Starring: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 46 mins
Fox Searchlight

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bill Marks (Neeson) is having a bad day. Feeling the effects of a long night of drinking he doesn’t look forward to the next 6 hours, when he’s going to be trapped with 150 other passengers on an airplane heading towards England. He begs with his boss to have someone else do the job but is rebuffed. Reluctantly he boards and takes his seat. He wishes he had a smoke. And a new job. Bill is an air marshal and he’s having a bad day. It’s about to get worse.

Tense and well told, “Non Stop” is another feather in the directorial cap of James Collet-Serra, the Spanish filmmaker who is responsible not only for this film but recent achievements like “Unknown” and “Orphan.” The excitement starts after take-off when Bill receives a text message, on his official business phone, telling him that without his cooperation a passenger is going to die in the next 20 minutes. Bill is given a bank account number and told to have the airline wire $150 million into it. Bill notifies his superiors but they’re a little wary of the information, considering the bank account is set up in Bill’s name! The next 80 minutes is a wild ride, one you could easily call “non-stop.”

I never would have suspected, after such films as “Schindler’s List,” “Nell” and “Before and After” that Liam Neeson would become one of the more popular, and credible, action stars making films today. Even his brief turn as the shotgun wielding Briar in “Next of Kin” didn’t hint at the quiet, thoughtful bad-ass he’s become. Literally working against time (the blackmailer has assured him that someone on the plane will die every 20 minutes unless his demands are met), Bill must rely on his friendship with crew members, and the nice traveler that sat down next to him (Moore), to deal with a situation that continues to get worse, especially when news reports, triggered by passenger text messages, label Bill the hijacker.

As mentioned, Neeson is again solid as a man with faults he must overcome to save those around him. As his nervous seatmate, Moore has little to do but what she does have she does well. Several of the supporting actors, including Scooter McNairy, Corey Stoll, Michelle Dockery and this coming Sunday’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (how’s that for putting it all on the line) also contribute to the film. The action sequences, both inside and outside the plane are also well executed. The only thing I was disappointed in was the film’s “message,” which really doesn’t fit with the characters delivering it. However, that being said, the film is well worth seeing.

Starring: Diogo Morgado, Roma Downey and Darwin Shaw
Directed By: Christopher Spencer
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 138 Minutes
20th Century Fox

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

I have to preface this review by stating that I attended Catholic school for four years. During those years I probably learned more about the Christian faith than I have at any other point in my life. No matter what grade, one part of our day was dedicated to a religion class. No, not learning about other religions and expanding our horizons, but instead just going over the same Biblical curriculum. Think of it in the same way they hammer in English and math lessons every year in schools. During religion class, we either read scripture, interpreted scripture or watched a good old fashioned New Testament movie. I watched almost every single kind, ranging from animated, black and white, silent, TV series and ones I’m fairly certain were created just for church distribution. Very few of them distinguished themselves when retelling the story of Jesus. “Son of God” is no different.

With hundreds of pages to go off, where does the movie begin? Well it never feels like it actually starts off anywhere and instead just dabbles throughout the beginnings of Jesus Christ (Morgado). I guess you could say it starts at his birth, but that literally occupies a couple of minutes in the movie. For some reason they try to establish Pontius Pilate (Greg Hicks) early on. He’s clearly a big player later in the story, but showcasing him on horseback while his minions kill people seems rather pointless. The story isn’t really set in stone. We have some random narrative from the Apostle John (Sebastian Knapp) that adds nothing. The first third of the movie is spent meandering from one random story to the next and surprisingly Christ’s baptism was not one of those stories. We reach some consistency when Jesus makes his final entry into Jerusalem before his crucifixion. I feel like most movies on the life of Christ hinge their emotional bets on the crucifixion. “Son of God” does too, but the payoff comes off passionless.

The movie oddly spends half it’s time dipping into the behind the scenes politics of the Romans and the Jewish elders bickering about Jesus. It saps previous screentime that could have been used to build the relationship Jesus had with the Virgin Mary (Downey) or his Apostles. The movie heavily focuses on the people who seem to lack faith in Christ’s abilities. Everyone from bystanders to his Apostles are constantly second guessing his claims and his miracles. As for the actors, they’re convincing enough in their roles, but nothing screams job security. Playing the Lord and Savior for over a billion people is a tough task, but Diogo Morgado is a bit underwhelming. He smiles some pearly whites when delivering a sermon, but Jesus wasn’t all niceties and politeness. One of the most pivotal stories of the New Testament is when Jesus becomes physically upset that the temple in Jerusalem has become a den of thieves and crooks who peddle their goods. This movie should call for Jesus to become physically upset (the only time it happens in the Bible), but instead becomes an obvious sign that Morgado may not have been the right man for the role.

This isn’t a bad movie, but it’s not a good movie either. This movie suffers from being way too vanilla with its material. It seems afraid to try anything new in terms of story telling. I had to ask myself after the movie: Why must a movie like this be made if there’s nothing creatively new to add? I know the immediate response would be to spread the word of God for a new generation. But I don’t think that’s a real reason if this movie is simply a cut and paste theatrical release of “The Bible” miniseries that was aired on the History Channel. Maybe I’m wrong. All I know is, future Catholic school kids will be stuck watching this when teacher feels like letting the TV do the lecturing.

“As the Palaces Burn”
Starring: Lamb of God
Director: Don Argott
Rated: Unrated
Studio: 9.14 Pictures
Run Time: 90 minutes

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

What starts out as a typical band related documentary quickly becomes much more than that. “As the Palaces Burn” is the latest film from heavy metal band Lamb of God. Directed by Don Argott and being released via Epic Records and 9.14 Pictures the film is a 90 minute rollercoaster ride of emotion that captivates the viewer.

Whether you are a fan of Lamb of God’s music or not I strongly urge you to see this film. This is not just another behind the scenes type film designed to give fans an inside look at their favorite band. This may have been the original intent however mid way through the film it starts to document the series of events which lead to the incarceration of lead singer D. Randall Blythes incarceration in the Czech Republic for the charge of Manslaughter.

As the film delves deeper into these events the film takes is most dramatic turn as it shows the immense amount of emotion the band members have for one another as well as Randy’s own strength throughout the entire time of his incarceration and subsequent return to the Czech Republic to stand trial for these clearly bogus charges. Director Don Argott did a great job capturing everything I enjoy seeing in a film of this nature. Candid interviews with not only the band but with fans and fellow musicians gave the film a number of different perspectives that helped affirm the bands place in the music world and the impact the events involving Randy had on those both close to him and those from afar.

Don’t expect anything to be sugar coated or fluffy with this film. Those two words could probably never be used to describe the band Lamb of God before now or after. To the point editing and straight forward accounts from those who lived it give “As the Palaces Burn” the realest feel I have gotten from a documentary to date.

Starring: Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom, Jimmy Bennett, David Ogden Stiers, Kath Soucie, John Fiedler
Directors: Elliot M. Bour, Saul Andrew Blinkoff
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Run Time: 65 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo” is a 2004 direct-to-video film, which features voice actors Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Peter Cullen as Eeyore, and John Fiedler as Piglet. I have always loved this film but I have always been disturbed that the focus of the film is really on Rabbit, who is missing from the cover. It has “A Christmas Carol” theme but set with an Easter background. It is cute and packs tons of great songs. My 21 month old has already watched this quite since we received and she was dancing all around the house.

Synopsis: Each year, Rabbit plays Easter Bunny, but this year, he’s decided it’s “Spring Cleaning Day,” and he orders everyone to hop to it: scrubbing, dusting, and mopping. All his pals are disappointed — especially little Roo — until Rabbit learns that putting others first and showing friends how much you care turns every day into a precious gift.

This “Hippity Hoppity Roo Edition” comes with a Blu-ray and Digital HD Digital Copy. There is also a cute Winnie-The-Pooh baby mobile included inside the came. This strike a code because we have a Pooh mobile for my daughter growing up. For a direct-to-video installment from Disney, I was very impressed with the 1080p transfer. I thought the colors looks so vibrant and crisp. I really enjoyed watching it. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track worked so well with the numerous songs from the film.

Unfortunately, there is only one special features included “Get Up and Dance”, which gets kid to get up and dance to Rabbit’s Easter song. If you look back at the DVD release of this release, there were quite a few extras missing from that. I am not sure why Disney decided to leave those out. I hope that they are planning on releasing a double feature next with “Pooh’s Heffalump Movie” and its sequel “Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie”. I would love to see these next perhaps in the Fall. Hint, hint!

Voices of: Corinne Orr, Jack Grimes, Peter Fernandez and Jack Curtis
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 637 minutes
Format: Made To Order DVD

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

After revisit “Marine Boy” with the first season recently, I was very excited to dive into the second season. This 3-Disc set includes the next 26 Episodes in this classic anime series, which airs from 1966-67. I warn you as cheesy as this show feels today, it is still entertaining and that damn theme song will definitely get stuck in your head. With 52 episodes in the bag, so far we still have another 26 to go, so I expect the third season to hit DVD later this year completing this series.

Official Premise: Marine Boy returns for a second volume of classic ‘American anime’ adventures! Operating out of the Ocean Patrol Marine Headquarters, super-scientist Dr. Mariner outfits his stalwart son with all the aquatic accouterments needed to keep the seas safe for all mankind. From Oxy-Gum and bulletproof wet suit, to flying subs and propeller shoes, Marine Boy has what it takes to face a variety of fearsome foes above and below the ocean’s surface.

Dive deep into the deep with villains like Skwid, Stormbrane, Count Shark, Professor Beelzebub and Captain Wraithand more who must learn to beware the boomerang of Marine Boy as he cruises the sea aboard the submarine P-1 alongside little Clicli, Professor Fumble, mermaid Neptina, dolphin best friend Splasher, and Ocean Patrol agents Bullton and Piper.

Thanks to Warner Archive Collection, this series is continuing to be available to its fans. It is available MOD (manufacture on demand), so if you want it buy it now before it stops being made. These episodes are not flawless but I expect these episodes to have a certain rugged feel to it. These haven’t been restored but have been taken from the best prints available. There are no additional special features available on this release just like the first season.

Debuting this week on DVD, “Murder in Miami” has been described as “a sexy, thrilling ode to the classic De Palma films of the ’80s – particularly Body Double.” Media Mikes caught up with the film’s director Will Vasquez to talk about his new film, multi-tasking and his boring early days as a photographer for Playboy.

Mike Smith: Your main character is a photographer. Did you rely on any of your past experiences in creating him?
Will Vasquez: A little of the character and his lifestyle I drew from my past experiences, but I’m not as cool as he is.

MS: While a film director has a flowing canvas to tell his story, a still photographer must do it all in one photo. What was the biggest difference in changing from photographs to film?
WV: Film has it’s challenges, because you have movement and sound to deal with. But it’s much more powerful because film has the ability to mess with your emotions. For me, in some ways, I felt liberated when I transitioned from photography. In a photograph, you’re imprisoned in a single frame, where everything has to be perfect. If you really dissect Hollywood movies, you will find errors in some shots, but because the frame changes, the audience doesn’t have a chance to notice them, because they are paying more attention to the story.

MS: You not only wrote and directed “Murder in Miami,” you served as your own cinematographer and editor. Is this because you felt that, as the film’s creator, you knew exactly the look and tone your were looking for?
WV: I love the entire creative process of making movies, and I like to be hands on. Being involved with all the aspects of filmmaking is why I got into this business, and what drives me. The only drawback is that you have to carry the entire film in your head for a couple of years. It feels great when you finally complete the final edit, and you can purge your mind.

MS: Is there a sense of embarrassment on the photographer’s part when shooting photos for publications like “Playboy?”
WV: No, because photographers are there to do a job. At the end of the day, you have to deliver three different looks from your model and do a lot of coverage of each look. You’re not thinking about anything else other than getting the best shots, so you’re eyes are always scanning the frame checking the model’s hair, her pose, that her tummy is flat, that she has pretty fingers and her hands don’t look like claws, even that her feet look pretty. Because every shot has to be perfect.

MS: Do you have a favorite “Playboy” model? Or a least favorite?
WV: I worked with a lot of great models, but my favorite has to be Cynthia Kaye.

MS: Is there anyone you would have liked to have photographed but didn’t?
WV: I would have loved to have photographed Jenny McCarthy. She recently appeared in “Playboy” again and looks better than ever. I think that she really represents the classic “Playboy” girl next door. She’s beautiful, cool, funny, intelligent, and likes to have sex.

Voices of: Anthony Ruivivar, J.B. Blanc, Sumalee Montano, Kurtwood Smith
Rated TV-PG
Studio: Warner Archive Collection
DVD Release Date: February 18, 2014
Run Time: 286 minutes

Season: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

After “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” although a fun show, but with the success of “The Dark Knight” series, fans were looking for something with a darker tone. Enter, “Beware the Batman”. The show has a more serious tone and a really snazzy look and feel to it. The animation style is great and Batman is quite badass. Unfortunately Cartoon Network did not give this show much love, they pulled it from their schedule back in October after 11 episodes and left two unaired. They claimed it would be back on in January but as we approach March there is still no word. Either way I really dug this show and I would recommend it to any Batman fan out there. “Batman: The Animated Series” still holds the reigns but it is quite an impressive entry for the Caped Crusader.

Batman swings into an exhilarating new age, teaming with a powerful allies old and new for a thrilling new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise in Beware the Batman: Shadows of Gotham, Season 1 Part 1. The new action-packed detective thriller incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogue’s gallery of criminals as the Caped Crusader faces some of Gotham City’s most despicable villains. Through the show’s first 13 animated adventures of this two-disc collection, ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana join Batman to takes on an array of evildoers including the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. This thrilling series redefines what we have come to know as the “Batman show” and is sure to excite fans with cutting-edge CGI visuals.

This Blu-ray contains all 11 episodes that official aired and the additional 2 that are still unaired. Included are “Hunted”, “Secrets”, Tests”, “Safe”, “Broken”, “Toxic”, “Family”, “Allies”, “Control”, “Sacrifice”, “Instinct”, “Attraction” and “Fall”. There are some solid villains as well in these episodes including Professor Pyg and Mister Toad, Cypher, Magpie, Anarky and Lady Shiva to name a few. I think it was a brave move to include some new and not so well-known villains. Other shows have done in the past having Joker be the lead villains and who doesn’t love the Joker but you have to give it to “Beware the Batman” for being ballsy here. I am sure if this show continued on we would see the funny man pop up surely but we did not rely on it from the beginning.

This Blu-ray comes from Warner Bros’ made-on-demand (MOD) service, Warner Archive, which produced their releases as they are ordered. I feel that this series deserves more than that but at least it is seeing the light of day. The 1080p transfer works well with the tone of the show and the killer CGI visuals. There are no special features included on this release unless you count the two unaired episodes. I hope that Warner Bros and Cartoon Network continue this series this Spring otherwise, this “Season 1 Part 1” Blu-ray will not have a “Part 2” release to complete it.

Creators: Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer
Rating: TV-MA
Studio: Warner Bros
DVD Release Date: March 4, 2014
Run Time: 200 minutes

Season: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I saw the beginning of the fourth season of “The Venture Bros”, I was really disappointed to see the replacement of Brock Samson. I love the rest of the characters but he was really 75% of the reason why I watched the show. Sergeant Hattred (voiced by co-creator Jackson Publick aka Christopher McCulloch) is a decent character but Samson’s shoes are a bit too big to fill. This season was actually an improvement over four, it picks up right from season four and is pretty funny and action-packed. But I think the huge gaps between seasons has caused myself to loose interest overall in this show. Fans of the show who still love it should rejoice since there is a sixth season which should be airing late 2014-early 2015.

Official Premise: The fifth season of The Venture Bros. picks up moments after the stunning climax of season four and hits the ground running for a season of globe-trotting adventures and stay-at-home suspense. But no matter where it runs?from the steamy jungles of Central America, to the sparkling sands of the Greek Islands, to the seedy back alleys of Tangier, to the jagged cliffs of By-Golly Gulch?the Venture family can¹t escape the treachery of enemies old, new, and within.

What the “The Venture Bros” has never lacked is quality voice talent. This season get packed with tons of great guest voices including Aziz Ansari, Paget Brewster, Wyatt Cenac, Kevin Conroy, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, Gillian Jacobs, Kate McKinnon, Tim Meadows, J.K. Simmons, and Brendon Small. In terms of the episodes, the fourth season contained fifteen thirty-minute episodes and a one hour-long season finale but this season was amped up to an hour long premiere episode and seven thirty-minute episodes. I still think this show works better as an fifteen minute show much like “Metalocalype”.

This Blu-ray contains the eight episodes from its fifth season PLUS two bonus episodes “A Very Venture Halloween” and From the Ladle to the Grave: The Shallow Gravy Story”. The animation looks solid with the show’s 1080p transfer. Also included is an HD Digital Ultraviolet copy of the season as well. In terms of special features, there some deleted scenes and episode commentaries from series creator Jackson Publick and fellow writer, director and executive producer Doc Hammer. The commentary tracks are a nice touch to give the episodes some replay value as the duo are quite interesting together.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgaard, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Rene Russo
Directed By: Alan Taylor
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 112 minutes
Release Date: February 25th 2014

Film: 4 out of 5 Stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 Stars

It’s no secret here at Media Mikes that Thor’s is my personal favorite storyline in Marvel’s movie lineup. The first film in 2011 by Kenneth Brannagh managed to brilliantly balance the Asgardian-out-of-water comedic elements with the weightier family politics at play. It boasted a great cast of established talent including Natalie Portman, Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins while effectively launching two more stars in Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. Their on screen fraternal conflict as Thor and Loki respectively was strong enough to jump front and center in 2012’s The Avengers. The Dark World as a follow up to that megahit is slightly less successful in accentuating the appeals of the Mightiest Avenger and often struggles in balancing its tone. Still, with its strong cast of characters intact and imaginative otherworldly battles, the sequel remains a worthy entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Like the 2011 film, The Dark World begins in a prologue detailing an ancient battle between the Asgardians and the film’s baddies, the Dark Elves. Lead by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), the Dark Elves lost a powerful evil force known as the Aether to Thor’s grandfather who hid this mysterious red goo out of their reach. Ancient feud established, we move forward to Loki, who actually always manages to speak before Thor in his own trilogy, how’s that for a silver tongue? Last seen muzzled by the Avengers in Central Park, Loki is now on trial before Odin. By his mother’s (Russo as Frigga) mercy, Loki is granted life in the dungeons as punishment for the mess he made in New York. His adoptive brother Thor remains next in line for Odin’s throne. Finally we get to Thor, who has just restored peace to the nine realms yet is distracted by his lingering feelings for astrophysicist-turned-love-interest Jane Foster (Portman). He didn’t even think to call on his last visit to Earth. The nerve. For her part, Foster is still invested in intergallactic goings-ons from her new base in London. Her devices lead her to an unfortunate possession by the Aether, necesitating a field trip to Asgard with Thor to both exorcise her and prevent the Dark Elves from regaining their power. Long story short (too late!) there’s a lot going on in the universe.

With so much going on, you might expect a longer film but The Dark World is shortest in runtime in the MCU and suffers a bit for it. Reviewing the blu-ray I could feel myself suddenly resenting having had to endure the excesses of say, The Desolation of Smaug while being so acutely aware of cut scenes here. The fact is in its rush to get to the action and the big battles, The Dark World misses out on the strengths unique to the Thor franchise. Specifically the family dynamics. Thor and Loki at this point have so much history and when they’re forced to team up against the larger elf threat, it’s no surprise that the strongest scenes in the film are between the two brothers. Considering we last saw them pummeling the living daylights out of one another in The Avengers, it is a great relief to see both actors really using their on screen chemistry and in the case of Hiddleston, Loki’s scene-stealing sarcasm, rather than they’re weapons. Their grief over a loss in their familly is palpable but then they’re also capable of fighting like children over who gets to drive the spaceship in one riot of a flight sequence. Hemsworth too has great comedic timing that often is overshadowed by his physical presence when it shouldn’t be. The scenes featuring both brothers have emminently more life to them than any between the heroes and this film’s villains.

Likewise, when Jane Foster is able to get her science on instead of being saddled with the Aether, we’re reminded what made her passionate character so likeable the first time. Her continued friendship with Kat Dennings’ outspoken intern Darcy is even more fun this time around with Dennings giving a pretty realistic response to seeing a god teleport through space. At least, I too would be swearing.

A major upside to this galaxy spanning story is how much the scale of Thor’s world increased since his solo outing. Asgard itself is given an entirely new depth and has been equipped with some magnificent viking-inspired flying machines. There’s also the welcome return of Thor’s fighting companions, the Warriors Three and Sif (Jaimie Alexander’s shield maiden who gets the award for most bad ass entrance in the film). The climatic battle which whips all the players around every corner of the universe–cleverly keeping Earthbound Act-of-Marvel-Movie damage to a minimum this time– provides fun glimpses into realms we’ve both seen previously (hey, Jotunheim!) and might explore in the future. As Thor 3 was recently confirmed, here’s hoping next time the creators do take this opportunity to expand their horizons and realize when it comes to the Asgardians more is more.

EXTRAS: Poor Rene Russo–as with the first film, the majority of her lovely performance as mother to the two warring Princes is relegated here to the deleted scenes. There are approximately eight minutes of them which were mainly cut, we’re informed in commentary, to make the film go faster. Unneccessarily I think, but I’m nevertheless grateful they see the light of day here. And with the amount of additional footage that was splashed all over the film’s marketing campaign in the fall of last year that’s still M.I.A on this set, I have no doubt that’s there’s likely still more in the Marvel vault waiting for its turn in the Marvel Phase Two box set.
Seriously, where’s Loki rocking this look from?

I digress.

As with all the recent Marvel releases, the disk is in fact packed with bonuses. Beyond the deleted scenes, there’s a fun gag reel, commentary with Kevin Feige, Alan Taylor and Tom Hiddleston sharing easter eggs that I even missed on theatrical viewings. Hiddleston also gets a moment to comment on his time spent in Captain America’s suit for a shapeshifting sequence (“it fit like a glove!”) and if you have need to see him looking like Thor, you can also find that screen test on one of the Blu-ray’s featurettes.

Crucially there’s the most substantial Marvel “one-shot” short film to date with “All Hail the King.” We get to catch us up with Ben Kingsley’s Iron Man 3 character in a funny way but also in a way that has much larger implications to the Iron Man story. Also it has a hilarious cameo from a character I had genuinely not expected to see again.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” finds space adventurer Peter Quill the object of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb coveted by a treacherous villain, but when Quill discovers the power it holds, he must find a way to rally the quartet of ragtag rivals hot on his trail to save the universe.

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.

MEET THE GUARDIANS

Rocket Raccoon

Groot

Gamora

Drax

Peter Quill

Guardians of the Galaxy – Trailer #1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/guardiansofthegalaxy
Twitter: @Guardians
Tweet the Hashtag: #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY opens in theaters on August 1, 2014!

STORY SYNOPSIS:
From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime Rael and Benicio del Toro as The Collector.

James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Alan Fine and Stan Lee serve as executive producers. The story is by Nicole Perlman and James Gunn, with screenplay by James Gunn. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” releases in U.S. theaters on August 1, 2014.

Actors: Dominic Purcell, Adam Beach, Michael Ironside
Directors: Jonathon Tydor
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Run Time: 95 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

When I saw the trailer to “Ice Soldiers”, I thought it could have had some potential. First of all it stars Dominic Purcell, Adam Beach, Michael Ironside, and Gabriel Hogan. So there is some decent talent there. The premise has a “Universal Soldier” set during the Cold War feeling to it, which sounds cool quite frankly. Unfortunately, the film takes way too long to get started and the visual effects just don’t deliver. The story is weak and there is way too much talking for an “action” film. I would save yourself the disappointment and check out “Nazis at the Center of the Earth” for the same comedic effect.

Official Premise: Buried beneath the Arctic ice since the Cold War, genetically modified Soviet soldiers have been rediscovered, reactivated and are ready to unleash devastating destruction. They are cold-blooded killing machines with super-human strength and one man, a scientist who has been searching for them his entire life, will try to stop the carnage before they complete their terrifying, top-secret mission.

“Ice Soldiers” comes with a decent Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer doesn’t have much to complain about. I called the film a bit of a whiteout since it was primarily taken place around snow areas. The action takes a while to get started but when it kicks in finally the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 does deliver with the explosions and gunfire. Sony didn’t really give this film much love as it delivered this release completely barebones. I can’t say I am shocked or disappointed here but it just feels lazy.

Directed By: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring: Kit Harington, Emily Browning and Carrie-Anne Moss
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 105 minutes
TriStar Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

I’m not a filmmaker, but I think I found the recipe for Hollywood’s latest CGI reimagining of history, “Pompeii”:

* A disregard for human life seen in every Roland Emmerich disaster movie.
* About three seasons worth of “Games of Thrones” stylized backstory crammed into a 40 minute introductory.
* A half-hearted attempt at “Gladiator” revenge
* Sexy women. Always gotta have that.
* A couple of veteran actors to legitimize everything above.

Maybe I’m a sociopath for going in and thinking the only interesting part of this movie would be Mother Earth smothering people in toxic volcanic ash, but I know when I walk into a movie called “Pompeii”, I would not expect any less. They barely deliver on that.

Alright, so let’s at least gloss over this story that took itself way too seriously to the point of cheesiness. Milo (Harington) is a Celtic slave who carries with him the horrific memories of his entire village and parents being slaughtered by Roman soldiers. He is the latest hot commodity among slave owners because of his seemingly invincible fighting skills in the gladiatorial ring. He’s transported to Pompeii where he’s expected to take on the equally invincible, Atticus (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Along the way, Milo encounters Cassia (Browning) by pure chance. And by pure chance, I mean they encounter each other while he’s being transported and she’s coming back from Rome…in a city of over 10,000 people. Regardless, she becomes automatically infatuated with him. Too bad the visiting Senator Corvis (Keifer Sutherland) already has his creepy eyes on her. Oh, did I mention he’s the one who led the slaughter of Milo’s village? I’m barely scratching the surface of every little, unexplained or barely touched on, side story. There’s stuff about an unseen Roman emperor, Corvis and Cassia have some history, her parents apparently have turmoil with the empire and some flimsy attempt at making us relate to Atticus’ long path towards freedom. You’ll be rooting for the volcano to just wipe them all out.

Look, when Paul W.S. Anderson’s (not the Paul Anderson that gave us “Boogie Nights”) name pops up in the first couple of moments, you know you’re in for something lacking in plot. This movie however does play to his strong suits, CGI and violence. The fight scenes are entertaining and the multiple scenes of hundreds of people dying are entertaining. But not a lot of other things really peaked my interest. Everyone in this movie talks in angry whispers and half their conversations are passive aggressive remarks. This movie would have been a lot more fun without a story, but a lot more memorable with one.

I shouldn’t be hating this movie too much, I’m a sucker for disaster movies. Despite the constant shifting in my seat throughout, I was attentive for the film’s final act of devastation; complete with a chariot chase. The CGI is great and surprisingly the 3D was well used, especially during the eruption. If you snoozed through middle school or never passed fourth grade history, you will undoubtedly head in not knowing what the ending will be. But most people will know there ‘s no last minute heroics. I mean, the only person who saw this first hand was in a different city watching from afar. He probably didn’t want to witness the horror that was Mount Vesuvius and you probably won’t want to waste your weekend watching this. Wait for a home viewing with friends and beer handy.

Director: Bob Smeaton
Number of discs: 1
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout Factory!
Run Time: 90 minutes

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

In the summer of 1970, some of the era’s biggest rock stars took to the rails for “Festival Express” a multi-artist, multi-city concert tour that captured the spirit and imagination of a generation. What made it unique was that it was portable; for five days, the bands and performers lived, slept, rehearsed and let loose aboard a customized train that traveled from Toronto, to Winnipeg, to Calgary, with each stop culminating in a mega-concert. The entire experience was filmed both off-stage and on, but the extensive footage and sound tapes of the events remained locked away for decades, only recently having been rediscovered and restored. The film Festival Express is a momentous achievement in rock film archaeology which combines the long-lost material with contemporary interviews that add important context to the event nearly 35 years after originally being filmed.

Directed by Bob Smeaton “Festival Express” is an all inclusive look at this unique tour that in today’s musical climate probably would not be possible. Everyone from the Grateful Dead to The Band and Janis Joplin are showcased on this half concert half documentary film. Probably my favorite part of the whole film was in the early minutes when concert going protesters were complaining over the $14 ticket price. This made me laugh as a bill of this character in today’s world would certainly be pushing triple digital numbers. Though the film was shot in 1970 and subsequently shelved for 40+ years the Blu-Ray version of this release is visually stunning and though the images are clean and crisp there is still that element of graininess that puts a date stamp on the piece. Along with the films stunning visuals is a great audio mix which only further showcased the group’s performances. If you’re short on time definitely jump ahead to The Bands performance of their hit song “The Weight” as Drummer/Vocalist Levon Helms vocals are always a treat to listen to.

If the 90 minute feature film wasn’t enough the special features portion of the disc picks up where the film ends. Bonus performances from Buddy Guy, Eric Andersen and others along with a full length documentary related to the feature titled “Derailed: The making of Festival Express” is a great addition to this portion of the release. Fans of 70’s music and the spawning of the festival concert scene will definitely enjoy this film.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Hailee Steinfield and Connie Nielsen
Directed by: McG
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 53 mins
Realitivity Media

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Ethan Renner (Costner) works for the C.I.A. At least he did until he learned, after his last mission, that he has cancer and has three months to live. Forsaking the agency he heads to Paris, where he tries to make peace with the family he basically abandoned five years ago to protect his country. He is in the process of rekindling some semblance of a life with his wife and daughter when he is informed that his country needs him again. And, in return for his help, they will give him an “experimental” drug that will enable him to live. If given that choice, what would you do?

Directed by McG with a story and script co-written by the great Luc Besson, “3 Days to Kill” is a tongue in cheek action flick that takes you a little while to get on board but, once in sync with the film, the ride is terrific. I was worried in the first few minutes when Ethan is part of a “routine” assignment, which including bad guys with code names like WOLF and THE ALBINO…pretty generic. Second worry came when he goes to buy some over the counter medicine for a cold and is given boxes with COUGH SYRUP and SUPER STRENGTH COUGH SYRUP on the packages, giving the impression this is seriously a low budget affair. Then the first building explodes and all is right with the movie world again!

More than an action-thriller, “3 Days to Kill” is also a fun look at how even the toughest guys – the baddest asses on the planet – are capable of an emotional evening with the ladies of their lives. While hoping to reconcile with his wife (Nielsen) and help his teenage daughter (“True Grit’s” Steinfield) get ready for her first prom, he must also deal with the family of squatters that have taken over his apartment (one of the daughters is pregnant and about to pop, teaching his daughter to ride a bike and basically behaving like a dad while exchanging heavy gun fire. In between the life lessons the fun and action are actioned up to just the level you’d expect out of a pairing of McG and Besson. Only Amber Heard, as the main assistant to the C.I.A. director, comes off as too over the top, finding a reason to show up in skin tight clothes to flirt at a moment’s notice. I hope to heck she’s not protecting me. Costner, in his second film this year as a C.I.A. agent, following last month’s “Jack Ryan,” handles the action well and adds some gravity to the parent-out-of-water scenario. Steinfeld is solid, though she really doesn’t have much to do but pout and complain.

CONTINUE THE EPIC ADVENTURE WHEN
“THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG,”
A PRODUCTION OF NEW LINE CINEMA AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES,
ARRIVES ONTO LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION BLU-RAY 3D COMBO PACK, BLU-RAY 3D COMBO PACK, BLU-RAY COMBO PACK, 2-DISC DVD SPECIAL EDITION and DIGITAL HD
ON APRIL 8 FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Burbank, CA, February 18, 2014 – Adventures abound as Bilbo, Gandalf and the Company of Dwarves continue their Quest through Middle-earth in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), arriving onto Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on April 8 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, is directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, who also produces together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh.  “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was the number one 2013 home entertainment title across physical and digital accounts in the U.S.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt and Orlando Bloom as Legolas. The film also stars Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Adam Brown, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Manu Bennett and Lawrence Makoare.

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” will be available on Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $105.43, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $44.95, Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and 2-disc DVD Special Edition for $28.98.  The Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack includes two Gates of Erebor replica bookends from the Noble Collection and features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition; only 25,000 will be available in the U.S. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition on Blu-ray; and the DVD features the theatrical version in standard definition.  All versions include a digital version of the movie on Digital HD with UltraViolet.* Fans can also own “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” in Digital HD on April 8 via purchase from digital retailers.

SYNOPSIS

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company travels East, encountering along the way skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all–a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself–The Dragon Smaug.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” Limited Collector’s Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and 2-Disc Standard Definition DVD Special Edition contain the following special features:

• Peter Jackson Invites You to the Set: In the Company of the Hobbit and Peter Jackson Invites You to the Set: All in a Day’s Work – Experience the film’s challenges and demands, and journey alongside the director into Mirkwood, Lake-town and Dale as the movie’s most intense, pivotal scenes are created
• Production Videos – Watch production come to life as Peter Jackson gives you an inside look at the making of the film
• New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth, Part 2 – Travel with Peter Jackson and his team across the stunning locations of New Zealand transformed by the filmmakers into Middle-earth
• “I See Fire” Music Video – Ed Sheeran’s beautiful theme song from the film is illuminated with this intimate music video