough at the time. But from the rearview mirror of time, it was fantastic!

When we finished our training, we traveled from Southern England to an airbase where we would film the exterior shots for the film. It was in Lincolnshire that we all had the amazing opportunity to meet the real men we were going to portray. Everyone had so many questions for the real servicemen. We wanted to hear from them about the challenges they faced. We all wanted to be as honest and as “real” as possible. To honor them. Hoping to convey the emotions they faced. Meeting Robert Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, and the role I was portraying, was a highlight of the entire process.

Perhaps the most emotional aspect of filming for me was having the opportunity to tell my Uncle Wylder that I was going to be in a film about him. Wylder was a Captain in the 8th Army Air Force and piloted a B-17. Now I would be doing the same in a film. I had so many questions for him and he shared stories the way men from that generation did. Very sparingly. Humbly. No bravado. I believe my Uncle and the others that have lived through the wars don’t speak colorfully about their experiences because they deeply understand the tremendous human cost of war.

Looking back, nearly 25 years since Memphis Belle debuted on the big screen, has the role of Captain Dennis Dearborn shaped your filmography?
MODINE: Yes. Of course. That sense of responsibility to people that fought, and to so many that died, stays with me. The terrible cost of war, not just the human cost, the loss of life, but what it does to the human soul. There are only a few surviving veterans of the Second World War right now. Special people of great character. I feel so fortunate when I meet with one of them, and incredibly honored when they recognize me from Memphis Belle and they say I “did good!”

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Actors: Krista Allen, Rick Hoffman and Tatyana Ali
Directors: Bruce Dellis, Jason Marsden, Matthew Mebane, Adam Montierth and Donovan Montierth
Rated: R
Studio: Brothers’ Ink Productions
Running Time: 95 minutes

Our Score: 0.5 out of 5 stars

I’d never heard of “Locker 13”, but after one grueling hour and a half, I still wish I hadn’t. After a doing a bit of research, I found out that “Locker 13” is the baby project of five misguided directors who took their dreams to Kickstarter, in the hopes of finding some s̶u̶c̶k̶e̶r̶s̶ contributors. It’s ironic that they raised the bare minimum ($25,000) and that’s how much of an effort I feel they put into this. I really hate to rag on an independent movie with good intentions, but “Locker 13” is simply one of the worst anthology movies I’ve ever seen.

“Locker 13” features four short stories with a wraparound story. So like most anthology movies, what’s the common running theme in all of them? It’s a haphazard ethical argument about making the correct life decisions. The wrap around story involves a newly hired janitor at an Old West themed park (a story that’s been begging to be heard *eye roll*) being told multiple stories about the random items they encounter that all gravitate towards a mysterious old locker. The enveloping tale doesn’t ever really tell us why this sagely old employee is recounting all these stories or how he even knows about them. He just does.

Our stories include: A boxer with lethal gloves, but he doesn’t seem to regret the deadly powers they give him. We have a secret society that tells bad jokes and smokes cigars and like all standard exclusive clubs, there’s an initiation process. There’s a random suicidal individual on a rooftop, whose choice to end his own life is interrupted by an arbitrary stranger. Then there’s a misogynistic story that I won’t even bother you with. One after another, they play like a string of rejected “Twilight Zone” episodes.

It feels as though each individual director/writer built their story without any perception of what everyone else was working on, nor did they seem to concern themselves with tying up their pieces to boost the overall wrap. This is evident by the third story where a man threatens to kill a suicidal individual to show him how much he actually values life. I actually re-watched it thinking there was some meta-commentary on this preposterous situation, but I was wrong. It’s just terrible writing.

I wasn’t going to fault the acting in a movie with a $300,000 budget, but once Jon Polito (Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink) showed up, I felt the directors could have at least gone big or just stayed at home and refunded their Kickstarter faithful. I’m sure there are other fantastic cameos in this movie, but they’re crammed in between so many disposable dime store performers, their skills are hindered.

I feel like there’s a poor salute being made to other anthology films as well as B-movie storylines. While some material is tongue in cheek, the majority of it feels like unwanted short stories or art school projects used to help hone the craft of filmmakers. Simply put, the stories never engage the audience or seem concerned about constructing a storyline that can thrill, scare, and intrigue or even amuse the audience. Instead of just going back to the

Actors: Gene Wilder, Cleavon Little, Madeleine Kahn, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens
Directors: Mel Brooks
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Run Time: 93 minutes

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

“Blazing Saddles” is no question of the funniest and most outrageous film ever made. I even believe that it was one of the first Mel Brooks movies that I ever experience. I remember my dad telling me about the bean campfire scene growing up and the guy who punches the horse. These are classic scenes and can never be topped. Mel Brooks is a legend of comedy and this film is easily one of his best. This is also the first time that this film is being released solo on Blu-ray as it was last available as part of “The Mel Brooks Collection”. The film also co-stars Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn, who are also at their comedic best.

Official Premise: The railroad’s got to run through the town of Rock Ridge. How do you drive out the townfolk in order to steal their land? Send in the toughest gang you’ve got…and name a new sheriff who’ll last about 24 hours. But that’s not really the plot of Blazing Saddles, just the pretext. Once Mel Brooks’ lunatic film many call his best gets started, logic is lost in a blizzard of gags, jokes, quips, puns, howlers, growlers and outrageous assaults upon good taste or any taste at all.

This 40th Anniversary Bu-ray includes 10 quotable art cards with funny quotes and images from the film. That was a big draw for me but also there is a brand new featurette “Blaze of Glory: Mel Brooks’ Wild, Wild West”, which has the legend talking about the film and it’s effect on his career. There is also fantastic vintage extras including a must listen Mel Brooks’ commentary track, a cast reunion documentary, “Black Bart,” the 1975 television pilot inspired by the movie and lastly some deleted scenes and theatrical trailer included. If you love this film, as every comedy fan should and don’t own “The Mel Brooks Collection”, I would run out and surly pick this up!

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the funniest movie ever made! Get the Blazing Saddles: 40th Anniversary Blu-ray, available May 6

Actors: Aaron Eckhardt, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto, Yvonne Strahovski, Jai Courtney
Directors: Stuart Beattie
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 93 minutes

Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
3D: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Man, I really wanted this film to kick ass. I thought the trailers actually looked pretty freaking awesome, despite bad reviews I saw. I am not ashamed to say that I have been a sucker for the “Underworld” series and this is from the same producers with a similar look and feel. The film suffers from a weak plot and terrible 3D, in fact some of the worse that I have seen since “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”. I also had to switch to the 2D version half way through. I loved the look and feel of the film though but I wish they put slightly less effort into the visual effects and more into the story.

Official Premise: The explosive thriller takes place 200 years after Dr. Frankenstein’s shocking creation came to life. Celestial forces name the creature Adam, and arm him with weapons to defeat the demons that are constantly seeking his destruction. However, soon Adam finds himself in the middle of a war over the fate of humanity and discovers that he also holds the key that could destroy humankind.

Lionsgate is releasing this film only in option with a Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy combo pack. If you don’t have 3D, the same disc can also be used in 2D and in fact, I would recommend it that way. Not that the film is any better but it is at least more watchable. The 1080p transfer is solid throughout and the visual effects are very impressive as well. I just wish that they would have polished this obviously post-production 3D dub more thoroughly.  The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is definitely a hit though and really works with the action scenes.

In terms of special features, I am afraid to say we are again slightly let down. There is a decent audio commentary track with Co-Writer/Director Stuart Beattie and also another with filmmakers Gary Lucchesi, Richard Wright, James McQuaid, and Kevin Grevioux. Really only recommend these if you dug the film, obviously. There is two featurettes on the special effects. The first is “Creating a Monster” and “Frankenstein’s Creatures”. Lastly, there is a theatrical trailer included.

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Starring: Miles Teller, Zac Efron, Imogen Poots, Michael B. Jordan, Addison Timlin, Jessica Lucas
Director: Tom Gormican
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 13, 2014
Run Time: 94 minutes

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

I have to admit, I think “That Awkward Moment” is definitely outside my demographic. It aims at the rauchy yet still romantic comedy teen market. What the film does have is a fantastic young and talent cast including Miles Teller, Zac Efron, Imogen Poots, Michael B. Jordan. Each of these actors are going to be huge in the business (if not already like Michael B. Jordan, who is starring in the new “Fantastic Four” reboot). Some of the jokes are solid but all together, this is really a one-timer for me. Luckily the R-rating was a saving grace besides the fantastic cast. I would recommend to the under 21 group.

Official Premise: Every relationship has that “so” moment. For a guy like Jason (Zac Efron), that’s where things always end. He’s firmly committed to non-commitment. When the marriage of his friend Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) falls apart, Jason takes it as proof that the single life is for the better. To get Mikey back in the game, Jason enlists him and drinking buddy Daniel (Miles Teller) to take a shared vow: together, they’ll stay single as long as humanly possible. Then along comes Ellie (Imogen Poots), the unpredictable, unforgettable one-night hook-up who changes all the rules. Despite all his instincts, Jason just can’t let her go… and his status is about to get very complicated.

Sony is releasing this film as a combo pack (even though it is not really pushing the fact) including the Blu-ray + Ultraviolet Digital Copy. The audio/video on this film is nothing spectacular it finds in the basic comedy section, which doesn’t disappoint but also doesn’t blow you away. The special features are decent including a Blu-ray exclusive extended gag reel and “Moment of Truth” behind-the-scenes look with cast/crew. There are another sit down with the three male stars in “Threesome: More Awkward Moments”. Lastly there are four previously released character profiles for Miles Teller, Imogen Poots, Zac Efron and Michael B. Jordan.