Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Zoe Kravitz
Directed By: Neil Burger
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 139 minutes
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

War has obliterated the planet, leaving what survivors there are to take refuge in a crumbling Chicago landscape. The residents have divided the city into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. By the age of 16, this bizarre society forces their teens to take an aptitude test that will determine which faction they are ideal for. Looks like it’s time for another movie based off a young adult novel that can’t differentiate itself from it’s siblings.

Beatrice (Woodley) is one of those teenagers mentioned above. She was born into an Abnegation family, but has always yearned to be apart of the Dauntless faction. Why? Who knows. She goes into to take her “test”. All she does is drink a concoction which induces bad acid trip visions. Once she awakens she’s told that she’s a divergent, someone who can actually fit perfectly into any faction. Her “test” administrator tells her to leave and not speak of the test results to anyone. Shadowy conspirators. Mysteries begging to be uncovered. A lot of decent ideas are set-up in the first five minutes followed by an over two hour rough tumble downhill.

Despite having an inconclusive test, on the selection day, Beatrice chooses…you guessed it…the Dauntless faction. And why? Who knows. Dauntless is the military wing of this society, although every time they make an appearance they seem more like adrenaline junkies as they scale buildings and run everywhere. She also decides to go by the name Tris now. Don’t even think about asking me why. We meet her boot camp friend and foes. Christina (Kravitz) turns out to be her true to heart tag-a-long companion. Meanwhile she has to deal with the sophomoric insults of Peter (Miles Teller) and the constant scrutiny of her leader Eric (Jai Courtney). There’s also her instructor and mandatory love interest, Four (James). The first half is an unnecessarily bloated prologue coupled by a few harmless laughs and way too much water treading. By the time things start picking up, we don’t know a whole lot and we don’t care.

The theme, individualism and being skeptical of authoritarian regimes, is the movie’s hammer and they bash you across the face with it repeatedly. This movie not only steals cliches, it repeats the same ones throughout the movie. There’s a dystopian world waiting to be explored along with a power struggle wanting to be uncovered, but this movie would much rather focus on training montages and capture the flag. The bright spot is definitely the acting. Woodley has shown in the past that she’s fantastic and really able to embody whatever role she’s given. She really gives it her all in this and is incredibly likable. The supporting characters played by James, Kravitz and others live and breathe their characters. This cast is also surrounded by an established group of actors and actresses like Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd and Ray Stevenson. Why couldn’t they hand something readable to these people?

At a certain point I merely entertained myself with questions. Like…what kind of war happened to where the remaining survivors thought a society based on dividing their people into factions that hate each other would be a good idea? Why is it one of the largest cities in the United States was spared full blown devastation? If people are given the free will to choose what faction they join, what’s the point of the test? These questions and more will never be answered in the near two and a half hours you’ll be sitting in the theater. Maybe the answers are in the book. Maybe I should go pick up a copy and figure out what’s going on. But I’m afraid if I go and read the book, I’ll be convincing Hollywood to keep up this young adult movie trend and I’m afraid if you go see “Divergent” this weekend, I’ll have to see the sequel.

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal and Melanie Laurent
Directed by: Denis Villenueve
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins
A24

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Chaos is order left undeciphered.”

These words are taken from a novel titled “The Double,” by Nobel Prize winning author Jose Saramago and they are the first images we see on screen in director Denis Villenueve’s film based on that novel, “Enemy.” And chaos, undeciphered or not, is definitely in the DNA of this film.

College teacher Adam Bell (Gyllenhaal) is living a very boring life. Get up, go to work, lecture a room full of bored faces, go home. The only change in the routine are the times his gal pal (Laurent) stops by for sex. One day a co-worker suggests he has a “movie night” and suggests a title or two. Renting one of them, Adam goes home and puts it in his computer. He suddenly sits upright, noticing that the young actor playing the hotel bellhop looks incredibly like…him. Doing some research on-line, he learns that the actor in question is one Anthony Clair. He tracks down his representative and shows up at the office, hoping to meet him. Of course, the doorman thinks Adam IS Anthony, which begins a story about mixed identities and…spiders?

I had the great fortune to interview director Villenueve last year when his film, “Prisoners,” was released. During our conversation he referenced “Enemy” which was his original opportunity to work with Jake Gyllenhaal. He called the film “an art house experiment” and he wasn’t kidding. The film is full of odd and unusual visuals and often plays like a film directed by Villenueve’s fellow Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Actually “odd and unusual” are among the many words that could be used to describe this film. I’ll admit here that when it ended, with one of biggest “what the hell was that” scenes ever featured in a major film release, that I actually sought out a fellow critic…one who had actually gone to college to study the art…and asked him what it was that I just saw. I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only critic looking at him with wide eyes and blank faces.

If I have to sum up the film I’d say it was a mixed bag of intense acting (Gyllenhaal does a fine job in both roles) and creepy visual suggestions. I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I also didn’t get it. It doesn’t help that Villenueve has managed to make Toronto look like Beijing, China with the fog hanging heavy in gray skies and resembling smog. That manages to set the atmosphere for awhile. Unfortunately, someone involved with the film has obviously seen “The Shining” one too many times because that atmosphere is often broken with loud “booms” of the musical soundtrack.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner
Director: Adam McKay
Rated: PG-13/Unrated/R
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 118/122/143 minutes

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

NEWS TEAM ASSEMBLE!! Ron Burgundy and his team is back. Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner reprise their already iconic roles. “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” is a very ambitious sequel to the 2004 cult classic. I would say that it succeeds about 75% of the time with its jokes but does rely a lot on the shoulders of the film before it. I have a feeling that, like the first film, this is going to be one of those that gets better with age…like a good scotch as I am sure Ron Burgundy himself would enjoy.

Official Premise: After losing his job to his wife and co-anchor (Christina Applegate), Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) reassembles the news team (Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner ) and squares off against a new rival (James Madsen). Will the world’s greatest anchorman be crushed beneath the weight of his own ego (and his salon-quality hair)? Anything goes in the outrageous comedy.

The three-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack includes not one…not two but three versions of the film including-in a Home Entertainment First, the Super-Sized R-Rated Version with 763 New Jokes. I think whether you loved or absolutely hated the film, this is such a crazy feat that everyone needs to check this out. Never before in the history of home entertainment has anyone replaced 763 jokes. It is like a new movie told within the shell of the first. Paramount also squeezed in a DVD copy of the film along with an HD Digital Ultraviolet copy.

Paramount not only delivered an astounding three version of the film, they also included over four hours of special features. The first disc including a perfect and highly recommend commentary track from the whole gang including Adam McKay, Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd & David Koechner. Honestly, it is like you are watching a fourth version of the film with even more new jokes. If you are looking for replay value on this film if you get bored with the other three, this is a great way to re-enjoy the film.

There is a Behind-the-Scenes look with “Newsroom”, which takes us inside the making of the film. There is a two part Gag Reel including, because one is just not enough. “Line-O-Rama, Parts 1 & 2” is another collection of non-stop alternate lines from the film. “Welcome to the Dolphin Show” has Ron Burgundy taking on the crowd at SeaWorld. “Catfight” features more ad-lib between Christina Applegate and Meagan Good going head-to-head. “News-O-Rama” features Ron and the News Team bringing you the headlines. “Kench-O-Rama” is a mashup of Kench Allenby’s most Australian moments…Brilliant! Lastly there is a Cast Table Read, which is also a riot.

The second Blu-ray disc includes the Super-Sized R-Rated Version along with more special features. There is an Behind-the-Scenes featurette. “Anchorman 2: The Musical” is a look into how this film almost was a musical sequel. “RV” dives into the work behind the RV tumble. “Baxter & Doby” focuses on the animals of Anchorman 2. “News Fight” was one of the best parts of the film and this dives into the biggest, baddest all-star celebrity brawl ever! There are an additional 90 minutes of Deleted, Extended & Alternate Scenes. At this point I said out loud, “SERIOUSLY?” How did they have this much footage.

“Previsualizations” looks into the various FX filled scenes including the RV, Shark Attack and the News Fight sequences. “Auditions” includes pre-film scenes featuring Meagan Good, Dylan Baker and Amy Poehler. “Benefit for 826LA” is a special tribute to Anchorman 2. Lastly there are trailers. The last disc, which is the DVD, only includes the theatrical version of the film. Also be sure to check out the pamphlet inside the case which comes with a digital code to unlock all levels for “Scotchy Scotch Toss” video game.

Voices: Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Mindy Cohn, Grey DeLisle, John Cena, Triple H, Sin Cara, Brodus Clay, AJ Lee, The Miz, Santino, Kane
Directed by: Brandon Vietti
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Turner Home Ent
DVD Release Date: March 25, 2014

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

What happens when Warner Bros. Animation teams up with WWE Films? We get one of the best new Scooby Doo! feature length films to date with “Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery”. If you are a wrestling fan, I cannot recommend this anymore and if you are also a “Scooby Doo!” fan, this is a perfect match. This not only stars the Mystery Inc. gang but also is backed with some of the biggest WWE Superstars including John Cena, Triple H, Sin Cara, Brodus Clay, AJ Lee, The Miz, Santino, Kane and also WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. They not only are in the film in animated form but also lend their voices as well. WB has been behind continuously pushing “Scooby Doo!” and this just shows how much crossover this series has and how strong the brand is still.

Official Premise: When Shaggy and Scooby win tickets to WrestleMania, they convince the entire Mystery Inc. gang to travel to WWE City in the Mystery Machine to enjoy the show. But the trip quickly turns into another mystery as WWE City is full of secrets! A mysterious ghostly bear appears and threatens to ruin the show and steal the championship title belt. With the help of WWE Superstars John Cena, Triple H, Sin Cara, Brodus Clay, AJ Lee, The Miz, Santino Marella and Kane, Scooby-Doo and The Mystery Inc. gang team up to solve the case before it is too late!

Warner Bros is delivering “Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery” as a Blu-ray/DVD combo with a HD Digital Ultraviolet copy included. The 1080p transfer is very impressive. The animation style is vibrant and looks great. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks works perfectly with the mystery/action aspect of the film. In the special features department there is some decent extras. There is a brand new featurette “Behind-The-Scenes with Scooby-Doo and the WWE Gang”, which goes into the voice recording sessions with the cast of WWE. There is also a bonus episode of “A Pup Named Scooby Doo”, “Wrestle Maniacs”.

This is the first and definitely not the last collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation teams up with WWE Films. They are planning to mash-up another classic series “The Flintstones” in early 2015 bringing Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas. So I am sure this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship I am sure. WWE Films has been getting some major steam behind them in the last few years and I can’t wait to see what they have planned next!

Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Peter Lorre, Ingrid Bergman, Mary Astor
Directors: John Huston, Michael Curtiz
Number of discs: 4
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: March 25, 2014
Run Time: 433 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Back in my days in colleges (years ago!), I took a film class and I learned all about the amazing work of the legendary actor Humphrey Bogart. This opened up a new world to me and I was exposed to films like “The Maltese Falcon” and “Casablanca”. We looked deep into this films and I grew a great appreciation for them and other films as well. “The Best of Bogart Collection” is a great collection of his films including “The African Queen”, “Casablanca”, “The Maltese Falcon” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”. This films have been released previously on Blu-ray but this is the first time that they are all packaged together. Also as an added bonus we get reproduction art cards from each film, which is a real great collectible. A must have for any Bogart fan!

“The African Queen” is such a great film. Charlie Allnut is such a great character for him. This is one of those films that I can never turn off once I see it on. “Casablanca” is in a world of its own. It is over 70 years old and still so amazing and relevant. Such a classic and will continue to stand the test of time. “The Maltese Falcon” is a film that I studied quite a bit and really was one of the first films that I was introduced to Bogart and his career. It will always hold a special place for me. Last but not least is “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, which in fact is a film that I have never seen (*gasp*). But thanks to this new collection, I was able to find out what I have been missing wit this AFI Top 100 classic.

“The African Queen” Offical Premise: Stars Humphrey Bogart in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Charlie Allnut, the slovenly, gin-swilling captain of a tramp steamer called the African Queen, which ships supplies to small East African villages during World War I. Katharine Hepburn plays Rose Sayer, the maiden-lady sister of a prim British missionary, Rev. Samuel Sayer (Robert Morley). When Germans invade and Samuel dies, Allnut offers to take Rose back to civilization. She can’t tolerate his drinking or bad manners; he isn’t crazy about her imperious, judgmental attitude. However it does not take long before their passionate dislike turns to love. Together the disparate duo work to ensure their survival on the treacherous waters and devise an ingenious way to destroy a German gunboat.

“Casablanca” Offical Premise: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if you’re wanted by the Nazis. Such a man is Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one – especially Victor’s wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo’s transport out of the country and bitter Rick must decide what counts more – personal happiness or countless lives hanging in the balance.

“The Maltese Falcon” Official Premise: A gallery of high-living lowlifes will stop at nothing to get their sweaty hands on a jewel-encrusted falcon. Detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) wants to find out why–and who’ll take the fall for his partner’s murder. An all-star cast (including Sydney Greenstreet, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook Jr.) joins Bogart in this crackling mystery masterwork written for the screen (from Dashiell Hammett’s novel) and directed by John Huston.

“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” Official Premise: Gold in the hills, avarice in the hearts of men. Two hard-luck drifters (Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt) and a grizzled prospector (Walter Huston) discover gold. Then greed and paranoia set in. John Huston won Academy Awards for his direction and screenplay. And his dad took the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Without awards, but with enduring acclaim, is Bogart’s performance, transforming from a likable hobo to a heartless thug simmering in greed.

If these four films are not enough, these films also come jam-packed with special features. First, we have “The African Queen”, which also has the least extras. There is “Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen”, which goes behind-the-scenes into the film.
“The Maltese Falcon” delivers impressive extras as well with a commentary track by Bogart Biographer Eric Lax. There is a featurette “The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird”. “Breakdowns of 1941” is a Studio Blooper Reel. There are Makeup Tests, Short Subjects Gallery and an Audio-Only Bonus: 3 Radio Show Adaption’s. Lastly “Becoming Attractions” is a collection of trailers of Humphrey Bogart Warner Night at the Movies 1941.

“Casablanca” packs the most extras of any of the films. Ther is a commentary track from Roger Ebert and also another from Historian Rudy Behlmer. There is an Introduction by Lauren Bacall and also additional scenes & outtakes, as well as scoring session outtakes. There are a few feaurettes, “Bacall on Bogart”, “You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca” and “As Time Goes By: The Children Remember”. “Who Hold Tomorrow?” is the premiere episode from the 1955 TV Series adaptation of Casablanca. There is a Radio Production with the Movie’s 3 Key Stars. Lastly there is a Production Research Gallery,
Homage Cartoon Carrotblanca with Bugs Bunny and some Theatrical Trailers.

Lastly, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” also includes a commentary track from Bogart Biographer Eric Lax. There are a few featurettes including “Discovering Treasure: The Story of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” and “Documentary Profile John Huston”. There is Warner Night at the Movies 1948 Short Subjects Gallery. Lastly there is a intro from Leonard Maltin, Newsreel footage, 2 Classic Cartoons, Comedy Short, Theatrical Trailers and an Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with the Movie’s Original Stars.

Get The Best of Bogart Collection for the first time, in one great Blu-ray collection, March 25th!

Courtesy: Sony Pictures Classics

Frank Pavich is the director of the new fantastic documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune”, which chronicles about Alejandro Jodorowsky’s never made film version of Frank Herbet’s “Dune”. He has also worked as a production manager on TV shows like “Paranormal State”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat “Dune” with Frank and find out about how he got involved with Jodorowsky and his passion for what he does.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune”?
Frank Pavich: You just hear and read about these things like “The Top 50 Greatest Movies Never Made”. I was a fan of Jodorowsky and his movies like “Holy Mountain” and “El Topo” going back to even when you couldn’t get it except on like crazy VHS bootlegs. There was a small segment about his unfinished “Dune” in a documentary called “Jodorowsky Constellation”, but it only ran like five minutes. But during it you see his screenplay book and I thought to myself “What the hell is that book?” Once you see that book, you feel the need to just learn more and more about it. So I searched and search until one day, there was no more information out there that I hadn’t seen. So I decided to just find the guy himself and speak with him.

MG: How did you end up tracking him down and convincing him to do this?
FP: I wish I could tell you what made him do it. I think the only thing I can say was from my obvious unbridled enthusiasm. I was searching for him and I found that he has an agent in Spain for acting. I didn’t even know he acted in movies other than his own but obviously he does because he has this agent. I just sent her an email and explained my situation. She took my email and just forwarded it to him. So then a couple of weeks later, I just happen to wake up to an email from Alejandro Jodorowsky. It was awesome. If I remember correctly, I didn’t even open it for like a week. I was afraid if he wrote “Dear Frank….NO!” It would have crushed my dreams. So when I opened it included was a very short message saying “I hear you are looking for me? I live in Paris and if you would like to discuss doing a project like this we would need to meet face to face”. I was like “GREAT! You don’t have to twist my arm”. I made an appointment and went to his house to discuss. I gave him the short pitch and either he just thought I was crazy or deep down that we weren’t going to finish it but he agreed to do a few interviews. So we started and went back a few times to shoot more and more interviews over time. Overall, I think it worked out really well.

MG: What I loved about this documentary is that there wasn’t like a million interviews…
FP: Oh, I hate those.
MG: Right! You had the key 10 people involved and that is all.
FP: That is what I always wanted to do. I hate those documentaries where it is only 90 minutes long and features 90 people. I can’t follow who is who and I can’t follow what is going on. Each person comes on for a half a sentence and I just get lost. I wanted to keep it to a minimum number of people. We had the greatest storyteller in the world.
MG: I agree, most importantly you kept Jodorowsky in the spotlight…
FP: Thanks for picking up on that man!

MG: What was it liked getting to review Jodorowsky’s screenplay book during your meetings?
FP: It’s funny because the first time I met him to pitch him the idea; we sat on these two chairs facing each other and in between us what this ottoman with books on it. He had actually placed THE “Dune” book on there but he never let me look at it and I didn’t ask. It was like he was teasing me with it [laughs]. It was so cruel but also hilarious. But the book was amazing. Once you get to go inside of it, you get to see that is in fact a complete film. It has every scene from the first to the very last. It also has every bit of dialogue and character details. It is something that I do not think was ever done before. It was ready to go and be filmed. What was also very interesting is that the screenplay was totally different than the book of storyboards, since it evolved over time. As he got all his “spiritual warriors”, it started to change. Just like if he would have gotten to shoot it, I am sure it would have evolved again. It is really interesting to see the process of his creativity.

MG: Tell us about the animation in the film and how was it getting to bring parts of Jodorowsky’s “Dune” come to life?
FP: We had this great animator, his name was Syd Garon. I met him through another friend and I thought that his work was perfect. He had that perfect light touch. I didn’t want to overdue the animation because it is not my vision of “Dune”, it is his vision. I just wanted to take those storyboards, which are primarily pencil on paper and breath enough life into them to elevate it off the page a little and hopefully then the viewer’s imagination will fill in the rest. It straddles the that middle ground between the storyboard and what the actual completed feature film would have been like. It was so much fun to do. We went through the book and literally got to pick out the scenes that we wanted to bring to life.

MG: What was his reaction when he saw these animated sequences?
FP: He has this philosophy when he directs his movie for everyone to leave him alone and he doesn’t want to hear from anyone since he is the artist. That is great and that is why we get the kind of movies that he makes. So I was afraid that he was going to be over my shoulder the whole time but he was definitely not a hypocrite. He believes that for himself and believed that for me as well. He let me do what I wanted and didn’t bother me at all. The first time he saw it was at the premiere at Cannes. It was a really cool experience and a really great place for him to see it. Him and his wife were next to me watching it and kept trying to peak over at them to see if they were laughing, interested or sleeping [laughs]. I could see that they were really enthralled and into it. They were also both wiping away tears at the end, which is great because you always want to make an 85 year old man cry [laughs].

MG: Having seen the film a few times now and I agree the film is quite dramatic.
FP: It is so interesting. It all comes down to his world view. This story for somebody else could be a very depressing story or it could be a winy story or angry story. “Oh, look what I didn’t get to do”. For him though, he thought it was great. He didn’t get to make the movie but he made my movie and he also had a great career and a lot of other movies were influenced by his work. Even I get choked up watching the end of the film, where he says that you have to try and that it is all about ambition. It is great. He is such an amazing and powerful guy. I am very lucky to have had a chance to work with him.

MG: Tell us about the score in the film?
FP: Our composers name is Kurt Stenzel. It is his first film and he was just great. He has never done a score before. He is this electronic musician and does all this great synthesized music. But he and I go way back actually and we grew up in Queens, New York together. I first knew of him when he was part of the New York hardcore scene. His old band was the very first New York hardcore tape that I ever bought back in 1987 or something. It is totally crazy. So he has gone from the New York hardcore world to a career scoring films. He can be like the new Mark Mothersbaugh. We are also hoping to release the score down the line for the fans.

MG: How did the relationships between other films like “Raiders of the Lost Ark’s “Masters of the Universe”, “Prometheus” and others get recognized?
FP: It is weird. Some of them are obvious. When we were making the documentary “Prometheus” came out, so that was an easy one. I remember seeing the commercial and thinking “What the hell?”, since that was the Giger mountain. It was crazy. It was totally lifted from the “Dune” artwork. Then some of them we really had to search for and some we couldn’t even include. After he attempted to make “Dune”, he spoke about how he started his career in comics, he did “The Incal” and “The Metabarons” series and a bunch others. If you look at the “The Metabarons” comic, you can see images in there that ended up in the movie “The Avengers”. There was no way to put that into the movie because it would be an entirely different chapter showing how his work influenced this and that etc. But his stuff is everywhere. Even Kanye West’s last tour/album was inspired by “Holy Mountain”. So we can say that he touches everything from “The Avengers” to Kanye West. How can someone do that? So we just be searching around and looking at the storyboards and trying to see anything that resembled them. They think that there were about twenty of those books made and only two exist today. So where are the other eighteen? You see so many similarities in other films that somebody else has had to have seen this book over the years.

MG: Do you think the world will ever see Jodorowsky’s take on Dune?
FP: I think this is his take on the film. I do not think he has that burning desire to do it anymore. I think he feels that “You want to see the movie? Then it is here, watch the documentary”. I think in his mind he feels like it is done. I think he has moved on also since it has been so many years. Also can anyone make a “Dune” movie anymore? Lynch had a hard time. Syfy did a one over a decade ago. So many people have taken from the “Dune” source material, the book, which in turn has influenced so many other films. Maybe if a true representation of “Dune” came out people would think, “Oh, I have seen all this before”. They have seen in various films that maybe it wouldn’t be as exciting for them. Jodo is happy and he has no regrets. He is also very happy to have been able to tell his version of the story now in this film.

MG:  What can we expect from the Blu-ray release in terms of special features?
FP: There is a ton of great material that we are passing off to our distributor, Sony Pictures Classics. I am not sure what is going to end up on the Blu-ray but I would think that they would want to include it all on there. We shot hours of interviews footage. So, we have hours and hours of interviews with Jodorowsky and all these people that couldn’t fit into the story we told. But it is still valuable stuff that I want to share with the world. If I was a betting man, I would say that it will be included on the Blu-ray release. It is too great not to have it.

MG: What do you have planned next after this film?
FP: I have a couple of ideas and projects in my head stirring around. But man, it is a challenge because this movie came out really good and I am really proud of it. It premiered at Cannes and went to Telluride and all these great film festivals. Sony Pictures Classics is releasing it. How much better can this be? What do you do to top this or complement this? That is the challenge for me. It takes so long to make these movies anyway. As far as I learned with this, if you are not totally in love with the movie you are making you are never going to finish it. Hopefully, I can find a subject that is as interesting as Alejandro Jodorowsky and his version of “Dune”. If you hear of anything left me know [laughs].

Actors: Tempestt Bledsoe, Lili Taylor, Steve Buscemi, Gina Gershon, Deborah Harry
Executive Produced: Richard P. Rubinstein
Number of discs: 9
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Entertainment One
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Run Time: 1560 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Any horror fan that grew up in the 80’s should remember the series “Monsters”, which used to play in syndication along with “Tales from the Darkside”. This anthology/horror series aired from 1988-91 with 72 half-hour episodes. This show is easily one of my favorites of all-time. No, it may not be the best but it certainly reminds me of my childhood and attributed to my love of horror today. I probably shouldn’t have been watching it at the age I did but I just couldn’t get enough of it. Luckily, thanks to Syfy and Chiller channels, this show was given a second life and has been showing over the last decade. The series has never been released on DVD EVER and thanks to eOne (who are my heroes this month), this series finally gets put out in a fantastic DVD box set.

This series delivered a great blend of horror along with comedy, sci-fi and fantasy. What I love about these episodes the most is that you are able to watch and re-watch them and they never get old. When they were re-airing on Syfy, I used to leave it on loop day after day and I couldn’t get enough. The practical effects in the film are fantastic and look great, of course not to today’s standards, but I remember I used to be quite scared of some of these show’s creations growing up, so I think it was quite effective. The show also was jam packed with an amazing cast of actors whether big stars then and big stars now. If you are reading this eOne, if you can get “Freddy’s Nightmare” complete series on DVD, I will be your best friend forever! This is must have for any horror fan, NO QUESTION!

Season one consists of the following episodes: 1. The Feverman; 2. Holly’s House; 3. New York Honey; 4. The Vampire Hunter; 5. My Zombie Lover; 6. Where’s The Rest Of Me?; 7. The Legacy; 8. Sleeping Dragon; 9. Pool Sharks; 10. Pillow Talk; 11. Rouse Him Not; 12. Fools Gold; 13. Glim-Glim; 14. Parents From Space; 15. The Mother Instinct; 16. Their Divided Self; 17. Taps; 18. The Match Game; 19. Rain Dance; 20. The Cocoon; 21. All In A Day s Work; 22. Satan In The Suburbs; 23. Mannikins Of Horror and 24. La Strega

Season one consists of the following notable talent including David McCallum (“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”),  Marilyn Jones (“Murder, She Wrote”), ‘Little Mike’ Anderson (“Twin Peaks”), Andrea Thompson (“Babylon 5”), Robert Lansing (“Automan”), Tempestt Bledsoe (“The Cosby Show”), Meatloaf (“Fight Club”), Kin Shriner (“General Hospital”), John Diehl (“Stripes”), Mary Woronov (“Death Race 2000”), Alex Cord (“Airwolf”), Jeff Conaway (“Babylon 5”), Frank Gorshin (“Batman”), David L. Lander (“Laverne & Shirley”), Tori Spelling (“Beverly Hills, 90210”), Kent McCord (“Galactica: 1980”), Teri Copley (“We Got It Made”), Billy Drago (“The Untouchables”), Kim Johnson Ulrich (“As the World Turns”), Adrienne Barbeau (“The Fog”), James Morrison (“Space: Above & Beyond”), Eddie Velez (“The A-Team”), Christopher Noth (“Law & Order”), William Prince (“Dallas”), Linda Blair (“The Exorcist”), Rob Morrow (“Northern Exposure”)

Season two consists of the following episodes: 25. The Face; 26. Portrait Of The Artist; 27. A Bond Of Silk; 28. Rerun; 29. Love Hurts; 30. The Farmer’s Daughter; 31. Jar; 32. The Demons; 33. Reaper; 34. The Mandrake Root; 35. Half As Old As Time; 36. Museum Hearts; 37. Habitat; 38. Bed And Boar; 39. Mr. Swlabr; 40. Perchance To Dream; 41. One Wolf’s Family; 42. The Offering; 43. Far Below; 44. Micro Minds; 45. Refugee; 46. The Gift; 47. The Bargain and 48. The Family Man

Second two consists of the following notable talent including Darren McGavin (“A Christmas Story”), Lydia Cornell (“Too Close For Comfort”), Marc McClure (“Superman”), Ren Woods (“Beauty and the Beast”), Soupy Sales (“What’s My Line?”), George Hall (“The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”), Fritz Weaver (“The Martian Chronicles”), Gina Gershon (“Showgirls”), Richard Moll (“Night Court”), Barbara Billingsley, Leif Garrett, Lili Taylor (“Almost Human”), Steve Buscemi (“Boardwalk Empire”), Raphael Sbarge (“Once Upon A Time”), Anne Meara (“ALF”), Jerry Stiller (“The King of Queens”), Amy Stiller (“Zoolander”), Orson Bean (“The Hobbit”), Barry Nelson (“The Shining”), Troy Donahue (“Surfside 6”), Judy Geeson (“Star Maidens”), Phillip Abbott (“The F.B.I.”), Abe Vigoda (“The Godfather”) and Kim Griest (“Manhunter”)

Season three consists of the following episodes: 49. Stressed Environment; 50. Murray’s Monster; 51. Bug House; 52. Cellmates; 53. Outpost; 54. The Hole; 55. Small Blessing; 56. Shave And A Haircut, Two Bites; 57. The Young And The Headless; 58. The Waiting Game; 59. Sin-Sop; 60. A New Woman; 61. Malcolm; 62. Household Gods; 63. The Space-Eaters; 64. The Waiting Room; 65. Leavings; 66. Desirable Alien; 67. A Face For Radio; 68. Werewolf Of Hollywood; 69. Talk Nice To Me; 70. The Moving Finger; 71. Hostile Takeover and 72. The Maker

Finally, season three consists of the following notable talent including Carol Lynley (“The Poseidon Adventure”), Joe Flaherty (“Freaks and Geeks”), Karen Sillas (“Under Suspicion”), Maxwell Caulfield (“Grease 2”), Juliet Mills (“Nanny and the Professor”), Julie Brown (“Earth Girls Are Easy”), Kevin Nealon (“Saturday Night Live), David Spade (“Dickie Roberts”), Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”), Linda Thorson (60’s “The Avengers”), Ed Lauter (“B.J. and the Bear”), Farley Granger (“Strangers on a Train”), John Saxon (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”), Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), Deborah Harry (band member Blondie), Morton Downey, Jr. (“trash TV”), Laura Brannigan (American singer), Richard Belzer (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), David Spielberg (“One Life to Live”), Dennis Christopher (“Breaking Away”) and Pam Grier (“Jackie Brown”).

Having watched these episodes on TV as a kid, WAY before anything called high definition was around and then re-watching them on Syfy and Chiller in the last decade, they have never been delivered in great best condition. Today these episodes on DVD are not stunning but they do the trick and personally, I think the show has never looked better. There are no additional special features included in this set. I figure that they had as much talent as they did in this show, they could have gotten at least a few interviews or commentary tracks on these episodes but nonetheless, at least we have them. The set comes with three cases, each with its own season. There is great cover art for each particular season and there is great images in case the case as well. There is no boring black case here. They aimed to impress and succeed no question.

Voices: Jennifer Carpenter, Brian Bloom
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 25, 2014
Run Time: 83 minutes

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

When I saw that Sony and Marvel were teaming up for another animated feature film, I was psyched. I loved what they did with the past short series with Blade, Wolverine and X-Men. The animation style is reminiscence of a Japanese anime and the characters are given a slick make-over. As the title suggests, this film focus on two Marvel’ popular characters, Black Widow (voiced by Jennifer Carpenter, TV’’s ““Dexter””) and The Punisher (voiced by Brian Bloom, ““Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3””). Don’t let the cover art fool you either with the image of Iron Man, Thor and Hulk, since they along with a few other Avengers appear for a few minutes in the last few minutes of the film. This is a Black Widow and (some of) Punisher story solely. Parents need to note this is a very HARD PG-13 rating, very violent for sure. Overall, I thought it was worth a watch, but nothing amazing.

Official Premise: After interfering with a top secret mission, THE PUNISHER is taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D. AGENT and AVENGER, BLACK WIDOW. At the orders of Director Nick Fury, Punisher and Black Widow are sent on a mission to stop LEVIATHAN, a global terrorist organization that plans to sell stolen S.H.I.E.L.D. technology to the highest bidder. Now, the vigilante and spy must work together to prevent this technology from falling into the wrong hands. The fate of the world, and of the AVENGERS, hangs in the balance.

“Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher” is packaged as a Blu-ray/DVD combo with an HD Digital Ultraviolet copy included. Sony has always delivered consistently great animated titles. This film is no different it is a solid Blu-ray presentation. The animation style looks very sharp and the colors are very clear. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well with the action scenes especially the final act, which is pretty epic. In terms of special features are two making-of Featurettes & Blu-ray™ Exclusive Conceptual Art Gallery. The two featurettes are ““Espionage and Punishment””, which dives into how these characters were adapted into this anime style. “The Vigilante Vs. The Spy” takes a look at these two characters from an origin perspective.

Actors: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman
Directors: John Lee Hancock
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Run Time: 120 minutes

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

When I originally heard about “Saving Mr. Banks” and it has Tom Hanks playing the legendary Walt Disney, I couldn’t be more thrilled. I love the film “Mary Poppins” and I thought it was going to be a great film. After watching it originally, I was a little disappointed to see that Hanks’ portrayal of the man behind Mickey Mouse was very supporting and the focus was on Emma Thompson role of Mary Poppins” author P.L. Travers and her life growing up. In fact, I really only enjoyed the parts in the film focusing on Walt Disney. Disney hardcore fans will enjoy. I will most likely not watch this again in the foreseable future.

Official Premise: Determined to fulfill a promise to his daughters, Walt Disney (Hanks) works for twenty years to secure the rights to author P.L. Travers’ (Thompson) beloved book. Armed with his iconic creative vision, Walt pulls out all the stops, but the uncompromising Travers won’t budge. Only when he reaches into his own complicated childhood does Walt discover the truth about the ghosts that haunt Travers, and together, the set Mary Poppins free.

Disney delivered “Saving Mr. Banks” with a Blu-ray combo pack including a Digital HD Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer looks quite sharp. The colors are very vibrant especially the flashback scenes. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well with the film’s beautiful score and music. In terms of special features this some decent extras but nothing amazing. “Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins to Present” is a tour of the Disney Studios lot with director Join Hancock. “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” has the cast and crew singing along on the last day of filming. Lastly there are three short deleted scenes included.

Kevin Sorbo is know best for his roles in “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”, “Andromeda” and “Kull the Conqueror”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Kevin a few questions about his upcoming films “God’s Not Dead” and “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to this film, “God’s Not Dead”?
Kevin Sorbo: It’s always the story. Great script, wonderful characters, fantastic message!

MG: How did you prepare to play a character like Professor Radisson?
KS: I have atheist friends. I have many conversations with them about my faith, their non belief. I have had college professors like him and have met with other college students who have had the same experience.

MG: In the film you push your students to admit god is dead; did that clash with your religious beliefs?
KS: Not at all. I’m acting. There are certain things I would be uncomfortable with as an actor and wouldn’t do, but the message here is great and needs to be brought to the light.

MG: Big “Duck Dynasty” fan, did you get a chance to meet The Robertsons during filming?
KS: They were brought in a year after we finished shooting, so we never met.

MG: You are currently shooting “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider”, tell us what we can expect?
KS: A whacky ride into a post apocalyptic world where mad max meets the final chapter of the bible. Just had a fun, crazy character to play. No redeeming qualities in him really, but that remains to be seen with hints he may be back for other “Revelation Road” movies.

MG: Lastly tell us about your current Kickstarter campaign for the film “Survivor”?
KS: Sci-fi movie where I play the captain of a ship that had to leave earth decades ago when world war destroyed it. We answer the distress beacon of another planet and all hell breaks loose upon our arrival. Movie is shot and is looking for more money to wrap up post production.

Copyright 2013 Roget Clinic Pty Ltd.

Sharni Vinson is an Australian actress that got her American debut in the dance film “Step Up 3D”. Since then she has starred in numerous strong female leads like the Australian shark thriller “Bait 3D” and last year’s action/horror film “You’re Next”. She is an actress that is not afraid to get her hands dirty and she plays these fantastic roles. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Sharni about her latest new film “Patrick: Evil Awakens” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what drew up into the role for “Patrick: Evil Awakens”?
Sharni Vinson: I think a lot of things at the time drew me to the film. I always like to keep an eye out for any Australian projects that come up. I am Australian and I love getting a chance to get back there and shoot a film with my people [laughs]. So, the fact that this was an Australian movie interested me immediately. The attached cast was a big draw as well. Charles Dance and Rachel Griffiths are two actors that I definitely look up to and admire their work. I thought it would be a great challenge for me. So I wanted to take the opportunity. I also liked that it was a remake of a successfully film from the 70’s, I was also very enticed to see how it could progress with today’s technology advancement.

MG: What is your process for getting into a character like Kathy?
SV: We did not have any rehearsals for this movie. We never had any table readings. It was really interesting actually. I flew into Australia from America the day before we started shooting. So I hadn’t met anybody from the film and you know they say you are supposed to develop all this chemistry beforehand. But the process for this one was quite minimal and really unfolded as we were shooting. I felt like with the set, which was so dark and our wardrobes was really what put us into the character. As soon as I put on that uniform, I started to visualize how it was going to unfold. It was a lot of happening in the moment. Each project is different and this was a great experience getting to do it so naturally.

MG: What was your biggest challenge working on this film?
SV: It was a very smooth shoot. We didn’t run into too many problems. I think maybe the most challenging part could have been was that I was working with an actor, in more than 50% of my scenes, who was in a coma. So he did not speak at all. It was a lot of it was reacting and then reacting to yourself as well. I felt like it was almost along the lines of green screen work, which was very different for me. So that was definitely was quite the challenge I think.

MG: You are known for playing really strong female leads like in “Bait 3D”, “You’re Next” and now this; what do you enjoy most about kicking ass and getting your hands dirty?
SV: HA! It is exactly that what I love about them [laughs]. I grew up in Australia on a farm. I grew up in the dirt and in the ocean and was always very physical. I did a lot of dancing and swimming growing up. With movies, we all know it can get quite tedious sitting on the set for long hours and there is a lot of waiting involved. So when you are doing a role that is heavily involvement with action and utilizing a strong physicality you are always getting to work with a stunt coordinator or trainer in your downtime. I would always rather keep going in my downtime than stop. When you have downtime, you sort of realize how exhausted you really are but if you keep going you feel like you are Superman or something…it is crazy [laughs]. Action and horror genres have been quite good to me. That’s three in a row…

MG: Yeah, I was going to bring up the common theme genre of horror you have trending; what draws you to these films?
SV: I almost want to say that is complete coincidence. I grew up watching horror movies and now I am shooting them. I was absolutely obsessed with them growing up from a really young age. It wasn’t even that I put it out there that I wanted to do horror, these are the roles that I have come my way and that I have taken a liking to. They also, like you mentioned, have that strong female character in them and that is great also and I am enjoying getting a chance to play those characters.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2014 and beyond?
SV: I am very excited to get “Patrick” out there, which comes out March 14th. Next, I am actually doing a film in China mid-year. It is going to be awesome. A part of the film “Bait” was shot in China, so I am excited to get to back there. I do not think the film has settled on a final title yet, so keep an eye out.

Starring: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper and Imogen Poots
Directed By: Scott Waugh
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 130 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Story? Dumb. Characters? Dumb. Motivations? Dumb. Stunts? Yeah…those were pretty cool, but still dumb. Dumb is the word that best describes this movie. There is some dumb fun to be had, but not enough fun to cover the dumb that induces eye rolling boredom. “Need for Speed” is the latest in a long line of attempts by the studios to peddle street racing smut to teenagers and young adults. For this go around, they base the premise off a video game franchise, but even video games have better writers than this.

Tobey Marshall (Paul) is a grease monkey who moonlights as a street racer in small town USA. He’s in a bit of financial trouble and unlucky for him, an old nemesis of his, Dino Brewster (Cooper), offers him a chance to refurbish an aged mustang. Once it’s spruced up and ready, they make a cool 2.7 million dollars on it. Tobey could walk off with a quarter of that money…or he could risk it all on a pissing contest…I mean street car race. Also, you know a movie’s boring when I think doing the math on 25% of 2.7 million is more entertaining. By the way it’s $675,000. So what a shock, someone dies in their over 200 mph race. It’s Marshall’s best friend Pete (Harrison Gilbertson). Dino clips him in an attempt to win the race. So what an even bigger shock when Dino, the multi-millionaire entrepreneur gets away with it and the scruffy and haggard looking Tobey is thrown in jail for two years. Considering all his years of putting pedestrian’s lives in danger for his races, this doesn’t seem like enough time in jail.

Regardless, the rest of the movie is a cross country revenge tale, but he doesn’t have a vehicle. So he teams up with a quick witted, blonde British gal by the name of Julia (Poots). She gives gives him the keys to the 2.7 million dollar car that he built and she paid for. I’ll let that sink in.

Just when as I was on the verge of falling asleep from this preposterously dull story, the roar of an engine would awake me up and I’d get to watch another silly chase. Things are made even worse by the fact Michael Keaton is rolled out as the host of a videocast who is putting on a prestigious race, only for underground racers, called the De Leon. How he has the financial means to put this on and how the police haven’t wiretapped him to find these illegal races, I don’t know. The De Leon is Tobey’s one chance at revenge against Dino. This movie could be a great form of escapism if it wasn’t so head shakingly stupid.

Once the well shot chases are done, we’re forced to sit through another dose of bad dialogue and head scratching questions. The biggest one is one of Tobey’s friends, Benny, who has a gig with the military that allows him to “commandeer” any plane or helicopter so he can help Tobey dart through city streets. I could have easily just written a review about all the ludicrous moments in this. It’s a bit maddening why two time Emmy award winning Aaron Paul would jump straight into this after coming off one of the most successful TV series of all time. It makes you wonder what it is he saw in this because I certainly don’t see it.

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, PJ Byrne, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau and Jean Dujardin
Directors: Martin Scorsese
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: March 25, 2014
Run Time: 179 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is definitely not a film for everyone. It is controversial, edgey and 1 minute shy of three hours in length. In fact, the film has also set the all-time record for the use of the f-word in a film, clocking in at 506 times. This is the fifth collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio and these guys just keep making gold. Leo is supported by a fantastic supporting cast including Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, PJ Byrne, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau and Jean Dujardin…whew, what a cast. I really had a blast with this film. It is vulgar and sometimes (or a lot) offensive but it is quite the ride and it brought me back to watching Scorsese’s equally epic “Casino” on double VHS tapes…that’s right kiddies back when a three hour movie couldn’t find on one Blu-ray. So love it or hate it but this film is a blast and I sugguest you take it like that and not literally like they are trying to support these characters behavior but point out how fucked up that business was in the 90’s (and probably still is).

Official Premise: Revered filmmaker Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of corruption in the late 80s. Excess success and affluence in his early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont warranted Belfort the title – “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Money. Power. Women. Drugs. Temptations were for the taking and the threat of authority was irrelevant. For Jordan and his wolf pack, modesty was quickly deemed overrated and more was never enough.

Paramount delivered “The Wolf of Wall Street in a combo pack including Blu-ray + DVD + HD Digital Ultraviolet copy. The 1080p transfer is absolutely amazing. You can see Scorsese’s vision the way this film was shot and it just looks great. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works so well with the film’s madness and amazing music heard through this film. The soundtrack is actually a favorite of mine as well from the year. The biggest downfall personally for me is the special features. There is literally only one extra included called “The Wolf Pack” It is the basic behind-the-scenes look with interviews from Scorsese, Dicaprio, Hill and a few other cast and crew. This extra is also only on the Blu-ray. The DVD comes bare bones. I would have loved to see a commentary track from any other the amazing cast or director from this film. This release is the case of the film being rushed out on Blu-ray to make it for post-award season.

Actors: Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe
Director: Scott Cooper
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: March 11, 2014
Run Time: 116 minutes

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

I am a huge fan of Christian Bale going back to the early days of “Newsies” and “Swing Kids”, but I did not see this film coming. It was completetly out of my radar when it was released and from its reception out of everyone elses as well it seemed. The film is directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”), whom I respect very much. It also features an all-star cast including Woody Harrelson, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe, Zoe Saldana and Sam Shepard. There is no shortage of talent. Still though the film just didn’t blow me away. The drama was there and the acting was great but I just felt like it was just going through the motions, never really grabbed me. For fans of the cast (and director) it will be worth checking out but I call this a one-timer and in five years I will have completely forgot about it.

Official Premise: From Scott Cooper, the critically acclaimed writer and director of Crazy Heart, comes a gripping and powerful drama about family, fate, circumstance and justice. Russell Baze (Oscarr Winner Christian Bale) leads a dead-end life – he works a meaningless steel mill job all day, and cares for his terminally ill father at night. When Russell’s brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) returns home from Iraq, he is lured into one of the Northeast’s most ruthless crime rings and mysteriously disappears. When the police fail to solve the case, Russell puts his life at risk in order to seek justice for his brother.

Fox delivered the film on Blu-ray with a combo pack including an HD Digital Ultraviolet copy. This is becoming the trend with pretty much any film Fox is releasing latetly and I really dig that. The 1080p transfer is quite solid. I liked the way the film was shot and it was nicely framed. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track worked well with the dialogue and Dickson Hinchliffe’s score. The special features are decent and contain four featurettes. “Inspiration” looks into the story behind the film behind made. “Scott Cooper” focuses on the film’s director. “Crafting the Fight Scenes” is a breakdown of a few of the films climatic moments. Lastly “The Music of Out of the Furnace” talks with composer Hinchliffe about his score.

Starring: James Franco, Jason Statham, Rachelle Lefevre, Winona Ryder, Frank Grillo, Kate Bosworth
Director: Gary Fleder
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: March 11, 2014
Running Time: 100 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Homefront” isn’t a bad film. It is action packed and was able to keep me interested the entire film. But I just wasn’t blown away. The film is adapted from the Chuck Logan novel of the same name by the one and only Sylvester Stallone. It definitely has that 90’s kick-ass action feel to it that Stallone has been trying to bring back. The cast is definitely impressive though including Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder and Kate Bosworth. I love Franco in the bad-guy role. Statham does what Statham does best…plays Statham. Action fans should check out for nostalgia purposes but otherwise this will not be for everyone.

Official Premise: Widowed ex-DEA agent Phil Broker (Statham) retires to a quiet Southern town with his 10-year-old daughter and discovers that the idyllic setting is riddled with drugs and violence. When a riveting chain of events forces him to face off with psychotic local drug lord Gator Bodine (Franco), Broker must retaliate using the fearsome skills he hoped to keep in his past.

Despite the film, Universal delivered an impressive Blu-ray combo pack including a Blu-ray + DVD + HD Digital UltraViolet copy. The 1080p transfer really captures that 90’s feel to it, while looking quite sharp especially with the action sequences. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also sounded awesome for this film and really gave my surround sound a solid workout. Things don’t get much better in the special features department for this release. There are a few short deleted scenes included, one of them being extended ending. Lastly there is a short promo called “Standoff”. Nothing here of value at all.